{"collection":"myth-cosmogony","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_15474/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_15474","id":"gutenberg_15474","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/15474","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Classics of Literature","Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore","Epic literature, Sanskrit"],"text":"Produced by John B. Hare. Please notify any corrections\nto John B. Hare at www.sacred-texts.com\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Mahabharata\n\nof\n\nKrishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa\n\nBOOK 1\n\nADI PARVA\n\nTranslated into English Prose from the Original Sanskrit Text\n\nby\n\nKisari Mohan Ganguli\n\n[1883-1896]\n\nScanned at sacred-texts.com, 2003. Proofed at Distributed Proofing,\nJuliet Sutherland, Project Manager. Additional proofing and formatting at\nsacred-texts.com, by J. B. Hare.\n\n\n\nTRANSLATOR'S PREFACE\n\nThe object of a translator should ever be to hold the mirror upto his\nauthor. That being so, his chief duty is to represent so far as\npracticable the manner in which his author's ideas have been expressed,\nretaining if possible at the sacrifice of idiom and taste all the\npeculiarities of his author's imagery and of language as well. In regard\nto translations from the Sanskrit, nothing is easier than to dish up\nHindu ideas, so as to make them agreeable to English taste. But the\nendeavour of the present translator has been to give in the following\npages as literal a rendering as possible of the great work of Vyasa. To\nthe purely English reader there is much in the following pages that will\nstrike as ridiculous. Those unacquainted with any language but their own\nare generally very exclusive in matters of taste. Having no knowledge of\nmodels other than what they meet with in their own tongue, the standard\nthey have formed of purity and taste in composition must necessarily be a\nnarrow one. The translator, however, would ill-discharge his duty, if for\nthe sake of avoiding ridicule, he sacrificed fidelity to the original. He\nmust represent his author as he is, not as he should be to please the\nnarrow taste of those entirely unacquainted with him. Mr. Pickford, in\nthe preface to his English translation of the Mahavira Charita, ably\ndefends a close adherence to the original even at the sacrifice of idiom\nand taste against the claims of what has been called 'Free Translation,'\nwhich means dressing the author in an outlandish garb to please those to\nwhom he is introduced.\n\nIn the preface to his classical translation of Bhartrihari's Niti Satakam\nand Vairagya Satakam, Mr. C.H. Tawney says, \"I am sensible that in the\npresent attempt I have retained much local colouring. For instance, the\nideas of worshipping the feet of a god of great men, though it frequently\noccurs in Indian literature, will undoubtedly move the laughter of\nEnglishmen unacquainted with Sanskrit, especially if they happen to\nbelong to that class of readers who revel their attention on the\naccidental and remain blind to the essential. But a certain measure of\nfidelity to the original even at the risk of making oneself ridiculous,\nis better than the studied dishonesty which characterises so many\ntranslations of oriental poets.\"\n\nWe fully subscribe to the above although, it must be observed, the\ncensure conveyed to the class of translators last indicated is rather\nundeserved, there being nothing like a 'studied dishonesty' in their\nefforts which proceed only from a mistaken view of their duties and as\nsuch betray only an error of the head but not of the heart. More than\ntwelve years ago when Babu Pratapa Chandra Roy, with Babu Durga Charan\nBanerjee, went to my retreat at Seebpore, for engaging me to translate\nthe Mahabharata into English, I was amazed with the grandeur of the\nscheme. My first question to him was,--whence was the money to come,\nsupposing my competence for the task. Pratapa then unfolded to me the\ndetails of his plan, the hopes he could legitimately cherish of\nassistance from different quarters. He was full of enthusiasm. He showed\nme Dr. Rost's letter, which, he said, had suggested to him the\nundertaking. I had known Babu Durga Charan for many years and I had the\nhighest opinion of his scholarship and practical good sense. When he\nwarmly took Pratapa's side for convincing me of the practicability of the\nscheme, I listened to him patiently. The two were for completing all\narrangements with me the very day. To this I did not agree. I took a\nweek's time to consider. I consulted some of my literary friends,\nforemost among whom was the late lamented Dr. Sambhu C. Mookherjee. The\nlatter, I found, had been waited upon by Pratapa. Dr. Mookherjee spoke to\nme of Pratapa as a man of indomitable energy and perseverance. The result\nof my conference with Dr. Mookherjee was that I wrote to Pratapa asking\nhim to see me again. In this second interview estimates were drawn up,\nand everything was arranged as far as my portion of the work was\nconcerned. My friend left with me a specimen of translation which he had\nreceived from Professor Max Muller. This I began to study, carefully\ncomparing it sentence by sentence with the original. About its literal\ncharacter there could be no doubt, but it had no flow and, therefore,\ncould not be perused with pleasure by the general reader. The translation\nhad been executed thirty years ago by a young German friend of the great\nPundit. I had to touch up every sentence. This I did without at all\nimpairing faithfulness to the original. My first 'copy' was set up in\ntype and a dozen sheets were struck off. These were submitted to the\njudgment of a number of eminent writers, European and native. All of\nthem, I was glad to see, approved of the specimen, and then the task of\ntranslating the Mahabharata into English seriously began.\n\nBefore, however, the first fasciculus could be issued, the question as to\nwhether the authorship of the translation should be publicly owned,\narose. Babu Pratapa Chandra Roy was against anonymity. I was for it. The\nreasons I adduced were chiefly founded upon the impossibility of one\nperson translating the whole of the gigantic work. Notwithstanding my\nresolve to discharge to the fullest extent the duty that I took up, I\nmight not live to carry it out. It would take many years before the end\ncould be reached. Other circumstances than death might arise in\nconsequence of which my connection with the work might cease. It could\nnot be desirable to issue successive fasciculus with the names of a\nsuccession of translators appearing on the title pages. These and other\nconsiderations convinced my friend that, after all, my view was correct.\nIt was, accordingly, resolved to withhold the name of the translator. As\na compromise, however, between the two views, it was resolved to issue\nthe first fasciculus with two prefaces, one over the signature of the\npublisher and the other headed--'Translator's Preface.' This, it was\nsupposed, would effectually guard against misconceptions of every kind.\nNo careful reader would then confound the publisher with the author.\n\nAlthough this plan was adopted, yet before a fourth of the task had been\naccomplished, an influential Indian journal came down upon poor Pratapa\nChandra Roy and accused him openly of being a party to a great literary\nimposture, viz., of posing before the world as the translator of Vyasa's\nwork when, in fact, he was only the publisher. The charge came upon my\nfriend as a surprise, especially as he had never made a secret of the\nauthorship in his correspondence with Oriental scholars in every part of\nthe world. He promptly wrote to the journal in question, explaining the\nreasons there were for anonymity, and pointing to the two prefaces with\nwhich the first fasciculus had been given to the world. The editor\nreadily admitted his mistake and made a satisfactory apology.\n\nNow that the translation has been completed, there can no longer be any\nreason for withholding the name of the translator. The entire translation\nis practically the work of one hand. In portions of the Adi and the Sabha\nParvas, I was assisted by Babu Charu Charan Mookerjee. About four forms\nof the Sabha Parva were done by Professor Krishna Kamal Bhattacharya, and\nabout half a fasciculus during my illness, was done by another hand. I\nshould however state that before passing to the printer the copy received\nfrom these gentlemen I carefully compared every sentence with the\noriginal, making such alterations as were needed for securing a\nuniformity of style with the rest of the work.\n\nI should here observe that in rendering the Mahabharata into English I\nhave derived very little aid from the three Bengali versions that are\nsupposed to have been executed with care. Every one of these is full of\ninaccuracies and blunders of every description. The Santi in particular\nwhich is by far the most difficult of the eighteen Parvas, has been made\na mess of by the Pundits that attacked it. Hundreds of ridiculous\nblunders can be pointed out in both the Rajadharma and the Mokshadharma\nsections. Some of these I have pointed out in footnotes.\n\nI cannot lay claim to infallibility. There are verses in the Mahabharata\nthat are exceedingly difficult to construe. I have derived much aid from\nthe great commentator Nilakantha. I know that Nilakantha's authority is\nnot incapable of being challenged. But when it is remembered that the\ninterpretations given by Nilakantha came down to him from preceptors of\nolden days, one should think twice before rejecting Nilakantha as a guide.\n\nAbout the readings I have adopted, I should say that as regards the first\nhalf of the work, I have generally adhered to the Bengal texts; as\nregards the latter half, to the printed Bombay edition. Sometimes\nindividual sections, as occurring in the Bengal editions, differ widely,\nin respect of the order of the verses, from the corresponding ones in the\nBombay edition. In such cases I have adhered to the Bengal texts,\nconvinced that the sequence of ideas has been better preserved in the\nBengal editions than the Bombay one.\n\nI should express my particular obligations to Pundit Ram Nath Tarkaratna,\nthe author of 'Vasudeva Vijayam' and other poems, Pundit Shyama Charan\nKaviratna, the learned editor of Kavyaprakasha with the commentary of\nProfessor Mahesh Chandra Nayaratna, and Babu Aghore Nath Banerjee, the\nmanager of the Bharata Karyalaya. All these scholars were my referees on\nall points of difficulty. Pundit Ram Nath's solid scholarship is known to\nthem that have come in contact with him. I never referred to him a\ndifficulty that he could not clear up. Unfortunately, he was not always\nat hand to consult. Pundit Shyama Charan Kaviratna, during my residence\nat Seebpore, assisted me in going over the Mokshadharma sections of the\nSanti Parva. Unostentatious in the extreme, Kaviratna is truly the type\nof a learned Brahman of ancient India. Babu Aghore Nath Banerjee also has\nfrom time to time, rendered me valuable assistance in clearing my\ndifficulties.\n\nGigantic as the work is, it would have been exceedingly difficult for me\nto go on with it if I had not been encouraged by Sir Stuart Bayley, Sir\nAuckland Colvin, Sir Alfred Croft, and among Oriental scholars, by the\nlate lamented Dr. Reinhold Rost, and Mons. A. Barth of Paris. All these\neminent men know from the beginning that the translation was proceeding\nfrom my pen. Notwithstanding the enthusiasm, with which my poor friend,\nPratapa Chandra Roy, always endeavoured to fill me. I am sure my energies\nwould have flagged and patience exhausted but for the encouraging words\nwhich I always received from these patrons and friends of the enterprise.\n\nLastly, I should name my literary chief and friend, Dr. Sambhu C.\nMookherjee. The kind interest he took in my labours, the repeated\nexhortations he addressed to me inculcating patience, the care with which\nhe read every fasciculus as it came out, marking all those passages which\nthrew light upon topics of antiquarian interest, and the words of praise\nhe uttered when any expression particularly happy met his eyes, served to\nstimulate me more than anything else in going on with a task that\nsometimes seemed to me endless.\n\nKisari Mohan Ganguli\n\nCalcutta\n\n\n\nTHE MAHABHARATA\n\nADI PARVA\n\nSECTION I\n\nOm! Having bowed down to Narayana and Nara, the most exalted male being,\nand also to the goddess Saraswati, must the word Jaya be uttered.\n\nUgrasrava, the son of Lomaharshana, surnamed Sauti, well-versed in the\nPuranas, bending with humility, one day approached the great sages of\nrigid vows, sitting at their ease, who had attended the twelve years'\nsacrifice of Saunaka, surnamed Kulapati, in the forest of Naimisha. Those\nascetics, wishing to hear his wonderful narrations, presently began to\naddress him who had thus arrived at that recluse abode of the inhabitants\nof the forest of Naimisha. Having been entertained with due respect by\nthose holy men, he saluted those Munis (sages) with joined palms, even\nall of them, and inquired about the progress of their asceticism. Then\nall the ascetics being again seated, the son of Lomaharshana humbly\noccupied the seat that was assigned to him. Seeing that he was\ncomfortably seated, and recovered from fatigue, one of the Rishis\nbeginning the conversation, asked him, 'Whence comest thou, O lotus-eyed\nSauti, and where hast thou spent the time? Tell me, who ask thee, in\ndetail.'\n\nAccomplished in speech, Sauti, thus questioned, gave in the midst of that\nbig assemblage of contemplative Munis a full and proper answer in words\nconsonant with their mode of life.\n\n\"Sauti said, 'Having heard the diverse sacred and wonderful stories which\nwere composed in his Mahabharata by Krishna-Dwaipayana, and which were\nrecited in full by Vaisampayana at the Snake-sacrifice of the high-souled\nroyal sage Janamejaya and in the presence also of that chief of Princes,\nthe son of Parikshit, and having wandered about, visiting many sacred\nwaters and holy shrines, I journeyed to the country venerated by the\nDwijas (twice-born) and called Samantapanchaka where formerly was fought\nthe battle between the children of Kuru and Pandu, and all the chiefs of\nthe land ranged on either side. Thence, anxious to see you, I am come\ninto your presence. Ye reverend sages, all of whom are to me as Brahma;\nye greatly blessed who shine in this place of sacrifice with the\nsplendour of the solar fire: ye who have concluded the silent meditations\nand have fed the holy fire; and yet who are sitting--without care, what,\nO ye Dwijas (twice-born), shall I repeat, shall I recount the sacred\nstories collected in the Puranas containing precepts of religious duty\nand of worldly profit, or the acts of illustrious saints and sovereigns\nof mankind?\"\n\n\"The Rishi replied, 'The Purana, first promulgated by the great Rishi\nDwaipayana, and which after having been heard both by the gods and the\nBrahmarshis was highly esteemed, being the most eminent narrative that\nexists, diversified both in diction and division, possessing subtile\nmeanings logically combined, and gleaned from the Vedas, is a sacred\nwork. Composed in elegant language, it includeth the subjects of other\nbooks. It is elucidated by other Shastras, and comprehendeth the sense of\nthe four Vedas. We are desirous of hearing that history also called\nBharata, the holy composition of the wonderful Vyasa, which dispelleth\nthe fear of evil, just as it was cheerfully recited by the Rishi\nVaisampayana, under the direction of Dwaipayana himself, at the\nsnake-sacrifice of Raja Janamejaya?'\n\n\"Sauti then said, 'Having bowed down to the primordial being Isana, to\nwhom multitudes make offerings, and who is adored by the multitude; who\nis the true incorruptible one, Brahma, perceptible, imperceptible,\neternal; who is both a non-existing and an existing-non-existing being;\nwho is the universe and also distinct from the existing and non-existing\nuniverse; who is the creator of high and low; the ancient, exalted,\ninexhaustible one; who is Vishnu, beneficent and the beneficence itself,\nworthy of all preference, pure and immaculate; who is Hari, the ruler of\nthe faculties, the guide of all things moveable and immoveable; I will\ndeclare the sacred thoughts of the illustrious sage Vyasa, of marvellous\ndeeds and worshipped here by all. Some bards have already published this\nhistory, some are now teaching it, and others, in like manner, will\nhereafter promulgate it upon the earth. It is a great source of\nknowledge, established throughout the three regions of the world. It is\npossessed by the twice-born both in detailed and compendious forms. It is\nthe delight of the learned for being embellished with elegant\nexpressions, conversations human and divine, and a variety of poetical\nmeasures.\n\nIn this world, when it was destitute of brightness and light, and\nenveloped all around in total darkness, there came into being, as the\nprimal cause of creation, a mighty egg, the one inexhaustible seed of all\ncreated beings. It is called Mahadivya, and was formed at the beginning\nof the Yuga, in which we are told, was the true light Brahma, the eternal\none, the wonderful and inconceivable being present alike in all places;\nthe invisible and subtile cause, whose nature partaketh of entity and\nnon-entity. From this egg came out the lord Pitamaha Brahma, the one only\nPrajapati; with Suraguru and Sthanu. Then appeared the twenty-one\nPrajapatis, viz., Manu, Vasishtha and Parameshthi; ten Prachetas, Daksha,\nand the seven sons of Daksha. Then appeared the man of inconceivable\nnature whom all the Rishis know and so the Viswe-devas, the Adityas, the\nVasus, and the twin Aswins; the Yakshas, the Sadhyas, the Pisachas, the\nGuhyakas, and the Pitris. After these were produced the wise and most\nholy Brahmarshis, and the numerous Rajarshis distinguished by every noble\nquality. So the water, the heavens, the earth, the air, the sky, the\npoints of the heavens, the years, the seasons, the months, the\nfortnights, called Pakshas, with day and night in due succession. And\nthus were produced all things which are known to mankind.\n\nAnd what is seen in the universe, whether animate or inanimate, of\ncreated things, will at the end of the world, and after the expiration of\nthe Yuga, be again confounded. And, at the commencement of other Yugas,\nall things will be renovated, and, like the various fruits of the earth,\nsucceed each other in the due order of their seasons. Thus continueth\nperpetually to revolve in the world, without beginning and without end,\nthis wheel which causeth the destruction of all things.\n\nThe generation of Devas, in brief, was thirty-three thousand,\nthirty-three hundred and thirty-three. The sons of Div were Brihadbhanu,\nChakshus, Atma Vibhavasu, Savita, Richika, Arka, Bhanu, Asavaha, and\nRavi. Of these Vivaswans of old, Mahya was the youngest whose son was\nDeva-vrata. The latter had for his son, Su-vrata who, we learn, had three\nsons,--Dasa-jyoti, Sata-jyoti, and Sahasra-jyoti, each of them producing\nnumerous offspring. The illustrious Dasa-jyoti had ten thousand,\nSata-jyoti ten times that number, and Sahasra-jyoti ten times the number\nof Sata-jyoti's offspring. From these are descended the family of the\nKurus, of the Yadus, and of Bharata; the family of Yayati and of\nIkshwaku; also of all the Rajarshis. Numerous also were the generations\nproduced, and very abundant were the creatures and their places of abode.\nThe mystery which is threefold--the Vedas, Yoga, and Vijnana Dharma,\nArtha, and Kama--also various books upon the subject of Dharma, Artha,\nand Kama; also rules for the conduct of mankind; also histories and\ndiscourses with various srutis; all of which having been seen by the\nRishi Vyasa are here in due order mentioned as a specimen of the book.\n\nThe Rishi Vyasa published this mass of knowledge in both a detailed and\nan abridged form. It is the wish of the learned in the world to possess\nthe details and the abridgement. Some read the Bharata beginning with the\ninitial mantra (invocation), others with the story of Astika, others with\nUparichara, while some Brahmanas study the whole. Men of learning display\ntheir various knowledge of the institutes in commenting on the\ncomposition. Some are skilful in explaining it, while others, in\nremembering its contents.\n\nThe son of Satyavati having, by penance and meditation, analysed the\neternal Veda, afterwards composed this holy history, when that learned\nBrahmarshi of strict vows, the noble Dwaipayana Vyasa, offspring of\nParasara, had finished this greatest of narrations, he began to consider\nhow he might teach it to his disciples. And the possessor of the six\nattributes, Brahma, the world's preceptor, knowing of the anxiety of the\nRishi Dwaipayana, came in person to the place where the latter was, for\ngratifying the saint, and benefiting the people. And when Vyasa,\nsurrounded by all the tribes of Munis, saw him, he was surprised; and,\nstanding with joined palms, he bowed and ordered a seat to be brought.\nAnd Vyasa having gone round him who is called Hiranyagarbha seated on\nthat distinguished seat stood near it; and being commanded by Brahma\nParameshthi, he sat down near the seat, full of affection and smiling in\njoy. Then the greatly glorious Vyasa, addressing Brahma Parameshthi,\nsaid, \"O divine Brahma, by me a poem hath been composed which is greatly\nrespected. The mystery of the Veda, and what other subjects have been\nexplained by me; the various rituals of the Upanishads with the Angas;\nthe compilation of the Puranas and history formed by me and named after\nthe three divisions of time, past, present, and future; the determination\nof the nature of decay, fear, disease, existence, and non-existence, a\ndescription of creeds and of the various modes of life; rule for the four\ncastes, and the import of all the Puranas; an account of asceticism and\nof the duties of a religious student; the dimensions of the sun and moon,\nthe planets, constellations, and stars, together with the duration of the\nfour ages; the Rik, Sama and Yajur Vedas; also the Adhyatma; the sciences\ncalled Nyaya, Orthoephy and Treatment of diseases; charity and\nPasupatadharma; birth celestial and human, for particular purposes; also\na description of places of pilgrimage and other holy places of rivers,\nmountains, forests, the ocean, of heavenly cities and the kalpas; the art\nof war; the different kinds of nations and languages: the nature of the\nmanners of the people; and the all-pervading spirit;--all these have been\nrepresented. But, after all, no writer of this work is to be found on\nearth.'\n\n\"Brahma said. 'I esteem thee for thy knowledge of divine mysteries,\nbefore the whole body of celebrated Munis distinguished for the sanctity\nof their lives. I know thou hast revealed the divine word, even from its\nfirst utterance, in the language of truth. Thou hast called thy present\nwork a poem, wherefore it shall be a poem. There shall be no poets whose\nworks may equal the descriptions of this poem, even, as the three other\nmodes called Asrama are ever unequal in merit to the domestic Asrama. Let\nGanesa be thought of, O Muni, for the purpose of writing the poem.'\n\n\"Sauti said, 'Brahma having thus spoken to Vyasa, retired to his own\nabode. Then Vyasa began to call to mind Ganesa. And Ganesa, obviator of\nobstacles, ready to fulfil the desires of his votaries, was no sooner\nthought of, than he repaired to the place where Vyasa was seated. And\nwhen he had been saluted, and was seated, Vyasa addressed him thus, 'O\nguide of the Ganas! be thou the writer of the Bharata which I have formed\nin my imagination, and which I am about to repeat.\"\n\n\"Ganesa, upon hearing this address, thus answered, 'I will become the\nwriter of thy work, provided my pen do not for a moment cease writing.\"\nAnd Vyasa said unto that divinity, 'Wherever there be anything thou dost\nnot comprehend, cease to continue writing.' Ganesa having signified his\nassent, by repeating the word Om! proceeded to write; and Vyasa began;\nand by way of diversion, he knit the knots of composition exceeding\nclose; by doing which, he dictated this work according to his engagement.\n\nI am (continued Sauti) acquainted with eight thousand and eight hundred\nverses, and so is Suka, and perhaps Sanjaya. From the mysteriousness of\ntheir meaning, O Muni, no one is able, to this day, to penetrate those\nclosely knit difficult slokas. Even the omniscient Ganesa took a moment\nto consider; while Vyasa, however, continued to compose other verses in\ngreat abundance.\n\nThe wisdom of this work, like unto an instrument of applying collyrium,\nhath opened the eyes of the inquisitive world blinded by the darkness of\nignorance. As the sun dispelleth the darkness, so doth the Bharata by its\ndiscourses on religion, profit, pleasure and final release, dispel the\nignorance of men. As the full-moon by its mild light expandeth the buds\nof the water-lily, so this Purana, by exposing the light of the Sruti\nhath expanded the human intellect. By the lamp of history, which\ndestroyeth the darkness of ignorance, the whole mansion of nature is\nproperly and completely illuminated.\n\nThis work is a tree, of which the chapter of contents is the seed; the\ndivisions called Pauloma and Astika are the root; the part called\nSambhava is the trunk; the books called Sabha and Aranya are the roosting\nperches; the books called Arani is the knitting knots; the books called\nVirata and Udyoga the pith; the book named Bhishma, the main branch; the\nbook called Drona, the leaves; the book called Karna, the fair flowers;\nthe book named Salya, their sweet smell; the books entitled Stri and\nAishika, the refreshing shade; the book called Santi, the mighty fruit;\nthe book called Aswamedha, the immortal sap; the denominated\nAsramavasika, the spot where it groweth; and the book called Mausala, is\nan epitome of the Vedas and held in great respect by the virtuous\nBrahmanas. The tree of the Bharata, inexhaustible to mankind as the\nclouds, shall be as a source of livelihood to all distinguished poets.\"\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'I will now speak of the undying flowery and fruitful\nproductions of this tree, possessed of pure and pleasant taste, and not\nto be destroyed even by the immortals. Formerly, the spirited and\nvirtuous Krishna-Dwaipayana, by the injunctions of Bhishma, the wise son\nof Ganga and of his own mother, became the father of three boys who were\nlike the three fires by the two wives of Vichitra-virya; and having thus\nraised up Dhritarashtra, Pandu and Vidura, he returned to his recluse\nabode to prosecute his religious exercise.\n\nIt was not till after these were born, grown up, and departed on the\nsupreme journey, that the great Rishi Vyasa published the Bharata in this\nregion of mankind; when being solicited by Janamejaya and thousands of\nBrahmanas, he instructed his disciple Vaisampayana, who was seated near\nhim; and he, sitting together with the Sadasyas, recited the Bharata,\nduring the intervals of the ceremonies of the sacrifice, being repeatedly\nurged to proceed.\n\nVyasa hath fully represented the greatness of the house of Kuru, the\nvirtuous principles of Gandhari, the wisdom of Vidura, and the constancy\nof Kunti. The noble Rishi hath also described the divinity of Vasudeva,\nthe rectitude of the sons of Pandu, and the evil practices of the sons\nand partisans of Dhritarashtra.\n\nVyasa executed the compilation of the Bharata, exclusive of the episodes\noriginally in twenty-four thousand verses; and so much only is called by\nthe learned as the Bharata. Afterwards, he composed an epitome in one\nhundred and fifty verses, consisting of the introduction with the chapter\nof contents. This he first taught to his son Suka; and afterwards he gave\nit to others of his disciples who were possessed of the same\nqualifications. After that he executed another compilation, consisting of\nsix hundred thousand verses. Of those, thirty hundred thousand are known\nin the world of the Devas; fifteen hundred thousand in the world of the\nPitris: fourteen hundred thousand among the Gandharvas, and one hundred\nthousand in the regions of mankind. Narada recited them to the Devas,\nDevala to the Pitris, and Suka published them to the Gandharvas, Yakshas,\nand Rakshasas: and in this world they were recited by Vaisampayana, one\nof the disciples of Vyasa, a man of just principles and the first among\nall those acquainted with the Vedas. Know that I, Sauti, have also\nrepeated one hundred thousand verses.\n\nYudhishthira is a vast tree, formed of religion and virtue; Arjuna is its\ntrunk; Bhimasena, its branches; the two sons of Madri are its full-grown\nfruit and flowers; and its roots are Krishna, Brahma, and the Brahmanas.\n\nPandu, after having subdued many countries by his wisdom and prowess,\ntook up his abode with the Munis in a certain forest as a sportsman,\nwhere he brought upon himself a very severe misfortune for having killed\na stag coupling with its mate, which served as a warning for the conduct\nof the princes of his house as long as they lived. Their mothers, in\norder that the ordinances of the law might be fulfilled, admitted as\nsubstitutes to their embraces the gods Dharma, Vayu, Sakra, and the\ndivinities the twin Aswins. And when their offspring grew up, under the\ncare of their two mothers, in the society of ascetics, in the midst of\nsacred groves and holy recluse-abodes of religious men, they were\nconducted by Rishis into the presence of Dhritarashtra and his sons,\nfollowing as students in the habit of Brahmacharis, having their hair\ntied in knots on their heads. 'These our pupils', said they, 'are as your\nsons, your brothers, and your friends; they are Pandavas.' Saying this,\nthe Munis disappeared.\n\nWhen the Kauravas saw them introduced as the sons of Pandu, the\ndistinguished class of citizens shouted exceedingly for joy. Some,\nhowever, said, they were not the sons of Pandu; others said, they were;\nwhile a few asked how they could be his offspring, seeing he had been so\nlong dead. Still on all sides voices were heard crying, 'They are on all\naccounts welcome! Through divine Providence we behold the family of\nPandu! Let their welcome be proclaimed!' As these acclamations ceased,\nthe plaudits of invisible spirits, causing every point of the heavens to\nresound, were tremendous. There were showers of sweet-scented flowers,\nand the sound of shells and kettle-drums. Such were the wonders that\nhappened on the arrival of the young princes. The joyful noise of all the\ncitizens, in expression of their satisfaction on the occasion, was so\ngreat that it reached the very heavens in magnifying plaudits.\n\nHaving studied the whole of the Vedas and sundry other shastras, the\nPandavas resided there, respected by all and without apprehension from\nany one.\n\nThe principal men were pleased with the purity of Yudhishthira, the\ncourage of Arjuna, the submissive attention of Kunti to her superiors,\nand the humility of the twins, Nakula and Sahadeva; and all the people\nrejoiced in their heroic virtues.\n\nAfter a while, Arjuna obtained the virgin Krishna at the swayamvara, in\nthe midst of a concourse of Rajas, by performing a very difficult feat of\narchery. And from this time he became very much respected in this world\namong all bowmen; and in fields of battle also, like the sun, he was hard\nto behold by foe-men. And having vanquished all the neighbouring princes\nand every considerable tribe, he accomplished all that was necessary for\nthe Raja (his eldest brother) to perform the great sacrifice called\nRajasuya.\n\nYudhishthira, after having, through the wise counsels of Vasudeva and by\nthe valour of Bhimasena and Arjuna, slain Jarasandha (the king of\nMagadha) and the proud Chaidya, acquired the right to perform the grand\nsacrifice of Rajasuya abounding in provisions and offering and fraught\nwith transcendent merits. And Duryodhana came to this sacrifice; and when\nhe beheld the vast wealth of the Pandavas scattered all around, the\nofferings, the precious stones, gold and jewels; the wealth in cows,\nelephants, and horses; the curious textures, garments, and mantles; the\nprecious shawls and furs and carpets made of the skin of the Ranku; he\nwas filled with envy and became exceedingly displeased. And when he\nbeheld the hall of assembly elegantly constructed by Maya (the Asura\narchitect) after the fashion of a celestial court, he was inflamed with\nrage. And having started in confusion at certain architectural deceptions\nwithin this building, he was derided by Bhimasena in the presence of\nVasudeva, like one of mean descent.\n\nAnd it was represented to Dhritarashtra that his son, while partaking of\nvarious objects of enjoyment and diverse precious things, was becoming\nmeagre, wan, and pale. And Dhritarashtra, some time after, out of\naffection for his son, gave his consent to their playing (with the\nPandavas) at dice. And Vasudeva coming to know of this, became\nexceedingly wroth. And being dissatisfied, he did nothing to prevent the\ndisputes, but overlooked the gaming and sundry other horried\nunjustifiable transactions arising therefrom: and in spite of Vidura,\nBhishma, Drona, and Kripa, the son of Saradwan, he made the Kshatriyas\nkill each other in the terrific war that ensued.'\n\n\"And Dhritarashtra hearing the ill news of the success of the Pandavas\nand recollecting the resolutions of Duryodhana, Kama, and Sakuni,\npondered for a while and addressed to Sanjaya the following speech:--\n\n'Attend, O Sanjaya, to all I am about to say, and it will not become thee\nto treat me with contempt. Thou art well-versed in the shastras,\nintelligent and endowed with wisdom. My inclination was never to war, not\ndid I delight in the destruction of my race. I made no distinction\nbetween my own children and the children of Pandu. My own sons were prone\nto wilfulness and despised me because I am old. Blind as I am, because of\nmy miserable plight and through paternal affection, I bore it all. I was\nfoolish alter the thoughtless Duryodhana ever growing in folly. Having\nbeen a spectator of the riches of the mighty sons of Pandu, my son was\nderided for his awkwardness while ascending the hall. Unable to bear it\nall and unable himself to overcome the sons of Pandu in the field, and\nthough a soldier, unwilling yet to obtain good fortune by his own\nexertion, with the help of the king of Gandhara he concerted an unfair\ngame at dice.\n\n'Hear, O Sanjaya, all that happened thereupon and came to my knowledge.\nAnd when thou hast heard all I say, recollecting everything as it fell\nout, thou shall then know me for one with a prophetic eye. When I heard\nthat Arjuna, having bent the bow, had pierced the curious mark and\nbrought it down to the ground, and bore away in triumph the maiden\nKrishna, in the sight of the assembled princes, then, O Sanjaya I had no\nhope of success. When I heard that Subhadra of the race of Madhu had,\nafter forcible seizure been married by Arjuna in the city of Dwaraka, and\nthat the two heroes of the race of Vrishni (Krishna and Balarama the\nbrothers of Subhadra) without resenting it had entered Indraprastha as\nfriends, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that\nArjuna, by his celestial arrow preventing the downpour by Indra the king\nof the gods, had gratified Agni by making over to him the forest of\nKhandava, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that\nthe five Pandavas with their mother Kunti had escaped from the house of\nlac, and that Vidura was engaged in the accomplishment of their designs,\nthen, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that Arjuna,\nafter having pierced the mark in the arena had won Draupadi, and that the\nbrave Panchalas had joined the Pandavas, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope\nof success. When I heard that Jarasandha, the foremost of the royal line\nof Magadha, and blazing in the midst of the Kshatriyas, had been slain by\nBhima with his bare arms alone, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of\nsuccess. When I heard that in their general campaign the sons of Pandu\nhad conquered the chiefs of the land and performed the grand sacrifice of\nthe Rajasuya, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard\nthat Draupadi, her voice choked with tears and heart full of agony, in\nthe season of impurity and with but one raiment on, had been dragged into\ncourt and though she had protectors, she had been treated as if she had\nnone, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that the\nwicked wretch Duhsasana, was striving to strip her of that single\ngarment, had only drawn from her person a large heap of cloth without\nbeing able to arrive at its end, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of\nsuccess. When I heard that Yudhishthira, beaten by Saubala at the game of\ndice and deprived of his kingdom as a consequence thereof, had still been\nattended upon by his brothers of incomparable prowess, then, O Sanjaya, I\nhad no hope of success. When I heard that the virtuous Pandavas weeping\nwith affliction had followed their elder brother to the wilderness and\nexerted themselves variously for the mitigation of his discomforts, then,\nO Sanjaya, I had no hope of success.\n\n'When I heard that Yudhishthira had been followed into the wilderness by\nSnatakas and noble-minded Brahmanas who live upon alms, then, O Sanjaya,\nI had no hope of success. When I heard that Arjuna, having, in combat,\npleased the god of gods, Tryambaka (the three-eyed) in the disguise of a\nhunter, obtained the great weapon Pasupata, then O Sanjaya, I had no hope\nof success. When I heard that the just and renowned Arjuna after having\nbeen to the celestial regions, had there obtained celestial weapons from\nIndra himself then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard\nthat afterwards Arjuna had vanquished the Kalakeyas and the Paulomas\nproud with the boon they had obtained and which had rendered them\ninvulnerable even to the celestials, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of\nsuccess. When I heard that Arjuna, the chastiser of enemies, having gone\nto the regions of Indra for the destruction of the Asuras, had returned\nthence successful, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I\nheard that Bhima and the other sons of Pritha (Kunti) accompanied by\nVaisravana had arrived at that country which is inaccessible to man then,\nO Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that my sons, guided by\nthe counsels of Karna, while on their journey of Ghoshayatra, had been\ntaken prisoners by the Gandharvas and were set free by Arjuna, then, O\nSanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that Dharma (the god of\njustice) having come under the form of a Yaksha had proposed certain\nquestions to Yudhishthira then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When\nI heard that my sons had failed to discover the Pandavas under their\ndisguise while residing with Draupadi in the dominions of Virata, then, O\nSanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that the principal men of\nmy side had all been vanquished by the noble Arjuna with a single chariot\nwhile residing in the dominions of Virata, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope\nof success. When I heard that Vasudeva of the race of Madhu, who covered\nthis whole earth by one foot, was heartily interested in the welfare of\nthe Pandavas, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard\nthat the king of Matsya, had offered his virtuous daughter Uttara to\nArjuna and that Arjuna had accepted her for his son, then, O Sanjaya, I\nhad no hope of success. When I heard that Yudhishthira, beaten at dice,\ndeprived of wealth, exiled and separated from his connections, had\nassembled yet an army of seven Akshauhinis, then, O Sanjaya, I had no\nhope of success. When I heard Narada, declare that Krishna and Arjuna\nwere Nara and Narayana and he (Narada) had seen them together in the\nregions of Brahma, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I\nheard that Krishna, anxious to bring about peace, for the welfare of\nmankind had repaired to the Kurus, and went away without having been able\nto effect his purpose, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I\nheard that Kama and Duryodhana resolved upon imprisoning Krishna\ndisplayed in himself the whole universe, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope\nof success. Then I heard that at the time of his departure, Pritha\n(Kunti) standing, full of sorrow, near his chariot received consolation\nfrom Krishna, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard\nthat Vasudeva and Bhishma the son of Santanu were the counsellors of the\nPandavas and Drona the son of Bharadwaja pronounced blessings on them,\nthen, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When Kama said unto Bhishma--I\nwill not fight when thou art fighting--and, quitting the army, went away,\nthen, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that Vasudeva and\nArjuna and the bow Gandiva of immeasurable prowess, these three of\ndreadful energy had come together, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of\nsuccess. When I heard that upon Arjuna having been seized with\ncompunction on his chariot and ready to sink, Krishna showed him all the\nworlds within his body, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I\nheard that Bhishma, the desolator of foes, killing ten thousand\ncharioteers every day in the field of battle, had not slain any amongst\nthe Pandavas then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that\nBhishma, the righteous son of Ganga, had himself indicated the means of\nhis defeat in the field of battle and that the same were accomplished by\nthe Pandavas with joyfulness, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success.\nWhen I heard that Arjuna, having placed Sikhandin before himself in his\nchariot, had wounded Bhishma of infinite courage and invincible in\nbattle, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that the\naged hero Bhishma, having reduced the numbers of the race of shomaka to a\nfew, overcome with various wounds was lying on a bed of arrows, then, O\nSanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that upon Bhishma's lying\non the ground with thirst for water, Arjuna, being requested, had pierced\nthe ground and allayed his thirst, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of\nsuccess. When Bayu together with Indra and Suryya united as allies for\nthe success of the sons of Kunti, and the beasts of prey (by their\ninauspicious presence) were putting us in fear, then, O Sanjaya, I had no\nhope of success. When the wonderful warrior Drona, displaying various\nmodes of fight in the field, did not slay any of the superior Pandavas,\nthen, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that the\nMaharatha Sansaptakas of our army appointed for the overthrow of Arjuna\nwere all slain by Arjuna himself, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of\nsuccess. When I heard that our disposition of forces, impenetrable by\nothers, and defended by Bharadwaja himself well-armed, had been singly\nforced and entered by the brave son of Subhadra, then, O Sanjaya, I had\nno hope of success. When I heard that our Maharathas, unable to overcome\nArjuna, with jubilant faces after having jointly surrounded and slain the\nboy Abhimanyu, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard\nthat the blind Kauravas were shouting for joy after having slain\nAbhimanyu and that thereupon Arjuna in anger made his celebrated speech\nreferring to Saindhava, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I\nheard that Arjuna had vowed the death of Saindhava and fulfilled his vow\nin the presence of his enemies, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of\nsuccess. When I heard that upon the horses of Arjuna being fatigued,\nVasudeva releasing them made them drink water and bringing them back and\nreharnessing them continued to guide them as before, then, O Sanjaya, I\nhad no hope of success. When I heard that while his horses were fatigued,\nArjuna staying in his chariot checked all his assailants, then, O\nSanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that Yuyudhana of the\nrace of Vrishni, after having thrown into confusion the army of Drona\nrendered unbearable in prowess owing to the presence of elephants,\nretired to where Krishna and Arjuna were, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope\nof success. When I heard that Karna even though he had got Bhima within\nhis power allowed him to escape after only addressing him in contemptuous\nterms and dragging him with the end of his bow, then, O Sanjaya, I had no\nhope of success. When I heard that Drona, Kritavarma, Kripa, Karna, the\nson of Drona, and the valiant king of Madra (Salya) suffered Saindhava to\nbe slain, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that\nthe celestial Sakti given by Indra (to Karna) was by Madhava's\nmachinations caused to be hurled upon Rakshasa Ghatotkacha of frightful\ncountenance, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that\nin the encounter between Karna and Ghatotkacha, that Sakti was hurled\nagainst Ghatotkacha by Karna, the same which was certainly to have slain\nArjuna in battle, then, O Sanjaya. I had no hope of success. When I heard\nthat Dhristadyumna, transgressing the laws of battle, slew Drona while\nalone in his chariot and resolved on death, then, O Sanjaya, I had no\nhope of success. When I heard that Nakula. the son of Madri, having in\nthe presence of the whole army engaged in single combat with the son of\nDrona and showing himself equal to him drove his chariot in circles\naround, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When upon the death of\nDrona, his son misused the weapon called Narayana but failed to achieve\nthe destruction of the Pandavas, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of\nsuccess. When I heard that Bhimasena drank the blood of his brother\nDuhsasana in the field of battle without anybody being able to prevent\nhim, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that the\ninfinitely brave Karna, invincible in battle, was slain by Arjuna in that\nwar of brothers mysterious even to the gods, then, O Sanjaya, I had no\nhope of success. When I heard that Yudhishthira, the Just, overcame the\nheroic son of Drona, Duhsasana, and the fierce Kritavarman, then, O\nSanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that the brave king of\nMadra who ever dared Krishna in battle was slain by Yudhishthira, then, O\nSanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that the wicked Suvala of\nmagic power, the root of the gaming and the feud, was slain in battle by\nSahadeva, the son of Pandu, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success.\nWhen I heard that Duryodhana, spent with fatigue, having gone to a lake\nand made a refuge for himself within its waters, was lying there alone,\nhis strength gone and without a chariot, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope\nof success. When I heard that the Pandavas having gone to that lake\naccompanied by Vasudeva and standing on its beach began to address\ncontemptuously my son who was incapable of putting up with affronts,\nthen, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that while,\ndisplaying in circles a variety of curious modes (of attack and defence)\nin an encounter with clubs, he was unfairly slain according to the\ncounsels of Krishna, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I\nheard the son of Drona and others by slaying the Panchalas and the sons\nof Draupadi in their sleep, perpetrated a horrible and infamous deed,\nthen, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that Aswatthaman\nwhile being pursued by Bhimasena had discharged the first of weapons\ncalled Aishika, by which the embryo in the womb (of Uttara) was wounded,\nthen, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that the weapon\nBrahmashira (discharged by Aswatthaman) was repelled by Arjuna with\nanother weapon over which he had pronounced the word \"Sasti\" and that\nAswatthaman had to give up the jewel-like excrescence on his head, then,\nO Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that upon the embryo in\nthe womb of Virata's daughter being wounded by Aswatthaman with a mighty\nweapon, Dwaipayana and Krishna pronounced curses on him, then, O Sanjaya,\nI had no hope of success.\n\n'Alas! Gandhari, destitute of children, grand-children, parents,\nbrothers, and kindred, is to be pitied. Difficult is the task that hath\nbeen performed by the Pandavas: by them hath a kingdom been recovered\nwithout a rival.\n\n'Alas! I have heard that the war hath left only ten alive: three of our\nside, and the Pandavas, seven, in that dreadful conflict eighteen\nAkshauhinis of Kshatriyas have been slain! All around me is utter\ndarkness, and a fit of swoon assaileth me: consciousness leaves me, O\nSuta, and my mind is distracted.\"\n\n\"Sauti said, 'Dhritarashtra, bewailing his fate in these words, was\novercome with extreme anguish and for a time deprived of sense; but being\nrevived, he addressed Sanjaya in the following words.\n\n\"After what hath come to pass, O Sanjaya, I wish to put an end to my life\nwithout delay; I do not find the least advantage in cherishing it any\nlonger.\"\n\n\"Sauti said, 'The wise son of Gavalgana (Sanjaya) then addressed the\ndistressed lord of Earth while thus talking and bewailing, sighing like a\nserpent and repeatedly tainting, in words of deep import.\n\n\"Thou hast heard, O Raja, of the greatly powerful men of vast exertions,\nspoken of by Vyasa and the wise Narada; men born of great royal families,\nresplendent with worthy qualities, versed in the science of celestial\narms, and in glory emblems of Indra; men who having conquered the world\nby justice and performed sacrifices with fit offerings (to the\nBrahmanas), obtained renown in this world and at last succumbed to the\nsway of time. Such were Saivya; the valiant Maharatha; Srinjaya, great\namongst conquerors. Suhotra; Rantideva, and Kakshivanta, great in glory;\nValhika, Damana, Saryati, Ajita, and Nala; Viswamitra the destroyer of\nfoes; Amvarisha, great in strength; Marutta, Manu, Ikshaku, Gaya, and\nBharata; Rama the son of Dasaratha; Sasavindu, and Bhagiratha;\nKritavirya, the greatly fortunate, and Janamejaya too; and Yayati of good\ndeeds who performed sacrifices, being assisted therein by the celestials\nthemselves, and by whose sacrificial altars and stakes this earth with\nher habited and uninhabited regions hath been marked all over. These\ntwenty-four Rajas were formerly spoken of by the celestial Rishi Narada\nunto Saivya when much afflicted for the loss of his children. Besides\nthese, other Rajas had gone before, still more powerful than they, mighty\ncharioteers noble in mind, and resplendent with every worthy quality.\nThese were Puru, Kuru, Yadu, Sura and Viswasrawa of great glory; Anuha,\nYuvanaswu, Kakutstha, Vikrami, and Raghu; Vijava, Virihorta, Anga, Bhava,\nSweta, and Vripadguru; Usinara, Sata-ratha, Kanka, Duliduha, and Druma;\nDambhodbhava, Para, Vena, Sagara, Sankriti, and Nimi; Ajeya, Parasu,\nPundra, Sambhu, and holy Deva-Vridha; Devahuya, Supratika, and\nVrihad-ratha; Mahatsaha, Vinitatma, Sukratu, and Nala, the king of the\nNishadas; Satyavrata, Santabhaya, Sumitra, and the chief Subala;\nJanujangha, Anaranya, Arka, Priyabhritya, Chuchi-vrata, Balabandhu,\nNirmardda, Ketusringa, and Brhidbala; Dhrishtaketu, Brihatketu,\nDriptaketu, and Niramaya; Abikshit, Chapala, Dhurta, Kritbandhu, and\nDridhe-shudhi; Mahapurana-sambhavya, Pratyanga, Paraha and Sruti. These,\nO chief, and other Rajas, we hear enumerated by hundreds and by\nthousands, and still others by millions, princes of great power and\nwisdom, quitting very abundant enjoyments met death as thy sons have\ndone! Their heavenly deeds, valour, and generosity, their magnanimity,\nfaith, truth, purity, simplicity and mercy, are published to the world in\nthe records of former times by sacred bards of great learning. Though\nendued with every noble virtue, these have yielded up their lives. Thy\nsons were malevolent, inflamed with passion, avaricious, and of very\nevil-disposition. Thou art versed in the Sastras, O Bharata, and art\nintelligent and wise; they never sink under misfortunes whose\nunderstandings are guided by the Sastras. Thou art acquainted, O prince,\nwith the lenity and severity of fate; this anxiety therefore for the\nsafety of thy children is unbecoming. Moreover, it behoveth thee not to\ngrieve for that which must happen: for who can avert, by his wisdom, the\ndecrees of fate? No one can leave the way marked out for him by\nProvidence. Existence and non-existence, pleasure and pain all have Time\nfor their root. Time createth all things and Time destroyeth all\ncreatures. It is Time that burneth creatures and it is Time that\nextinguisheth the fire. All states, the good and the evil, in the three\nworlds, are caused by Time. Time cutteth short all things and createth\nthem anew. Time alone is awake when all things are asleep: indeed, Time\nis incapable of being overcome. Time passeth over all things without\nbeing retarded. Knowing, as thou dost, that all things past and future\nand all that exist at the present moment, are the offspring of Time, it\nbehoveth thee not to throw away thy reason.'\n\n\"Sauti said, 'The son of Gavalgana having in this manner administered\ncomfort to the royal Dhritarashtra overwhelmed with grief for his sons,\nthen restored his mind to peace. Taking these facts for his subject,\nDwaipayana composed a holy Upanishad that has been published to the world\nby learned and sacred bards in the Puranas composed by them.\n\n\"The study of the Bharata is an act of piety. He that readeth even one\nfoot, with belief, hath his sins entirely purged away. Herein Devas,\nDevarshis, and immaculate Brahmarshis of good deeds, have been spoken of;\nand likewise Yakshas and great Uragas (Nagas). Herein also hath been\ndescribed the eternal Vasudeva possessing the six attributes. He is the\ntrue and just, the pure and holy, the eternal Brahma, the supreme soul,\nthe true constant light, whose divine deeds wise and learned recount;\nfrom whom hath proceeded the non-existent and existent-non-existent\nuniverse with principles of generation and progression, and birth, death\nand re-birth. That also hath been treated of which is called Adhyatma\n(the superintending spirit of nature) that partaketh of the attributes of\nthe five elements. That also hath been described who is purusha being\nabove such epithets as 'undisplayed' and the like; also that which the\nforemost yatis exempt from the common destiny and endued with the power\nof meditation and Tapas behold dwelling in their hearts as a reflected\nimage in the mirror.\n\n\"The man of faith, devoted to piety, and constant in the exercise of\nvirtue, on reading this section is freed from sin. The believer that\nconstantly heareth recited this section of the Bharata, called the\nIntroduction, from the beginning, falleth not into difficulties. The man\nrepeating any part of the introduction in the two twilights is during\nsuch act freed from the sins contracted during the day or the night. This\nsection, the body of the Bharata, is truth and nectar. As butter is in\ncurd, Brahmana among bipeds, the Aranyaka among the Vedas, and nectar\namong medicines; as the sea is eminent among receptacles of water, and\nthe cow among quadrupeds; as are these (among the things mentioned) so is\nthe Bharata said to be among histories.\n\n\"He that causeth it, even a single foot thereof, to be recited to\nBrahmanas during a Sradha, his offerings of food and drink to the manes\nof his ancestors become inexhaustible.\n\n\"By the aid of history and the Puranas, the Veda may be expounded; but\nthe Veda is afraid of one of little information lest he should it. The\nlearned man who recites to other this Veda of Vyasa reapeth advantage. It\nmay without doubt destroy even the sin of killing the embryo and the\nlike. He that readeth this holy chapter of the moon, readeth the whole of\nthe Bharata, I ween. The man who with reverence daily listeneth to this\nsacred work acquireth long life and renown and ascendeth to heaven.\n\n\"In former days, having placed the four Vedas on one side and the Bharata\non the other, these were weighed in the balance by the celestials\nassembled for that purpose. And as the latter weighed heavier than the\nfour Vedas with their mysteries, from that period it hath been called in\nthe world Mahabharata (the great Bharata). Being esteemed superior both\nin substance and gravity of import it is denominated Mahabharata on\naccount of such substance and gravity of import. He that knoweth its\nmeaning is saved from all his sins.\n\n'Tapa is innocent, study is harmless, the ordinance of the Vedas\nprescribed for all the tribes are harmless, the acquisition of wealth by\nexertion is harmless; but when they are abused in their practices it is\nthen that they become sources of evil.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION II\n\n\"The Rishis said, 'O son of Suta, we wish to hear a full and\ncircumstantial account of the place mentioned by you as Samanta-panchaya.'\n\n\"Sauti said, 'Listen, O ye Brahmanas, to the sacred descriptions I utter\nO ye best of men, ye deserve to hear of the place known as\nSamanta-panchaka. In the interval between the Treta and Dwapara Yugas,\nRama (the son of Jamadagni) great among all who have borne arms, urged by\nimpatience of wrongs, repeatedly smote the noble race of Kshatriyas. And\nwhen that fiery meteor, by his own valour, annihilated the entire tribe\nof the Kshatriyas, he formed at Samanta-panchaka five lakes of blood. We\nare told that his reason being overpowered by anger he offered oblations\nof blood to the manes of his ancestors, standing in the midst of the\nsanguine waters of those lakes. It was then that his forefathers of whom\nRichika was the first having arrived there addressed him thus, 'O Rama, O\nblessed Rama, O offspring of Bhrigu, we have been gratified with the\nreverence thou hast shown for thy ancestors and with thy valour, O mighty\none! Blessings be upon thee. O thou illustrious one, ask the boon that\nthou mayst desire.'\n\n\"Rama said, 'If, O fathers, ye are favourably disposed towards me, the\nboon I ask is that I may be absolved from the sins born of my having\nannihilated the Kshatriyas in anger, and that the lakes I have formed may\nbecome famous in the world as holy shrines.' The Pitris then said, 'So\nshall it be. But be thou pacified.' And Rama was pacified accordingly.\nThe region that lieth near unto those lakes of gory water, from that time\nhath been celebrated as Samanta-panchaka the holy. The wise have declared\nthat every country should be distinguished by a name significant of some\ncircumstance which may have rendered it famous. In the interval between\nthe Dwapara and the Kali Yugas there happened at Samanta-panchaka the\nencounter between the armies of the Kauravas and the Pandavas. In that\nholy region, without ruggedness of any kind, were assembled eighteen\nAkshauhinis of soldiers eager for battle. And, O Brahmanas, having come\nthereto, they were all slain on the spot. Thus the name of that region, O\nBrahmanas, hath been explained, and the country described to you as a\nsacred and delightful one. I have mentioned the whole of what relateth to\nit as the region is celebrated throughout the three worlds.'\n\n\"The Rishis said, 'We have a desire to know, O son of Suta, what is\nimplied by the term Akshauhini that hath been used by thee. Tell us in\nfull what is the number of horse and foot, chariots and elephants, which\ncompose an Akshauhini for thou art fully informed.'\n\n\"Sauti said, 'One chariot, one elephant, five foot-soldiers, and three\nhorses form one Patti; three pattis make one Sena-mukha; three\nsena-mukhas are called a Gulma; three gulmas, a Gana; three ganas, a\nVahini; three vahinis together are called a Pritana; three pritanas form\na Chamu; three chamus, one Anikini; and an anikini taken ten times forms,\nas it is styled by those who know, an Akshauhini. O ye best of Brahmanas,\narithmeticians have calculated that the number of chariots in an\nAkshauhini is twenty-one thousand eight hundred and seventy. The measure\nof elephants must be fixed at the same number. O ye pure, you must know\nthat the number of foot-soldiers is one hundred and nine thousand, three\nhundred and fifty, the number of horse is sixty-five thousand, six\nhundred and ten. These, O Brahmanas, as fully explained by me, are the\nnumbers of an Akshauhini as said by those acquainted with the principles\nof numbers. O best of Brahmanas, according to this calculation were\ncomposed the eighteen Akshauhinis of the Kaurava and the Pandava army.\nTime, whose acts are wonderful assembled them on that spot and having\nmade the Kauravas the cause, destroyed them all. Bhishma acquainted with\nchoice of weapons, fought for ten days. Drona protected the Kaurava\nVahinis for five days. Kama the desolator of hostile armies fought for\ntwo days; and Salya for half a day. After that lasted for half a day the\nencounter with clubs between Duryodhana and Bhima. At the close of that\nday, Aswatthaman and Kripa destroyed the army of Yudishthira in the night\nwhile sleeping without suspicion of danger.\n\n'O Saunaka, this best of narrations called Bharata which has begun to be\nrepeated at thy sacrifice, was formerly repeated at the sacrifice of\nJanamejaya by an intelligent disciple of Vyasa. It is divided into\nseveral sections; in the beginning are Paushya, Pauloma, and Astika\nparvas, describing in full the valour and renown of kings. It is a work\nwhose description, diction, and sense are varied and wonderful. It\ncontains an account of various manners and rites. It is accepted by the\nwise, as the state called Vairagya is by men desirous of final release.\nAs Self among things to be known, as life among things that are dear, so\nis this history that furnisheth the means of arriving at the knowledge of\nBrahma the first among all the sastras. There is not a story current in\nthis world but doth depend upon this history even as the body upon the\nfoot that it taketh. As masters of good lineage are ever attended upon by\nservants desirous of preferment so is the Bharata cherished by all poets.\nAs the words constituting the several branches of knowledge appertaining\nto the world and the Veda display only vowels and consonants, so this\nexcellent history displayeth only the highest wisdom.\n\n'Listen, O ye ascetics, to the outlines of the several divisions (parvas)\nof this history called Bharata, endued with great wisdom, of sections and\nfeet that are wonderful and various, of subtile meanings and logical\nconnections, and embellished with the substance of the Vedas.\n\n'The first parva is called Anukramanika; the second, Sangraha; then\nPaushya; then Pauloma; the Astika; then Adivansavatarana. Then comes the\nSambhava of wonderful and thrilling incidents. Then comes Jatugrihadaha\n(setting fire to the house of lac) and then Hidimbabadha (the killing of\nHidimba) parvas; then comes Baka-badha (slaughter of Baka) and then\nChitraratha. The next is called Swayamvara (selection of husband by\nPanchali), in which Arjuna by the exercise of Kshatriya virtues, won\nDraupadi for wife. Then comes Vaivahika (marriage). Then comes\nViduragamana (advent of Vidura), Rajyalabha (acquirement of kingdom),\nArjuna-banavasa (exile of Arjuna) and Subhadra-harana (the carrying away\nof Subhadra). After these come Harana-harika, Khandava-daha (the burning\nof the Khandava forest) and Maya-darsana (meeting with Maya the Asura\narchitect). Then come Sabha, Mantra, Jarasandha, Digvijaya (general\ncampaign). After Digvijaya come Raja-suyaka, Arghyaviharana (the robbing\nof the Arghya) and Sisupala-badha (the killing of Sisupala). After these,\nDyuta (gambling), Anudyuta (subsequent to gambling), Aranyaka, and\nKrimira-badha (destruction of Krimira). The Arjuna-vigamana (the travels\nof Arjuna), Kairati. In the last hath been described the battle between\nArjuna and Mahadeva in the guise of a hunter. After this\nIndra-lokavigamana (the journey to the regions of Indra); then that mine\nof religion and virtue, the highly pathetic Nalopakhyana (the story of\nNala). After this last, Tirtha-yatra or the pilgrimage of the wise prince\nof the Kurus, the death of Jatasura, and the battle of the Yakshas. Then\nthe battle with the Nivata-kavachas, Ajagara, and Markandeya-Samasya\n(meeting with Markandeya). Then the meeting of Draupadi and Satyabhama,\nGhoshayatra, Mirga-Swapna (dream of the deer). Then the story of\nBrihadaranyaka and then Aindradrumna. Then Draupadi-harana (the abduction\nof Draupadi), Jayadratha-bimoksana (the release of Jayadratha). Then the\nstory of 'Savitri' illustrating the great merit of connubial chastity.\nAfter this last, the story of 'Rama'. The parva that comes next is called\n'Kundala-harana' (the theft of the ear-rings). That which comes next is\n'Aranya' and then 'Vairata'. Then the entry of the Pandavas and the\nfulfilment of their promise (of living unknown for one year). Then the\ndestruction of the 'Kichakas', then the attempt to take the kine (of\nVirata by the Kauravas). The next is called the marriage of Abhimanyu\nwith the daughter of Virata. The next you must know is the most wonderful\nparva called Udyoga. The next must be known by the name of 'Sanjaya-yana'\n(the arrival of Sanjaya). Then comes 'Prajagara' (the sleeplessness of\nDhritarashtra owing to his anxiety). Then Sanatsujata, in which are the\nmysteries of spiritual philosophy. Then 'Yanasaddhi', and then the\narrival of Krishna. Then the story of 'Matali' and then of 'Galava'. Then\nthe stories of 'Savitri', 'Vamadeva', and 'Vainya'. Then the story of\n'Jamadagnya and Shodasarajika'. Then the arrival of Krishna at the court,\nand then Bidulaputrasasana. Then the muster of troops and the story of\nSheta. Then, must you know, comes the quarrel of the high-souled Karna.\nThen the march to the field of the troops of both sides. The next hath\nbeen called numbering the Rathis and Atirathas. Then comes the arrival of\nthe messenger Uluka which kindled the wrath (of the Pandavas). The next\nthat comes, you must know, is the story of Amba. Then comes the thrilling\nstory of the installation of Bhishma as commander-in-chief. The next is\ncalled the creation of the insular region Jambu; then Bhumi; then the\naccount about the formation of islands. Then comes the 'Bhagavat-gita';\nand then the death of Bhishma. Then the installation of Drona; then the\ndestruction of the 'Sansaptakas'. Then the death of Abhimanyu; and then\nthe vow of Arjuna (to slay Jayadratha). Then the death of Jayadratha, and\nthen of Ghatotkacha. Then, must you know, comes the story of the death of\nDrona of surprising interest. The next that comes is called the discharge\nof the weapon called Narayana. Then, you know, is Karna, and then Salya.\nThen comes the immersion in the lake, and then the encounter (between\nBhima and Duryodhana) with clubs. Then comes Saraswata, and then the\ndescriptions of holy shrines, and then genealogies. Then comes Sauptika\ndescribing incidents disgraceful (to the honour of the Kurus). Then comes\nthe 'Aisika' of harrowing incidents. Then comes 'Jalapradana' oblations\nof water to the manes of the deceased, and then the wailings of the\nwomen. The next must be known as 'Sraddha' describing the funeral rites\nperformed for the slain Kauravas. Then comes the destruction of the\nRakshasa Charvaka who had assumed the disguise of a Brahmana (for\ndeceiving Yudhishthira). Then the coronation of the wise Yudhishthira.\nThe next is called the 'Grihapravibhaga'. Then comes 'Santi', then\n'Rajadharmanusasana', then 'Apaddharma', then 'Mokshadharma'. Those that\nfollow are called respectively 'Suka-prasna-abhigamana',\n'Brahma-prasnanusana', the origin of 'Durvasa', the disputations with\nMaya. The next is to be known as 'Anusasanika'. Then the ascension of\nBhishma to heaven. Then the horse-sacrifice, which when read purgeth all\nsins away. The next must be known as the 'Anugita' in which are words of\nspiritual philosophy. Those that follow are called 'Asramvasa',\n'Puttradarshana' (meeting with the spirits of the deceased sons), and the\narrival of Narada. The next is called 'Mausala' which abounds with\nterrible and cruel incidents. Then comes 'Mahaprasthanika' and ascension\nto heaven. Then comes the Purana which is called Khilvansa. In this last\nare contained 'Vishnuparva', Vishnu's frolics and feats as a child, the\ndestruction of 'Kansa', and lastly, the very wonderful 'Bhavishyaparva'\n(in which there are prophecies regarding the future).\n\nThe high-souled Vyasa composed these hundred parvas of which the above is\nonly an abridgement: having distributed them into eighteen, the son of\nSuta recited them consecutively in the forest of Naimisha as follows:\n\n'In the Adi parva are contained Paushya, Pauloma, Astika, Adivansavatara,\nSamva, the burning of the house of lac, the slaying of Hidimba, the\ndestruction of the Asura Vaka, Chitraratha, the Swayamvara of Draupadi,\nher marriage after the overthrow of rivals in war, the arrival of Vidura,\nthe restoration, Arjuna's exile, the abduction of Subhadra, the gift and\nreceipt of the marriage dower, the burning of the Khandava forest, and\nthe meeting with (the Asura-architect) Maya. The Paushya parva treats of\nthe greatness of Utanka, and the Pauloma, of the sons of Bhrigu. The\nAstika describes the birth of Garuda and of the Nagas (snakes), the\nchurning of the ocean, the incidents relating to the birth of the\ncelestial steed Uchchaihsrava, and finally, the dynasty of Bharata, as\ndescribed in the Snake-sacrifice of king Janamejaya. The Sambhava parva\nnarrates the birth of various kings and heroes, and that of the sage,\nKrishna Dwaipayana: the partial incarnations of deities, the generation\nof Danavas and Yakshas of great prowess, and serpents, Gandharvas, birds,\nand of all creatures; and lastly, of the life and adventures of king\nBharata--the progenitor of the line that goes by his name--the son born\nof Sakuntala in the hermitage of the ascetic Kanwa. This parva also\ndescribes the greatness of Bhagirathi, and the births of the Vasus in the\nhouse of Santanu and their ascension to heaven. In this parva is also\nnarrated the birth of Bhishma uniting in himself portions of the energies\nof the other Vasus, his renunciation of royalty and adoption of the\nBrahmacharya mode of life, his adherence to his vows, his protection of\nChitrangada, and after the death of Chitrangada, his protection of his\nyounger brother, Vichitravirya, and his placing the latter on the throne:\nthe birth of Dharma among men in consequence of the curse of Animondavya;\nthe births of Dhritarashtra and Pandu through the potency of Vyasa's\nblessings (?) and also the birth of the Pandavas; the plottings of\nDuryodhana to send the sons of Pandu to Varanavata, and the other dark\ncounsels of the sons of Dhritarashtra in regard to the Pandavas; then the\nadvice administered to Yudhishthira on his way by that well-wisher of the\nPandavas--Vidura--in the mlechchha language--the digging of the hole, the\nburning of Purochana and the sleeping woman of the fowler caste, with her\nfive sons, in the house of lac; the meeting of the Pandavas in the\ndreadful forest with Hidimba, and the slaying of her brother Hidimba by\nBhima of great prowess. The birth of Ghatotkacha; the meeting of the\nPandavas with Vyasa and in accordance with his advice their stay in\ndisguise in the house of a Brahmana in the city of Ekachakra; the\ndestruction of the Asura Vaka, and the amazement of the populace at the\nsight; the extra-ordinary births of Krishna and Dhrishtadyumna; the\ndeparture of the Pandavas for Panchala in obedience to the injunction of\nVyasa, and moved equally by the desire of winning the hand of Draupadi on\nlearning the tidings of the Swayamvara from the lips of a Brahmana;\nvictory of Arjuna over a Gandharva, called Angaraparna, on the banks of\nthe Bhagirathi, his contraction of friendship with his adversary, and his\nhearing from the Gandharva the history of Tapati, Vasishtha and Aurva.\nThis parva treats of the journey of the Pandavas towards Panchala, the\nacquisition of Draupadi in the midst of all the Rajas, by Arjuna, after\nhaving successfully pierced the mark; and in the ensuing fight, the\ndefeat of Salya, Kama, and all the other crowned heads at the hands of\nBhima and Arjuna of great prowess; the ascertainment by Balarama and\nKrishna, at the sight of these matchless exploits, that the heroes were\nthe Pandavas, and the arrival of the brothers at the house of the potter\nwhere the Pandavas were staying; the dejection of Drupada on learning\nthat Draupadi was to be wedded to five husbands; the wonderful story of\nthe five Indras related in consequence; the extraordinary and\ndivinely-ordained wedding of Draupadi; the sending of Vidura by the sons\nof Dhritarashtra as envoy to the Pandavas; the arrival of Vidura and his\nsight to Krishna; the abode of the Pandavas in Khandava-prastha, and then\ntheir rule over one half of the kingdom; the fixing of turns by the sons\nof Pandu, in obedience to the injunction of Narada, for connubial\ncompanionship with Krishna. In like manner hath the history of Sunda and\nUpasunda been recited in this. This parva then treats of the departure of\nArjuna for the forest according to the vow, he having seen Draupadi and\nYudhishthira sitting together as he entered the chamber to take out arms\nfor delivering the kine of a certain Brahmana. This parva then describes\nArjuna's meeting on the way with Ulupi, the daughter of a Naga (serpent);\nit then relates his visits to several sacred spots; the birth of\nVabhruvahana; the deliverance by Arjuna of the five celestial damsels who\nhad been turned into alligators by the imprecation of a Brahmana, the\nmeeting of Madhava and Arjuna on the holy spot called Prabhasa; the\ncarrying away of Subhadra by Arjuna, incited thereto by her brother\nKrishna, in the wonderful car moving on land and water, and through\nmid-air, according to the wish of the rider; the departure for\nIndraprastha, with the dower; the conception in the womb of Subhadra of\nthat prodigy of prowess, Abhimanyu; Yajnaseni's giving birth to children;\nthen follows the pleasure-trip of Krishna and Arjuna to the banks of the\nJamuna and the acquisition by them of the discus and the celebrated bow\nGandiva; the burning of the forest of Khandava; the rescue of Maya by\nArjuna, and the escape of the serpent,--and the begetting of a son by\nthat best of Rishis, Mandapala, in the womb of the bird Sarngi. This\nparva is divided by Vyasa into two hundred and twenty-seven chapters.\nThese two hundred and twenty-seven chapters contain eight thousand eight\nhundred and eighty-four slokas.\n\nThe second is the extensive parva called Sabha or the assembly, full of\nmatter. The subjects of this parva are the establishment of the grand\nhall by the Pandavas; their review of their retainers; the description of\nthe lokapalas by Narada well-acquainted with the celestial regions; the\npreparations for the Rajasuya sacrifice; the destruction of Jarasandha;\nthe deliverance by Vasudeva of the princes confined in the mountain-pass;\nthe campaign of universal conquest by the Pandavas; the arrival of the\nprinces at the Rajasuya sacrifice with tribute; the destruction of\nSisupala on the occasion of the sacrifice, in connection with offering of\narghya; Bhimasena's ridicule of Duryodhana in the assembly; Duryodhana's\nsorrow and envy at the sight of the magnificent scale on which the\narrangements had been made; the indignation of Duryodhana in consequence,\nand the preparations for the game of dice; the defeat of Yudhishthira at\nplay by the wily Sakuni; the deliverance by Dhritarashtra of his\nafflicted daughter-in-law Draupadi plunged in the sea of distress caused\nby the gambling, as of a boat tossed about by the tempestuous waves. The\nendeavours of Duryodhana to engage Yudhishthira again in the game; and\nthe exile of the defeated Yudhishthira with his brothers. These\nconstitute what has been called by the great Vyasa the Sabha Parva. This\nparva is divided into seventh-eight sections, O best of Brahmanas, of two\nthousand, five hundred and seven slokas.\n\nThen comes the third parva called Aranyaka (relating to the forest) This\nparva treats of the wending of the Pandavas to the forest and the\ncitizens, following the wise Yudhishthira, Yudhishthira's adoration of\nthe god of day; according to the injunctions of Dhaumya, to be gifted\nwith the power of maintaining the dependent Brahmanas with food and\ndrink: the creation of food through the grace of the Sun: the expulsion\nby Dhritarashtra of Vidura who always spoke for his master's good;\nVidura's coming to the Pandavas and his return to Dhritarashtra at the\nsolicitation of the latter; the wicked Duryodhana's plottings to destroy\nthe forest-ranging Pandavas, being incited thereto by Karna; the\nappearance of Vyasa and his dissuasion of Duryodhana bent on going to the\nforest; the history of Surabhi; the arrival of Maitreya; his laying down\nto Dhritarashtra the course of action; and his curse on Duryodhana;\nBhima's slaying of Kirmira in battle; the coming of the Panchalas and the\nprinces of the Vrishni race to Yudhishthira on hearing of his defeat at\nthe unfair gambling by Sakuni; Dhananjaya's allaying the wrath of\nKrishna; Draupadi's lamentations before Madhava; Krishna's cheering her;\nthe fall of Sauva also has been here described by the Rishi; also\nKrishna's bringing Subhadra with her son to Dwaraka; and Dhrishtadyumna's\nbringing the son of Draupadi to Panchala; the entrance of the sons of\nPandu into the romantic Dwaita wood; conversation of Bhima, Yudhishthira,\nand Draupadi; the coming of Vyasa to the Pandavas and his endowing\nYudhishthira with the power of Pratismriti; then, after the departure of\nVyasa, the removal of the Pandavas to the forest of Kamyaka; the\nwanderings of Arjuna of immeasurable prowess in search of weapons; his\nbattle with Mahadeva in the guise of a hunter; his meeting with the\nlokapalas and receipt of weapons from them; his journey to the regions of\nIndra for arms and the consequent anxiety of Dhritarashtra; the wailings\nand lamentations of Yudhishthira on the occasion of his meeting with the\nworshipful great sage Brihadaswa. Here occurs the holy and highly\npathetic story of Nala illustrating the patience of Damayanti and the\ncharacter of Nala. Then the acquirement by Yudhishthira of the mysteries\nof dice from the same great sage; then the arrival of the Rishi Lomasa\nfrom the heavens to where the Pandavas were, and the receipt by these\nhigh-souled dwellers in the woods of the intelligence brought by the\nRishi of their brother Arjuna staving in the heavens; then the pilgrimage\nof the Pandavas to various sacred spots in accordance with the message of\nArjuna, and their attainment of great merit and virtue consequent on such\npilgrimage; then the pilgrimage of the great sage Narada to the shrine\nPutasta; also the pilgrimage of the high-souled Pandavas. Here is the\ndeprivation of Karna of his ear-rings by Indra. Here also is recited the\nsacrificial magnificence of Gaya; then the story of Agastya in which the\nRishi ate up the Asura Vatapi, and his connubial connection with\nLopamudra from the desire of offspring. Then the story of Rishyasringa\nwho adopted Brahmacharya mode of life from his very boyhood; then the\nhistory of Rama of great prowess, the son of Jamadagni, in which has been\nnarrated the death of Kartavirya and the Haihayas; then the meeting\nbetween the Pandavas and the Vrishnis in the sacred spot called Prabhasa;\nthen the story of Su-kanya in which Chyavana, the son of Bhrigu, made the\ntwins, Aswinis, drink, at the sacrifice of king Saryati, the Soma juice\n(from which they had been excluded by the other gods), and in which\nbesides is shown how Chyavana himself acquired perpetual youth (as a boon\nfrom the grateful Aswinis). Then hath been described the history of king\nMandhata; then the history of prince Jantu; and how king Somaka by\noffering up his only son (Jantu) in sacrifice obtained a hundred others;\nthen the excellent history of the hawk and the pigeon; then the\nexamination of king Sivi by Indra, Agni, and Dharma; then the story of\nAshtavakra, in which occurs the disputation, at the sacrifice of Janaka,\nbetween that Rishi and the first of logicians, Vandi, the son of Varuna;\nthe defeat of Vandi by the great Ashtavakra, and the release by the Rishi\nof his father from the depths of the ocean. Then the story of Yavakrita,\nand then that of the great Raivya: then the departure (of the Pandavas)\nfor Gandhamadana and their abode in the asylum called Narayana; then\nBhimasena's journey to Gandhamadana at the request of Draupadi (in search\nof the sweet-scented flower). Bhima's meeting on his way, in a grove of\nbananas, with Hanuman, the son of Pavana of great prowess; Bhima's bath\nin the tank and the destruction of the flowers therein for obtaining the\nsweet-scented flower (he was in search of); his consequent battle with\nthe mighty Rakshasas and the Yakshas of great prowess including Hanuman;\nthe destruction of the Asura Jata by Bhima; the meeting (of the Pandavas)\nwith the royal sage Vrishaparva; their departure for the asylum of\nArshtishena and abode therein: the incitement of Bhima (to acts of\nvengeance) by Draupadi. Then is narrated the ascent on the hills of\nKailasa by Bhimasena, his terrific battle with the mighty Yakshas headed\nby Hanuman; then the meeting of the Pandavas with Vaisravana (Kuvera),\nand the meeting with Arjuna after he had obtained for the purpose of\nYudhishthira many celestial weapons; then Arjuna's terrible encounter\nwith the Nivatakavachas dwelling in Hiranyaparva, and also with the\nPaulomas, and the Kalakeyas; their destruction at the hands of Arjuna;\nthe commencement of the display of the celestial weapons by Arjuna before\nYudhishthira, the prevention of the same by Narada; the descent of the\nPandavas from Gandhamadana; the seizure of Bhima in the forest by a\nmighty serpent huge as the mountain; his release from the coils of the\nsnake, upon Yudhishthira's answering certain questions; the return of the\nPandavas to the Kamyaka woods. Here is described the reappearance of\nVasudeva to see the mighty sons of Pandu; the arrival of Markandeya, and\nvarious recitals, the history of Prithu the son of Vena recited by the\ngreat Rishi; the stories of Saraswati and the Rishi Tarkhya. After these,\nis the story of Matsya; other old stories recited by Markandeya; the\nstories of Indradyumna and Dhundhumara; then the history of the chaste\nwife; the history of Angira, the meeting and conversation of Draupadi and\nSatyabhama; the return of the Pandavas to the forest of Dwaita; then the\nprocession to see the calves and the captivity of Duryodhana; and when\nthe wretch was being carried off, his rescue by Arjuna; here is\nYudhishthira's dream of the deer; then the re-entry of the Pandavas into\nthe Kamyaka forest, here also is the long story of Vrihidraunika. Here\nalso is recited the story of Durvasa; then the abduction by Jayadratha of\nDraupadi from the asylum; the pursuit of the ravisher by Bhima swift as\nthe air and the ill-shaving of Jayadratha's crown at Bhima's hand. Here\nis the long history of Rama in which is shown how Rama by his prowess\nslew Ravana in battle. Here also is narrated the story of Savitri; then\nKarna's deprivation by Indra of his ear-rings; then the presentation to\nKarna by the gratified Indra of a Sakti (missile weapon) which had the\nvirtue of killing only one person against whom it might be hurled; then\nthe story called Aranya in which Dharma (the god of justice) gave advice\nto his son (Yudhishthira); in which, besides is recited how the Pandavas\nafter having obtained a boon went towards the west. These are all\nincluded in the third Parva called Aranyaka, consisting of two hundred\nand sixty-nine sections. The number of slokas is eleven thousand, six\nhundred and sixty-four.\n\n\"The extensive Parva that comes next is called Virata. The Pandavas\narriving at the dominions of Virata saw in a cemetery on the outskirts of\nthe city a large shami tree whereon they kept their weapons. Here hath\nbeen recited their entry into the city and their stay there in disguise.\nThen the slaying by Bhima of the wicked Kichaka who, senseless with lust,\nhad sought Draupadi; the appointment by prince Duryodhana of clever\nspies; and their despatch to all sides for tracing the Pandavas; the\nfailure of these to discover the mighty sons of Pandu; the first seizure\nof Virata's kine by the Trigartas and the terrific battle that ensued;\nthe capture of Virata by the enemy and his rescue by Bhimasena; the\nrelease also of the kine by the Pandava (Bhima); the seizure of Virata's\nkine again by the Kurus; the defeat in battle of all the Kurus by the\nsingle-handed Arjuna; the release of the king's kine; the bestowal by\nVirata of his daughter Uttara for Arjuna's acceptance on behalf of his\nson by Subhadra--Abhimanyu--the destroyer of foes. These are the contents\nof the extensive fourth Parva--the Virata. The great Rishi Vyasa has\ncomposed in these sixty-seven sections. The number of slokas is two\nthousand and fifty.\n\n\"Listen then to (the contents of) the fifth Parva which must be known as\nUdyoga. While the Pandavas, desirous of victory, were residing in the\nplace called Upaplavya, Duryodhana and Arjuna both went at the same time\nto Vasudeva, and said, \"You should render us assistance in this war.\" The\nhigh-souled Krishna, upon these words being uttered, replied, \"O ye first\nof men, a counsellor in myself who will not fight and one Akshauhini of\ntroops, which of these shall I give to which of you?\" Blind to his own\ninterests, the foolish Duryodhana asked for the troops; while Arjuna\nsolicited Krishna as an unfighting counsellor. Then is described how,\nwhen the king of Madra was coming for the assistance of the Pandavas,\nDuryodhana, having deceived him on the way by presents and hospitality,\ninduced him to grant a boon and then solicited his assistance in battle;\nhow Salya, having passed his word to Duryodhana, went to the Pandavas and\nconsoled them by reciting the history of Indra's victory (over Vritra).\nThen comes the despatch by the Pandavas of their Purohita (priest) to the\nKauravas. Then is described how king Dhritarashtra of great prowess,\nhaving heard the word of the purohita of the Pandavas and the story of\nIndra's victory decided upon sending his purohita and ultimately\ndespatched Sanjaya as envoy to the Pandavas from desire for peace. Here\nhath been described the sleeplessness of Dhritarashtra from anxiety upon\nhearing all about the Pandavas and their friends, Vasudeva and others. It\nwas on this occasion that Vidura addressed to the wise king Dhritarashtra\nvarious counsels that were full of wisdom. It was here also that\nSanat-sujata recited to the anxious and sorrowing monarch the excellent\ntruths of spiritual philosophy. On the next morning Sanjaya spoke, in the\ncourt of the King, of the identity of Vasudeva and Arjuna. It was then\nthat the illustrious Krishna, moved by kindness and a desire for peace,\nwent himself to the Kaurava capital, Hastinapura, for bringing about\npeace. Then comes the rejection by prince Duryodhana of the embassy of\nKrishna who had come to solicit peace for the benefit of both parties.\nHere hath been recited the story of Damvodvava; then the story of the\nhigh-souled Matuli's search for a husband for his daughter: then the\nhistory of the great sage Galava; then the story of the training and\ndiscipline of the son of Bidula. Then the exhibition by Krishna, before\nthe assembled Rajas, of his Yoga powers upon learning the evil counsels\nof Duryodhana and Karna; then Krishna's taking Karna in his chariot and\nhis tendering to him of advice, and Karna's rejection of the same from\npride. Then the return of Krishna, the chastiser of enemies from\nHastinapura to Upaplavya, and his narration to the Pandavas of all that\nhad happened. It was then that those oppressors of foes, the Pandavas,\nhaving heard all and consulted properly with each other, made every\npreparation for war. Then comes the march from Hastinapura, for battle,\nof foot-soldiers, horses, charioteers and elephants. Then the tale of the\ntroops by both parties. Then the despatch by prince Duryodhana of Uluka\nas envoy to the Pandavas on the day previous to the battle. Then the tale\nof charioteers of different classes. Then the story of Amba. These all\nhave been described in the fifth Parva called Udyoga of the Bharata,\nabounding with incidents appertaining to war and peace. O ye ascetics,\nthe great Vyasa hath composed one hundred and eighty-six sections in this\nParva. The number of slokas also composed in this by the great Rishi is\nsix thousand, six hundred and ninety-eight.\n\n\"Then is recited the Bhishma Parva replete with wonderful incidents. In\nthis hath been narrated by Sanjaya the formation of the region known as\nJambu. Here hath been described the great depression of Yudhishthira's\narmy, and also a fierce fight for ten successive days. In this the\nhigh-souled Vasudeva by reasons based on the philosophy of final release\ndrove away Arjuna's compunction springing from the latter's regard for\nhis kindred (whom he was on the eve of slaying). In this the magnanimous\nKrishna, attentive to the welfare of Yudhishthira, seeing the loss\ninflicted (on the Pandava army), descended swiftly from his chariot\nhimself and ran, with dauntless breast, his driving whip in hand, to\neffect the death of Bhishma. In this, Krishna also smote with piercing\nwords Arjuna, the bearer of the Gandiva and the foremost in battle among\nall wielders of weapons. In this, the foremost of bowmen, Arjuna, placing\nShikandin before him and piercing Bhishma with his sharpest arrows felled\nhim from his chariot. In this, Bhishma lay stretched on his bed of\narrows. This extensive Parva is known as the sixth in the Bharata. In\nthis have been composed one hundred and seventeen sections. The number of\nslokas is five thousand, eight hundred and eighty-four as told by Vyasa\nconversant with the Vedas.\n\n\"Then is recited the wonderful Parva called Drona full of incidents.\nFirst comes the installation in the command of the army of the great\ninstructor in arms, Drona: then the vow made by that great master of\nweapons of seizing the wise Yudhishthira in battle to please Duryodhana;\nthen the retreat of Arjuna from the field before the Sansaptakas, then\nthe overthrow of Bhagadatta like to a second Indra in the field, with the\nelephant Supritika, by Arjuna; then the death of the hero Abhimanyu in\nhis teens, alone and unsupported, at the hands of many Maharathas\nincluding Jayadratha; then after the death of Abhimanyu, the destruction\nby Arjuna, in battle of seven Akshauhinis of troops and then of\nJayadratha; then the entry, by Bhima of mighty arms and by that foremost\nof warriors-in-chariot, Satyaki, into the Kaurava ranks impenetrable even\nto the gods, in search of Arjuna in obedience to the orders of\nYudhishthira, and the destruction of the remnant of the Sansaptakas. In\nthe Drona Parva, is the death of Alambusha, of Srutayus, of Jalasandha,\nof Shomadatta, of Virata, of the great warrior-in-chariot Drupada, of\nGhatotkacha and others; in this Parva, Aswatthaman, excited beyond\nmeasure at the fall of his father in battle, discharged the terrible\nweapon Narayana. Then the glory of Rudra in connection with the burning\n(of the three cities). Then the arrival of Vyasa and recital by him of\nthe glory of Krishna and Arjuna. This is the great seventh Parva of the\nBharata in which all the heroic chiefs and princes mentioned were sent to\ntheir account. The number of sections in this is one hundred and seventy.\nThe number of slokas as composed in the Drona Parva by Rishi Vyasa, the\nson of Parasara and the possessor of true knowledge after much\nmeditation, is eight thousand, nine hundred and nine.\n\n\"Then comes the most wonderful Parva called Karna. In this is narrated\nthe appointment of the wise king of Madra as (Karna's) charioteer. Then\nthe history of the fall of the Asura Tripura. Then the application to\neach other by Karna and Salya of harsh words on their setting out for the\nfield, then the story of the swan and the crow recited in insulting\nallusion: then the death of Pandya at the hands of the high-souled\nAswatthaman; then the death of Dandasena; then that of Darda; then\nYudhishthira's imminent risk in single combat with Karna in the presence\nof all the warriors; then the mutual wrath of Yudhishthira and Arjuna;\nthen Krishna's pacification of Arjuna. In this Parva, Bhima, in\nfulfilment of his vow, having ripped open Dussasana's breast in battle\ndrank the blood of his heart. Then Arjuna slew the great Karna in single\ncombat. Readers of the Bharata call this the eighth Parva. The number of\nsections in this is sixty-nine and the number of slokas is four thousand,\nnine hundred and sixty-tour.\n\n\"Then hath been recited the wonderful Parva called Salya. After all the\ngreat warriors had been slain, the king of Madra became the leader of the\n(Kaurava) army. The encounters one after another, of charioteers, have\nbeen here described. Then comes the fall of the great Salya at the hands\nof Yudhishthira, the Just. Here also is the death of Sakuni in battle at\nthe hands of Sahadeva. Upon only a small remnant of the troops remaining\nalive after the immense slaughter, Duryodhana went to the lake and\ncreating for himself room within its waters lay stretched there for some\ntime. Then is narrated the receipt of this intelligence by Bhima from the\nfowlers: then is narrated how, moved by the insulting speeches of the\nintelligent Yudhishthira, Duryodhana ever unable to bear affronts, came\nout of the waters. Then comes the encounter with clubs, between\nDuryodhana and Bhima; then the arrival, at the time of such encounter, of\nBalarama: then is described the sacredness of the Saraswati; then the\nprogress of the encounter with clubs; then the fracture of Duryodhana's\nthighs in battle by Bhima with (a terrific hurl of) his mace. These all\nhave been described in the wonderful ninth Parva. In this the number of\nsections is fifty-nine and the number of slokas composed by the great\nVyasa--the spreader of the fame of the Kauravas--is three thousand, two\nhundred and twenty.\n\n\"Then shall I describe the Parva called Sauptika of frightful incidents.\nOn the Pandavas having gone away, the mighty charioteers, Kritavarman,\nKripa, and the son of Drona, came to the field of battle in the evening\nand there saw king Duryodhana lying on the ground, his thighs broken, and\nhimself covered with blood. Then the great charioteer, the son of Drona,\nof terrible wrath, vowed, 'without killing all the Panchalas including\nDrishtadyumna, and the Pandavas also with all their allies, I will not\ntake off armour.' Having spoken those words, the three warriors leaving\nDuryodhana's side entered the great forest just as the sun was setting.\nWhile sitting under a large banian tree in the night, they saw an owl\nkilling numerous crows one after another. At the sight of this,\nAswatthaman, his heart full of rage at the thought of his father's fate,\nresolved to slay the slumbering Panchalas. And wending to the gate of the\ncamp, he saw there a Rakshasa of frightful visage, his head reaching to\nthe very heavens, guarding the entrance. And seeing that Rakshasa\nobstructing all his weapons, the son of Drona speedily pacified by\nworship the three-eyed Rudra. And then accompanied by Kritavarman and\nKripa he slew all the sons of Draupadi, all the Panchalas with\nDhrishtadyumna and others, together with their relatives, slumbering\nunsuspectingly in the night. All perished on that fatal night except the\nfive Pandavas and the great warrior Satyaki. Those escaped owing to\nKrishna's counsels, then the charioteer of Dhrishtadyumna brought to the\nPandavas intelligence of the slaughter of the slumbering Panchalas by the\nson of Drona. Then Draupadi distressed at the death of her sons and\nbrothers and father sat before her lords resolved to kill herself by\nfasting. Then Bhima of terrible prowess, moved by the words of Draupadi,\nresolved, to please her; and speedily taking up his mace followed in\nwrath the son of his preceptor in arms. The son of Drona from fear of\nBhimasena and impelled by the fates and moved also by anger discharged a\ncelestial weapon saying, 'This is for the destruction of all the\nPandavas'; then Krishna saying. 'This shall not be', neutralised\nAswatthaman's speech. Then Arjuna neutralised that weapon by one of his\nown. Seeing the wicked Aswatthaman's destructive intentions, Dwaipayana\nand Krishna pronounced curses on him which the latter returned. Pandava\nthen deprived the mighty warrior-in-chariot Aswatthaman, of the jewel on\nhis head, and became exceedingly glad, and, boastful of their success,\nmade a present of it to the sorrowing Draupadi. Thus the tenth Parva,\ncalled Sauptika, is recited. The great Vyasa hath composed this in\neighteen sections. The number of slokas also composed (in this) by the\ngreat reciter of sacred truths is eight hundred and seventy. In this\nParva has been put together by the great Rishi the two Parvas called\nSauptika and Aishika.\n\n\"After this hath been recited the highly pathetic Parva called Stri,\nDhritarashtra of prophetic eye, afflicted at the death of his children,\nand moved by enmity towards Bhima, broke into pieces a statue of hard\niron deftly placed before him by Krishna (as substitute of Bhima). Then\nVidura, removing the distressed Dhritarashtra's affection for worldly\nthings by reasons pointing to final release, consoled that wise monarch.\nThen hath been described the wending of the distressed Dhritarashtra\naccompanied by the ladies of his house to the field of battle of the\nKauravas. Here follow the pathetic wailings of the wives of the slain\nheroes. Then the wrath of Gandhari and Dhritarashtra and their loss of\nconsciousness. Then the Kshatriya ladies saw those heroes,--their\nunreturning sons, brothers, and fathers,--lying dead on the field. Then\nthe pacification by Krishna of the wrath of Gandhari distressed at the\ndeath of her sons and grandsons. Then the cremation of the bodies of the\ndeceased Rajas with due rites by that monarch (Yudhishthira) of great\nwisdom and the foremost also of all virtuous men. Then upon the\npresentation of water of the manes of the deceased princes having\ncommenced, the story of Kunti's acknowledgment of Karna as her son born\nin secret. Those have all been described by the great Rishi Vyasa in the\nhighly pathetic eleventh Parva. Its perusal moveth every feeling heart\nwith sorrow and even draweth tears from the eyes. The number of sections\ncomposed is twenty-seven. The number of slokas is seven hundred and\nseventy-five.\n\n\"Twelfth in number cometh the Santi Parva, which increaseth the\nunderstanding and in which is related the despondency of Yudhishthira on\nhis having slain his fathers, brothers, sons, maternal uncles and\nmatrimonial relations. In this Parva is described how from his bed of\narrows Bhishma expounded various systems of duties worth the study of\nkings desirous of knowledge; this Parva expounded the duties relative to\nemergencies, with full indications of time and reasons. By understanding\nthese, a person attaineth to consummate knowledge. The mysteries also of\nfinal emancipation have been expatiated upon. This is the twelfth Parva\nthe favourite of the wise. It consists of three hundred and thirty-nine\nsections, and contains fourteen thousand, seven hundred and thirty-two\nslokas.\n\n\"Next in order is the excellent Anusasana Parva. In it is described how\nYudhishthira, the king of the Kurus, was reconciled to himself on hearing\nthe exposition of duties by Bhishma, the son of Bhagirathi. This Parva\ntreats of rules in detail and of Dharma and Artha; then the rules of\ncharity and its merits; then the qualifications of donees, and the\nsupreme ride-regarding gifts. This Parva also describes the ceremonials\nof individual duty, the rules of conduct and the matchless merit of\ntruth. This Parva showeth the great merit of Brahmanas and kine, and\nunraveleth the mysteries of duties in relation to time and place. These\nare embodied in the excellent Parva called Anusasana of varied incidents.\nIn this hath been described the ascension of Bhishma to Heaven. This is\nthe thirteenth Parva which hath laid down accurately the various duties\nof men. The number of sections, in this is one hundred and forty-six. The\nnumber of slokas is eight thousand.\n\n\"Then comes the fourteenth Parva Aswamedhika. In this is the excellent\nstory of Samvarta and Marutta. Then is described the discovery (by the\nPandavas) of golden treasuries; and then the birth of Parikshit who was\nrevived by Krishna after having been burnt by the (celestial) weapon of\nAswatthaman. The battles of Arjuna the son of Pandu, while following the\nsacrificial horse let loose, with various princes who in wrath seized it.\nThen is shown the great risk of Arjuna in his encounter with Vabhruvahana\nthe son of Chitrangada (by Arjuna) the appointed daughter of the chief of\nManipura. Then the story of the mongoose during the performance of the\nhorse-sacrifice. This is the most wonderful Parva called Aswamedhika. The\nnumber of sections is one hundred and three. The number of slokas\ncomposed (in this) by Vyasa of true knowledge is three thousand, three\nhundred and twenty.\n\n\"Then comes the fifteenth Parva called Asramvasika. In this,\nDhritarashtra, abdicating the kingdom, and accompanied by Gandhari and\nVidura went to the woods. Seeing this, the virtuous Pritha also, ever\nengaged in cherishing her superiors, leaving the court of her sons,\nfollowed the old couple. In this is described the wonderful meeting\nthrough the kindness of Vyasa of the king (Dhritarashtra) with the\nspirits of his slain children, grand-children, and other princes,\nreturned from the other world. Then the monarch abandoning his sorrows\nacquired with his wife the highest fruit of his meritorious actions. In\nthis Parva, Vidura after having leaned on virtue all his life attaineth\nto the most meritorious state.\n\n\"The learned son of Gavalgana, Sanjaya, also of passions under full\ncontrol, and the foremost of ministers, attained, in the Parva, to the\nblessed state. In this, Yudhishthira the just met Narada and heard from\nhim about the extinction of the race of Vrishnis. This is the very\nwonderful Parva called Asramvasika. The number of sections in this is\nforty-two, and the number of slokas composed by Vyasa cognisant of truth\nis one thousand five hundred and six.\n\n\"After this, you know, comes the Maushala of painful incidents. In this,\nthose lion-hearted heroes (of the race of Vrishni) with the scars of many\na field on their bodies, oppressed with the curse of a Brahmana, while\ndeprived of reason from drink, impelled by the fates, slew each other on\nthe shores of the Salt Sea with the Eraka grass which (in their hands)\nbecame (invested with the fatal attributes of the) thunder. In this, both\nBalarama and Kesava (Krishna) after causing the extermination of their\nrace, their hour having come, themselves did not rise superior to the\nsway of all-destroying Time. In this, Arjuna the foremost among men,\ngoing to Dwaravati (Dwaraka) and seeing the city destitute of the\nVrishnis was much affected and became exceedingly sorry. Then after the\nfuneral of his maternal uncle Vasudeva the foremost among the Yadus\n(Vrishnis), he saw the heroes of the Yadu race lying stretched in death\non the spot where they had been drinking. He then caused the cremation of\nthe bodies of the illustrious Krishna and Balarama and of the principal\nmembers of the Vrishni race. Then as he was journeying from Dwaraka with\nthe women and children, the old and the decrepit--the remnants of the\nYadu race--he was met on the way by a heavy calamity. He witnessed also\nthe disgrace of his bow Gandiva and the unpropitiousness of his celestial\nweapons. Seeing all this, Arjuna became despondent and, pursuant to\nVyasa's advice, went to Yudhishthira and solicited permission to adopt\nthe Sannyasa mode of life. This is the sixteenth Parva called Maushala\nThe number of sections is eight and the number of slokas composed by\nVyasa cognisant of truth is three hundred and twenty.\n\n\"The next is Mahaprasthanika, the seventeenth Parva.\n\n\"In this, those foremost among men the Pandavas abdicating their kingdom\nwent with Draupadi on their great journey called Mahaprasthana. In this,\nthey came across Agni, having arrived on the shore of the sea of red\nwaters. In this, asked by Agni himself, Arjuna worshipped him duly,\nreturned to him the excellent celestial bow called Gandiva. In this,\nleaving his brothers who dropped one after another and Draupadi also,\nYudhishthira went on his journey without once looking back on them. This\nthe seventeenth Parva is called Mahaprasthanika. The number of sections\nin this is three. The number of slokas also composed by Vyasa cognisant\nof truth is three hundred and twenty.\n\n\"The Parva that comes after this, you must know, is the extraordinary one\ncalled Svarga of celestial incidents. Then seeing the celestial car come\nto take him, Yudhishthira moved by kindness towards the dog that\naccompanied him, refused to ascend it without his companion. Observing\nthe illustrious Yudhishthira's steady adherence to virtue, Dharma (the\ngod of justice) abandoning his canine form showed himself to the king.\nThen Yudhishthira ascending to heaven felt much pain. The celestial\nmessenger showed him hell by an act of deception. Then Yudhishthira, the\nsoul of justice, heard the heart-rending lamentations of his brothers\nabiding in that region under the discipline of Yama. Then Dharma and\nIndra showed Yudhishthira the region appointed for sinners. Then\nYudhishthira, after leaving the human body by a plunge in the celestial\nGanges, attained to that region which his acts merited, and began to live\nin joy respected by Indra and all other gods. This is the eighteenth\nParva as narrated by the illustrious Vyasa. The number of slokas\ncomposed, O ascetics, by the great Rishi in this is two hundred and nine.\n\n\"The above are the contents of the Eighteen Parvas. In the appendix\n(Khita) are the Harivansa and the Vavishya. The number of slokas\ncontained in the Harivansa is twelve thousand.\"\n\nThese are the contents of the section called Parva-sangraha. Sauti\ncontinued, \"Eighteen Akshauhinis of troops came together for battle. The\nencounter that ensued was terrible and lasted for eighteen days. He who\nknows the four Vedas with all the Angas and Upanishads, but does not know\nthis history (Bharata), cannot be regarded as wise. Vyasa of immeasurable\nintelligence, has spoken of the Mahabharata as a treatise on Artha, on\nDharma, and on Kama. Those who have listened to his history can never\nbear to listen to others, as, indeed, they who have listened to the sweet\nvoice of the male Kokila can never hear the dissonance of the crow's\ncawing. As the formation of the three worlds proceedeth from the five\nelements, so do the inspirations of all poets proceed from this excellent\ncomposition. O ye Brahman, as the four kinds of creatures (viviparous,\noviparous, born of hot moisture and vegetables) are dependent on space\nfor their existence, so the Puranas depend upon this history. As all the\nsenses depend for their exercise upon the various modifications of the\nmind, so do all acts (ceremonials) and moral qualities depend upon this\ntreatise. There is not a story current in the world but doth depend on\nthis history, even as body upon the food it taketh. All poets cherish the\nBharata even as servants desirous of preferment always attend upon\nmasters of good lineage. Even as the blessed domestic Asrama can never be\nsurpassed by the three other Asramas (modes of life) so no poets can\nsurpass this poem.\n\n\"Ye ascetics, shake off all inaction. Let your hearts be fixed on virtue,\nfor virtue is the one only friend of him that has gone to the other\nworld. Even the most intelligent by cherishing wealth and wives can never\nmake these their own, nor are these possessions lasting. The Bharata\nuttered by the lips of Dwaipayana is without a parallel; it is virtue\nitself and sacred. It destroyeth sin and produceth good. He that\nlisteneth to it while it is being recited hath no need of a bath in the\nsacred waters of Pushkara. A Brahmana, whatever sins he may commit during\nthe day through his senses, is freed from them all by reading the Bharata\nin the evening. Whatever sins he may commit also in the night by deeds,\nwords, or mind, he is freed from them all by reading Bharata in the first\ntwilight (morning). He that giveth a hundred kine with horns mounted with\ngold to a Brahmana well-posted up in the Vedas and all branches of\nlearning, and he that daily listeneth to the sacred narrations of the\nBharata, acquireth equal merit. As the wide ocean is easily passable by\nmen having ships, so is this extensive history of great excellence and\ndeep import with the help of this chapter called Parva sangraha.\"\n\nThus endeth the section called Parva-sangraha of the Adi Parva of the\nblessed Mahabharata.\n\n\n\nSECTION III\n\n(Paushya Parva)\n\nSauti said, \"Janamejaya, the son of Parikshit, was, with his brothers,\nattending his long sacrifice on the plains of Kurukshetra. His brothers\nwere three, Srutasena, Ugrasena, and Bhimasena. And as they were sitting\nat the sacrifice, there arrived at the spot an offspring of Sarama (the\ncelestial bitch). And belaboured by the brothers of Janamejaya, he ran\naway to his mother, crying in pain. And his mother seeing him crying\nexceedingly asked him, 'Why criest thou so? Who hath beaten thee? And\nbeing thus questioned, he said unto his mother, 'I have been belaboured\nby the brothers of Janamejaya.' And his mother replied, 'Thou hast\ncommitted some fault for which hast thou been beaten!' He answered, 'I\nhave not committed any fault. I have not touched the sacrificial butter\nwith my tongue, nor have I even cast a look upon it.' His mother Sarama\nhearing this and much distressed at the affliction of her son went to the\nplace where Janamejaya with his brothers was at his long-extending\nsacrifice. And she addressed Janamejaya in anger, saying, 'This my son\nhath committed no fault: he hath not looked upon your sacrificial butter,\nnor hath he touched it with his tongue. Wherefore hath he been beaten?'\nThey said not a word in reply; whereupon she said, 'As ye have beaten my\nson who hath committed no fault, therefore shall evil come upon ye, when\nye least expect it.'\n\n\"Janamejaya, thus addressed by the celestial bitch, Sarama, became\nexceedingly alarmed and dejected. And after the sacrifice was concluded\nreturned to Hastinapura, and began to take great pains in searching for a\nPurohita who could by procuring absolution for his sin, neutralise the\neffect of the curse.\n\n\"One day Janamejaya, the son of Parikshit, while a-hunting, observed in a\nparticular part of his dominions a hermitage where dwelt a certain Rishi\nof fame, Srutasrava. He had a son named Somasrava deeply engaged in\nascetic devotions. Being desirous of appointing that son of the Rishi as\nhis Purohita, Janamejaya, the son of Parikshit, saluted the Rishi and\naddressed him, saying, 'O possessor of the six attributes, let this thy\nson be my purohita.' The Rishi thus addressed, answered Janamejaya, 'O\nJanamejaya, this my son, deep in ascetic devotions, accomplished in the\nstudy of the Vedas, and endued with the full force of my asceticism, is\nborn of (the womb of) a she-snake that had drunk my vital fluid. He is\nable to absolve thee from all offences save those committed against\nMahadeva. But he hath one particular habit, viz. he would grant to any\nBrahmana whatever might be begged of him. If thou canst put up with it,\nthen thou take him.' Janamejaya thus addressed replied to the Rishi, 'It\nshall be even so.' And accepting him for his Purohita, he returned to his\ncapital; and he then addressed his brothers saying, 'This is the person I\nhave chosen for my spiritual master; whatsoever he may say must be\ncomplied with by you without examination.' And his brothers did as they\nwere directed. And giving these directions to his brothers, the king\nmarched towards Takshyashila and brought that country under his authority.\n\n\"About this time there was a Rishi, Ayoda-Dhaumya by name. And\nAyoda-Dhaumya had three disciples, Upamanyu, Aruni, and Veda. And the\nRishi bade one of these disciples, Aruni of Panchala, to go and stop up a\nbreach in the water-course of a certain field. And Aruni of Panchala,\nthus ordered by his preceptor, repaired to the spot. And having gone\nthere he saw that he could not stop up the breach in the water-course by\nordinary means. And he was distressed because he could not do his\npreceptor's bidding. But at length he saw a way and said, 'Well, I will\ndo it in this way.' He then went down into the breach and lay down\nhimself there. And the water was thus confined.\n\n\"And some time after, the preceptor Ayoda-Dhaumya asked his other\ndisciples where Aruni of Panchala was. And they answered, 'Sir, he hath\nbeen sent by yourself saying, 'Go, stop up the breach in the water-course\nof the field,' Thus reminded, Dhaumya, addressing his pupils, said, 'Then\nlet us all go to the place where he is.'\n\n\"And having arrived there, he shouted, 'Ho Aruni of Panchala! Where art\nthou? Come hither, my child.' And Aruni hearing the voice of his\npreceptor speedily came out of the water-course and stood before his\npreceptor. And addressing the latter, Aruni said, 'Here I am in the\nbreach of the water-course. Not having been able to devise any other\nmeans, I entered myself for the purpose of preventing the water running\nout. It is only upon hearing thy voice that, having left it and allowed\nthe waters to escape, I have stood before thee. I salute thee, Master;\ntell me what I have to do.'\n\n\"The preceptor, thus addressed, replied, 'Because in getting up from the\nditch thou hast opened the water-course, thenceforth shalt thou be called\nUddalaka as a mark of thy preceptor's favour. And because my words have\nbeen obeyed by thee, thou shalt obtain good fortune. And all the Vedas\nshall shine in thee and all the Dharmasastras also.' And Aruni, thus\naddressed by his preceptor, went to the country after his heart.\n\n\"The name of another of Ayoda-Dhaumya's disciples was Upamanyu. And\nDhaumya appointed him saying, 'Go, my child, Upamanyu, look after the\nkine.' And according to his preceptor's orders, he went to tend the kine.\nAnd having watched them all day, he returned in the evening to his\npreceptor's house and standing before him he saluted him respectfully.\nAnd his preceptor seeing him in good condition of body asked him,\n'Upamanyu, my child, upon what dost thou support thyself? Thou art\nexceedingly plump.' And he answered, 'Sir, I support myself by begging'.\nAnd his preceptor said, 'What is obtained in alms should not be used by\nthee without offering it to me.' And Upamanyu, thus told, went away. And\nhaving obtained alms, he offered the same to his preceptor. And his\npreceptor took from him even the whole. And Upamanyu, thus treated, went\nto attend the cattle. And having watched them all day, he returned in the\nevening to his preceptor's abode. And he stood before his preceptor and\nsaluted him with respect. And his preceptor perceiving that he still\ncontinued to be of good condition of body said unto him, 'Upamanyu, my\nchild, I take from thee even the whole of what thou obtainest in alms,\nwithout leaving anything for thee. How then dost thou, at present,\ncontrive to support thyself?' And Upamanyu said unto his preceptor, 'Sir,\nhaving made over to you all that I obtain in alms, I go a-begging a\nsecond time for supporting myself.' And his preceptor then replied, 'This\nis not the way in which thou shouldst obey the preceptor. By this thou\nart diminishing the support of others that live by begging. Truly having\nsupported thyself so, thou hast proved thyself covetous.' And Upamanyu,\nhaving signified his assent to all that his preceptor said, went away to\nattend the cattle. And having watched them all day, he returned to his\npreceptor's house. And he stood before his preceptor and saluted him\nrespectfully. And his preceptor observing that he was still fat, said\nagain unto him, 'Upamanyu, my child, I take from thee all thou obtainest\nin alms and thou dost not go a-begging a second time, and yet art thou in\nhealthy condition. How dost thou support thyself?' And Upamanyu, thus\nquestioned, answered, 'Sir, I now live upon the milk of these cows.' And\nhis preceptor thereupon told him, 'It is not lawful for thee to\nappropriate the milk without having first obtained my consent.' And\nUpamanyu having assented to the justice of these observations, went away\nto tend the kine. And when he returned to his preceptor's abode, he stood\nbefore him and saluted him as usual. And his preceptor seeing that he was\nstill fat, said, 'Upamanyu, my child, thou eatest no longer of alms, nor\ndost thou go a-begging a second time, not even drinkest of the milk; yet\nart thou fat. By what means dost thou contrive to live now? And Upamanyu\nreplied, 'Sir, I now sip the froth that these calves throw out, while\nsucking their mother's teats.' And the preceptor said, 'These generous\ncalves, I suppose, out of compassion for thee, throw out large quantities\nof froth. Wouldst thou stand in the way of their full meals by acting as\nthou hast done? Know that it is unlawful for thee to drink the froth.'\nAnd Upamanyu, having signified his assent to this, went as before to tend\nthe cows. And restrained by his preceptor, he feedeth not on alms, nor\nhath he anything else to eat; he drinketh not of the milk, nor tasteth he\nof the froth!\n\n\"And Upamanyu, one day, oppressed by hunger, when in a forest, ate of the\nleaves of the Arka (Asclepias gigantea). And his eyes being affected by\nthe pungent, acrimonious, crude, and saline properties of the leaves\nwhich he had eaten, he became blind. And as he was crawling about, he\nfell into a pit. And upon his not returning that day when the sun was\nsinking down behind the summit of the western mountains, the preceptor\nobserved to his disciples that Upamanyu was not yet come. And they told\nhim that he had gone out with the cattle.\n\n\"The preceptor then said, 'Upamanyu being restrained by me from the use\nof everything, is, of course, and therefore, doth not come home until it\nbe late. Let us then go in search of him.' And having said this, he went\nwith his disciples into the forest and began to shout, saying, 'Ho\nUpamanyu, where art thou?' And Upamanyu hearing his preceptor's voice\nanswered in a loud tone, 'Here I am at the bottom of a well.' And his\npreceptor asked him how he happened to be there. And Upamanyu replied,\n'Having eaten of the leaves of the Arka plant I became blind, and so have\nI fallen into this well.' And his preceptor thereupon told him, 'Glorify\nthe twin Aswins, the joint physicians of the gods, and they will restore\nthee thy sight.' And Upamanyu thus directed by his preceptor began to\nglorify the twin Aswins, in the following words of the Rig Veda:\n\n'Ye have existed before the creation! Ye first-born beings, ye are\ndisplayed in this wondrous universe of five elements! I desire to obtain\nyou by the help of the knowledge derived from hearing, and of meditation,\nfor ye are Infinite! Ye are the course itself of Nature and intelligent\nSoul that pervades that course! Ye are birds of beauteous feathers\nperched on the body that is like to a tree! Ye are without the three\ncommon attributes of every soul! Ye are incomparable! Ye, through your\nspirit in every created thing, pervade the Universe!\n\n\"Ye are golden Eagles! Ye are the essence into which all things\ndisappear! Ye are free from error and know no deterioration! Ye are of\nbeauteous beaks that would not unjustly strike and are victorious in\nevery encounter! Ye certainly prevail over time! Having created the sun,\nye weave the wondrous cloth of the year by means of the white thread of\nthe day and the black thread of the night! And with the cloth so woven,\nye have established two courses of action appertaining respectively to\nthe Devas and the Pitris. The bird of Life seized by Time which\nrepresents the strength of the Infinite soul, ye set free for delivering\nher unto great happiness! They that are in deep ignorance, as long as\nthey are under delusions of their senses, suppose you, who are\nindependent of the attributes of matter, to be gifted with form! Three\nhundred and sixty cows represented by three hundred and sixty days\nproduce one calf between them which is the year. That calf is the creator\nand destroyer of all. Seekers of truth following different routes, draw\nthe milk of true knowledge with its help. Ye Aswins, ye are the creators\nof that calf!\n\n\"The year is but the nave of a wheel to which is attached seven hundred\nand twenty spokes representing as many days and nights. The circumference\nof this wheel represented by twelve months is without end. This wheel is\nfull of delusions and knows no deterioration. It affects all creatures\nwhether to this or of the other worlds. Ye Aswins, this wheel of time is\nset in motion by you!\n\n\"The wheel of Time as represented by the year has a nave represented by\nthe six seasons. The number of spokes attached to that nave is twelve as\nrepresented by the twelve signs of the Zodiac. This wheel of Time\nmanifests the fruits of the acts of all things. The presiding deities of\nTime abide in that wheel. Subject as I am to its distressful influence,\nye Aswins, liberate me from that wheel of Time. Ye Aswins, ye are this\nuniverse of five elements! Ye are the objects that are enjoyed in this\nand in the other world! Make me independent of the five elements! And\nthough ye are the Supreme Brahma, yet ye move over the Earth in forms\nenjoying the delights that the senses afford.\n\n\"In the beginning, ye created the ten points of the universe! Then have\nye placed the Sun and the Sky above! The Rishis, according to the course\nof the same Sun, perform their sacrifices, and the gods and men,\naccording to what hath been appointed for them, perform their sacrifices\nalso enjoying the fruits of those acts!\n\n\"Mixing the three colours, ye have produced all the objects of sight! It\nis from these objects that the Universe hath sprung whereon the gods and\nmen are engaged in their respective occupations, and, indeed, all\ncreatures endued with life!\n\n\"Ye Aswins, I adore you! I also adore the Sky which is your handiwork! Ye\nare the ordainers of the fruits of all acts from which even the gods are\nnot free! Ye are yourselves free from the fruits of your acts!\n\n\"Ye are the parents of all! As males and females it is ye that swallow\nthe food which subsequently develops into the life creating fluid and\nblood! The new-born infant sucks the teat of its mother. Indeed it is ye\nthat take the shape of the infant! Ye Aswins, grant me my sight to\nprotect my life!\"\n\nThe twin Aswins, thus invoked, appeared and said, 'We are satisfied. Here\nis a cake for thee. Take and eat it.' And Upamanyu thus addressed,\nreplied, 'Your words, O Aswins, have never proved untrue. But without\nfirst offering this cake to my preceptor I dare not take it.' And the\nAswins thereupon told him, 'Formerly, thy preceptor had invoked us. We\nthereupon gave him a cake like this; and he took it without offering it\nto his master. Do thou do that which thy preceptor did.' Thus addressed,\nUpamanyu again said unto them, 'O Aswins, I crave your pardon. Without\noffering it to my preceptor I dare not apply this cake.' The Aswins then\nsaid, 'O, we are pleased with this devotion of thine to thy preceptor.\nThy master's teeth are of black iron. Thine shall be of gold. Thou shall\nbe restored to sight and shall have good fortune.'\n\n\"Thus spoken to by the Aswins he recovered his sight, and having gone to\nhis preceptor's presence he saluted him and told him all. And his\npreceptor was well-pleased with him and said unto him, 'Thou shalt obtain\nprosperity even as the Aswins have said. All the Vedas shall shine in\nthee and all the Dharma-sastras.' And this was the trial of Upamanyu.\n\n\"Then Veda the other disciple of Ayoda-Dhaumya was called. His preceptor\nonce addressed him, saying, 'Veda, my child, tarry some time in my house\nand serve thy preceptor. It shall be to thy profit.' And Veda having\nsignified his assent tarried long in the family of his preceptor mindful\nof serving him. Like an ox under the burthens of his master, he bore heat\nand cold, hunger and thirst, at all times without a murmur. And it was\nnot long before his preceptor was satisfied. And as a consequence of that\nsatisfaction, Veda obtained good fortune and universal knowledge. And\nthis was the trial of Veda.\n\n\"And Veda, having received permission from his preceptor, and leaving the\nlatter's residence after the completion of his studies, entered the\ndomestic mode of life. And while living in his own house, he got three\npupils. And he never told them to perform any work or to obey implicitly\nhis own behests; for having himself experienced much woe while abiding in\nthe family of his preceptor, he liked not to treat them with severity.\n\n\"After a certain time, Janamejaya and Paushya, both of the order of\nKshatriyas, arriving at his residence appointed the Brahman. Veda, as\ntheir spiritual guide (Upadhyaya). And one day while about to depart upon\nsome business related to a sacrifice, he employed one of his disciples,\nUtanka, to take charge of his household. 'Utanka', said he, 'whatsoever\nshould have to be done in my house, let it be done by thee without\nneglect.' And having given these orders to Utanka, he went on his journey.\n\n\"So Utanka always mindful of the injunction of his preceptor took up his\nabode in the latter's house. And while Utanka was residing there, the\nfemales of his preceptor's house having assembled addressed him and said,\n'O Utanka, thy mistress is in that season when connubial connection might\nbe fruitful. The preceptor is absent; then stand thou in his place and do\nthe needful.' And Utanka, thus addressed, said unto those women, 'It is\nnot proper for me to do this at the bidding of women. I have not been\nenjoined by my preceptor to do aught that is improper.'\n\n\"After a while, his preceptor returned from his journey. And his\npreceptor having learnt all that had happened, became well-pleased and,\naddressing Utanka, said, 'Utanka, my child, what favour shall I bestow on\nthee? I have been served by thee duly; therefore hath our friendship for\neach other increased. I therefore grant thee leave to depart. Go thou,\nand let thy wishes be accomplished!'\n\n\"Utanka, thus addressed, replied, saying, \"Let me do something that you\nwish, for it hath been said, 'He who bestoweth instruction contrary to\nusage and he who receiveth it contrary to usage, one of the two dieth,\nand enmity springeth up between the two.--I, therefore, who have received\nthy leave to depart, am desirous of bringing thee some honorarium due to\na preceptor. His master, upon hearing this, replied, 'Utanka, my child,\nwait a while.' Sometime after, Utanka again addressed his preceptor,\nsaying, 'Command me to bring that for honorarium, which you desire.' And\nhis preceptor then said, 'My dear Utanka, thou hast often told me of your\ndesire to bring something by way of acknowledgment for the instruction\nthou hast received. Go then in and ask thy mistress what thou art to\nbring. And bring thou that which she directs.' And thus directed by his\npreceptor Utanka addressed his preceptress, saying, 'Madam, I have\nobtained my master's leave to go home, and I am desirous of bringing\nsomething agreeable to thee as honorarium for the instruction I have\nreceived, in order that I may not depart as his debtor. Therefore, please\ncommand me what I am to bring.' Thus addressed, his preceptress replied,\n'Go unto King Paushya and beg of him the pair of ear-rings worn by his\nQueen, and bring them hither. The fourth day hence is a sacred day when I\nwish to appear before the Brahmanas (who may dine at my house) decked\nwith these ear-rings. Then accomplish this, O Utanka! If thou shouldst\nsucceed, good fortune shall attend thee; if not, what good canst thou\nexpect?'\n\n\"Utanka thus commanded, took his departure. And as he was passing along\nthe road he saw a bull of extraordinary size and a man of uncommon\nstature mounted thereon. And that man addressed Utanka and said, 'Eat\nthou of the dung of this bull.' Utanka, however, was unwilling to comply.\nThe man said again, 'O Utanka, eat of it without scrutiny. Thy master ate\nof it before.' And Utanka signified his assent and ate of the dung and\ndrank of the urine of that bull, and rose respectfully, and washing his\nhands and mouth went to where King Paushya was.\n\n'On arriving at the palace, Utanka saw Paushya seated (on his throne).\nAnd approaching him Utanka saluted the monarch by pronouncing blessings\nand said, 'I am come as a petitioner to thee.' And King Paushya, having\nreturned Utanka's salutations, said, 'Sir, what shall I do for thee?' And\nUtanka said, 'I came to beg of thee a pair of ear-rings as a present to\nmy preceptor. It behoveth thee to give me the ear-rings worn by the\nQueen.'\n\n\"King Paushya replied, 'Go, Utanka, into the female apartments where the\nQueen is and demand them of her.' And Utanka went into the women's\napartments. But as he could not discover the Queen, he again addressed\nthe king, saying, 'It is not proper that I should be treated by thee with\ndeceit. Thy Queen is not in the private apartments, for I could not find\nher.' The king thus addressed, considered for a while and replied,\n'Recollect, Sir, with attention whether thou art not in a state of\ndefilement in consequence of contact with the impurities of a repast. My\nQueen is a chaste wife and cannot be seen by any one who is impure owing\nto contact with the leavings of a repast. Nor doth she herself appear in\nsight of any one who is defiled.'\n\n\"Utanka, thus informed, reflected for a while and then said, 'Yes, it\nmust be so. Having been in a hurry I performed my ablutions (after meal)\nin a standing posture.' King Paushya then said, 'Here is a transgression,\npurification is not properly effected by one in a standing posture, not\nby one while he is going along.' And Utanka having agreed to this, sat\ndown with his face towards the east, and washed his face, hands, and feet\nthoroughly. And he then, without a noise, sipped thrice of water free\nfrom scum and froth, and not warm, and just sufficient to reach his\nstomach and wiped his face twice. And he then touched with water the\napertures of his organs (eyes, ears, etc.). And having done all this, he\nonce more entered the apartments of the women. And this time he saw the\nQueen. And as the Queen perceived him, she saluted him respectfully and\nsaid, 'Welcome, Sir, command me what I have to do.' And Utanka said unto\nher, 'It behoveth thee to give me those ear-rings of thine. I beg them as\na present for my preceptor.' And the Queen having been highly pleased\nwith Utanka's conduct and, considering that Utanka as an object of\ncharity could not be passed over, took off her ear-rings and gave them to\nhim. And she said, 'These ear-rings are very much sought after by\nTakshaka, the King of the serpents. Therefore shouldst thou carry them\nwith the greatest care.'\n\n\"And Utanka being told this, said unto the Queen, 'Lady, be under no\napprehension. Takshaka, Chief of the serpents, is not able to overtake\nme.' And having said this, and taking leave of the Queen, he went back\ninto the presence of Paushya, and said, 'Paushya, I am gratified.' Then\nPaushya said to Utanka, 'A fit object of charity can only be had at long\nintervals. Thou art a qualified guest, therefore do I desire to perform a\nsraddha. Tarry thou a little. And Utanka replied, 'Yes, I will tarry, and\nbeg that the clean provisions that are ready may be soon brought in.' And\nthe king having signified his assent, entertained Utanka duly. And Utanka\nseeing that the food placed before him had hair in it, and also that it\nwas cold, thought it unclean. And he said unto Paushya, 'Thou givest me\nfood that is unclean, therefore shalt thou lose thy sight.' And Paushya\nin answer said, 'And because dost thou impute uncleanliness to food that\nis clean, therefore shalt thou be without issue.' And Utanka thereupon\nrejoined, 'It behoveth thee not, after having offered me unclean food, to\ncurse me in return. Satisfy thyself by ocular proof.'\n\n\"And Paushya seeing the food alleged to be unclean satisfied himself of\nits uncleanliness. And Paushya having ascertained that the food was truly\nunclean, being cold and mixed with hair, prepared as it was by a woman\nwith unbraided hair, began to pacify the Rishi Utanka, saying, 'Sir, the\nfood placed before thee is cold, and doth contain hair, having been\nprepared without sufficient care. Therefore I pray thee pardon me. Let me\nnot become blind.' And Utanka answered, 'What I say must come to pass.\nHaving become blind, thou mayst, however, recover the sight before long.\nGrant that thy curse also doth not take effect on me.' And Paushya said\nunto him, 'I am unable to revoke my curse. For my wrath even now hath not\nbeen appeased. But thou knowest not this. For a Brahmana's heart is soft\nas new-churned butter, even though his words bear a sharp-edged razor. It\nis otherwise in respect of these with the Kshatriya. His words are soft\nas new-churned butter, but his heart is like a sharp-edged tool, such\nbeing the case, I am unable, because of the hardness of my heart, to\nneutralise my curse. Then go thou thy own way.' To this Utanka made\nanswer, \"I showed thee the uncleanliness of the food offered to me, and I\nwas even now pacified by thee. Besides, saidst thou at first that because\nI imputed uncleanliness to food that was clean I should be without issue.\nBut the food truly unclean, thy curse cannot affect me. Of this I am\nsure.' And Utanka having said this departed with the ear-rings.\n\n\"On the road Utanka perceived coming towards him a naked idle beggar\nsometimes coming in view and sometimes disappearing. And Utanka put the\near-rings on the ground and went for water. In the meantime the beggar\ncame quickly to the spot and taking up the ear-rings ran away. And Utanka\nhaving completed his ablutions in water and purified himself and having\nalso reverently bowed down to the gods and his spiritual masters pursued\nthe thief with the utmost speed. And having with great difficulty\novertaken him, he seized him by force. But at that instant the person\nseized, quitting the form of a beggar and assuming his real form, viz.,\nthat of Takshaka, speedily entered a large hole open in the ground. And\nhaving got in, Takshaka proceeded to his own abode, the region of the\nserpents.\n\n\"Now, Utanka, recollecting the words of the Queen, pursued the Serpent,\nand began to dig open the hole with a stick but was unable to make much\nprogress. And Indra beholding his distress sent his thunder-bolt (Vajra)\nto his assistance. Then the thunder-bolt entering that stick enlarged\nthat hole. And Utanka began to enter the hole after the thunder-bolt. And\nhaving entered it, he beheld the region of the serpents infinite in\nextent, filled with hundreds of palaces and elegant mansions with turrets\nand domes and gate-ways, abounding with wonderful places for various\ngames and entertainments. And Utanka then glorified the serpents by the\nfollowing slokas:\n\n\"Ye Serpents, subjects of King Airavata, splendid in battle and showering\nweapons in the field like lightning-charged clouds driven by the winds!\nHandsome and of various forms and decked with many coloured ear-rings, ye\nchildren of Airavata, ye shine like the Sun in the firmament! On the\nnorthern banks of the Ganges are many habitations of serpents. There I\nconstantly adore the great serpents. Who except Airavata would desire to\nmove in the burning rays of the Sun? When Dhritarashtra (Airavata's\nbrother) goes out, twenty-eight thousand and eight serpents follow him as\nhis attendants. Ye who move near him and ye who stay at a distance from\nhim, I adore all of you that have Airavata for your elder brother.\n\n\"I adore thee also, to obtain the ear-rings, O Takshaka, who formerly\ndwelt in Kurukshetra and the forest of Khandava! Takshaka and Aswasena,\nye are constant companions who dwell in Kurukshetra on the banks of the\nIkshumati! I also adore the illustrious Srutasena, the younger brother of\nTakshaka, who resided at the holy place called Mahadyumna with a view to\nobtaining the chiefship of the serpents.\n\n\"The Brahmana Rishi Utanka having saluted the chief serpents in this\nmanner, obtained not, however, the ear-rings. And he thereupon became\nvery thoughtful. And when he saw that he obtained not the ear-rings even\nthough he had adored the serpents, he then looked about him and beheld\ntwo women at a loom weaving a piece of cloth with a fine shuttle; and in\nthe loom were black and white threads. And he likewise saw a wheel, with\ntwelve spokes, turned by six boys. And he also saw a man with a handsome\nhorse. And he began to address them the following mantras:\n\n\"This wheel whose circumference is marked by twenty-four divisions\nrepresenting as many lunar changes is furnished with three hundred\nspokes! It is set in continual motion by six boys (the seasons)! These\ndamsels representing universal nature are weaving without intermission a\ncloth with threads black and white, and thereby ushering into existence\nthe manifold worlds and the beings that inhabit them! Thou wielder of the\nthunder, the protector of the universe, the slayer of Vritra and Namuchi,\nthou illustrious one who wearest the black cloth and displayest truth and\nuntruth in the universe, thou who ownest for thy carrier the horse which\nwas received from the depths of the ocean, and which is but another form\nof Agni (the god of fire), I bow to thee, thou supreme Lord, thou Lord of\nthe three worlds, O Purandara!'\n\n\"Then the man with the horse said unto Utanka, 'I am gratified by this\nthy adoration. What good shall I do to thee?' And Utanka replied, 'Even\nlet the serpents be brought under my control.' Then the man rejoined,\n'Blow into this horse.' And Utanka blew into that horse. And from the\nhorse thus blown into, there issued, from every aperture of his body,\nflames of fire with smoke by which the region of the Nagas was about to\nbe consumed. And Takshaka, surprised beyond measure and terrified by the\nheat of the fire, hastily came out of his abode taking the ear-rings with\nhim, and said unto Utanka, 'Pray, Sir, take back the ear-rings.' And\nUtanka took them back.\n\n\"But Utanka having recovered his ear-rings thought, 'O, this is that\nsacred day of my preceptress. I am at a distance. How can I, therefore,\nshow my regard for her? And when Utanka was anxious about this, the man\naddressed him and said, 'Ride this horse, Utanka, and he will in a moment\ncarry thee to thy master's abode.' And Utanka having signified his\nassent, mounted the horse and presently reached his preceptor's house.\n\n\"And his preceptress that morning after having bathed was dressing her\nhair sitting, thinking of uttering a curse on Utanka if he should not\nreturn within time. But, in the meantime, Utanka entered his preceptor's\nabode and paid his respects to his preceptress and presented her the\near-rings. 'Utanka', said she, 'thou hast arrived at the proper time at\nthe proper place. Welcome, my child; thou art innocent and therefore I do\nnot curse thee! Good fortune is even before thee. Let thy wishes be\ncrowned with success!'\n\n\"Then Utanka waited on his preceptor. And his preceptor said, 'Thou art\nwelcome! What hath occasioned thy long absence?' And Utanka replied to\nhis preceptor, 'Sir, in the execution of this my business obstruction was\noffered by Takshaka, the King of serpents. Therefore I had to go to the\nregion of the Nagas. There I saw two damsels sitting at a loom, weaving a\nfabric with black and white threads. Pray, what is that? There likewise I\nbeheld a wheel with twelve spokes ceaselessly turned by six boys. What\ntoo doth that import? Who is also the man that I saw? And what the horse\nof extraordinary size likewise beheld by me? And when I was on the road I\nalso saw a bull with a man mounted thereon, by whom I was endearingly\naccosted thus, 'Utanka, eat of the dung of this bull, which was also\neaten by thy master?' So I ate of the dung of that bull according to his\nwords. Who also is he? Therefore, enlightened by thee, I desire to hear\nall about them.'\n\n\"And his preceptor thus addressed said unto him, 'The two damsels thou\nhast seen are Dhata and Vidhata; the black and white threads denote night\nand day; the wheel of twelve spokes turned by the six boys signified the\nyear comprising six seasons. The man is Parjanya, the deity of rain, and\nthe horse is Agni, the god of fire. The bull that thou hast seen on the\nroad is Airavata, the king of elephants; the man mounted thereon is\nIndra; and the dung of the bull which was eaten by thee was Amrita. It\nwas certainly for this (last) that thou hast not met with death in the\nregion of the Nagas; and Indra who is my friend having been mercifully\ninclined showed thee favour. It is for this that thou returnest safe,\nwith the ear-rings about thee. Then, O thou amiable one, I give thee\nleave to depart. Thou shall obtain good fortune.'\n\n\"And Utanka, having obtained his master's leave, moved by anger and\nresolved to avenge himself on Takshaka, proceeded towards Hastinapura.\nThat excellent Brahmana soon reached Hastinapura. And Utanka then waited\nupon King Janamejaya who had some time before returned victorious from\nTakshashila. And Utanka saw the victorious monarch surrounded on all\nsides by his ministers. And he pronounced benedictions on him in a proper\nform. And Utanka addressed the monarch at the proper moment in speech of\ncorrect accent and melodious sounds, saying, 'O thou the best of\nmonarchs! How is it that thou spendest thy time like a child when there\nis another matter that urgently demandeth thy attention?'\"\n\n\"Sauti said, 'The monarch Janamejaya, thus addressed, saluting that\nexcellent Brahmana replied unto him, 'In cherishing these my subjects I\ndo discharge the duties of my noble tribe. Say, what is that business to\nbe done by me and which hath brought thee hither.'\n\n\"The foremost of Brahmanas and distinguished beyond all for good deeds,\nthus addressed by the excellent monarch of large heart, replied unto him,\n'O King! the business is thy own that demandeth thy attention; therefore\ndo it, please. O thou King of kings! Thy father was deprived of life by\nTakshaka; therefore do thou avenge thy father's death on that vile\nserpent. The time hath come, I think, for the act of vengeance ordained\nby the Fates. Go then avenge the death of thy magnanimous father who,\nbeing bitten without cause by that vile serpent, was reduced to five\nelements even like a tree stricken by thunder. The wicked Takshaka,\nvilest of the serpent race, intoxicated with power committed an\nunnecessary act when he bit the King, that god-like father, the protector\nof the race of royal saints. Wicked in his deeds, he even caused Kasyapa\n(the prince of physicians) to run back when he was coming for the relief\nof thy father. It behoveth thee to burn the wicked wretch in the blazing\nfire of a snake-sacrifice. O King! Give instant orders for the sacrifice.\nIt is thus thou canst avenge the death of thy father. And a very great\nfavour shall have also been shown to me. For by that malignant wretch, O\nvirtuous Prince, my business also was, on one occasion, obstructed, while\nproceeding on account of my preceptor.\"\n\n\"Sauti continued, The monarch, having heard these words, was enraged with\nTakshaka. By the speech of Utanka was inflamed the prince, even as the\nsacrificial fire with clarified butter. Moved by grief also, in the\npresence of Utanka, the prince asked his ministers the particulars of his\nfather's journey to the regions of the blessed. And when he heard all\nabout the circumstances of his father's death from the lips of Utanka, he\nwas overcome with pain and sorrow.\n\nAnd thus endeth the section called Paushya of the Adi Parva of the\nblessed Mahabharata.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION IV\n\n(Pauloma Parva)\n\n'UGRASRAVA SAUTI, the son of Lomaharshana, versed in the Puranas, while\npresent in the forest of Naimisha, at the twelve years' sacrifice of\nSaunaka, surnamed Kulapati, stood before the Rishis in attendance. Having\nstudied Puranas with meticulous devotion and thus being thoroughly\nacquainted with them, he addressed them with joined hands thus, 'I have\ngraphically described to you the history of Utanka which is one of the\ncauses of King Janamejaya's Snake-sacrifice. What, revered Sirs, do ye\nwish to hear now? What shall I relate to you?' The holy men replied, 'O\nson of Lomaharshana, we shall ask thee about what we are anxious to hear\nand thou wilt recount the tales one by one. Saunaka, our revered master,\nis at present attending the apartment of the holy fire. He is acquainted\nwith those divine stories which relate to the gods and asuras. He\nadequately knoweth the histories of men, serpents, and Gandharvas.\nFurther, O Sauti, in this sacrifice that learned Brahmana is the chief.\nHe is able, faithful to his vows, wise, a master of the Sastras and the\nAranyaka, a speaker of truth, a lover of peace, a mortifier of the flesh,\nand an observer of the penances according to the authoritative decrees.\nHe is respected by us all. It behoveth us therefore to wait for him. And\nwhen he is seated on his highly respected seat, thou wilt answer what\nthat best of Dwijas shall ask of thee.'\n\n\"Sauti said, 'Be it so. And when the high-souled master hath been seated\nI shall narrate, questioned by him, sacred stories on a variety of\nsubjects.\" After a while that excellent Brahmana (Saunaka) having duly\nfinished all his duties, and having propitiated the gods with prayers and\nthe manes with oblations of water, came back to the place of sacrifice,\nwhere with Sauti seated before was the assembly of saints of rigid vows\nsitting at ease. And when Saunaka was seated in the midst of the Ritwiks\nand Sadhyas, who were also in their seats, he spake as followeth.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION V\n\n(Pauloma Parva continued)\n\n\"Saunaka said, 'Child, thy father formerly read the whole of the Puranas,\nO son of Lomaharshana, and the Bharata with Krishna-Dwaipayana. Hast thou\nalso made them thy study? In those ancient records are chronicled\ninteresting stories and the history of the first generations of the wise\nmen, all of which we heard being rehearsed by thy sire. In the first\nplace, I am desirous of hearing the history of the race of Bhrigu.\nRecount thou that history, we shall attentively listen to thee.\"\n\n\"Sauti answered, 'By me hath been acquired all that was formerly studied\nby the high-souled Brahmanas including Vaisampayana and repeated by them;\nby me hath been acquired all that had been studied by my father. O\ndescendant of the Bhrigu race, attend then to so much as relateth to the\nexalted race of Bhrigu, revered by Indra and all the gods, by the tribes\nof Rishis and Maruts (Winds). O great Muni, I shall first properly\nrecount the story of this family, as told in the Puranas.\n\n\"The great and blessed saint Bhrigu, we are informed, was produced by the\nself-existing Brahma from the fire at the sacrifice of Varuna. And Bhrigu\nhad a son, named Chyavana, whom he dearly loved. And to Chyavana was born\na virtuous son called Pramati. And Pramati had a son named Ruru by\nGhritachi (the celestial dancer). And to Ruru also by his wife\nPramadvara, was born a son, whose name was Sunaka. He was, O Saunaka, thy\ngreat ancestor exceedingly virtuous in his ways. He was devoted to\nasceticism, of great reputation, proficient in law, and eminent among\nthose having a knowledge of the Vedas. He was virtuous, truthful, and of\nwell-regulated fare.'\n\n\"Saunaka said, 'O son of Suta, I ask thee why the illustrious son of\nBhrigu was named Chyavana. Do tell me all.'\n\n\"Sauti replied, 'Bhrigu had a wife named Puloma whom he dearly loved. She\nbecame big with child by Bhrigu. And one day while the virtuous continent\nPuloma was in that condition, Bhrigu, great among those that are true to\ntheir religion, leaving her at home went out to perform his ablutions. It\nwas then that the Rakshasa called Puloma came to Bhrigu's abode. And\nentering the Rishi's abode, the Rakshasa saw the wife of Bhrigu,\nirreproachable in everything. And seeing her he became filled with lust\nand lost his senses. The beautiful Puloma entertained the Rakshasa thus\narrived, with roots and fruits of the forest. And the Rakshasa who burnt\nwith desire upon seeing her, became very much delighted and resolved, O\ngood sage, to carry her away who was so blameless in every respect.\n\n'My design is accomplished,' said the Rakshasa, and so seizing that\nbeautiful matron he carried her away. And, indeed, she of agreeable\nsmiles, had been betrothed by her father himself, to him, although the\nformer subsequently bestowed her, according to due rites, on Bhrigu. O\nthou of the Bhrigu race, this wound rankled deep in the Rakshasa's mind\nand he thought the present moment very opportune for carrying the lady\naway.\n\n\"And the Rakshasa saw the apartment in which the sacrificial fire was\nkept burning brightly. The Rakshasa then asked the flaming element 'Tell\nme, O Agni, whose wife this woman rightfully is. Thou art the mouth of\ngods; therefore thou art bound to answer my question. This lady of\nsuperior complexion had been first accepted by me as wife, but her father\nsubsequently bestowed her on the false Bhrigu. Tell me truly if this fair\none can be regarded as the wife of Bhrigu, for having found her alone, I\nhave resolved to take her away by force from the hermitage. My heart\nburneth with rage when I reflect that Bhrigu hath got possession of this\nwoman of slender waist, first betrothed to me.'\"\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'In this manner the Rakshasa asked the flaming god of\nfire again and again whether the lady was Bhrigu's wife. And the god was\nafraid to return an answer. 'Thou, O god of fire,' said he, residest\nconstantly within every creature, as witness of her or his merits and\ndemerits. O thou respected one, then answer my question truly. Has not\nBhrigu appropriated her who was chosen by me as my wife? Thou shouldst\ndeclare truly whether, therefore, she is my wife by first choice. After\nthy answer as to whether she is the wife of Bhrigu, I will bear her away\nfrom this hermitage even in sight of thee. Therefore answer thou truly.'\"\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'The Seven flamed god having heard these words of the\nRakshasa became exceedingly distressed, being afraid of telling a\nfalsehood and equally afraid of Bhrigu's curse. And the god at length\nmade answer in words that came out slowly. 'This Puloma was, indeed,\nfirst chosen by thee, O Rakshasa, but she was not taken by thee with holy\nrites and invocations. But this far-famed lady was bestowed by her father\non Bhrigu as a gift from desire of blessing. She was not bestowed on thee\nO Rakshasa, this lady was duly made by the Rishi Bhrigu his wife with\nVedic rites in my presence. This is she--I know her. I dare not speak a\nfalsehood. O thou best of the Rakshasas, falsehood is never respected in\nthis world.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION VI\n\n(Pauloma Parva continued)\n\n\"Sauti said, 'O Brahmana, having heard these words from the god of fire,\nthe Rakshasa assumed the form of a boar, and seizing the lady carried her\naway with the speed of the wind--even of thought. Then the child of\nBhrigu lying in her body enraged at such violence, dropped from his\nmother's womb, for which he obtained the name of Chyavana. And the\nRakshasa perceiving the infant drop from the mother's womb, shining like\nthe sun, quitted his grasp of the woman, fell down and was instantly\nconverted into ashes. And the beautiful Pauloma, distracted with grief, O\nBrahmana of the Bhrigu race, took up her offspring Chyavana, the son of\nBhrigu and walked away. And Brahma, the Grandfather of all, himself saw\nher, the faultless wife of his son, weeping. And the Grandfather of all\ncomforted her who was attached to her son. And the drops of tears which\nrolled down her eyes formed a great river. And that river began to follow\nthe foot-steps of the wife of the great ascetic Bhrigu. And the\nGrandfather of the worlds seeing that river follow the path of his son's\nwife gave it a name himself, and he called it Vadhusara. And it passeth\nby the hermitage of Chyavana. And in this manner was born Chyavana of\ngreat ascetic power, the son of Bhrigu.\n\n\"And Bhrigu saw his child Chyavana and its beautiful mother. And the\nRishi in a rage asked her, 'By whom wast thou made known to that Rakshasa\nwho resolved to carry thee away? O thou of agreeable smiles, the Rakshasa\ncould not know thee as my wile. Therefore tell me who it was that told\nthe Rakshasa so, in order that I may curse him through anger.' And\nPauloma replied, 'O possessor of the six attributes! I was identified to\nthe Rakshasa by Agni (the god of fire). And he (the Rakshasa) bore me\naway, who cried like the Kurari (female osprey). And it was only by the\nardent splendour of this thy son that I was rescued, for the Rakshasa\n(seeing this infant) let me go and himself falling to the ground was\nturned into ashes.'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'Bhrigu, upon hearing this account from Pauloma, became\nexceedingly enraged. And in excess of passion the Rishi cursed Agni,\nsaying, 'Thou shalt eat of all things.'\"\n\nSo ends the sixth section called \"the curse on Agni\" in the Adi Parva.\n\n\n\nSECTION VII\n\n(Pauloma Parva continued)\n\n\"Sauti said, 'the god of fire enraged at the curse of Bhrigu, thus\naddressed the Rishi, 'What meaneth this rashness, O Brahmana, that thou\nhast displayed towards me? What transgression can be imputed to me who\nwas labouring to do justice and speak the truth impartially? Being asked\nI gave the true answer. A witness who when interrogated about a fact of\nwhich he hath knowledge, representeth otherwise than it is, ruineth his\nancestors and descendants both to the seventh generation. He, too, who,\nbeing fully cognisant of all the particulars of an affair, doth not\ndisclose what he knoweth, when asked, is undoubtedly stained with guilt.\nI can also curse thee, but Brahmanas are held by me in high respect.\nAlthough these are known to thee, O Brahmana, I will yet speak of them,\nso please attend! Having, by ascetic power, multiplied myself, I am\npresent in various forms, in places of the daily homa, at sacrifices\nextending for years, in places where holy rites are performed (such as\nmarriage, etc.), and at other sacrifices. With the butter that is poured\nupon my flame according to the injunctions prescribed in the Vedas, the\nDevas and the Pitris are appeased. The Devas are the waters; the Pitris\nare also the waters. The Devas have with the Pitris an equal right to the\nsacrifices called Darshas and Purnamasas. The Devas therefore are the\nPitris and the Pitris, the Devas. They are identical beings, worshipped\ntogether and also separately at the changes of the moon. The Devas and\nthe Pitris eat what is poured upon me. I am therefore called the mouth of\nthe Devas and the Pitris. At the new moon the Pitris, and at the full\nmoon the Devas, are fed through my mouth, eating of the clarified butter\nthat is poured on me. Being, as I am, their mouth, how am I to be an\neater of all things (clean and unclean)?\n\n\"Then Agni, alter reflecting for a while, withdrew himself from all\nplaces; from places of the daily homa of the Brahmanas, from all\nlong-extending sacrifices, from places of holy rites, and from other\nceremonies. Without their Oms and Vashats, and deprived of their Swadhas\nand Swahas (sacrificial mantras during offerings), the whole body of\ncreatures became much distressed at the loss of their (sacrificial) fire.\nThe Rishis in great anxiety went to the gods and addressed them thus, 'Ye\nimmaculate beings! The three regions of the universe are confounded at\nthe cessation of their sacrifices and ceremonies in consequence of the\nloss of fire! Ordain what is to be done in tins matter, so that there may\nbe no loss of time.' Then the Rishis and the gods went together to the\npresence of Brahma. And they represented to him all about the curse on\nAgni and the consequent interruption of all ceremonies. And they said, 'O\nthou greatly fortunate! Once Agni hath been cursed by Bhrigu for some\nreason. Indeed, being the mouth of the gods and also the first who eateth\nof what is offered in sacrifices, the eater also of the sacrificial\nbutter, how will Agni be reduced to the condition of one who eateth of\nall things promiscuously?' And the creator of the universe hearing these\nwords of theirs summoned Agni to his presence. And Brahma addressed Agni,\nthe creator of all and eternal as himself, in these gentle words, 'Thou\nart the creator of the worlds and thou art their destroyer! Thou\npreserves! the three worlds and thou art the promoter of all sacrifices\nand ceremonies! Therefore behave thyself so that ceremonies be not\ninterrupted. And, O thou eater of the sacrificial butter, why dost thou\nact so foolishly, being, as thou art, the Lord of all? Thou alone art\nalways pure in the universe and thou art its stay! Thou shall not, with\nall thy body, be reduced to the state of one who eateth of all things\npromiscuously. O thou of flames, the flame that is in thy viler parts\nshall alone eat of all things alike. The body of thine which eateth of\nflesh (being in the stomach of all carnivorous animals) shall also eat of\nall things promiscuously. And as every thing touched by the sun's rays\nbecometh pure, so shall everything be pure that shall be burnt by thy\nflames. Thou art, O fire, the supreme energy born of thy own power. Then,\nO Lord, by that power of thine make the Rishi's curse come true. Continue\nto 'receive thy own portion and that of the gods, offered at thy mouth.'\n\n'Sauti continued, 'Then Agni replied to the Grandfather, 'So be it.' And\nhe then went away to obey the command of the supreme Lord. The gods and\nthe Rishis also returned in delight to the place whence they had come.\nAnd the Rishis began to perform as before their ceremonies and\nsacrifices. And the gods in heaven and all creatures of the world\nrejoiced exceedingly. And Agni too rejoiced in that he was free from the\nprospect of sin.\n\n\"Thus, O possessor of the six attributes, had Agni been cursed in the\ndays of yore by Bhrigu. And such is the ancient history connected with\nthe destruction of the Rakshasa, Pauloma and the birth of Chyavana.'\"\n\nThus endeth the seventh section of the Pauloma Parva of the Adi Parva of\nthe blessed Mahabharata.\n\n\n\nSECTION VIII\n\n(Pauloma Parva continued)\n\n\"Sauti said, 'O Brahmana, Chyavana, the son of Bhrigu, begot a son in the\nwomb of his wife Sukanya. And that son was the illustrious Pramati of\nresplendent energy. And Pramati begot in the womb of Ghritachi a son\ncalled Ruru. And Ruru begot on his wife Pramadvara a son called Sunaka.\nAnd I shall relate to you in detail, O Brahmana, the entire history of\nRuru of abundant energy. O listen to it then in full!\n\n\"Formerly there was a great Rishi called Sthulakesa possessed of ascetic\npower and learning and kindly disposed towards all creatures. At that\ntime, O Brahmana sage, Viswavasu, the King of the Gandharvas, it is said,\nhad intimacy with Menaka, the celestial dancing-girl. And the Apsara,\nMenaka, O thou of the Bhrigu race, when her time was come, brought forth\nan infant near the hermitage of Sthulakesa. And dropping the newborn\ninfant on the banks of the river, O Brahmana, Menaka, the Apsara, being\ndestitute of pity and shame, went away. And the Rishi, Sthulakesa, of\ngreat ascetic power, discovered the infant lying forsaken in a lonely\npart of the river-side. And he perceived that it was a female child,\nbright as the offspring of an Immortal and blazing, as it were, with\nbeauty: And the great Brahmana, Sthulakesa, the first of Munis, seeing\nthat female child, and filled with compassion, took it up and reared it.\nAnd the lovely child grew up in his holy habitation, the noble-minded and\nblessed Rishi Sthulakesa performing in due succession all the ceremonies\nbeginning with that at birth as ordained by the divine law. And because\nshe surpassed all of her sex in goodness, beauty, and every quality, the\ngreat Rishi called her by the name of Pramadvara. And the pious Ruru\nhaving seen Pramadvara in the hermitage of Sthulakesa became one whose\nheart was pierced by the god of love. And Ruru by means of his companions\nmade his father Pramati, the son of Bhrigu, acquainted with his passion.\nAnd Pramati demanded her of the far-famed Sthulakesa for his son. And her\nfoster-father betrothed the virgin Pramadvara to Ruru, fixing the\nnuptials for the day when the star Varga-Daivata (Purva-phalguni) would\nbe ascendant.\n\n\"Then within a few days of the time fixed for the nuptials, the beautiful\nvirgin while at play with companions of her own sex, her time having\ncome, impelled by fate, trod upon a serpent which she did not perceive as\nit lay in coil. And the reptile, urged to execute the will of Fate,\nviolently darted its envenomed fangs into the body of the heedless\nmaiden. And stung by that serpent, she instantly dropped senseless on the\nground, her colour faded and all the graces of her person went off. And\nwith dishevelled hair she became a spectacle of woe to her companions and\nfriends. And she who was so agreeable to behold became on her death what\nwas too painful to look at. And the girl of slender waist lying on the\nground like one asleep--being overcome with the poison of the snake-once\nmore became more beautiful than in life. And her foster-father and the\nother holy ascetics who were there, all saw her lying motionless upon the\nground with the splendour of a lotus. And then there came many noted\nBrahmanas filled with compassion, and they sat around her. And\nSwastyatreya, Mahajana, Kushika, Sankhamekhala, Uddalaka, Katha, and\nSweta of great renown, Bharadwaja, Kaunakutsya, Arshtishena, Gautama,\nPramati, and Pramati's son Ruru, and other inhabitants of the forest,\ncame there. And when they saw that maiden lying dead on the ground\novercome with the poison of the reptile that had bitten her, they all\nwept filled with compassion. But Ruru, mortified beyond measure, retired\nfrom the scene.'\"\n\nSo ends the eighth section of the Pauloma Parva of the Adi Parva of the\nblessed Mahabharata.\n\n\n\nSECTION IX\n\n(Pauloma Parva continued)\n\n\"Sauti said, 'While those illustrious Brahmanas were sitting around the\ndead body of Pramadvara, Ruru, sorely afflicted, retired into a deep wood\nand wept aloud. And overwhelmed with grief he indulged in much piteous\nlamentation. And, remembering his beloved Pramadvara, he gave vent to his\nsorrow in the following words, 'Alas! The delicate fair one that\nincreaseth my affliction lieth upon the bare ground. What can be more\ndeplorable to us, her friends? If I have been charitable, if I have\nperformed acts of penance, if I have ever revered my superiors, let the\nmerit of these arts restore to life my beloved one! If from my birth I\nhave been controlling my passions, adhered to my vows, let the fair\nPramadvara rise from the ground.\n\n\"And while Ruru was indulging in these lamentations for the loss of his\nbride, a messenger from heaven came to him in the forest and addressed\nhim thus, 'The words thou utterest, O Ruru, in thy affliction are\ncertainly ineffectual. For, O pious man, one belonging to this world\nwhose days have run out can never come back to life. This poor child of a\nGandharva and Apsara has had her days run out! Therefore, O child, thou\nshouldst not consign thy heart to sorrow. The great gods, however, have\nprovided beforehand a means of her restoration to life. And if thou\ncompliest with it, thou mayest receive back thy Pramadvara.'\n\n\"And Ruru replied, O messenger of heaven! What is that which the gods\nhave ordained. Tell me in full so that (on hearing) I may comply with it.\nIt behoveth thee to deliver me from grief!' And the celestial messenger\nsaid unto Ruru, 'Resign half of thy own life to thy bride, and then, O\nRuru of the race of Bhrigu, thy Pramadvara shall rise from the ground.'\n'O best of celestial messengers, I most willingly offer a moiety of my\nown life in favour of my bride. Then let my beloved one rise up once more\nin her dress and lovable form.'\n\n\"Sauti said, 'Then the king of Gandharvas (the father of Pramadvara) and\nthe celestial messenger, both of excellent qualities, went to the god\nDharma (the Judge of the dead) and addressed him, saying, 'If it be thy\nwill, O Dharmaraja, let the amiable Pramadvara, the betrothed wife of\nRuru, now lying dead, rise up with a moiety of Ruru's life.' And\nDharmaraja answered, 'O messenger of the gods, if it be thy wish, let\nPramadvara, the betrothed wife of Ruru, rise up endued with a moiety of\nRuru's life.'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'And when Dharmaraja had said so, that maiden of\nsuperior complexion, Pramadvara, endued with a moiety of Ruru's life,\nrose as from her slumber. This bestowal by Ruru of a moiety of his own\nspan of life to resuscitate his bride afterwards led, as it would be\nseen, to a curtailment of Ruru's life.\n\n\"And on an auspicious day their fathers gladly married them with due\nrites. And the couple passed their days, devoted to each other. And Ruru\nhaving obtained such a wife, as is hard to be found, beautiful and bright\nas the filaments of the lotus, made a vow for the destruction of the\nserpent-race. And whenever he saw a serpent he became filled with great\nwrath and always killed it with a weapon.\n\n\"One day, O Brahmana, Ruru entered an extensive forest. And there he saw\nan old serpent of the Dundubha species lying stretched on the ground. And\nRuru thereupon lifted up in anger his staff, even like to the staff of\nDeath, for the purpose of killing it. Then the Dundubha, addressing Ruru,\nsaid, 'I have done thee no harm, O Brahmana! Then wherefore wilt thou\nslay me in anger?'\"\n\nSo ends the ninth section of the Pauloma Parva of the Adi Parva of the\nblessed Mahabharata.\n\n\n\nSECTION X\n\n(Pauloma Parva continued)\n\nSauti said, 'And Ruru, on hearing those words, replied, 'My wife, dear to\nme as life, was bit by a snake; upon which, I took, O snake, a dreadful\nvow, viz., that I would kill every snake that I might come across.\nTherefore shall I smite thee and thou shalt be deprived of life.'\n\n\"And the Dundubha replied, 'O Brahmana, the snakes that bite man are\nquite different in type. It behoveth thee not to slay Dundubhas who are\nserpents only in name. Subject like other serpents to the same calamities\nbut not sharing their good fortune, in woe the same but in joy different,\nthe Dundubhas should not be slain by thee under any misconception.'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'And the Rishi Ruru hearing these words of the serpent,\nand seeing that it was bewildered with fear, albeit a snake of the\nDundubha species, killed it not. And Ruru, the possessor of the six\nattributes, comforting the snake addressed it, saying, 'Tell me fully, O\nsnake, who art thou thus metamorphosed?' And the Dundubha replied, 'O\nRuru! I was formerly a Rishi by name Sahasrapat. And it is by the curse\nof a Brahmana that I have been transformed into a snake. And Ruru asked,\n'O thou best of snakes, for what wast thou cursed by a Brahmana in wrath?\nAnd how long also will thy form continue so?'\"\n\nAnd so ends the tenth section of the Pauloma Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\n\nSECTION XI\n\n(Pauloma Parva continued)\n\n\"Sauti continued 'The Dundubha then said, 'In former times, I had a\nfriend Khagama by name. He was impetuous in his speech and possessed of\nspiritual power by virtue of his austerities. And one day when he was\nengaged in the Agni-hotra (Fire-sacrifice), I made a mock snake of blades\nof grass, and in a frolic attempted to frighten him with it. And anon he\nfell into a swoon. On recovering his senses, that truth-telling and\nvow-observing ascetic, burning with wrath, exclaimed, 'Since thou hast\nmade a powerless mock snake to frighten me, thou shalt be turned even\ninto a venomless serpent thyself by my curse.' O ascetic, I well knew the\npower of his penances; therefore with an agitated heart, I addressed him\nthus, bending low with joined hands, 'Friend, I did this by way of a\njoke, to excite thy laughter. It behoveth thee to forgive me and revoke\nthy curse.' And seeing me sorely troubled, the ascetic was moved, and he\nreplied, breathing hot and hard. 'What I have said must come to pass.\nListen to what I say and lay it to thy heart. O pious one! when Ruru the\npure son of Pramati, will appear, thou shall be delivered from the curse\nthe moment thou seest him. Thou art the very Ruru and the son of Pramati.\nOn regaining my native form, I will tell thee something for thy good.\n\n\"And that illustrious man and the best of Brahmanas then left his\nsnake-body, and attained his own form and original brightness. He then\naddressed the following words to Ruru of incomparable power, 'O thou\nfirst of created beings, verily the highest virtue of man is sparing the\nlife of others. Therefore a Brahmana should never take the life of any\ncreature. A Brahmana should ever be mild. This is the most sacred\ninjunction of the Vedas. A Brahmana should be versed in the Vedas and\nVedangas, and should inspire all creatures with belief in God. He should\nbe benevolent to all creatures, truthful, and forgiving, even as it is\nhis paramount duty to retain the Vedas in his memory. The duties of the\nKshatriya are not thine. To be stern, to wield the sceptre and to rule\nthe subjects properly are the duties of the Kshatriya. Listen, O Ruru, to\nthe account of the destruction of snakes at the sacrifice of Janamejaya\nin days of yore, and the deliverance of the terrified reptiles by that\nbest of Dwijas, Astika, profound in Vedic lore and might in spiritual\nenergy.'\"\n\nAnd so ends the eleventh section of the Pauloma Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\n\nSECTION XII\n\n(Pauloma Parva continued)\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'Ruru then asked, 'O best of Dwijas, why was king\nJanamejaya bent upon destroying the serpents?--And why and how were they\nsaved by the wise Astika? I am anxious to hear all this in detail.'\n\n\"The Rishi replied, 'O Ruru, the important history of Astika you will\nlearn from the lips of Brahmanas.' Saying this, he vanished.\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'Ruru ran about in search of the missing Rishi, and\nhaving failed to find him in all the woods, fell down on the ground,\nfatigued. And revolving in his mind the words of the Rishi, he was\ngreatly confounded and seemed to be deprived of his senses. Regaining\nconsciousness, he came home and asked his father to relate the history in\nquestion. Thus asked, his father related all about the story.'\"\n\nSo ends the twelfth section in the Pauloma Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\n\nSECTION XIII\n\n(Astika Parva)\n\n\"Saunaka said, 'For what reason did that tiger among kings, the royal\nJanamejaya, determine to take the lives of the snakes by means of a\nsacrifice? O Sauti, tell us in full the true story. Tell us also why\nAstika, that best of regenerate ones, that foremost of ascetics, rescued\nthe snakes from the blazing fire. Whose son was that monarch who\ncelebrated the snake-sacrifice? And whose son also was that best of\nregenerate ones?'\n\n\"Sauti said, 'O best of speakers, this story of Astika is long. I will\nduly relate it in full, O listen!'\n\n\"Saunaka said, 'I am desirous of hearing at length the charming story of\nthat Rishi, that illustrious Brahmana named Astika.'\n\n\"Sauti said, 'This history (first) recited by Krishna-Dwaipayana, is\ncalled a Purana by the Brahmanas. It was formerly narrated by my wise\nfather, Lomaharshana, the disciple of Vyasa, before the dwellers of the\nNaimisha forest, at their request. I was present at the recital, and, O\nSaunaka, since thou askest me, I shall narrate the history of Astika\nexactly as I heard it. O listen, as I recite in full that sin-destroying\nstory.\n\n\"The father of Astika was powerful like Prajapati. He was a\nBrahma-charin, always engaged in austere devotions. He ate sparingly, was\na great ascetic, and had his lust under complete control. And he was\nknown by the name of Jaratkaru. That foremost one among the Yayavaras,\nvirtuous and of rigid vows, highly blessed and endued with great ascetic\npower, once undertook a journey over the world. He visited diverse\nplaces, bathed in diverse sacred waters, and rested where night overtook\nhim. Endued with great energy, he practised religious austerities, hard\nto be practised by men of unrestrained souls. The sage lived upon air\nonly, and renounced sleep for ever. Thus going about like a blazing fire,\none day he happened to see his ancestors, hanging heads down in a great\nhole, their feet pointing upwards. On seeing them, Jaratkaru addressed\nthem, saying:\n\n'Who are you thus hanging heads down in this hole by a rope of virana\nfibres that is again secretly eaten into on all sides by a rat living\nhere?'\n\n\"The ancestors said, 'We are Rishis of rigid vows, called Yayavaras. We\nare sinking low into the earth for want of offspring. We have a son named\nJaratkaru. Woe to us! That wretch hath entered upon a life of austerities\nonly! The fool doth not think of raising offspring by marriage! It is for\nthat reason, viz., the fear of extinction of our race, that we are\nsuspended in this hole. Possessed of means, we fare like unfortunates\nthat have none! O excellent one, who art thou that thus sorrowest as a\nfriend on our account? We desire to learn, O Brahmana, who thou art that\nstandest by us, and why, O best of men, thou sorrowest for us that are so\nunfortunate.'\n\n\"Jaratkaru said, 'Ye are even my sires and grandsires I am that\nJaratkaru! O, tell me, how I may serve you.'\n\n\"The fathers then answered, 'Try thy best, O child, to beget a son to\nextend our line. Thou wilt then, O excellent one, have done a meritorious\nart for both thyself and us. Not by the fruits of virtue, not by ascetic\npenances well hoarded up, acquireth the merit which one doth by becoming\na father. Therefore, O child, by our command, set thy heart upon marriage\nand offspring. Even this is our highest good.'\n\n\"Jaratkaru replied, 'I shall not marry for my sake, nor shall I earn\nwealth for enjoyment, but I shall do so for your welfare only. According\nto this understanding, I shall, agreeably to the Sastric ordinance, take\na wife for attaining the end. I shall not act otherwise. If a bride may\nbe had of the same name with me, whose friends would, besides, willingly\ngive her to me as a gift in charity, I shall wed her duly. But who will\ngive his daughter to a poor man like me for wife. I shall, however,\naccept any daughter given to me as alms. I shall endeavour, ye sires,\neven thus to wed a girl! Having given my word, I will not act otherwise.\nUpon her I will raise offspring for your redemption, so that, ye fathers,\nye may attain to eternal regions (of bliss) and may rejoice as ye like.'\"\n\nSo ends the thirteenth section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\n\nSECTION XIV\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Sauti said, 'That Brahmana of rigid vows then wandered over the earth\nfor a wife but a wife found he not. One day he went into the forest, and\nrecollecting the words of his ancestors, he thrice prayed in a faint\nvoice for a bride. Thereupon Vasuki rose and offered his sister for the\nRishi's acceptance. But the Brahmana hesitated to accept her, thinking\nher not to be of the same name with himself. The high-souled Jaratkaru\nthought within himself, 'I will take none for wife who is not of the same\nname with myself.' Then that Rishi of great wisdom and austere penances\nasked him, saying, 'Tell me truly what is the name of this thy sister, O\nsnake.'\n\n\"Vasuki replied, 'O Jaratkaru, this my younger sister is called\nJaratkaru. Given away by me, accept this slender-waisted damsel for thy\nspouse. O best of Brahmanas, for thee I reserved her. Therefore, take\nher.' Saying this, he offered his beautiful sister to Jaratkaru who then\nespoused her with ordained rites.'\"\n\nSo ends the thirteenth section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\n\nSECTION XV\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Sauti said, 'O foremost of persons acquainted with Brahma, the mother of\nthe snakes had cursed them of old, saying, 'He that hath the Wind for his\ncharioteer (viz., Agni) shall burn you all in Janamejaya's sacrifice!' It\nwas to neutralise that curse that the chief of the snakes married his\nsister to that high-souled Rishi of excellent vows. The Rishi wedded her\naccording to the rites ordained (in the scriptures), and from them was\nborn a high-souled son called Astika. An illustrious ascetic; versed in\nthe Vedas and their branches, he regarded all with an even eye, and\nremoved the fears of both his parents.\n\n\"Then, after a long space of time, a king descending from the Pandava\nline celebrated a great sacrifice known as the Snake-sacrifice, After\nthat sacrifice had commenced for the destruction of the snakes, Astika\ndelivered the Nagas, viz., his brothers and maternal uncles and other\nsnakes (from a fiery death). And he delivered his fathers also by\nbegetting offspring. And by his austerities, O Brahmana, and various vows\nand study of the Vedas, he freed himself from all his debts. By\nsacrifices, at which various kinds of offerings were made, he propitiated\nthe gods. By practising the Brahmacharya mode of life he conciliated the\nRishis; and by begetting offspring he gratified his ancestors.\n\n\"Thus Jaratkaru of rigid vows discharged the heavy debt he owed to his\nsires who being thus relieved from bondage ascended to heaven. Thus\nhaving acquired great religious merit, Jaratkaru, after a long course of\nyears, went to heaven, leaving Astika behind. There is the story of\nAstika that I have related duly Now, tell me, O tiger of Bhrigu's race,\nwhat else I shall narrate.\"\n\nSo ends the fifteenth section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\n\nSECTION XVI\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Saunaka said, 'O Sauti, relate once more in detail this history of the\nlearned and virtuous Astika. Our curiosity for hearing it is great. O\namiable one, thou speakest sweetly, with proper accent and emphasis; and\nwe are well-pleased with thy speech. Thou speakest even as thy father.\nThy sire was ever ready to please us. Tell us now the story as thy father\nhad related it.'\n\n\"Sauti said, 'O thou that art blest with longevity, I shall narrate the\nhistory of Astika as I heard it from my father. O Brahmana, in the golden\nage, Prajapati had two daughters. O sinless one, the sisters were endowed\nwith wonderful beauty. Named Kadru and Vinata, they became the wives of\nKasyapa. Kasyapa derived great pleasure from his two wedded wives and\nbeing gratified he, resembling Prajapati himself, offered to give each of\nthem a boon. Hearing that their lord was willing to confer on them their\nchoice blessings, those excellent ladies felt transports of joy. Kadru\nwished to have for sons a thousand snakes all of equal splendour. And\nVinata wished to bring forth two sons surpassing the thousand offsprings\nof Kadru in strength, energy, size of body, and prowess. Unto Kadru her\nlord gave that boon about a multitude of offspring. And unto Vinata also,\nKasyapa said, 'Be it so!' Then Vinata, having; obtained her prayer,\nrejoiced greatly. Obtaining two sons of superior prowess, she regarded\nher boon fulfilled. Kadru also obtained her thousand sons of equal\nsplendour. 'Bear the embryos carefully,' said Kasyapa, and then he went\ninto the forest, leaving his two wives pleased with his blessings.'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'O best of regenerate ones, after a long time, Kadru\nbrought forth a thousand eggs, and Vinata two. Their maid-servants\ndeposited the eggs separately in warm vessels. Five hundred years passed\naway, and the thousand eggs produced by Kadru burst and out came the\nprogeny. But the twins of Vinata did not appear. Vinata was jealous, and\ntherefore she broke one of the eggs and found in it an embryo with the\nupper part developed but the lower one undeveloped. At this, the child in\nthe egg became angry and cursed his mother, saying. 'Since thou hast\nprematurely broken this egg, thou shall serve as a slave. Shouldst thou\nwait five hundred years and not destroy, or render the other egg\nhalf-developed, by breaking it through impatience, then the illustrious\nchild within it will deliver thee from slavery! And if thou wouldst have\nthe child strong, thou must take tender care of the egg for all this\ntime!' Thus cursing his mother, the child rose to the sky. O Brahmana,\neven he is the charioteer of Surya, always seen in the hour of morning!\n\n\"Then at the expiration of the five hundred years, bursting open the\nother egg, out came Garuda, the serpent-eater. O tiger of Bhrigu's race,\nimmediately on seeing the light, that son of Vinata left his mother. And\nthe lord of birds, feeling hungry, took wing in quest of the food\nassigned to him by the Great Ordainer of all.\".\n\nSo ends the sixteenth section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\n\nSECTION XVII\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Sauti said, 'O ascetic, about this time the two sisters saw approaching\nnear, that steed of complacent appearance named Uchchaihsravas who was\nworshipped by the gods, that gem of steeds, who arose at the churning of\nthe Ocean for nectar. Divine, graceful, perpetually young, creation's\nmaster-piece, and of irresistible vigour, it was blest with every\nauspicious mark.'\n\n\"Saunaka asked, 'Why did the gods churn the Ocean for nectar, and under\nwhat circumstances and when as you say, did that best of steeds so\npowerful and resplendent spring?'\n\n\"Sauti said, 'There is a mountain named Meru, of blazing appearance, and\nlooking like a heap of effulgence. The rays of the Sun falling on its\npeaks of golden lustre are dispersed by them. Decked with gold and\nexceedingly beautiful, that mountain is the haunt of the gods and the\nGandharvas. It is immeasurable and unapproachable by men of manifold\nsins. Dreadful beasts of prey wander over its breasts, and it is\nilluminated by many divine life-giving herbs. It stands kissing the\nheavens by its height and is the first of mountains. Ordinary people\ncannot even think of ascending it. It is graced with trees and streams,\nand resounds with the charming melody of winged choirs. Once the\ncelestials sat on its begemmed peak--in conclave. They who had practised\npenances and observed excellent vows for amrita now seemed to be eager\nseekers alter amrita (celestial ambrosia). Seeing the celestial assembly\nin anxious mood Nara-yana said to Brahman, 'Do thou churn the Ocean with\nthe gods and the Asuras. By doing so, amrita will be obtained as also all\ndrugs and gems. O ye gods, chum the Ocean, ye will discover amrita.'\"\n\nSo ends the seventeenth section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\n\nSECTION XVIII\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Sauti said, 'There is a mountain called Mandara adorned with cloud-like\npeaks. It is the best of mountains, and is covered all over with\nintertwining herbs. There countless birds pour forth their melodies, and\nbeasts of prey roam about. The gods, the Apsaras and the Kinnaras visit\nthe place. Upwards it rises eleven thousand yojanas, and descends\ndownwards as much. The gods wanted to tear it up and use it as a churning\nrod but failing to do so same to Vishnu and Brahman who were sitting\ntogether, and said unto them, 'Devise some efficient scheme, consider, ye\ngods, how Mandara may be dislodged for our good.'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'O son of Bhrigu! Vishnu with Brahman assented to it.\nAnd the lotus-eyed one (Vishnu) laid the hard task on the mighty Ananta,\nthe prince of snakes. The powerful Ananta, directed thereto both by\nBrahman and Narayana, O Brahmana, tore up the mountain with the woods\nthereon and with the denizens of those woods. And the gods came to the\nshore of the Ocean with Ananta and addressed the Ocean, saying, 'O Ocean;\nwe have come to churn thy waters for obtaining nectar.' And the Ocean\nreplied, 'Be it so, as I shall not go without a share of it. I am able to\nbear the prodigious agitation of my waters set up by the mountain.' The\ngods then went to the king of tortoises and said to him, 'O\nTortoise-king, thou wilt have to hold the mountain on thy back!' The\nTortoise-king agreed, and Indra contrived to place the mountain on the\nformer's back.\n\n\"And the gods and the Asuras made of Mandara a churning staff and Vasuki\nthe cord, and set about churning the deep for amrita. The Asuras held\nVasuki by the hood and the gods held him by the tail. And Ananta, who was\non the side of the gods, at intervals raised the snake's hood and\nsuddenly lowered it. And in consequence of the stretch Vasuki received at\nthe hands of the gods and the Asuras, black vapours with flames issued\nfrom his mouth. These, turned into clouds charged with lightning, poured\nshowers that refreshed the tired gods. And flowers that also fell on all\nsides of the celestials from the trees on the whirling Mandara, refreshed\nthem.\n\n\"Then, O Brahmana, out of the deep came a tremendous roar like unto the\nroar of the clouds at the Universal Dissolution. Diverse aquatic animals\nbeing crushed by the great mountain gave up the ghost in the salt waters.\nAnd many denizens of the lower regions and the world of Varuna were\nkilled. Large trees with birds on the whirling Mandara were torn up by\nthe roots and fell into the water. The mutual friction of those trees\nalso produced fires that blazed up frequently. The mountain thus looked\nlike a mass of dark clouds charged with lightning. O Brahmana, the fire\nspread, and consumed the lions, elephants and other creatures that were\non the mountain. Then Indra extinguished that fire by pouring down heavy\nshowers.\n\n\"After the churning, O Brahmana, had gone on for some time, gummy\nexudations of various trees and herbs vested with the properties of\namrita mingled with the waters of the Ocean. And the celestials attained\nto immortality by drinking of the water mixed with those gums and with\nthe liquid extract of gold. By degrees, the milky water of the agitated\ndeep turned into clarified butter by virtue of those gums and juices. But\nnectar did not appear even then. The gods came before the boon-granting\nBrahman seated on his seat and said, 'Sire, we are spent up, we have no\nstrength left to churn further. Nectar hath not yet arisen so that now we\nhave no resource save Narayana.'\n\n\"On hearing them, Brahman said to Narayana, 'O Lord, condescend to grant\nthe gods strength to churn the deep afresh.'\n\n\"Then Narayana agreeing to grant their various prayers, said, 'Ye wise\nones, I grant you sufficient strength. Go, put the mountain in position\nagain and churn the water.'\n\n'Re-established thus in strength, the gods recommenced churning. After a\nwhile, the mild Moon of a thousand rays emerged from the Ocean.\nThereafter sprung forth Lakshmi dressed in white, then Soma, then the\nWhite Steed, and then the celestial gem Kaustubha which graces the breast\nof Narayana. Then Lakshmi, Soma and the Steed, fleet as the mind, all\ncame before the gods on high. Then arose the divine Dhanwantari himself\nwith the white vessel of nectar in his hand. And seeing him, the Asuras\nset up a loud cry, saying, 'It be ours.'\n\n\"And at length rose the great elephant, Airavata, of huge body and with\ntwo pair of white tusks. And him took Indra the wielder of the\nthunderbolt. But with the churning still going on, the poison Kalakuta\nappeared at last. Engulfing the Earth it suddenly blazed up like a fire\nattended with fumes. And by the scent of the fearful Kalakuta, the three\nworlds were stupefied. And then Siva, being solicited by Brahman,\nswallowed that poison for the safety of the creation. The divine\nMaheswara held it in his throat, and it is said that from that time he is\ncalled Nilakantha (blue-throated). Seeing all these wondrous things, the\nAsuras were filled with despair, and got themselves prepared for entering\ninto hostilities with the gods for the possession of Lakshmi and Amrita.\nThereupon Narayana called his bewitching Maya (illusive power) to his\naid, and assuming the form of an enticing female, coquetted with the\nDanavas. The Danavas and the Daityas charmed with her exquisite beauty\nand grace lost their reason and unanimously placed the Amrita in the\nhands of that fair damsel.'\"\n\nSo ends the eighteenth section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\n\nSECTION XIX\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Sauti said, 'Then the Daityas and the Danauas equipped with first-class\narmours and various weapons attacked the gods. In the meantime the\nvaliant Lord Vishnu in the form of an enchantress accompanied by Nara\ndeceived the mighty Danavas and took away the Amrita from their hands.\n\n\"And all the gods at that time of great fright drank the Amrita with\ndelight, receiving it from Vishnu. And while the gods were partaking of\nit, after which they had so much hankered, a Danava named Rahu was also\ndrinking it among them in the guise of a god. And when the Amrita had\nreached Rahu's throat only, Surya and Soma (recognised him and) intimated\nthe fact to the gods. And Narayana instantly cut off with his discus the\nwell-adorned head of the Danava who was drinking the Amrita without\npermission. And the huge head of the Danava, cut off by the discus and\nresembling a mountain peak, then rose up to the sky and began to utter\ndreadful cries. And the Danava's headless trunk, falling upon the ground\nand rolling thereon, made the Earth tremble with her mountains, forests\nand islands. And from that time there is a long-standing quarrel between\nRahu's head and Surya and Soma. And to this day it swalloweth Surya and\nSoma (during solar and lunar eclipses).\n\n\"Then Narayana quitting his enchanting female form and hurling many\nterrible weapons at the Danavas, made them tremble. And thus on the\nshores of the salt-water sea, commenced the dreadful battle of the gods\nand the Asuras. And sharp-pointed javelins and lances and various weapons\nby thousands began to be discharged on all sides. And mangled with the\ndiscus and wounded with swords, darts and maces, the Asuras in large\nnumbers vomited blood and lay prostrate on the earth. Cut off from the\ntrunks with sharp double-edged swords, heads adorned with bright gold,\nfell continually on the field of battle. Their bodies drenched in gore,\nthe great Asuras lay dead everywhere. It seemed as if red-dyed mountain\npeaks lay scattered all around. And when the Sun rose in his splendour,\nthousands of warriors struck one another with weapons. And cries of\ndistress were heard everywhere. The warriors fighting at a distance from\none another brought one another down by sharp iron missiles, and those\nfighting at close quarters slew one another with blows of their fists.\nAnd the air was filled with shrieks of distress. Everywhere were heard\nthe alarming sounds,--'cut', 'pierce', 'at them', 'hurl down', 'advance'.\n\n'And when the battle was raging fiercely, Nara and Narayana entered the\nfield. And Narayana seeing the celestial bow in the hand of Nara, called\nto mind his own weapon, the Danava-destroying discus. And lo! the discus,\nSudarsana, destroyer of enemies, like to Agni in effulgence and dreadful\nin battle, came from the sky as soon as thought of. And when it came,\nNarayana of fierce energy, possessing arms like the trunk of an elephant,\nhurled with great force that weapon of extraordinary lustre, effulgent as\nblazing fire, dreadful and capable of destroying hostile towns. And that\ndiscus blazing like the fire that consumeth all things at the end of\nYuga, hurled with force from the hands of Narayana, and falling\nconstantly everywhere, destroyed the Daityas and the Danavas by\nthousands. Sometimes it blazed like fire and consumed them all; sometimes\nit struck them down as it coursed through the sky; and sometimes, falling\non the earth, it drank their life-blood like a goblin.\n\n\"On the other hand, the Danavas, white as the clouds from which the rain\nhath dropped, possessing great strength and bold hearts, ascended the\nsky, and by hurling down thousands of mountains, continually harassed the\ngods. And those dreadful mountains, like masses of clouds, with their\ntrees and flat tops, falling from the sky, collided with one another and\nproduced a tremendous roar. And when thousands of warriors shouted\nwithout intermission in the field of battle and mountains with the woods\nthereon began to fall around, the earth with her forests trembled. Then\nthe divine Nara appeared at the scene of the dreadful conflict between\nthe Asuras and the Ganas (the followers of Rudra), and reducing to dust\nthose rocks by means of his gold-headed arrows, he covered the heavens\nwith dust. Thus discomfited by the gods, and seeing the furious discus\nscouring the fields of heaven like a blazing flame, the mighty Danavas\nentered the bowels of the earth, while others plunged into the sea of\nsalt-waters.\n\n\"And having gained the victory, the gods offered due respect to Mandara\nand placed him again on his own base. And the nectar-bearing gods made\nthe heavens resound with their shouts, and went to their own abodes. And\nthe gods, on returning to the heavens, rejoiced greatly, and Indra and\nthe other deities made over to Narayana the vessel of Amrita for careful\nkeeping.'\"\n\nAnd so ends the nineteenth section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\n\nSECTION XX\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Sauti said, 'Thus have I recited to you the whole story of how Amrita\nwas churned out of the Ocean, and the occasion on which the horse\nUchchaihsravas of great beauty and incomparable prowess was obtained. It\nwas this horse about which Kadru asked Vinata, saying, 'Tell me, amiable\nsister, without taking much time, of what colour Uchchaishravas is.' And\nVinata answered, 'That prince of steeds is certainly white. What dost\nthou think, sister? Say thou what is its colour. Let us lay a wager upon\nit.' Kadru replied, then, 'O thou of sweet smiles. I think that horse is\nblack in its tail. Beauteous one, bet with me that she who loseth will\nbecome the other's slave.'\n\n'Sauti continued, 'Thus wagering with each other about menial service as\na slave, the sisters went home, and resolved to satisfy themselves by\nexamining the horse next day. And Kadru, bent upon practising a\ndeception, ordered her thousand sons to transform themselves into black\nhair and speedily cover the horse's tail in order that she might not\nbecome a slave. But her sons, the snakes, refusing to do her bidding, she\ncursed them, saying, 'During the snake-sacrifice of the wise king\nJanamejaya of the Pandava race, Agni shall consume you all.' And the\nGrandsire (Brahman) himself heard this exceedingly cruel curse pronounced\nby Kadru, impelled by the fates. And seeing that the snakes had\nmultiplied exceedingly, the Grandsire, moved by kind consideration for\nhis creatures, sanctioned with all the gods this curse of Kadru. Indeed,\nas the snakes were of virulent poison, great prowess and excess of\nstrength, and ever bent on biting other creatures, their mother's conduct\ntowards them--those persecutors of all creatures,--was very proper for\nthe good of all creatures. Fate always inflicts punishment of death on\nthose who seek the death of other creatures. The gods, having exchanged\nsuch sentiments with one another, supported Kadru's action (and went\naway). And Brahman, calling Kasyapa to him, spake unto him these words,\n'O thou pure one who overcomest all enemies, these snakes begotten by\nyou, who are of virulent poison and huge bodies, and ever intent on\nbiting other creatures, have been cursed by their mother. O son, do not\ngrieve for it in the least. The destruction of the snakes in the\nsacrifice hath, indeed, been ordained long ago' Saying this, the divine\nCreator of the Universe comforted Kasyapa and imparted to that\nillustrious one the knowledge of neutralising poison.\"\n\nAnd so ends the twentieth section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXI\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Sauti said. 'Then when the night had passed away and the sun had risen\nin the morning, O thou whose wealth is asceticism, the two sisters Kadru\nand Vinata, having laid a wager about slavery, went with haste and\nimpatience to view the steed Uchchaishravas from a near point. On their\nway they saw the Ocean, that receptacle of waters, vast and deep, rolling\nand tremendously roaring, full of fishes large enough to swallow the\nwhale, and abounding with huge makaras and creatures of various forms by\nthousands, and rendered inaccessible by the presence of other terrible,\nmonster-shaped, dark, and fierce aquatic animals, abounding with\ntortoises and crocodiles, the mine of all kinds of gems, the home of\nVaruna (the water-God), the excellent and beautiful residence of the\nNagas, the lord of all rivers, the abode of the subterranean fire, the\nfriend (or asylum) of the Asuras, the terror of all creatures, the grand\nreservoir of water, and ever immutable. It is holy, beneficial to the\ngods, and is the great source of nectar; without limits, inconceivable,\nsacred, and highly wonderful. It is dark, terrible with the sound of\naquatic creatures, tremendously roaring, and full of deep whirl-pools. It\nis an object of terror to all creatures. Moved by the winds blowing from\nits shores and heaving high, agitated and disturbed, it seems to dance\neverywhere with uplifted hands represented by its surges. Full of\nswelling billows caused by the waxing and waning of the moon the parent\nof Vasudeva's great conch called Panchajanya, the great mine of gems, its\nwaters were formerly disturbed in consequence of the agitation caused\nwithin them by the Lord Govinda of immeasurable prowess when he had\nassumed the form of a wild boar for raising the (submerged) Earth. Its\nbottom, lower than the nether regions, the vow observing regenerate Rishi\nAtri could not fathom after (toiling for) a hundred years. It becomes the\nbed of the lotus-naveled Vishnu when at the termination of every Yuga\nthat deity of immeasurable power enjoys yoga-nidra, the deep sleep under\nthe spell of spiritual meditation. It is the refuge of Mainaka fearful of\nfalling thunder, and the retreat of the Asuras overcome in fierce\nencounters. It offers water as sacrificial butter to the blazing fire\nissuing from the mouth of Varava (the Ocean-mare). It is fathomless and\nwithout limits, vast and immeasurable, and the lord of rivers.\n\n\"And they saw that unto it rushed mighty rivers by thousands with proud\ngait, like amorous competitors, each eager for meeting it, forestalling\nthe others. And they saw that it was always full, and always dancing in\nits waves. And they saw that it was deep and abounding with fierce whales\nand makaras. And it resounded constantly with the terrible sounds of\naquatic creatures. And they saw that it was vast, and wide as the expanse\nof space, unfathomable, and limitless, and the grand reservoir of water.'\"\n\nAnd so ends the twenty-first section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXII\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Sauti said, 'The Nagas after consultation arrived at the conclusion that\nthey should do their mother's bidding, for if she failed in obtaining her\ndesire she might withdraw her affection and burn them all. If, on the\nother hand, she were graciously inclined, she might free them from her\ncurse. They said, 'We will certainly render the horse's tail black.' And\nit is said that they then went and became hairs in the horse's tail.\n\n\"Now the two co-wives had laid the wager. And having laid the wager, O\nbest of Brahmanas, the two sisters Kadru and Vinata, the daughters of\nDaksha, proceeded in great delight along the sky to see the other side of\nthe Ocean. And on their way they saw the Ocean, that receptacle of\nwaters, incapable of being easily disturbed, mightily agitated all of a\nsudden by the wind, and roaring tremendously; abounding with fishes\ncapable of swallowing the whale and full of makaras; containing also\ncreatures of diverse forms counted by thousands; frightful from the\npresence of horrible monsters, inaccessible, deep, and terrible, the mine\nof all kinds of gems, the home of Varuna (the water-god), the wonderful\nhabitations of the Nagas, the lord of rivers, the abode of the\nsubterranean fire; the residence of the Asuras and of many dreadful\ncreatures; the reservoir of water, not subject to decay, aromatic, and\nwonderful, the great source of the amrita of the celestials; immeasurable\nand inconceivable, containing waters that are holy, filled to the brim by\nmany thousands of great rivers, dancing as it were in waves. Such was the\nOcean, full of rolling waves, vast as the expanse of the sky, deep, of\nbody lighted with the flames of subterranean fire, and roaring, which the\nsisters quickly passed over.'\"\n\nAnd so ends the twenty-second section in the Astika Parva of the Adi\nParva.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXIII\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Sauti said, 'Having crossed the Ocean, Kadru of swift speed, accompanied\nby Vinata, soon alighted near the horse. They then both beheld that\nforemost of steeds of great speed, with body white as the rays of the\nmoon but having black hairs (in the tail). And observing many black hairs\nin the tail, Kadru put Vinata, who was deeply dejected, into slavery. And\nthus Vinata having lost the wager, entered into a state of slavery and\nbecame exceedingly sorry.\n\n\"In the meantime, when his time came, burst forth from the egg without\n(the help of his) mother, Garuda of great splendour, enkindling all the\npoints of the universe, that mighty being endued with strength, that bird\ncapable of assuming at will any form, of going at will everywhere, and of\ncalling to his aid at will any measure of energy. Effulgent like a heap\nof fire, he shone terribly. Of lustre equal to that of the fire at the\nend of the Yuga, his eyes were bright like the lightning-flash. And soon\nafter birth, that bird grew in size and increasing his body ascended the\nskies. Fierce and vehemently roaring, he looked as terrible as second\nOcean-fire. And all the deities seeing him, sought the protection of\nVibhavasu (Agni). And they bowed down to that deity of manifold forms\nseated on his seat and spake unto him these words, 'O Agni, extend not\nthy body! Wilt thou consume us? Lo, this huge heap of thy flames is\nspreading wide!' And Agni replied, 'O, ye persecutors of the Asuras, it\nis not as ye imagine. This is Garuda of great strength and equal to me in\nsplendour, endued with great energy, and born to promote the joy of\nVinata. Even the sight of this heap of effulgence hath caused this\ndelusion in you. He is the mighty son of Kasyapa, the destroyer of the\nNagas, engaged in the well-being of the gods, and the foe of the Daityas\nand the Rakshasas. Be not afraid of it in the least. Come with me and\nsee.' Thus addressed, the gods from a distance.\n\n\"The gods said, 'Thou art a Rishi (i.e., one cognisant of all mantras),\nshare of the largest portion in sacrifices, ever resplendent, the\ncontroller along with the Rishi wended their way towards Garuda and\nadored him of birds, the presiding spirit of the animate and the\ninanimate universe. Thou art the destroyer of all, the creator of all;\nthou art the very Hiranyagarbha; thou art the progenitor of creation in\nthe form of Daksha and the other Prajapatis; thou art Indra (the king of\nthe gods), thou art Hayagriva the steed necked incarnation of Vishnu;\nthou art the arrow (Vishnu himself, as he became such in the hands of\nMahadeva at the burning of Tripura); thou art the lord of the universe;\nthou art the mouth of Vishnu; thou art the four-faced Padmaja; thou art\nthe Brahmana (i.e., wise), thou art Agni, Pavana, etc. (i.e., the\npresiding deity of every object in the universe). Thou art knowledge,\nthou art the illusion to which we are all subject; thou art the\nall-pervading spirit; thou art the lord of the gods; thou art the great\nTruth; thou art fearless; thou art ever unchanged; thou art Brahma\nwithout attributes; thou art the energy of the Sun; thou art the\nintellectual functions; thou art our great protector; thou art the ocean\nof holiness; thou art purity; thou art bereft of the attributes of\ndarkness; thou art the possessor of the six high attributes; thou art he\nwho cannot be withstood in contest. From thee have emanated all things;\nthou art of excellent deeds; thou art all that hath not been and all that\nhath been. Thou art pure knowledge; thou displayest to us, as Surya does\nby his rays, this animate and inanimate universe; thou darkenest the\nsplendour of Surya at every moment, and thou art the destroyer of all;\nthou art all that is perishable and all that is imperishable. O thou\nresplendent as Agni, thou burnest all even as Surya in his anger burneth\nall creatures. O terrible one, thou resistest even as the fire that\ndestroys everything at the time of the Universal Dissolution. O mighty\nGaruda who movest in the skies, we seek thy protection. O lord of birds\nthy energy is extraordinary, thy splendour is that of fire, thy\nbrightness is like that of the lightning that no darkness can approach.\nThou reachest the very clouds, and art both the cause and the effect; the\ndispenser of boons and invincible in prowess. O Lord, this whole universe\nis rendered hot by thy splendour, bright as the lustre of heated gold.\nProtect these high-souled gods, who overcome by thee and terrified\nwithal, are flying along the heavens in different directions on their\ncelestial cars. O thou best of birds, thou Lord of all, thou art the son\nof the merciful and high-souled Rishi Kasyapa; therefore, be not wroth\nbut have mercy on the universe. Thou art Supreme. O pacify thy anger and\npreserve us. At thy voice, loud as the roar of the thunder, the ten\npoints, the skies, the heavens, the Earth and our hearts, O bird, thou\nart continuously shaking. O, diminish this thy body resembling Agni. At\nthe sight of the splendour resembling that of Yama when in wrath, our\nhearts lose all equanimity and quake. O thou lord of birds, be propitious\nto us who solicit thy mercy! O illustrious one, bestow on us good fortune\nand joy.'\n\nAnd that bird of fair feathers, thus adored by the deities and diverse\nsections of Rishis, reduced his own energy and splendour.'\"\n\nAnd thus ends the twenty-third section in the Astika Parva of the Adi\nParva.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXIV\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Sauti said, 'Then hearing of and beholding his own body, that bird of\nbeautiful feathers diminished its size.'\n\n\"And Garuda said, 'Let no creature be afraid; as ye are in a fright at\nthe sight of my terrible form, I shall diminish my energy.'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'Then that bird capable of going everywhere at will,\nthat ranger of the skies capable of calling to his aid any measure of\nenergy, bearing Aruna on his back, wended from his father's home and\narrived at his mother's side on the other shore of the great ocean. And\nhe placed Aruna of great splendour in the eastern regions, just at a time\nwhen Surya had resolved to burn the worlds with his fierce rays.'\n\n\"Saunaka said, 'When did the revered Surya resolve at the time to burn\nthe worlds? What wrong was done to him by the gods that provoked his\nire?'\n\n\"Sauti said, 'O sinless one, when Rahu was drinking nectar among the gods\nat the time of the churning of the ocean he was pointed out to the gods\nby Surya and Soma, and from that time he conceived an enmity towards\nthose deities. And upon this Rahu sought to devour his afflictor (Surya),\nbecame wroth, and thought, 'Oh, this enmity of Rahu towards me hath\nsprung from my desire of benefiting the gods. And this dire consequence I\nalone have to sustain. Indeed, at this pass help I obtain not. And before\nthe very eyes of the denizens of heaven I am going to be devoured and\nthey brook it quietly. Therefore, for the destruction of the worlds must\nI strive.' And with this resolution he went to the mountains of the west.\n\n\"And from that place he began to radiate his heat around for the\ndestruction of the world. And then the great Rishis, approaching the\ngods, spake unto them, 'Lo, in the middle of the night springeth a great\nheat striking terror into every heart, and destructive of the three\nworlds.' Then the gods, accompanied by the Rishis, wended to the\nGrandsire, and said unto him, 'O what is this great heat today that\ncauseth such panic? Surya hath not yet risen, still the destruction (of\nthe world) is obvious. O Lord, what will happen when he doth rise?\" The\nGrandsire replied, 'Indeed, Surya is prepared to rise today for the\ndestruction of the world. As soon as he will appear he will burn\neverything into a heap of ashes. By me, however, hath the remedy been\nprovided beforehand. The intelligent son of Kasyapa is known to all by\nthe name of Aruna. He is huge of body and of great splendour; he shall\nstay in front of Surya, doing the duty of his charioteer and taking away\nall the energy of the former. And this will ensure the welfare of the\nworlds, of the Rishis, and of the dwellers in heaven.'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'Aruna, at the behest of the Grandsire, did all that he\nwas ordered to do. And Surya rose veiled by Aruna's person. I have told\nthee now why Surya was in wrath, and how Aruna, the brother of Garuda,\nwas appointed as his charioteer. Hear next of that other question asked\nby thee a little while ago.'\"\n\nAnd so ends the twenty-fourth section in the Astika Parva of the Adi\nParva.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXV\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Sauti said, 'Then that bird of great strength and energy and capable of\ngoing at will to every place repaired to his mother's side on the other\nshore of the great ocean. Thither lived Vinata in affliction, defeated in\nwager and put into a state of slavery. Once Kadru calling Vinata who had\nprostrated herself before the former, addressed her these words in the\npresence of her son, 'O gentle Vinata, there is in the midst of the\nocean, in a remote quarter, a delightful and fair region inhabited by the\nNagas. Bear me thither!' At this that mother of the bird of fair feathers\nbore (on her shoulders) the mother of the snakes. And Garuda also,\ndirected by his mother's words, carried (on his back) the snakes. And\nthat ranger of the skies born of Vinata began to ascend towards the Sun.\nAnd thereupon the snakes, scorched by the rays of the Sun, swooned away.\nAnd Kadru seeing her sons in that state prayed to Indra, saying, 'I bow\nto thee, thou Lord of all the gods! I bow to thee, thou slayer of Vritra!\nI bow to thee, thou slayer of Namuchi! O thou of a thousand eyes, consort\nof Sachi! By thy showers, be thou the protector of the snakes scorched by\nthe Sun. O thou best of the deities, thou art our great protector. O\nPurandara, thou art able to grant rain in torrents. Thou art Vayu (the\nair), the clouds, fire, and the lightning of the skies. Thou art the\npropeller of the clouds, and hast been called the great cloud (i.e., that\nwhich will darken the universe at the end of Yuga). Thou art the fierce\nand incomparable thunder, and the roaring clouds. Thou art the Creator of\nthe worlds and their Destroyer. Thou art unconquered. Thou art the light\nof all creatures, Aditya, Vibhavasu, and the wonderful elements. Thou art\nthe ruler of all the gods. Thou art Vishnu. Thou hast a thousand eyes.\nThou art a god, and the final resource. Thou art, O deity, all amrita,\nand the most adored Soma. Thou art the moment, the lunar day, the bala\n(minute), thou art the kshana (4 minutes). Thou art the lighted\nfortnight, and also the dark fortnight. Thou art kala, thou kashtha, and\nthou Truti.[1] Thou art the year, the seasons, the months, the nights,\nand the days. Thou art the fair Earth with her mountains and forests.\nThou art also the firmament, resplendent with the Sun. Thou art the great\nOcean with heaving billows and abounding with whales, swallowers of\nwhales, and makaras, and various fishes. Thou art of great renown, always\nadored by the wise and by the great Rishis with minds rapt in\ncontemplation. Thou drinkest, for the good of all creatures, the Soma\njuice in sacrifices and the clarified butter offered with sacred\ninvocation. Thou art always worshipped at sacrifices by Brahmanas moved\nby desire of fruit. O thou of incomparable mass of strength, thou art\nsung in the Vedas and Vedangas. It is for that reason that learned\nBrahmanas bent upon performing sacrifices, study the Vedas with every\ncare.'\"\n\nAnd so ends the twenty-fifth section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXVI\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Sauti said, 'And then Indra, the king of gods, having the best of horses\nfor his bearer, thus adored by Kadru, covered the entire firmament with\nmasses of blue clouds. And he commanded the clouds, saying, Pour ye, your\nvivifying and blessed drops!' And those clouds, luminous with lightning,\nand incessantly roaring against each other in the welkin, poured abundant\nwater. And the sky, in consequence of those wonderful and\nterribly-roaring clouds that were incessantly begetting vast quantities\nof water, looked as if the end of Yuga had come. And in consequence of\nthe myriads of waves caused in the falling torrents, the deep roar of the\nclouds, the flashes of lightning, the violence of the wind, and the\ngeneral agitation, the sky looked as if dancing in madness. The sky\nbecame overcast, and the rays of the Sun and the Moon totally disappeared\nin consequence of that incessant downpour.\n\n\"And upon Indra's causing that downpour, the Nagas became exceedingly\ndelighted. And the Earth was filled with water all around. And the cool,\nclear water reached even the nether regions. And there were countless\nwaves of water all over the Earth. And the snakes with their mother\nreached (in safety) the island called Ramaniyaka.\"\n\nAnd so ends the twenty-sixth section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXVII\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Sauti said, 'And then the Nagas drenched by that shower, became\nexceedingly glad. And borne by that bird of fair feathers, they soon\narrived at the island. That island had been fixed by the Creator of the\nUniverse as the abode of the makaras. There they saw the terrible Lavana\nSamudra (ocean of salt). On arriving there with Garuda, they saw there a\nbeautiful forest washed by the waters of the sea and resounding with the\nmusic of winged choirs. And there were clusters of trees all around laden\nwith various fruits and flowers. And there were also fair mansions all\naround; and many tanks full of lotuses. And it was also adorned with many\nlakes of pure water. And it was refreshed with pure incense-breathing\nbreezes. And it was adorned with many a tree that grew only on the hills\nof Malaya, and seemed by their tallness to reach the very heavens. And\nthere were also various other trees whose flowers were scattered all\naround by the breeze. And that forest was charming and dear to the\nGandharvas and always gave them pleasure. And it was full of bees\nmaddened with the honey they sucked. And the sight of all this was\nexceedingly delightful. And in consequence of many things there, capable\nof charming everybody, that forest was fair, delightful, and holy. And,\nechoing with the notes of various birds, it delighted greatly the sons of\nKadru.\n\n\"And the snakes, after arriving at that forest, began to enjoy\nthemselves. And they commanded the lord of birds, viz., Garuda, of great\nenergy, saying, 'Convey us to some other fair island with pure water.\nThou ranger of the skies, thou must have seen many fair regions while\ncoursing (through the air).' Garuda, alter reflecting for a few moments,\nasked his mother Vinata, saying, 'Why, mother, have I to do the bidding\nof the snakes?' Vinata thus questioned by him spake unto that ranger of\nthe skies, her son, invested with every virtue, of great energy, and\ngreat strength, as follows: \"Vinata said, 'O thou best of birds, I have\nbecome, from misfortune, the slave of my co-wife. The snakes, by an act\nof deception, caused me to lose my bet and have made me so.' When his\nmother had told him the reason, that ranger of the skies, dejected with\ngrief, addressed the snakes, saying, 'Tell me, ye snakes, by bringing\nwhat thing, gaining a knowledge of what thing, or doing what act of\nprowess, we may be freed from this state of bondage to you.'\" Sauti\ncontinued, 'The snakes, hearing him, said, 'Bring thou amrita by force.\nThen O bird, shall you be freed from bondage.'\" And so ends the\ntwenty-seventh section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXVIII\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Sauti said, 'Garuda, thus addressed by the snakes, then said unto his\nmother, 'I shall go to bring amrita, I desire to eat something in the\nway. Direct me to it.' Vinata replied, 'In a remote region in the midst\nof the ocean, the Nishadas have their fair home. Having eaten the\nthousands of Nishadas that live there, bring thou amrita. But let not thy\nheart be ever set on taking the life of a Brahmana. Of all creatures a\nBrahmana must not be slain. He is, indeed, like fire. A Brahmana, when\nangry, becomes like fire or the Sun, like poison or an edged weapon. A\nBrahmana, it has been said, is the master of all creatures. For these and\nother reasons, a Brahmana is the adored of the virtuous. O child, he is\nnever to be slain by thee even in anger. Hostility with Brahmanas,\ntherefore, would not be proper under any circumstances. O sinless one,\nneither Agni nor Surya truly can consume so much as does a Brahmana of\nrigid vows, when angry. By these various indications must thou know a\ngood Brahmana. Indeed, a brahmana is the first-born of all creatures, the\nforemost of the four orders, the father and the master of all.'\" Garuda\nthen asked, 'O mother, of what form is a Brahmana, of what behaviour, and\nof what prowess? Doth he shine like fire, or is he of tranquil mien? And,\nO mother, it behoveth thee to tell my inquiring self, those auspicious\nsigns by which I may recognise a Brahmana.'\" Vinata replied, saying, 'O\nchild, him shouldst thou know as the best amongst Brahmanas who having\nentered thy throat would torture thee as a fish-hook or burn thee as\nblazing charcoal. A Brahmana must never be slain by thee even in anger.'\nAnd Vinata out of affection for her son, again told him these words, 'Him\nshouldst thou know as a good Brahmana who would not be digested in thy\nstomach.' Although she knew the incomparable strength of her son, yet she\nblessed him heartily, for, deceived by the snakes, she was very much\nafflicted by woe. And she said. 'Let Marut (the god of the winds) protect\nthy wings, and Surya and Soma thy vertebral regions; let Agni protect thy\nhead, and the Vasus thy whole body. I also, O child (engaged in\nbeneficial ceremonies), shall sit here for your welfare. Go then, O\nchild, in safety to accomplish thy purpose.'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'Then Garuda, having heard the words of his mother,\nstretched his wings and ascended the skies. And endued with great\nstrength, he soon fell upon the Nishadas, hungry and like another Yama.\nAnd bent upon slaying the Nishadas, he raised a great quantity of dust\nthat overspread the firmament, and sucking up water from amid the ocean,\nshook the trees growing on the adjacent mountains. And then that lord of\nbirds obstructed the principal thoroughfares of the town of the Nishadas\nby his mouth, increasing its orifice at will. And the Nishadas began to\nfly in great haste in the direction of the open mouth of the great\nserpent-eater. And as birds in great affliction ascend by thousand into\nthe skies when the trees in a forest are shaken by the winds, so those\nNishadas blinded by the dust raised by the storm entered the\nwide-extending cleft of Garuda's mouth open to receive them. And then the\nhungry lord of all rangers of the skies, that oppressor of enemies,\nendued with great strength, and moving with greatest celerity to achieve\nhis end, closed his mouth, killing innumerable Nishadas following the\noccupation of fishermen.'\"\n\nSo ends the twenty-eighth section in the Astika Parva of Adi Parva.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXIX\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'A certain Brahmana with his wife had entered the\nthroat of that ranger of the skies. The former began to burn the bird's\nthroat like a piece of flaming charcoal. Him Garuda addressed, saying, 'O\nbest of Brahmanas, come out soon from my mouth which I open for thee. A\nBrahmana must never be slain by me, although he may be always engaged in\nsinful practices.' Unto Garuda who had thus addressed him that Brahmana\nsaid, 'O, let this woman of the Nishada caste, who is my wife, also come\nout with me.' And Garuda said, 'Taking the woman also of the Nishada\ncaste with thee, come out soon. Save thyself without delay since thou\nhast not yet been digested by the heat of my stomach.'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'And then that Brahmana, accompanied by his wife of the\nNishada caste, came out, and praising Garuda wended whatever way he\nliked. And when that Brahmana had come out with his wife, that lord of\nbirds, fleet as the mind, stretching his wings ascended the skies. He\nthen saw his father, and, hailed by him, Garuda, of incomparable prowess\nmade proper answers. And the great Rishi (Kasyapa) then asked him, 'O\nchild, is it well with thee? Dost thou get sufficient food every day? Is\nthere food in plenty for thee in the world of men?'\n\n\"Garuda replied, 'My mother is ever well. And so is my brother, and so am\nI. But, father, I do not always obtain plenty of food, for which my peace\nis incomplete. I am sent by the snakes to fetch the excellent amrita.\nIndeed, I shall fetch it today for emancipating my mother from her\nbondage. My mother command me, saying, 'Eat thou the Nishadas.' I have\neaten them by thousands, but my hunger is not appeased. Therefore, O\nworshipful one, point out to me some other food, by eating which, O\nmaster, I may be strong enough to bring away amrita by force. Thou\nshouldst indicate some food wherewith I may appease my hunger and thirst.'\n\n\"Kasyapa replied, 'This lake thou seest is sacred. It hath been heard, of\neven in the heavens. There is an elephant, with face downwards, who\ncontinually draggeth a tortoise, his elder brother. I shall speak to you\nin detail of their hostility in former life. Just listen as I tell you\nwhy they are here.\n\n\"There was of old a great Rishi of the name of Vibhavasu. He was\nexceedingly wrathful. He had a younger brother of the name of Supritika.\nThe latter was averse to keeping his wealth jointly with his brother's.\nAnd Supritika would always speak of partition. After some time his\nbrother Vibhavasu told Supritika, 'It is from great foolishness that\npersons blinded by love of wealth always desire to make a partition of\ntheir patrimony. After effecting a partition they fight with each other,\ndeluded by wealth. Then again, enemies in the guise of friends cause\nestrangements between ignorant and selfish men alter they become\nseparated in wealth, and pointing out faults confirm their quarrels, so\nthat the latter soon fall one by one. Absolute ruin very soon overtakes\nthe separated. For these reasons the wise never speak approvingly of\npartition amongst brothers who, when divided, do not regard the most\nauthoritative Sastras and live always in fear of each other. But as thou,\nSupritika, without regarding my advice impelled by desire of separation,\nalways wishest to make an arrangement about your property, thou shall\nbecome an elephant.' Supritika, thus cursed, then spake unto Vibhavasu,\n'Thou also shall become a tortoise moving in the midst of the waters.'\n\n\"And thus on account of wealth those two fools, Supritika and Vibhavasu,\nfrom each other's curse, have become an elephant and a tortoise\nrespectively. Owing to their wrath, they have both become inferior\nanimals. And they are engaged in hostilities with each other, proud of\ntheir excessive strength and the weight of their bodies. And in this lake\nthose two beings of huge bodies are engaged in acts according to their\nformer hostility. Look here, one amongst them, the handsome elephant of\nhuge body, is even now approaching. Hearing his roar, the tortoise also\nof huge body, living within the waters, cometh out, agitating the lake\nviolently. And seeing him the elephant, curling his trunk, rusheth into\nthe water. And endued with great energy, with motion of his tusks and\nfore-part of his trunk and tail and feet, he agitates the water of the\nlake abounding with fishes. And the tortoise also of great strength, with\nupraised head, cometh forward for an encounter. And the elephant is six\nyojanas in height and twice that measure in circumference. And the height\nof the tortoise also is three yojanas and his circumference ten. Eat thou\nup both of them that are madly engaged in the encounter and bent upon\nslaying each other, and then accomplish the task that thou desirest.\nEating that fierce elephant which looketh like a huge mountain and\nresembleth a mass of dark clouds, bring thou amrita.'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'Having said so unto Garuda, he (Kasyapa) blessed him,\nsaying, 'Blest be thou when thou art in combat with the gods. Let water\npitchers filled to the brim, Brahmanas, kine, and other auspicious\nobjects, bless thee, thou oviparous one. And, O thou of great strength,\nwhen thou art engaged with the gods in combat, let the Riks, the Yajus,\nthe Samas, the sacred sacrificial butter, all the mysteries (Upanishads),\nconstitute thy strength.'\n\n\"Garuda, thus addressed by his father, wended to the side of that lake.\nHe saw that expanse of clear water with birds of various kinds all\naround. And remembering the words of his father, that ranger of the skies\npossessed of great swiftness of motion, seized the elephant and the\ntortoise, one in each claw. And that bird then soared high into the air.\nAnd he came upon a sacred place called Alamva and saw many divine trees.\nAnd struck by the wind raised by his wings, those trees began to shake\nwith fear. And those divine trees having golden boughs feared that they\nwould break. And the ranger of the skies seeing that those trees capable\nof granting every wish were quaking with fear, went to other trees of\nincomparable appearance. And those gigantic trees were adorned with\nfruits of gold and silver and branches of precious gems. And they were\nwashed with the water of the sea. And there was a large banian among\nthem, which had grown into gigantic proportions, that spoke unto that\nlord of bird coursing towards it with the fleetness of the mind, 'Sit\nthou on this large branch of mine extending a hundred yojanas and eat the\nelephant and the tortoise.' When that best of birds, of great swiftness\nand of body resembling a mountain, quickly alighted upon a bough of that\nbanian tree, the resort of thousands of winged creatures-that bough also\nfull of leaves shook and broke down.'\"\n\nSo ends the twenty-ninth section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXX\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Sauti said, 'At the very touch by Garuda of great might with his feet,\nthe branch of the tree broke as it was caught by Garuda. Casting his eyes\naround in wonder he saw Valakhilya Rishis hanging therefrom with heads\ndownwards and engaged in ascetic penances. Reflecting that if that bough\nfell down, the Rishis would be slain, the mighty one held the elephant\nand the tortoise still more firmly with his claws. And from fear of\nslaying the Rishis and desire of saving them, held that bough in his\nbeaks, and rose on his wings. The great Rishis were struck with wonder at\nthe sight of that act of his which was beyond even the power of the gods,\nand gave that mighty bird a name. And they said, 'As this ranger of the\nskies rises on its wings bearing a heavy burden, let this foremost of\nbirds having snakes for his food be called Garuda (bearer of heavy\nweight).'\n\n\"And shaking the mountains by his wings, Garuda leisurely coursed through\nthe skies. And as he soared with the elephant and the tortoise (in his\nclaws), he beheld various regions underneath. Desiring as he did to save\nthe Valakhilyas, he saw not a spot whereon to sit. At last he went to\nthat foremost of mountains called Gandhamadana. There he saw his father\nKasyapa engaged in ascetic devotions. Kasyapa also saw his son, that\nranger of the skies, of divine form, possessed of great splendour, and\nenergy and strength, and endued with the speed of the wind or the mind,\nhuge as a mountain peak, a ready smiter like the curse of a Brahmana,\ninconceivable, indescribable, frightful to all creatures, possessed of\ngreat prowess, terrible, of the splendour of Agni himself, and incapable\nof being overcome by the deities, Danavas, and invincible Rakshasas,\ncapable of splitting mountain summits and sucking the ocean itself and\ndestroying the three worlds, fierce, and looking like Yama himself. The\nillustrious Kasyapa, seeing him approach and knowing also his motive,\nspoke unto him these words:\n\n\"Kasyapa said, 'O child, do not commit a rash act, for then thou wouldst\nhave to suffer pain. The Valakhilyas, supporting themselves by drinking\nthe rays of the sun, might, if angry, blast thee.'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'Kasyapa then propitiated, for the sake of his son, the\nValakhilyas of exceeding good fortune and whose sins had been destroyed\nby ascetic penances.' And Kasyapa said, 'Ye whose wealth is asceticism,\nthe essay of Garuda is for the good of all creatures. The task is great\nthat he is striving to accomplish. It behoveth you to accord him your\npermission.'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'Those ascetics thus addressed by the illustrious\nKasyapa, abandoned that bough and went to the sacred mountain of Himavat\nfor purposes of ascetic penances. After those Rishis had gone away, the\nson of Vinata, with voice obstructed by the bough in his beaks, asked his\nfather Kasyapa saying, 'O illustrious one, where shall I throw this arm\nof the tree? O illustrious one, indicate to me some region without human\nbeings.' Then Kasyapa spoke of a mountain without human beings with caves\nand dales always covered with snow and incapable of approach by ordinary\ncreatures even in thought. And the great bird bearing that branch, that\nelephant, and that tortoise, proceeded with great speed towards that\nmountain. The great arm of the tree with which that bird of huge body\nflew away could not be girt round with a cord made of a hundred (cow)\nhides. Garuda, the lord of birds, then flew away for hundreds of thousand\nof yojanas within--the shortest time. And going according to the\ndirections of his father to that mountain almost in a moment, that ranger\nof the skies let fall the gigantic bough. And it fell with a great noise.\nAnd that Prince of mountains shook, struck with the storm raised by\nGaruda's wings. And the trees thereon dropped showers of flowers. And the\npeaks decked with gems and gold adorning that great mountain itself, were\nloosened and tell down on all sides. And the falling bough struck down\nnumerous trees which, with golden flowers amid dark foliage, shone there\nlike clouds charged with lightning. And those trees, bright as gold,\nfalling down upon the ground and, dyed with mountain metals, shone as if\nthey were bathed in the rays of the sun.\n\n\"Then that best of birds, Garuda, perching on the summit of that\nmountain, ate both the elephant and the tortoise, rose on his wings with\ngreat speed from the top of the mountain.\n\n\"And various omens began to appear among the gods foreboding fear.\nIndra's favourite thunderbolt blazed up in a fright. Meteors with flames\nand smoke, loosened from the welkin, shot down during the day. And the\nweapons of the Vasus, the Rudras, the Adityas, the Sabhyas, the Maruts,\nand other gods, began to spend their force against one another. Such a\nthing had never happened even during the war between the gods and the\nAsuras. And the winds blew accompanied with thunder, and meteors fell by\nthousands. And the sky, though cloudless, roared tremendously. And even\nhe who was the god of gods shed showers of blood. And the flowery\ngarlands on the necks of the gods faded and their prowess suffered\ndiminution. And terrible masses of clouds dropped thick showers of blood.\nAnd the dust raised by the winds darkened the splendour of the very\ncoronets of the gods. And He of a thousand sacrifices (Indra), with the\nother gods, perplexed with fear at the sight of those dark forebodings\nspoke unto Vrihaspati thus, 'Why, O worshipful one, have these natural\ndisturbances suddenly arisen? No foe do I behold who would oppress us in\nwar.' Vrihaspati answered, 'O chief of the gods, O thou of a thousand\nsacrifices, it is from thy fault and carelessness, and owing also to the\nascetic penance of the high-souled great Rishis, the Valakhilyas, that\nthe son of Kasyapa and Vinata, a ranger of the skies endued with great\nstrength and possessing the capacity of assuming at will any form, is\napproaching to take away the Soma. And that bird, foremost among all\nendued with great strength, is able to rob you of the Soma. Everything is\npossible with him; the unachievable he can achieve.'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'Indra, having heard these words, then spoke unto those\nthat guarded the amrita, saying, 'A bird endued with great strength and\nenergy has set his heart on taking away the amrita. I warn you beforehand\nso that he may not succeed in taking it away by force. Vrihaspati has\ntold me that his strength is immeasurable.' And the gods hearing of it\nwere amazed and took precautions. And they stood surrounding the amrita\nand Indra also of great prowess, the wielder of the thunder, stood with\nthem. And the gods wore curious breastplates of gold, of great value, and\nset with gems, and bright leathern armour of great toughness. And the\nmighty deities wielded various sharp-edged weapons of terrible shapes,\ncountless in number, emitting, even all of them, sparks of fire with\nsmoke. And they were also armed with many a discus and iron mace\nfurnished with spikes, and trident, battle-axe, and various kinds of\nsharp-pointed missiles and polished swords and maces of terrible form,\nall befitting their respective bodies. And decked with celestial\nornaments and resplendent with those bright arms, the gods waited there,\ntheir fears allayed. And the gods, of incomparable strength, energy, and\nsplendour, resolved to protect the amrita. Capable of splitting the towns\nof the Asuras, all displayed themselves in forms resplendent as the fire.\nAnd in consequence of the gods standing there, that (would be)\nbattle-field, owing to hundreds of thousands of maces furnished with iron\nspikes, shone like another firmament illumined by the rays of the Sun.'\"\n\nSo ends the thirtieth section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXI\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Saunaka said, 'O son of Suta, what was Indra's fault, what his act of\ncarelessness? How was Garuda born in consequence of the ascetic penances\nof the Valakhilyas? Why also Kasyapa--a Brahman--had the king of birds\nfor a son? Why, too, was he invincible of all creatures and unslayable of\nall? Why also was that ranger of the skies capable of going into every\nplace at will and of mustering at will any measure of energy? If these\nare described in the Purana, I should like to hear them.'\n\n\"Sauti said, 'What thou askest me is, indeed, the subject of the Purana.\nO twice-born one, listen as I briefly recite it all.\n\n\"Once upon a time, when the lord of creation, Kasyapa, was engaged in a\nsacrifice from desire of offspring, the Rishis, the gods, and the\nGandharvas, all gave him help. And Indra was appointed by Kasyapa to\nbring the sacrificial fuel; and with him those ascetics the Valakhilyas,\nand all the other deities. And the lord Indra, taking up according to his\nown strength, a weight that was mountain-like, brought it without any\nfatigue. And he saw on the way some Rishis, of bodies of the measure of\nthe thumb, all together carrying one single stalk of a Palasa (Butea\nfrondosa) leaf. And those Rishis were, from want of food, very lean and\nalmost merged in their own bodies. And they were so weak that they were\nmuch afflicted when sunk in the water that collected in an indentation on\nthe road produced by the hoof of a cow. And Purandara, proud of his\nstrength, beheld them with surprise, and laughing at them in derision\nsoon left them behind insulting them, besides, by passing over their\nheads. And those Rishis being thus insulted were filled with rage and\nsorrow. And they made preparations for a great sacrifice at which Indra\nwas terrified. Hear, O Saunaka, of the wish for accomplishment of which\nthose vow-observing wise, and excellent ascetics poured clarified butter\nof the sacrificial fire with loudly uttered mantras, 'There shall be\nanother Indra of all gods, capable of going everywhere at will, and of\nmustering at will any measure of energy, and striking tear into the\n(present) king of the gods. By the fruit of our ascetic penance, let one\narise, fleet as the mind, and fierce withal.' And the lord of the\ncelestials of a hundred sacrifices, having come to know of this, became\nvery much alarmed and sought the protection of the vow-observing Kasyapa.\nAnd the Prajapati Kasyapa, hearing everything from Indra, went to the\nValakhilyas and asked them if their sacrifice had been successful. And\nthose truth-speaking Rishis replied to him, saying, 'Let it be as thou\nsayest!' And the Prajapati Kasyapa pacifying them, spake unto them as\nfollows, 'By the word of Brahman, this one (Indra) hath been made the\nLord of the three worlds. Ye ascetics, ye also are striving to create\nanother Indra! Ye excellent ones, it behoveth you not to falsify the word\nof Brahman. Let not also this purpose, for (accomplishing) which ye are\nstriving, be rendered futile. Let there spring an Indra (Lord) of winged\ncreatures, endued with excess of strength! Be gracious unto Indra who is\na suppliant before you.' And the Valakhilyas, thus addressed by Kasyapa,\nafter offering reverence to that first of the Munis, viz., the Prajapati\nKasyapa, spake unto him:\n\n\"The Valakhilyas said, 'O Prajapati, this sacrifice of us all is for an\nIndra! Indeed this hath also been meant for a son being born unto thee!\nLet this task be now left to thee. And in this matter do whatsoever thou\nseest to be good and proper.'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'Meanwhile, moved by the desire of offspring, the good\ndaughter of Daksha, the vow-observing, amiable, and fortunate Vinata, her\nascetic penances over, having purified herself with a bath in that season\nwhen connubial companionship might prove fruitful, approached her lord.\nAnd Kasyapa spake unto her, 'Respected one, the sacrifice commenced by me\nhath borne fruit. What hath been desired by thee shall come to pass. Two\nheroic sons, shall be born unto thee, who shall be the lords of the three\nworlds. By the penances of the Valakhilyas and by virtue of the desire\nwith which I commenced my sacrifice, those sons shall be of exceedingly\ngood fortune and worshipped in the three worlds!' And the illustrious\nKasyapa spake unto her again, 'Bear thou these auspicious seeds with\ngreat care. These two will be the lords of all winged creatures. These\nheroic rangers of the skies will be respected in all the worlds, and\ncapable of assuming any form at will.\n\n\"And the Prajapati, gratified with all that took place, then addressed\nIndra of a hundred sacrifices, saying, 'Thou shalt have two brothers of\ngreat energy and prowess, who shall be to thee even as the helpmates.\nFrom them no injury shall result unto thee. Let thy sorrow cease; thou\nshalt continue as the lord of all. Let not, however, the utterers of the\nname of Brahma be ever again slighted by thee. Nor let the very wrathful\nones, whose words are even the thunderbolt, be ever again insulted by\nthee. Indra, thus addressed, went to heaven, his fears dispelled. And\nVinata also, her purpose fulfilled, was exceedingly glad. And she gave\nbirth to two sons, Aruna and Garuda. And Aruna, of undeveloped body,\nbecame the fore-runner of the Sun. And Garuda was vested with the\nlordship over the birds. O thou of Bhrigu's race, hearken now to the\nmighty achievement of Garuda.'\"\n\n\"So ends the thirty-first section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXII\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Sauti said, 'O foremost of Brahmanas, the gods having prepared for\nbattle in that way, Garuda, the king of birds, soon came upon those wise\nones. And the gods beholding him of excessive strength began to quake\nwith fear, and strike one another with all their weapons. And amongst\nthose that guarded the Soma was Brahmana (the celestial architect), of\nmeasureless might, effulgent as the electric fire and of great energy.\nAnd after a terrific encounter lasting only a moment, managed by the lord\nof birds with his talons, beak, and wings, he lay as dead on the fields.\nAnd the ranger of the skies making the worlds dark with the dust raised\nby the hurricane of his wings, overwhelmed the celestials with it. And\nthe latter, overwhelmed with that dust, swooned away. And the immortals\nwho guarded the amrita, blinded by that dust, could no longer see Garuda.\nEven thus did Garuda agitate the region of the heavens. And even thus he\nmangled the gods with the wounds inflicted by his wings and beak.\n\n\"Then the god of a thousand eyes commanded Vayu (the god of wind),\nsaying, 'Dispel thou this shower of dust soon. O Maruta, this is indeed,\nthy task. Then the mighty Vayu soon drove away that dust. And when the\ndarkness had disappeared, the celestials attacked Garuda. And as he of\ngreat might was attacked by the gods, he began to roar aloud, like the\ngreat cloud that appeareth in the sky at the end of the Yuga, frightening\nevery creature. And that king of birds, of great energy, that slayer of\nhostile heroes, then rose on his wings. All the wise ones (the\ncelestials) with Indra amongst them armed with double-edged broad swords,\niron maces furnished with sharp spikes, pointed lances, maces, bright\narrows, and many a discus of the form of the sun, saw him over head. And\nthe king of birds, attacked them on all sides with showers of various\nweapons and fought exceedingly hard without wavering for a moment. And\nthe son of Vinata, of great prowess blazing in the sky, attacked the gods\non all sides with his wings and breast. And blood began to flow copiously\nfrom the bodies of the gods mangled by the talons and the beak of Garuda.\nOvercome by the lord of birds, the Sadhyas with the Gandharvas fled\neastwards, the Vasus with the Rudras towards the south, the Adityas\ntowards the west, and the twin Aswins towards the north. Gifted with\ngreat energy, they retreated fighting, looking back every moment on their\nenemy.\n\n\"And Garuda had encounters with the Yakshas, Aswakranda of great courage,\nRainuka, the bold Krathanaka, Tapana, Uluka, Swasanaka, Nimesha, Praruja,\nand Pulina. And the son of Vinata mangled them with his wings, talons,\nand beak, like Siva himself, that chastiser of enemies, and the holder of\nPinaka in rage at the end of the Yuga. And those Yakshas of great might\nand courage, mangled all over by that ranger of the skies, looked like\nmasses of black clouds dropping thick showers of blood.\n\n\"And Garuda, depriving them of life, and then went to where the amrita\nwas. And he saw that it was surrounded on all sides by fire. And the\nterrible flames of that fire covered the entire sky. And moved by violent\nwinds, they seemed bent on burning the Sun himself. The illustrious\nGaruda then assumed ninety times ninety mouths and quickly drinking the\nwaters of many rivers with those mouths and returning with great speed,\nthat chastiser of enemies, having wings for his vehicle extinguished that\nfire with that water. And extinguishing that fire, he assumed a very\nsmall form, desirous of entering into (the place where the Soma was).'\"\n\nSo ends the thirty-second section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXIII\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Santi said, 'And that bird, assuming a golden body bright as the rays of\nthe Sun, entered with great force (the region where the Soma was), like a\ntorrent entering the ocean. And he saw, placed near the Soma, a wheel of\nsteel keen-edged, and sharp as the razor, revolving incessantly. And that\nfierce instrument, of the splendour of the blazing sun and of terrible\nform, had been devised by the gods for cutting in pieces all robbers of\nthe Soma. Garuda, seeing a passage through it, stopped there for a\nmoment. Diminishing his body, in an instant he passed through the spokes\nof that wheel. Within the line of the wheel, he beheld, stationed there\nfor guarding the Soma two great snakes of the effulgence of blazing fire,\nwith tongues bright as the lightning-flash, of great energy, with mouth\nemitting fire, with blazing eyes, containing poison, very terrible,\nalways in anger, and of great activity. Their eyes were ceaselessly\ninflamed with rage and were also winkless. He who may be seen by even one\nof the two would instantly be reduced to ashes. The bird of fair feathers\nsuddenly covered their eyes with dust. And unseen by them he attacked\nthem from all sides. And the son of Vinata, that ranger of the skies,\nattacking their bodies, mangled them into pieces. He then approached the\nSoma without loss of time. Then the mighty son of Vinata, taking up the\nAmrita from the place where it was kept, rose on his wings with great\nspeed, breaking into pieces the machine that had surrounded it. And the\nbird soon came out, taking the Amrita but without drinking it himself.\nAnd he then wended on his way without the least fatigue, darkening the\nsplendour of the Sun.\n\n\"And the son of Vinata then met Vishnu on his way along the sky. And\nNarayana was gratified at that act of self-denial on the part of Garuda.\nAnd that deity, knowing no deterioration, said unto the ranger of the\nskies, 'O, I am inclined to grant thee a boon.' The ranger of the skies\nthereupon said, 'I shall stay above thee.' And he again spake unto\nNarayana these words, 'I shall be immortal and free from disease without\n(drinking) Amrita.' Vishnu said unto the son of Vinata, 'Be it so.'\nGaruda, receiving those two boons, told Vishnu, 'I also shall grant thee\na boon; therefore, let the possessor of the six attributes ask of me.'\nVishnu then asked the mighty Garuda to become his carrier. And he made\nthe bird sit on the flagstaff of his car, saying, 'Even thus thou shalt\nstay above me.' And the ranger of the skies, of great speed, saying unto\nNarayana, 'Be it so,' swiftly wended on his way, mocking the wind with\nhis fleetness.\n\n\"And while that foremost of all rangers of the skies, that first of\nwinged creatures, Garuda, was coursing through the air after wresting the\nAmrita, Indra hurled at him his thunderbolt. Then Garuda, the lord of\nbirds, struck with thunderbolt, spake laughingly unto Indra engaged in\nthe encounter, in sweet words, saying, 'I shall respect the Rishi\n(Dadhichi) of whose bone the Vajra hath been made. I shall also respect\nthe Vajra, and thee also of a thousand sacrifices. I cast this feather of\nmine whose end thou shalt not attain. Struck with thy thunder I have not\nfelt the slightest pain.' And having said this, the king of birds cast a\nfeather of his. And all creatures became exceedingly glad, beholding that\nexcellent feather of Garuda so cast off. And seeing that the feather was\nvery beautiful, they said, 'Let this bird be called Suparna (having fair\nfeathers). And Purandara of a thousand eyes, witnessing this wonderful\nincident, thought that bird to be some great being and addressed him\nthus.'\n\n\"And Indra said, 'O best of birds, I desire to know the limit of thy\ngreat strength. I also desire eternal friendship with thee.'\"\n\nSo ends the thirty-third section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXIV\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n'Sauti continued, 'Garuda then said, 'O Purandara, let there be\nfriendship between thee and me as thou desirest. My strength, know thou,\nis hard to bear. O thou of a thousand sacrifices, the good never approve\nof speaking highly of their own strength, nor do they speak of their own\nmerits. But being made a friend, and asked by thee, O friend, I will\nanswer thee, although self-praise without reason is ever improper. I can\nbear, on a single feather of mine, O Sakra, this Earth, with her\nmountains and forests and with the waters of the ocean, and with thee\nalso stationed thereon. Know thou, my strength is such that I can bear\nwithout fatigue even all the worlds put together, with their mobile and\nimmobile objects.'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'O Saunaka, after Garuda of great courage had thus\nspoken, Indra the chief of the gods, the wearer of the (celestial) crown,\never bent upon the good of the worlds, replied, saying, 'It is as thou\nsayest. Everything is possible in thee. Accept now my sincere and hearty\nfriendship. And if thou hast no concern with the Soma, return it to me.\nThose to whom thou wouldst give it would always oppose us.' Garuda\nanswered, 'There is a certain reason for which the Soma is being carried\nby me. I shall not give the Soma to any one for drink. But, O thou of a\nthousand eyes, after I have placed it down, thou, O lord of the heavens,\ncanst then, taking it up, instantly bring it away.' Indra then said, 'O\noviparous one, I am highly gratified with these words now spoken by thee.\nO best of all rangers of the skies; accept from me any boon that thou\ndesirest.'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'Then Garuda, recollecting the sons of Kadru and\nremembering also the bondage of his mother caused by an act of deception\nowing to the well-known reason (viz., the curse of Aruna), said,\n'Although I have power over all creatures, yet I shall do your bidding.\nLet, O Sakra, the mighty snakes become my food.' The slayer of the\nDanavas having said unto him, 'Be it so,' then went to Hari, the god of\ngods, of great soul, and the lord of Yogins. And the latter sanctioned\neverything that had been said by Garuda. And the illustrious lord of\nheaven again said unto Garuda, 'I shall bring away the Soma when thou\nplacest it down.' And having said so, he bade farewell to Garuda. And the\nbird of fair feathers then went to the presence of his mother with great\nspeed.\n\n\"And Garuda in joy then spake unto all the snakes, 'Here have I brought\nthe Amrita. Let me place it on some Kusa grass. O ye snakes, sitting\nhere, drink of it after ye have performed your ablutions and religious\nrites. As said by you, let my mother become, from this day, free, for I\nhave accomplished your bidding.' The snakes having said unto Garuda, 'Be\nit so,' then went to perform their ablutions. Meanwhile, Sakra taking up\nthe Amrita, wended back to heaven. The snakes after performing their\nablutions, their daily devotions, and other sacred rites, returned in\njoy, desirous of drinking the Amrita. They saw that the bed of kusa grass\nwhereon the Amrita had been placed was empty, the Amrita itself having\nbeen taken away by a counter-act of deception. And they began to lick\nwith their tongues the kusa grass, as the Amrita had been placed thereon.\nAnd the tongues of the snakes by that act became divided in twain. And\nthe kusa grass, too, from the contact with Amrita, became sacred\nthenceforth. Thus did the illustrious Garuda bring Amrita (from the\nheavens) for the snakes, and thus were the tongues of snakes divided by\nwhat Garuda did.\n\n\"Then the bird of fair feathers, very much delighted, enjoyed himself in\nthose woods accompanied by his mother. Of grand achievements, and deeply\nreverenced by all rangers of the skies, he gratified his mother by\ndevouring the snakes.\n\n\"That man who would listen to this story, or read it out to an assembly\nof good Brahmanas, must surely go to heaven, acquiring great merit from\nthe recitation of (the feats of) Garuda.'\"\n\nAnd so ends the thirty-fourth section in the Astika Parva of the Adi\nParva.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXV\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Saunaka said, 'O son of Suta, thou hast told us the reason why the\nsnakes were cursed by their mother, and why Vinata also was cursed by her\nson. Thou hast also told us about the bestowal of boons, by their\nhusband, on Kadru and Vinata. Thou hast likewise told us the names of\nVinata's sons. But thou hast not yet recited to us the names of the\nsnakes. We are anxious to hear the names of the principal ones.'\n\n\"Sauti said, O thou whose wealth is asceticism, from fear of being\nlengthy, I shall not mention the names of all the snakes. But I will\nrecite the names of the chief ones. Listen to me!\n\n\"Sesha was born first, and then Vasuki. (Then were born) Airavata,\nTakshaka, Karkotaka, Dhananjaya, Kalakeya, the serpent Mani, Purana,\nPinjaraka, and Elapatra, Vamana, Nila, Anila, Kalmasha, Savala, Aryaka,\nUgra, Kalasapotaka, Suramukha, Dadhimukha, Vimalapindaka, Apta, Karotaka,\nSamkha, Valisikha, Nisthanaka, Hemaguha, Nahusha, Pingala, Vahyakarna,\nHastipada, Mudgarapindaka, Kamvala Aswatara, Kaliyaka, Vritta,\nSamvartaka, Padma, Mahapadma, Sankhamukha, Kushmandaka, Kshemaka,\nPindaraka, Karavira, Pushpadanshtraka, Vilwaka, Vilwapandara, Mushikada,\nSankhasiras, Purnabhadra, Haridraka, Aparajita, Jyotika, Srivaha,\nKauravya, Dhritarashtra, Sankhapinda, Virajas, Suvahu, Salipinda,\nPrabhakara, Hastipinda, Pitharaka, Sumuksha, Kaunapashana, Kuthara,\nKunjara, Kumuda, Kumudaksha, Tittri, Halika, Kardama, Vahumulaka,\nKarkara, Akarkara, Kundodara, and Mahodara.\n\n\"Thus, O best of regenerate ones, have I said the names of the principal\nserpents. From fear of being tedious I do not give names of the rest. O\nthou whose wealth is asceticism, the sons of these snakes, with their\ngrandsons, are innumerable. Reflecting upon this, I shall not name them\nto thee. O best ascetics, in this world the number of snakes baffles\ncalculation, there being many thousands and millions of them.'\"\n\nSo ends the thirty-fifth section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXVI\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Saunaka said, 'O child, thou hast named many of the serpents gifted with\ngreat energy and incapable of being easily overcome. What did they do\nafter hearing of that curse?'\n\n\"Sauti said, 'The illustrious Sesha amongst them, of great renown,\nleaving his mother practised hard penances, living upon air and rigidly\nobserving his vows. He practised these ascetic devotions, repairing to\nGandhamadana, Vadri, Gokarna, the woods of Pushkara, and the foot of\nHimavat. And he passed his days in those sacred regions, some of which\nwere sacred for their water and others for their soil in the rigid\nobservance of his vows, with singleness of aim, and his passions under\ncomplete control. And the Grandsire of all, Brahma, saw that ascetic with\nknotted hair, clad in rags, and his flesh, skin, and sinews dried up\nowing to the hard penances he was practising. And the Grandsire\naddressing him, that penance-practising one of great fortitude, said,\n'What is that thorn doest, O Sesha? Let the welfare of the creatures of\nthe worlds also engage thy thoughts. O sinless one, thou art afflicting\nall creatures by thy hard penances. O Sesha, tell me the desire implanted\nin thy breast.'\n\n\"And Sesha replied, 'My uterine brothers are all of wicked hearts. I do\nnot desire to live amongst them. Let this be sanctioned by thee. Like\nenemies they are always jealous of one another. I am, therefore, engaged\nin ascetic devotions. I will not see them even. They never show any\nkindness for Vinata and her son. Indeed, Vinata's son capable of ranging\nthrough the skies, is another brother of ours. They always envy him. And\nhe, too, is much stronger owing to the bestowal of that boon by our\nfather, the high-souled Kasyapa. For these, I engaged in ascetic\npenances, and I will cast off this body of mine, so that I may avoid\ncompanionship with them, even in another state of life.'\n\n\"Unto Sesha who had said so, the Grandsire said, 'O Sesha, I know the\nbehaviour of all thy brothers and their great danger owing to their\noffence against their mother. But O Snake, a remedy (for this) hath been\nprovided by me even beforehand. It behoveth thee not to grieve for thy\nbrothers. O Sesha, ask of me the boon thou desirest. I have been highly\ngratified with thee and I will grant thee today a boon. O best of snakes,\nit is fortunate that thy heart hath been set on virtue. Let thy heart be\nmore and more firmly set on virtue.'\n\n\"Then Sesha replied, 'O divine Grandsire, this is the boon desired by me;\nviz., may my heart always delight in virtue and in blessed ascetic\npenances, O Lord of all!'\n\n\"Brahman said, 'O Sesha, I am exceedingly gratified with this thy\nself-denial and love of peace. But, at my command, let this act be done\nby thee for the good of my creatures. Bear thou, O Sesha, properly and\nwell this Earth so unsteady with her mountains and forests, her seas and\ntowns and retreats, so that she may be steady.'\n\n\"Sesha said, 'O divine Lord of all creatures, O bestower of boons, O lord\nof the Earth, lord of every created thing, lord of the universe, I will,\neven as thou sayest hold the Earth steady. Therefore, O lord of all\ncreatures, place her on my head.'\n\n\"Brahman said, 'O best of snakes, go underneath the Earth. She will\nherself give thee a crevice to pass through. And, O Sesha, by holding the\nEarth, thou shalt certainly do what is prized by me very greatly.'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'Then the elder brother of the king of the snakes,\nentering a hole, passed to the other side of the Earth, and holding her,\nsupported with his head that goddess with her belt of seas passing all\nround.'\n\n\"Brahman said, 'O Sesha, O best of snakes, thou art the god Dharma,\nbecause alone, with thy huge body, thou supportest the Earth with\neverything on her, even as I myself, or Valavit (Indra), can.'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'The snake, Sesha, the lord Ananta, of great prowess,\nlives underneath the Earth, alone supporting the world at the command of\nBrahman. And the illustrious Grandsire, the best of the immortals, then\ngave unto Ananta the bird of fair feathers, viz., the son of Vinata, for\nAnanta's help.'\"\n\nSo ends the thirty-sixth section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXVII\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Sauti said, 'That best of snakes, viz., Vasuki, hearing the curse of his\nmother, reflected how to render it abortive. He held a consultation with\nall his brothers, Airavata and others, intent upon doing what they deemed\nbest for themselves.'\n\n\"And Vasuki said, 'O ye sinless ones, the object of this curse is known\nto you. It behoveth us to strive to neutralise it. Remedies certainly\nexist for all curses, but no remedy can avail those cursed by their\nmother. Hearing that this curse hath been uttered in the presence of the\nImmutable, the Infinite, and the True one, my heart trembleth. Surely,\nour annihilation hath come. Otherwise why should not the Immutable Lord\nprevent our mother while uttering the curse? Therefore, let us consult\ntoday how we may secure the safety of the snakes. Let us not waste time.\nAll of you are wise and discerning. We will consult together and find out\nthe means of deliverance as (did) the gods of yore to regain lost Agni\nwho had concealed himself within a cave, so that Janamejaya's sacrifice\nfor the destruction of the snakes may not take place, and so that we may\nnot meet with destruction.'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'Thus addressed all the offspring of Kadru assembled\ntogether, and, wise in counsels, submitted their opinions to one another.\nOne party of the serpents said, 'We should assume the guise of superior\nBrahmanas, and beseech Janamejaya, saying, 'This (intended) sacrifice of\nyours ought not to take place.' Other snakes thinking themselves wise,\nsaid, 'We should all become his favourite counsellors. He will then\ncertainly ask for our advice in all projects. And we will then give him\nsuch advice that the sacrifice may be obstructed. The king, the foremost\nof wise men, thinking us of sterling worth will certainly ask us about\nhis sacrifice. We will say, 'It must not be!' And pointing to many\nserious evils in this and the next worlds, we will take care that the\nsacrifice may not take place. Or, let one of the snakes, approaching,\nbite the person who, intending the monarch's good, and well-acquainted\nwith the rites of the snake-sacrifice, may be appointed as the\nsacrificial priest, so that he will die. The sacrificial priest dying,\nthe sacrifice will not be completed. We will also bite all those who,\nacquainted with the rites of the snake-sacrifice, may be appointed\nRitwiks of the sacrifice, and by that means attain our object.' Other\nsnakes, more virtuous and kind, said, 'O, this counsel of yours is evil.\nIt is not meet to kill Brahmanas. In danger, that remedy is proper, which\nis blessed on the practices of the righteous. Unrighteousness finally\ndestroyeth the world.' Other serpents said, 'We will extinguish the\nblazing sacrificial fire by ourselves becoming clouds luminous with\nlightning and pouring down showers.' Other snakes, the best of their\nkind, proposed, 'Going, by night, let us steal away the vessel of Soma\njuice. That will disturb the rite. Or, at that sacrifice, let the snakes,\nby hundreds and thousands, bite the people, and spread terror around. Or,\nlet the serpents defile the pure food with their food-defiling urine and\ndung.' Others said, 'Let us become the king's Ritwiks, and obstruct his\nsacrifice by saying at the outset, 'Give us the sacrificial fee.' He (the\nking), being placed in our power, will do whatever we like.' Others there\nsaid, 'When the king will sport in the waters, we will carry him to our\nhome and bind him, so that that sacrifice will not take place!' Other\nserpents who deemed themselves wise, said, 'Approaching the king, let us\nbite him, so that our object will be accomplished. By his death the root\nof all evil will be torn up. This is the final deliberation of us all, O\nthou who hearest with thy eyes! Then, do speedily what thou deemest\nproper.' Having said this, they looked intently at Vasuki, that best of\nsnakes. And Vasuki also, after reflecting, answered saying, 'Ye snakes,\nthis final determination of you doth not seem worthy of adoption. The\nadvice of you all is not to my liking. What shall I say which would be\nfor your good? I think the grace of the illustrious Kasyapa (our father)\ncan alone do us good. Ye snakes, my heart doth not know which of all your\nsuggestions is to be adopted for the welfare of my race as also of me.\nThat must be done by me which would be to your weal. It is this that\nmakes me so anxious, for the credit or the discredit (of the measure) is\nmine alone.'\"\n\nSo ends the thirty-seventh section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXVIII\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Sauti said, 'Hearing the respective speeches of all the snakes, and\nhearing also the words of Vasuki, Elapatra began to address them, saying,\n'That sacrifice is not one that can be prevented. Nor is king Janamejaya\nof the Pandava race from whom this fear proceedeth, such that he can be\nhindered. The person, O king, who is afflicted by fate hath recourse to\nfate alone; nothing else can be his refuge. Ye best of snakes, this fear\nof ours hath fate for its root. Fate alone must be our refuge in this.\nListen to what I say. When that curse was uttered, ye best of snakes, in\nfear I lay crouching on the lap of our mother. Ye best of snakes, and O\nlord (Vasuki) of great splendour, from that place I heard the words the\nsorrowing gods spake unto the Grandsire. The gods said, 'O Grandsire,\nthou god of gods who else than the cruel Kadru could thus, after getting\nsuch dear children, curse them so, even in thy presence? And, O\nGrandsire, by thee also hath been spoken, with reference to those words\nof hers, 'Be it so.' We wish to know the reason why thou didst not\nprevent her.' Brahman replied, 'The snakes have multiplied. They are\ncruel, terrible in form and highly poisonous. From desire of the good of\nmy creatures, I did not prevent Kadru then. Those poisonous serpents and\nothers who are sinful, biting others for no faults, shall, indeed, be\ndestroyed, but not they who are harmless and virtuous. And hear also,\nhow, when the hour comes, the snakes may escape this dreadful calamity.\nThere shall be born in the race of the Yayavaras a great Rishi known by\nthe name of Jaratkaru, intelligent, with passions under complete control.\nThat Jaratkaru shall have a son of the name of Astika. He shall put a\nstop to that sacrifice. And those snakes who shall be virtuous shall\nescape therefrom. The gods said, 'O thou truth-knowing one, on whom will\nJaratkaru, that foremost Muni, gifted with great energy and asceticism,\nbeget that illustrious son?' Brahma answered, 'Gifted with great energy,\nthat best Brahmana shall beget a son possessed of great energy on a wife\nof the same name as his. Vasuki, the king of the snakes, hath a sister of\nthe name of Jaratkaru; the son, of whom I speak, shall be born of her,\nand he shall liberate the snakes.'\n\n\"Elapatra continued, 'The gods then said unto the Grandsire, 'Be it so.'\nAnd the lord Brahman, having said so unto the gods, went to heaven. O\nVasuki, I see before me that sister of thine known by the name of\nJaratkaru. For relieving us from fear, give her as alms unto him (i.e.,\nthe Rishi), Jaratkaru, of excellent vows, who shall roam abegging for a\nbride. This means of release hath been heard of by me!'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXIX\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Sauti said, 'O best of regenerate ones, hearing these words of Elapatra,\nall the serpents, in great delight, exclaimed, 'Well said, well said!'\nAnd from that time Vasuki set about carefully bringing up that maiden,\nviz., his sister Jaratkaru. And he took great delight in rearing her.\n\n\"And much time did not elapse from this, when the gods and the Asuras,\nassembling together, churned the abode of Varuna. And Vasuki, the\nforemost of all gifted with strength, became the churning-cord. And\ndirectly the work was over, the king of the snakes presented himself\nbefore the Grandsire. And the gods, accompanied by Vasuki, addressed the\nGrandsire, saying, 'O lord, Vasuki is suffering great affliction from\nfear of (his mother's curse). It behoveth thee to root out the sorrow,\nbegotten of the curse of his mother, that hath pierced the heart of\nVasuki desirous of the weal of his race. The king of the snakes is ever\nour friend and benefactor. O Lord of the gods, be gracious unto him and\nassuage his mind's fever.'\n\n\"Brahman replied, 'O ye immortals, I have thought, in my mind, of what ye\nhave said. Let the king of the snakes do that which hath been\ncommunicated to him before by Elapatra. The time hath arrived. Those only\nshall be destroyed that are wicked, not those that are virtuous.\nJaratkaru hath been born, and that Brahmana is engaged in hard ascetic\npenances. Let Vasuki, at the proper time, bestow on him his sister. Ye\ngods, what hath been spoken by the snake Elapatra for the weal of the\nsnakes is true and not otherwise.'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'Then the king of the snakes, Vasuki, afflicted with\nthe curse of his mother, hearing these words of the Grandsire, and\nintending to bestow his sister of the Rishi Jaratkaru, commanded all the\nserpents, a large numbers of whom were ever attentive to their duties, to\nwatch the Rishi Jaratkaru, saying, 'When the lord Jaratkaru will ask for\na wife, come immediately and inform me of it. The weal of our race\ndepends upon it.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XL\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Saunaka said, 'O son of Suta, I desire to know the reason why the\nillustrious Rishi whom thou hast named Jaratkaru came to be so called on\nearth. It behoveth thee to tell us the etymology of the name Jaratkaru.'\n\n\"Sauti said, 'Jara is said to mean waste, and Karu implies huge. This\nRishi's body had been huge, and he gradually reduced it by severe ascetic\npenances. For the same reason, O Brahmanas, the sister of Vasuki was\ncalled Jaratkaru.'\n\nThe virtuous Saunaka, when he heard this, smiled and addressing\nUgrasravas said, 'It is even so.'\n\nSaunaka then said, 'I have heard all that thou hast before recited. I\ndesire to know how Astika was born.'\n\nSauti, on hearing these words, began to relate according to what was\nwritten in the Sastras.\n\n\"Sauti said, 'Vasuki, desirous of bestowing his sister upon the Rishi\nJaratkaru, gave the snakes (necessary) orders. But days went on, yet that\nwise Muni of rigid vows, deeply engaged in ascetic devotions, did not\nseek for a wife. That high-souled Rishi, engaged in studies and deeply\ndevoted to asceticism, his vital seed under full control, fearlessly\nwandered over the whole earth and had no wish for a wife.\n\n\"Afterwards, once upon a time, there was a king, O Brahmana, of the name\nof Parikshit, born in the race of the Kauravas. And, like his\ngreat-grandfather Pandu of old, he was of mighty arms, the first of all\nbearers of bows in battle, and fond of hunting. And the monarch wandered\nabout, hunting deer, and wild boars, and wolves, and buffaloes and\nvarious other kinds of wild animals. One day, having pierced a deer with\na sharp arrow and slung his bow on his back, he penetrated into the deep\nforest, searching for the animal here and there, like the illustrious\nRudra himself of old pursuing in the heavens, bow in hand, the deer which\nwas Sacrifice, itself turned into that shape, after the piercing. No deer\nthat was pierced by Parikshit had ever escaped in the wood with life.\nThis deer, however wounded as before, fled with speed, as the (proximate)\ncause of the king's attainment to heaven. And the deer that\nParikshit--that king of men--had pierced was lost to his gaze and drew\nthe monarch far away into the forest. And fatigued and thirsty, he came\nacross a Muni, in the forest, seated in a cow-pen and drinking to his\nfill the froth oozing out of the mouths of calves sucking the milk of\ntheir dams. And approaching him hastily, the monarch, hungry and\nfatigued, and raising his bow, asked that Muni of rigid vows, saying, 'O\nBrahmana, I am king Parikshit, the son of Abhimanyu. A deer pierced by me\nhath been lost. Hast thou seen it?' But that Muni observing then the vow\nof silence, spoke not unto him a word. And the king in anger thereupon\nplaced upon his shoulder a dead snake, taking it up with the end of his\nbow. The Muni suffered him to do it without protest. And he spoke not a\nword, good or bad. And the king seeing him in that state, cast off his\nanger and became sorry. And he returned to his capital but the Rishi\ncontinued in the same state. The forgiving Muni, knowing that the monarch\nwho was a tiger amongst kings was true to the duties of his order, cursed\nhim not, though insulted. That tiger amongst monarchs, that foremost one\nof Bharata's race, also did not know that the person whom he had so\ninsulted was a virtuous Rishi. It was for this that he had so insulted\nhim.\n\n\"That Rishi had a son by name Sringin, of tender years, gifted with great\nenergy, deep in ascetic penances, severe in his vows, very wrathful, and\ndifficult to be appeased. At times, he worshipped with great attention\nand respect his preceptor seated with ease on his seat and ever engaged\nin the good of creatures.\n\n\"And commanded by his preceptor, he was coming home when, O best of\nBrahmanas, a companion of his, a Rishi's son named Krisa in a playful\nmood laughingly spoke unto him. And Sringin, wrathful and like unto\npoison itself, hearing these words in reference to his father, blazed up\nin rage.'\n\n\"And Krisa said, 'Be not proud, O Sringin, for ascetic as thou art and\npossessed of energy, thy father bears on his shoulders a dead snake.\nHenceforth speak not a word to sons of Rishis like ourselves who have\nknowledge of the truth, are deep in ascetic penances, and have attained\nsuccess. Where is that manliness of thine, those high words of thine\nbegotten of pride, when thou must have to behold thy father bearing a\ndead snake? O best of all the Munis, thy father too had done nothing to\ndeserve this treatment, and it is for this that I am particularly sorry\nas if the punishment were mine.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XLI\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Sauti said, 'Being thus addressed, and hearing that his sire was bearing\na dead snake, the powerful Sringin burned with wrath. And looking at\nKrisa, and speaking softly, he asked him, 'Pray, why doth my father bear\ntoday a dead snake?' And Krisa replied, 'Even as king Parikshit was\nroving, for purpose of hunting, O dear one, he placed the dead snake on\nthe shoulder of thy sire.'\n\n\"And Sringin asked, 'What wrong was done to that wicked monarch by my\nfather? O Krisa, tell me this, and witness the power of my asceticism.'\n\n\"And Krisa answered, 'King Parikshit, the son of Abhimanyu, while\nhunting, had wounded a fleet stag with an arrow and chased it alone. And\nthe king lost sight of the animal in that extensive wilderness. Seeing\nthen thy sire, he immediately accosted him. Thy sire was then observing\nthe vow of silence. Oppressed by hunger, thirst and labour, the prince\nagain and again asked thy sire sitting motionless, about the missing\ndeer. The sage, being under the vow of silence, returned no reply. The\nking thereupon placed the snake on thy sire's shoulder with the end of\nhis bow. O Sringin, thy sire engaged in devotion is in the same posture\nstill. And the king also hath gone to his capital which is named after\nthe elephant!'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'Having heard of a dead snake placed upon his\n(father's) shoulders, the son of the Rishi, his eyes reddened with anger,\nblazed up with rage. And possessed by anger, the puissant Rishi then\ncursed the king, touching water and overcome with wrath.'\n\n\"And Sringin said, 'That sinful wretch of a monarch who hath placed a\ndead snake on the shoulders of my lean and old parent, that insulter of\nBrahmanas and tarnisher of the fame of the Kurus, shall be taken within\nseven nights hence to the regions of Yama (Death) by the snake Takshaka,\nthe powerful king of serpents, stimulated thereto by the strength of my\nwords!'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'And having thus cursed (the king) from anger, Sringin\nwent to his father, and saw the sage sitting in the cow-pen, bearing the\ndead snake. And seeing his parent in that plight, he was again inflamed\nwith ire. And he shed tears of grief, and addressed his sire, saying,\n'Father, having been informed of this thy disgrace at the hands of that\nwicked wretch, king Parikshit, I have from anger even cursed him; and\nthat worst of Kurus hath richly deserved my potent curse. Seven days\nhence, Takshaka, the lord of snakes, shall take the sinful king to the\nhorrible abode of Death.' And the father said to the enraged son, 'Child,\nI am not pleased with thee. Ascetics should not act thus. We live in the\ndomains of that great king. We are protected by him righteously. In all\nhe does, the reigning king should by the like of us forgiven. If thou\ndestroy Dharma, verily Dharma will destroy thee. If the king do not\nproperly protect us, we fare very ill; we cannot perform our religious\nrites according to our desire. But protected by righteous sovereigns, we\nattain immense merit, and they are entitled to a share thereof.\nTherefore, reigning royalty is by all means to be forgiven. And Parikshit\nlike unto his great-grandsire, protecteth us as a king should protect his\nsubjects. That penance-practising monarch was fatigued and oppressed with\nhunger. Ignorant of my vow (of silence) he did this. A kingless country\nalways suffereth from evils. The king punisheth offenders, and fear of\npunishments conducteth to peace; and people do their duties and perform\ntheir rites undisturbed. The king establisheth religion--establisheth the\nkingdom of heaven. The king protecteth sacrifices from disturbance, and\nsacrifices to please the gods. The gods cause rain, and rain produceth\ngrains and herbs, which are always useful to man. Manu sayeth, a ruler of\nthe destinies of men is equal (in dignity) to ten Veda-studying priests.\nFatigued and oppressed with hunger, that penance-practising prince hath\ndone this through ignorance of my vow. Why then hast thou rashly done\nthis unrighteous action through childishness? O son, in no way doth the\nking deserve a curse from us.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XLII\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Sauti said, 'And Sringin then replied to his father, saying, 'Whether\nthis be an act of rashness, O father, or an improper act that I have\ndone, whether thou likest it or dislikest it, the words spoken by me\nshall never be in vain. O father, I tell thee (a curse) can never be\notherwise. I have never spoken a lie even in jest.'\n\n\"And Samika said, 'Dear child, I know that thou art of great prowess, and\ntruthful in speech. Thou hast never spoken falsehood before, so that thy\ncurse shall never be falsified. The son, even when he attaineth to age,\nshould yet be always counselled by the father, so that crowned with good\nqualities he may acquire great renown. A child as thou art, how much more\ndost thou stand in need of counsel? Thou art ever engaged in ascetic\npenances. The wrath of even the illustrious ones possessing the six\nattributes increaseth greatly. O thou foremost of ordinance-observing\npersons, seeing that thou art my son and a minor too, and beholding also\nthy rashness, I see that I must counsel thee. Live thou, O son, inclined\nto peace and eating fruits and roots of the forest. Kill this thy anger\nand destroy not the fruit of thy ascetic acts in this way. Wrath surely\ndecreaseth the virtue that ascetics acquire with great pains. And then\nfor those deprived of virtue, the blessed state existeth not.\nPeacefulness ever giveth success to forgiving ascetics. Therefore,\nbecoming forgiving in thy temper and conquering thy passions, shouldst\nthou always live. By forgiveness shalt thou obtain worlds that are beyond\nthe reach of Brahman himself. Having adopted peacefulness myself, and\nwith a desire also for doing good as much as lies in my power, I must do\nsomething; even must I send to that king, telling him, 'O monarch, thou\nhast been cursed by my son of tender years and undeveloped intellect, in\nwrath, at seeing thy act of disrespect towards myself.'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'And that great ascetic, observer of vows, moved by\nkindness, sent with proper instructions a disciple of his to king\nParikshit. And he sent his disciple Gaurmukha of good manners and engaged\nalso in ascetic penances, instructing him to first enquire about the\nwelfare of the king and then to communicate the real message. And that\ndisciple soon approached that monarch, the head of the Kuru race. And he\nentered the king's palace having first sent notice of his arrival through\nthe servant in attendance at the gate.\n\n\"And the twice-born Gaurmukha was duly worshipped by the monarch. And\nafter resting for a while, he detailed fully to the king, in the presence\nof his ministers, the words of Samika, of cruel import, exactly as he had\nbeen instructed.'\n\n\"And Gaurmukha said, 'O king of kings, there is a Rishi, Samika, by name,\nof virtuous soul, his passions under control, peaceful, and given up to\nhard ascetic devotions, living in thy dominions! By thee, O tiger among\nmen, was placed on the shoulders of that Rishi observing at present the\nvow of silence, a dead snake, with the end of thy bow! He himself forgave\nthee that act. But his son could not. And by the latter hast thou today\nbeen cursed, O king of kings, without the knowledge of his father, to the\neffect that within seven nights hence, shall (the snake) Takshaka cause\nthy death. And Samika repeatedly asked his son to save thee, but there is\nnone to falsify his son's curse. And because he hath been unable to\npacify his son possessed by anger, therefore have I been sent to thee, O\nking, for thy good!'\n\n\"And that king of the Kuru race, himself engaged in ascetic practices,\nhaving heard these cruel words and recollecting his own sinful act,\nbecame exceedingly sorry. And the king, learning that foremost of Rishis\nin the forest had been observing the vow of silence, was doubly afflicted\nwith sorrow and seeing the kindness of the Rishi Samika, and considering\nhis own sinful act towards him, the king became very repentant. And the\nking looking like a very god, did not grieve so much for hearing of his\ndeath as for having done that act to the Rishi.'\n\n\"And then the king sent away Gaurmukha, saying, 'Let the worshipful one\n(Samika) be gracious to me!' And when Gaurmukha had gone away, the king,\nin great anxiety, without loss of time, consulted his ministers. And\nhaving consulted them, the king, himself wise in counsels, caused a\nmansion to be erected upon one solitary column. It was well-guarded day\nand night. And for its protection were placed there physicians and\nmedicines, and Brahmanas skilled in mantras all around. And the monarch,\nprotected on all sides, discharged his kingly duties from that place\nsurrounded by his virtuous ministers. And no one could approach that best\nof kings there. The air even could not go there, being prevented from\nentering.\n\n\"And when the seventh day had arrived, that best of Brahmanas, the\nlearned Kasyapa was coming (towards the king's residence), desirous of\ntreating the king (after the snake-bite). He had heard all that had taken\nplace, viz., that Takshaka, that first of snakes, would send that best of\nmonarchs to the presence of Yama (Death). And he thought, I would cure\nthe monarch after he is bit by that first of snakes. By that I may have\nwealth and may acquire virtue also.' But that prince of snakes, Takshaka,\nin the form of an old Brahmana, saw Kasyapa approaching on his way, his\nheart set upon curing the king. And the prince of snakes then spake unto\nthat bull among Munis, Kasyapa, saying, 'Whither dost thou go with such\nspeed? What, besides, is the business upon which thou art intent?'\n\n\"And Kasyapa, thus addressed, replied, 'Takshaka, by his poison, will\ntoday burn king Parikshit of the Kuru race, that oppressor of all\nenemies. I go with speed, O amiable one, to cure, without loss of time,\nthe king of immeasurable prowess, the sole representative of the Pandava\nrace, after he is bit by the same Takshaka like to Agni himself in\nenergy.' And Takshaka answered, 'I am that Takshaka, O Brahmana, who\nshall burn that lord of the earth. Stop, for thou art unable to cure one\nbit by me.' And Kasyapa rejoined, 'I am sure that, possessed (that I am)\nof the power of learning, going thither I shall cure that monarch bit by\nthee.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XLIII\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Sauti said, 'And Takshaka, after this, answered, 'If, indeed, thou art\nable to cure any creature bitten by me, then, O Kasyapa, revive thou this\ntree bit by me. O best of Brahmanas, I burn this banian in thy sight. Try\nthy best and show me that skill in mantras of which thou hast spoken.'\n\n\"And Kasyapa said, If thou art so minded, bite thou then, O king of\nsnakes, this tree. O snake, I shall revive it, though bit by thee.\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'That king of snakes, thus addressed by the illustrious\nKasyapa, bit then that banian tree. And that tree, bit by the illustrious\nsnake, and penetrated by the poison of the serpent, blazed up all around.\nAnd having burnt the banian so, the snake then spake again unto Kasyapa,\nsaying, 'O first of Brahmanas, try thy best and revive this lord of the\nforest.'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'The tree was reduced to ashes by the poison of that\nking of snakes. But taking up those ashes, Kasyapa spoke these words. 'O\nking of snakes, behold the power of my knowledge as applied to this lord\nof the forest! O snake, under thy very nose I shall revive it.' And then\nthat best of Brahmanas, the illustrious and learned Kasyapa, revived, by\nhis vidya, that tree which had been reduced to a heap of ashes. And first\nhe created the sprout, then he furnished it with two leaves, and then he\nmade the stem, and then the branches, and then the full-grown tree with\nleaves and all. And Takshaka, seeing the tree revived by the illustrious\nKasyapa, said unto him, 'It is not wonderful in thee that thou shouldst\ndestroy my poison or that of any one else like myself. O thou whose\nwealth is asceticism, desirous of what wealth, goest thou thither? The\nreward thou hopest to have from that best of monarchs, even I will give\nthee, however difficult it may be to obtain it. Decked with fame as thou\nart, thy success may be doubtful on that king affected by a Brahmana's\ncurse and whose span of life itself hath been shortened. In that case,\nthis blazing fame of thine that hath overspread the three worlds will\ndisappear like the Sun when deprived of his splendour (on the occasion of\nthe eclipse).'\n\n\"Kasyapa said, 'I go there for wealth, give it unto me, O snake, so that\ntaking thy gold. I may return.' Takshaka replied, 'O best of regenerate\nones, even I will give thee more than what thou expectest from that king.\nTherefore do not go.'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'That best of Brahmanas, Kasyapa, of great prowess and\nintelligence, hearing those words of Takshaka, sat in yoga meditation\nover the king. And that foremost of Munis, viz., Kasyapa, of great\nprowess and gifted with spiritual knowledge, ascertaining that the period\nof life of that king of the Pandava race had really run out, returned,\nreceiving from Takshaka as much wealth as he desired.\n\n\"And upon the illustrious Kasyapa's retracing his steps, Takshaka at the\nproper time speedily entered the city of Hastinapura. And on his way he\nheard that the king was living very cautiously, protected by means of\npoison-neutralising mantras and medicines.'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'The snake thereupon reflected thus, 'The monarch must\nbe deceived by me with power of illusion. But what must be the means?'\nThen Takshaka sent to the king some snakes in the guise of ascetics\ntaking with them fruits, kusa grass, and water (as presents). And\nTakshaka, addressing them, said, 'Go ye all to the king, on the pretext\nof pressing business, without any sign of impatience, as if to make the\nmonarch only accept the fruits and flowers and water (that ye shall carry\nas presents unto him).'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'Those snakes, thus commanded by Takshaka, acted\naccordingly. And they took to the king, Kusa grass and water, and fruits.\nAnd that foremost of kings, of great prowess, accepted those offerings.\nAnd after their business was finished, he said upto them, 'Retire.' Then\nafter those snakes disguised as ascetics had gone away, the king\naddressed his ministers and friends, saying, 'Eat ye, with me, all these\nfruits of excellent taste brought by the ascetics.' Impelled by Fate and\nthe words of the Rishi, the king, with his ministers, felt the desire of\neating those fruits. The particular fruit, within which Takshaka had\nentered, was taken by the king himself for eating. And when he was eating\nit, there appeared, O Saunaka, an ugly insect out of it, of shape\nscarcely discernible, of eyes black, and of coppery colour. And that\nforemost of kings, taking that insect, addressed his councillors, saying,\n'The sun is setting; today I have no more tear from poison. Therefore,\nlet this insect become Takshaka and bite me, so that my sinful act may be\nexpiated and the words of the ascetic rendered true.' And those\ncouncillors also, impelled by Fate, approved of that speech. And then the\nmonarch smiled, losing his senses, his hour having come. And he quickly\nplaced that insect on his neck. And as the king was smiling, Takshaka,\nwho had (in the form of that insect) come out of the fruit that had been\noffered to the king, coiled himself round the neck of the monarch. And\nquickly coiling round the king's neck and uttering a tremendous roar,\nTakshaka, that lord of snakes, bit that protector of the earth.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XLIV\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Sauti said, 'Then the councillors beholding the king in the coils of\nTakshaka, became pale with fear and wept in exceeding grief. And hearing\nthe roar of Takshaka, the ministers all fled. And as they were flying\naway in great grief, they saw Takshaka, the king of snakes, that\nwonderful serpent, coursing through the blue sky like a streak of the hue\nof the lotus, and looking very much like the vermilion-coloured line on a\nwoman's crown dividing the dark masses of her hair in the middle.\n\n\"And the mansion in which the king was living blazed up with Takshaka's\npoison. And the king's councillors, on beholding it, fled away in all\ndirections. And the king himself fell down, as if struck by lightning.\n\n\"And when the king was laid low by Takshaka's poison, his councillors\nwith the royal priest--a holy Brahmana--performed all his last rites. All\nthe citizens, assembling together, made the minor son of the deceased\nmonarch their king. And the people called their new king, that slayer of\nall enemies, that hero of the Kuru race, by the name of Janamejaya. And\nthat best of monarchs, Janamejaya, though a child, was wise in mind. And\nwith his councillors and priest, the eldest son Parikshita, that bull\namongst the Kurus, ruled the kingdom like his heroic great-grand-father\n(Yudhishthira). And the ministers of the youthful monarch, beholding that\nhe could now keep his enemies in check, went to Suvarnavarman, the king\nof Kasi, and asked him his daughter Vapushtama for a bride. And the king\nof Kasi, after due inquiries, bestowed with ordained rites, his daughter\nVapushtama on that mighty hero of Kuru race. And the latter, receiving\nhis bride, became exceedingly glad. And he gave not his heart at any time\nto any other woman. And gifted with great energy, he wandered in pursuit\nof pleasure, with a cheerful heart, on expanses of water and amid woods\nand flowery fields. And that first of monarchs passed his time in\npleasure as Pururavas of old did, on receiving the celestial damsel\nUrvasi. Herself fairest of the fair, the damsel Vapushtama too, devoted\nto her lord and celebrated for her beauty having gained a desirable\nhusband, pleased him by the excess of her affection during the period he\nspent in the pursuit of pleasure.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XLV\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Meanwhile the great ascetic Jaratkaru wandered over the whole earth\nmaking the place where evening fell his home for the night. And gifted\nwith ascetic power, he roamed, practising various vows difficult to be\npractised by the immature, and bathing also in various sacred waters. And\nthe Muni had air alone for his food and was free from desire of worldly\nenjoyment. And he became daily emaciated and grew lean-fleshed. And one\nday he saw the spirits of his ancestors, heads down, in a hole, by a cord\nof virana roots having only one thread entire. And that even single\nthread was being gradually eaten away by a large rat dwelling in that\nhole. And the Pitris in that hole were without food, emaciated, pitiable,\nand eagerly desirous of salvation. And Jaratkaru, approaching the\npitiable one, himself in humble guise, asked them, 'Who are ye hanging by\nthis cord of virana roots? The single weak root that is still left in\nthis cord of virana roots already eaten away by the rat, dwelling in this\nhole, is itself being gradually eaten away by the same rat with his sharp\nteeth. The little that remains of that single thread will soon be cut\naway. It is clear ye shall then have to fall down into this pit with\nfaces downwards. Seeing you with faces downwards, and overtaken by this\ngreat calamity, my pity hath been excited. What good can I do to you.\nTell me quickly whether this calamity can be averted by a fourth, a\nthird, or even by the sacrifice of a half of this my asceticism, O,\nrelieve yourselves even with the whole of my asceticism. I consent to all\nthis. Do ye as ye please.'\n\n\"The Pitris said, 'Venerable Brahmacharin, thou desirest to relieve us.\nBut, O foremost of Brahmanas, thou canst not dispel our affliction by thy\nasceticism. O child, O first of speakers, we too have the fruits of our\nasceticism. But, O Brahmana, it is for the loss of children that we are\nfalling down into this unholy hell. The grandsire himself hath said that\na son is a great merit. As we are about to be cast in this hole, our\nideas are no longer clear. Therefore, O child, we know thee not, although\nthy manhood is well-known on earth. Venerable thou art and of good\nfortune, thou who thus from kindness grievest for us worthy of pity and\ngreatly afflicted. O Brahmana, listen, who we are. We are Rishis of the\nYayavara sect, of rigid vows. And, O Muni, from loss of children, we have\nfallen down from a sacred region. Our severe penances have not been\ndestroyed; we have a thread yet. But we have only one thread now. It\nmatters little, however, whether he is or is not. Unfortunate as we are,\nwe have a thread in one, known as Jaratkaru. The unfortunate one has gone\nthrough the Vedas and their branches and is practising asceticism alone.\nHe being one with soul under complete control, desires set high,\nobservant of vows, deeply engaged in ascetic penances, and free from\ngreed for the merits or asceticism, we have been reduced to this\ndeplorable state. He hath no wife, no son, no relatives. Therefore, do we\nhang in this hole, our consciousness lost, like men having none to take\ncare of them. If thou meetest him, O, tell him, from thy kindness to\nourselves, Thy Pitris, in sorrow, are hanging with faces downwards in a\nhole. Holy one, take a wife and beget children. O thou of ascetic wealth,\nthou art, O amiable one, the only thread that remaineth in the line of\nthy ancestors. O Brahmana, the cord of virana roots that thou seest we\nare hanging by, is the cord representing our multiplied race. And, O\nBrahmana, these threads of the cord of virana roots that thou seest as\neaten away, are ourselves who have been eaten up by Time. This root thou\nseest hath been half-eaten and by which we are hanging in this hole is he\nthat hath adopted asceticism alone. The rat that thou beholdest is Time\nof infinite strength. And he (Time) is gradually weakening the wretch\nJaratkaru engaged in ascetic penances tempted by the merits thereof, but\nwanting in prudence and heart. O excellent one, his asceticism cannot\nsave us. Behold, our roots being torn, cast down from higher regions,\ndeprived of consciousness by Time, we are going downwards like sinful\nwretches. And upon our going down into this hole with all our relatives,\neaten up by Time, even he shall sink with us into hell. O child, whether\nit is asceticism, or sacrifice, or whatever else there be of very holy\nacts, everything is inferior. These cannot count with a son. O child,\nhaving seen all, speak unto that Jaratkaru of ascetic wealth. Thou\nshouldst tell him in detail everything that thou hast beheld. And, O\nBrahmana, from thy kindness towards us, thou shouldst tell him all that\nwould induce him to take a wife and beget children. Amongst his friends,\nor of our own race, who art thou, O excellent one, that thus grievest for\nus all like a friend? We wish to hear who thou art that stayest here.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XLVI\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Sauti said. 'Jaratkaru, hearing all this, became excessively dejected.\nAnd from sorrow he spoke unto those Pitris in words obstructed by tears.'\nAnd Jaratkaru said, 'Ye are even my fathers and grand-fathers gone\nbefore. Therefore, tell me what I must do for your welfare. I am that\nsinful son of yours, Jaratkaru! Punish me for my sinful deeds, a wretch\nthat I am.'\n\n\"The Pitris replied, saying, 'O son, by good luck hast thou arrived at\nthis spot in course of thy rambles. O Brahmana, why hast thou not taken a\nwife?'\n\n\"Jaratkaru said. 'Ye Pitris, this desire hath always existed in my heart\nthat I would, with vital seed drawn up, carry this body to the other\nworld. My mind hath been possessed with the idea that I would not take a\nwife. But ye grandsires, having seen you hanging like birds, I have\ndiverted my mind from the Brahmacharya mode of life. I will truly do what\nyou like. I will certainly marry, if ever I meet with a maiden of my own\nname. I shall accept her who, bestowing herself of her own accord, will\nbe as aims unto me, and whom I shall not have to maintain. I shall marry\nif I get such a one; otherwise, I shall not. This is the truth, ye\ngrandsires! And the offspring that will be begot upon her shall be your\nsalvation. And ye Pitris of mine, ye shall live for ever in blessedness\nand without fear.'\n\n'Sauti continued, 'The Muni, having said so unto the Pitris, wandered\nover the earth again. And, O Saunaka, being old, he obtained no wife. And\nhe grieved much that he was not successful. But directed (as before) by\nhis ancestors, he continued the search. And going into the forest, he\nwept loudly in great grief. And having gone into the forest, the wise\none, moved by the desire of doing good to his ancestors, said, 'I will\nask for a bride,' distinctly repeating these words thrice. And he said,\n'Whatever creatures are here, mobile and immobile, so whoever there be\nthat are invisible, O, hear my words! My ancestors, afflicted with grief,\nhave directed me that am engaged in the most severe penances, saying,\n'Marry thou for (the acquisition of) a son.' 'O ye, being directed by my\nancestors, I am roaming in poverty and sorrow, over the wide world for\nwedding a maiden that I may obtain as alms. Let that creature, amongst\nthose I have addressed, who hath a daughter, bestow on me that am roaming\nfar and near. Such a bride as is of same name with me, to be bestowed on\nme as alms, and whom, besides, I shall not maintain, O bestow on me!'\nThen those snakes that had been set upon Jaratkaru track, ascertaining\nhis inclination, gave information to Vasuki. And the king of the snakes,\nhearing their words, took with him that maiden decked with ornaments, and\nwent into the forest unto that Rishi. And, O Brahmana, Vasuki, the king\nof the snakes, having gone there, offered that maiden as alms unto that\nhigh-souled Rishi. But the Rishi did not at once accept her. And the\nRishi, thinking her not to be of the same name with himself, and seeing\nthat the question of her maintenance also was unsettled, reflected for a\nfew moments, hesitating to accept her. And then, O son of Bhrigu, he\nasked Vasuki the maiden's name, and also said unto him, 'I shall not\nmaintain her.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XLVII\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Sauti said, 'Then Vasuki spake unto the Rishi Jaratkaru these words, 'O\nbest of Brahmanas, this maiden is of the same name with thee. She is my\nsister and hath ascetic merit. I will maintain thy wife; accept her. O\nthou of ascetic wealth, I shall protect her with all my ability. And, O\nforemost of the great Munis, she hath been reared by me for thee.' And\nthe Rishi replied, 'This is agreed between us that I shall not maintain\nher; and she shall not do aught that I do not like. If she do, I leave\nher!'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'When the snake had promised, saying, 'I shall maintain\nmy sister,' Jaratkaru then went to the snake's house. Then that first of\nmantra-knowing Brahmanas, observing rigid vows, that virtuous and veteran\nascetic, took her hand presented to him according to shastric rites. And\ntaking his bride with him, adored by the great Rishi, he entered the\ndelightful chamber set apart for him by the king of the snakes. And in\nthat chamber was a bed-stead covered with very valuable coverlets. And\nJaratkaru lived there with his wife. And the excellent Rishi made an\nagreement with his wife, saying, 'Nothing must ever be done or said by\nthee that is against my liking. And in case of thy doing any such thing,\nI will leave thee and no longer continue to stay in thy house. Bear in\nmind these words that have been spoken by me.'\n\n\"And then the sister of the king of the snakes in great anxiety and\ngrieving exceedingly, spoke unto him, saying, 'Be it so.' And moved by\nthe desire of doing good to her relatives, that damsel, of unsullied\nreputation, began to attend upon her lord with the wakefulness of a dog,\nthe timidity of a deer, and knowledge of signs possessed by the crow. And\none day, after the menstrual period, the sister of Vasuki, having\npurified herself by a bath according to custom, approached her lord the\ngreat Muni; And thereupon she conceived. And the embryo was like unto a\nflame of fire, possessed of great energy, and resplendent as fire itself.\nAnd it grew like the moon in the bright fortnight.\n\n\"And one day, within a short time, Jaratkaru of great fame, placing his\nhead on the lap of his wife, slept, looking like one fatigued. And as he\nwas sleeping, the sun entered his chambers in the Western mountain and\nwas about to set. And, O Brahmana, as the day was fading, she, the\nexcellent sister of Vasuki, became thoughtful, fearing the loss of her\nhusband's virtue. And she thought, 'What should I now do? Shall I wake my\nhusband or not? He is exacting and punctilious in his religious duties.\nHow can I act as not to offend him? The alternatives are his anger and\nthe loss of virtue of a virtuous man. The loss of virtue, I ween, is the\ngreater of the two evils. Again, if I wake him, he will be angry. But if\ntwilight passeth away without his prayers being said, he shall certainly\nsustain loss of virtue.'\n\n'And having resolved at last, the sweet-speeched Jaratkaru, the sister of\nVasuki, spake softly unto that Rishi resplendent with ascetic penances,\nand lying prostrate like a flame of fire, 'O thou of great good fortune,\nawake, the sun is setting. O thou of rigid vows, O illustrious one, do\nyour evening prayer after purifying yourself with water and uttering the\nname of Vishnu. The time for the evening sacrifice hath come. Twilight, O\nlord, is even now gently covering the western side.'\n\n\"The illustrious Jaratkaru of great ascetic merit, thus addressed, spake\nunto his wife these words, his upper lip quivering in anger, 'O amiable\none of the Naga race, thou hast insulted me. I shall no longer abide with\nthee, but shall go where I came from. O thou of beautiful thighs, I\nbelieve in my heart that the sun hath no power to set in the usual time,\nif I am asleep. An insulted person should never live where he hath met\nwith the insult, far less should I, a virtuous person, or those that are\nlike me.' Jaratkaru, the sister of Vasuki, thus addressed by her lord,\nbegan to quake with terror, and she spake unto him, saying, 'O Brahmana,\nI have not waked thee from desire of insult; but I have done it so that\nthy virtue may not sustain any loss.'\n\n\"The Rishi Jaratkaru, great in ascetic merit, possessed with anger and\ndesirous of forsaking his spouse, thus addressed, spake unto his wife,\nsaying, O thou fair one, never have I spoken a falsehood. Therefore, go I\nshall. This was also settled between ourselves. O amiable one, I have\npassed the time happily with thee. And, O fair one, tell thy brother,\nwhen I am gone, that I have left thee. And upon my going away, it\nbehoveth thee not to grieve for me.'\n\n\"Thus addressed Jaratkaru, the fair sister of Vasuki, of faultless\nfeatures, filled with anxiety and sorrow, having mustered sufficient\ncourage and patience, though her heart was still quaking, then spake unto\nRishi Jaratkaru. Her words were obstructed with tears and her face was\npale with fear. And the palms of her hands were joined together, and her\neyes were bathed in tears. And she said, 'It behoveth thee not to leave\nme without a fault. Thou treadest over the path of virtue. I too have\nbeen in the same path, with heart fixed on the good of my relatives. O\nbest of Brahmanas, the object for which I was bestowed on thee hath not\nbeen accomplished yet. Unfortunate that I am, what shall Vasuki say unto\nme? O excellent one, the offspring desired of by my relatives afflicted\nby a mother's curse, do not yet appear! The welfare of my relatives\ndependeth on the acquisition of offspring from thee. And in order that my\nconnection with thee may not be fruitless, O illustrious Brahmana, moved\nby the desire of doing good to my race do I entreat thee. O excellent\none, high-souled thou art; so why shall thou leave me who am faultless?\nThis is what is not just clear to me.'\n\n\"Thus addressed, the Muni of great ascetic merit spake unto his wife\nJaratkaru these words that were proper and suitable to the occasion. And\nhe said, 'O fortunate one, the being thou hast conceived, even like unto\nAgni himself is a Rishi of soul highly virtuous, and a master of the\nVedas and their branches.'\n\n\"Having said so, the great Rishi, Jaratkaru of virtuous soul, went away,\nhis heart firmly fixed on practising again the severest penances.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XLVIII\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Sauti said, 'O thou of ascetic wealth, soon after her lord had left her,\nJaratkaru went to her brother. And she told him everything that had\nhappened. And the prince of snakes, hearing the calamitous news, spake\nunto his miserable sister, himself more miserable still.'\n\n\"And he said, 'Thou knowest, 'O amiable one, the purpose of thy bestowal,\nthe reason thereof. If, from that union, for the welfare of the snakes, a\nson be born, then he, possessed of energy, will save us all from the\nsnake-sacrifice. The Grandsire had said so, of old, in the midst of the\ngods. O fortunate one, hast thou conceived from thy union with that best\nof Rishis? My heart's desire is that my bestowal of thee on that wise one\nmay not be fruitless. Truly, it is not proper for me to ask thee about\nthis. But from the gravity of the interests I ask thee this. Knowing also\nthe obstinacy of thy lord, ever engaged in severe penances, I shall not\nfollow him, for he may curse me. Tell me in detail all that thy lord, O\namiable one, hath done, and extract that terribly afflicting dart that\nlies implanted for a long time past in my heart.'\n\n\"Jaratkaru, thus addressed, consoling Vasuki, the king of the snakes, at\nlength replied, saying, 'Asked by me about offspring, the high-souled and\nmighty ascetic said, 'There is,'--and then he went away. I do not\nremember him to have ever before speak even in jest aught that is false.\nWhy should he, O king, speak a falsehood on such a serious occasion? He\nsaid, 'Thou shouldst not grieve, O daughter of the snake race, about the\nintended result of our union. A son shall be born to thee, resplendent as\nthe blazing sun.' O brother, having said this to me, my husband of\nascetic wealth went away--Therefore, let the deep sorrow cherished in thy\nheart disappear.'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'Thus addressed, Vasuki, the king of the snakes,\naccepted those words of his sister, and in great joy said, 'Be it so!'\nAnd the chief of the snakes then adored his sister with his best regards,\ngift of wealth, and fitting eulogies. Then, O best of Brahmanas, the\nembryo endued with great splendour, began to develop, like the moon in\nthe heavens in the bright fortnight.\n\nAnd in due time, the sister of the snakes, O Brahmana, gave birth to a\nson of the splendour of a celestial child, who became the reliever of the\nfears of his ancestors and maternal relatives. The child grew up there in\nthe house of the king of the snakes. He studied the Vedas and their\nbranches with the ascetic Chyavana, the son of Bhrigu. And though but a\nboy, his vows were rigid. And he was gifted with great intelligence, and\nwith the several attributes of virtue, knowledge, freedom from the\nworld's indulgences, and saintliness. And the name by which he was known\nto the world was Astika. And he was known by the name of Astika (whoever\nis) because his father had gone to the woods, saying. 'There is', when he\nwas in the womb. Though but a boy, he had great gravity and intelligence.\nAnd he was reared with great care in the palace of the snakes. And he was\nlike the illustrious lord of the celestials, Mahadeva of the golden form,\nthe wielder of the trident. And he grew up day by day, the delight of all\nthe snakes.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XLIX\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Saunaka said, 'Tell me again, in detail,--all that king Janamejaya had\nasked his ministers about his father's ascension to heaven.'\n\n'Sauti said, 'O Brahmana, hear all that the king asked his ministers, and\nall that they said about the death of Parikshit.'\n\n\"Janamejaya asked, 'Know ye all that befell my father. How did that\nfamous king, in time, meet with his death? Hearing from you the incidents\nof my father's life in detail, I shall ordain something, if it be for the\nbenefit of the world. Otherwise, I shall do nothing.'\n\n'The minister replied, 'Hear, O monarch, what thou hast asked, viz., an\naccount of thy illustrious father's life, and how also that king of kings\nleft this world. Thy father was virtuous and high-souled, and always\nprotected his people. O, hear, how that high-souled one conducted himself\non earth. Like unto an impersonation of virtue and justice, the monarch,\ncognisant of virtue, virtuously protected the four orders, each engaged\nin the discharge of their specified duties. Of incomparable prowess, and\nblessed with fortune, he protected the goddess Earth. There was none who\nhated him and he himself hated none. Like unto Prajapati (Brahma) he was\nequally disposed towards all creatures. O monarch, Brahmanas and\nKshatriyas and Vaisyas and Sudras, all engaged contentedly in the\npractice of their respective duties, were impartially protected by that\nking. Widows and orphans, the maimed and the poor, he maintained. Of\nhandsome features, he was unto all creatures like a second Soma.\nCherishing his subjects and keeping them contented, blessed with good\nfortune, truth-telling, of immense prowess, he was the disciple of\nSaradwat in the science of arms. And, O Janamejaya, thy father was dear\nunto Govinda. Of great fame, he was loved by all men. And he was born in\nthe womb of Uttara when the Kuru race was almost extinct. And, therefore,\nthe mighty son of Abhimanyu came to be called Parikshit (born in an\nextinct line). Well-versed in the interpretation of treatises on the\nduties of kings, he was gifted with every virtue. With passions under\ncomplete control, intelligent, possessing a retentive memory, the\npractiser of all virtues, the conqueror of his six passions of powerful\nmind, surpassing all, and fully acquainted with the science of morality\nand political science, the father had ruled over these subjects for sixty\nyears. And he then died, mourned by all his subjects. And, after him, O\nfirst of men, thou hast acquired this hereditary kingdom of the Kurus for\nthe last thousand years. Thou wast installed while a child, and art thus\nprotecting every creature.'\n\n\"Janamejaya said, 'There hath not been born in our race a king who hath\nnot sought the good of his subjects or been loved by them. Behold\nespecially the conduct of my grandsires ever engaged in great\nachievements. How did my father, blessed with many virtues, meet with his\ndeath? Describe everything to me as it happened. I am desirous of hearing\nit from you!'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'Thus directed by the monarch, those councillors, ever\nsolicitous of the good of the king, told him everything exactly as it had\noccurred.'\n\n'And the councillors said, 'O king, that father of thine, that protector\nof the whole earth, that foremost of all persons obedient to the\nscriptures, became addicted to the sports of the field, even as Pandu of\nmighty arms, that foremost of all bearers of the bow in battle. He made\nover to us all the affairs of state from the most trivial to the most\nimportant. One day, going into the forest, he pierced a deer with an\narrow. And having pierced it he followed it quickly on foot into the deep\nwoods, armed with sword and quiver. He could not, however, come upon the\nlost deer. Sixty years of age and decrepit, he was soon fatigued and\nbecame hungry. He then saw in the deep woods a high-souled Rishi. The\nRishi was then observing the vow of silence. The king asked him about the\ndeer, but, though asked, he made no reply. At last the king, already\ntired with exertion and hunger, suddenly became angry with that Rishi\nsitting motionless like a piece of wood in observance of his vow of\nsilence. Indeed, the king knew not that he was a Muni observing the vow\nof silence. Swayed by anger, thy father insulted him. O excellent one of\nthe Bharata race, the king, thy father taking up from the ground with the\nend of his bow a dead snake placed it on the shoulders of that Muni of\npure soul. But the Muni spake not a word good or bad and was without\nanger. He continued in the same posture, bearing the dead snake.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION L\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n'Sauti continued, 'The ministers said, 'That king of kings then, spent\nwith hunger and exertion, and having placed the snake upon the shoulders\nof that Muni, came back to his capital. The Muni had a son, born of a\ncow, of the name of Sringin. He was widely known, possessed of great\nprowess and energy, and very wrathful. Going (every day) to his preceptor\nhe was in the habit of worshipping him. Commanded by him, Sringin was\nreturning home, when he heard from a friend of his about the insult of\nhis father by thy parent. And, O tiger among kings, he heard that his\nfather, without having committed any fault, was bearing, motionless like\na statue, upon his shoulders a dead snake placed thereon. O king, the\nRishi insulted by thy father was severe in ascetic penances, the foremost\nof Munis, the controller of passions, pure, and ever engaged in wonderful\nacts. His soul was enlightened with ascetic penances, and his organs and\ntheir functions were under complete control. His practices and his speech\nwere both very nice. He was contented and without avarice. He was without\nmeanness of any kind and without envy. He was old and used to observe the\nvow of silence. And he was the refuge whom all creatures might seek in\ndistress.\n\n\"Such was the Rishi insulted by thy father. The son, however, of that\nRishi, in wrath, cursed thy father. Though young in years, the powerful\none was old in ascetic splendour. Speedily touching water, he spake,\nburning as it were with spiritual energy and rage, these words in\nallusion to thy father, 'Behold the power of my asceticism! Directed by\nmy words, the snake Takshaka of powerful energy and virulent poison,\nshall, within seven nights hence, burn, with his poison the wretch that\nhath placed the dead snake upon my un-offending father.' And having said\nthis, he went to where his father was. And seeing his father he told him\nof his curse. The tiger among Rishis thereupon sent to thy father a\ndisciple of his, named Gaurmukha, of amiable manners and possessed of\nevery virtue. And having rested a while (after arrival at court) he told\nthe king everything, saying in the words of his master, 'Thou hast been\ncursed, O king, by my son. Takshaka shall burn thee with his poison!\nTherefore, O king, be careful.' O Janamejaya, hearing those terrible\nwords, thy father took every precaution against the powerful snake\nTakshaka.\n\n\"And when the seventh day had arrived, a Brahmana Rishi, named Kasyapa,\ndesired to come to the monarch. But the snake Takshaka saw Kasyapa. And\nthe prince of snakes spake unto Kasyapa without loss of time, saying,\n'Where dost thou go so quickly, and what is the business on which thou\ngoest?' Kasyapa replied, saying, 'O Brahmana, I am going whither king\nParikshit, that best of the Kurus, is. He shall today be burnt by the\npoison of the snake Takshaka. I go there quickly in order to cure him, in\nfact, in order that, protected by me, the snake may not bite him to\ndeath.' Takshaka answered, saying, 'Why dost thou seek to revive the king\nto be bitten by me? I am that Takshaka. O Brahmana, behold the wonderful\npower of my poison. Thou art incapable of reviving that monarch when bit\nby me.' So saying, Takshaka, then and there, bit a lord of the forest (a\nbanian tree). And the banian, as soon as it was bit by the snake, was\nconverted into ashes. But Kasyapa, O king, revived it. Takshaka thereupon\ntempted him, saying, 'Tell me thy desire.' And Kasyapa, too, thus\naddressed, spake again unto Takshaka, saying, 'I go there from desire of\nwealth.' And Takshaka, thus addressed, then spake unto the high-souled\nKasyapa in these soft words, 'O sinless one, take from me more wealth\nthan what thou expectest from that monarch, and go back!' And Kasyapa,\nthat foremost of men, thus addressed by the snake, and receiving from him\nas much wealth as he desired, wended his way back.\n\n\"And Kasyapa going back, Takshaka, approaching in disguise, blasted, with\nthe fire of his poison, thy virtuous father, the first of kings, then\nstaying in his mansion with all precautions. And after that, thou wast, O\ntiger among men, been installed (on the throne). And, O best of monarchs,\nwe have thus told thee all that we have seen and heard, cruel though the\naccount is. And hearing all about the discomfiture of thy royal father,\nand of the insult to the Rishi Utanka, decide thou that which should\nfollow!\n\n'Sauti continued, 'King Janamejaya, that chastiser of enemies, then spake\nupto all his ministers. And he said, 'When did ye learn all that happened\nupon that, banian reduced to ashes by Takshaka, and which, wonderful as\nit is, was afterwards revived by Kasyapa? Assuredly, my father could not\nhave died, for the poison could have been neutralised by Kasyapa with his\nmantras. That worst of snakes, of sinful soul, thought within his mind\nthat if Kasyapa resuscitated the king bit by him, he, Takshaka, would be\nan object of ridicule in the world owing to the neutralisation of his\npoison. Assuredly, having thought so, he pacified the Brahmana. I have\ndevised a way, however, of inflicting punishment upon him. I like to\nknow, however, what ye saw or heard, what happened in the deep solitude\nof the forest,--viz., the words of Takshaka and the speeches of Kasyapa.\nHaving known it, I shall devise the means of exterminating the snake\nrace.'\n\n\"The ministers said, 'Hear, O monarch of him who told us before of the\nmeeting between that foremost Brahmana and that prince of snakes in the\nwoods. A certain person, O monarch, had climbed up that tree containing\nsome dry branches with the object of breaking them for sacrificial fuel.\nHe was not perceived either by the snake or by the Brahmana. And, O king,\nthat man was reduced to ashes along with the tree itself. And, O king of\nkings, he was revived with the tree by the power of the Brahmana. That\nman, a Brahmana's menial, having come to us, represented fully everything\nas it happened between Takshaka and the Brahmana. Thus have we told thee,\nO king, all that we have seen and heard. And having heard it, O tiger\namong kings, ordain that which should follow.'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'King Janamejaya, having listened to the words of his\nministers, was sorely afflicted with grief, and began to weep. And the\nmonarch began to squeeze his hands. And the lotus-eyed king began to\nbreathe a long and hot breath, shed tears, and shrieked aloud. And\npossessed with grief and sorrow, and shedding copious tears, and touching\nwater according to the form, the monarch spake. And reflecting for a\nmoment, as if settling something in his mind, the angry monarch,\naddressing all ministers, said these words.\n\n'I have heard your account of my father's ascension to heaven. Know ye\nnow what my fixed resolve is. I think no time must be lost in avenging\nthis injury upon the wretch Takshaka that killed my father. He burnt my\nfather making Sringin only a secondary cause. From malignity alone he\nmade Kasyapa return. If that Brahmana had arrived, my father assuredly\nwould have lived. What would he have lost if the king had revived by the\ngrace of Kasyapa and the precautionary measures of his ministers? From\nignorance of the effects of my wrath, he prevented Kasyapa--that\nexcellent of Brahmanas--whom he could not defeat, from coming to my\nfather with the desire of reviving him. The act of aggression is great on\nthe part of the wretch Takshaka who gave wealth unto that Brahmana in\norder that he might not revive the king. I must now avenge myself on my\nfather's enemy to please myself, the Rishi Utanka and you all.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LI\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n'Sauti said, 'King Janamejaya having said so, his ministers expressed\ntheir approbation. And the monarch then expressed his determination to\nperform a snake-sacrifice. And that lord of the Earth--that tiger of the\nBharata race--the son of Parikshit, then called his priest and Ritwiks.\nAnd accomplished in speech, he spake unto them these words relating to\nthe accomplishment of his great task. 'I must avenge myself on the wretch\nTakshaka who killed my father. Tell me what I must do. Do you know any\nact by which I may cast into the blazing fire the snake Takshaka with his\nrelatives? I desire to burn that wretch even as he burnt, of yore, by the\nfire of his poison, my father.'\n\n'The chief priest answered, 'There is, O king, a great sacrifice for thee\ndevised by the gods themselves. It is known as the snake-sacrifice, and\nis read of in the Puranas. O king, thou alone canst accomplish it, and no\none else. Men versed in the Puranas have told us, there is such a\nsacrifice.'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'Thus addressed, the king, O excellent one, thought\nTakshaka to be already burnt and thrown into the blazing mouth of Agni,\nthe eater of the sacrificial butter. The king then said unto those\nBrahmanas versed in mantras, 'I shall make preparations for that\nsacrifice. Tell me the things that are necessary.' And the king's\nRitwiks, O excellent Brahmana, versed in the Vedas and acquainted with\nthe rites of that sacrifice measured, according to the scriptures, the\nland for the sacrificial platform. And the platform was decked with\nvaluable articles and with Brahmanas. And it was full of precious things\nand paddy. And the Ritwika sat upon it at ease. And after the sacrificial\nplatform had been thus constructed according to rule and as desired, they\ninstalled the king at the snake-sacrifice for the attainment of its\nobject. And before the commencement of the snake-Sacrifice that was to\ncome, there occurred this very important incident foreboding obstruction\nto the sacrifice. For when the sacrificial platform was being\nconstructed, a professional builder of great intelligence and well-versed\nin the knowledge of laying foundations, a Suta by caste, well-acquainted\nwith the Puranas, said, 'The soil upon which and the time at which the\nmeasurement for the sacrificial platform has been made, indicate that\nthis sacrifice will not be completed, a Brahmana becoming the reason\nthereof.' Hearing this, the king, before his installation, gave orders to\nhis gate-keepers not to admit anybody without his knowledge.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LII\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Sauti said, 'The snake-sacrifice then commenced according to due form.\nAnd the sacrificial priests, competent in their respective duties\naccording to the ordinance, clad in black garments and their eyes red\nfrom contact with smoke, poured clarified butter into the blazing fire,\nuttering the appropriate mantras. And causing the hearts of all the\nsnakes to tremble with fear, they poured clarified butter into the mouth\nof Agni uttering the names of the snakes. And the snakes thereupon began\nto fall into the blazing fire, benumbed and piteously calling upon one\nanother. And swollen and breathing hard, and twining each other with\ntheir heads and tails, they came in large numbers and fell into the fire.\nThe white, the black, the blue, the old and the young--all fell alike\ninto the fire, uttering various cries. Those measuring a krosa, and those\nmeasuring a yojana, and those of the measure of a gokarna, fell\ncontinuously with great violence into that first of all fires. And\nhundreds and thousands and tens of thousands of snakes, deprived of all\ncontrol over their limbs, perished on that occasion. And amongst those\nthat perished, there were some that were like horses, other like trunks\nof elephants, and others of huge bodies and strength like maddened\nelephants Of various colours and virulent poison, terrible and looking\nlike maces furnished with iron-spikes, of great strength, ever inclined\nto bite, the snakes, afflicted with their mother's curse, fell into the\nfire.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LIII\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Saunaka asked, 'What great Rishis became the Ritwiks at the\nsnake-sacrifice of the wise king Janamejaya of the Pandava line? Who also\nbecame the Sadasyas in that terrible snake-sacrifice, so frightful to the\nsnakes, and begetting such sorrow in them? It behoveth thee to describe\nall these in detail, so that, O son of Suta, we may know who were\nacquainted with the rituals of the snake-sacrifice.'\n\n\"Sauti replied, 'I will recite the names of those wise ones who became\nthe monarch's Ritwiks and Sadasyas. The Brahmana Chandabhargava became\nthe Hotri in that sacrifice. He was of great reputation, and was born in\nthe race of Chyavana and was the foremost of those acquainted with the\nVedas. The learned old Brahmana, Kautsa, became the Udgatri, the chanter\nof the Vedic hymns. Jaimini became the Brahmana, and Sarngarva and\nPingala the Adhvaryus, Vyasa with his son and disciples, and Uddalaka,\nPramataka, Swetaketu, Pingala, Asita, Devala, Narada, Parvata, Atreya,\nKundajathara, the Brahmana Kalaghata, Vatsya, old Srutasravas ever\nengaged in japa and the study of the Vedas. Kohala Devasarman, Maudgalya,\nSamasaurava, and many other Brahmanas who had got through the Vedas\nbecame the Sadasyas at that sacrifice of the son of Parikshit.\n\n\"When the Ritwiks in that snake-sacrifice began to pour clarified butter\ninto the fire, terrible snakes, striking fear into every creature, began\nto fall into it. And the fat and the marrow of the snakes thus falling\ninto the fire began to flow in rivers. And the atmosphere was filled with\nan insufferable stench owing to the incessant burning of the snakes. And\nincessant also were the cries of the snakes fallen into the fire and\nthose in the air about to fall into it.\n\n'Meanwhile, Takshaka, that prince of snakes, as soon as he heard that\nking Janamejaya was engaged in the sacrifice, went to the palace of\nPurandara (Indra). And that best of snakes, having represented all that\nhad taken place, sought in terror the protection of Indra after having\nacknowledged his fault. And Indra, gratified, told him, 'O prince of\nsnakes, O Takshaka, here thou hast no fear from that snake-sacrifice. The\nGrandsire was pacified by me for thy sake. Therefore, thou hast no fear.\nLet this fear of thy heart be allayed.'\n\nSauti continued, 'Thus encouraged by him, that best of snakes began to\ndwell in Indra's abode in joy and happiness. But Vasuki, seeing that the\nsnakes were incessantly falling into the fire and that his family was\nreduced to only a few, became exceedingly sorry. And the king of the\nsnakes was afflicted with great grief, and his heart was about to break.\nAnd summoning his sister, he spake unto her, saying, 'O amiable one, my\nlimbs are burning and I no longer see the points of the heavens. I am\nabout to fall down from loss of consciousness. My mind is turning, my\nsight is falling and my heart is breaking. Benumbed, I may fall today\ninto that blazing fire! This sacrifice of the son of Parikshit is for the\nextermination of our race. It is evident I also shall have to go to the\nabode of the king of the dead. The time is come, O my sister, on account\nof which thou wert bestowed by me on Jaratkaru to protect us with our\nrelatives. O best of the women of the snake race, Astika will put an end\nto the sacrifice that is going on. The Grandsire told me this of old.\nTherefore, O child, solicit thy dear son who is fully conversant with the\nVedas and regarded even by the old, for the protection of myself and also\nof those dependent on me.\"'\n\n\n\nSECTION LIV\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Sauti said, 'Then the snake-dame Jaratkaru, calling her own son, told\nhim the following words according to the directions of Vasuki, the king\nof the snakes. 'O son, the time is come for the accomplishment of that\nobject for which I was bestowed on thy father by my brother. Therefore,\ndo thou that which should be done.'\n\n\"Astika asked, 'Why wert thou, O mother, bestowed on my father by my\nuncle? Tell me all truly so that on hearing it, I may do what is proper.'\n\n\"Then Jaratkaru, the sister of the king of the snakes, herself unmoved by\nthe general distress, and even desirous of the welfare of her relatives,\nsaid unto him, 'O son, it is said that the mother of all the snakes is\nKadru. Know thou why she cursed in anger her sons.' Addressing the snakes\nshe said, 'As ye have refused to falsely represent Uchchaihsravas, the\nprince of horses, for bringing about Vinata's bondage according to the\nwager, therefore, shall he whose charioteer is Vayu burn you all in\nJanamejaya's sacrifice. And perishing in that sacrifice, ye shall go to\nthe region of the unredeemed spirits.' The Grandsire of all the worlds\nspake unto her while uttering this curse, 'Be it so,' and thus approved\nof her speech. Vasuki, having heard that curse and then the words of the\nGrandsire, sought the protection of the gods, O child, on the occasion\nwhen the amrita was being churned for. And the gods, their object\nfulfilled, for they had obtained the excellent amrita, with Vasuki ahead,\napproached the Grandsire. And all the gods, with king Vasuki, sought to\nincline Him who was born of the lotus to be propitious, so that the curse\nmight be made abortive.'\n\n\"And the gods said, 'O Lord, Vasuki, the king of the snakes, is sorry on\naccount of his relatives. How may his mother's curse prove abortive?'\n\n\"Brahman thereupon replied, saying, 'Jaratkaru will take unto himself a\nwife of the name of Jaratkaru; the Brahmana born of her will relieve the\nsnakes.'\n\n\"Vasuki, the best of snakes, hearing those words, bestowed me, O thou of\ngodlike looks, on thy high-souled father some time before the\ncommencement of the sacrifice. And from that marriage thou art born of\nme. That time has come. It behoveth thee to protect us from this danger.\nIt behoveth thee to protect my brother and myself from the fire, so that\nthe object, viz., our relief, for which I was bestowed on thy wise\nfather, may not be unfulfilled. What dost thou think, O son?'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'Thus addressed, Astika said unto his mother, 'Yes, I\nwill.' And he then addressed the afflicted Vasuki, and as if infusing\nlife into him, said, 'O Vasuki, thou best of snakes, thou great being,\ntruly do I say, I shall relieve thee from that curse. Be easy, O snake!\nThere is no fear any longer. I shall strive earnestly so that good may\ncome! Nobody hath ever said that my speech, even in jest, hath proved\nfalse. Hence on serious occasions like this, I need not say anything\nmore, O uncle, going thither today I shall gratify, with words mixed with\nblessings, the monarch Janamejaya installed at the sacrifice, so that, O\nexcellent one, the sacrifice may stop. O highminded one, O king of the\nsnakes, believe all that I say. Believe me, my resolve can never be\nunfulfilled.'\n\n\"And Vasuki then said, 'O Astika, my head swims and my heart breaks. I\ncannot discern the points of the earth, as I am afflicted with a mother's\ncurse.'\n\n\"And Astika said, 'Thou best of snakes, it behoveth thee not to grieve\nany longer. I shall dispel this fear of thine from the blazing fire. This\nterrible punishment, capable of burning like the fire at the end of the\nYuga, I shall extinguish. Nurse not thy fear any longer.'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'Then that best of Brahmanas, Astika, quelling the\nterrible fear of the Vasuki's heart, and taking it, as it were, on\nhimself, wended, for the relief of the king of the snakes, with speed to\nJanamejaya's sacrifice blessed with every merit. And Astika having gone\nthither, beheld the excellent sacrificial compound with numerous Sadasyas\non it whose splendour was like unto that of the Sun or Agni. But that\nbest of Brahmanas was refused admittance by the door-keepers. And the\nmighty ascetic gratified them, being desirous of entering the sacrificial\ncompound. And that best of Brahmanas, that foremost of all virtuous men,\nhaving entered the excellent sacrificial compound, began to adore the\nking of infinite achievements, Ritwiks, the Sadasyas, and also the sacred\nfire.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LV\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Astika said, 'Soma and Varuna and Prajapati performed sacrifices of old\nin Prayaga. But thy sacrifice, O foremost one of Bharata's race, O son of\nParikshit, is not inferior to any of those. Let those dear unto us be\nblessed! Sakra performed a hundred sacrifices. But this sacrifice of\nthine, O foremost one of Bharata's race, O son of Parikshit, is fully\nequal to ten thousand sacrifices of Sakra. Let those dear unto us be\nblessed! Like the sacrifice of Yama, of Harimedha, or of king Rantideva,\nis the sacrifice of thine, O foremost one of Bharata's race, O son of\nParikshit. Let those dear unto us be blessed! Like the sacrifice of Maya,\nof king Sasavindu, or of king Vaisravana, is this sacrifice of thine, O\nforemost one of Bharata's race, O son of Satyavati, in which he himself\nwas the chief priest, is this sacrifice of Nriga, of Ajamida, of the son\nof Dasaratha, is this sacrifice of thine, O foremost one of Bharata's\nrace, O son of Parikshit. Let those dear unto us be blessed! Like the\nsacrifice of king Yudhishthira, the son of a god and belonging to Ajamida\nrace, heard of (even) in the heavens, is this sacrifice of thine. O\nforemost one of Bharata's race, O son of Parikshit, let those dear unto\nus be blessed! Like the sacrifice of Krishna (Dwaipayana), the son of\nSatyavati, in which he himself was the chief priest, is this sacrifice of\nthine, O foremost one of Bharata's race, O son of Parikshit Let those\ndear unto us be blessed! These (Ritwiks and Sadasyas) that are here\nengaged in making thy sacrifice, like unto that of the slayer of Vritra,\nare of splendour equal to that of the sun. There now remains nothing for\nthem to know, and gifts made to them become inexhaustible (in merit). It\nis my conviction that there is no Ritwik in all the worlds who is equal\nto thy Ritwik, Dwaipayana. His disciples, becoming Ritwiks, competent for\ntheir duties, travel over the earth. The high-souled bearer of libation\n(viz., Agni), called also Vibhavasu and Chitrabhanu, having gold for his\nvital seed and having his path, marked by black smoke, blazing up with\nflames inclined to the right, beareth these thy libations of clarified\nbutter to the gods. In this world of men there is no other monarch equal\nto thee in the protection of subjects. I am ever well-pleased with thy\nabstinence. Indeed, thou art either Varuna, or Yama, the god of Justice.\nLike Sakra himself, thunderbolt in hand, thou art, in this world, the\nprotector of all creatures. In this earth there is no man so great as\nthou and no monarch who is thy equal in sacrifice. Thou art like\nKhatwanga, Nabhaga, and Dilipa. In prowess thou art like Yayati and\nMandhatri. In splendour equal to the sun, and of excellent vows, thou art\nO monarch, like Bhishma! Like Valmiki thou art of energy concealed. Like\nVasishtha thou hast controlled thy wrath. Like Indra is thy lordship. Thy\nsplendour also shines like that of Narayana. Like Yama art thou\nconversant with the dispensation of justice. Thou art like Krishna\nadorned with every virtue. Thou art the home of the good fortune that\nbelongs to the Vasus. Thou art also the refuge of the sacrifices. In\nstrength thou art equal to Damvodbhava. Like Rama (the son of Jamadagni)\nthou art conversant with the scriptures and arms. In energy thou art\nequal to Aurva and Trita. Thou inspirest terror by thy looks like\nBhagiratha.'\n\n\"Sauti said, 'Astika, having thus adored them, gratified them all, viz.,\nthe king, the Sadasyas, the Ritwiks and the sacrificial fire. And king\nJanamejaya beholding the signs and indications manifested all around,\naddressed them as follows.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LVI\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nJanamejaya said, 'Though this one is but a boy, he speaks yet like a wise\nold man. He is not a boy but one wise and old. I think, I desire to\nbestow on him a boon. Therefore, ye Brahmanas, give me the necessary\npermission.'\n\n\"The Sadasyas said, 'A Brahmana, though a boy, deserves the respect of\nkings. The learned ones do more so. This boy deserves every desire of his\nbeing fulfilled by thee, but not before Takshaka comes with speed.'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'The king, being inclined to grant the Brahmana a boon,\nsaid 'Ask thou a boon.' The Hotri, however, being rather displeased,\nsaid, 'Takshaka hath not come as yet into this sacrifice.'\n\n\"Janamejaya replied, 'Exert ye to the best of your might, so that this\nsacrifice of mine may attain completion, and Takshaka also may soon come\nhere. He is my enemy.'\n\n\"The Ritwiks replied, 'As the scriptures declare unto us, and as the fire\nalso saith, O monarch, (it seems that) Takshaka is now staying in the\nabode of Indra, afflicted with fear.'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'The illustrious Suta named Lohitaksha also, conversant\nwith the Puranas, had said so before.\n\n\"Asked by the king on the present occasion he again told the monarch,\n'Sire, it is even so as the Brahmanas have said--Knowing the Puranas, I\nsay, O monarch, that Indra hath granted him this boon, saying, 'Dwell\nwith me in concealment, and Agni shall not burn thee.'\n\n'Sauti continued, 'Hearing this, the king installed in the sacrifice\nbecame very sorry and urged the Hotri to do his duty. And as the Hotri,\nwith mantras, began to pour clarified butter into the fire Indra himself\nappeared on the scene. And the illustrious one came in his car, adorned\nby all the gods standing around, followed by masses of clouds, celestial\nsingers, and the several bevies of celestial dancing girls. And Takshaka\nanxious with fear, hid himself in the upper garment of Indra and was not\nvisible. Then the king in his anger again said unto his mantra-knowing\nBrahmanas these words, bent upon the destruction of Takshaka, 'If the\nsnake Takshaka be in the abode of Indra, cast him into the fire with\nIndra himself.'\n\n'Sauti continued, 'Urged thus by the king Janamejaya about Takshaka, the\nHotri poured libations, naming that snake then staying there. And even as\nthe libations were poured, Takshaka, with Purandara himself, anxious and\nafflicted, became visible in a moment in the skies. Then Purandara,\nseeing that sacrifice, became much alarmed, and quickly casting Takshaka\noff, went back to his own abode. After Indra had gone away, Takshaka, the\nprince of snakes, insensible with fear, was by virtue of the mantras,\nbrought near enough the flames of the sacrificial fire.'\n\n\"The Ritwiks then said, 'O king of kings, the sacrifice of thine is being\nperformed duly. It behoveth thee, O Lord, to grant a boon now to this\nfirst of Brahmanas.'\n\n\"Janamejaya then said, 'Thou immeasurable one of such handsome and\nchild-like features, I desire to grant thee a worthy boon. Therefore, ask\nthou that which thou desirest in thy heart. I promise thee, that I will\ngrant it even if it be ungrantable.'\n\n'The Ritwiks said, 'O monarch, behold, Takshaka is soon coming under thy\ncontrol! His terrible cries, and loud roar is being heard. Assuredly, the\nsnake hath been forsaken by the wielder of thunder. His body being\ndisabled by your mantras, he is falling from heaven. Even now, rolling in\nthe skies, and deprived of consciousness, the prince of snakes cometh,\nbreathing loudly.'\n\n'Sauti continued, 'While Takshaka, the prince of snakes was about to fall\ninto the sacrificial fire, during those few moments Astika spoke as\nfollows, 'O Janamejaya, if thou wouldst grant me a boon, let this\nsacrifice of thine come to an end and let no more snakes fall into the\nfire.'\n\n'O Brahmana, the son of Parikshit, being thus addressed by Astika, became\nexceedingly sorry and replied unto Astika thus, 'O illustrious one, gold,\nsilver, kine, whatever other possessions thou desirest I shall give unto\nthee. But let not my sacrifice come to an end.'\n\n\"Astika thereupon replied, 'Gold, silver or kine, I do not ask of thee, O\nmonarch! But let thy sacrifice be ended so that my maternal relations be\nrelieved.'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'The son of Parikshit, being thus addressed by Astika,\nrepeatedly said this unto that foremost of speakers, 'Best of the\nBrahmanas, ask some other boon. O, blessed be thou!' But, O thou of\nBhrigu's race, he did not beg any other boon. Then all the Sadasyas\nconversant with the Vedas told the king in one voice, 'Let the Brahmana\nreceive his boon!'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LVII\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Saunaka said, 'O son of a Suta, I desire to hear the names of all those\nsnakes that fell into the fire of this snake-sacrifice!'\n\n\"Sauti replied, 'Many thousands and tens of thousands and billions of\nsnakes fell into the fire. O most excellent Brahmana, so great is the\nnumber that I am unable to count them all. So far, however, as I\nremember, hear the names I mention of the principal snakes cast into the\nfire. Hear first the names of the principal ones of Vasuki's race alone,\nof colour blue, red and white of terrible form and huge body and deadly\npoison. Helpless and miserable and afflicted with their mother's curse,\nthey fell into the sacrificial fire like libations of butter.\n\n\"Kotisa, Manasa, Purna, Cala, Pala Halmaka, Pichchala, Kaunapa, Cakra,\nKalavega, Prakalana, Hiranyavahu, Carana, Kakshaka, Kaladantaka--these\nsnakes born of Vasuki, fell into the fire. And, O Brahmana, numerous\nother snakes well-born, and of terrible form and great strength, were\nburnt in the blazing fire. I shall now mention those born in the race of\nTakshaka. Hear thou their names. Puchchandaka, Mandalaka, Pindasektri,\nRavenaka; Uchochikha, Carava, Bhangas, Vilwatejas, Virohana; Sili,\nSalakara, Muka, Sukumara, Pravepana, Mudgara and Sisuroman, Suroman and\nMahahanu. These snakes born of Takshaka fell into the fire. And Paravata,\nParijata, Pandara, Harina, Krisa, Vihanga, Sarabha, Meda, Pramoda,\nSauhatapana--these born in the race of Airavata fell into the fire. Now\nhear, O best of Brahmanas, the names of the snakes I mention born in the\nrace of Kauravya: Eraka, Kundala Veni, Veniskandha, Kumaraka, Vahuka,\nSringavera, Dhurtaka, Pratara and Astaka. There born in the race of\nKauravya fell into the fire. Now hear the names I mention, in order, of\nthose snakes endued with the speed of the wind and with virulent poison,\nborn in the race of Dhritarashtra: Sankukarna, Pitharaka, Kuthara,\nSukhana, and Shechaka; Purnangada, Purnamukha, Prahasa, Sakuni, Dari,\nAmahatha, Kumathaka, Sushena, Vyaya, Bhairava, Mundavedanga, Pisanga,\nUdraparaka, Rishabha, Vegavat, Pindaraka; Raktanga, Sarvasaranga,\nSamriddha, Patha and Vasaka; Varahaka, Viranaka, Suchitra, Chitravegika,\nParasara, Tarunaka, Maniskandha and Aruni.\n\n\"O Brahmana, thus I have recited the names of the principal snakes known\nwidely for their achievements--I have not been able to name all, the\nnumber being countless. The sons of these snakes, the sons of those sons,\nthat were burnt having fallen into the fire, I am unable to mention. They\nare so many! Some of three heads, some of seven, others of ten, of poison\nlike unto the fire at the end of the yuga and terrible in form,--they\nwere burnt by thousands!\n\n\"Many others, of huge bodies, of great speed, tall as mountain summits,\nof the length of a yama, of a yojana, and of two yojanas, capable of\nassuming at will any form and of mastering at will any degree of\nstrength, of poison like unto blazing fire, afflicted by the curse of a\nmother, were burnt in that great 'sacrifice.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LVIII\n\n(Astika Parva, continued)\n\n\"Sauti said, 'Listen now to another very wonderful incident in connection\nwith Astika. When king Janamejaya was about to gratify Astika by granting\nthe boon, the snake (Takshaka), thrown off Indra's hands, remained in mid\nair without actually falling. King Janamejaya thereupon became curious,\nfor Takshaka, afflicted with fear, did not at once fall into the fire\nalthough libations were poured in proper form into the blazing\nsacrificial Agni in his name.'\n\n\"Saunaka said, 'Was it, O Suta, that the mantras of those wise Brahmanas\nwere not potent; since Takshaka did not fall into the fire?'\n\n\"Sauti replied, 'Unto the unconscious Takshaka, that best of snakes,\nafter he had been cast off Indra's hands, Astika had thrice said, 'Stay,'\n'Stay,' 'Stay.' And he succeeded in staying in the skies, with afflicted\nheart, like a person somehow staying between the welkin and the earth.\n\n\"The king then, on being repeatedly urged by his Sadasyas, said, 'Let it\nbe done as Astika hath said. Let the sacrifice be ended, let the snakes\nbe safe, let this Astika also be gratified, O Suta, thy words also be\ntrue.' When the boon was granted to Astika, plaudits expressive of joy\nrang through the air. Thus the sacrifice of the son of Parikshit--that\nking of the Pandava race--came to an end. The king Janamejaya of the\nBharata race was himself pleased, and on the Ritwiks with the Sadasyas,\nand on all who had come there, the king, bestowed money by hundreds and\nthousands. And unto Suta Lohitaksha--conversant with the rules of\nbuilding and foundations--who had at the commencement said that a\nBrahmana would be the cause of the interruption of the snake-sacrifice,\nthe king gave much wealth. The king, of uncommon kindness, also gave him\nvarious things, with food and wearing apparel, according to his desire,\nand became very much pleased. Then he concluded his sacrifice according\nto the prescribed rites, and after treating him with every respect, the\nking in joy sent home the wise Astika exceedingly gratified, for he had\nattained his object. And the king said unto him, 'Thou must come again to\nbecome a Sadasya in my great Horse-sacrifice.' And Astika said, 'yes' and\nthen returned home in great joy, having achieved his great end after\ngratifying the monarch. And returning in joy to his uncle and mother and\ntouching their feet, he recounted to them everything as it had happened.'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'Hearing all he had said, the snakes that had come\nthither became very much delighted, and their fears were allayed. They\nwere much pleased with Astika and asked him to solicit a boon, saying, 'O\nlearned one, what good shall we do unto thee? We have been very much\ngratified, having been all saved by thee. What shall we accomplish for\nthee, O child!'\n\n\"Astika said, 'Let those Brahmanas, and other men, who shall, in the\nmorning or in the evening, cheerfully and with attention, read the sacred\naccount of this my act, have no fear from any of you.' And the snakes in\njoy thereupon said, 'O nephew, in the nature of thy boon, let it be\nexactly as thou sayest. That which thou askest we all shall cheerfully\ndo, O nephew! And those also that call to mind Astika, Artiman and\nSunitha, in the day or in the night, shall have no fear of snakes. He\nagain shall have no fear of snakes who will say, 'I call to mind the\nfamous Astika born of Jaratkaru, that Astika who saved the snakes from\nthe snake-sacrifice. Therefore, ye snakes of great good fortune, it\nbehoveth you not to bite me. But go ye away, blessed be ye, or go away\nthou snake of virulent poison, and remember the words of Astika after the\nsnake sacrifice of Janamejaya. That snake who does not cease from biting\nafter hearing such mention of Astika, shall have his hood divided a\nhundredfold like the fruit of Sinsa tree.'\n\n\"Sauti continued, 'That first of Brahmanas, thus addressed by the\nforemost of the chief snakes assembled together, was very much gratified.\nAnd the high-souled one then set his heart upon going away.\n\n\"And that best of Brahmanas, having saved the snakes from the\nsnake-sacrifice, ascended to heaven when his time came, leaving sons and\ngrandsons behind him.\n\n'Thus have I recited to thee this history of Astika exactly as it\nhappened. Indeed, the recitation of this history dispelleth all fear of\nsnakes'\n\n'Sauti continued, 'O Brahmanas, O foremost one of Bhrigu's race, as thy\nancestor Pramati had cheerfully narrated unto his inquiring son Ruru, and\nas I had heard it, thus have I recited this blessed history, from the\nbeginning, of the learned Astika. And, O Brahmana, O oppressor of all\nenemies, having heard this holy history of Astika that increaseth virtue,\nand which thou hadst asked me about after hearing the story of the\nDundubha, let thy ardent curiosity be satisfied.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LIX\n\n(Adivansavatarana Parva)\n\n\"Saunaka said, 'O son, thou hast narrated to me this extensive and great\nhistory commencing from the progeny of Bhrigu. O son of Suta, I have been\nmuch gratified with thee. I ask thee again, to recite to me, O son of a\nSuta, the history composed by Vyasa. The varied and wonderful narrations\nthat were recited amongst those illustrious Sadasyas assembled at the\nsacrifice, in the intervals of their duties of that long-extending\nceremony, and the objects also of those narrations, I desire to hear from\nthee, O son of a Suta! Recite therefore, all those to me fully.'\n\n'Sauti said, 'The Brahmanas, in the intervals of the duties, spoke of\nmany things founded upon the Vedas. But Vyasa recited the wonderful and\ngreat history called the Bharata.'\n\n\"Saunaka said, 'That sacred history called the Mahabharata, spreading the\nfame of the Pandavas, which Krishna-Dwaipayana, asked by Janamejaya,\ncaused to be duly recited after the completion of the sacrifice. I desire\nto hear duly. That history hath been born of the ocean-like mind of the\ngreat Rishi of soul purified by yoga. Thou foremost of good men, recite\nit unto me, for, O son of a Suta, my thirst hath not been appeased by all\nthou hast said.'\n\n'Sauti said, 'I shall recite to thee from the beginning of that great and\nexcellent history called the Mahabharata composed by Vyasa. O Brahmana,\nlisten to it in full, as I recite it. I myself feel a great pleasure in\nreciting it.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LX\n\n(Adivansavatarana Parva continued)\n\n'Sauti said, 'Hearing that Janamejaya was installed in the\nsnake-sacrifice, the learned Rishi Krishna-Dwaipayana went thither on the\noccasion. And he, the grand-father of the Pandavas, was born in an island\nof the Yamuna, of the virgin Kali by Sakti's son, Parasara. And the\nillustrious one developed by his will alone his body as soon as he was\nborn, and mastered the Vedas with their branches, and all the histories.\nAnd he readily obtained that which no one could obtain by asceticism, by\nthe study of the Vedas, by vows, by fasts, by progeny, and by sacrifice.\nAnd the first of Veda-knowing ones, he divided the Vedas into four parts.\nAnd the Brahmana Rishi had knowledge of the supreme Brahma, knew the past\nby intuition, was holy, and cherished truth. Of sacred deeds and great\nfame, he begot Pandu and Dhritarashtra and Vidura in order to continue\nthe line of Santanu.\n\n\"And the high-souled Rishi, with his disciples all conversant with the\nVedas and their branches, entered the sacrificial pavilion of the royal\nsage, Janamejaya. And he saw that the king Janamejaya was seated in the\nsacrificial region like the god Indra, surrounded by numerous Sadasyas,\nby kings of various countries whose coronal locks had undergone the\nsacred bath, and by competent Ritwiks like unto Brahman himself. And that\nforemost one of Bharata's race, the royal sage Janamejaya, beholding the\nRishi come, advanced quickly with his followers and relatives in great\njoy. And the king with the approval of his Sadasyas, gave the Rishi a\ngolden seat as Indra did to Vrihaspati. And when the Rishi, capable of\ngranting boons and adored by the celestial Rishis themselves, had been\nseated, the king of kings worshipped him according to the rites of the\nscriptures. And the king then offered him--his grandfather Krishna--who\nfully deserved them, water to wash his feet and mouth, and the Arghya,\nand kine. And accepting those offerings from the Pandava Janamejaya and\nordering the kine also not to be slain, Vyasa became much gratified. And\nthe king, after those adorations bowed to his great-grandfather, and\nsitting in joy asked him about his welfare. And the illustrious Rishi\nalso, casting his eyes upon him and asking him about his welfare,\nworshipped the Sadasyas, having been before worshipped by them all. And\nafter all this, Janamejaya with all his Sadasyas, questioned that first\nof Brahmanas, with joined palms as follows:\n\n'O Brahmana, thou hast seen with thy own eyes the acts of the Kurus and\nthe Pandavas. I am desirous of hearing thee recite their history. What\nwas the cause of the disunion amongst them that was fruitful of such\nextraordinary deeds? Why also did that great battle, which caused the\ndeath of countless creatures occur between all my grandfathers--their\nclear sense over-clouded by fate? O excellent Brahmana, tell me all this\nin full as everything had happened.'\n\n\"Hearing those words of Janamejaya, Krishna-Dwaipayana directed his\ndisciple Vaisampayana seated by his side, saying, 'The discord that\nhappened between the Kurus and the Pandavas of old, narrate all to the\nking even as thou hast heard from me.'\n\n\"Then that blessed Brahmana, at the command of his preceptor recited the\nwhole of that history unto the king, the Sadasyas, and all the chieftains\nthere assembled. And he told them all about the hostility and the utter\nextinction of the Kurus and the Pandavas.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXI\n\n(Adivansavatarana Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Bowing down in the first place to my preceptor with\nthe eight parts of my body touching the ground, with devotion and\nreverence, and with all my heart, worshipping the whole assembly of\nBrahmanas and other learned persons, I shall recite in full what I have\nheard from the high-souled and great Rishi Vyasa, the first of\nintelligent men in the three worlds. And having got it within thy reach,\nO monarch, thou also art a fit person to hear the composition called\nBharata. Encouraged by the command of my preceptor my heart feeleth no\nfear.\n\n\"Hear, O monarch, why that disunion occurred between the Kurus and the\nPandavas, and why also that exile into the woods immediately proceeding\nfrom the game at dice prompted by the desire (of the Kurus) for rule. I\nshall relate all to thee who askest it thou best of the Bharata race!\n\n\"On the death of their father those heroes (the Pandavas) came to their\nown home. And within a short time they became well-versed in archery. And\nthe Kurus beholding the Pandavas gifted with physical strength, energy,\nand power of mind, popular also with the citizens, and blessed with good\nfortune, became very jealous. Then the crookedminded Duryodhana, and\nKarna, with (the former's uncle) the son of Suvala began to persecute\nthem and devise means for their exile. Then the wicked Duryodhana, guided\nby the counsels of Sakuni (his maternal uncle), persecuted the Pandavas\nin various ways for the acquirement of undisputed sovereignty. The wicked\nson of Dhritarashtra gave poison to Bhima, but Bhima of the stomach of\nthe wolf digested the poison with the food. Then the wretch again tied\nthe sleeping Bhima on the margin of the Ganges and, casting him into the\nwater, went away. But when Bhimasena of strong arms, the son of Kunti\nwoke, he tore the strings with which he had been tied and came up, his\npains all gone. And while asleep and in the water black snakes of\nvirulent poison bit him in every part of his body. But that slayer of\nfoes did not still perish. And in all those persecutions of the Pandavas\nby their cousins, the Kurus, the high-minded Vidura attentively engaged\nhimself neutralising those evil designs and rescuing the persecuted ones.\nAnd as Sakra from the heavens keeps in happiness the world of men, so did\nVidura always keep the Pandavas from evil.\n\n\"When Duryodhana, with various means, both secret and open, found himself\nincapable of destroying the Pandavas who were protected by the fates and\nkept alive for grave future purposes (such as the extermination of the\nKuru race), then called together his counsellors consisting of Vrisha\n(Karna), Duhsasana and others, and with the knowledge of Dhritarashtra\ncaused a house of lac to be constructed. And king Dhritarashtra, from\naffection for his children, and prompted by the desire of sovereignty,\nsent the Pandavas tactfully into Varanavata. And the Pandavas then went\naway with their mother from Hastinapura. And when they were leaving the\ncity, Vidura gave them some idea of impending danger and how they could\ncome out of it.\n\n'The sons of Kunti reached the town of Varanavata and lived there with\ntheir mother. And, agreeably to the command of Dhritarashtra, those\nillustrious slayers of all enemies lived in the palace of lac, while in\nthat town. And they lived in that place for one year, protecting\nthemselves from Purochana very wakefully. And causing a subterranean\npassage to be constructed, acting according to the directions of Vidura,\nthey set fire to that house of lac and burnt Purochana (their enemy and\nthe spy of Duryodhana) to death. Those slayers of all enemies, anxious\nwith fear, then fled with their mother. In the woods beside a fountain\nthey saw a Rakshasa. But, alarmed at the risk they ran of exposure by\nsuch an act the Pandavas fled in the darkness, out of fear from the sons\nof Dhritarashtra. It was here that Bhima gained Hidimva (the sister of\nthe Rakshasa he slew) for a wife, and it was of her that Ghatotkacha was\nborn. Then the Pandavas, of rigid vows, and conversant with the Vedas\nwended to a town of the name of Ekachakra and dwelt there in the guise of\nBrahmacharins. And those bulls among men dwelt in that town in the house\nof a Brahmana for some time, with temperance and abstinence. And it was\nhere that Bhima of mighty arms came upon a hungry and mighty and\nman-eating Rakshasa of the name of Vaka. And Bhima, the son of Pandu,\nthat tiger among men, slew him speedily with the strength of his arms and\nmade the citizens safe and free from fear. Then they heard of Krishna\n(the princess of Panchala) having become disposed to select a husband\nfrom among the assembled princes. And, hearing of it, they went to\nPanchala, and there they obtained the maiden. And having obtained\nDraupadi (as their common wife) they then dwelt there for a year. And\nafter they became known, those chastisers of all enemies went back to\nHastinapura. And they were then told by king Dhritarashtra and the son of\nSantanu (Bhishma) as follows: 'In order, O dear ones, dissensions may not\ntake place between you and your cousins, we have settled that\nKhandavaprastha should be your abode. Therefore, go ye, casting off all\njealousy, to Khandavaprastha which contains many towns served by many\nbroad roads, for dwelling there.' And accordingly the Pandavas went, with\nall their friends and followers, to Khandavaprastha taking with them many\njewels and precious stones. And the sons of Pritha dwelt there for many\nyears. And they brought, by force of arms, many a prince under their\nsubjection. And thus, setting their hearts on virtue and firmly adhering\nto truth, unruffled by affluence, calm in deportment, and putting down\nnumerous evils, the Pandavas gradually rose to power. And Bhima of great\nreputation subjugated the East, the heroic Arjuna, the North, Nakula, the\nWest; Sahadeva that slayer of all hostile heroes, the South. And this\nhaving been done, their domination was spread over the whole world. And\nwith the five Pandavas, each like unto the Sun, the Earth looked as if\nshe had six Suns.\n\n\"Then, for some reason, Yudhishthira the just, gifted with great energy\nand prowess, sent his brother Arjuna who was capable of drawing the bow\nwith the left hand, dearer unto him than life itself, into the woods. And\nArjuna, that tiger among men, of firm soul, and gifted with every virtue,\nlived in the woods for eleven years and months. And during this period,\non a certain occasion, Arjuna went to Krishna in Dwaravati. And Vibhatsu\n(Arjuna) there obtained for a wife the lotus-eyed and sweet-speeched\nyounger sister of Vasudeva, Subhadra by name. And she became united, in\ngladness, with Arjuna, the son of Pandu, like Sachi with the great Indra,\nor Sri with Krishna himself. And then, O best of monarchs, Arjuna, the\nson of Kunti, with Vasudeva, gratified Agni; the carrier of the\nsacrificial butter, in the forest of Khandava (by burning the medicinal\nplants in that woods to cure Agni of his indigestion). And to Arjuna,\nassisted as he was by Kesava, the task did not at all appear heavy even\nas nothing is heavy to Vishnu with immense design and resources in the\nmatter of destroying his enemies. And Agni gave unto the son of Pritha\nthe excellent bow Gandiva and a quiver that was inexhaustible, and a\nwar-chariot bearing the figure of Garuda on its standard. And it was on\nthis occasion that Arjuna relieved the great Asura (Maya) from fear (of\nbeing consumed in the fire). And Maya, in gratitude, built (for the\nPandavas) a celestial palace decked with every sort of jewels and\nprecious stones. And the wicked Duryodhana, beholding that building, was\ntempted with the desire of possessing it. And deceiving Yudhishthira by\nmeans of the dice played through the hands of the son of Suvala,\nDuryodhana sent the Pandavas into the woods for twelve years and one\nadditional year to be passed in concealment, thus making the period full\nthirteen.\n\n\"And the fourteenth year, O monarch, when the Pandavas returned and\nclaimed their property, they did not obtain it. And thereupon war was\ndeclared, and the Pandavas, after exterminating the whole race of\nKshatriyas and slaying king Duryodhana, obtained back their devastated\nkingdom.\n\n\"This is the history of the Pandavas who never acted under the influence\nof evil passions; and this the account, O first of victorious monarchs of\nthe disunion that ended in the loss of their kingdom by the Kurus and the\nvictory of the Pandavas.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXII\n\n(Adivansavatarana Parva continued)\n\n\"Janamejaya said, 'O excellent Brahmana, thou hast, indeed, told me, in\nbrief, the history, called Mahabharata, of the great acts of the Kurus.\nBut, O thou of ascetic wealth, recite now that wonderful narration fully.\nI feel a great curiosity to hear it. It behoveth thee to recite it,\ntherefore, in full. I am not satisfied with hearing in a nutshell the\ngreat history. That could never have been a trifling cause for which the\nvirtuous ones could slay those whom they should not have slain, and for\nwhich they are yet applauded by men. Why also did those tigers among men,\ninnocent and capable of avenging themselves upon their enemies, calmly\nsuffer the persecution of the wicked Kurus? Why also, O best of\nBrahmanas, did Bhima of mighty arms and of the strength of ten thousand\nelephants, control his anger, though wronged? Why also did the chaste\nKrishna, the daughter of Drupada, wronged by those wretches and able to\nburn them, not burn the sons of Dhritarashtra with her wrathful eyes? Why\nalso did the two other sons of Pritha (Bhima and Arjuna) and the two sons\nof Madri (Nakula and Sahadeva), themselves injured by the wretched Kurus,\nfollow Yudhishthira who was greatly addicted to the evil habit of\ngambling? Why also did Yudhishthira, that foremost of all virtuous men,\nthe son of Dharma himself, fully acquainted with all duties, suffer that\nexcess of affliction? Why also did the Pandava Dhananjaya, having Krishna\nfor his charioteer, who by his arrows sent to the other world that\ndauntless host of fighting men (suffer such persecution)? O thou of\nascetic wealth, speak to me of all these as they took place, and\neverything that those mighty charioteers achieved.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'O monarch, appoint thou a time for hearing it. This\nhistory told by Krishna-Dwaipayana is very extensive. This is but the\nbeginning. I shall recite it. I shall repeat the whole of the composition\nin full, of the illustrious and great Rishi Vyasa of immeasurable mental\npower, and worshipped in all the worlds. This Bharata consists of a\nhundred thousand sacred slokas composed by the son of Satyavati, of\nimmeasurable mental power. He that reads it to others, and they that hear\nit read, attain to the world of Brahman and become equal to the very\ngods. This Bharata is equal unto the Vedas, is holy and excellent; is the\nworthiest of all to be listened to, and is a Purana worshipped by the\nRishis. It contains much useful instruction on Artha and Kama (profit and\npleasure). This sacred history maketh the heart desire for salvation.\nLearned persons by reciting this Veda of Krishna-Dwaipayana to those that\nare liberal, truthful and believing, earn much wealth. Sins, such as\nkilling the embryo in the womb, are destroyed assuredly by this. A\nperson, however cruel and sinful, by hearing this history, escapes from\nall his sins like the Sun from Rahu (after the eclipse is over). This\nhistory is called Jaya. It should be heard by those desirous of victory.\nA king by hearing it may bring the whole world under subjection and\nconquer all his foes. This history in itself is a mighty act of\npropitiation, a mighty sacrifice productive of blessed fruit. It should\nalways be heard by a young monarch with his queen, for then they beget a\nheroic son or a daughter to occupy a throne. This history is the high and\nsacred science of Dharma, Artha, and also of Moksha; it hath been so said\nby Vyasa himself of mind that is immeasurable. This history is recited in\nthe present age and will be recited in the future. They that hear it,\nread, have sons and servants always obedient to them and doing their\nbehests. All sins that are committed by body, word, or mind, immediately\nleave them that hear this history. They who hear, without the spirit of\nfault finding, the story of the birth of the Bharata princes, can have no\nfear of maladies, let alone the fear of the other world.\n\n\"For extending the fame of the high-souled Pandavas and of other\nKshatriyas versed in all branches of knowledge, high spirited, and\nalready known in the world for their achievements, Krishna-Dwaipayana,\nguided also by the desire of doing good to the world, hath composed this\nwork. It is excellent, productive of fame, grants length of life, is\nsacred and heavenly. He who, from desire of acquiring religious merit,\ncauseth this history to be heard by sacred Brahmanas, acquireth great\nmerit and virtue that is inexhaustible. He that reciteth the famous\ngeneration of the Kurus becometh immediately purified and acquireth a\nlarge family himself, and becometh respected in the world. That Brahmana\nwho regularly studies this sacred Bharata for the four months of the\nrainy season, is cleansed from all his sins. He that has read the Bharata\nmay be regarded as one acquainted with the Vedas.\n\n\"This work presents an account of the gods and royal sages and sacred\nregenerate Rishis, the sinless Kesava; the god of gods, Mahadeva and the\ngoddess Parvati; the birth of Kartikeya who sprang from union of Parvati\nwith Mahadeva and was reared by many mothers; the greatness of Brahmanas\nand of kine. This Bharata is a collection of all the Srutis, and is fit\nto be heard by every virtuous person. That learned man who reciteth it to\nBrahmanas during the sacred lunations, becometh cleansed of all sins,\nand, not caring for heaven as it were, attaineth to a union with Brahma.\nHe that causeth even a single foot of this poem to be heard by Brahmanas\nduring the performance of a Sraddha, maketh that Sraddha inexhaustible,\nthe Pitris becoming ever gratified with the articles once presented to\nthem. The sins that are committed daily by our senses or the mind, those\nthat are committed knowingly or unknowingly by any man, are all destroyed\nby hearing the Mahabharata. The history of the exalted birth of the\nBharata princes is called the Mahabharata. He who knoweth this etymology\nof the name is cleansed of all his sins. And as this history of the\nBharata race is so wonderful, that, when recited, it assuredly purifieth\nmortals from all sins. The sage Krishna-Dwaipayana completed his work in\nthree years. Rising daily and purifying himself and performing his\nascetic devotions, he composed this Mahabharata. Therefore, this should\nbe heard by Brahmanas with the formality of a vow. He who reciteth this\nholy narration composed by Krishna (Vyasa) for the hearing of others, and\nthey who hear it, in whatever state he or they may be, can never be\naffected by the fruit of deeds, good or bad. The man desirous of\nacquiring virtue should hear it all. This is equivalent to all histories,\nand he that heareth it always attaineth to purity of heart. The\ngratification that one deriveth from attaining to heaven is scarcely\nequal to that which one deriveth from hearing this holy history. The\nvirtuous man who with reverence heareth it or causeth it to be heard,\nobtaineth the fruit of the Rajasuya and the horse-sacrifice. The Bharata\nis said to be as much a mine of gems as the vast Ocean or the great\nmountain Meru. This history is sacred and excellent, and is equivalent to\nthe Vedas, worthy of being heard, pleasing to the ear, sin-cleansing, and\nvirtue-increasing. O monarch, he that giveth a copy of the Bharata to one\nthat asketh for it doth indeed make a present of the whole earth with her\nbelt of seas. O son of Parikshit, this pleasant narration that giveth\nvirtue and victory I am about to recite in its entirety: listen to it.\nThe sage Krishna-Dwaipayana regularly rising for three years, composed\nthis wonderful history called Mahabharata. O bull amongst the Bharata\nmonarchs, whatever is spoken about virtue, wealth, pleasure, and\nsalvation may be seen elsewhere; but whatever is not contained in this is\nnot to be found anywhere.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXIII\n\n(Adivansavatarana Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'There was a king of the name of Uparichara. That\nmonarch was devoted to virtue. He was very much addicted also to hunting.\nThat king of the Paurava race, called also Vasu, conquered the excellent\nand delightful kingdom of Chedi under instructions from Indra. Some time\nafter, the king gave up the use of arms and, dwelling in a secluded\nretreat, practised the most severe austerities. The gods with Indra at\ntheir head once approached the monarch during this period, believing that\nhe sought the headship of the gods, by those severe austerities of his.\nThe celestials, becoming objects of his sight, by soft speeches succeeded\nin winning him away from his ascetic austerities.'\n\n\"The gods said, 'O lord of the earth, thou shouldst take care so that\nvirtue may not sustain a diminution on earth! Protected by thee, virtue\nitself will in return protect the universe.' And Indra said, 'O king,\nprotect virtue on earth attentively and rigidly. Being virtuous, thou\nshalt, for all time, behold (in after life) many sacred regions. And\nthough I am of Heaven, and thou art of earth, yet art thou my friend and\ndear to me. And, O king of men, dwell thou in that region on earth which\nis delightful, and aboundeth in animals, is sacred, full of wealth and\ncorn, is well-protected like heaven, which is of agreeable climate,\ngraced with every object of enjoyment, and blessed with fertility. And, O\nmonarch of Chedi, this thy dominion is full of riches, of gems and\nprecious stones, and containeth, besides, much mineral wealth. The cities\nand towns of this region are all devoted to virtue; the people are honest\nand contented; they never lie even in jest. Sons never divide their\nwealth with their fathers and are ever mindful of the welfare of their\nparents. Lean cattle are never yoked to the plough or the cart or engaged\nin carrying merchandise; on the other hand, they are well-fed and\nfattened. In Chedi the four orders are always engaged in their respective\nvocations. Let nothing be unknown to thee that happens in the three\nworlds. I shall give thee a crystal car such as the celestials alone are\ncapable of carrying the car through mid air. Thou alone, of all mortals\non earth, riding on that best of cars, shall course through mid-air like\na celestial endued with a physical frame. I shall also give thee a\ntriumphal garland of unfading lotuses, with which on, in battle, thou\nshall not be wounded by weapons. And, O king, this blessed and\nincomparable garland, widely known on earth as Indra's garland, shall be\nthy distinctive badge.\n\n\"The slayer of Vritra (Indra) also gave the king, for his gratification,\na bamboo pole for protecting the honest and the peaceful. After the\nexpiry of a year, the king planted it in the ground for the purpose of\nworshipping the giver thereof, viz., Sakra. From that time forth, O\nmonarch, all kings, following Vasu's example, began to plant a pole for\nthe celebration of Indra's worship. After erecting the pole they decked\nit with golden cloth and scents and garlands and various ornaments. And\nthe god Vasava is worshipped in due form with such garlands and\nornaments. And the god, for the gratification of the illustrious Vasu,\nassuming the form of a swan, came himself to accept the worship thus\noffered. And the god, beholding the auspicious worship thus made by Vasu,\nthat first of monarchs, was delighted, and said unto him, 'Those men, and\nkings also, who will worship me and joyously observe this festival of\nmine like the king of Chedi, shall have glory and victory for their\ncountries and kingdom. Their cities also shall expand and be ever in\njoy.'\n\n\"King Vasu was thus blessed by the gratified Maghavat, the high-souled\nchief of the gods. Indeed, those men who cause this festivity of Sakra to\nbe observed with gifts of land, of gems and precious stones, become the\nrespected of the world. And king Vasu, the lord of Chedis bestowing boons\nand performing great sacrifices and observing the festivity of Sakra, was\nmuch respected by Indra. And from Chedi he ruled the whole world\nvirtuously. And for the gratification of Indra, Vasu, the lord of the\nChedis, observed the festivity of Indra.\n\n\"And Vasu had five sons of great energy and immeasurable prowess. And the\nemperor installed his sons as governors of various provinces.\n\n\"And his son Vrihadratha was installed in Magadha and was known by the\nname of Maharatha. Another son of his was Pratyagraha; and another,\nKusamva, who was also called Manivahana. And the two others were Mavella,\nand Yadu of great prowess and invincible in battle.\n\n\"These, O monarch, were the sons of that royal sage of mighty energy. And\nthe five sons of Vasu planted kingdoms and towns after their own names\nand founded separate dynasties that lasted for long ages.\n\n\"And when king Vasu took his seat in that crystal car, with the gift of\nIndra, and coursed through the sky, he was approached by Gandharvas and\nApsaras (the celestial singers and dancers). And as he coursed through\nthe upper regions, he was called Uparichara. And by his capital flowed a\nriver called Suktimati. And that river was once attacked by a life-endued\nmountain called Kolahala maddened by lust. And Vasu, beholding the foul\nattempt, struck the mountain with his foot. And by the indentation caused\nby Vasu's stamp, the river came out (of the embraces of Kolahala). But\nthe mountain begat on the river two children that were twins. And the\nriver, grateful to Vasu for his having set her free from Kolahala's\nembraces, gave them both to Vasu. And the son was made the generalissimo\nto his forces by Vasu, that best of royal sages and giver of wealth and\npunisher of enemies. And the daughter called Girika, was wedded by Vasu.\n\n'And Girika, the wife of Vasu, after her menstrual course, purifying\nherself by a bath, represented her state unto her lord. But that very day\nthe Pitris of Vasu came unto that best of monarchs and foremost of wise\nmen, and asked him to slay deer (for their Sraddha). And the king,\nthinking that the command of the Pitris should not be disobeyed, went\na-hunting thinking of Girika alone who was gifted with great beauty and\nlike unto another Sri herself. And the season being the spring, the woods\nwithin which the king was roaming, had become delightful like unto the\ngardens of the king of the Gandharvas himself. There were Asokas and\nChampakas and Chutas and Atimuktas in abundance: and there were Punnagas\nand Karnikaras and Vakulas and Divya Patalas and Patalas and Narikelas\nand Chandanas and Arjunas and similar other beautiful and sacred trees\nresplendent with fragrant flowers and sweet fruits. And the whole forest\nwas maddened by the sweet notes of the kokila and echoed with the hum of\nmaddened bees. And the king became possessed with desire, and he saw not\nhis wife before him. Maddened by desire he was roaming hither and\nthither, when he saw a beautiful Asoka decked with dense foliage, its\nbranches covered with flowers. And the king sat at his ease in the shade\nof that tree. And excited by the fragrance of the season and the charming\nodours of the flowers around, and excited also by the delicious breeze,\nthe king could not keep his mind away from the thought of the beautiful\nGirika. And beholding that a swift hawk was resting very near to him, the\nking, acquainted with the subtle truths of Dharma and Artha, went unto\nhim and said, 'Amiable one, carry thou this seed (semen) for my wife\nGirika and give it unto her. Her season hath arrived.'\n\n\"The hawk, swift of speed, took it from the king and rapidly coursed\nthrough the air. While thus passing, the hawk was seen by another of his\nspecies. Thinking that the first one was carrying meat, the second one\nflew at him. The two fought with each other in the sky with their beaks.\nWhile they were fighting, the seed fell into the waters of the Yamuna.\nAnd in those waters dwelt an Apsara of the higher rank, known by the name\nof Adrika, transformed by a Brahmana's curse into a fish. As soon as\nVasu's seed fell into the water from the claws of the hawk, Adrika\nrapidly approached and swallowed it at once. That fish was, some time\nafter, caught by the fishermen. And it was the tenth month of the fish's\nhaving swallowed the seed. From the stomach of that fish came out a male\nand a female child of human form. The fishermen wondered much, and\nwending unto king Uparichara (for they were his subjects) told him all.\nThey said, 'O king, these two beings of human shape have been found in\nthe body of a fish!' The male child amongst the two was taken by\nUparichara. That child afterwards became the virtuous and truthful\nmonarch Matsya.\n\n\"After the birth of the twins, the Apsara herself became freed from her\ncurse. For she had been told before by the illustrious one (who had\ncursed her) that she would, while living in her piscatorial form, give\nbirth to two children of human shape and then would be freed from the\ncurse. Then, according to these words, having given birth to the two\nchildren, and been killed by the fishermen, she left her fish-form and\nassumed her own celestial shape. The Apsara then rose up on the path\ntrodden by the Siddhas, the Rishis and the Charanas.\n\n\"The fish-smelling daughter of the Apsara in her piscatorial form was\nthen given by the king unto the fishermen, saying, 'Let this one be thy\ndaughter.' That girl was known by the name of Satyavati. And gifted with\ngreat beauty and possessed of every virtue, she of agreeable smiles,\nowing to contact with fishermen, was for some time of the fishy smell.\nWishing to serve her (foster) father she plied a boat on the waters of\nthe Yamuna.\n\n\"While engaged in this vocation, Satyavati was seen one day by the great\nRishi Parasara, in course of his wanderings. As she was gifted with great\nbeauty, an object of desire even with an anchorite, and of graceful\nsmiles, the wise sage, as soon as he beheld her, desired to have her. And\nthat bull amongst Munis addressed the daughter of Vasu of celestial\nbeauty and tapering thighs, saying, 'Accept my embraces, O blessed one!'\nSatyavati replied, 'O holy one, behold the Rishis standing on either bank\nof the river. Seen by them, how can I grant thy wish?'\n\n\"Thus addressed by her, the ascetic thereupon created a fog (which\nexisted not before and) which enveloped the whole region in darkness. And\nthe maiden, beholding the fog that was created by the great Rishi\nwondered much. And the helpless one became suffused with the blushes of\nbashfulness. And she said, 'O holy one, note that I am a maiden under the\ncontrol of my father. O sinless one, by accepting your embraces my\nvirginity will be sullied. O best of Brahmanas, my virginity being\nsullied, how shall I, O Rishi, be able to return home? Indeed, I shall\nnot then be able to bear life. Reflecting upon all this, O illustrious\none, do that which should be done.' That best of Rishis, gratified with\nall she said, replied, \"Thou shall remain a virgin even if thou grantest\nmy wish. And, O timid one, O beauteous lady, solicit the boon that thou\ndesirest. O thou of fair smiles, my grace hath never before proved\nfruitless.' Thus addressed, the maiden asked for the boon that her body\nmight emit a sweet scent (instead of the fish-odour that it had). And the\nillustrious Rishi thereupon granted that wish of her heart.\n\n\"Having obtained her boon, she became highly pleased, and her season\nimmediately came. And she accepted the embraces of that Rishi of\nwonderful deeds. And she thenceforth became known among men by the name\nof Gandhavati (the sweet-scented one). And men could perceive her scent\nfrom the distance of a yojana. And for this she was known by another name\nwhich was Yojanagandha (one who scatters her scent for a yojana all\naround). And the illustrious Parasara, after this, went to his own asylum.\n\n\"And Satyavati gratified with having obtained the excellent boon in\nconsequence of which she became sweet-scented and her virginity remained\nunsullied conceived through Parasara's embraces. And she brought forth\nthe very day, on an island in the Yamuna, the child begot upon her by\nParasara and gifted with great energy. And the child, with the permission\nof his mother, set his mind on asceticism. And he went away saying, 'As\nsoon as thou rememberest me when occasion comes, I shall appear unto\nthee.'\n\n\"And it was thus that Vyasa was born of Satyavati through Parasara. And\nbecause he was born in an island, he was called Dwaipayana (Dwaipa or\nislandborn). And the learned Dwaipayana, beholding that virtue is\ndestined to become lame by one leg each yuga (she having four legs in\nall) and that the period of life and the strength of men followed the\nyugas, and moved by the desire of obtaining the favour of Brahman and the\nBrahmanas, arranged the Vedas. And for this he came to be called Vyasa\n(the arranger or compiler). The boon-giving great one then taught\nSumanta, Jaimini, Paila, his son Suka, and Vaisampayana, the Vedas having\nthe Mahabharata for their fifth. And the compilation of the Bharata was\npublished by him through them separately.\n\n\"Then Bhishma, of great energy and fame and of immeasurable splendour,\nand sprung from the component parts of the Vasus, was born in the womb of\nGanga through king Santanu. And there was a Rishi of the name of\nAnimandavya of great fame. And he was conversant with the interpretations\nof the Vedas, was illustrious, gifted with great energy, and of great\nreputation. And, accused of theft, though innocent, the old Rishi was\nimpaled. He thereupon summoned Dharma and told him these words, 'In my\nchildhood I had pierced a little fly on a blade of grass, O Dharma! I\nrecollect that one sin: but I cannot call to mind any other. I have,\nhowever, since practised penances a thousandfold. Hath not that one sin\nbeen conquered by this my asceticism? And because the killing of a\nBrahmana is more heinous than that of any other living thing, therefore,\nhast thou, O Dharma, been sinful. Thou shalt, therefore, be born on earth\nin the Sudra order.' And for that curse Dharma was born a Sudra in the\nform of the learned Vidura of pure body who was perfectly sinless. And\nthe Suta was born of Kunti in her maidenhood through Surya. And he came\nout of his mother's womb with a natural coat of mail and face brightened\nby ear-rings. And Vishnu himself, of world-wide fame, and worshipped of\nall the worlds, was born of Devaki through Vasudeva, for the benefit of\nthe three worlds. He is without birth and death, of radiant splendour,\nthe Creator of the universe and the Lord of all! Indeed, he who is the\ninvisible cause of all, who knoweth no deterioration, who is the\nall-pervading soul, the centre round which everything moveth, the\nsubstance in which the three attributes of Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas\nco-inhere, the universal soul, the immutable, the material out of which\nhath been created this universe, the Creator himself, the controlling\nlord, the invisible dweller in every object, progenitor of this universe\nof five elements, who is united with the six high attributes, is the\nPranava or Om of the Vedas, is infinite, incapable of being moved by any\nforce save his own will, illustrious, the embodiment of the mode of life\ncalled Sannyasa, who floated on the waters before the creation, who is\nthe source whence hath sprung this mighty frame, who is the great\ncombiner, the uncreate, the invisible essence of all, the great\nimmutable, bereft of those attributes that are knowable by the senses,\nwho is the universe itself, without beginning, birth, and decay,--is\npossessed of infinite wealth, that Grandsire of all creatures, became\nincarnate in the race of the Andhaka-Vrishnis for the increase of virtue.\n\n\"And Satyaki and Kritavarma, conversant with (the use of) weapons\npossessed of mighty energy, well-versed in all branches of knowledge, and\nobedient to Narayana in everything and competent in the use of weapons,\nhad their births from Satyaka and Hridika. And the seed of the great\nRishi Bharadwaja of severe penances, kept in a pot, began to develop. And\nfrom that seed came Drona (the pot-born). And from the seed of Gautama,\nfallen upon a clump of reeds, were born two that were twins, the mother\nof Aswatthaman (called Kripi), and Kripa of great strength. Then was born\nDhrishtadyumna, of the splendour of Agni himself, from the sacrificial\nfire. And the mighty hero was born with bow in hand for the destruction\nof Drona. And from the sacrificial altar was born Krishna (Draupadi)\nresplendent and handsome, of bright features and excellent beauty. Then\nwas born the disciple of Prahlada, viz., Nagnajit, and also Suvala. And\nfrom Suvala was born a son, Sakuni, who from the curse of the gods became\nthe slayer of creatures and the foe of virtue. And unto him was also born\na daughter (Gandhari), the mother of Duryodhana. And both were\nwell-versed in the arts of acquiring worldly profits. And from Krishna\nwas born, in the soil of Vichitravirya, Dhritarashtra, the lord of men,\nand Pandu of great strength. And from Dwaipayana also born, in the Sudra\ncaste, the wise and intelligent Vidura, conversant with both religion and\nprofit, and free from all sins. And unto Pandu by his two wives were born\nfive sons like the celestials. The eldest of them was Yudhishthira. And\nYudhishthira was born (of the seed) of Dharma (Yama, the god of justice);\nand Bhima of the wolf's stomach was born of Marut (the god of wind), and\nDhananjaya, blessed with good fortune and the first of all wielders of\nweapons, was born of Indra; and Nakula and Sahadeva, of handsome features\nand ever engaged in the service of their superiors, were born of the twin\nAswins. And unto the wise Dhritarashtra were born a hundred sons, viz.,\nDuryodhana and others, and another, named Yuyutsu, who was born of a\nvaisya woman. And amongst those hundred and one, eleven, viz., Duhsasana,\nDuhsaha, Durmarshana, Vikarna, Chitrasena, Vivinsati, Jaya, Satyavrata,\nPurumitra, and Yuyutsu by a Vaisya wife, were all Maharathas (great\ncar-warriors). And Abhimanyu was born of Subhadra, the sister of Vasudeva\nthrough Arjuna, and was, therefore, the grandson of the illustrious\nPandu. And unto the five Pandavas were born five sons by (their common\nwife) Panchali. And these princes were all very handsome and conversant\nwith all branches of knowledge. From Yudhishthira was born Pritivindhya;\nfrom Vrikodara, Sutasoma; from Arjuna, Srutakirti; from Nakula, Satanika;\nand from Sahadeva, Srutasena of great prowess; and Bhima, in the forest\nbegot on Hidimva a son named Ghatotkacha. And from Drupada was born a\ndaughter Sikhandin who was afterwards transformed into a male child.\nSikhandini was so transformed into a male by Yaksha named Sthuna from the\ndesire of doing her good.\n\n\"In that great battle of the Kurus came hundreds of thousands of monarchs\nfor fighting against one another. The names of the innumerable host I am\nunable to recount even in ten thousand years. I have named, however, the\nprincipal ones who have been mentioned in this history.'\"\n\n\n\n SECTION LXIV\n\n(Adivansavatarana Parva continued)\n\n\"Janamejaya said, 'O Brahmana, those thou hast named and those thou hast\nnot named, I wish to hear of them in detail, as also of other kings by\nthousands. And, O thou of great good fortune, it behoveth thee to tell me\nin full the object for which those Maharathas, equal unto the celestials\nthemselves, were born on earth.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'It hath been heard by us, O monarch, that what thou\naskest is a mystery even to the gods. I shall, however, speak of it unto\nthee, after bowing down (to the self-born). The son of Jamadagni\n(Parasurama), after twenty-one times making the earth bereft of\nKshatriyas wended to that best of mountains Mahendra and there began his\nascetic penances. And at that time when the earth was bereft of\nKshatriyas, the Kshatriya ladies, desirous of offspring, used to come, O\nmonarch, to the Brahmanas and Brahmanas of rigid vows had connection with\nthem during the womanly season alone, but never, O king, lustfully and\nout of season. And Kshatriya ladies by thousands conceived from such\nconnection with Brahmanas. Then, O monarch, were born many Kshatriyas of\ngreater energy, boys and girls, so that the Kshatriya race, might thrive.\nAnd thus sprang the Kshatriya race from Kshatriya ladies by Brahmanas of\nascetic penances. And the new generation, blessed with long life, began\nto thrive in virtue. And thus were the four orders having Brahmanas at\ntheir head re-established. And every man at that time went in unto his\nwife during her season and never from lust and out of season. And, O bull\nof the Bharata race, in the same way, other creatures also, even those\nborn in the race of birds went in unto their wives during the season\nalone. And, O protector of the earth, hundreds of thousands of creatures\nwere born, and all were virtuous and began to multiply in virtue, all\nbeing free from sorrow and disease. And, O thou of the elephant's tread,\nthis wide earth having the ocean for her boundaries, with her mountains\nand woods and towns, was once more governed by the Kshatriyas. And when\nthe earth began to be again governed virtuously by the Kshatriyas, the\nother orders having Brahmanas for their first were filled with great joy.\nAnd the kings giving up all vices born of lust and anger and justly\nawarding punishments to those that deserved them protected the earth. And\nhe of a hundred sacrifices, possessed also of a thousand eyes, beholding\nthat the Kshatriya monarchs ruled so virtuously, poured down vivifying\nshowers at proper times and places and blessed all creatures. Then, O\nking, no one of immature years died, and none knew a woman before\nattaining to age. And thus, O bull of the Bharata race, the earth, to the\nvery coasts of the ocean, became filled with men that were all\nlong-lived. The Kshatriyas performed great sacrifices bestowing much\nwealth. And the Brahmanas also all studied the Vedas with their branches\nand the Upanishads. And, O king, no Brahmana in those days ever sold the\nVedas (i.e., taught for money) or ever read aloud the Vedas in the\npresence of a Sudra. The Vaisyas, with the help of bullocks, caused the\nearth to be tilled. And they never yoked the cattle themselves. And they\nfed with care all cattle that were lean. And men never milked kine as\nlong as the calves drank only the milk of their dams (without having\ntaken to grass or any other food). And no merchant in those days ever\nsold his articles by false scales. And, O tiger among men, all persons,\nholding to the ways of virtue, did everything with eyes set upon virtue.\nAnd, O monarch, all the orders were mindful of their own respective\nduties. Thus, O tiger among men, virtue in those days never sustained any\ndiminution. And, O bull of the Bharata race, both kine and women gave\nbirth to their offspring at the proper time. And trees bore flowers and\nfruit duly according to the seasons. And thus, O king, the krita age\nhaving then duly set in, the whole earth was filled with numerous\ncreatures.\n\n\"And, O bull of the Bharata race, when such was the blessed state of the\nterrestrial world, the Asuras, O lord of men, began to be born in kingly\nlines. And the sons of Diti (Daityas) being repeatedly defeated in war by\nthe sons of Aditi (celestials) and deprived also of sovereignty and\nheaven, began to be incarnated on the earth. And, O king, the Asuras\nbeing possessed of great powers, and desirous of sovereignty began to be\nborn on earth amongst various creatures, such as kine, horses, asses,\ncamels, buffaloes, among creatures such as Rakshasas and others, and\namong elephants and deer. And, O protector of the earth, owing to those\nalready born and to those that were being born, the earth became\nincapable of supporting herself. And amongst the sons of Diti and of\nDanu, cast out of heaven, some were born on the earth as kings of great\npride and insolence. Possessed of great energy, they covered the earth in\nvarious shapes. Capable of oppressing all foes, they filled the earth\nhaving the ocean for its boundaries. And by their strength they began to\noppress Brahmanas and Kshatriyas and Vaisyas and Sudras and all other\ncreatures also. Terrifying and killing all creatures, they traversed the\nearth, O king, in bands of hundreds and thousands. Devoid of truth and\nvirtue, proud of their strength, and intoxicated with (the wine of)\ninsolence, they even insulted the great Rishis in their hermitages.\n\n\"And the earth, thus oppressed by the mighty Asuras endued with great\nstrength and energy and possessed of abundant means, began to think of\nwaiting on Brahman. The united strength of the creatures (such as Sesha,\nthe Tortoise, and the huge Elephant), and of many Seshas too, became\ncapable of supporting the earth with her mountains, burdened as she was\nwith the weight of the Danavas. And then, O king, the earth, oppressed\nwith weight and afflicted with fear, sought the protection of the\nGrandsire of all creatures. And she beheld the divine Brahman--the\nCreator of the worlds who knoweth no deterioration--surrounded by the\ngods, Brahmanas, and great Rishis, of exceeding good fortune, and adored\nby delighted Gandharvas and Apsaras always engaged in the service of the\ncelestials. And the Earth, desirous of protection, then represented\neverything to him, in the presence, O Bharata, of all the Regents of the\nworlds. But, O king, the Earth's object had been known beforehand to the\nOmniscient, Self-create, and Supreme Lord. And, O Bharata, Creator as he\nis of the universe, why should he not know fully what is in the minds of\nhis creatures including the very gods and the Asuras? O king, the Lord of\nthe Earth, the Creator of all creatures, also called Isa, Sambhu,\nPrajapati, then spake unto her. And Brahman said, 'O holder of wealth,\nfor the accomplishment of the object for which thou hast approached me, I\nshall appoint all the dwellers in the heavens.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Having said so unto the Earth, O king, the\ndivine Brahman bade her farewell. And the Creator then commanded all the\ngods saying, 'To ease the Earth of her burden, go ye and have your births\nin her according to your respective parts and seek ye strife (with the\nAsuras already born there)'. And the Creator of all, summoning also all\nthe tribes of the Gandharvas and the Apsaras, spake unto them these words\nof deep import, 'Go ye and be born amongst men according to your\nrespective parts in forms that ye like.'\n\n\"And all the gods with Indra, on hearing these words of the Lord of the\ncelestials--words that were true, desirable under the circumstances, and\nfraught with benefit,--accepted them. And they all having resolved to\ncome down on earth in their respected parts, then went to Narayana, the\nslayer of all foes, at Vaikunth--the one who has the discus and the mace\nin his hands, who is clad in purple, who is of great splendour, who hath\nthe lotus on his navel, who is the slayer of the foes of the gods, who is\nof eyes looking down upon his wide chest (in yoga attitude), who is the\nlord of the Prajapati himself, the sovereign of all the gods, of mighty\nstrength, who hath the mark of the auspicious whirl on his breast, who is\nthe mover of every one's faculties and who is adored by all the gods.\nHim, Indra the most exalted of persons, addressed, saying, \"Be\nincarnate.\" And Hari replied,--'Let it be.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXV\n\n(Sambhava Parva)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Then Indra had a consultation with Narayana about\nthe latter's descent on the earth from heaven with all the gods according\nto their respective parts. And, having commanded all the dwellers in\nheaven, Indra returned from the abode of Narayana. And the dwellers in\nheaven gradually became incarnate on earth for the destruction of the\nAsuras and for the welfare of the three worlds. And then, O tiger among\nkings, the celestials had their births, according as they pleased, in the\nraces of Brahmarshis and royal sages. And they slew the Danavas,\nRakshasas, Gandharvas and Snakes, other man-eaters, and many other\ncreatures. And, O bull in the Bharata race, the Danavas, Rakshasas and\nGandharvas and Snakes, could not slay the incarnate celestials even in\ntheir infancy, so strong they were.'\n\n\"Janamejaya said, 'I desire to hear from the beginning of the births of\nthe gods, the Danavas, the Gandharvas, the Apsaras, men, Yakshas and\nRakshasas. Therefore, it behoveth thee to tell me about the births of all\ncreatures.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Indeed, I shall, having bowed down to the\nSelf-create, tell thee in detail the origin of the celestials and other\ncreatures. It is known that Brahman hath six spiritual sons, viz.,\nMarichi, Atri, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha and Kratu. And Marichi's son is\nKasyapa, and from Kasyapa have sprung these creatures. Unto Daksha (one\nof the Prajapatis) were born thirteen daughters of great good fortune.\nThe daughters of Daksha are, O tiger among men and prince of the Bharata\nrace, Aditi, Diti, Danu, Kala, Danayu, Sinhika, Krodha, Pradha, Viswa,\nVinata, Kapila, Muni, and Kadru. The sons and grandsons of these, gifted\nwith great energy, are countless. From Aditi have sprung the twelve\nAdityas who are the lords of the universe. And, O Bharata, as they are\naccording to their names, I shall recount them to thee. They are Dhatri,\nMitra, Aryaman, Sakra, Varuna, Ansa, Vaga, Vivaswat, Usha, Savitri,\nTvashtri, and Vishnu. The youngest, however, is superior to them all in\nmerit. Diti had one son called Hiranyakasipu. And the illustrious\nHiranyakasipu had five sons, all famous throughout the world. The eldest\nof them all was Prahlada, the next was Sahradha; the third was Anuhrada;\nand after him were Sivi and Vashkala. And, O Bharata, it is known\neverywhere that Prahlada had three sons. They were Virochana, Kumbha, and\nNikumbha. And unto Virochana was born a son, Vali, of great prowess. And\nthe son of Vali is known to be the great Asura, Vana. And blessed with\ngood fortune, Vana was a follower of Rudra, and was known also by the\nname of Mahakala. And Danu had forty sons, O Bharata! The eldest of them\nall was Viprachitti of great fame Samvara, and Namuchi and Pauloman;\nAsiloman, and Kesi and Durjaya; Ayahsiras, Aswasiras, and the powerful\nAswasanku; also Gaganamardhan, and Vegavat, and he called Ketumat;\nSwarbhanu, Aswa, Aswapati, Vrishaparvan, and then Ajaka; and Aswagriva,\nand Sukshama, and Tuhunda of great strength, Ekapada, and Ekachakra,\nVirupaksha, Mahodara, and Nichandra, and Nikumbha, Kupata, and then\nKapata; Sarabha, and Sulabha, Surya, and then Chandramas; these in the\nrace of Danu are stated to be well-known. The Surya and Chandramas (the\nSun and the Moon) of the celestials are other persons, and not the sons\nof Danu as mentioned above. The following ten, gifted with great strength\nand vigour, were also, O king, born in the race of Danu;--Ekaksha,\nAmritapa of heroic courage, Pralamva and Naraka, Vatrapi, Satrutapana,\nand Satha, the great Asura; Gavishtha, and Vanayu, and the Danava called\nDirghajiva. And, O Bharata, the sons and the grandsons of these were\nknown to be countless. And Sinhika gave birth to Rahu, the persecutor of\nthe Sun and the Moon, and to three others, Suchandra, Chandrahantri, and\nChandrapramardana. And the countless progeny of Krura (krodha) were as\ncrooked and wicked as herself. And the tribe was wrathful, of crooked\ndeeds, and persecutors of their foes. And Danayu also had four sons who\nwere bulls among the Asuras. They were Vikshara, Vala, Vira, and Vritra\nthe great Asura. And the sons of Kala were all like Yama himself and\nsmiter of all foes. And they were of great energy, and oppressors of all\nfoes. And the sons of Kala were Vinasana and Krodha, and then\nKrodhahantri, and Krodhasatru. And there were many others among the sons\nof Kala. And Sukra, the son of a Rishi, was the chief priest of the\nAsuras. And the celebrated Sukra had four sons who were priests of the\nAsuras. And they were Tashtadhara and Atri, and two others of fierce\ndeeds. They were like the Sun himself in energy, and set their hearts on\nacquiring the regions of Brahman.\n\n\"Thus hath been recited by me, as heard in the Purana, of progeny of the\ngods and the Asuras, both of great strength and energy. I am incapable, O\nking, of counting the descendants of these, countless as they are, are\nnot much known to fame.\n\n\"And the sons of Vinata were Tarkhya and Arishtanemi, and Garuda and\nAruna, and Aruni and Varuni. And Sesha or Ananta, Vasuki, Takshaka,\nKumara, and Kulika are known to be the sons of Kadru; and Bhimasena,\nUgrasena, Suparna, Varuna, Gopati, and Dhritarashtra, and Suryavarchas\nthe seventh, Satyavachas, Arkaparna, Prayuta, Bhima, and Chitraratha\nknown to fame, of great learning, and a controller of his passions, and\nthen Kalisiras, and, O king, Parjanya, the fourteenth in the list, Kali,\nthe fifteenth, and Narada, the sixteenth--these Devas and Gandharvas are\nknown to be the sons of Muni (Daksha's daughter as mentioned before). I\nshall recount many others, O Bharata! Anavadya Manu, Vansa, Asura,\nMarganapria, Anupa, Subhaga, Vasi, were the daughters brought forth by\nPradha, Siddha, and Purna, and Varhin, and Purnayus of great fame,\nBrahmacharin, Ratiguna, and Suparna who was the seventh; Viswavasu,\nBhanu, and Suchandra who was the tenth, were also the sons of Pradha. All\nthese were celestial Gandharvas. And it is also known that this Pradha of\ngreat fortune, through the celestial Rishi (Kasyapa, her husband),\nbrought forth the sacred of the Apsaras, Alamvusha, Misrakesi,\nVidyutparna, Tilottama, Aruna, Rakshita, Rambha, Manorama, Kesini,\nSuvahu, Surata, Suraja, and Supria were the daughters, and Ativahu and\nthe celebrated Haha and Huhu, and Tumvuru were the sons--the best of\nGandharvas--of Pradha and Amrita. The Brahmanas, kine, Gandharvas, and\nApsaras, were born of Kapila as stated in the Purana.\n\n\"Thus hath been recited to thee by me the birth of all creatures duly--of\nGandharvas and Apsaras, of Snakes, Suparnas, Rudras, and Maruts; of kine\nand of Brahmanas blessed with great good fortune, and of sacred deeds.\nAnd this account (if read) extendeth the span of life, is sacred, worthy\nof all praise, and giveth pleasure to the ear. It should be always heard\nand recited to others, in a proper frame of mind.\n\n\"He who duly readeth this account of the birth of all high-souled\ncreatures in the presence of the gods and Brahmanas, obtaineth large\nprogeny, good fortune, and fame, and attaineth also to excellent worlds\nhereafter.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXVI\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'It is known that the spiritual sons of Brahman were\nthe six great Rishis (already mentioned). There was another of the name\nof Sthanu. And the sons of Sthanu, gifted with great energy, were, it is\nknown, eleven. They were Mrigavayadha, Sarpa, Niriti of great fame:\nAjaikapat, Ahivradhna, and Pinaki, the oppressor of foes; Dahana and\nIswara, and Kapali of great splendour; and Sthanu, and the illustrious\nBharga. These are called the eleven Rudras. It hath been already said,\nthat Marichi, Angiras. Atri, Pulastya, Pulaha, and Kratu--these six great\nRishis of great energy--are the sons of Brahman. It is well-known in the\nworld that Angiras's sons are three,--Vrihaspati, Utathya, and Samvarta,\nall of rigid vows. And, O king, it is said that the sons of Atri are\nnumerous. And, being great Rishis, they are all conversant with the\nVedas, crowned with ascetic success, and of souls in perfect peace. And,\nO tiger among kings, the sons of Pulastya of great wisdom are Rakshasas,\nMonkeys, Kinnaras (half-men and half-horses), and Yakshas. And, O king,\nthe son of Pulaha were, it is said, the Salabhas (the winged insects),\nthe lions, the Kimpurushas (half-lions and half-men), the tigers, bears,\nand wolves. And the sons of Kratu, sacred as sacrifices, are the\ncompanions of Surya, (the Valikhilyas), known in three worlds and devoted\nto truth and vows. And, O protector of the Earth, the illustrious Rishi\nDaksha, of soul in complete peace, and of great asceticism, sprung from\nthe right toe of Brahman. And from the left toe of Brahman sprang the\nwife of the high-souled Daksha. And the Muni begat upon her fifty\ndaughters; and all those daughters were of faultless features and limbs\nand of eyes like lotus-petals. And the lord Daksha, not having any sons,\nmade those daughters his Putrikas (so that their sons might belong both\nto himself and to their husbands). And Daksha bestowed, according to the\nsacred ordinance, ten of his daughters on Dharma, twenty-seven on Chandra\n(the Moon), and thirteen on Kasyapa. Listen as I recount the wives of\nDharma according to their names. They are ten in all--Kirti, Lakshmi,\nDhriti, Medha, Pushti, Sraddha, Kria, Buddhi, Lajja, and Mali. These are\nthe wives of Dharma as appointed by the Self-create. It is known also\nthroughout the world that the wives of Soma (Moon) are twenty-seven. And\nthe wives of Soma, all of sacred vows, are employed in indicating time;\nand they are the Nakshatras and the Yoginis and they became so for\nassisting the courses of the worlds.\n\n\"And Brahman had another son named Manu. And Manu had a son of the name\nof Prajapati. And the sons of Prajapati were eight and were called Vasus\nwhom I shall name in detail. They were Dhara, Dhruva, Soma, Aha, Anila,\nAnala, Pratyusha, and Prabhasa. These eight are known as the Vasus. Of\nthese, Dhara and the truth-knowing Dhruva were born of Dhumra; Chandramas\n(Soma) and Swasana (Anila) were born of the intelligent Swasa; Aha was\nthe son of Rata: and Hutasana (Anala) of Sandilya; and Pratyusha and\nPrabhasa were the sons of Prabhata. And Dhara had two sons, Dravina and\nHuta-havya-vaha. And the son of Dhruva is the illustrious Kala (Time),\nthe destroyer of the worlds. And Soma's son is the resplendent Varchas.\nAnd Varchas begot upon his wife Manohara three sons--Sisira, and Ramana.\nAnd the son of Aha were Jyotih, Sama, Santa, and also Muni. And the son\nof Agni is the handsome Kumara born in a forest of reeds. And, he is also\ncalled Kartikeya because he was reared by Krittika and others. And, after\nKartikeya, there were born his three brothers Sakha, Visakha, Naigameya.\nAnd the wife of Anila is Siva, and Siva's son were Manojava and\nAvijnataagati. These two were the sons of Anila. The son of Pratyusha,\nyou must know, is the Rishi named Devala; and Devala had two sons who\nwere both exceedingly forgiving and of great mental power. And the sister\nof Vrihaspati, the first of women, uttering the sacred truth, engaged in\nascetic penances, roamed over the whole earth; and she became the wife of\nPrabhasa, the eighth Vasu. And she brought forth the illustrious\nViswakarman, the founder of all arts. And he was the originator of a\nthousand arts, the engineer of the immortals, the maker of all kinds of\nornaments, and the first of artists. And he it was who constructed the\ncelestial cars of the gods, and mankind are enabled to live in\nconsequence of the inventions of that illustrious one. And he is\nworshipped, for that reason, by men. And he is eternal and immutable,\nthis Viswakarman.\n\n\"And the illustrious Dharma, the dispenser of all happiness, assuming a\nhuman countenance, came out through the right breast of Brahman. And\nAhasta (Dharma) hath three excellent sons capable of charming every\ncreature. And they are Sama, Kama, Harsha (Peace, Desire, and Joy). And\nby their energy they are supporting the worlds. And the wife of Kama is\nRati, of Sama is Prapti; and the wife of Harsha is Nanda. And upon them,\nindeed, are the worlds made to depend.\n\n\"And the son of Marichi is Kasyapa. And Kasyapa's offspring are the gods\nand the Asuras. And, therefore, is Kasyapa, the Father of the worlds. And\nTvashtri, of the form of Vadava (a mare), became the wife of Savitri. And\nshe gave birth, in the skies, to two greatly fortunate twins, the Aswins.\nAnd, O king, the sons of Aditi are twelve with Indra heading them all.\nAnd the youngest of them all was Vishnu upon whom the worlds depend.\n\n\"These are the thirty-three gods (the eight Vasus, the eleven Rudras, the\ntwelve Adityas, Prajapati, and Vashatkara). I shall now recount their\nprogeny according to their Pakshas, Kulas, and Ganas. The Rudras, the\nSaddhyas, the Maruts, the Vasus, the Bhargavas, and the Viswedevas are\neach reckoned as a Paksha. Garuda the son of Vinata and the mighty Aruna\nalso, and the illustrious Vrihaspati are reckoned among the Adityas. The\ntwin Aswins, all annual plants, and all inferior animals, are reckoned\namong the Guhyakas.\n\n\"These are the Ganas of the gods recited to thee, O king! This recitation\nwashes men of all sins.\n\n\"The illustrious Bhrigu came out, ripping open the breast of Brahman. The\nlearned Sukra is Bhrigu's son. And the learned Sukra becoming a planet\nand engaged according to the command of the Self-existent in pouring and\nwithholding rain, and in dispensing and remitting calamities, traverses,\nfor sustaining the lives of all the creatures in the three worlds,\nthrough the skies. And the learned Sukra, of great intelligence and\nwisdom, of rigid vows, leading the life of a Brahmacharin, divided\nhimself in twain by power of asceticism, and became the spiritual guide\nof both the Daityas and the gods. And after Sukra was thus employed by\nBrahman in seeking the welfare (of the gods and the Asuras), Bhrigu begot\nanother excellent son. This was Chyavana who was like the blazing sun, of\nvirtuous soul, and of great fame. And he came out of his mother's womb in\nanger and became the cause of his mother's release, O king (from the\nhands of the Rakshasas). And Arushi, the daughter of Manu, became the\nwife of the wise Chyavana. And, on her was begotten Aurva of great\nreputation. And he came out, ripping open the thigh of Arushi. And Aurva\nbegot Richika. And Richika even in his boyhood became possessed of great\npower and energy, and of every virtue. And Richika begot Jamadagni. And\nthe high-souled Jamadagni had four sons. And the youngest of them all was\nRama (Parasurama). And Rama was superior to all his brothers in the\npossession of good qualities. And he was skilful in all weapons, and\nbecame the slayer of the Kshatriyas. And he had his passions under\ncomplete control. And Aurva had a hundred sons with Jamadagni the eldest.\nAnd these hundred sons had offspring by thousands spread over this earth.\n\n\"And Brahman had two other sons, viz., Dhatri and Vidhatri who stayed\nwith Manu. Their sister is the auspicious Lakshmi having her abode amid\nlotuses. And the spiritual sons of Lakshmi are the sky-ranging horses.\nAnd the daughter born of Sukra, named Divi, became the eldest wife of\nVaruna. Of her were born a son named Vala and a daughter named Sura\n(wine), to the joy of the gods. And Adharma (Sin) was born when creatures\n(from want of food) began to devour one another. And Adharma always\ndestroys every creature. And Adharma hath Niriti for his wife, whence the\nRakshasas who are called Nairitas (offspring of Niriti). And she hath\nalso three other cruel sons always engaged in sinful deeds. They are\nBhaya (fear), Mahabhaya (terror), and Mrityu (Death) who is always\nengaged in slaying every created thing. And, as he is all-destroying, he\nhath no wife, and no son. And Tamra brought forth five daughters known\nthroughout the worlds. They are Kaki (crow), Syeni (hawk), Phasi (hen),\nDhritarashtri (goose), and Suki (parrot). And Kaki brought forth the\ncrows; Syeni, the hawks, the cocks and vultures, Dhritarashtri, all ducks\nand swans; and she also brought forth all Chakravakas; and the fair Suki,\nof amiable qualities, and possessing all auspicious signs brought forth\nall the parrots. And Krodha gave birth to nine daughters, all of wrathful\ndisposition. And their names were Mrigi, Mrigamanda, Hari, Bhadramana,\nMatangi, Sarduli, Sweta, Surabhi, and the agreeable Surasa blessed with\nevery virtue. And, O foremost of men, the offspring of Mrigi are all\nanimals of the deer species. And the offspring of Mrigamanda are all\nanimals of the bear species and those called Srimara (sweet-footed). And\nBhadramana begot the celestial elephants, Airavata. And the offspring of\nHari are all animals of the simian species endued with great activity, so\nalso all the horses. And those animals also, that are called Go-langula\n(the cow-tailed), are said to be the offspring of Hari. And Sarduli begot\nlions and tigers in numbers, and also leopards and all other strong\nanimals. And, O king, the offspring of Matangi are all the elephants. And\nSweta begat the large elephant known by the name of Sweta, endued with\ngreat speed. And, O king, Surabhi gave birth to two daughters, the\namiable Rohini and the far-famed Gandharvi. And, O Bharata, she had also\ntwo other daughters named Vimala and Anala. From Rohini have sprung all\nkine, and from Gandharvi all animals of the horse species. And Anala\nbegat the seven kinds of trees yielding pulpy fruits. (They are the date,\nthe palm, the hintala, the tali, the little date, the nut, and the\ncocoanut.) And she had also another daughter called Suki (the mother of\nthe parrot species). And Surasa bore a son called Kanka (a species of\nlong-feathered birds). And Syeni, the wife of Aruna, gave birth to two\nsons of great energy and strength, named Sampati and the mighty Jatayu.\nSurasa also bore the Nagas, and Kadru, the Punnagas (snakes). And Vinata\nhad two sons Garuda and Aruna, known far and wide. And, O king of men, O\nforemost of intelligent persons, thus hath the genealogy of all the\nprincipal creatures been fully described by me. By listening to this, a\nman is fully cleansed of all his sins, and acquireth great knowledge, and\nfinally attaineth to the first of states in after-life!'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXVII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Janamejaya said, 'O worshipful one, I wish to hear from thee in detail\nabout the birth, among men, of the gods, the Danavas, the Gandharvas, the\nRakshasas, the lions, the tigers, and the other animals, the snakes, the\nbirds, and in fact, of all creatures. I wish also to hear about the acts\nand achievements of those, in due order, after they became incarnate in\nhuman forms.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'O king of men, I shall first tell thee all about\nthose celestials and Danavas that were born among men--The first of\nDanavas, who was known by the name of Viprachitti, became that bull among\nmen, noted as Jarasandha. And, O king, that son of Diti, who was known as\nHiranyakasipu, was known in this world among men as the powerful\nSisupala. He who had been known as Samhlada, the younger brother of\nPrahlada, became among men the famous Salya, that bull amongst Valhikas.\nThe spirited Anuhlada who had been the youngest became noted in the world\nas Dhrishtaketu. And, O king, that son of Diti who had been known as Sivi\nbecame on earth the famous monarch Druma. And he who was known as the\ngreat Asura Vashkala became on earth the great Bhagadatta. The five great\nAsuras gifted with great energy, Ayahsira, Aswasira, the spirited\nAysanku, Gaganamurdhan, and Vegavat, were all born in the royal line of\nKekaya and all became great monarchs. That other Asura of mighty energy\nwho was known by the name of Ketumat became on earth the monarch\nAmitaujas of terrible deeds. That great Asura who was known as Swarbhanu\nbecame on earth the monarch Ugrasena of fierce deeds. That great Asura\nwho was known as Aswa became on earth the monarch Asoka of exceeding\nenergy and invincible in battle. And, O king, the younger brother of Aswa\nwho was known as Aswapati, a son of Diti, became on earth the mighty\nmonarch Hardikya. The great and fortunate Asura who was known as\nVrishaparvan became noted on earth as king Dirghaprajna. And, O king, the\nyounger brother of Vrishaparvan who was known by the name of Ajaka became\nnoted on earth as king Salwa. The powerful and mighty Asura who was known\nas Aswagriva became noted on earth as king Rochamana. And, O king, the\nAsura who was known as Sukshma, endued with great intelligence and whose\nachievements also were great, became on earth the famous king\nVrihadratha. And that first of Asuras who was known by the name of\nTuhunda, became noted on earth as the monarch, Senavindu. That Asura of\ngreat strength who was known as Ishupa became the monarch Nagnajita of\nfamous prowess. The great Asura who was known as Ekachakra became noted\non earth as Pritivindhya. The great Asura Virupaksha capable of\ndisplaying various modes of fight became noted on earth as king\nChitravarman. The first of Danavas, the heroic Hara, who humbled the\npride of all foes became on earth the famous and fortunate Suvahu. The\nAsura Suhtra of great energy and the destroyer of foemen, became noted on\nearth as the fortunate monarch, Munjakesa. That Asura of great\nintelligence called Nikumbha, who was never vanquished in battle was born\non earth as king Devadhipa, the first among monarchs. That great Asura\nknown amongst the sons of Diti by the name of Sarabha became on earth the\nroyal sage called Paurava. And, O king, the great Asura of exceeding\nenergy, the fortunate Kupatha, was born on earth as the famous monarch\nSuparswa. The great Asura, O king, who was called Kratha, was born on\nearth as the royal sage Parvateya of form resplendent like a golden\nmountain. He amongst the Asura who was known as Salabha the second,\nbecame on earth the monarch Prahlada in the country of the Valhikas. The\nforemost, among the sons of Diti known by the name of Chandra and\nhandsome as the lord of the stars himself, became on earth noted as\nChandravarman, the king of the Kamvojas. That bull amongst the Danavas\nwho was known by the name of Arka became on earth, O king, the royal sage\nRishika. That best of Asuras who was known as Mritapa became on earth, O\nbest of kings, the monarch, Pascimanupaka. That great Asura of surpassing\nenergy known as Garishtha became noted on earth as king Drumasena. The\ngreat Asura who was known as Mayura became noted on earth as the monarch\nViswa. He who was the younger brother of Mayura and called Suparna became\nnoted on earth as the monarch, Kalakirti. The mighty Asura who was known\nas Chandrahantri became on earth the royal sage Sunaka. The great Asura\nwho was called Chandravinasana became noted on earth as the monarch,\nJanaki. That bull amongst the Danavas, O prince of the Kuru race, who was\ncalled Dhirghajihva, became noted on earth as Kasiraja. The Graha who was\nbrought forth by Sinhika and who persecuted the Sun and the Moon became\nnoted on earth as the monarch Kratha. The eldest of the four sons of\nDanayu, who was known by the name of Vikshara, became known on earth the\nspirited monarch, Vasumitra. The second brother of Vikshara, the great\nAsura, was born on earth as the king of the country, called Pandya. That\nbest of Asuras who was known by the name of Valina became on earth the\nmonarch Paundramatsyaka. And, O king, that great Asura who was known as\nVritra became on earth the royal sage known by the name of Manimat. That\nAsura who was the younger brother of Vritra and known as Krodhahantri\nbecame noted on earth as king Danda. That other Asura who was known by\nthe name Krodhavardhana became noted on earth as the monarch, Dandadhara.\nThe eight sons of the Kaleyas that were born on earth all became great\nkings endued with the prowess of tigers. The eldest of them all became\nking Jayatsena in Magadha. The second of them, in prowess, like Indra,\nbecame noted on earth as Aparajita. The third of them, endued with great\nenergy and power of producing deception, was born on earth as the king of\nthe Nishadas gifted with great prowess. That other amongst them who was\nknown as the fourth was noted on earth as Srenimat, that best of royal\nsages. That great Asura amongst them who was the fifth, became noted on\nearth as king Mahanjas, the oppressor of enemies. That great Asura\npossessing great intelligence who was the sixth of them became noted on\nearth as Abhiru, that best of royal sages. The seventh of them became\nknown throughout earth, from the centre to the sea, as king Samudrasena\nwell acquainted with the truths of the scriptures. The eighth of the\nKaleyas known as Vrihat became on earth a virtuous king ever engaged in\nthe good of all creatures. The mighty Danava known by the name of Kukshi\nbecame on earth as Parvatiya from his brightness as of a golden mountain.\nThe mighty Asura Krathana gifted with great energy became noted on earth\nas the monarch Suryaksha. The great Asura of handsome features known by\nthe name of Surya, became on earth the monarch of the Valhikas by name\nDarada, that foremost of all kings. And, O king, from the tribe of Asuras\ncalled Krodhavasa, of whom I have already spoken to thee, were born many\nheroic kings on earth. Madraka, and Karnaveshta, Siddhartha, and also\nKitaka; Suvira, and Suvahu, and Mahavira, and also Valhika, Kratha,\nVichitra, Suratha, and the handsome king Nila; and Chiravasa, and\nBhumipala; and Dantavakra, and he who was called Durjaya; that tiger\namongst kings named Rukmi; and king Janamejaya, Ashada, and Vayuvega, and\nalso Bhuritejas; Ekalavya, and Sumitra, Vatadhana, and also Gomukha; the\ntribe of kings called the Karushakas, and also Khemadhurti; Srutayu, and\nUdvaha, and also Vrihatsena; Kshema, Ugratirtha, the king of the\nKalingas; and Matimat, and he was known as king Iswara; these first of\nkings were all born of the Asura class called Krodhavasa.\n\n\"There was also born on earth a mighty Asura known amongst the Danavas by\nthe name of Kalanemi, endued with great strength, of grand achievements,\nand blessed with a large share of prosperity. He became the mighty son of\nUgrasena and was known on earth by the name of Kansa. And he who was\nknown among the Asuras by the name of Devaka and was besides in splendour\nlike unto Indra himself, was born on earth as the foremost king of the\nGandharvas. And, O monarch, know thou that Drona, the son of Bharadwaja,\nnot born of any woman, sprung from a portion of the celestial Rishi\nVrihaspati of grand achievements. And he was the prince of all bowmen,\nconversant with all weapons, of mighty achievements, of great energy.\nThou shouldst know he was also well-acquainted with the Vedas and the\nscience of arms. And he was of wonderful deeds and the pride of his race.\nAnd, O king, his son the heroic Aswatthaman, of eyes like the\nlotus-petals, gifted with surpassing energy, and the terror of all foes,\nthe great oppressor of all enemies, was born on earth, of the united\nportions of Mahadeva, Yama, Kama, and Krodha. And from the curse of\nVasishtha and the command also of Indra, the eight Vasus were born of\nGanga by her husband Santanu. The youngest of them was Bhishma, the\ndispeller of the fears of the Kurus, gifted with great intelligence,\nconversant with the Vedas, the first speakers, and the thinner of the\nenemy's ranks. And possessed of mighty energy and the first of all\npersons acquainted with weapons, he encountered the illustrious Rama\nhimself, the son of Jamadagni of the Bhrigu race. And, O king, that\nBrahman sage who, on earth, was known by the name of Kripa and was the\nembodiment of all manliness was born of the tribe of the Rudras. And the\nmighty chariot-fighter and king who on earth was known by the name of\nSakuni, that crusher of foes, thou shouldst know, O king, was Dwapara\nhimself (the third yuga). And he who was Satyaki of sure aim, that\nupholder of the pride of Vrishni race, that oppressor of foes, begotten\nof the portion of gods called the Maruts. And that royal sage Drupada who\non earth was a monarch, the first among all persons bearing arms, was\nalso born of the same tribe of the celestials. And, O king, thou shouldst\nalso know that Kritavarman, that prince among men, of deeds unsurpassed\nby any one, and the foremost of all bulls amongst Kshatriyas, was born of\nthe portion of the same celestials. And that royal sage also, Virata by\nname, the scorcher of the kingdoms of others, and the great oppressor of\nall foes, was born of the portion of the same gods. That son of Arishta\nwho was known by the name of Hansa, was born in the Kuru race and became\nthe monarch of the Gandharvas. He who was known as Dhritarashtra born of\nthe seed of Krishna-Dwaipayana, and gifted with long arms and great\nenergy, also a monarch, of the prophetic eye, became blind in consequence\nof the fault of his mother and the wrath of the Rishi. His younger\nbrother who was possessed of great strength and was really a great being\nknown as Pandu, devoted to truth and virtue, was Purity's self. And, O\nking, thou shouldst know that he who was known on earth as Vidura, who\nwas the first of all virtuous men, who was the god of Justice himself,\nwas the excellent and greatly fortunate son of the Rishi Atri. The\nevil-minded and wicked king Duryodhana, the destroyer of the fair fame of\nthe Kurus, was born of a portion of Kali on earth. He it was who caused\nall creatures to be slain and the earth to be wasted; and he it was who\nfanned the flame of hostility that ultimately consumed all. They who had\nbeen the sons of Pulastya (the Rakshasas) were born on earth among men of\nDuryodhana's brothers, that century of wicked individuals commencing with\nDuhasasana as their first. And, O bull among the Bharata princes,\nDurmukha, Duhsaha, and others whose names I do not mention, who always\nsupported Duryodhana (in all his schemes), were, indeed, the sons of\nPulastya. And over and above these hundred, Dhritarashtra had one son\nnamed Yuyutsu born of a Vaisya wife.'\n\n\"Janamejaya said, 'O illustrious one, tell me the names of\nDhritarashtra's sons according to the order of their birth beginning from\nthe eldest.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'O king, they are as follows: Duryodhana, and\nYuyutsu, and also Duhsasana; Duhsaha and Duhshala, and then Durmukha;\nVivinsati, and Vikarna, Jalasandha, Sulochna, Vinda and Anuvinda,\nDurdharsha, Suvahu, Dushpradharshana; Durmarshana, and Dushkarna, and\nKarna; Chitra and Vipachitra, Chitraksha, Charuchitra, and Angada,\nDurmada, and Dushpradharsha, Vivitsu, Vikata, Sama; Urananabha, and\nPadmanabha, Nanda and Upanandaka; Sanapati, Sushena, Kundodara; Mahodara;\nChitravahu, and Chitravarman, Suvarman, Durvirochana; Ayovahu, Mahavahu,\nChitrachapa and Sukundala, Bhimavega, Bhimavala, Valaki, Bhimavikrama,\nUgrayudha, Bhimaeara, Kanakayu, Dridhayudha, Dridhavarman, Dridhakshatra\nSomakirti, Anadara; Jarasandha, Dridhasandha, Satyasandha, Sahasravaeh;\nUgrasravas, Ugrasena, and Kshemamurti; Aprajita, Panditaka, Visalaksha,\nDuradhara, Dridhahasta, and Suhasta, Vatavega, and Suvarchasa;\nAdityaketu, Vahvasin, Nagadatta and Anuyaina; Nishangi, Kuvachi, Dandi,\nDandadhara, Dhanugraha; Ugra, Bhimaratha, Vira, Viravahu, Alolupa;\nAbhaya, and Raudrakarman, also he who was Dridharatha; Anadhrishya,\nKundaveda, Viravi, Dhirghalochana; Dirghavahu; Mahavahu; Vyudhoru,\nKanakangana; Kundaja and Chitraka. There was also a daughter named\nDuhsala who was over and above the hundred. And Yuyutsu who was\nDhritarashtra's son by a Vaisya wife, was also over and above the\nhundred. Thus, O king, have I recited the names of the hundred sons and\nalso that of the daughter (of Dhritarashtra). Thou hast now known their\nnames according to the order of their births. All of them were heroes and\ngreat car-warriors, and skilled in the art of warfare. Besides, all of\nthem were versed in the Vedas, and, O king, all of them had got through\nthe scriptures. All of them were mighty in attack and defence, and all\nwere graced with learning. And, O monarch, all of them had wives suitable\nto them in grace and accomplishments. And, O king, when the time came,\nthe Kaurava monarch bestowed his daughter Duhsala on Jayadratha, the king\nof the Sindhus, agreeably to the counsels of Sakuni.\n\n\"And, O monarch, learn that king Yudhishthira was a portion of Dharma;\nthat Bhimasena was of the deity of wind; that Arjuna was of Indra, the\nchief of the celestials; and that Nakula and Sahadeva, the handsomest\nbeings among all creatures, and unrivalled for beauty on earth, were\nsimilarly portions of the twin Aswins. And he who was known as the mighty\nVarchas, the son of Soma, became Abhimanyu of wonderful deeds, the son of\nArjuna. And before his incarnation, O king, the god Soma had said these\nwords to the celestials, 'I cannot give (part with) my son. He is dearer\nto me than life itself. Let this be the compact and let it be not\ntransgressed. The destruction of the Asuras on earth is the work of the\ncelestials, and, therefore, it is our work as well. Let this Varchas,\ntherefore, go thither, but let him not stay there long. Nara, whose\ncompanion is Narayana, will be born as Indra's son and indeed, will be\nknown as Arjuna, the mighty son of Pandu. This boy of mine shall be his\nson and become a mighty car-warrior in his boyhood. And let him, ye best\nof immortals, stay on earth for sixteen years. And when he attaineth to\nhis sixteenth year, the battle shall take place in which all who are born\nof your portions shall achieve the destruction of mighty warriors. But a\ncertain encounter shall take place without both Nara and Narayana (taking\nany part in it). And, indeed, your portions, ye celestials, shall fight,\nhaving made that disposition of the forces which is known by the name of\nthe Chakra-vyuha. And my son shall compel all foes to retreat before him.\nThe boy of mighty arms having penetrated the impenetrable array, shall\nrange within it fearlessly and send a fourth part of the hostile force,\nin course of half a day, unto the regions of the king of the dead. Then\nwhen numberless heroes and mighty car-warriors will return to the charge\ntowards the close of the day, my boy of mighty arms, shall reappear\nbefore me. And he shall beget one heroic son in his line, who shall\ncontinue the almost extinct Bharata race.' Hearing these words of Soma,\nthe dwellers in heaven replied, 'So be it.' And then all together\napplauded and worshipped (Soma) the king of stars. Thus, O king, have I\nrecited to thee the (particulars of the) birth of thy father's father.\n\n\"Know also, O monarch, that the mighty car-warrior Dhrishtadyumna was a\nportion of Agni. And know also that Sikhandin, who was at first a female,\nwas (the incarnation of) a Rakshasa. And, O bull in Bharata's race, they\nwho became the five sons of Draupadi, those bulls amongst the Bharata\nprinces, were the celestials known as the Viswas. Their names were\nPritivindhya, Sutasoma, Srutakirti, Satanika, Nakula, and Srutasena,\nendued with mighty energy.\n\n\"Sura, the foremost of the Yadus, was the father of Vasudeva. He had a\ndaughter called Pritha, who for her beauty, was unrivalled on earth. And\nSura, having promised in the presence of fire that he would give his\nfirstborn child to Kuntibhoja, the son of his paternal aunt, who was\nwithout offspring, gave his daughter unto the monarch in expectation of\nhis favours. Kuntibhoja thereupon made her his daughter. And she became,\nthenceforth, in the house of her (adoptive) father, engaged in attending\nupon Brahmanas and guests. One day she had to wait upon the wrathful\nascetic of rigid vows, Durvasa by name, acquainted with truth and fully\nconversant with the mysteries of religion. And Pritha with all possible\ncare gratified the wrathful Rishi with soul under complete control. The\nholy one, gratified with the attentions bestowed on him by the maiden,\ntold her, 'I am satisfied, O fortunate one, with thee! By this mantra\n(that I am about to give thee), thou shall be able to summon (to thy\nside) whatever celestials thou likest. And, by their grace, shall thou\nalso obtain children.' Thus addressed, the girl (a little while after),\nseized with curiosity, summoned, during the period of her maiden-hood,\nthe god Surya. And the lord of light thereupon made her conceive and\nbegot on her a son who became the first of all wielders of weapons. From\nfear of relatives she brought forth in secrecy that child who had come\nout with ear-rings and coat of mail. And he was gifted with the beauty of\na celestial infant, and in splendour was like unto the maker of day\nhimself. And every part of his body was symmetrical and well-adorned. And\nKunti cast the handsome child into the water. But the child thus thrown\ninto the water was taken up by the excellent husband of Radha and given\nby him to his wife to be adopted by her as their son. And the couple gave\nhim the name of Vasusena, by which appellation the child soon became\nknown all over the land. And, as he grew up, he became very strong and\nexcelled in all weapons. The first of all successful persons, he soon\nmastered the sciences. And when the intelligent one having truth for his\nstrength recited the Vedas, there was nothing he would not then give to\nthe Brahmanas. At that time Indra, the originator of all things, moved by\nthe desire of benefiting his own son Arjuna, assumed the guise of a\nBrahmana, came to him, and begged of the hero his ear-rings and natural\narmour. And the hero taking off his ear-rings and armour gave them unto\nthe Brahmana. And Sakra (accepting the gift) presented to the giver a\ndart, surprised (at his open handedness), and addressed him in these\nwords, 'O invincible one, amongst the celestials, Asuras, men,\nGandharvas, Nagas, and Rakshasas, he at whom thou hurlest (this weapon),\nthat one shall certainly be slain.' And the son of Surya was at first\nknown in the world by the name of Vasusena. But, for his deeds, he\nsubsequently came to be called Karna. And because that hero of great fame\nhad taken off his natural armour, therefore was he--the first son of\nPritha--called Kama. And, O best of kings, the hero began to grow up in\nthe Suta caste. And, O king, know thou that Kama--the first of all\nexalted men--the foremost of all wielders of weapons--the slayer of\nfoes--and the best portion of the maker of day--was the friend and\ncounsellor of Duryodhana. And he, called Vasudeva, endued with great\nvalour, was among men a portion of him called Narayana--the god of\ngods--eternal. And Valadeva of exceeding strength was a portion of the\nNaga, Sesha. And, O monarch, know that Pradyumna of great energy was\nSanatkumara. And in this way the portion of various other dwellers in\nheaven became exalted men in the race of Vasudeva, increasing the glory\nthereof. And, O king, the portions of the tribe of Apsaras which I have\nmentioned already, also became incarnate on earth according to Indra's\ncommands--And sixteen thousand portions of those goddesses became, O\nking, in this world of men, the wives of Vasudeva. And a portion of Sri\nherself became incarnate on earth, for the gratification of Narayana, in\nthe line of Bhishmaka. And she was by name the chaste Rukmini. And the\nfaultless Draupadi, slender-waisted like the wasp, was born of a portion\nof Sachi (the queen of the celestials), in the line of Drupada. And she\nwas neither low nor tall in stature. And she was of the fragrance of the\nblue lotus, of eyes large as lotus-petals, of thighs fair and round, of\ndense masses of black curly hair. And endued with every auspicious\nfeature and of complexion like that of the emerald, she became the\ncharmer of the hearts of five foremost of men. And the two goddesses\nSiddhi and Dhriti became the mothers of those five, and were called Kunti\nand Madri. And she who was Mati became the daughter (Gandhari) of Suvala.\n\n\"Thus, O king, have I recited to thee all about the incarnation,\naccording to their respective portions, of the gods, the Asuras, the\nGandharvas, the Apsaras, and of the Rakshasas. They who were born on\nearth as monarchs invincible in battle, those high-souled ones who were\nborn in the wide extended line of the Yadus, they who were born as mighty\nmonarchs in other lines, they who were born as Brahmanas and Kshatriyas\nand Vaisyas, have all been recited by me duly. And this account of the\nincarnation (of superior beings according to their respective portions)\ncapable of bestowing wealth, fame, offspring, long life, and success,\nshould always be listened to in a proper frame of mind. And having\nlistened to this account of incarnation, according to their portions, of\ngods, Gandharvas, and Rakshasas, the hearer becoming acquainted with the\ncreation, preservation, and destruction of the universe and acquiring\nwisdom, is never cast down even under the most engrossing sorrows.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXVIII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Janamejaya said, 'O Brahmana, I have, indeed, heard from thee this\naccount of the incarnation, according to their portions, of the gods, the\nDanavas, the Rakshasas, and also of the Gandharvas and the Apsaras. I\nhowever, again desire to hear of the dynasty of the Kurus from the very\nbeginning. Therefore, O Brahmana, speak of this in the presence of all\nthese regenerate Rishis.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'O exalted one of Bharata's race, the founder of the\nPaurava line was Dushmanta gifted with great energy. And he was the\nprotector of the earth bounded by the four seas. And that king had full\nsway over four quarters of this world. And he was the lord also of\nvarious regions in the midst of the sea. And that great oppressor of all\nfoes had sway over the countries even of the Mlechchhas.\n\n\"And during his rule there were no men of mixed castes, no tillers of the\nsoil (for the land, of itself, yielded produce), no workers of mines (for\nthe surface of the earth yielded in abundance), and no sinful men. All\nwere virtuous, and did everything from virtuous motives, O tiger among\nmen. There was no fear of thieves, O dear one, no fear of famine, no fear\noff disease. And all four orders took pleasure in doing their respective\nduties and never performed religious acts for obtaining fruition of\ndesires. And his subjects, depending upon him, never entertained any\nfear. And Parjanya (Indra) poured showers at the proper time, and the\nproduce of the fields was always pulpy and juicy. And the earth was full\nof all kinds of wealth and all kinds of animals. And the Brahmanas were\nalways engaged in their duties and they were always truthful. And the\nyouthful monarch was endued with wonderful prowess and a physical frame\nhard as the thunderbolt, so that he could, taking up the mountain Mandara\nwith its forests and bushes, support it on his arms. And he was\nwell-skilled in four kinds of encounters with the mace (hurling it at\nfoes at a distance, striking at those that are near, whirling it in the\nmidst of many, and driving the foe before). And he was skilled also in\nthe use of all kinds of weapons and in riding elephants and horses. And\nin strength he was like unto Vishnu, in splendour like unto the maker of\nday, in gravity like unto the ocean, and in patience, like unto the\nearth. And the monarch was loved by all his subjects, and he ruled his\ncontented people virtuously.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXIX\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Janamejaya said, 'I desire to hear from thee about the birth and life of\nthe high-souled Bharata and of the origin of Sakuntala. And, O holy one,\nI also desire to hear all about Dushmanta--that lion among men--and how\nthe hero obtained Sakuntala. It behoveth thee, O knower of truth and the\nfirst of all intelligent men, to tell me everything.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Once on a time (king Dushmanta) of mighty arms,\naccompanied by a large force, went into the forest. And he took with him\nhundreds of horses and elephants. And the force that accompanied the\nmonarch was of four kinds (foot-soldiers, car-warriors, cavalry, and\nelephants)--heroes armed with swords and darts and bearing in their hands\nmaces and stout clubs. And surrounded by hundreds of warriors with lances\nand spears in their hands, the monarch set out on his journey. And with\nthe leonine roars of the warriors and the notes of conchs and sound of\ndrums, with the rattle of the car-wheels and shrieks of huge elephants,\nall mingling with the neighing of horses and the clash of weapons of the\nvariously armed attendants in diverse dresses, there arose a deafening\ntumult while the king was on his march. And ladies gifted with great\nbeauty beheld from the terraces of goodly mansions that heroic monarch,\nthe achiever of his own fame. And the ladies saw that he was like unto\nSakra, the slayer of his enemies, capable of repulsing the elephants of\nfoes--And they believed that he was the wielder of the thunderbolt\nhimself. And they said, 'This is that tiger among men who in battle is\nequal unto the Vasus in prowess, and in consequence of the might of whose\narms no foes are left.' And saying this, the ladies from affection\ngratified the monarch by showering flowers on his head. And followed by\nforemost of Brahmanas uttering blessings all the way, the king in great\ngladness of heart went towards the forest, eager for slaying the deer.\nAnd many Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas, and Sudras, followed the monarch\nwho was like unto the king of the celestials seated on the back of a\nproud elephant. The citizens and other classes followed the monarch for\nsome distance. And they at last refrained from going farther at the\ncommand of the king. And the king, then, ascending his chariot of winged\nspeed, filled the whole earth and even the heavens, with the rattle of\nhis chariot wheels. And, as he went, he saw around him a forest like unto\nNandana itself (the celestial garden). And it was full of Vilwa, Arka,\nKhadira (catechu), Kapittha (wood-apple) and Dhava trees. And he saw that\nthe soil was uneven and scattered over with blocks of stone loosened from\nthe neighbouring cliffs. And he saw that it was without water and without\nhuman beings and lay extended for many Yojanas around. And it was full of\ndeer, and lions, and other terrible beasts of prey.\n\n\"And king Dushmanta, that tiger among men, assisted by his followers and\nthe warriors in his train, agitated that forest, killing numerous\nanimals. And Dushmanta, piercing them with his arrows, felled numerous\ntigers that were within shooting range. And the king wounded many that\nwere too distant, and killed many that were too near with his heavy\nsword. And that foremost of all wielders of darts killed many by hurling\nhis darts at them. And well-conversant with the art of whirling the mace,\nthe king of immeasurable prowess fearlessly wandered over the forest. And\nthe king roamed about, killing the denizens of the wilderness sometimes\nwith his sword and sometimes by fast-descending blows of his mace and\nheavy club.\n\n\"And when the forest was so disturbed by the king possessed of wonderful\nenergy and by the warriors in his train delighting in warlike sports, the\nlions began to desert it in numbers. And herds of animals deprived of\ntheir leaders, from fear and anxiety began to utter loud cries as they\nfled in all directions. And fatigued with running, they began to fall\ndown on all sides, unable to slake their thirst, having reached\nriver-beds that were perfectly dry. And many so falling were eaten up by\nthe hungry warriors. While others were eaten up after having been duly\nquartered and roasted in fires lit up by them. And many strong elephants,\nmaddened with the wounds they received and alarmed beyond measure, fled\nwith trunks raised on high. And those wild elephants, betraying the usual\nsymptoms of alarm by urinating and ejecting the contents of their\nstomachs and vomiting blood in large quantities, trampled, as they ran,\nmany warriors to death. And that forest which had been full of animals,\nwas by the king with his bands of followers and with sharp weapons soon\nmade bereft of lions and tigers and other monarchs of the wilderness.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXX\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Then the king with his followers, having killed\nthousands of animals, entered another forest with a view to hunting. And\nattended by a single follower and fatigued with hunger and thirst, he\ncame upon a large desert on the frontiers of the forest. And having\ncrossed this herbless plain, the king came upon another forest full of\nthe retreats of ascetics, beautiful to look at, delightful to the heart\nand of cool agreeable breezes. And it was full of trees covered with\nblossoms, the soil overgrown with the softest and greenest grass,\nextending for many miles around, and echoing with the sweet notes of\nwinged warblers. And it resounded with the notes of the male Kokila and\nof the shrill cicala. And it was full of magnificent trees with\noutstretched branches forming a shady canopy overhead. And the bees\nhovered over flowery creepers all around. And there were beautiful bowers\nin every place. And there was no tree without fruits, none that had\nprickles on it, none that had no bees swarming around it. And the whole\nforest resounded with the melody of winged choristers. And it was decked\nwith the flowers of every season. And there were refreshing shades of\nblossoming trees.\n\n\"Such was the delicious and excellent forest that the great bowman\nentered. And trees with branches beautified with clusters began to wave\ngently at the soft breeze and rain their flowers over the monarch's head.\nAnd the trees, clad in their flowery attires of all colours, with\nsweet-throated warblers perched on them, stood there in rows with heads\ntouching the very heavens. And around their branches hanging down with\nthe weight of flowers the bees tempted by the honey hummed in sweet\nchorus. And the king, endued with great energy, beholding innumerable\nspots covered with bowers of creepers decked with clusters of flowers,\nfrom excess of gladness, became very much charmed. And the forest was\nexceedingly beautiful in consequence of those trees ranged around with\nflowery branches twining with each other and looking like so many\nrainbows for gaudiness and variety of colour. And it was the resort of\nbands of Siddhas, of the Charanas, of tribes of Gandharvas, and Apsaras,\nof monkeys and Kinnaras drunk with delight. Delicious cool, and fragrant\nbreezes, conveying the fragrance from fresh flowers, blew in all\ndirections as if they had come there to sport with the trees. And the\nking saw that charming forest gifted with such beauties. And it was\nsituated in a delta of the river, and the cluster of high trees standing\ntogether lent the place the look of a gaudy pole erected to Indra's\nhonour.\n\n\"And in that forest which was the resort of ever cheerful birds, the\nmonarch saw a delightful and charming retreat of ascetics. And there were\nmany trees around it. And the sacred fire was burning within it. And the\nking worshipped that unrivalled retreat. And he saw seated in it numerous\nYotis, Valakhilyas and other Munis. And it was adorned with many chambers\ncontaining sacrificial fire. And the flowers dropping from the trees had\nformed a thick carpet spread over the ground. And the spot looked\nexceedingly beautiful with those tall trees of large trunks. And by it\nflowed, O king, the sacred and transparent Malini with every species of\nwater-fowl playing on its bosom. And that stream infused gladness into\nthe hearts of the ascetics who resorted to it for purposes of ablutions.\nAnd the king beheld on its banks many innocent animals of the deer\nspecies and was exceedingly delighted with all that he saw.\n\n\"And the monarch, the course of whose chariot no foe could obstruct, then\nentered that asylum which was like unto the region of the celestials,\nbeing exceedingly beautiful all over. And the king saw that it stood on\nthe margin of the sacred stream which was like the mother of all the\nliving creatures residing in its vicinage. And on its bank sported the\nChakravaka, and waves of milkwhite foam. And there stood also the\nhabitations of Kinnaras. And monkeys and bears too disported themselves\nin numbers. And there lived also holy ascetics engaged in studies and\nmeditation. And there could be seen also elephants and tigers and snakes.\nAnd it was on the banks of that stream that the excellent asylum of the\nillustrious Kasyapa stood, offering a home to numerous Rishis of great\nascetic merit. And beholding that river, and also the asylum washed by\nthat river which was studded with many islands and which possessed banks\nof so much beauty,--an asylum like unto that of Nara and Narayana laved\nby the water of the Ganga--the king resolved to enter into that sacred\nabode. And that bull among men, desirous of beholding the great Rishi of\nascetic wealth, the illustrious Kanwa of the race of Kasyapa, one who\npossessed every virtue and who, for his splendour, could be gazed at with\ndifficulty, approached that forest resounding with the notes of maddened\npeacocks and like unto the gardens of the great Gandharva, Chitraratha,\nhimself. And halting his army consisting of flags, cavalry, infantry, and\nelephants at the entrance of the forest, the monarch spoke as follows, 'I\nshall go to behold the mighty ascetic of Kasyapa's race, one who is\nwithout darkness. Stay ye here until my return!'\n\n\"And the king having entered that forest which was like unto Indra's\ngarden, soon forgot his hunger and thirst. And he was pleased beyond\nmeasure. And the monarch, laying aside all signs of royalty, entered that\nexcellent asylum with but his minister and his priest, desirous of\nbeholding that Rishi who was an indestructible mass of ascetic merit. And\nthe king saw that the asylum was like unto the region of Brahman. Here\nwere bees sweetly humming and there were winged warblers of various\nspecies pouring forth their melodies. At particular places that tiger\namong men heard the chanting of Rik hymns by first-rate Brahmanas\naccording to the just rules of intonation. Other places again were graced\nwith Brahmanas acquainted with ordinances of sacrifice, of the Angas and\nof the hymns of the Yajurveda. Other places again were filled with the\nharmonious strains of Saman hymns sung by vow-observing Rishis. At other\nplaces the asylum was decked with Brahmanas learned in the Atharvan Veda.\nAt other places again Brahmanas learned in the Atharvan Veda and those\ncapable of chanting the sacrificial hymns of the Saman were reciting the\nSamhitas according to the just rules of voice. And at other places again,\nother Brahmanas well-acquainted with the science of orthoepy were\nreciting mantras of other kinds. In fact, that sacred retreat resounding\nwith these holy notes was like unto a second region of Brahman himself.\nAnd there were many Brahmanas skilled in the art of making sacrificial\nplatforms and in the rules of Krama in sacrifices, conversant with logic\nand the mental sciences, and possessing a complete knowledge of the\nVedas. There were those also who were fully acquainted with the meanings\nof all kinds of expressions; those that were conversant with all special\nrites, those also that were followers of Moksha-Dharma; those again that\nwere well-skilled in establishing propositions; rejecting superfluous\ncauses, and drawing right conclusions. There were those having a\nknowledge of the science of words (grammar), of prosody, of Nirukta;\nthose again that were conversant with astrology and learned in the\nproperties of matter and the fruits of sacrificial rites, possessing a\nknowledge of causes and effects, capable of understanding the cries of\nbirds and monkeys, well-read in large treatises, and skilled in various\nsciences. And the king, as he proceeded, heard their voices. And the\nretreat resounded also with voice of men capable of charming human\nhearts. And the slayer of hostile heroes also saw around him learned\nBrahmanas of rigid vows engaged in Japa (the repeated muttering of the\nnames of gods) and Homa (burnt-offering). And the king wondered much on\nbeholding the beautiful carpets which those Brahmanas offered to him\nrespectfully. And that best of monarchs, at the sight of the rites with\nwhich those Brahmanas worshipped the gods and the great Rishis, thought\nwithin himself that he was in the region of Brahman. And the more the\nking saw that auspicious and sacred asylum of Kasyapa protected by that\nRishi's ascetic virtues and possessing all the requisites of a holy\nretreat, the more he desired to see it. In fact, he was not satisfied\nwith his short survey. And the slayer of heroes at last, accompanied by\nhis minister and his priest, entered that charming and sacred retreat of\nKasyapa inhabited all around by Rishis of ascetic wealth and exalted\nvows.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXI\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'The monarch then, as he proceeded, left even his\nreduced retinue at the entrance of the hermitage. And entering quite\nalone he saw not the Rishi (Kanwa) of rigid vows. And not seeing the\nRishi and finding that the abode was empty, he called loudly, saying,\n'What ho, who is here?' And the sound of his voice was echoed back. And\nhearing the sound of his voice, there came out of the Rishi's abode a\nmaiden beautiful as Sri herself but dressed as an ascetic's daughter. And\nthe black-eyed fair one, as she saw king Dushmanta, bade him welcome and\nreceived him duly. And, showing him due respect by the offer of a seat,\nwater to wash his feet, and Arghya, she enquired about the monarch's\nhealth and peace. And having worshipped the king and asked him about his\nhealth and peace, the maiden reverentially asked, 'What must be done, O\nking! I await your commands.' The king, duly worshipped by her, said unto\nthat maiden of faultless features and sweet speech, 'I have come to\nworship the highly-blessed Rishi Kanwa. Tell me, O amiable and beautiful\none, where has the illustrious Rishi gone?'\n\n\"Sakuntala then answered, 'My illustrious father hath gone away from the\nasylum to fetch fruit. Wait but a moment and thou wilt see him when he\narrives.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'The king not seeing the Rishi and addressed\nthus by her, beheld that the maiden was exceedingly beautiful and endued\nwith perfect symmetry of shape. And he saw that she was of sweet smiles.\nAnd she stood decked with the beauty of her faultless features, her\nascetic penances, and her humility. And he saw that she was in the bloom\nof youth. He therefore asked her, 'Who art thou? And whose daughter, O\nbeautiful one? Why hast thou come into the woods also? O handsome one,\ngifted with so much beauty and such virtues, whence hast thou come? O\ncharming one, at the very first glance hast thou stolen my heart! I\ndesire to learn all about thee; therefore tell me all.' And thus\naddressed by the monarch, the maiden smilingly replied in these sweet\nwords, 'O Dushmanta, I am the daughter of the virtuous, wise,\nhigh-souled, and illustrious ascetic Kanwa.'\n\n\"Dushmanta, hearing this, replied, 'The universally-worshipped and\nhighly-blessed Rishi is one whose seed hath been drawn up. Even Dharma\nhimself might fall off from his course but an ascetic of rigid vows can\nnever fall off so. Therefore, O thou of the fairest complexion, how hast\nthou been born as his daughter? This great doubt of mine it behoveth thee\nto dispel.'\n\n\"Sakuntala then replied, 'Hear, O king, what I have learnt regarding all\nthat befell me of old and how I became the daughter of the Muni. Once on\na time, a Rishi came here and asked about my birth. All that the\nillustrious one (Kanwa) told him, hear now from me, O king!\n\n\"My father Kanwa, in answer to that Rishi's enquiries, said, 'Viswamitra,\nof old, having been engaged in the austerest penances alarmed Indra, the\nchief of the celestials, who thought that the mighty ascetic of blazing\nenergy would, by his penances, hurl him down from his high seat in\nheaven.' Indra, thus alarmed, summoned Menaka and told her, 'Thou, O\nMenaka, art the first of celestial Apsaras. Therefore, O amiable one, do\nme this service. Hear what I say. This great ascetic Viswamitra like unto\nthe Sun in splendour, is engaged in the most severe of penances. My heart\nis trembling with fear. Indeed, O slender-waisted Menaka, this is thy\nbusiness. Thou must see that Viswamitra of soul rapt in contemplation and\nengaged in the austerest penances, who might hurl me down from my seat.\nGo and tempt him and frustrating his continued austerities accomplish my\ngood. Win him away from his penances, O beautiful one, by tempting him\nwith thy beauty, youth, agreeableness, arts, smiles and speech.' Hearing\nall this, Menaka replied, 'The illustrious Viswamitra is endued with\ngreat energy and is a mighty ascetic. He is very short-tempered too, as\nis known to thee. The energy, penances, and wrath of the high-souled one\nhave made even thee anxious. Why should I not also be anxious? He it was\nwho made even the illustrious Vasishtha bear the pangs of witnessing the\npremature death of his children. He it was who, though at first born as\nKshatriya, subsequently became a Brahmana by virtue of his ascetic\npenances. He it was who, for purposes of his ablutions, created a deep\nriver that can with difficulty be forded, and which sacred stream is\nknown by the name of the Kausiki. It was Viswamitra whose wife, in a\nseason of distress, was maintained by the royal sage Matanga (Trisanku)\nwho was then living under a father's curse as a hunter. It was Viswamitra\nwho, on returning after the famine was over, changed the name of the\nstream having his asylum from Kausik into Para. It was Viswamitra who in\nreturn for the services of Matanga, himself became the latter's priest\nfor purposes of a sacrifice. The lord of the celestials himself went\nthrough fear to drink the Soma juice. It was Viswamitra who in anger\ncreated a second world and numerous stars beginning with Sravana. He it\nwas who granted protection to Trisanku smarting under a superior's curse.\nI am frightened to approach him of such deeds. Tell me, O Indra, the\nmeans that should be adopted so that I may not be burnt by his wrath. He\ncan burn the three worlds by his splendour, can, by a stamp (of his\nfoot), cause the earth to quake. He can sever the great Meru from the\nearth and hurl it to any distance. He can go round the ten points of the\nearth in a moment. How can a woman like me even touch such a one full of\nascetic virtues, like unto a blazing fire, and having his passions under\ncomplete control? His mouth is like unto a blazing fire; the pupils of\nhis eyes are like the Sun and the Moon; his tongue is like unto Yama\nhimself. How shall, O chief of the celestials, a woman like me even touch\nhim? At the thought of his prowess Yama, Soma, the great Rishis, the\nSaddhyas, the Viswas, Valakhilyas, are terrified! How can a woman like me\ngaze at him without alarm? Commanded, however, by thee, O king of the\ncelestials, I shall somehow approach that Rishi. But, O chief of the\ngods, devise thou some plan whereby protected by thee, I may safely move\nabout that Rishi. I think that when I begin to play before the Rishi,\nMarut (the god of wind) had better go there and rob me of my dress, and\nManmatha (the god of love) had also, at thy command, better help me then.\nLet also Marut on that occasion bear thither fragrance from the woods to\ntempt the Rishi.' Saying this and seeing that all she had spoken about\nhad been duly provided, Menaka went to the retreat of the great Kausika.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\nKanwa continued, 'And Sakra, thus addressed by her, then commanded him\nwho could approach every place (viz., the god of the wind) to be present\nwith Menaka at the time she would be before the Rishi. And the timid and\nbeautiful Menaka then entered the retreat and saw there Viswamitra who\nhad burnt, by his penances, all his sins, and was engaged still in\nascetic penances. And saluting the Rishi, she then began to sport before\nhim. And just at that time Marut robbed her of her garments that were\nwhite as the Moon. And she thereupon ran, as if in great bashfulness, to\ncatch hold of her attire, and as if she was exceedingly annoyed with\nMarut. And she did all this before the very eyes of Viswamitra who was\nendued with energy like that of fire. And Viswamitra saw her in that\nattitude. And beholding her divested of her robes, he saw that she was of\nfaultless feature. And that best of Munis saw that she was exceedingly\nhandsome, with no marks of age on her person. And beholding her beauty\nand accomplishments that bull amongst Rishis was possessed with lust and\nmade a sign that he desired her companionship. And he invited her\naccordingly, and she also of faultless features expressed her acceptance\nof the invitation. And they then passed a long time there in each other's\ncompany. And sporting with each other, just as they pleased, for a long\ntime as if it were only a single day, the Rishi begat on Menaka a\ndaughter named Sakuntala. And Menaka (as her conception advanced) went to\nthe banks of the river Malini coursing along a valley of the charming\nmountains of Himavat. And there she gave birth to that daughter. And she\nleft the new-born infant on the bank of that river and went away. And\nbeholding the new-born infant lying in that forest destitute of human\nbeings but abounding with lions and tigers, a number of vultures sat\naround to protect it from harm. No Rakshasas or carnivorous animals took\nits life. Those vultures protected the daughter of Menaka. I went there\nto perform my ablution and beheld the infant lying in the solitude of the\nwilderness surrounded by vultures. Bringing her hither I have made her my\ndaughter. Indeed, the maker of the body, the protector of life, the giver\nof food, are all three, fathers in their order, according to the\nscriptures. And because she was surrounded in the solitude of the\nwilderness, by Sakuntas (birds), therefore, hath she been named by me\nSakuntala (bird-protected). O Brahman, learn that it is thus that\nSakuntala hath become my daughter. And the faultless Sakuntala also\nregards me as her father.'\n\n\"This is what my father had said unto the Rishi, having been asked by\nhim. O king of men, it is thus that thou must know I am the daughter of\nKanwa. And not knowing my real father, I regard Kanwa as my father. Thus\nhave I told thee, O king, all that hath been heard by me regarding my\nbirth!'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXIII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'King Dushmanta, hearing all this, said,\n'Well-spoken, O princess, this that thou hast said! Be my wife, O\nbeautiful one! What shall I do for thee? Golden garlands, robes,\near-rings of gold, white and handsome pearls, from various countries,\ngolden coins, finest carpets, I shall present thee this very day. Let the\nwhole of my kingdom be thine today, O beautiful one! Come to me, O timid\none, wedding me, O beautiful one, according to the Gandharva form. O thou\nof tapering thighs, of all forms of marriage, the Gandharva one is\nregarded as the first.'\n\n\"Sakuntala, hearing this, said, 'O king, my father hath gone away from\nthis asylum to bring fruit. Wait but a moment; he will bestow me on thee.'\n\n\"Dushmanta replied, 'O beautiful and faultless one, I desire that thou\nshouldst be my life's companion. Know thou that I exist for thee, and my\nheart is in thee. One is certainly one's own friend, and one certainly\nmay depend upon one's own self. Therefore, according to the ordinance,\nthou canst certainly bestow thyself. There are, in all, eight kinds of\nmarriages. These are Brahma, Daiva, Arsha, Prajapatya, Asura, Gandharva,\nRakshasa, and Paisacha, the eighth. Manu, the son of the self-create,\nhath spoken of the appropriateness of all these forms according to their\norder. Know, O faultless one, that the first four of these are fit for\nBrahmanas, and the first six for Kshatriyas. As regards kings, even the\nRakshasa form is permissible. The Asura form is permitted to Vaisyas and\nSudras. Of the first five the three are proper, the other two being\nimproper. The Paisacha and the Asura forms should never be practised.\nThese are the institutes of religion, and one should act according to\nthem. The Gandharva and the Rakshasa form are consistent with the\npractices of Kshatriyas. Thou needst not entertain the least fear. There\nis not the least doubt that either according to any one of these\nlast-mentioned forms, or according to a union of both of them, our\nwedding may take place. O thou of the fairest complexion, full of desire\nI am, thou also in a similar mood mayst become my wife according to the\nGandharva form.'\n\n\"Sakuntala, having listened to all this, answered, 'If this be the course\nsanctioned by religion, if, indeed, I am my own disposer, hear, O thou\nforemost one of Puru's race, what my terms are. Promise truly to give me\nwhat I ask thee. The son that shall be begotten on me shall become thy\nheir-apparent. This, O king, is my fixed resolve. O Dushmanta, if thou\ngrant this, then let our union take place.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'The monarch, without taking time to consider at\nonce told her, 'Let it be so. I will even take thee, O thou of agreeable\nsmiles, with me to my capital. I tell thee truly. O beautiful one, thou\ndeservest all this.' And so saying, that first of kings wedded the\nhandsome Sakuntala of graceful gait, and knew her as a husband. And\nassuring her duly, he went away, telling her repeatedly, 'I shall send\nthee, for thy escort, my troops of four classes. Indeed, it is even thus\nthat I shall take thee to my capital, O thou of sweet smiles!\"\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'O Janamejaya, having promised so unto her, the\nking went away. And as he retraced his way homewards, he began to think\nof Kasyapa. And he asked himself, 'What will the illustrious ascetic say,\nafter he has known all?' Thinking of this, he entered his capital.\n\n\"The moment the king had left, Kanwa arrived at his abode. But Sakuntala,\nfrom a sense of shame, did not go out to receive her father. That great\nascetic, however, possessed of spiritual knowledge, knew all. Indeed\nbeholding everything with his spiritual eye, the illustrious one was\npleased, and addressing her, said, 'Amiable one, what hath been done by\nthee today in secret, without, having waited for me--viz., intercourse\nwith a man--hath not been destructive of thy virtue. Indeed, union\naccording to the Gandharva form, of a wishful woman with a man of sensual\ndesire, without mantras of any kind, it is said, is the best for\nKshatriyas. That best of men, Dushmanta, is also high-souled and\nvirtuous. Thou hast, O Sakuntala, accepted him for thy husband. The son\nthat shall be born of thee shall be mighty and illustrious in this world.\nAnd he shall have sway over the sea. And the forces of that illustrious\nking of kings, while he goeth out against his foes shall be irresistible.'\n\n\"Sakuntala then approached her fatigued father and washed his feet. And\ntaking down the load he had with him and placing the fruits in proper\norder, she told him, 'It behoveth thee to give thy grace to that\nDushmanta whom I have accepted for my husband, as well as his ministers!'\n\n\"Kanwa replied, 'O thou of the fairest complexion, for thy sake I am\ninclined to bless him. But receive from me, O blessed one, the boon that\nthou desirest.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Sakuntala, thereupon, moved by desire of\nbenefiting Dushmanta, asked the boon that the Paurava monarchs might ever\nbe virtuous and never deprived of their thrones.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXIV\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'After Dushmanta had left the asylum having made\nthose promises unto Sakuntala, the latter of tapering thighs brought\nforth a boy of immeasurable energy. And when the child was three years\nold, he became in splendour like the blazing fire. And, O Janamejaya, he\nwas possessed of beauty and magnanimity and every accomplishment. And\nthat first of virtuous men, Kanwa, caused all the rites of religion to be\nperformed in respect of that intelligent child thriving day by day. And\nthe boy gifted with pearly teeth and shining locks, capable of slaying\nlions even then, with all auspicious signs on his palm, and broad\nexpansive forehead, grew up in beauty and strength. And like unto a\ncelestial child in splendour, he began to grow up rapidly. And when he\nwas only six years of age, endued with great strength he used to seize\nand bind to the trees that stood around that asylum, lions and tigers and\nbears and buffaloes and elephants. And he rode on some animals, and\npursued others in sportive mood. The dwellers at Kanwa's asylum thereupon\nbestowed on him a name. And they said, because he seizes and restrains an\nanimals however strong, let him, be called Sarvadamana (the subduer of\nall). And it was thus that the boy came to be named Sarvadamana, endued\nas he was with prowess, and energy and strength. And the Rishi seeing the\nboy and marking also his extraordinary acts, told Sakuntala that the time\nhad come for his installation as the heir-apparent. And beholding the\nstrength of the boy, Kanwa commanded his disciples, saying, 'Bear ye\nwithout delay this Sakuntala with her son from this abode to that of her\nhusband, blessed with every auspicious sign. Women should not live long\nin the houses of their paternal or maternal relations. Such residence is\ndestructive of their reputation, their good conduct, their virtue.\nTherefore, delay not in bearing her hence.' These disciples of the Rishi\nthereupon, saying 'So be it,' went towards the city named after an\nelephant (Hastinapura) with Sakuntala and her son ahead of them. And then\nshe of fair eye-brows, taking with her that boy of celestial beauty,\nendued with eyes like lotus petals, left the woods where she had been\nfirst known by Dushmanta. And having approached the king, she with her\nboy resembling in splendour the rising sun was introduced to him. And the\ndisciples of the Rishi having introduced her, returned to the asylum. And\nSakuntala having worshipped the king according to proper form, told him,\n'This is thy son, O king! Let him be installed as thy heir-apparent. O\nking, this child, like unto a celestial, hath been begotten by thee upon\nme. Therefore, O best of men, fulfil now the promise thou gavest me. Call\nto mind, O thou of great good fortune, the agreement thou hadst made on\nthe occasion of thy union with me in the asylum of Kanwa.'\n\n\"The king, hearing these her words, and remembering everything said, 'I\ndo not remember anything. Who art thou, O wicked woman in ascetic guise?\nI do not remember having any connection with thee in respect of Dharma,\nKama and Arthas. Go or stay or do as thou pleasest.' Thus addressed by\nhim, the fair-coloured innocent one became abashed. Grief deprived her of\nconsciousness and she stood for a time like an wooden post. Soon,\nhowever, her eyes became red like copper and her lips began to quiver.\nAnd the glances she now and then cast upon the king seemed to burn the\nlatter. Her rising wrath however, and the fire of her asceticism, she\nextinguished within herself by an extraordinary effort. Collecting her\nthoughts in a moment, her heart possessed with sorrow and rage, she thus\naddressed her lord in anger, looking at him, 'Knowing everything, O\nmonarch, how canst thou, like an inferior person, thus say that thou\nknowest it not? Thy heart is a witness to the truth or falsehood of this\nmatter. Therefore, speak truly without degrading thyself. He who being\none thing representeth himself as another thing to others, is like a\nthief and a robber of his own self. Of what sin is he not capable? Thou\nthinkest that thou alone hast knowledge of thy deed. But knowest thou not\nthat the Ancient, Omniscient one (Narayana) liveth in thy heart? He\nknoweth all thy sins, and thou sinnest in His presence. He that sins\nthinks that none observes him. But he is observed by the gods and by Him\nalso who is in every heart. The Sun, the Moon, the Air, the Fire, the\nEarth, the Sky, Water, the heart, Yama, the day, the night, both\ntwilights, and Dharma, all witness the acts of man. Yama, the son of\nSurya, takes no account of the sins of him with whom Narayana the witness\nof all acts, is gratified. But he with whom Narayana is not gratified is\ntortured for his sins by Yama. Him who degradeth himself by representing\nhis self falsely, the gods never bless. Even his own soul blesseth him\nnot. I am a wife devoted to my husband. I have come of my own accord, it\nis true. But do not, on that account, treat me with disrespect. I am thy\nwife and, therefore, deserve to be treated respectfully. Wilt thou not\ntreat me so, because I have come hither of my own accord? In the presence\nof so many, why dost thou treat me like an ordinary woman? I am not\ncertainly crying in the wilderness. Dost thou not hear me? But if thou\nrefuse to do what I supplicate thee for, O Dushmanta, thy head this\nmoment shall burst into a hundred pieces! The husband entering the womb\nof the wife cometh out himself in the form of the son. Therefore is the\nwife called by those cognisant of the Vedas as Jaya (she of whom one is\nborn). And the son that is so born unto persons cognisant of the Vedic\nMantras rescueth the spirits of deceased ancestors. And because the son\nrescueth ancestors from the hell call Put, therefore, hath he been called\nby the Self-create himself as Puttra (the rescuer from Put). By a son one\nconquereth the three worlds. By a son's son, one enjoyeth eternity. And\nby a grandson's son great-grand-fathers enjoy everlasting happiness. She\nis a true wife who is skilful in household affairs. She is a true wife\nwho hath borne a son. She is a true wife whose heart is devoted to her\nlord. She is a true wife who knoweth none but her lord. The wife is a\nman's half. The wife is the first of friends. The wife is the root of\nreligion, profit, and desire. The wife is the root of salvation. They\nthat have wives can perform religious acts. They that have wives can lead\ndomestic lives. They that have wives have the means to be cheerful. They\nthat have wives can achieve good fortune. Sweet-speeched wives are\nfriends on occasions of joy. They are as fathers on occasions of\nreligious acts. They are mothers in sickness and woe. Even in the deep\nwoods to a traveller a wife is his refreshment and solace. He that hath a\nwife is trusted by all. A wife, therefore, is one's most valuable\npossession. Even when the husband leaving this world goeth into the\nregion of Yama, it is the devoted wife that accompanies him thither. A\nwife going before waits for the husband. But if the husband goeth before,\nthe chaste wife followeth close. For these reasons, O king, doth marriage\nexist. The husband enjoyth the companionship of the wife both in this and\nin the other worlds. It hath been said by learned persons that one is\nhimself born as one's son. Therefore, a man whose wife hath borne a son\nshould look upon her as his mother. Beholding the face of the son one\nhath begotten upon his wife, like his own face in a mirror, one feeleth\nas happy as a virtuous man, on attaining to heaven. Men scorched by\nmental grief, or suffering under bodily pain, feel as much refreshed in\nthe companionship of their wives as a perspiring person in a cool bath.\nNo man, even in anger, should ever do anything that is disagreeable to\nhis wife, seeing that happiness, joy, and virtue,--everything dependeth\non the wife. A wife is the sacred field in which the husband is born\nhimself. Even Rishis cannot create creatures without women. What\nhappiness is greater than what the father feeleth when the son running\ntowards him, even though his body be covered with dust, claspeth his\nlimbs? Why then dost thou treat with indifference such a son, who hath\napproached thee himself and who casteth wistful glances towards thee for\nclimbing thy knees? Even ants support their own eggs without destroying\nthem; then why shouldst not thou, a virtuous man that thou art, support\nthy own child? The touch of soft sandal paste, of women, of (cool) water\nis not so agreeable as the touch of one's own infant son locked in one's\nembrace. As a Brahmana is the foremost of all bipeds, a cow, the foremost\nof all quadrupeds, a protector, the foremost of all superiors, so is the\nson the foremost of all objects, agreeable to the touch. Let, therefore,\nthis handsome child touch thee in embrace. There is nothing in the world\nmore agreeable to the touch than the embrace of one's son. O chastiser of\nfoes, I have brought forth this child, O monarch, capable of dispelling\nall thy sorrows after bearing him in my womb for full three years. O\nmonarch of Puru's race, 'He shall perform a hundred\nhorse-sacrifices'--these were the words uttered from the sky when I was\nin the lying-in room. Indeed, men going into places remote from their\nhomes take up there others' children on their laps and smelling their\nheads feel great happiness. Thou knowest that Brahmanas repeat these\nVedic mantras on the occasion of the consecrating rites of infancy.--Thou\nart born, O son, of my body! Thou art sprung from my heart. Thou art\nmyself in the form of a son. Live thou to a hundred years! My life\ndependeth on thee, and the continuation of my race also, on thee.\nTherefore, O son, live thou in great happiness to a hundred years. He\nhath sprung from thy body, this second being from thee! Behold thyself in\nthy son, as thou beholdest thy image in the clear lake. As the\nsacrificial fire is kindled from the domestic one, so hath this one\nsprung from thee. Though one, thou hast divided thyself. In course of\nhunting while engaged in pursuit of the deer, I was approached by thee, O\nking, I who was then a virgin in the asylum of my father. Urvasi,\nPurvachitti, Sahajanya, Menaka, Viswachi and Ghritachi, these are the six\nforemost of Apsaras. Amongst them again, Menaka, born of Brahman, is the\nfirst. Descending from heaven on Earth, after intercourse with\nViswamitra, she gave birth to me. That celebrated Apsara, Menaka, brought\nme forth in a valley of Himavat. Bereft of all affection, she went away,\ncast me there as if I were the child of somebody else. What sinful act\ndid I do, of old, in some other life that I was in infancy cast away by\nmy parents and at present am cast away by thee! Put away by thee, I am\nready to return to the refuge of my father. But it behoveth thee not to\ncast off this child who is thy own.'\n\n\"Hearing all this, Dushmanta said, 'O Sakuntala, I do not know having\nbegot upon thee this son. Women generally speak untruths. Who shall\nbelieve in thy words? Destitute of all affection, the lewd Menaka is thy\nmother, and she cast thee off on the surface of the Himavat as one throws\naway, after the worship is over, the flowery offering made to his gods.\nThy father too of the Kshatriya race, the lustful Viswamitra, who was\ntempted to become a Brahmana, is destitute of all affection. However,\nMenaka is the first of Apsaras, and thy father also is the first of\nRishis. Being their daughter, why dost thou speak like a lewd woman? Thy\nwords deserve no credit. Art thou not ashamed to speak them, especially\nbefore me? Go hence, O wicked woman in ascetic guise. Where is that\nforemost of great Rishis, where also is that Apsara Menaka? And why art\nthou, low as thou art, in the guise of an ascetic? Thy child too is grown\nup. Thou sayest he is a boy, but he is very strong. How hath he soon\ngrown like a Sala sprout? Thy birth is low. Thou speakest like a lewd\nwoman. Lustfully hast thou been begotten by Menaka. O woman of ascetic\nguise, all that thou sayest is quite unknown to me. I don't know thee. Go\nwithersoever thou choosest.'\n\n\"Sakuntala replied, 'Thou seest, O king, the fault of others, even though\nthey be as small as a mustard seed. But seeing, thou noticest not thy own\nfaults even though they be as large as the Vilwa fruit. Menaka is one of\nthe celestials. Indeed, Menaka is reckoned as the first of celestials. My\nbirth, therefore, O Dushmanta, is far higher than thine. Thou walkest\nupon the Earth, O king, but I roam in the skies! Behold, the difference\nbetween ourselves is as that between (the mountain) Meru and a mustard\nseed! Behold my power, O king! I can repair to the abodes of Indra,\nKuvera, Yama, and Varuna! The saying is true which I shall refer to\nbefore thee, O sinless one! I refer to it for example's sake and not from\nevil motives. Therefore, it behoveth thee to pardon me after thou hast\nheard it. An ugly person considereth himself handsomer than others until\nhe sees his own face in the mirror. But when he sees his own ugly face in\nthe mirror, it is then that he perceiveth the difference between himself\nand others. He that is really handsome never taunts anybody. And he that\nalways talketh evil becometh a reviler. And as the swine always look for\ndirt and filth even when in the midst of a flower-garden, so the wicked\nalways choose the evil out of both evil and good that others speak.\nThose, however, that are wise, on hearing the speeches of others that are\nintermixed with both good and evil, accept only what is good, like geese\nthat always extract the milk only, though it be mixed with water. As the\nhonest are always pained at speaking ill of others, so do the wicked\nalways rejoice in doing the same thing. As the honest always feel\npleasure in showing regard for the old, so do the wicked always take\ndelight in aspersing the good. The honest are happy in not seeking for\nfaults. The wicked are happy in seeking for them. The wicked ever speak\nill of the honest. But the latter never injure the former, even if\ninjured by them. What can be more ridiculous in the world than that those\nthat are themselves wicked should represent the really honest as wicked?\nWhen even atheists are annoyed with those that have fallen off from truth\nand virtue and who are really like angry snakes of virulent poison, what\nshall I say of myself who am nurtured in faith? He that having begotten a\nson who is his own image, regardeth him not, never attaineth to the\nworlds he coveteth, and verily the gods destroy his good fortune and\npossessions. The Pitris have said that the son continueth the race and\nthe line and is, therefore, the best of all religious acts. Therefore,\nnone should abandon a son. Manu hath said that there are five kinds of\nsons; those begotten by one's self upon his own wife, those obtained (as\ngift) from others, those purchased for a consideration, those reared with\naffection and those begotten upon other women than upon wedded wives.\nSons support the religion and achievements of men, enhance their joys,\nand rescue deceased ancestors from hell. It behoveth thee not, therefore,\nO tiger among kings, to abandon a son who is such. Therefore, O lord of\nEarth, cherish thy own self, truth, and virtue by cherishing thy son. O\nlion among monarchs, it behoveth thee not to support this deceitfulness.\nThe dedication of a tank is more meritorious than that of a hundred\nwells. A sacrifice again is more meritorious than the dedication of a\ntank. A son is more meritorious than a sacrifice. Truth is more\nmeritorious than a hundred sons. A hundred horse-sacrifices had once been\nweighed against Truth, and Truth was found heavier than a hundred\nhorse-sacrifices. O king, Truth, I ween, may be equal to the study of,\nthe entire Vedas and ablutions in all holy places. There is no virtue\nequal to Truth: there is nothing superior to Truth. O king, Truth is God\nhimself; Truth is the highest vow. Therefore, violate not thy pledge, O\nmonarch! Let Truth and thee be even united. If thou placest no credit in\nmy words, I shall of my own accord go hence. Indeed, thy companionship\nshould be avoided. But thou, O Dushmanta, that when thou art gone, this\nson of mine shall rule the whole Earth surrounded by the four seas and\nadorned with the king of the mountains.\"\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Sakuntala having spoken to the monarch in this\nwise, left his presence. But as soon as she had left, a voice from the\nskies, emanating from no visible shape, thus spoke unto Dushmanta as he\nwas sitting surrounded by his occasional and household priests, his\npreceptors, and ministers. And the voice said, 'The mother is but the\nsheath of flesh; the son sprung from the father is the father himself.\nTherefore, O Dushmanta, cherish thy son, and insult not Sakuntala. O best\nof men, the son, who is but a form of one's own seed, rescueth\n(ancestors) from the region of Yama. Thou art the progenitor of this boy.\nSakuntala hath spoken the truth. The husband, dividing his body in twain,\nis born of his wife in the form of son. Therefore, O Dushmanta, cherish,\nO monarch, thy son born of Sakuntala. To live by forsaking one's living\nson is a great, misfortune. Therefore, O thou of Puru's race, cherish thy\nhigh-souled son born of Sakuntala--And because this child is to be\ncherished by thee even at our word, therefore shall this thy son be known\nby the name of Bharata (the cherished).' Hearing these words uttered by\nthe dwellers in heaven, the monarch of Puru's race became overjoyed and\nspoke as follows unto his priests and ministers, 'Hear ye these words\nuttered by the celestial messenger? I myself know this one to be my son.\nIf I had taken him as my son on the strength of Sakuntala's words alone,\nmy people would have been suspicious and my son also would not have been\nregarded as pure.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'The monarch, then, O thou of Bharata's race,\nseeing the purity of his son established by the celestial messenger,\nbecame exceedingly glad. And he took unto him that son with joy. And the\nking with a joyous heart then performed all those rites upon his son that\na father should perform. And the king smelt his child's head and hugged\nhim with affection. And the Brahmanas began to utter blessings upon him\nand the bards began to applaud him. And the monarch then experienced the\ngreat delight that one feeleth at the touch of one's son. And Dushmanta\nalso received mat wife of his with affection. And he told her these\nwords, pacifying her affectionately, 'O goddess, my union with the? took\nplace privately Therefore, I was thinking of how best to establish thy\npurity. My people might think that we were only lustfully united and not\nas husband and wife, and therefore, this son that I would have installed\nas my heir apparent would only have been regarded as one of impure birth.\nAnd dearest, every hard word thou hast uttered in thy anger, have I, O\nlarge-eyed one, forgiven thee. Thou art my dearest!' And the royal sage\nDushmanta, having spoken thus unto his dear wife, O Bharata, received her\nwith offerings of perfume, food, and drink. And king Dushmanta, then,\nbestowed the name of Bharata upon his child, and formally installed him\nas the heir apparent. And the famous and bright wheels of Bharata's car,\ninvincible and like unto the wheels of the cars owned by the gods,\ntraversed every region, filling the whole Earth with their rattle. And\nthe son of Dushmanta reduced to subjection all kings of the Earth. And he\nruled virtuously and earned great fame. And that monarch of great prowess\nwas known by the titles of Chakravarti and Sarvabhauma. And he performed\nmany sacrifices like Sakra, the lord of the Maruts. And Kanwa was the\nchief priest at those sacrifices, in which the offerings to Brahmanas\nwere great. And the blessed monarch performed both the cow and the\nhorse-sacrifices. And Bharata gave unto Kanwa a thousand gold coins as\nthe sacerdotal fee. It is that Bharata from whom have emanated so many\nmighty achievements. It is from him that the great race called after him\nin his race are called after him. And in the Bharata race there have been\nborn many godlike monarchs gifted with great energy, and like unto\nBrahman himself. Their number cannot be counted. But, O thou of Bharata's\nrace, I shall name the principal ones that were blessed with great good\nfortune, like unto the gods, and devoted to truth and honesty.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXV\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Hear now, as I recite the recorded genealogy, that\nis sacred and subservient to religion, profit and pleasure, of these\nroyal sages--Daksha, the lord of creation, Manu, the son of Surya,\nBharata, Ruru, Puru, and Ajamidha. I shall also recite to thee, O sinless\none, the genealogies of the Yadavas and of the Kurus and of the king of\nthe Bharata line. These genealogies are sacred and their recitation is a\ngreat act of propitiation. That recitation conferreth wealth, fame and\nlong life. And, O sinless one, all these I have named shone in their\nsplendour and were equal unto the great Rishis in energy.\n\n\"Prachetas had ten sons who were all devoted to asceticism and possessed\nof every virtue. They burnt, of old, by the fire emanating from their\nmouths, several plants of poisonous and innumerable large trees that had\ncovered the Earth and became a source of great discomfort to man. After\nthese ten, was born another named Daksha. It is from Daksha that all\ncreatures have sprung. Therefore is he, O tiger among men, called the\nGrandfather. Born of Prachetas the Muni Daksha, uniting himself with\nVirini, begat a thousand sons of rigid vows, all like himself. And Narada\ntaught these thousand sons of Daksha the excellent philosophy of Sankhya\nas a means of salvation. And, O Janamejaya, the lord of creation, Daksha,\nthen, from the desire of making creatures, begat fifty daughters. And he\nmade all of them his appointed daughters (so that their sons might be his\nsons also for the performance of all religious acts). And he bestowed ten\nof his daughters on Dharma, and thirteen on Kasyapa. And he gave\ntwenty-seven to Chandra, who are all engaged in indicating time. And\nKasyapa, the son of Marichi, begat on the eldest of his thirteen wives,\nthe Adityas, the celestials endued with great energy and having Indra as\ntheir head and also Vivaswat (the Sun). And of Vivaswat was born the lord\nYama. And Martanda (Vivaswat) also begat another son after Yama, gifted\nwith great intelligence and named Manu. And Manu was endued with great\nwisdom and devoted to virtue. And he became the progenitor of a line. And\nin Manu's race have been born all human beings, who have, therefore, been\ncalled Manavas. And it is of Manu that all men including Brahmanas,\nKshatriyas, and others have been descended, and are, therefore, all\ncalled Manavas. Subsequently, O monarch, the Brahmanas became united with\nthe Kshatriyas. And those sons of Manu that were Brahmanas devoted\nthemselves to the study of the Vedas. And Manu begat ten other children\nnamed Vena, Dhrishnu, Narishyan, Nabhaga, Ikshvaku, Karusha, Saryati, the\neighth, a daughter named Ila, Prishadhru the ninth, and Nabhagarishta,\nthe tenth. They all betook themselves to the practices of Kshatriyas.\nBesides these, Manu had fifty other sons on Earth. But we heard that they\nall perished, quarrelling with one another. The learned Pururavas was\nborn of Ila. It hath been heard by us that Ila was both his mother and\nfather. And the great Pururavas had sway over thirteen islands of the\nsea. And, though a human being, he was always surrounded by companions\nthat were superhuman. And Pururavas intoxicated with power quarrelled\nwith the Brahmanas and little caring for their anger robbed them of their\nwealth. Beholding all this Sanatkumara came from the region of Brahman\nand gave him good counsel, which was, however, rejected by Pururavas.\nThen the wrath of the great Rishis was excited, and the avaricious\nmonarch, who intoxicated with power, had lost his reason, was immediately\ndestroyed by their curse.\n\n\"It was Pururavas who first brought from the region of the Gandharvas the\nthree kinds of fire (for sacrificial purpose). And he brought thence, the\nApsara Urvasi also. And the son of Ila begat upon Urvasi six sons who\nwere called Ayus, Dhimat, Amavasu and Dhridhayus, and Vanayus, and\nSatayus. And it is said that Ayus begat four sons named Nahusha,\nVriddhasarman, Rajingaya, and Anenas, on the daughter of Swarbhanu. And,\nO monarch, Nahusha, of all the sons of Ayus, being gifted with great\nintelligence and prowess ruled his extensive kingdom virtuously. And king\nNahusha supported evenly the Pitris, the celestials, the Rishis, the\nBrahmanas, the Gandharvas, the Nagas, the Rakshasas, the Kshatriyas, and\nthe Vaisyas. And he suppressed all robber-gangs with a mighty hand. But\nhe made the Rishis pay tribute and carry him on their backs like bests of\nburden. And, conquering the very gods by the beauty of his person, his\nasceticism, prowess, and energy, he ruled as if he were Indra himself.\nAnd Nahusha begat six sons, all of sweet speech, named Yati, Yayati,\nSanyati, Ayati, and Dhruva. Yati betaking himself to asceticism became a\nMuni like unto Brahman himself. Yayati became a monarch of great prowess\nand virtue. He ruled the whole Earth, performed numerous sacrifices,\nworshipped the Pitris with great reverence, and always respected the\ngods. And he brought the whole world under his sway and was never\nvanquished by any foe. And the sons of Yayati were all great bowmen and\nresplendent with every virtue. And, O king, they were begotten upon (his\ntwo wives) Devayani and Sarmishtha. And of Devayani were born Yadu and\nTurvasu, and of Sarmishtha were born Drahyu, Anu, and Puru. And, O king,\nhaving virtuously ruled his subjects for a long time, Yayati was attacked\nwith a hideous decrepitude destroying his personal beauty. And attacked\nby decrepitude, the monarch then spoke, O Bharata, unto his sons Yadu and\nPuru and Turvasu and Drahyu and Anu these words, 'Ye dear sons, I wish to\nbe a young man and to gratify my appetites in the company of young women.\nDo you help me therein.' To him his eldest son born of Devayani then\nsaid, 'What needest thou, O king? Dost thou want to have your youth?'\nYayati then told him, 'Accept thou my decrepitude, O son! With thy youth\nI would enjoy myself. During the time of a great sacrifice I have been\ncursed by the Muni Usanas (Sukra). O son, I would enjoy myself with your\nyouth. Take any of you this my decrepitude and with my body rule ye my\nkingdom. I would enjoy myself with a renovated body. Therefore, ye my\nsons, take ye my decrepitude.' But none of his sons accepted his\ndecrepitude. Then his youngest son Puru said unto him, 'O king, enjoy\nthyself thou once again with a renovated body and returned youth! I shall\ntake thy decrepitude and at thy command rule thy kingdom.' Thus\naddressed, the royal sage, by virtue of his ascetic power then\ntransferred his own decrepitude unto that high-souled son of his and with\nthe youth of Puru became a youth; while with the monarch's age Puru ruled\nhis kingdom.\n\n\"Then, after a thousand years had passed away, Yayati, that tiger among\nkings, remained as strong and powerful as a tiger. And he enjoyed for a\nlong time the companionship of his two wives. And in the gardens of\nChitraratha (the king of Gandharvas), the king also enjoyed the company\nof the Apsara Viswachi. But even after all this, the great king found his\nappetites unsatiated. The king, then recollected the following truths\ncontained in the Puranas, 'Truly, one's appetites are never satiated by\nenjoyment. On the other hand, like sacrificial butter poured into the\nfire, they flame up with indulgence. Even if one enjoyed the whole Earth\nwith its wealth, diamonds and gold, animals and women, one may not yet be\nsatiated. It is only when man doth not commit any sin in respect of any\nliving thing, in thought, deed, or speech, it is then that he attaineth\nto purity as that of Brahman. When one feareth nothing, when one is not\nfeared by anything, when one wisheth for nothing, when one injureth\nnothing, it is then that one attaineth to the purity of Brahman.' The\nwise monarch seeing this and satisfied that one's appetites are never\nsatiated, set his mind at rest by meditation, and took back from his son\nhis own decrepitude. And giving him back his youth, though his own\nappetites were unsatiated, and installing him on the throne, he spoke\nunto Puru thus, 'Thou art my true heir, thou art my true son by whom my\nrace is to be continued. In the world shall my race be known by thy name.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then that tiger among kings, having installed\nhis son Puru on the throne, went away to the mount of Bhrigu for devoting\nhimself to asceticism. And, having acquired great ascetic merit, after\nlong years, he succumbed to the inevitable influence of Time. He left his\nhuman body by observing the vow of fasting, and ascended to heaven with\nhis wives.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXVI\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Janamejaya said, 'O thou of the wealth of asceticism, tell me how our\nancestor Yayati, who is the tenth from Prajapati, obtained for a wife the\nunobtainable daughter of Sukra. I desire to hear of it in detail. Tell me\nalso, one after another, of those monarchs separately who were the\nfounders of dynasties.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'The monarch Yayati was in splendour like unto Indra\nhimself. I will tell thee, in reply to thy question, O Janamejaya, how\nboth Sukra and Vrishaparvan bestowed upon him, with due rites, their\ndaughters, and how his union took place with Devayani in special.\n\n\"Between the celestials and the Asuras, there happened, of yore, frequent\nencounters for the sovereignty of the three worlds with everything in\nthem. The gods, then, from desire of victory, installed the son of\nAngiras (Vrihaspati) as their priest to conduct their sacrifices; while\ntheir opponents installed the learned Usanas as their priest for the same\npurpose. And between those two Brahmanas there are always much boastful\nrivalry. Those Danavas assembled for encounter that were slain by the\ngods were all revived by the seer Sukra by the power of his knowledge.\nAnd then starting again, into life,--these fought with the gods. The\nAsuras also slew on the field of battle many of the celestials. But the\nopen-minded Vrihaspati could not revive them, because he knew not the\nscience called Sanjivani (re-vivification) which Kavya endued with great\nenergy knew so well. And the gods were, therefore, in great sorrow. And\nthe gods, in great anxiety of heart and entertaining a fear of the\nlearned Usanas, then went to Kacha, the eldest son of Vrihaspati, and\nspoke unto him, saying, 'We pay court to thee, be kind to us and do us a\nservice that we regard as very great. That knowledge which resides in\nSukra, that Brahmana of immeasurable prowess, make thy own as soon as\nthou canst. Thou shalt find the Brahmana in the court of Vrishaparvan. He\nalways protects the Danavas but never us, their opponents. Thou art his\njunior in age, and, therefore, capable of adoring him with reverence.\nThou canst also adore Devayani, the favourite daughter of that\nhigh-souled Brahmana. Indeed, thou alone art capable of propitiating them\nboth by worship. There is none else that can do so. By gratifying\nDevayani with thy conduct, liberality, sweetness, and general behaviour,\nthou canst certainly obtain that knowledge.' The son of Vrihaspati, thus\nsolicited by the gods, said 'So be it, and went to where Vrishaparvan\nwas. Kacha, thus sent by the gods, soon went to the capital of the chief\nof the Asuras, and beheld Sukra there. And beholding him, he thus spoke\nunto him, 'Accept me as thy disciple. I am the grandson of the Rishi\nAngiras and son of Vrihaspati. By name I am known as Kacha. Thyself\nbecoming my preceptor, I shall practise the Brahmacharya mode of life for\na thousand years. Command me, then, O Brahmana!'\n\n\"Sukra (hearing this) said, 'Welcome art thou, O Kacha! I accept thy\nspeech. I will treat thee with regard; for by so doing, it is Vrihaspati\nwho will be regarded.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Kacha commanded by Kavya or Usanas himself,\ncalled also Sukra, then said, 'So be it,' and took the vow he had spoken\nof. And, O Bharata, accepting the vow of which he had spoken, at the\nproper time, Kacha began to conciliate regardfully both his preceptor and\n(his daughter) Devayani. Indeed, he began to conciliate both. And as he\nwas young, by singing and dancing and playing on different kinds of\ninstruments, he soon gratified Devayani who was herself in her youth.\nAnd, O Bharata, with his whole heart set upon it, he soon gratified the\nmaiden Devayani who was then a young lady, by presents of flowers and\nfruits and services rendered with alacrity. And Devayani also with her\nsongs and sweetness of manners used, while they were alone, to attend\nupon that youth carrying out his vow. And when five hundred years had\nthus passed of Kacha's vow, the Danavas came to learn his intention. And\nhaving no compunctions about slaying a Brahmana, they became very angry\nwith him. And one day they saw Kacha in a solitary part of the woods\nengaged in tending (his preceptor's) kine. They then slew Kacha from\ntheir hatred of Vrihaspati and also from their desire of protecting the\nknowledge of reviving the dead from being conveyed by him. And having\nslain him, they hacked his body into pieces and gave them to be devoured\nby jackals and wolves. And (when twilight came) the kine returned to the\nfold without him who tended them. And Devayani, seeing the kine returned\nfrom the woods without Kacha, spoke, O Bharata, unto her father thus:\n\n'Thy evening-fire hath been kindled. The Sun also hath set, O father! The\nkine have returned without him who tendeth them. Kacha is, indeed, not to\nbe seen. It is plain that Kacha hath been lost, or is dead. Truly do I\nsay, O father, that without him I will not live.'\n\n\"Sukra hearing this said, I will revive him by saying, 'Let this one\ncome.' Then having recourse to the science of reviving the dead, Sukra\nsummoned Kacha. And summoned by his preceptor, Kacha appeared before him\nin the gladness of heart tearing by virtue of his preceptor's science the\nbodies of the wolves (that had devoured him). And asked about the cause\nof his delay, he thus spoke unto Bhargava's daughter. Indeed, asked by\nthat Brahman's daughter, he told her, 'I was dead. O thou of pure\nmanners, burdened with sacrificial fuel, Kusa grass, and logs of wood, I\nwas coming towards our abode. I sat under a banian tree. The kine also,\nhaving been brought together, were staying under the shade of that same\nbanian tree. The Asuras, beholding me, asked 'Who art thou?' They heard\nme answer, 'I am the son of Vrihaspati.' As soon as I said this, the\nDanavas slew me, and hacking my body into pieces gave my remains to\njackals and wolves. And they then went home in the gladness of heart. O\namiable one, summoned by the high-souled Bhargava, I after all come\nbefore thee fully revived.'\n\n\"On another occasion, asked by Devayani, the Brahmana Kacha went into the\nwoods. And as he was roving about for gathering flowers, the Danavas\nbeheld him. They again slew him, and pounding him into a paste they mixed\nit with the water of the ocean. Finding him long still (in coming), the\nmaiden again represented the matter unto her father. And summoned again\nby the Brahmana with the aid of his science, Kacha appearing before his\npreceptor and his daughter told everything as it had happened. Then\nslaying him for the third time and burning him and reducing him to ashes,\nthe Asuras gave those ashes to the preceptor himself, mixing them with\nhis wine. And Devayani again spoke unto her father, saying, 'O father,\nKacha was sent to gather flowers. But he is not to be seen. It is plain\nhe hath been lost, or has died. I tell thee truly, I would not live\nwithout him.'\n\n\"Sukra hearing this said, 'O daughter, the son of Vrihaspati hath gone to\nthe region of the dead. Though revived by my science, he is thus slain\nfrequently. What, indeed, am I to do? O Devayani, do not grieve, do not\ncry. One like thee should not grieve for one that is mortal. Thou art\nindeed, O daughter, in consequence of my prowess, worshipped thrice a day\nduring the ordained hours of prayer, by Brahmanas, the gods with Indra,\nthe Vasus, the Aswins, the Asuras, in fact, by the whole universe. It is\nimpossible to keep him alive, for revived by me he is often killed.' To\nall this Devayani replied, 'Why shall I, O father, not grieve for him\nwhose grandfather is old Angiras himself, whose father is Vrihaspati who\nis an ocean of ascetic merit, who is the grandson of a Rishi and the son\nalso of a Rishi? He himself too was a Brahmacharin and an ascetic; always\nwakeful and skilled in everything. I will starve and follow the way Kacha\nhas gone. The handsome Kacha is, O father, dear unto me.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'The great Rishi Kavya, then, afflicted by what\nDevayani said, cried in anger, 'Certainly, the Asuras seek to injure me,\nfor they slay my disciple that stayeth with me. These followers of Rudra\ndesire to divest me of my character as a Brahmana by making me\nparticipate in their crime. Truly, this crime hath a terrible end. The\ncrime of slaying a Brahmana would even burn Indra himself.' Having said\nthis, the Brahmana Sukra, urged by Devayani, began to summon Kacha who\nhad entered the jaws of Death. But Kacha, summoned with the aid of\nscience, and afraid of the consequence to his preceptor, feebly replied\nfrom within the stomach of his preceptor, saying, 'Be graceful unto me, O\nlord! I am Kacha that worshippeth thee. Behave unto me as to thy own\ndearly-loved son.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Sukra then said, 'By what path, O Brahmana,\nhast thou entered my stomach, where thou stayest now? Leaving the Asuras\nthis very moment, I shall go over to the gods.\" Kacha replied, 'By thy\ngrace, memory hath not failed me. Indeed, I do recollect everything as it\nhath happened. My ascetic virtues have not been destroyed. It is,\ntherefore, that I am able to bear this almost insufferable pain. O Kavya,\nslain by the Asuras and burnt and reduced to powder, I have been given to\nthee with thy wine. When thou art present, O Brahmana, the art of the\nAsuras will never be able to vanquish, the science of the Brahmana.'\n\n\"Hearing this, Sukra said, 'O daughter, what good can I do to thee? It is\nwith my death that Kacha can get his life back. O Devayani, Kacha is even\nwithin me. There is no other way of his coming out except by ripping open\nmy stomach.' Devayani replied, 'Both evils shall, like fire, burn me! The\ndeath of Kacha and thy own death are to me the same! The death of Kacha\nwould deprive me of life. If thou also diest, I shall not be able to bear\nmy life.' Then Sukra said, 'O son of Vrihaspati, thou art, indeed, one\nalready crowned with success, because Devayani regards thee so well.\nAccept the science that I will today impart to thee, if, indeed, thou be\nnot Indra in the form of Kacha. None can come out of my stomach with\nlife. A Brahmana, however, must not be slain, therefore, accept thou the\nscience I impart to thee. Start thou into life as my son. And possessed\nof the knowledge received from me, and revived by me, take care that, on\ncoming out of my body, thou dost act gracefully.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Receiving the science imparted to him by his\npreceptor the handsome Kacha, ripped open his stomach, came out like the\nmoon at evening on the fifteenth day of the bright fort-night. And\nbeholding the remains of his preceptor lying like a heap of penances,\nKacha revived him, aided by the science he had learned. Worshipping him\nwith regard, Kacha said unto his preceptor, 'Him who poureth the nectar\nof knowledge into one's ears, even as thou hast done into those of myself\nwho was void of knowledge, him do I regard both as my father and mother.\nAnd remembering the immense service done by him, who is there so\nungrateful as to injure him? They that, having acquired knowledge, injure\ntheir preceptor who is always an object of worship, who is the giver of\nknowledge, who is the most precious of all precious objects on Earth,\ncome to be hated on Earth and finally go to the regions of the sinful.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'The learned Sukra, having been deceived while\nunder the influence of wine, and remembering the total loss of\nconsciousness that is one of the terrible consequences of drink, and\nbeholding too before him the handsome Kacha whom he had, in a state of\nunconsciousness, drunk with his wine, then thought of effecting a reform\nin the manners of Brahmanas. The high-souled Usanas rising up from the\nground in anger, then spoke as follows: \"The wretched Brahmana who from\nthis day, unable to resist the temptation, will drink wine shall be\nregarded as having lost his virtue, shall be reckoned to have committed\nthe sin of slaying a Brahmana, shall be hated both in this and the other\nworlds. I set this limit to the conduct and dignity of Brahmanas\neverywhere. Let the honest, let Brahmanas, let those with regard for\ntheir superiors, let the gods, let the three worlds, listen!' Having said\nthese words that high-souled one, that ascetic of ascetics, then\nsummoning the Danavas who had been deprived by fate of the good sense,\ntold them these words, Ye foolish Danavas, know ye that Kacha hath\nobtained his wishes. He will henceforth dwell with me. Having obtained\nthe valuable knowledge of reviving the dead, that Brahmana hath, indeed,\nbecome in prowess even as Brahman himself!'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Bhargava having said so much cut short his\nspeech. The Danavas were surprised and went away to their homes. Kacha,\ntoo, having stayed with his preceptor for a full thousand years, then\nprepared to return to the abode of the celestials, after having obtained\nhis preceptor's permission.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXVII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'After the expiry of the period of his vow, Kacha,\nhaving obtained his preceptor's leave, was about to return to the abode\nof the celestials, when Devayani, addressing him, said, 'O grandson of\nthe Rishi Angiras, in conduct and birth, in learning, asceticism and\nhumility, thou shinest most brightly. As the celebrated Rishi Angiras is\nhonoured and regarded by my father, so is thy father regarded and\nworshipped by me. O thou of ascetic wealth, knowing this, listen to what\nI say. Recollect my conduct towards thee during the period of thy vow\n(Brahmacharya). Thy vow hath now been over. It behoveth thee to fix thy\naffections on me. O accept my hand duly with ordained mantras.'\n\n\"Kacha replied, 'Thou art to me an object of regard and worship even as\nthy father! O thou of faultless features, thou art, indeed, even an\nobject of greater reverence! Thou art dearer than life to the high-souled\nBhargava, O amiable one! As the daughter of my preceptor, thou art ever\nworthy of my worship! As my preceptor Sukra, thy father, is ever\ndeserving of my regards, so art thou, O Devayani! Therefore, it behoveth\nthee not to say so.' Hearing this, Devayani replied, 'Thou, too, art the\nson of my father's preceptor's son. Therefore, O best of Brahmanas, thou\nart deserving of my regards and worship. O Kacha, when thou wert slain so\nmany times by the Asuras, recollect today the affection I showed for\nthee. Remembering my friendship and affection for thee, and, indeed, my\ndevoted regard also, O virtuous one, it behoveth thee not to abandon me\nwithout any fault. I am truly devoted to thee.'\n\n\"Hearing all this, Kacha said, 'O thou of virtuous vows, do not urge me\ninto such a sinful course. O thou of fair eye-brows, be gracious unto me.\nBeautiful one, thou art to me an object of greater regard than my\npreceptor. Full of virtuous resolves, O large-eyed one, of face as\nhandsome, as moon, the place where thou hadst resided, viz., the body of\nKavya, hath also been my abode. Thou art truly my sister. Amiable one,\nhappily have we passed the days that we have been together. There is\nperfect good understanding between us. I ask thy leave to return to my\nabode. Therefore, bless me so that my journey may be safe. I must be\nremembered by thee, when thou recallest me in connection with topics of\nconversation, as one that hath not transgressed virtue. Always attend\nupon my preceptor with readiness and singleness of heart.' To all this,\nDevaniya answered, 'Solicited, by me, if, indeed, thou truly refusest to\nmake me thy wife, then, O Kacha, this thy knowledge shall not bear fruit.'\n\n\"Hearing this, Kacha said, 'I have refused thy request only because thou\nart the daughter of my preceptor, and not because thou hast any fault.\nNor hath my preceptor in this respect issued any command. Curse me if it\nplease thee. I have told thee what the behaviour should be of a Rishi. I\ndo not deserve thy curse, O Devayani. But yet thou hast cursed me! Thou\nhast acted under the influence of passion and not from a sense of duty.\nTherefore, thy desire will not be fulfilled. No Rishi's son shall ever\naccept thy hand in marriage. Thou hast said that my knowledge shall not\nbear fruit. Let it be so. But in respect of him it shall bear fruit to\nwhom I may impart it.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'That first of Brahmanas, Kacha, having said so\nunto Devayani speedily wended his way unto the abode of the chief of the\ncelestials. Beholding him arrived, the celestials with Indra ahead,\nhaving first worshipped him, spoke unto him as follows, 'Thou hast\nindeed, performed an act of great benefit for us. Wonderful hath been thy\nachievement! Thy fame shall never die! Thou shall be a sharer with us in\nsacrificial offerings.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXVIII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'The dwellers in heaven became exceedingly glad in\nwelcoming Kacha who had mastered the wonderful science. And, O bull of\nBharata's race, the celestials then learnt that science from Kacha and\nconsidered their object already achieved. And assembling together, they\nspoke unto him of a hundred sacrifices, saying, 'The time hath come for\nshowing prowess. Slay thy foes, O Purandara!' And thus addressed,\nMaghavat, then accompanied by the celestials, set out, saying, 'So be\nit.' But on his way he saw a number of damsels. These maidens were\nsporting in a lake in the gardens of the Gandharva Chitraratha. Changing\nhimself into wind, he soon mixed up the garments of those maidens which\nthey had laid on the bank. A little while after, the maidens, getting up\nfrom the water, approached their garments that had, indeed, got mixed up\nwith one another. And it so happened that from the intermingled heap, the\ngarments of Devayani were appropriated by Sarmishtha, the daughter of\nVrishaparvan, from ignorance that it was not hers. And, O king,\nthereupon, between them, Devayani and Sarmishtha, then ensued a dispute.\nAnd Devayani said, 'O daughter of the Asura (chief), why dost thou take\nmy attire, being, as thou art, my disciple? As thou art destitute of good\nbehaviour, nothing good can happen to thee!' Sarmishtha, however, quickly\nreplied, 'Thy father occupying a lower seat, always adoreth with downcast\nlooks, like a hired chanter of praises, my father, whether he sitteth at\nhis ease or reclineth at full length! Thou art the daughter of one that\nchanteth the praises of others, of one that accepteth alms. I am the\ndaughter of one who is adored, of one who bestoweth alms instead of ever\naccepting them! Beggar-woman as thou art, thou art free to strike thy\nbreast, to use ill words, to vow enmity to me, to give way to thy wrath.\nAcceptress of alms, thou weepest tears of anger in vain! If so minded, I\ncan harm thee, but thou canst not. Thou desirest to quarrel. But know\nthou that I do not reckon thee as my equal!'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these words, Devayani became\nexceedingly angry and began to pull at her clothes. Sarmishtha thereupon\nthrew her into a well and went home. Indeed, the wicked Sarmishtha\nbelieving that Devayani was dead, bent her steps home-wards in a wrathful\nmood.\n\n\"After Sarmishtha had left, Yayati the son of Nahusha soon came to that\nspot. The king had been out a-hunting. The couple of horses harnessed to\nhis car and the other single horse with him were all fatigued. And the\nking himself was thirsty. And the son of Nahusha saw a well that was by.\nAnd he saw that it was dry. But in looking down into it, he saw a maiden\nwho in splendour was like a blazing fire. And beholding her within it,\nthe blessed king addressed that girl of the complexion of the celestials,\nsoothing her with sweet words. And he said, 'Who art thou, O fair one, of\nnails bright as burnished copper, and with ear-rings decked with\ncelestial gems? Thou seemest to be greatly perturbed. Why dost thou weep\nin affliction? How, indeed, hast thou fallen into this well covered with\ncreepers and long grass? And, O slender-waisted girl, answer me truly\nwhose daughter thou art.\n\n\"Devayani then replied, 'I am the daughter of Sukra who brings back into\nlife the Asuras slain by the gods. He doth not know what hath befallen\nme. This is my right hand, O king, with nails bright as burnished copper.\nThou art well-born; I ask thee, to take and raise me up! I know thou art\nof good behaviour, of great prowess, and of wide fame! It behoveth thee,\ntherefore, to raise me from this well.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'King Yayati, learning that she was a Brahmana's\ndaughter, raised her from that well by catching hold of her right hand.\nAnd the monarch promptly raising her from the pit and squinting to her\ntapering thighs, sweetly and courteously returned to his capital.\n\n\"When the son of Nahusha had gone away, Devayani of faultless features,\nafflicted with grief, then spoke unto her maid, Ghurnika by name, who met\nher then. And she said, 'O Ghurnika, go thou quickly and speak to my\nfather without loss of time of everything as it hath happened. I shall\nnot now enter the city of Vrishaparvan.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Ghurnika, thus commanded, repaired quickly to\nthe mansion, of the Asura chief, where she saw Kavya and spoke unto him\nwith her perception dimmed by anger. And she said, 'I tell thee, O great\nBrahmana, that Devayani hath been ill-used, O fortunate one, in the\nforest by Sarmishtha, the daughter of Vrishaparvan.' And Kavya, hearing\nthat his daughter had been ill-used by Sarmishtha speedily went out with\na heavy heart, seeking her in the woods. And when he found her in the\nwoods, he clasped her with affection and spoke unto her with voice choked\nwith grief, 'O daughter, the weal or woe that befalleth people is always\ndue to their own faults. Thou hast therefore some fault, I ween, which\nhath been expiated thus.' Hearing this Devayani replied, 'Be it a penalty\nor not, listen to me with attention. O, hear that all Sarmishtha, the\ndaughter of Vrishaparvan, hath said unto me. Really hath she said that\nthou art only the hired chanter of the praises of the Asura king! Even\nthus hath she--that Sarmishtha, Vrishaparvan's daughter,--spoken to me,\nwith reddened eyes, these piercing and cruel words, 'Thou art the\ndaughter of one that ever chanteth for hire the praises of others, of one\nthat asketh for charities, of one that accepteth alms; whereas I am the\ndaughter of one that receiveth adorations, of one that giveth, of one\nthat never accepteth anything as gift!' These have been the words\nrepeatedly spoken unto me by the proud Sarmishtha, the daughter of\nVrishaparvan, with eyes red with anger. If, O father, I am really the\ndaughter of a hired chanter of praises, of one that accepteth gifts, I\nmust offer my adorations in the hope of obtaining her grace! Oh, of this\nI have already told her!'\n\n\"Sukra replied, 'Thou art, O Devayani, no daughter of a hired adorer, of\none that asketh for alms and accepteth gifts. Thou art the daughter of\none that adores none, but of one that is adored by all! Vrishaparvan\nhimself knoweth it, and Indra, and king Yayati too. That inconceivable\nBrahma, that unopposable Godhead, is my strength! The self-create,\nhimself, gratified by me, hath said that I am for aye the lord of that\nwhich is in all things on Earth or in Heaven! I tell thee truly that it\nis I who pour rain for the good of creatures and who nourish the annual\nplants that sustain all living things!'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'It was by such sweet words of excellent import\nthat the father endeavoured to pacify his daughter afflicted with woe and\noppressed by anger.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXIX\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Sukra continued, 'Know, then, O Devayani, that he that mindeth not the\nevil speeches of others, conquereth everything! The wise say that he is a\ntrue charioteer who without slackening holdeth tightly the reins of his\nhorses. He, therefore, is the true man that subdueth, without indulging\nin his rising wrath. Know thou, O Devayani, that by him is everything\nconquered, who calmly subdueth his rising anger. He is regarded as a man\nwho by having recourse to forgiveness, shaketh off his rising anger like\na snake casting off its slough He that suppresseth his anger, he that\nregardeth not the evil speeches of others, he that becometh not angry,\nthough there be cause, certainly acquireth the four objects for which we\nlive (viz., virtue, profit, desire, and salvation) Between him that\nperformeth without fatigue sacrifices every month for a hundred years,\nand him that never feeleth angry at anything, he that feeleth not wrath\nis certainly the higher. Boys and girls, unable to distinguish between\nright and wrong, quarrel with each other. The wise never imitate them.'\nDevayani, on hearing this speech of her father, said, 'O father, I know,\nalso what the difference is between anger and forgiveness as regards the\npower of each. But when a disciple behaveth disrespectfully, he should\nnever be forgiven by the preceptor if the latter is really desirous of\nbenefiting the former. Therefore, I do not desire to live any longer in a\ncountry where evil behaviour is at a premium. The wise man desirous of\ngood, should not dwell among those sinfully inclined men who always speak\nill of good behaviour and high birth. But there should one live,--indeed,\nthat hath been said to be the best of dwelling places,--where good\nbehaviour and purity of birth are known and respected. The cruel words\nuttered by Vrishaparvan's daughter burn my heart even as men, desirous of\nkindling a fire, burn the dry fuel. I do not think anything more\nmiserable for a man in the three worlds than to adore one's enemies\nblessed with good fortune, himself possessing none. It hath been indeed\nsaid by the learned that for such a man even death would be better.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXX\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Then Kavya, the foremost of Bhrigu's line, became\nangry himself. And approaching Vrishaparvan where the latter was seated,\nbegan to address him without weighing his words, 'O king,' he said,\n'sinful acts do not, like the Earth, bear fruit immediately! But\ngradually and secretly do they extirpate their doers. Such fruit visiteth\neither in one's own self, one's son, or one's grandson. Sins must bear\ntheir fruit. Like rich food they can never be digested. And because ye\nslew the Brahmana Kacha, the grandson of Angiras, who was virtuous,\nacquainted with the precepts of religion, and attentive to his duties,\nwhile residing in my abode, even for this act of slaughter--and for the\nmal-treatment of my daughter too, know, O Vrishaparvan, I shall leave\nthee and thy relatives! Indeed, O king, for this, I can no longer stay\nwith thee! Dost thou, O Asura chief, think that I am a raving liar? Thou\nmakest light of thy offence without seeking to correct it!'.\n\n\"Vrishaparvan then said, 'O son of Bhrigu, never have I attributed want\nof virtue, of falsehood, to thee. Indeed, virtue and truth ever dwell in\nthee. Be kind to me! O Bhargava, if, leaving us, thou really goest hence,\nwe shall then go into the depths of the ocean. Indeed, there is nothing\nelse for us to do.'\n\n\"Sukra then replied, 'Ye Asuras, whether ye go into the depths of the\nocean or fly away to all directions. I care little. I am unable to bear\nmy daughter's grief. My daughter is ever dear to me. My life dependeth on\nher. Seek ye to please her. As Vrihaspati ever seeketh the good of Indra,\nso do I always seek thine by my ascetic merits.'\n\n\"Vrishaparvan then said, 'O Bhargava, thou art the absolute master of\nwhatever is possessed by the Asura chiefs in this world-their elephants,\nkine and horses, and even my humble self!'\n\n\"Sukra then answered, 'If it is true, O great Asura, that I am the lord\nof all the wealth of the Asuras, then go and gratify Devayani.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'when the great Kavya was so addressed by\nVrishaparvan, he then went to Devayani and told her all. Devayani,\nhowever, quickly replied, 'O Bhargava, if thou art truly the lord of the\nAsura king himself and of all his wealth, then let the king himself come\nto me and say so in my presence.' Vrishaparvan then approached Devayani\nand told her, 'O Devayani of sweet smiles, whatever thou desirest I am\nwilling to give thee, however difficult it may be to grant the same.'\nDevayani answered, 'I desire Sarmishtha with a thousand maids to wait on\nme! She must also follow me to where my father may give me away.'\n\n\"Vrishaparvan then commanded a maid-servant in attendance on him, saying,\n'Go and quickly bring Sarmishtha hither. Let her also accomplish what\nDevayani wisheth.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'The maid-servant then repaired to Sarmishtha\nand told her, 'O amiable Sarmishtha, rise and follow me. Accomplish the\ngood of thy relatives. Urged by Devayani, the Brahmana (Sukra) is on the\npoint of leaving his disciples (the Asuras). O sinless one, thou must do\nwhat Devayani wisheth.' Sarmishtha replied, 'I shall cheerfully do what\nDevayani wisheth. Urged by Devayani Sukra is calling me. Both Sukra and\nDevayani must not leave the Asuras through my fault.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Commanded by her father, then, Sarmishtha,\naccompanied by a thousand maidens, soon came, in a palanquin, out of her\nfather's excellent mansion. And approaching Devayani she said, 'With my\nthousand maids, I am thy waiting-maid! And I shall follow thee where thy\nfather may give thee away.' Devayani replied, 'I am the daughter of one\nwho chanteth the praises of thy father, and who beggeth and accepteth\nalms; thou, on the other hand, art the daughter of one who is adored. How\ncanst thou be my waiting-maid?'\n\n\"Sarmishtha answered, 'One must by all means contribute to the happiness\nof one's afflicted relatives. Therefore shall I follow thee wherever thy\nfather may give thee away.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'When Sarmishtha thus promised to be Devayani's\nwaiting-maid the latter, O king, then spoke unto her father thus, 'O best\nof all excellent Brahmanas, I am gratified. I shall now enter the Asura\ncapital! I now know that thy science and power of knowledge are not\nfutile!'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'That best of Brahmanas, of great reputation,\nthus addressed by his daughter, then, entered the Asura capital in the\ngladness of his heart. And the Danavas worshipped him with great\nreverence.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXXI\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\nVaisampayana said, 'After some length of time, O best of monarchs,\nDevayani of the fairest complexion went into the same woods for purposes\nof pleasure. And accompanied by Sarmishtha with her thousand maids she\nreached the same spot and began to wander freely. And waited upon by all\nthose companions she felt supremely happy. And sporting with light\nhearts, they began drinking the honey in flowers, eating various kinds of\nfruit and biting some. And just at that time, king Yayati, the son of\nNahusha, again came there tired and thirsty, in course of his wanderings,\nin search of deer. And the king saw Devayani and Sarmishtha, and those\nother maidens also, all decked with celestial ornaments and full of\nvoluptuous languor in consequence of the flower-honey they drank. And\nDevayani of sweet smiles, unrivalled for beauty and possessed of the\nfairest complexion amongst them all, was reclining at her ease. And she\nwas waited upon by Sarmishtha who was gently kneading her feet.\n\n\"And Yayati seeing all this, said, 'O amiable ones, I would ask you both\nyour names and parentage. It seems that these two thousand maids wait on\nyou two.' 'Hearing the monarch, Devayani then answered, 'Listen to me, O\nbest of men. Know that I am the daughter of Sukra, the spiritual guide of\nthe Asuras. This my companion is my waiting-maid. She attendeth on me\nwherever I go. She is Sarmishtha, the daughter of the Asura king\nVrishaparvan.'\n\n\"Yayati then asked, 'I am curious to know why is this thy companion of\nfair eye-brows, this maiden of the fairest complexion, the daughter of\nthe Asura chief thy waiting-maid!' Devayani replied, 'O best of king,\neverything resulteth from Fate. Knowing this also to be the result of\nFate, wonder not at it. Thy feature and attire are both like a king's.\nThy speech also is fair and correct as that of the Vedas. Tell me thy\nname, whence thou art and whose son also.'\n\n\"The monarch replied, 'During my vow of Brahmacharya, the whole Vedas\nentered my ears. I am known as Yayati, a king's son and myself a king.'\nDevayani then enquired, 'O king, what hast thou come here for? Is it to\ngather lotuses or to angle or to hunt?' Yayati said, 'O amiable one,\nthirsty from the pursuit of deer, I have come hither in search of water.\nI am very much fatigued. I await but your commands to leave this spot.'\n\n\"Devayani answered, 'With my two thousand damsels and my waiting-maid\nSarmishtha, I wait but your commands. Prosperity to thee. Be thou my\nfriend and lord.'\n\n\"Yayati, thereupon, replied, 'Beautiful one, I do not deserve thee. Thou\nart the daughter of Sukra far superior to me. Thy father cannot bestow\nthee even on a great king.' To this Devayani replied, 'Brahmanas had\nbefore this been united with the Kshatriyas, and Kshatriyas with\nBrahmanas. Thou art the son of a Rishi and thyself a Rishi. Therefore, O\nson of Nahusha, marry me.' Yayati, however, replied, 'O thou of the\nhandsomest features, the four orders have, indeed, sprung from one body.\nBut their duties and purity are not the same, the Brahmana being truly\nsuperior to all.' Devayani answered, 'This hand of mine hath never been\ntouched before by any man save thee. Therefore, do I accept thee for my\nlord. How, indeed, shall any other man touch my hand which had before\nbeen touched by thyself who art a Rishi? Yayati then said, 'The wise know\nthat a Brahmana is more to be avoided than an angry snake of virulent\npoison, or a blazing fire of spreading flames.' Devayani then told the\nmonarch, 'O bull amongst men, why dost thou, indeed, say that Brahmana\nshould be more avoided than an angry snake of virulent poison or a\nblazing fire of spreading flames?' The monarch answered, 'The snake\nkilleth only one. The sharpest weapon slayeth but a single person. The\nBrahmana, when angry destroyeth whole cities and kingdoms! Therefore, O\ntimid one, do I deem a Brahmana as more to be avoided than either. I\ncannot hence wed thee, O amiable one, unless thy father bestoweth thee on\nme. Devayani then said, 'Thou art, indeed, chosen by me. And, O king, it\nis understood that thou wilt accept me if my father bestoweth me on thee.\nThou needst not fear to accept my poor self bestowed on thee. Thou dost\nnot, indeed, ask for me.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'After this, Devayani quickly sent a maidservant\nto her father. The maid represented to Sukra everything as it had\nhappened. And as soon as he had heard all, Bhargava came and saw Yayati.\nAnd beholding Bhargava come, Yayati worshipped and adored that Brahmana,\nand stood with joined palms in expectation of his commands.'\n\n\"And Devayani then said, 'This O father, is the son of Nahusha. He took\nhold of my hand, when I was in distress. I bow to thee. Bestow me upon\nhim. I shall not wed any other person in the world.' Sukra exclaimed, 'O\nthou of splendid courage, thou hast, indeed, been accepted as her lord by\nthis my dear daughter. I bestow her on thee. Therefore, O son of Nahusha,\naccept her as thy wife.'\n\n\"Yayati then said, 'I solicit the boon, O Brahmana, that by so doing, the\nsin of begetting a half-breed might not touch me.' Sukra, however,\nassured him by saying, 'I shall absolve thee from the sin. Ask thou the\nboon that thou desirest. Fear not to wed her. I grant thee absolution.\nMaintain virtuously thy wife--the slender-waisted Devayani. Transports of\nhappiness be thine in her company. This other maiden, Vrishaparvan's\ndaughter, Sarmishtha should ever be regarded by thee. But thou shall not\nsummon her to thy bed.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed by Sukra, Yayati then walked\nround the Brahmana. And the king then went through the auspicious\nceremony of marriage according to the rites of the scriptures. And having\nreceived from Sukra this rich treasure of the excellent Devayani with\nSarmishtha and those two thousand maidens, and duly honoured also by\nSukra himself and the Asuras, the best of monarchs, then, commanded by\nthe high-souled Bhargava, returned to his capital with a joyous heart.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXXII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Yayati then, on returning to his capital which was\nlike unto the city of Indra, entered his inner apartments and established\nthere his bride Devayani. And the monarch, directed by Devayani,\nestablished Vrishaparvan's daughter Sarmishtha in a mansion especially\nerected near the artificial woods of Asokas in his gardens. And the king\nsurrounded Vrishaparvan's daughter Sarmishtha with a thousand maids and\nhonoured her by making every arrangement for her food and garments. But\nit was with Devayani that the royal son of Nahusha sported like a\ncelestial for many years in joy and bliss. And when her season came, the\nfair Devayani conceived. And she brought forth as her first child a fine\nboy. And when a thousand years had passed away, Vrishaparvan's daughter\nSarmishtha having attained to puberty saw that her season had come. She\nbecame anxious and said to herself, 'My season hath arrived. But I have\nnot yet chosen a husband. O, what hath happened, what should I do? How am\nI to obtain the fruition of my wishes? Devayani hath become mother. My\nyouth is doomed to pass away in vain. Shall I choose him also for my\nhusband whom Devayani hath chosen? This is, indeed, my resolve: that\nmonarch should give me a son. Will not the virtuous one grant me a\nprivate interview?'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'While Sarmishtha was thus busy with her\nthoughts, the king wandering listlessly came to that very wood of Asokas,\nand beholding Sarmishtha before him, stood there in silence. Then\nSarmishtha of sweet smiles seeing the monarch before her with nobody to\nwitness what might pass, approached him and said with joined palms, 'O\nson of Nahusha, no one can behold the ladies that dwell in the inner\napartments of Soma, of Indra, of Vishnu, of Yama, of Varuna, and of thee!\nThou knowest, O king, that I am both handsome and well-born. I solicit\nthee, O king! My season hath arrived. See that it goeth not in vain.'\n\n\"Yayati answered, 'Well do I know that honour of birth is thine, born as\nthou art in the proud race of the Danavas. Thou art also gifted with\nbeauty. I do not, indeed, see even the speck of a fault in thy feature.\nBut Usanas commanded me, while I was united with Devayani, that never\nshould Vrishaparvan's daughter he summoned to my bed.'\n\n\"Sarmishtha then said, 'It hath been said, O king, that it is not sinful\nto lie on the occasion of a joke, in respect of women sought to be\nenjoyed, on occasions of marriage, in peril of immediate death and of the\nloss of one's whole fortune. Lying is excusable on these five occasions.\nO king, it is not true that he is fallen who speaks not the truth when\nasked. Both Devayani and myself have been called hither as companions to\nserve the same purpose. When, therefore, thou hadst said that you wouldst\nconfine thyself to one only amongst as, that was a lie thou hadst\nspoken.' Yayati replied, 'A king should ever be a model in the eyes of\nhis people. That monarch certainly meets with destruction who speaks an\nuntruth. As for myself, I dare not speak an untruth even if the greatest\nloss threatens me!' Sarmishtha answered, 'O monarch, one may look upon\nher friend's husband as her own. One's friend's marriage is the same as\none's own. Thou hast been chosen by my friend as her husband. Thou art as\nmuch my husband, therefore.' Yayati then said, 'It is, indeed my vow\nalways to grant what one asketh. As thou askest me, tell me then what I\nam to do.' Sarmishtha then said, 'Absolve me, O king, from sin. Protect\nmy virtue. Becoming a mother by thee, let me practise the highest virtue\nin this world. It is said, O king, that a wife, a slave, and a son can\nnever earn wealth for themselves. What they earn always belongeth to him\nwho owneth them. I am, indeed, the slave of Devayani. Thou art Devayani's\nmaster and lord. Thou art, therefore, O king, my master and lord as much\nas Devayani's! I solicit thee! O, fulfil my wishes!'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed by Sarmishtha, the monarch was\npersuaded into the truth of all she spoke. He therefore, honoured\nSarmishtha by protecting her virtue. And they passed some time together.\nAnd taking affectionate farewell of each other, they then parted, each\nreturning to whence he or she had come.\n\n\"And it came to pass that Sarmishtha of sweet smiles and fair eyebrows\nconceived in consequence of that connection of hers with that best of\nmonarchs. And, O king, that lotus-eyed lady then in due course of time\nbrought forth a son of the splendour of a celestial child and of eyes\nlike-lotus-petals.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXXIII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'When Devayani of sweet smiles heard of the birth of\nthis child, she became jealous, and O Bharata, Sarmishtha became an\nobject of her unpleasant reflections. And Devayani, repairing to her,\naddressed her thus, 'O thou of fair eye-brows, what sin is this thou hast\ncommitted by yielding to the influence of lust?' Sarmishtha replied, 'A\ncertain Rishi of virtuous soul and fully conversant with the Vedas came\nto me. Capable of granting boons he was solicited by me to grant my\nwishes that were based on considerations of virtue. O thou of sweet\nsmiles, I would not seek the sinful fulfilment of my desires. I tell thee\ntruly that this child of mine is by that Rishi!' Devayani answered, 'It\nis all right if that be the case, O timid one! But if the lineage, name,\nand family of that Brahmana be known to thee, I should like to hear\nthem.' Sarmishtha replied, 'O thou of sweet smiles, in asceticism and\nenergy, that Rishi is resplendent like the Sun himself. Beholding him, I\nhad not, any need to make these enquiries--' Devayani then said, 'If this\nis true, if indeed, thou hast obtained thy child from such a superior\nBrahmana, then, O Sarmishtha, I have no cause of anger.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Having thus talked and laughed with each other,\nthey separated, Devayani returning to the palace with the knowledge\nimparted to her by Sarmishtha. And, O king, Yayati also begot on Devayani\ntwo sons called Yadu and Turvasu, who were like Indra and Vishnu. And\nSarmishtha, the daughter of Vrishaparvan, became through the royal sage\nthe mother of three sons in all, named Drahyu, Anu, and Puru.\n\n\"And, O king, it so came to pass that one day Devayani of sweet smiles,\naccompanied by Yayati, went into a solitary part of the woods, (in the\nking's extensive park). And there she saw three children of celestial\nbeauty playing with perfect trustfulness. And Devayani asked in surprise,\n'Whose children are they, O king, who are so handsome and so like unto\nthe children of the celestials? In splendour and beauty they are like\nthee, I should think.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'And Devayani without waiting for a reply from\nthe king, asked the children themselves, 'Ye children, what is your\nlineage? Who is your father? Answer me truly. I desire to know all.'\nThose children then pointed at the king (with their forefingers) and\nspoke of Sarmishtha as their mother.\n\n\"And having so said, the children approached the king to clasp his knees.\nBut the king dared not caress them in the presence of Devayani. The boys\nthen left the place, and made towards their mother, weeping in grief. And\nthe king, at this conduct of the boys, became very much abashed. But\nDevayani, marking the affection of the children for the king learnt the\nsecret and addressing Sarmishtha, said, 'How hast thou dared to do me an\ninjury, being, as thou art, dependent on me? Dost thou not fear to have\nrecourse once more to that Asura custom of thine?'\n\n\"Sarmishtha said, 'O thou of sweet smiles, all that I told thee of a\nRishi is perfectly true. I have acted rightly and according to the\nprecepts of virtue, and therefore, do I not fear thee. When thou hadst\nchosen the king for thy husband, I, too, chose him as mine. O beautiful\none, a friend's husband is, according to usage, one's own husband as\nwell. Thou art the daughter of a Brahmana and, therefore, deservest my\nworship and regard. But dost thou not know that this royal sage is held\nby me in greater esteem still?'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Devayani then, hearing those words of hers,\nexclaimed, O king, thus, 'Thou hast wronged me, O monarch! I shall not\nlive here any longer.' And saying this, she quickly rose, with tearful\neyes, to go to her father. And the king was grieved to see her thus, and\nalarmed greatly, followed in her foot-steps, endeavouring to appease her\nwrath. But Devayani, with eyes red with anger, would not desist. Speaking\nnot a word to the king, with eyes bathed in tears, she soon reached the\nside of her father Usanas, the son of Kavi. And beholding her father, she\nstood before him, after due salutations. And Yayati also, immediately\nafter, saluted and worshipped Bhargava.'\n\n\"And Devayani said, 'O father, virtue hath been vanquished by vice. The\nlow have risen, and the high have fallen. I have been offended again by\nSarmishtha, the daughter of Vrishaparvan. Three sons have been begotten\nupon her by this king Yayati. But, O father, being luckless I have got\nonly two sons! O son of Bhrigu, this king is renowned for his knowledge\nof the precepts of religion. But, O Kavya, I tell thee that he hath\ndeviated from the path of rectitude.'\n\n\"Sukra, hearing all this, said, 'O monarch, since thou hast made vice thy\nbeloved pursuit, though fully acquainted with the precepts of religion,\ninvincible decrepitude shall paralyse thee!' Yayati answered, 'Adorable\none, I was solicited by the daughter of the Danava king to fructify her\nseason. I did it from a sense of virtue and not from other motives. That\nmale person, who being solicited by a woman in her season doth not grant\nher wishes, is called, O Brahmana, by those conversant with the Vedas, a\nslayer of the embryo. He who, solicited in secret by a woman full of\ndesire and in season, goeth not in unto her, loseth virtue and is called\nby the learned a killer of the embryo, O son of Bhrigu, for these\nreasons, and anxious to avoid sin, I went into Sarmishtha.' Sukra then\nreplied, 'Thou art dependent on me. Thou shouldst have awaited my\ncommand. Having acted falsely in the matter of thy duty, O son of\nNahusha, thou hast been guilty of the sin of theft.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Yayati, the son of Nahusha, thus cursed by the\nangry Usanas, was then divested of his youth and immediately overcome by\ndecrepitude. And Yayati said, 'O son of Bhrigu, I have not yet been\nsatiated with youth or with Devayani. Therefore, O Brahmana, be graceful\nunto me so that decrepitude might not touch me.' Sukra then answered, 'I\nnever speak an untruth. Even now, O king, art thou attacked by\ndecrepitude. But if thou likest, thou art competent to transfer this thy\ndecrepitude to another.' Yayati said, 'O Brahmana, let it be commanded by\nthee that that son of mine who giveth me his youth shall enjoy my\nkingdom, and shall achieve both virtue and fame.' Sukra replied, 'O son\nof Nahusha, thinking of me thou mayst transfer this thy decrepitude to\nwhomsoever thou likest. That son who shall give thee his youth shall\nbecome thy successor to the throne. He shall also have long life, wide\nfame, and numerous progeny!'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXXIV\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Yayati, then, overcome with decrepitude, returned to\nhis capital and summoning his eldest son Yadu who was also the most\naccomplished, addressed him thus, 'Dear child, from the curse of Kavya\ncalled also Usanas, decrepitude and wrinkles and whiteness of hair have\ncome over me. But I have not been gratified yet with the enjoyment of\nyouth. Do thou, O Yadu, take this my weakness along with my decrepitude.\nI shall enjoy with thy youth. And when a full thousand years will have\nelapsed, returning to thee thy youth, I shall take back my weakness with\nthis decrepitude!'\n\n\"Yadu replied, 'There are innumerable inconveniences in decrepitude, in\nrespect of drinking and eating. Therefore, O king, I shall not take thy\ndecrepitude. This is, indeed, my determination. White hair on the head,\ncheerlessness and relaxation of the nerves, wrinkles all over the body,\ndeformities, weakness of the limbs, emaciation, incapacity to work,\ndefeat at the hands of friends and companions--these are the consequences\nof decrepitude. Therefore, O king, I desire not to take it. O king, thou\nhast many sons some of whom are dearer to thee. Thou art acquainted with\nthe precepts of virtue. Ask some other son of thine to take thy\ndecrepitude.\n\n\"Yayati replied, 'Thou art sprung from my heart, O son, but thou givest\nme not thy youth. Therefore, thy children shall never be kings.' And he\ncontinued, addressing another son of his, 'O Turvasu, take thou this\nweakness of mine along with my decrepitude. With thy youth, O son, I like\nto enjoy the pleasure of life. After the lapse of a full thousand years I\nshall give back to thee thy youth, and take back from thee my weakness\nand decrepitude.'\n\n\"Turvasu replied, 'I do not like decrepitude, O father, it takes away all\nappetites and enjoyments, strength and beauty of person, intellect, and\neven life.' Yayati said to him, 'Thou art sprung from my heart, O son!\nBut thou givest me not thy youth! Therefore, O Turvasu, thy race shall be\nextinct. Wretch, thou shall be the king of those whose practices and\nprecepts are impure, amongst whom men of inferior blood procreate\nchildren upon women of blue blood, who live on meat, who are mean, who\nhesitate not to appropriate the wives of their superiors, whose practices\nare those of birds and beasts, who are sinful, and non-Aryan.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Yayati, having thus cursed his son Turvasu, then,\naddressed Sarmishtha's son Drahyu thus, 'O Drahyu, take thou for a\nthousand years my decrepitude destructive of complexion and personal\nbeauty and give me thy youth. When a thousand years have passed away, I\nshall return thee thy youth and take back my own weakness, and\ndecrepitude.' To this Drahyu replied, 'O king, one that is decrepit can\nnever enjoy elephants and cars and horses and women. Even his voice\nbecometh hoarse. Therefore, I do not desire (to take) thy decrepitude.'\nYayati said to him, 'Thou art sprung from my heart, O son! But thou\nrefusest to give me thy youth. Therefore, thy most cherished desires\nshall never be fulfilled. Thou shalt be king only in name, of that region\nwhere there are no roads for (the passage of) horses and cars and\nelephants, and good vehicles, and asses, and goats and bullocks, and\npalanquins; where there is swimming only by rafts and floats.' Yayati\nnext addressed Anu and said, 'O Anu, take my weakness and decrepitude. I\nshall with thy youth enjoy the pleasures of life for a thousand years.'\nTo this Anu replied, 'Those that are decrepit always eat like children\nand are always impure. They cannot pour libations upon fire in proper\ntimes. Therefore, I do not like to take thy decrepitude.' Yayati said to\nhim, 'Thou art sprung from my heart, thou givest not thy youth. Thou\nfindest so many faults in decrepitude. Therefore, decrepitude shall\novercome thee! And, O Anu, thy progeny also as soon as they attain to\nyouth, shall die. And thou shalt also not be able to perform sacrifices\nbefore fire.'\n\n\"Yayati at last turned to his youngest child, Puru, and addressing him\nsaid, 'Thou art, O Puru, my youngest son! But thou shall be the first of\nall! Decrepitude, wrinkles, and whiteness of hair have come over me in\nconsequence of the curse of Kavya called also Usanas. I have not yet\nhowever, been satiated with my youth. O Puru, take thou this my weakness\nand decrepitude! With thy youth I shall enjoy for some years the\npleasures of life. And when a thousand years have passed away, I shall\ngive back to thee thy youth and take back my own decrepitude.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Thus addressed by the king, Puru answered with\nhumility, 'I shall do, O monarch, as thou bidest me. I shall take, O\nking, thy weakness and decrepitude. Take thou my youth and enjoy as thou\nlistest the pleasures of life. Covered with thy decrepitude and becoming\nold, I shall, as thou commandest, continue to live, giving thee my\nyouth.' Yayati then said, 'O Puru, I have been gratified with thee. And\nbeing gratified, I tell thee that the people in thy kingdom shall have\nall their desires fulfilled.'\n\n\"And having said this, the great ascetic Yayati, then thinking of Kavya,\ntransferred his decrepitude unto the body of the high-souled Puru.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXXV\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'The excellent monarch Yayati, the son of Nahusha,\nhaving received Puru's youth, became exceedingly gratified. And with it\nhe once more began to indulge in his favourite pursuits to the full\nextent of his desires and to the limit of his powers, according to\nseasons, so as to derive the greatest pleasure therefrom. And, O king, in\nnothing that he did, he acted against the precepts of his religion as\nbehoved him well. He gratified the gods by his sacrifices; the pitris, by\nSraddhas; the poor, by his charities; all excellent Brahmanas, by\nfulfilling their desires; all persons entitled to the rites of\nhospitality, with food and drink; the Vaisyas, by protection; and the\nSudras, by kindness. And the king repressed all criminals by proper\npunishments. And Yayati, gratifying all sections of his subjects,\nprotected them virtuously like another Indra. And the monarch possessed\nof the prowess of a lion, with youth and every object of enjoyment under\ncontrol, enjoyed unlimited happiness without transgressing the precepts\nof religion. And the king became very happy in thus being able to enjoy\nall the excellent objects of his desires. And he was only sorry when he\nthought that those thousand years would come to an end. And having\nobtained youth for a thousand years, the king acquainted with the\nmysteries of time, and watching proper Kalas and Kashthas sported with\n(the celestial damsel) Viswachi, sometimes in the beautiful garden of\nIndra, sometimes in Alaka (the city of Kuvera), and sometimes on the\nsummit of the mountain Meru on the north. And when the virtuous monarch\nsaw that the thousand years were full, he summoned his son, Puru, and\naddressed him thus, 'O oppressor of foes, with thy youth, O son, I have\nenjoyed the pleasures of life, each according to its season to the full\nextent of my desires, to the limit of my powers. Our desires, however,\nare never gratified by indulgence. On the other hand, with indulgence,\nthey only flame up like fire with libations of sacrificial butter. If a\nsingle person were owner of everything on Earth--all her yields of paddy\nand barley, her silver, gold, and gems, her animals and women, he would\nnot still be content. Thirst of enjoyment, therefore, should be given up.\nIndeed, true happiness belongeth to them that have cast off their thirst\nfor worldly objects--a thirst which is difficult to be thrown off by the\nwicked and the sinful, which faileth not with the failing life, and which\nis truly the fatal disease of man. My heart hath for a full thousand\nyears been fixed upon the objects of desires. My thirst for these,\nhowever, increaseth day by day without abating. Therefore, I shall cast\nit off, and fixing my mind on Brahma I shall pass the rest of my days\nwith the innocent deer in the forest peacefully and with no heart for any\nworldly objects. And O Puru, I have been exceedingly gratified with thee!\nProsperity be thine! Receive back this thy youth! Receive thou also my\nkingdom. Thou art, indeed, that son of mine who has done me the greatest\nservices.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then Yayati, the son of Nahusha, received back\nhis decrepitude. And his son Puru received back his own youth. And Yayati\nwas desirous of installing Puru, his youngest son, on the throne. But the\nfour orders, with the Brahmanas at their head, then addressed the monarch\nthus, 'O king, how shall thou bestow thy kingdom on Puru, passing over\nthy eldest son Yadu born of Devayani, and, therefore, the grandson of the\ngreat Sukra? Indeed, Yadu is thy eldest son; after him hath been born\nTurvasu; and of Sarmishtha's sons, the first is Drahyu, then Anu and then\nPuru. How doth the youngest deserve the throne, passing all his elder\nbrothers over? This we represent to thee! O, conform to virtuous\npractice.'\n\n\"Yayati then said, 'Ye four orders with Brahmanas at their head, hear my\nwords as to why my kingdom should not be given to my eldest son. My\ncommands have been disobeyed by my eldest son, Yadu. The wise say that he\nis no son who disobeyeth his father. That son, however, who doth the\nbidding of his parents, who seeketh their good, who is agreeable to them,\nis indeed, the best of sons. I have been disregarded by Yadu and by\nTurvasu, too. Much I have been disregarded by Drahyu and by Anu also. By\nPuru alone hath my word been obeyed. By him have I been much regarded.\nTherefore, the youngest shall be my heir. He took my decrepitude. Indeed,\nPuru is my friend. He did what was so agreeable to me. It hath also been\ncommanded by Sukra himself, the son of Kavi, that, that son of mine who\nshould obey me will become king after me and bring the whole Earth under\nhis sway. I, therefore, beseech thee, let Puru be installed on the\nthrone.'\n\n\"The people then said, 'True it is, O king, that, that son who is\naccomplished and who seeketh the good of his parents, deserveth\nprosperity even if he be the youngest. Therefore, doth Puru, who hath\ndone the good, deserve the crown. And as Sukra himself hath commanded it,\nwe have nothing to say to it.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued., 'The son of Nahusha, thus addressed by the\ncontented people, then installed his son, Puru, on the throne. And having\nbestowed his kingdom on Puru, the monarch performed the initiatory\nceremonies for retiring into the woods. And soon after he left his\ncapital, followed by Brahmanas and ascetics.\n\n\"The sons of Yadu are known by the name of the Yadavas: while those of\nTurvasu have come to be called the Yavanas. And the sons of Drahyu are\nthe Bhojas, while those of Anu, the Mlechchhas. The progeny of Puru,\nhowever, are the Pauravas, amongst whom, O monarch, thou art born, in\norder to rule for a thousand years with thy passions under complete\ncontrol.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXXVI\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'King Yayati, the son of Nahusha, having thus\ninstalled his dear son on the throne, became exceedingly happy, and\nentered into the woods to lead the life of a hermit. And having lived for\nsome time into forest in the company of Brahmanas, observing many rigid\nvows, eating fruits and roots, patiently bearing privations of all sorts,\nthe monarch at last ascended to heaven. And having ascended to heaven he\nlived there in bliss. But soon, however, he was hurled down by Indra. And\nit hath been heard by me, O king, that, though hurled from heaven,\nYayati, without reaching the surface of the Earth, stayed in the\nfirmament. I have heard that some time after he again entered the region\nof the celestials in company with Vasuman, Ashtaka, Pratarddana, and\nSivi.'\n\n\"Janamejaya said, 'I desire to hear from thee in detail why Yayati,\nhaving first obtained admission into heaven, was hurled therefrom, and\nwhy also he gained re-admittance. Let all this, O Brahmana, be narrated\nby thee in the presence of these regenerate sages. Yayati, lord of Earth,\nwas, indeed, like the chief of the celestials. The progenitor of the\nextensive race of the Kurus, he was of the splendour of the Sun. I desire\nto hear in full the story of his life both in heaven and on Earth, as he\nwas illustrious, and of world-wide celebrity and of wonderful\nachievements.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Indeed, I shall recite to thee the excellent story\nof Yayati's adventures on Earth and in heaven. That story is sacred and\ndestroyeth the sins of those that hear it.\n\n\"King Yayati, the son of Nahusha, having installed his youngest son,\nPuru, on the throne after casting his sons with Yadu for their eldest\namongst the Mlechchhas, entered the forest to lead the life of a hermit.\nAnd the king eating fruits and roots lived for some time in the forest.\nHaving his mind and passions under complete control, the king gratified\nby sacrifices the Pitris and the gods. And he poured libations of\nclarified butter upon the fire according to the rites prescribed for\nthose leading the Vanaprastha mode of life. And the illustrious one\nentertained guests and strangers with the fruit of the forest and\nclarified butter, while he himself supported life by gleaning scattered\ncorn seeds. And the king; led this sort of life for a full thousand\nyears. And observing the vow of silence and with mind under complete\ncontrol he passed one full year, living upon air alone and without sleep.\nAnd he passed another year practising the severest austerities in the\nmidst of four fires around and the Sun overhead. And, living upon air\nalone, he stood erect upon one leg for six months. And the king of sacred\ndeeds ascended to heaven, covering heaven as well as the Earth (with the\nfame of his achievements).'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXXVII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'While that king of kings dwelt in heaven--the home\nof the celestials, he was reverenced by the gods, the Sadhyas, the\nMaruts, and the Vasus. Of sacred deeds, and mind under complete control,\nthe monarch used to repair now and then from the abode of the celestials\nunto the region of Brahman. And it hath been heard by me that he dwelt\nfor a long time in heaven.\n\n\"One day that best of kings, Yayati, went to Indra and there in course of\nconversation the lord of Earth was asked by Indra as follows:\n\n'What didst thou say, O king, when thy son Puru took thy decrepitude on\nEarth and when thou gavest him thy kingdom?'\n\n\"Yayati answered, 'I told him that the whole country between the rivers\nGanga and Yamuna was his. That is, indeed, the central region of the\nEarth, while the out-lying regions are to be the dominions of thy\nbrothers. I also told him that those without anger were ever superior to\nthose under its sway, those disposed to forgive were ever superior to the\nunforgiving. Man is superior to the lower animals. Among men again the\nlearned are superior to the un-learned. If wronged, thou shouldst not\nwrong in return. One's wrath, if disregarded, burneth one's own self; but\nhe that regardeth it not taketh away all the virtues of him that\nexhibiteh it. Never shouldst thou pain others by cruel speeches. Never\nsubdue thy foes by despicable means; and never utter such scorching and\nsinful words as may torture others. He that pricketh as if with thorns\nmen by means of hard and cruel words, thou must know, ever carrieth in\nhis mouth the Rakshasas. Prosperity and luck fly away at his very sight.\nThou shouldst ever keep the virtuous before thee as thy models; thou\nshouldst ever with retrospective eye compare thy acts with those of the\nvirtuous; thou shouldst ever disregard the hard words of the wicked. Thou\nshouldst ever make the conduct of the wise the model upon which thou art\nto act thyself. The man hurt by the arrows of cruel speech hurled from\none's lips, weepeth day and night. Indeed, these strike at the core of\nthe body. Therefore the wise never fling these arrows at others. There is\nnothing in the three worlds by which thou canst worship and adore the\ndeities better than by kindness, friendship, charity and sweet speeches\nunto all. Therefore, shouldst thou always utter words that soothe, and\nnot those that scorch. And thou shouldst regard those that deserve, thy\nregards, and shouldst always give but never beg!\"'\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXXVIII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Alter this Indra again asked Yayati, 'Thou didst\nretire into the woods, O king, after accomplishing all thy duties. O\nYayati, son of Nahusha, I would ask thee to whom thou art equal in\nascetic austerities.' Yayati answered, 'O Vasava, I do not, in the matter\nof ascetic austerities, behold my equal among men, the celestials, the\nGandharvas, and the great Rishis.' Indra then said, 'O monarch, because\nthou disregardest those that are thy superiors, thy equals, and even thy\ninferiors, without, in fact, knowing their real merits, thy virtues have\nsuffered diminution and thou must fall from heaven.' Yayati then said, 'O\nSakra, if, indeed, my virtues have really sustained diminution and I must\non that account fall down from heaven, I desire, O chief of the\ncelestials, that I may at least fall among the virtuous and the honest.'\nIndra replied, 'O king, thou shall fall among those that are virtuous and\nwise, and thou shall acquire also much renown. And after this experience\nof thine, O Yayati, never again disregard those that are thy superiors or\neven thy equals.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Upon this, Yayati fell from the region of the\ncelestials. And as he was falling, he was beheld by that foremost of\nroyal sages, viz., Ashtaka, the protector of his own religion. Ashtaka\nbeholding him, enquired, 'Who art thou, O youth of a beauty equal to that\nof Indra, in splendour blazing as the fire, thus falling from on high?\nArt thou that foremost of sky-ranging bodies--the sun--emerging from,\ndark masses of clouds? Beholding thee falling from the solar course,\npossessed of immeasurable energy and the splendour of fire or the sun,\nevery one is curious as to what it is that is so falling, and is,\nbesides, deprived of consciousness! Beholding thee in the path of the\ncelestials, possessed of energy like that of Sakra, or Surya, or Vishnu,\nwe have approached thee to ascertain the truth. If thou hast first asked\nus who we were, we would never have been guilty of the incivility of\nasking thee first. We now ask thee who thou art and why thou approachest\nhither. Let thy fears be dispelled; let thy woes and afflictions cease.\nThou art now in the presence of the virtuous and the wise. Even Sakra\nhimself--the slayer of Vala--cannot here do thee any injury. O thou of\nthe prowess of the chief of the celestials, the wise and the virtuous are\nthe support of their brethren in grief. Here there are none but the wise\nand virtuous like thee assembled together. Therefore, stay thou here in\npeace. Fire alone hath power to give heat. The Earth alone hath power to\ninfuse life into the seed. The sun alone hath power to illuminate\neverything. So the guest alone hath power to command the virtuous and the\nwise.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXXIX\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Yayati said, 'I am Yayati, the son of Nahusha and the father of Puru.\nCast off from the region of the celestials and of Siddhas and Rishis for\nhaving disregarded every creature, I am falling down, my righteousness\nhaving sustained diminution. In years I am older than you; therefore, I\nhave not saluted you first. Indeed, the Brahmanas always reverence him\nwho is older in years or superior in learning or in ascetic merit.'\n\n\"Ashtaka then replied, 'Thou sayest, O monarch, that he who is older in\nyears is worthy of regard. But it is said that he is truly worthy of\nworship who is superior in learning and ascetic merit.'\n\n\"Yayati replied to this, 'It is said that sin destroyeth the merits of\nfour virtuous acts. Vanity containeth the element of that which leadeth\nto hell. The virtuous never follow in the footsteps of the vicious. They\nact in such a way that their religious merit always increaseth. I myself\nhad great religious merit, but all that, however, is gone. I will\nscarcely be able to regain it even by my best exertions. Beholding my\nfate, he that is bent upon (achieving) his own good, will certainly\nsuppress vanity. He who having acquired great wealth performeth\nmeritorious sacrifices, who having acquired all kinds of learning\nremaineth humble, and who having studied the entire Vedas devoteth\nhimself to asceticism with a heart withdrawn from all mundane enjoyments,\ngoeth to heaven. None should exult in having acquired great wealth. None\nshould be vain of having studied the entire Vedas. In the world men are\nof different dispositions. Destiny is supreme. Both power and exertion\nare all fruitless. Knowing Destiny to be all-powerful, the wise, whatever\ntheir portions may be, should neither exult nor grieve. When creatures\nknow that their weal and woe are dependent on Destiny and not on their\nown exertion or power, they should neither grieve nor exult, remembering\nthat Destiny is all powerful. The wise should ever live contented,\nneither grieving at woe nor exulting at weal. When Destiny is supreme,\nboth grief and exultation are unbecoming. O Ashtaka, I never suffer\nmyself to be overcome by fear, nor do I ever entertain grief, knowing for\ncertain that I shall be in the world what the great disposer of all hath\nordained. Insects and worms, all oviparous creatures, vegetable\nexistences, all crawling animals, vermin, the fish in the water, stones,\ngrass, wood--in fact, all created things, when they are freed from the\neffects of their acts, are united with the Supreme Soul. Happiness and\nmisery are both transient. Therefore, O Ashtaka, why should I grieve? We\ncan never know how we are to act in order to avoid misery. Therefore,\nnone should grieve for misery.'\n\n\"Possessed of every virtue, king Yayati who was the maternal grandfather\nof Ashtaka, while staying in the welkin, at the conclusion of his speech,\nwas again questioned by Ashtaka. The latter said, 'O king of kings, tell\nme, in detail, of all those regions that thou hast visited and enjoyed,\nas well as the period for which thou hast enjoyed each. Thou speakest of\nthe precepts of religion even like the clever masters acquainted with the\nacts and sayings of great beings!' Yayati replied, 'I was a great king on\nEarth, owning the whole world for my dominion. Leaving it, I acquired by\ndint of religious merit many high regions. There I dwelt for a full\nthousand years, and then I attained to a very high region the abode of\nIndra, of extraordinary beauty having a thousand gates, and extending\nover a hundred yojanas all round. There too, I dwelt a full thousand\nyears and then attained to a higher region still. That is the region of\nperfect beatitude, where decay never exists, the region, viz., that of\nthe Creator and the Lord of Earth, so difficult of attainment. There also\nI dwelt for a full thousand years, and then attained to another very high\nregion viz., that of the god of gods (Vishnu) where, too, I had lived in\nhappiness. Indeed, I dwelt in various regions, adored by all the\ncelestials, and possessed of prowess and splendour equal unto those of\nthe celestials themselves. Capable of assuming any form at will, I lived\nfor a million years in the gardens of Nandana sporting with the Apsaras\nand beholding numberless beautiful trees clad in flowery vesture and\nsending forth delicious perfume all round. And after many, many years had\nelapsed, while still residing there in enjoyment of perfect beatitude,\nthe celestial messenger of grim visage, one day, in a loud and deep\nvoice, thrice shouted to me--Ruined! Ruined! Ruined!--O lion among kings,\nthis much do I remember. I was then fallen from Nandana, my religious\nmerits gone! I heard in the skies, O king, the voices of the celestials\nexclaiming in grief,--Alas! What a misfortune! Yayati, with his religious\nmerits destroyed, though virtuous and of sacred deeds, is falling!--And\nas I was falling, I asked them loudly, 'Where, ye celestials, are those\nwise ones amongst whom I am to fall?' They pointed out to me this sacred\nsacrificial region belonging to you. Beholding the curls of smoke\nblackening the atmosphere and smelling the perfume of clarified butter\npoured incessantly upon fire, and guided thereby, I am approaching this\nregion of yours, glad at heart that I come amongst you.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XC\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Ashtaka said, 'Capable of assuming any form at will, thou hast lived for\na million years in the gardens of Nandana. For what cause, O foremost of\nthose that flourished in the Krita age, hast thou been compelled to leave\nthat region and come hither?' Yayati answered, 'As kinsmen, friends, and\nrelatives forsake, in this world, those whose wealth disappears so, in\nthe other world, the celestials with Indra as their chief, forsake him\nwho hath lost his righteousness.' Ashtaka said, 'I am extremely anxious\nto know how in the other world men can lose virtue. Tell me also, O king,\nwhat regions are attainable by what courses of action. Thou art\nacquainted, I know, with the acts and sayings of great beings.\"\n\n\"Yayati answered, 'O pious one, they that speak of their own merits are\ndoomed to suffer the hell called Bhauma. Though really emaciated and\nlean, they appear to grow on Earth (in the shape of their sons and\ngrandsons) only to become food for vultures, dogs, and jackals.\nTherefore, O king, this highly censurable and wicked vice should be\nrepressed. I have now, O king, told thee all. Tell me what more I shall\nsay.'\n\n\"Ashtaka said, 'When life is destroyed with age, vultures, peacocks,\ninsects, and worms eat up the human body. Where doth man then reside? How\ndoth he also come back to life? I have never heard of any hell called\nBhauma on Earth!'\n\n\"Yayati answered, 'After the dissolution of the body, man, according to\nhis acts, re-entereth the womb of his mother and stayeth there in an\nindistinct form, and soon after assuming a distinct and visible shape\nreappeareth in the world and walketh on its surface. This is that\nEarth-hell (Bhauma) where he falleth, for he beholdeth not the\ntermination of his existence and acteth not towards his emancipation.\nSome dwell for sixty thousand years, some, for eighty-thousand years in\nheaven, and then they fall. And as they fall, they are attacked by\ncertain Rakshasas in the form of sons, grandsons, and other relatives,\nthat withdraw their hearts from acting for their own emancipation.'\n\n\"Ashtaka asked, 'For what sin are beings, when they fall from heaven,\nattacked by these fierce and sharp-toothed Rakshasas? Why are they not\nreduced to annihilation? How do they again enter the womb, furnished with\nsenses?'\n\n\"Yayati answered, 'After falling from heaven, the being becometh a\nsubtile substance living in water. This water becometh the semen whence\nis the seed of vitality. Thence entering the mother's womb in the womanly\nseason, it developeth into the embryo and next into visible life like the\nfruit from the flower. Entering trees, plants, and other vegetable\nsubstances, water, air, earth, and space, that same watery seed of life\nassumeth the quadrupedal or bipedal form. This is the case with all\ncreatures that you see.'\n\n\"Ashtaka said, 'O tell me, I ask thee because I have my doubts. Doth a\nbeing that hath received a human form enter the womb in its own shape or\nin some other? How doth it also acquire its distinct and visible shape,\neyes and ears and consciousness as well? Questioned by me, O, explain it\nall! Thou art, O father, one acquainted with the acts and sayings of\ngreat beings.' Yayati answered, 'According to the merits of one's acts,\nthe being that in a subtile form co-inheres in the seed that is dropped\ninto the womb is attracted by the atmospheric force for purposes of\nre-birth. It then developeth there in course of time; first it becomes\nthe embryo, and is next provided with the visible physical organism.\nComing out of the womb in due course of time, it becometh conscious of\nits existence as man, and with his ears becometh sensible of sound; with\nhis eyes, of colour and form; with his nose, of scent; with his tongue,\nof taste; by his whole body, of touch; and by his mind, of ideas. It is\nthus, O Ashtaka, that the gross and visible body developeth from the\nsubtile essence.'\n\n\"Ashtaka asked, 'After death, the body is burnt, or otherwise destroyed.\nReduced to nothing upon such dissolution, by what principle is one\nrevived?' Yayati said, 'O lion among kings, the person that dies assumes\na subtil form; and retaining consciousness of all his acts as in a dream,\nhe enters some other form with a speed quicker than that of air itself.\nThe virtuous attain to a superior, and the vicious to an inferior form of\nexistence. The vicious become worms and insects. I have nothing more to\nsay, O thou of great and pure soul! I have told thee how beings are born,\nafter development of embryonic forms, as four-footed, six-footed\ncreatures and others with more feet. What more wilt thou ask me?'\n\n\"Ashtaka said, 'How, O father, do men attain to those superior regions\nwhence there is no return to earthly life? Is it by asceticism or by\nknowledge? How also can one gradually attain to felicitous regions? Asked\nby me, O answer it in full.'\n\n\"Yayati answered, 'The wise say that for men there are seven gates\nthrough which admission may be gained into Heaven. There are asceticism,\nbenevolence, tranquillity of mind, self-command, modesty, simplicity, and\nkindness to all creatures. The wise also say that a person loseth all\nthese in consequence of vanity. That man who having acquired knowledge\nregardeth himself as learned, and with his learning destroyed the\nreputation of others, never attaineth to regions of indestructible\nfelicity. That knowledge also doth not make its possessor competent to\nattain to Brahma. Study, taciturnity, worship before fire, and\nsacrifices, these four remove all fear. When, however, these are mixed\nwith vanity, instead of removing it, they cause fear. The wise should\nnever exult at (receiving) honours nor should they grieve at insults. For\nit is the wise alone that honour the wise; the wicked never act like the\nvirtuous. I have given away so much--I have performed so many\nsacrifices,--I have studied so much,--I have observed these vows,--such\nvanity is the root of fear. Therefore, thou must not indulge in such\nfeelings. Those learned men who accept as their support the unchangeable,\ninconceivable Brahma alone that ever showereth blessings on persons\nvirtuous like thee, enjoy perfect peace here and hereafter.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XCI\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Ashtaka said, 'Those cognisant of the Vedas differ in opinion as to how\nthe followers of each of the four modes of life, viz., Grihasthas,\nBhikshus, Brahmacharins, and Vanaprashthas, should conduct themselves in\norder to acquire religious merit.\"\n\n\"Yayati answered, 'These are what a Brahmacharin must do. While dwelling\nin the abode of his preceptor, he must receive lessons only when his\npreceptor summons him to do so; he must attend to the service of his\npreceptor without waiting for the latter's command; he must rise from his\nbed before his preceptor riseth, and go to bed after his preceptor hath\ngone to bed. He must be humble, must have his passions under complete\ncontrol, must be patient, vigilant, and devoted to studies. It is then\nonly that he can achieve success. It hath been said in the oldest\nUpanishad that a grihastha, acquiring wealth by honest means, should\nperform sacrifices; he should always give something in charity, should\nperform the rites of hospitality unto all arriving at his abode, and\nshould never use anything without giving a portion thereof to others. A\nMuni, without search for woods, depending on his own vigour, should\nabstain from all vicious acts, should give away something in charity,\nshould never inflict pain on any creature. It is then only that he can\nachieve success. He, indeed, is a true Bhikshu who doth not support\nhimself by any manual arts, who possesseth numerous accomplishments, who\nhath his passions under complete control, who is unconnected with worldly\nconcerns, who sleepeth not under the shelter of a householder's roof, who\nis without wife, and who going a little way every day, travelleth over a\nlarge extent of the country. A learned man should adopt the Vanaprastha\nmode of life after performance of the necessary rites, when he hath been\nable to control his appetites for enjoyment and desire of acquiring\nvaluable possessions. When one dieth in the woods while leading the\nVanaprastha mode of life, he maketh his ancestors and the successors,\nnumbering ten generations including himself, mix with the Divine essence.'\n\n\"Ashtaka asked, 'How many kinds of Munis are there (observers of the vow\nof the silence)?'\n\n\"Yayati answered, 'He is, indeed, a Muni who, though dwelling in the\nwoods, hath an inhabited place near, or who, though dwelling in an\ninhabited place, hath the woods near.'\n\n\"Ashtaka enquired what is meant by Muni.' Yayati replied, 'A Muni\nwithdrawing himself from all worldly objects liveth in the woods. And\nthough he might never seek to surround himself with those objects that\nare procurable in an inhabited place, he might yet obtain them all by\nvirtue of his ascetic power. He may truly be said to dwell in the woods\nhaving an inhabited place near to himself. Again a wise man withdrawn\nfrom all earthly objects, might live in a hamlet leading the life of a\nhermit. He may never exhibit the pride of family, birth or learning. Clad\nin the scantiest robes, he may yet regard himself as attired in the\nrichest vestments. He may rest content with food just enough for the\nsupport of life. Such a person, though dwelling in an inhabited place,\nliveth yet in the woods.\n\n\"The person again, who, with passions under complete control, adopteth\nthe vow of silence, refraining from action and entertaining no desire,\nachieveth success. Why shouldst thou not, indeed, reverence the man who\nliveth on clean food, who refraineth from ever injuring others, whose\nheart is ever pure, who stands in the splendour of ascetic attributes,\nwho is free from the leaden weight of desire, who abstaineth from injury\neven when sanctioned by religion? Emaciated by austerities and reduced in\nflesh, marrow and blood, such a one conquereth not only this but the\nhighest world. And when the Muni sits in yoga meditation, becoming\nindifferent to happiness and misery, honour and insult, he then leaveth\nthe world and enjoyeth communion with Brahma. When the Muni taketh food\nlike wine and other animals, i. e., without providing for it beforehand\nand without any relish (like a sleeping infant feeding on the mother's\nlap), then like the all-pervading spirit he becometh identified with the\nwhole universe and attaineth to salvation.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XCII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Ashtaka asked, 'Who amongst these, O king, both exerting constantly like\nthe Sun and the Moon, first attaineth to communion with Brahma, the\nascetic or the man of knowledge?'\n\n\"Yayati answered, 'The wise, with the help of the Vedas and of Knowledge,\nhaving ascertained the visible universe to be illusory, instantly\nrealises the Supreme Spirit as the sole existent independent essence.\nWhile they that devote themselves to Yoga meditation take time to acquire\nthe same knowledge, for it is by practice alone that these latter divest\nthemselves of the consciousness of quality. Hence the wise attain to\nsalvation first. Then again if the person devoted to Yoga find not\nsufficient time in one life to attain success, being led astray by the\nattractions of the world, in his next life he is benefited by the\nprogress already achieved, for he devoteth himself regretfully to the\npursuit of success. But the man of knowledge ever beholdeth the\nindestructible unity, and, is, therefore, though steeped in worldly\nenjoyments, never affected by them at heart. Therefore, there is nothing\nto impede his salvation. He, however, who faileth to attain to knowledge,\nshould yet devote himself to piety as dependent on action (sacrifices\n&c.). But he that devoteth himself to such piety, moved thereto by desire\nof salvation, can never achieve success. His sacrifices bear no fruit and\npartake of the nature of cruelty. Piety which is dependent on action that\nproceedeth not from the desire of fruit, is, in case of such men Yoga\nitself.'\n\n\"Ashtaka said, 'O king, thou lookest like a young man; thou art handsome\nand decked with a celestial garland. Thy splendour is great! Whence dost\nthou come and where dost thou go? Whose messenger art thou? Art thou\ngoing down into the Earth?'\n\n\"Yayati said, 'Fallen from heaven upon the loss of all my religious\nmerits, I am doomed to enter the Earth-hell. Indeed, I shall go there\nafter I have finished my discourse with you. Even now the regents of the\npoints of the universe command me to hasten thither. And, O king, I have\nobtained it as a boon from Indra that though fall I must upon the earth,\nyet I should fall amidst the wise and the virtuous. Ye are all wise and\nvirtuous that are assembled here.'\n\n\"Ashtaka said, 'Thou art acquainted with everything. I ask thee, O king,\nare there any regions for myself to enjoy in heaven or in the firmament?\nIf there be, then, thou shalt not fall, though falling.'\n\n\"Yayati answered, 'O king, there are as many regions for thee to enjoy in\nheaven even as the number of kine and horses on Earth with the animals in\nthe wilderness and on the hills.'\n\n\"Ashtaka said, 'If there are worlds for me to enjoy, as fruits of my\nreligious merits, in heaven, O king, I give them all unto thee.\nTherefore, though falling, thou shalt not fall. O, take thou soon all\nthose, wherever they be, in heaven or in the firmament. Let thy sorrow\ncease.'\n\n\"Yayati answered, 'O best of kings, a Brahma-knowing Brahmana alone can\ntake in gift, but not one like ourselves. And, O monarch, I myself have\ngiven away to Brahmanas as one should. Let no man who, is not a Brahmana\nand let not the wife of a learned Brahmana ever live in infamy by\naccepting gifts. While on earth, I ever desired to perform virtuous acts.\nHaving never done so before, how shall I now accept a gift?'\n\n\"Pratardana who was amongst them asked, 'O thou of the handsomest form, I\nam Pratardana by name. I ask thee if there are any worlds for me to enjoy\nas fruits of my religious merits, in heaven or the firmament? Answer me,\nthou art acquainted with everything.'\n\n\"Yayati said, 'O king, numberless worlds, full of felicity, effulgent\nlike the solar disc, and where woe can never dwell, await thee. If thou\ndwellest in each but for seven days, they would not yet be exhausted.'\n\n\"Pratardana said, 'These then I give unto thee. Therefore, though\nfalling, thou must not fall. Let the worlds that are mine be thine,\nwhether they be in the firmament or heaven. O, soon take them. Let thy\nwoes cease.'\n\n\"Yayati answered, 'O monarch, no king of equal energy should ever desire\nto receive as gift the religious merits of another king acquired by Yoga\nausterities. And no king who is afflicted with calamity through the fates\nshould, if wise, act in a censurable way. A king keeping his eye fixed\nfor ever on virtue should walk along the path of virtue like myself and,\nknowing what his duties are, should not act so meanly as thou directest.\nWhen others desirous of acquiring religious merits do not accept gifts,\nhow can I do what they themselves do not? On the conclusion of this\nspeech, that best of kings, Yayati, was then addressed by Vasumat in the\nfollowing words.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XCIII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vasumat said, 'I am Vasumat, the son of Oshadaswa. I would ask thee, O\nking, whether there are any worlds for me to enjoy as fruits of my\nreligious merits, in heaven or the firmament. Thou art, O high-souled\none, acquainted with all holy regions.'\n\n\"Yayati answered, 'There are as many regions for thee to enjoy in heaven\nas the number of places in the firmament, the Earth and the ten points of\nthe universe illumined by the Sun.'\n\n\"Vasumat then said, 'I give them to thee. Let those regions that are for\nme be thine. Therefore, though falling, thou shall not fall. If to accept\nthem as gift be improper for thee, then, O monarch, buy them for a straw?'\n\n\"Yayati answered, 'I do not remember having ever bought and sold anything\nunfairly. This has never been done by other kings. How shall I therefore\ndo it?'\n\n\"Vasumat said, 'If buying them, O king, be regarded by thee as improper,\nthen take them as gilt from me. For myself I answer that I will never go\nto those regions that are for me. Let them, therefore, be thine.'\n\n\"Sivi then addressed the king thus, I am, O king, Sivi by name, the son\nof Usinara. O father, are there in the firmament or in heaven any worlds\nfor me to enjoy? Thou knowest every region that one may enjoy as the\nfruit of his religious merit.'\n\n\"Yayati said, 'Thou hast never, by speech or in mind, disregarded the\nhonest and the virtuous that applied to thee. There are infinite worlds\nfor thee to enjoy in heaven, all blazing like lightning.' Sivi then said,\n'If thou regardest their purchase as improper, I give them to thee. Take\nthem all, O king! I shall never take them, viz., those regions where the\nwise never feel the least disquiet.'\n\nYayati answered, 'O Sivi, thou hast indeed, obtained for thyself,\npossessed of the prowess of Indra, infinite worlds. But I do not desire\nto enjoy regions given to me by others. Therefore, I accept not thy gift.'\n\n\"Ashtaka then said, 'O king, each of us has expressed his desire to give\nthee worlds that each of us has acquired by his religious merits. Thou\nacceptest not them. But leaving them for thee, we shall descend into the\nEarth-hell.'\n\n\"Yayati answered, 'Ye all are truth-loving and wise. Give me that which I\ndeserve. I shall not be able to do what I have never done before.'\n\n\"Ashtaka then said, 'Whose are those five golden cars that we see? Do men\nthat repair to these regions of everlasting bliss ride in them?'\n\n\"Yayati answered, 'Those five golden cars displayed in glory, and blazing\nas fire, would indeed, carry you to regions of bliss.'\n\n\"Ashtaka said, 'O king, ride on those cars thyself and repair to heaven.\nWe can wait. We follow thee in time.'\n\n\"Yayati said, 'We can now all go together. Indeed, all of us have\nconquered heaven. Behold, the glorious path to heaven becomes visible.\"\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then all those excellent monarchs riding in\nthose cars set out for heaven for gaining admittance into it,\nilluminating the whole firmament by the glory of their virtues.'\n\n\"Then Ashtaka, breaking the silence asked, 'I had always thought that\nIndra was my especial friend, and that I, of all others, should first\nobtain admittance into heaven. But how is it that Usinara's son, Sivi\nhath already left us behind?'\n\n\"Yayati answered, 'This Usinara's son had given all he possessed for\nattaining to the region of Brahman. Therefore, is he the foremost among\nus. Besides, Sivi's liberality, asceticism, truth, virtue, modesty,\nforgiveness, amiability, desire of performing good acts, have been so\ngreat that none can measure them!'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'After this, Ashtaka, impelled by curiosity,\nagain asked his maternal grandfather resembling Indra himself, saying, 'O\nking, I ask thee, tell me truly, whence thou art, who thou art, and whose\nson? Is there any other Brahmana or Kshatriya who hath done what thou\ndidst on earth?' Yayati answered, 'I tell thee truly, I am Yayati, the\nson of Nahusha and the father of Puru. I was lord of all the Earth. Ye\nare my relatives; I tell thee truly, I am the maternal grandfather of you\nall. Having conquered the whole earth, I gave clothes to Brahmanas and\nalso a hundred handsome horses fit for sacrificial offering. For such\nacts of virtue, the gods became propitious to those that perform them. I\nalso gave to Brahmanas this whole earth with her horses and elephants and\nkine and gold all kinds of wealth, along with a hundred Arbudas of\nexcellent milch cows. Both the earth and the firmament exist owing to my\ntruth and virtue; fire yet burneth in the world of men owing to my truth\nand virtue. Never hath a word spoken by me been untrue. It is for this\nthat the wise adore Truth. O Ashtaka, all I have told thee, Pratardana,\nand Vasumat, is Truth itself. I know it for certain that the gods and the\nRishis and all the mansions of the blessed are adorable only because of\nTruth that characteriseth them all. He that will without malice duly read\nunto good Brahmanas his account of our ascension to heaven shall himself\nattain to the same worlds with us.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'It was thus that the illustrious king Yayati of\nhigh achievements, rescued by his collateral descendants, ascended to\nheaven, leaving the earth and covering the three worlds with the fame of\nhis deeds.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XCIV\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Janamejaya said, 'O adorable one, I desire to hear the histories of\nthose kings who were descended from Puru. O tell me of each as he was\npossessed of prowess and achievements. I have, indeed, heard that in\nPuru's line there was not a single one who was wanting in good behaviour\nand prowess, or who was without sons. O thou of ascetic wealth, I desire\nto hear the histories in detail of those famous monarchs endued with\nlearning and all accomplishments.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Asked by thee, I shall tell thee all about the\nheroic-kings in Puru's line, all equal unto Indra in prowess, possessing\ngreat affluence and commanding the respect of all for their\naccomplishments.\n\n\"Puru had by his wife Paushti three sons, Pravira, Iswara, and Raudraswa,\nall of whom were mighty car-warriors. Amongst them, Pravira was the\nperpetuator of the dynasty. Pravira had by his wife Suraseni a son named\nManasyu. And the latter of eyes like lotus-petals had his sway over the\nwhole Earth bounded by the four seas. And Manasyu had for his wife\nSauviri. And he begat upon her three sons called Sakta, Sahana, and\nVagmi. And they were heroes in battle and mighty car-warriors. The\nintelligent and virtuous Kaudraswa begat upon the Apsara Misrakesi ten\nsons who were all great bowmen. And they all grew up into heroes,\nperforming numerous sacrifices in honour of the gods. And they all had\nsons, were learned in all branches of knowledge and ever devoted to\nvirtue. They are Richeyu, and Kaksreyu and Vrikeyu of great prowess;\nSthandileyu, and Vaneyu, and Jaleyu of great fame; Tejeyu of great\nstrength and intelligence; and Satyeyu of the prowess of Indra; Dharmeyu,\nand Sannateyu the tenth of the prowess of the celestials. Amongst them\nall, Richeyu became the sole monarch of the whole earth and was known by\nthe name of Anadhrishti. And in prowess he was like unto Vasava amongst\nthe celestials. And Anadhristi had a son of the name of Matinara who\nbecame a famous and virtuous king and performed the Rajasuya and the\nhorse-sacrifice. And Matinara had four sons of immeasurable prowess,\nviz., Tansu, Mahan, Atiratha, and Druhyu of immeasurable glory. (Amongst\nthem, Tansu of great prowess became the perpetrator of Puru's line). And\nhe subjugated the whole earth and acquired great fame and splendour. And\nTansu begat a son of great prowess named Ilina. And he became the\nforemost of all conquerors and brought the whole world under his\nsubjection. And Ilina begat upon his wife Rathantara five sons with\nDushmanta at their head, all equal in might unto the five elements. They\nwere Dushmanta, Sura, Bhima, Pravasu, and Vasu. And, O Janamejaya, the\neldest of them, Dushmanta, became king. And Dushmanta had by his wife\nSakuntala an intelligent son named Bharata who became king. And Bharata\ngave his name to the race of which he was the founder. And it is from him\nthat the fame of that dynasty hath spread so wide. And Bharata begat upon\nhis three wives nine sons in all. But none of them were like their father\nand so Bharata was not at all pleased with them. Their mothers,\ntherefore, became angry and slew them all. The procreation of children by\nBharata, therefore, became vain. The monarch then performed a great\nsacrifice and through the grace of Bharadwaja obtained a son named\nBhumanyu. And then Bharata, the great descendant of Puru, regarding\nhimself as really possessing a son, installed, O foremost one of\nBharata's race, that son as his heir-apparent. And Bhumanyu begat upon\nhis wife, Pushkarini six sons named Suhotra, Suhotri, Suhavih, Sujeya,\nDiviratha and Kichika. The eldest of them all, Suhotra, obtained the\nthrone and performed many Rajasuyas and horse-sacrifices. And Suhotra\nbrought under his sway the whole earth surrounded by her belt of seas and\nfull of elephants, kine and horses, and all her wealth of gems of gold.\nAnd the earth afflicted with the weight of numberless human beings and\nelephants, horses, and cats, was, as it were, about to sink. And during\nthe virtuous reign of Suhotra the surface of the whole earth was dotted\nall over with hundreds and thousands, of sacrificial stakes. And the lord\nof the earth, Suhotra, begat, upon his wife Aikshaki three sons, viz.,\nAjamidha, Sumidha, and Purumidha. The eldest of them, Ajamidha, was the\nperpetuator of the royal line. And he begat six sons,--Riksha was born of\nthe womb of Dhumini, Dushmanta and Parameshthin, of Nili, and Jahnu, Jala\nand Rupina were born in that of Kesini. All the tribes of the Panchalas\nare descended from Dushmanta and Parameshthin. And the Kushikas are the\nsons of Jahnu of immeasurable prowess. And Riksha who was older than both\nJala and Rupina became king. And Riksha begat Samvarana, the perpetuator\nof the royal line. And, O king, it hath been heard by us that while\nSamvarana, the son of Riksha, was ruling the earth, there happened a\ngreat loss of people from famine, pestilence, drought, and disease. And\nthe Bharata princes were beaten by the troops of enemies. And the\nPanchalas setting out to invade the whole earth with their four kinds of\ntroops soon brought the whole earth under their sway. And with their ten\nAkshauhinis the king of the Panchalas defeated the Bharata prince.\nSamvarana then with his wife and ministers, sons and relatives, fled in\nfear, and took shelter in the forest on the banks of the Sindhu extending\nto the foot of the mountains. There the Bharatas lived for a full\nthousand years, within their fort. And after they had lived there a\nthousand years, one day the illustrious Rishi Vasishtha approached the\nexiled Bharatas, who, on going out, saluted the Rishi and worshipped him\nby the offer of Arghya. And entertaining him with reverence, they\nrepresented everything unto that illustrious Rishi. And after he was\nseated on his seat, the king himself approached the Rishi and addressed\nhim, saying, 'Be thou our priest, O illustrious one! We will endeavour to\nregain our kingdom.' And Vasishtha answered the Bharatas by saying, 'Om'\n(the sign of consent). It hath been heard by us that Vasishtha then\ninstalled the Bharata prince in the sovereignty of all the Kshatriyas on\nearth, making by virtue of his Mantras this descendant of Puru the\nveritable horns of the wild bull or the tusks of the wild elephants. And\nthe king retook the capital that had been taken away from him and once\nmore made all monarchs pay tribute to him. The powerful Samvarana, thus\ninstalled once more in the actual sovereignty of the whole earth,\nperformed many sacrifices at which the presents to the Brahmanas were\ngreat.\n\n\"Samvarana begat upon his wife, Tapati, the daughter of Surya, a son\nnamed Kuru. This Kuru was exceedingly virtuous, and therefore, he was\ninstalled on the throne by his people. It is after his name that the\nfield called Kuru-jangala has become so famous in the world. Devoted to\nasceticism, he made that field (Kurukshetra) sacred by practising\nasceticism there. And it has been heard by us that Kuru's highly\nintelligent wife, Vahini, brought forth five sons, viz., Avikshit,\nBhavishyanta, Chaitraratha, Muni and the celebrated Janamejaya. And\nAvikshit begat Parikshit the powerful, Savalaswa, Adhiraja, Viraja,\nSalmali of great physical strength, Uchaihsravas, Bhangakara and Jitari\nthe eighth. In the race of these were born, as the fruit of their pious\nacts seven mighty car-warriors with Janamejaya at their head. And unto\nParikshit were born sons who were all acquainted with (the secrets of)\nreligion and profit. And they were named Kakshasena and Ugrasena, and\nChitrasena endued with great energy, and Indrasena and Sushena and\nBhimasena. And the sons of Janamejaya were all endued with great strength\nand became celebrated all over the world. And they were Dhritarashtra who\nwas the eldest, and Pandu and Valhika, and Nishadha endued with great\nenergy, and then the mighty Jamvunada, and then Kundodara and Padati and\nthen Vasati the eighth. And they were all proficient in morality and\nprofit and were kind to all creatures. Among them Dhritarashtra became\nking. And Dhritarashtra had eight sons, viz., Kundika, Hasti, Vitarka,\nKratha the fifth, Havihsravas, Indrabha, and Bhumanyu the invincible, and\nDhritarashtra had many grandsons, of whom three only were famous. They\nwere, O king, Pratipa, Dharmanetra, Sunetra. Among these three, Pratipa\nbecame unrivalled on earth. And, O bull in Bharata's race, Pratipa begat\nthree sons, viz., Devapi, Santanu, and the mighty car-warrior Valhika.\nThe eldest Devapi adopted the ascetic course of life, impelled thereto by\nthe desire of benefiting his brothers. And the kingdom was obtained by\nSantanu and the mighty car-warrior Valhika.\n\n\"O monarch, besides, there were born in the race of Bharata numberless\nother excellent monarchs endued with great energy and like unto the\ncelestial Rishis themselves in virtue and ascetic power. And so also in\nthe race of Manu were born many mighty car-warriors like unto the\ncelestials themselves, who by their number swelled the Aila dynasty into\ngigantic proportions.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XCV\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Janamejaya said, 'O Brahmana, I have now heard from thee this great\nhistory of my ancestors. I had also heard from thee about the great\nmonarchs that were born in this line. But I have not been gratified, this\ncharming account being so short. Therefore, be pleased, O Brahmana, to\nrecite the delightful narrative just in detail commencing from Manu, the\nlord of creation. Who is there that will not be charmed with such an\naccount, as it is sacred? The fame of these monarchs increased by their\nwisdom, virtue, accomplishments, and high character, hath so swelled as\nto cover the three worlds. Having listened to the history, sweet as\nnectar, of their liberality, prowess, physical strength, mental vigour,\nenergy, and perseverance, I have not been satiated!'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Hear then, O monarch, as I recite in full the\nauspicious account of thy own race just as I had heard it from Dwaipayana\nbefore.\n\n\"Daksha begat Aditi, and Aditi begat Vivaswat, and Vivaswat begat Manu,\nand Manu begat Ha and Ha begat Pururavas. And Pururavas begat Ayus, and\nAyus begat Nahusha, and Nahusha begat Yayati. And Yayati had two wives,\nviz., Devayani, the daughter of Usanas, and Sarmishtha the daughter of\nVrishaparvan. Here occurs a sloka regarding (Yayati's) descendants,\n'Devayani gave birth to Yadu and Turvasu; and Vrishaparvan's daughter,\nSarmishtha gave birth to Druhyu, Anu, and Puru., And the descendants of\nYadu are the Yadavas and of Puru are the Pauravas. And Puru had a wife of\nthe name of Kausalya, on whom he begat a son named Janamejaya who\nperformed three horse-sacrifices and a sacrifice called Viswajit. And\nthen he entered into the woods. And Janamejaya had married Ananta, the\ndaughter of Madhava, and begat upon her a son called Prachinwat. And the\nprince was so called because he had conquered all the eastern countries\nup to the very confines of the region where the Sun rises. And Prachinwat\nmarried Asmaki, a daughter of the Yadavas and begat upon her a son named\nSanyati. And Sanyati married Varangi, the daughter of Drishadwata and\nbegat upon her a son named Ahayanti. And Ahayanti married Bhanumati, the\ndaughter of Kritavirya and begat upon her a son named Sarvabhauma. And\nSarvabhauma married Sunanda, the daughter of the Kekaya prince, having\nobtained her by force. And he begat upon her a son named Jayatsena, who\nmarried Susrava, the daughter of the Vidarbha king and begat upon her\nAvachina, And Avachina also married another princess of Vidarbha, Maryada\nby name. And he begat on her a son named Arihan. And Arihan married Angi\nand begat on her Mahabhauma. And Mahabhauma married Suyajna, the daughter\nof Prasenajit. And of her was born Ayutanayi. And he was so called\nbecause he had performed a sacrifice at which the fat of an Ayuta (ten\nthousands) of male beings was required. And Ayutanayi took for a wife\nKama, the daughter of Prithusravas. And by her was born a son named\nAkrodhana, who took to wife Karambha, the daughter of the king of\nKalinga. And of her was born Devatithi, and Devatithi took for his wife\nMaryada, the princess of Videha. And of her was born a son named Arihan.\nAnd Arihan took to wife Sudeva, the princess of Anga, and upon her he\nbegat a son named Riksha. And Riksha married Jwala, the daughter of\nTakshaka, and he begat upon her a son of the name of Matinara, who\nperformed on the bank of Saraswati the twelve years' sacrifice said to be\nso efficacious. On conclusion of the sacrifice, Saraswati appeared in\nperson before the king and chose him for husband. And he begat upon her a\nson named Tansu. Here occurs a sloka descriptive of Tansu's descendants.\n\n\"Tansu was born of Saraswati by Matinara. And Tansu himself begat a son\nnamed Ilina on his wife, the princess Kalingi.\n\n\"Ilina begat on his wife Rathantari five sons, of whom Dushmanta was the\neldest. And Dushmanta took to wife Sakuntala, the daughter of Viswamitra.\nAnd he begat on her a son named Bharata. Here occurs two slokas about\n(Dushmanta's) descendants.\n\n\"The mother is but the sheath of flesh in which the father begets the\nson. Indeed the father himself is the son. Therefore, O Dushmanta,\nsupport thy son and insult not Sakuntala. O god among men, the father\nhimself becoming the son rescueth himself from hell. Sakuntala hath truly\nsaid that thou art the author of this child's being.\n\n\"It is for this (i.e., because the king supported his child after hearing\nthe above speech of the celestial messenger) that Sakuntala's son came to\nbe called Bharata (the supported). And Bharata married Sunanda, the\ndaughter of Sarvasena, the king of Kasi, and begat upon her the son named\nBhumanyu. And Bhumanyu married Vijaya, the daughter of Dasarha. And he\nbegat upon her a son Suhotra who married Suvarna, the daughter of\nIkshvaku. To her was born a son named Hasti who founded this city, which\nhas, therefore, been called Hastinapura. And Hasti married Yasodhara, the\nprincess of Trigarta. And of her was born a son named Vikunthana who took\nfor a wife Sudeva, the princess of Dasarha. And by her was born a son\nnamed Ajamidha. And Ajamidha had four wives named Raikeyi, Gandhari,\nVisala and Riksha. And he begat on them two thousand and four hundred\nsons. But amongst them all, Samvarana became the perpetuator of the\ndynasty. And Samvarana took for his wife Tapati, the daughter of\nVivaswat. And of her was born Kuru, who married Subhangi, the princess of\nDasarha. And he begat on her a son named Viduratha, who took to wife\nSupriya, the daughter of the Madhavas. And he begat upon her a son named\nAnaswan. And Anaswan married Amrita, the daughter of the Madhavas. And of\nher was born a son named Parikshit, who took for his wife Suvasa, the\ndaughter of the Vahudas, and begat upon her a son named Bhimasena. And\nBhimasena married Kumari, the princess of Kekaya and begat upon her\nPratisravas whose son was Pratipa. And Pratipa married Sunanda, the\ndaughter of Sivi, and begat upon her three sons, viz., Devapi, Santanu\nand Valhika. And Devapi, while still a boy, entered the woods as a\nhermit. And Santanu became king. Here occurs a sloka in respect of\nSantanu.\n\n\"Those old men that were touched by this monarch not only felt an\nindescribable sensation of pleasure but also became restored to youth.\nTherefore, this monarch was called Santanu.\n\n\"And Santanu married Ganga, who bore him a son Devavrata who was\nafterwards called Bhishma. And Bhishma, moved by the desire of doing good\nto his father, got him married to Satyavati who was also called\nGandhakali. And in her maidenhood she had a son by Parasara, named\nDwaipayana. And upon her Santanu begat two other sons named Chitrangada\nand Vichitravirya. And before they attained to majority, Chitrangada had\nbeen slain by the Gandharvas. But Vichitravirya became king, and married\nthe two daughters of the king of Kasi, named Amvika and Amvalika. But\nVichitravirya died childless. Then Satyavati began to think as to how the\ndynasty of Dushmanta might be perpetuated. Then she recollected the Rishi\nDwaipayana. The latter coming before her, asked, 'What are thy commands?'\n'She said, 'Thy brother Vichitravirya hath gone to heaven childless.\nBeget virtuous children for him.' Dwaipayana, consenting to this, begat\nthree children, viz., Dhritarashtra, Pandu, and Vidura. King\nDhritarashtra had a hundred sons by his wife, Gandhari in consequence of\nthe boon granted by Dwaipayana. And amongst those hundred sons of\nDhritarashtra, four became celebrated. They are Duryodhana, Duhsasana,\nVikarna, and Chitrasena. And Pandu had two jewels of wives, viz., Kunti,\nalso called Pritha, and Madri. One day Pandu, while out a-hunting, saw a\ndeer covering its mate. That was really a Rishi in the form of a deer.\nSeeing the deer in that attitude, he killed it with his arrows, before\nits desire was gratified. Pierced with the king's arrow, the deer quickly\nchanged its form and became a Rishi, and said unto Pandu, 'O Pandu, thou\nart virtuous and acquainted also with the pleasure derived from the\ngratification of one's desire. My desire unsatisfied, thou hast slain me!\nTherefore, thou also, when so engaged and before thou art gratified,\nshalt die!' Pandu, hearing this curse, became pale, and from that time\nwould not go in unto his wives. And he told them these words, 'Through my\nown fault, I have been cursed! But I have heard that for the childless\nthere are no regions hereafter.' Therefore, he solicited Kunti to have\noffspring raised for him. And Kunti said, 'Let it be', So she raised up\noffspring. By Dharma she had Yudhishthira; by Maruta, Bhima: and by\nSakra, Arjuna. And Pandu, well-pleased with her, said, 'This thy co-wife\nis also childless. Therefore, cause her also to bear children.' Kunti\nsaying, 'So be it,' imparted unto Madri the mantra of invocation. And on\nMadri were raised by the twin Aswins, the twins Nakula and Sahadeva. And\n(one day) Pandu, beholding Madri decked with ornaments, had his desire\nkindled. And, as soon as he touched her, he died. Madri ascended the\nfuneral pyre with her lord. And she said unto Kunti, 'Let these twins of\nmine be brought up by thee with affection.' After some time those five\nPandavas were taken by the ascetics of the woods to Hastinapura and there\nintroduced to Bhishma and Vidura. And after introducing them, the\nascetics disappeared in the very sight of all. And after the conclusion\nof the speech of those ascetics, flowers were showered down upon the\nspot, and the celestial drums also were beaten in the skies. The Pandavas\nwere then taken (by Bhishma). They then represented the death of their\nfather and performed his last honours duly. And as they were brought up\nthere, Duryodhana became exceedingly jealous of them. And the sinful\nDuryodhana acting like Rakshasa tried various means to drive them away.\nBut what must be can never be frustrated. So all Duryodhana's efforts\nproved futile. Then Dhritarashtra sent them, by an act of deception to\nVaranavata, and they went there willingly. There an endeavour was made to\nburn them to death; but it proved abortive owing to the warning counsels\nof Vidura. After that the Pandavas slew Hidimva, and then they went to a\ntown called Ekachakra. There also they slew a Rakshasa of the name of\nVaka and then went to Panchala. And there obtaining Draupadi for a wife\nthey returned to Hastinapura. And there they dwelt for some time in peace\nand begat children. And Yudhishthira begat Prativindhya; Bhima, Sutasoma;\nArjuna, Srutakriti; Nakula, Satanika; and Sahadeva, Srutakarman. Besides\nthese, Yudhishthira, having obtained for his wife Devika, the daughter of\nGovasana of the Saivya tribe, in a self-choice ceremony, begat upon her a\nson named Yaudheya. And Bhima also obtaining for a wife Valandhara, the\ndaughter of the king of Kasi, offered his own prowess as dower and begat\nupon her a son named Sarvaga. And Arjuna also, repairing to Dwaravati,\nbrought away by force Subhadra. the sweet-speeched sister of Vasudeva,\nand returned in happiness to Hastinapura. And he begat upon her a son\nnamed Abhimanyu endued with all accomplishments and dear to Vasudeva\nhimself. And Nakula obtaining for his wife Karenumati, the princess of\nChedi, begat upon her a son named Niramitra. And Sahadeva also married\nVijaya, the daughter of Dyutimat, the king of Madra, obtaining her in a\nself-choice ceremony and begat upon her a son named Suhotra. And\nBhimasena had some time before begat upon Hidimva a son named\nGhatotkacha. These are the eleven sons of the Pandavas. Amongst them all,\nAbhimanyu was the perpetuator of the family. He married Uttara, the\ndaughter of Virata, who brought forth a dead child whom Kunti took up on\nher lap at the command of Vasudeva who said, 'I will revive this child of\nsix months.' And though born before time, having been burnt by the fire\nof (Aswatthaman's weapon) and, therefore, deprived of strength and energy\nhe was revived by Vasudeva and endued with strength, energy and prowess.\nAnd after reviving him, Vasudeva said, 'Because this child hath been born\nin an extinct race, therefore, he shall be called Parikshit'. And\nParikshit married Madravati, thy mother, O king, and thou art born to\nher, O Janamejaya! Thou hast also begotten two sons on thy wife\nVapushtama, named Satanika and Sankukarna. And Satanika also hath\nbegotten one son named Aswamedhadatta upon the princess of Videha.\n\n\"Thus have I, O king, recited the history of the descendants of Puru and\nof the Pandavas. This excellent, virtue-increasing, and sacred history\nshould ever be listened to by vow-observing Brahmanas, by Kshatriyas\ndevoted to the practices of their order and ready to protect their\nsubjects; by Vaisyas with attention, and by Sudras with reverence, whose\nchief occupation is to wait upon the three other orders. Brahmanas\nconversant in the Vedas and other persons, who with attention and\nreverence recite this sacred history or listen to it when recited,\nconquer the heavens and attain to the abode of the blessed. They are also\nalways respected and adored by the gods, Brahamanas, and other men. This\nholy history of Bharata hath been composed by the sacred and illustrious\nVyasa. Veda-knowing Brahmanas and other persons who with reverence and\nwithout malice hear it recited, earn great religious merits and conquer\nthe heavens. Though sinning, they are not disregarded by any one. Here\noccurs a sloka, 'This (Bharata) is equal unto the Vedas: it is holy and\nexcellent. It bestoweth wealth, fame, and life. Therefore, it should be\nlistened to by men with rapt attention.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XCVI\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'There was a king known by the name of Mahabhisha\nborn in the race of Ikshvaku. He was the lord of all the earth, and was\ntruthful (in speech) and of true prowess. By a thousand horse-sacrifices\nand a hundred Rajasuyas he had gratified the chief of the celestials and\nultimately attained to heaven.\n\n\"One day the celestials had assembled together and were worshipping\nBrahman. Many royal sages and king Mahabhisha also were present on the\nspot. And Ganga, the queen of rivers, also came there to pay her\nadorations to the Grandsire. And her garments white as the beams of the\nmoon was displaced by the action of the wind. And as her person became\nexposed, the celestials bent down their heads. But the royal sage\nMahabhisha rudely stared at the queen of rivers. And Mahabhisha was for\nthis cursed by Brahman, who said, 'Wretch, as thou hast forgotten thyself\nat the sight of Ganga, thou shalt be re-born on earth. But thou shall\nagain and again attain to these regions. And she, too, shall be born in\nthe world of men and shall do thee injuries. But when thy wrath shall be\nprovoked, thou shalt then be freed from my curse.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'King Mahabhisha then recollecting all the\nmonarchs and ascetics on earth, wished to be born as son to Pratipa of\ngreat prowess. And the queen of rivers, too, seeing king Mahabhisha lose\nhis firmness, went away, thinking of him wishfully. And on her way, she\nsaw those dwellers in heaven, the Vasus, also pursuing the same path. And\nthe queen of rivers beholding them in the predicament, asked them, 'Why\nlook ye so dejected? Ye dwellers in heaven, is everything right with\nyou?' Those celestials, the Vasus, answered her, saying, 'O queen of\nrivers, we have been cursed, for a venial fault, by the illustrious\nVasishtha in anger. The foremost of excellent Rishis, Vasishtha, had been\nengaged in his twilight adorations and seated as he was, he could not be\nseen by us. We crossed him in ignorance. Therefore, in wrath he hath\ncursed us, saying, Be ye born among men!' It is beyond our power to\nfrustrate what hath been said by that utterance of Brahma. Therefore, O\nriver, thyself becoming a human female make us the Vasus, thy children. O\namiable one, we are unwilling to enter the womb of any human female.'\nThus addressed, the queen of rivers told them, 'Be it so and asked them,\n'On earth, who is that foremost of men whom ye will make your father?'\n\n\"The Vasus replied, 'On earth, unto Pratipa shall be born a son, Santanu,\nwho will be a king of world-wide fame.' Ganga then said, 'Ye celestials,\nthat is exactly my wish which ye sinless ones have expressed. I shall,\nindeed, do good to that Santanu. That is also your desire as just\nexpressed.' The Vasus then said, 'It behoveth thee to throw thy children\nafter birth, into the water, so that, O thou of three courses (celestial,\nterrestrial, and subterranean) we may be rescued soon without having to\nlive on earth for any length of time.' Ganga then answered, 'I shall do\nwhat ye desire. But in order that his intercourse with me may not be\nentirely fruitless, provide ye that one son at least may live.' The Vasus\nthen replied, 'We shall each contribute an eighth part of our respective\nenergies With the sum thereof, thou shall have one son according to thy\nand his wishes. But this son shall not begat any children on earth.\nTherefore, that son of thine endued with great energy, shall be\nchildless.'\n\n\"The Vasus, making this arrangement with Ganga, went away without Waiting\nto the place they liked.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XCVII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said. 'There was a king of the name of Pratipa, who was\nkind to all creatures. He spent many years in ascetic penances at the\nsource of the river Ganga. The accomplished and lovely Ganga, one day,\nassuming the form of a beautiful female, and rising from the waters, made\nup to the monarch. The celestial maiden, endued with ravishing beauty,\napproached the royal sage engaged in ascetic austerities, and sat upon\nhis right thigh that was, for manly strength, a veritable Sala tree. When\nthe maiden of handsome face had so sat upon his lap, the monarch said\nunto her, 'O amiable one, what dost thou desire? What shall I do?' The\ndamsel answered, 'I desire thee, O king, for my husband! O foremost one\nof the Kurus, be mine! To refuse a woman coming of her own accord is\nnever applauded by the wise.' Pratipa answered, 'O thou of the fairest\ncomplexion, moved by lust, I never go in unto others' wives or women that\nare not of my order. This, indeed, is my virtuous vow.' The maiden\nrejoined, 'I am not inauspicious or ugly. I am every way worthy of being\nenjoyed. I am a celestial maiden of rare beauty; I desire thee for my\nhusband. Refuse me not, O king.' To this Pratipa answered, 'I am, 'O\ndamsel, abstaining from that course to which thou wouldst incite me. If I\nbreak my vow, sin will overwhelm and kill me. O thou of the fairest\ncomplexion, thou hast embraced me, sitting on my right thigh. But, O\ntimid one, know that this is the seat for daughters and daughters-in-law.\nThe left lap is for the wife, but thou hast not accepted that. Therefore,\nO best of women, I cannot enjoy thee as an object of desire. Be my\ndaughter-in-law. I accept thee for my son!'\n\n\"The damsel then said, 'O virtuous one, let it be as thou sayest. Let me\nbe united with thy son. From my respect for thee, I shall be a wife of\nthe celebrated Bharata race. Ye (of the Bharata race) are the refuge of\nall the monarchs on earth! I am incapable of numbering the virtues of\nthis race even within a hundred years. The greatness and goodness of many\ncelebrated monarchs of this race are limitless. O lord of all, let it be\nunderstood now that when I become thy daughter-in-law, thy son shall not\nbe able to judge of the propriety of my acts. Living thus with thy son, I\nshall do good to him and increase his happiness. And he shall finally\nattain to heaven in consequence of the sons I shall bear him, and of his\nvirtues and good conduct.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'O king, having said so, the celestial damsel\ndisappeared then and there. And the king, too, waited for the birth of\nhis son in order to fulfil his promise.'\n\n\"About this time Pratipa, that light of the Kuru race, that bull amongst\nKshatriyas, was engaged, along with his wife, in austerities from desire\nof offspring. And when they had grown old, a son was born unto them. This\nwas no other than Mahabhisha. And the child was called Santanu because he\nwas born when his father had controlled his passions by ascetic penances.\nAnd the best of Kurus, Santanu, knowing that region of indestructible\nbliss can be acquired by one's deeds alone, became devoted to virtue.\nWhen Santanu grew up into a youth, Pratipa addressed him and said, 'Some\ntime ago, O Santanu, a celestial damsel came to me for thy good. If thou\nmeetest that fair-complexioned one in secret and if she solicit thee for\nchildren, accept her as thy wife. And, O sinless one, judge not of the\npropriety or impropriety of her action and ask not who she is, or whose\nor whence, but accept her as thy wife at my command!'\" Vaisampayana\ncontinued, 'Pratipa, having thus commanded his son Santanu and installed\nhim on his throne, retired into the woods. And king Santanu endued with\ngreat intelligence and equal unto Indra himself in splendour, became\naddicted to hunting and passed much of his time in the woods. And the\nbest of monarchs always slew deer and buffaloes. And one day, as he was\nwandering along the bank of the Ganges, he came upon a region frequented\nby Siddhas and Charanas. And there he saw a lovely maiden of blazing\nbeauty and like unto another Sri herself; of faultless and pearly teeth\nand decked with celestial ornaments, and attired in garments of fine\ntexture that resembled in splendour the filaments of the lotus. And the\nmonarch, on beholding that damsel, became surprised, and his raptures\nproduced instant horripilation. With steadfast gaze he seemed to be\ndrinking her charms, but repeated draughts failed to quench his thirst.\nThe damsel also beholding the monarch of blazing splendour moving about\nin great agitation, was moved herself and experienced an affection for\nhim. She gazed and gazed and longed to gaze on him evermore. The monarch\nthen in soft words addressed her and said, 'O slender-waisted one, be\nthou a goddess or the daughter of a Danava, be thou of the race of the\nGandharvas, or Apsaras, be thou of the Yakshas or the Nagas, or be thou\nof human origin, O thou of celestial beauty, I solicit thee to be my\nwife!'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XCVIII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'The maiden then, hearing those soft and sweet words\nof the smiling monarch, and remembering her promise to the Vasus,\naddressed the king in reply. Of faultless features, the damsel sending a\nthrill of pleasure into the heart by every word she uttered, said, 'O\nking, I shall become thy wife and obey thy commands. But, O monarch, thou\nmust not interfere with me in anything I do, be it agreeable or\ndisagreeable. Nor shall thou ever address me unkindly. As long as thou\nshalt behave kindly I promise to live with thee. But I shall certainly\nleave thee the moment thou interferest with me or speakest to me an\nunkind word.' The king answered, 'Be it so.' And thereupon the damsel\nobtaining that excellent monarch, that foremost one of the Bharata race\nfor her husband, became highly pleased. And king Santanu also, obtaining\nher for his wife, enjoyed to the full the pleasure of her company. And\nadhering to his promise, he refrained from asking her anything. And the\nlord of earth, Santanu, became exceedingly gratified with her conduct,\nbeauty, magnanimity, and attention to his comforts. And the goddess Ganga\nalso, of three courses (celestial, terrestrial, and subterranean)\nassuming a human form of superior complexion and endued with celestial\nbeauty, lived happily as the wife of Santanu, having as the fruit of her\nvirtuous acts, obtained for her husband, that tiger among kings equal\nunto Indra himself in splendour. And she gratified the king by her\nattractiveness and affection, by her wiles and love, by her music and\ndance, and became herself gratified. And the monarch was so enraptured\nwith his beautiful wife that months, seasons, and years rolled on without\nhis being conscious of them. And the king, while thus enjoying himself\nwith his wife, had eight children born unto him who in beauty were like\nthe very celestials themselves. But, O Bharata, those children, one after\nanother, as soon as they were born, were thrown into the river by Ganga\nwho said, 'This is for thy good.' And the children sank to rise no more.\nThe king, however, could not be pleased with such conduct. But he spoke\nnot a word about it lest his wife should leave him. But when the eighth\nchild was born, and when his wife as before was about to throw it\nsmilingly into the river, the king with a sorrowful countenance and\ndesirous of saving it from destruction, addressed her and said, 'Kill it\nnot! Who art thou and whose? Why dost thou kill thy own children?\nMurderess of thy sons, the load of thy sins is great!'\" His wife, thus\naddressed, replied, 'O thou desirous of offspring, thou hast already\nbecome the first of those that have children. I shall not destroy this\nchild of thine. But according to our agreement, the period of my stay\nwith thee is at an end. I am Ganga, the daughter of Jahnu. I am ever\nworshipped by the great sages; I have lived with thee so long for\naccomplishing the purposes of the celestials. The eight illustrious Vasus\nendued with great energy had, from Vasishtha's curse, to assume human\nforms. On earth, besides thee, there was none else to deserve the honour\nof being their begetter. There is no woman also on earth except one like\nme, a celestial of human form, to become their mother. I assumed a human\nform to bring them forth. Thou also, having become the father of the\neight Vasus, hast acquired many regions of perennial bliss. It was also\nagreed between myself and the Vasus that I should free them from their\nhuman forms as soon as they would be born. I have thus freed them from\nthe curse of the Rishi Apava. Blest be thou; I leave thee, O king! But\nrear thou this child of rigid vows. That I should live with thee so long\nwas the promise I gave to the Vasus. And let this child be called\nGangadatta.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XCIX\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Santanu asked, 'What was the fault of the Vasus and who was Apava,\nthrough whose curse the Vasus had to be born among men? What also hath\nthis child of thine, Gangadatta, done for which he shall have to live\namong men? Why also were the Vasus, the lords of the three worlds,\ncondemned to be born amongst men? O daughter of Jahnu, tell me all.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed, the celestial daughter of\nJahnu, Ganga, then replied unto the monarch, her husband, that bull\namongst men, saying, 'O best of Bharata's race, he who was obtained as\nson by Varuna was called Vasishtha, the Muni who afterwards came to be\nknown as Apava. He had his asylum on the breast of the king of mountains\ncalled Meru. The spot was sacred and abounded with birds and beasts. And\nthere bloomed at all times of the year flowers of every season. And, O\nbest of Bharata's race, that foremost of virtuous men, the son of Varuna,\npractised his ascetic penances in those woods abounding with sweet roots\nand water.\n\n\"Daksha had a daughter known by the name of Surabhi, who, O bull of\nBharata's race, for benefiting the world, brought forth, by her\nconnection with Kasyapa, a daughter (Nandini) in the form of a cow. That\nforemost of all kine, Nandini, was the cow of plenty (capable of granting\nevery desire). The virtuous son of Varuna obtained Nandini for his Homa\nrites. And Nandini, dwelling in that hermitage which was adored by Munis,\nroamed about fearlessly in those sacred and delightful woods.\n\n\"One day, O bull of Bharata's race, there came into those woods adored by\nthe gods and celestial Rishis, the Vasus with Prithu at their head. And\nwandering there with their wives, they enjoyed themselves in those\ndelightful woods and mountains. And as they wandered there, the\nslender-waisted wife of one of the Vasus, O thou of the prowess of Indra,\nsaw in those woods Nandini, the cow of plenty. And seeing that cow\npossessing the wealth of all accomplishments, large eyes, full udders,\nfine tail, beautiful hoofs, and every other auspicious sign, and yielding\nmuch milk, she showed the animal to her husband Dyu. O thou of the\nprowess of the first of elephants, when Dyu was shown that cow, he began\nto admire her several qualities and addressing his wife, said, 'O\nblack-eyed girl of fair thighs, this excellent cow belongeth to that\nRishi whose is this delightful asylum. O slender-waisted one, that mortal\nwho drinketh the sweet milk of this cow remaineth in unchanged youth for\nten thousand years.' O best of monarchs, hearing this, the\nslender-waisted goddess of faultless features then addressed her lord of\nblazing splendour and said, 'There is on earth a friend of mine, Jitavati\nby name, possessed of great beauty and youth. She is the daughter of that\ngod among men, the royal sage Usinara, endued with intelligence and\ndevoted to truth. I desire to have this cow, O illustrious one, with her\ncalf for that friend of mine. Therefore, O best of celestials, bring that\ncow so that my friend drinking of her milk may alone become on earth free\nfrom disease and decrepitude. O illustrious and blameless one, it\nbehoveth thee to grant me this desire of mine. There is nothing that\nwould be more agreeable to me.' On hearing these words of his wife, Dyu,\nmoved by the desire of humouring her, stole that cow, aided by his\nbrothers Prithu and the others. Indeed, Dyu, commanded by his lotus-eyed\nwife, did her bidding, forgetting at the moment the high ascetic merits\nof the Rishi who owned her. He did not think at the time that he was\ngoing to fall by committing the sin of stealing the cow.\n\n\"When the son of Varuna returned to his asylum in the evening with fruits\nhe had collected, he beheld not the cow with her calf there. He began to\nsearch for them in the woods, but when the great ascetic of superior\nintelligence found not his cow on search, he saw by his ascetic vision\nthat she had been stolen by the Vasus. His wrath was instantly kindled\nand he cursed the Vasus, saying, 'Because the Vasus have stolen my cow of\nsweet milk and handsome tail, therefore, shall they certainly be born on\nearth!'\n\n\"O thou bull of Bharata's race, the illustrious Rishi Apava thus cursed\nthe Vasus in wrath. And having cursed them, the illustrious one set his\nheart once more on ascetic meditation. And after that Brahmarshi of great\npower and ascetic wealth had thus in wrath cursed the Vasus, the latter,\nO king, coming to know of it, speedily came into his asylum. And\naddressing the Rishi, O bull among kings, they endeavoured to pacify him.\nBut they failed, O tiger among men, to obtain grace from Apava--that\nRishi conversant, with all rules of virtue. The virtuous Apava, however,\nsaid, 'Ye Vasus, with Dhava and others, ye have been cursed by me. But ye\nshall be freed from my curse within a year of your birth among men. But\nhe for whose deed ye have been cursed by me he, viz., Dyu, shall for his\nsinful act, have to dwell on earth for a length of time. I shall not make\nfutile the words I have uttered in wrath. Dyu, though dwelling on Earth,\nshall not beget children. He shall, however, be virtuous and conversant\nwith the scriptures. He shall be an obedient son to his father, but he\nshall have to abstain from the pleasure of female companionship.'\n\n\"Thus addressing the Vasus, the great Rishi went away. The Vasus then\ntogether came to me. And, O king, the begged of me the boon that as soon\nas they would be born, I should throw them into the water. And, O best of\nkings, I did as they desired, in order to free them from their earthly\nlife. And O best of kings, from the Rishi's curse, this one only, viz.,\nDyu, himself, is to live on earth for some time.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Having said this, the goddess disappeared then\nand there. And taking with her the child, she went away to the region she\nchose. And that child of Santanu was named both Gangeya and Devavrata and\nexcelled his father in all accomplishments.\n\n\"Santanu, after the disappearance of his wife, returned to his capital\nwith a sorrowful heart. I shall now recount to thee the many virtues and\nthe great good fortune of the illustrious king Santanu of the Bharata\nrace. Indeed, it is this splendid history that is called the\nMahabharata.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION C\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued )\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'The monarch Santanu, the most adored of the gods and\nroyal sages, was known in all the worlds for his wisdom, virtues, and\ntruthfulness (of speech). The qualities of self-control, liberality,\nforgiveness, intelligence, modesty, patience and superior energy ever\ndwelt in that bull among men, viz., Santanu, that great being endued with\nthese accomplishments and conversant with both religion and profit, the\nmonarch was at once the protector of the Bharata race and all human\nbeings. His neck was marked with (three) lines, like a conch-shell; his\nshoulders were broad, and he resembled in prowess an infuriated elephant.\nIt would seem that all the auspicious signs of royalty dwelt in his\nperson, considering that to be their fittest abode. Men, seeing the\nbehaviour of that monarch of great achievements came to know that virtue\nwas ever superior to pleasure and profit. These were the attributes that\ndwelt in that great being--that bull among men--Santanu. And truly there\nwas never a king like Santanu. All the kings of the earth, beholding him\ndevoted to virtue, bestowed upon that foremost of virtuous men the title\nof King of kings. And all the kings of the earth during the time of that\nlord-protector of the Bharata race, were without woe and fear and anxiety\nof any kind. And they all slept in peace, rising from bed every morning\nafter happy dreams. And owing to that monarch of splendid achievements\nresembling Indra himself in energy, all the kings of the earth became\nvirtuous and devoted to liberality, religious acts and sacrifices. And\nwhen the earth was ruled by Santanu and other monarchs like him, the\nreligious merits of every order increased very greatly. The Kshatriyas\nserved the Brahmanas; the Vaisyas waited upon the Kshatriyas, and the\nSudras adoring the Brahmanas and the Kshatriyas, waited upon the Vaisyas.\nAnd Santanu residing in Hastinapura, the delightful capital of the Kurus,\nruled the whole earth bounded by seas. He was truthful and guileless, and\nlike the king of the celestials himself conversant with the dictates of\nvirtue. And from the combination in him of liberality, religion and\nasceticism, he acquired a great good fortune. He was free from anger and\nmalice, and was handsome in person like Soma himself. In splendour he was\nlike the Sun and in impetuosity of valour like Vayu. In wrath he was like\nYama, and in patience like the Earth. And, O king, while Santanu ruled\nthe earth, no deer, boars, birds, or other animals were needlessly slain.\nIn his dominions the great virtue of kindness to all creatures prevailed,\nand the king himself, with the soul of mercy, and void of desire and\nwrath, extended equal protection unto all creatures. Then sacrifices in\nhonour of the gods, the Rishis, and Pitris commenced, and no creature was\ndeprived of life sinfully. And Santanu was the king and father of all--of\nthose that were miserable and those that had no protectors, of birds and\nbeasts, in fact, of every created thing. And during the rule of the best\nof Kurus--of that king of kings--speech became united with truth, and the\nminds of men were directed towards liberality and virtue. And Santanu,\nhaving enjoyed domestic felicity for six and thirty years, retired into\nthe woods.\n\n\"And Santanu's son, the Vasu born of Ganga, named Devavrata resembled\nSantanu himself in personal beauty, in habits and behaviour, and in\nlearning. And in all branches of knowledge worldly or spiritual his skill\nwas very great. His strength and energy were extraordinary. He became a\nmighty car-warrior. In fact he was a great king.\n\n\"One day, while pursuing along the banks of the Ganges a deer that he had\nstruck with his arrow, king Santanu observed that the river had become\nshallow. On observing this, that bull among men, viz., Santanu, began to\nreflect upon this strange phenomenon. He mentally asked why that first of\nrivers ran out so quickly as before. And while seeking for a cause, the\nillustrious monarch beheld that a youth of great comeliness, well-built\nand amiable person, like Indra himself, had, by his keen celestial\nweapon, checked the flow of the river. And the king, beholding this\nextraordinary feat of the river Ganga having been checked in her course\nnear where that youth stood, became very much surprised. This youth was\nno other than Santanu's son himself. But as Santanu had seen his son only\nonce a few moments after his birth, he had not sufficient recollection to\nidentify that infant with the youth before his eyes. The youth, however,\nseeing his father, knew him at once, but instead of disclosing himself,\nhe clouded the king's perception by his celestial powers of illusion and\ndisappeared in his very sight.\n\n\"King Santanu, wondering much at what he saw and imagining the youth to\nbe his own son then addressed Ganga and said, 'Show me that child.' Ganga\nthus addressed, assuming a beautiful form, and holding the boy decked\nwith ornaments in her right arm, showed him to Santanu. And Santanu did\nnot recognise that beautiful female bedecked with ornaments and attired\nin fine robes of white, although he had known her before. And Ganga said,\n'O tiger among men, that eighth son whom thou hadst some time before\nbegat upon me is this. Know that this excellent child is conversant with\nall weapons, O monarch, take him now. I have reared him with care. And go\nhome, O tiger among men, taking him with thee. Endued with superior\nintelligence, he has studied with Vasishtha the entire Vedas with their\nbranches. Skilled in all weapons and a mighty bowman, he is like Indra in\nbattle. And, O Bharata, both the gods and the Asuras look upon him with\nfavour. Whatever branches of knowledge are known to Usanas, this one\nknoweth completely. And so is he the master of all those Sastras that the\nson of Angiras (Vrihaspati) adored by the gods and the Asuras, knoweth.\nAnd all the weapons known to the powerful and invincible Rama, the son of\nJamadagni are known to this thy illustrious son of mighty arms. O king of\nsuperior courage, take this thy own heroic child given unto thee by me.\nHe is a mighty bowman and conversant with the interpretation of all\ntreatises on the duties of a king.' Thus commanded by Ganga, Santanu took\nhis child resembling the Sun himself in glory and returned to his\ncapital. And having reached his city that was like unto the celestial\ncapital, that monarch of Puru's line regarded himself greatly fortunate.\nAnd having summoned all the Pauravas together, for the protection of his\nkingdom he installed his son as his heir-apparent. And O bull of\nBharata's race, the prince soon gratified by his behaviour his father and\nthe other members of the Paurava race: in fact, all the subjects of the\nkingdom. And the king of incomparable prowess lived happily with that son\nof his.\n\n\"Four years had thus passed away, when the king one day went into the\nwoods on the bank of the Yamuna. And while the king was rambling there,\nhe perceived a sweet scent coming from an unknown direction. And the\nmonarch, impelled by the desire of ascertaining the cause, wandered\nhither and thither. And in course of his ramble, he beheld a black-eyed\nmaiden of celestial beauty, the daughter of a fisherman. The king\naddressing her, said, 'Who art thou, and whose daughter? What dost thou\ndo here, O timid one?' She answered, 'Blest be thou! I am the daughter of\nthe chief of the fishermen. At his command, I am engaged for religious\nmerit, in rowing passengers across this river in my boat.' And Santanu,\nbeholding that maiden of celestial form endued with beauty, amiableness,\nand such fragrance, desired her for his wife. And repairing unto her\nfather, the king solicited his consent to the proposed match. But the\nchief of the fishermen replied to the monarch, saying, 'O king, as soon\nas my daughter of superior complexion was born, it was of course,\nunderstood that she should be bestowed upon a husband. But listen to the\ndesire I have cherished all along in my heart. O sinless one, thou art\ntruthful: if thou desirest to obtain this maiden as a gift from me, give,\nme then this pledge. If, indeed, thou givest the pledge, I will of course\nbestow my daughter upon thee for truly I can never obtain a husband for\nher equal to thee.'\n\n\"Santanu, hearing this, replied, 'When I have heard of the pledge thou\naskest, I shall then say whether I would be able to grant it. If it is\ncapable of being granted, I shall certainly grant it. Otherwise how shall\nI grant it.' The fisherman said, 'O king, what I ask of thee is this: the\nson born of this maiden shall be installed by thee on thy throne and none\nelse shall thou make thy successor.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'O Bharata, when Santanu heard this, he felt no\ninclination to grant such a boon, though the fire of desire sorely burnt\nhim within. The king with his heart afflicted by desire returned to\nHastinapura, thinking all the way of the fisherman's daughter. And having\nreturned home, the monarch passed his time in sorrowful meditation. One\nday, Devavrata approaching his afflicted father said, 'All is prosperity\nwith thee; all chiefs obey thee; then how is it that thou grievest thus?\nAbsorbed in thy own thoughts, thou speakest not a word to me in reply.\nThou goest not out on horse-back now; thou lookest pale and emaciated,\nhaving lost all animation. I wish to know the disease thou sufferest\nfrom, so that I may endeavour to apply a remedy.' Thus addressed by his\nson, Santanu answered, 'Thou sayest truly, O son, that I have become\nmelancholy. I will also tell thee why I am so. O thou of Bharata's line,\nthou art the only scion of this our large race. Thou art always engaged\nin sports of arms and achievements of prowess. But, O son, I am always\nthinking of the instability of human life. If any danger overtake thee, O\nchild of Ganga, the result is that we become sonless. Truly thou alone\nart to me as a century of sons. I do not, therefore, desire to wed again.\nI only desire and pray that prosperity may ever attend thee so that our\ndynasty may be perpetuated. The wise say that he that hath one son hath\nno son. Sacrifices before fire and the knowledge of the three Vedas\nyield, it is true, everlasting religious merit, but all these, in point\nof religious merit, do not, come up to a sixteenth part of the religious\nmerit attainable on the birth of a son. Indeed, in this respect, there is\nhardly any difference between men and the lower animals. O wise one, I do\nnot entertain a shadow of doubt that one attains to heaven in consequence\nof his having begotten a son. The Vedas which constitute the root of the\nPuranas and are regarded as authoritative even by the gods, contain\nnumerous proof of this. O thou of Bharata's race, thou art a hero of\nexcitable temper, who is always engaged in the exercise of arms. It is\nvery probable that thou wilt be slain on the field of battle. If it so\nhappen, what then will be the state of the Bharata dynasty, It is this\nthought that hath made me so melancholy. I have now told thee fully the\ncauses of my sorrow.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Devavrata who was endued with great\nintelligence, having ascertained all this from the king, reflected within\nhimself for a while. He then went to the old minister devoted to his\nfather's welfare and asked him about the cause of the king's grief. O\nbull of Bharata's race, when the prince questioned the minister, the\nlatter told him about the boon that was demanded by the chief of the\nfishermen in respect of his daughter Gandhavati. Then Devavrata,\naccompanied by many Kshatriya chiefs of venerable age, personally\nrepaired to the chief of the fishermen and begged of him his daughter on\nbehalf of the king. The chief of the fishermen received him with due\nadorations, and, O thou of Bharata's race, when the prince took his seat\nin the court of the chief, the latter addressed him and said, 'O bull\namong the Bharatas, thou art the first of all wielders of weapons and the\nonly son of Santanu. Thy power is great. But I have something to tell\nthee. If the bride's father was Indra himself, even then he would have to\nrepent of rejecting such an exceedingly honourable and desirable proposal\nof marriage. The great man of whose seed this celebrated maiden named\nSatyavati was born, is, indeed, equal to you in virtue. He hath spoken to\nme on many occasions of the virtues of thy father and told me that, the\nking alone is worthy of (marrying) Satyavati. Let me tell you that I have\neven rejected the solicitations of that best of Brahmarshis--the\ncelestial sage Asita--who, too, had often asked for Satyavati's hand in\nmarriage. I have only one word to say on the part of this maiden. In the\nmatter of the proposed marriage there is one great objection founded on\nthe fact of a rival in the person of a co-wife's son. O oppressor of all\nfoes, he hath no security, even if he be an Asura or a Gandharva, who\nhath a rival in thee. There is this only objection to the proposed\nmarriage, and nothing else. Blest be thou! But this is all I have to say\nin the matter of the bestowal or otherwise, of Satyavati.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'O thou of Bharata's race, Devavrata, having\nheard these words, and moved by the desire of benefiting his father thus\nanswered in the hearing of the assembled chiefs, 'O foremost of truthful\nmen, listen to the vow I utter! The man has not been or will not be born,\nwho will have the courage to take such a vow! I shall accomplish all that\nthou demandest! The son that may be born of this maiden shall be our\nking.' Thus addressed, the chief of the fishermen, impelled by desire of\nsovereignty (for his daughter's son), to achieve the almost impossible,\nthen said, 'O thou of virtuous soul, thou art come hither as full agent\non behalf of thy father Santanu of immeasurable glory; be thou also the\nsole manager on my behalf in the matter of the bestowal of this my\ndaughter. But, O amiable one, there is something else to be said,\nsomething else to be reflected upon by thee. O suppressor of foes, those\nthat have daughters, from the very nature of their obligations, must say\nwhat I say. O thou that art devoted to truth, the promise thou hast given\nin the presence of these chiefs for the benefit of Satyavati, hath,\nindeed, been worthy of thee. O thou of mighty arms, I have not the least\ndoubt of its ever being violated by thee. But I have my doubts in respect\nof the children thou mayst beget.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'O king, the son of Ganga, devoted to truth,\nhaving ascertained the scruples of the chief of the fishermen, then said,\nmoved thereto by the desire of benefiting his father, 'Chief of\nfishermen, thou best of men, listen to what I say in the presence of\nthese assembled kings. Ye kings, I have already relinquished my right to\nthe throne, I shall now settle the matter of my children. O fisherman,\nfrom this day I adopt the vow of Brahmacharya (study and meditation in\ncelibacy). If I die sonless, I shall yet attain to regions of perennial\nbliss in heaven!'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Upon these words of the son of Ganga, the hair\non the fisherman's body stood on end from glee, and he replied, 'I bestow\nmy daughter!' Immediately after, the Apsaras and the gods with diverse\ntribes of Rishis began to rain down flowers from the firmament upon the\nhead of Devavrata and exclaimed, 'This one is Bhishma (the terrible).'\nBhishma then, to serve his father, addressed the illustrious damsel and\nsaid, 'O mother, ascend this chariot, and let us go unto our house.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Having said this, Bhishma helped the beautiful\nmaiden into his chariot. On arriving with her at Hastinapura, he told\nSantanu everything as it had happened. And the assembled kings, jointly\nand individually, applauded his extraordinary act and said, 'He is really\nBhishma (the terrible)!' And Santanu also, hearing of the extraordinary\nachievements of his son, became highly gratified and bestowed upon the\nhigh-souled prince the boon of death at will, saying, 'Death shall never\ncome to thee as long as thou desirest to live. Truly death shall approach\nthee, O sinless one, having first obtained thy command.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CI\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'O monarch, after the nuptials were over, king\nSantanu established his beautiful bride in his household. Soon after was\nborn of Satyavati an intelligent and heroic son of Santanu named\nChitrangada. He was endued with great energy and became an eminent man.\nThe lord Santanu of great prowess also begat upon Satyavati another son\nnamed Vichitravirya, who became a mighty bowman and who became king after\nhis father. And before that bull among men, viz., Vichitravirya, attained\nto majority, the wise king Santanu realised the inevitable influence of\nTime. And after Santanu had ascended to heaven. Bhishma, placing himself\nunder the command of Satyavati, installed that suppressor of foes, viz.,\nChitrangada, on the throne, who, having soon vanquished by his prowess\nall monarchs, considered not any man as his equal. And beholding that he\ncould vanquish men, Asuras, and the very gods, his namesake, the powerful\nking of the Gandharvas, approached him for an encounter. Between that\nGandharva and that foremost one of the Kurus, who were both very\npowerful, there occurred on the field of Kurukshetra a fierce combat\nwhich lasted full three years on the banks of the Saraswati. In that\nterrible encounter characterised by thick showers of weapons and in which\nthe combatants ground each other fiercely, the Gandharva, who had greater\nprowess or strategic deception, slew the Kuru prince. Having slain\nChitrangada--that first of men and oppressor of foes--the Gandharva\nascended to heaven. When that tiger among men endued with great prowess\nwas slain, Bhishma, the son of Santanu, performed, O king, all his\nobsequies. He then installed the boy Vichitravirya of mighty arms, still\nin his minority, on the throne of the Kurus. And Vichitravirya, placing\nhimself under the command of Bhishma, ruled the ancestral kingdom. And he\nadored Santanu's son Bhishma who was conversant with all the rules of\nreligion and law; so, indeed, Bhishma also protected him that was so\nobedient to the dictates of duty.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'O thou of Kuru's race, after Chitrangada was slain,\nhis successor Vichitravirya being a minor, Bhishma ruled the kingdom,\nplacing himself under the command of Satyavati. When he saw that his\nbrother, who was the foremost of intelligent men, attained to majority,\nBhishma set his heart upon marrying Vichitravirya. At this time he heard\nthat the three daughters of the king of Kasi, all equal in beauty to the\nApsaras themselves, would be married on the same occasion, selecting\ntheir husbands at a self-choice ceremony. Then that foremost of\ncar-warriors, that vanquisher of all foes, at the command of his mother,\nwent to the city of Varanasi in a single chariot. There Bhishma, the son\nof Santanu, saw that innumerable monarchs had come from all directions;\nand there he also saw those three maidens that would select their own\nhusbands. And when the (assembled) kings were each being mentioned by\nname, Bhishma chose those maidens (on behalf of his brother). And taking\nthem upon his chariot, Bhishma, that first of smiters in battle,\naddressed the kings, O monarch, and said in a voice deep as the roar of\nthe clouds, 'The wise have directed that when an accomplished person has\nbeen invited, a maiden may be bestowed on him, decked with ornaments and\nalong with many valuable presents. Others again may bestow their\ndaughters by accepting a couple of kine. Some again bestow their\ndaughters by taking a fixed sum, and some take away maidens by force.\nSome wed with the consent of the maidens, some by drugging them into\nconsent, and some by going unto the maidens' parents and obtaining their\nsanction. Some again obtain wives as presents for assisting at\nsacrifices. Of these, the learned always applaud the eighth form of\nmarriage. Kings, however, speak highly of the Swyamvara (the fifth form\nas above) and themselves wed according to it. But the sages have said\nthat, that wife is dearly to be prized who is taken away by force, after\nthe slaughter of opponents, from amidst the concourse of princes and\nkings invited to a self-choice ceremony. Therefore, ye monarchs, I bear\naway these maidens hence by force. Strive ye, to the best of your might,\nto vanquish me or to be vanquished. Ye monarchs, I stand here resolved to\nfight!' Kuru prince, endued with great energy, thus addressing the\nassembled monarchs and the king of Kasi, took upon his car those maidens.\nAnd having taken them up, he sped his chariot away, challenging the\ninvited kings to a fight.\n\n\"The challenged monarchs then all stood up, slapping their arms and\nbiting their nether lips in wrath. And loud was the din produced, as, in\na great hurry, they began to cast off their ornaments and put on their\narmour. And the motion of their ornaments and armour, O Janamejaya,\nbrilliant as these were, resembled meteoric flashes in the sky. And with\nbrows contracted and eyes red with rage, the monarchs moved in\nimpatience, their armour and ornaments dazzling or waving with their\nagitated steps. The charioteers soon brought handsome cars with fine\nhorses harnessed thereto. Those splendid warriors then, equipped with all\nkinds of weapons, rode on those cars, and with uplifted weapons pursued\nthe retreating chief of the Kurus. Then, O Bharata, occurred the terrible\nencounter between those innumerable monarchs on one side and the Kuru\nwarrior alone on the other. And the assembled monarchs threw at their foe\nten thousand arrows at the same time. Bhishma, however speedily checked\nthose numberless arrows before they could come at him by means of a\nshower of his own arrows as innumerable as the down on the body. Then\nthose kings surrounded him from all sides and rained arrows on him like\nmasses of clouds showering on the mountain-breast. But Bhishma, arresting\nwith his shafts the course of that arrowy downpour, pierced each of the\nmonarchs with three shafts. The latter, in their turn pierced Bhishma,\neach with five shafts. But, O king, Bhishma checked those by his prowess\nand pierced each of the contending kings with two shafts. The combat\nbecame so fierce with that dense shower of arrows and other missiles that\nit looked very much like the encounter between the celestials and the\nAsuras of old, and men of courage who took no part in it were struck with\nfear even to look at the scene. Bhishma cut off, with his arrows, on the\nfield of battle, bows, and flagstaffs, and coats of mail, and human heads\nby hundreds and thousands. And such was his terrible prowess and\nextraordinary lightness of hand, and such the skill with which he\nprotected himself, that the contending car-warriors, though his enemies,\nbegan to applaud him loudly. Then that foremost of all wielders of\nweapons having vanquished in battle all those monarchs, pursued his way\ntowards the capital of the Bharatas, taking those maidens with him.\n\n\"It was then, O king, that mighty car-warrior, king Salya of immeasurable\nprowess, from behind summoned Bhishma, the son of Santanu, to an\nencounter. And desirous of obtaining the maidens, he came upon Bhishma\nlike a mighty leader of a herd of elephants rushing upon another of his\nkind, and tearing with his tusks the latter's hips at the sight of a\nfemale elephant in heat. And Salya of mighty arms, moved by wrath\naddressed Bhishma and said, 'Stay, Stay.' Then Bhishma, that tiger among\nmen, that grinder of hostile armies, provoked by these words, flamed up\nin wrath like a blazing fire. Bow in hand, and brow furrowed into\nwrinkles, he stayed on his car, in obedience to Kshatriya usage having\nchecked its course in expectation of the enemy. All the monarchs seeing\nhim stop, stood there to become spectators of the coming encounter\nbetween him and Salya. The two then began to exhibit their prowess (upon\neach other) like roaring bulls of great strength at the sight of a cow in\nrut. Then that foremost of men, king Salya covered Bhishma, the son of\nSantanu with hundreds and thousands of swift-winged shafts. And those\nmonarchs seeing Salya thus covering Bhishma at the outset with\ninnumerable shafts, wondered much and uttered shouts of applause.\nBeholding his lightness of hand in combat, the crowd of regal spectators\nbecame very glad and applauded Salya greatly. That subjugator of hostile\ntowns, Bhishma, then, on hearing those shouts of the Kshatriyas, became\nvery angry and said, 'Stay, Stay'. In wrath, he commanded his charioteer,\nsaying, 'Lead thou my car to where Salya is, so that I may slay him\ninstantly as Garuda slays a serpent.' Then the Kuru chief fixed the\nVaruna weapon on his bow-string, and with it afflicted the four steeds of\nking Salya. And, O tiger among kings, the Kuru chief, then, warding off\nwith his weapons those of his foe, slew Salya's charioteer. Then that\nfirst of men, Bhishma, the son of Santanu, fighting for the sake of those\ndamsels, slew with the Aindra weapon the noble steeds of his adversary.\nHe then vanquished that best of monarchs but left him with his life. O\nbull of Bharata's race, Salya, after his defeat, returned to his kingdom\nand continued to rule it virtuously. And O conqueror of hostile towns,\nthe other kings also, who had come to witness, the self-choice ceremony\nreturned to their own kingdoms.\n\n\"That foremost of smiters, viz., Bhishma, after defeating those monarchs,\nset out with those damsels, for Hastinapura whence the virtuous Kuru\nprince Vichitravirya ruled the earth like that best of monarchs, viz.,\nhis father Santanu. And, O king, passing through many forests, rivers,\nhills, and woods abounding with trees, he arrived (at the capital) in no\ntime. Of immeasurable prowess in battle, the son of the ocean-going\nGanga, having slain numberless foes in battle without a scratch on his\nown person, brought the daughters of the king of Kasi unto the Kurus as\ntenderly if they were his daughters-in-law, or younger sisters, or\ndaughters. And Bhishma of mighty arms, impelled by the desire of\nbenefiting his brother, having by his prowess brought them thus, then\noffered those maidens possessing every accomplishment unto Vichitravirya.\nConversant with the dictates of virtue, the son of Santanu, having\nachieved such an extraordinary feat according to (kingly) custom, then\nbegan to make preparations for his brother's wedding. And when everything\nabout the wedding had been settled by Bhishma in consultation with\nSatyavati, the eldest daughter of the king of Kasi, with a soft smile,\ntold him these words, 'At heart I had chosen the king of Saubha for my\nhusband. He had, in his heart, accepted me for his wife. This was also\napproved by my father. At the self-choice ceremony also I would have\nchosen him as my lord. Thou art conversant with all the dictates of\nvirtue, knowing all this, do as thou likest.' Thus addressed by that\nmaiden in the presence of the Brahmanas, the heroic Bhishma began to\nreflect as to what should be done. As he was conversant with the rules of\nvirtue, he consulted with the Brahmanas who had mastered the Vedas, and\npermitted Amba, the eldest daughter of the ruler of Kasi to do as she\nliked. But he bestowed with due rites the two other daughters, Ambika and\nAmbalika on his younger brother Vichitravirya. And though Vichitravirya\nwas virtuous and abstemious, yet, proud of youth and beauty, he soon\nbecame lustful after his marriage. And both Ambika and Ambalika were of\ntall stature, and of the complexion of molten gold. And their heads were\ncovered with black curly hair, and their finger-nails were high and red;\ntheir hips were fat and round, and their breasts full and deep. And\nendued with every auspicious mark, the amiable young ladies considered\nthemselves to be wedded to a husband who was every way worthy of\nthemselves, and extremely loved and respected Vichitravirya. And\nVichitravirya also, endued with the prowess of the celestials and the\nbeauty of the twin Aswins, could steal the heart of any beautiful woman.\nAnd the prince passed seven years uninterruptedly in the company of his\nwives. He was attacked while yet in the prime of youth, with phthisis.\nFriends and relatives in consultation with one another tried to effect a\ncure. But in spite of all efforts, the Kuru prince died, setting like the\nevening sun. The virtuous Bhishma then became plunged into anxiety and\ngrief, and in consultation with Satyavati caused the obsequial rites of\nthe deceased to be performed by learned priests and the several of the\nKuru race.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CIII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'The unfortunate Satyavati then became plunged in\ngrief on account of her son. And after performing with her\ndaughters-in-law the funeral rites of the deceased, consoled, as best she\ncould, her weeping daughters-in-law and Bhishma, that foremost of all\nwielders of weapons. And turning her eyes to religion, and to the\npaternal and maternal lines (of the Kurus), she addressed Bhishma and\nsaid 'The funeral cake, the achievements, and the perpetuation of the\nline of the virtuous and celebrated Santanu of Kuru's race, all now\ndepend on thee. As the attainment of heaven is inseparable from good\ndeeds, as long life is inseparable from truth and faith, so is virtue\ninseparable from thee. O virtuous one, thou art well-acquainted, in\ndetail and in the abstract, with the dictates of virtue, with various\nSrutis, and with all the branches of the Vedas; know very well that thou\nart equal unto Sukra and Angiras as regards firmness in virtue, knowledge\nof the particular customs of families, and readiness of inventions under\ndifficulties. Therefore, O foremost of virtuous men, relying on thee\ngreatly, I shall appoint thee in a certain matter. Hearing me, it\nbehoveth thee to do my bidding. O bull among men, my son and thy brother,\nendued with energy and dear unto thee, hath gone childless to heaven\nwhile still a boy. These wives of thy brother, the amiable daughters of\nthe ruler of Kasi, possessing beauty and youth, have become desirous of\nchildren. Therefore, O thou of mighty arms, at my command, raise\noffspring on them for the perpetuation of our line. It behoveth thee to\nguard virtue against loss. Install thyself on the throne and rule the\nkingdom of the Bharatas. Wed thou duly a wife. Plunge not thy ancestors\ninto hell.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed by his mother and friends and\nrelatives, that oppressor of foes, the virtuous Bhishma, gave this reply\nconformable to the dictates of virtue, 'O mother, what thou sayest is\ncertainly sanctioned by virtue. But thou knowest what my vow is in the\nmatter of begetting children. Thou knowest also all that transpired in\nconnection with thy dower. O Satyavati, I repeat the pledge I once gave,\nviz., I would renounce three worlds, the empire of heaven, anything that\nmay be greater than that, but truth I would never renounce. The earth may\nrenounce its scent, water may renounce its moisture, light may renounce\nits attribute of exhibiting forms, air may renounce its attribute of\ntouch, the sun may renounce his glory, fire, its heat, the moon, his\ncooling rays, space, its capacity of generating sound, the slayer of\nVritra, his prowess, the god of justice, his impartiality; but I cannot\nrenounce truth.' Thus addressed by her son endued with wealth of energy,\nSatyavati said unto Bhishma, 'O thou whose prowess is truth, I know of\nthy firmness in truth. Thou canst, if so minded, create, by the help of\nthy energy, three worlds other than those that exist. I know what thy vow\nwas on my account. But considering this emergency, bear thou the burden\nof the duty that one oweth to his ancestors. O punisher of foes, act in\nsuch a way that the lineal link may not be broken and our friends and\nrelatives may not grieve.' Thus urged by the miserable and weeping\nSatyavati speaking such words inconsistent with virtue from grief at the\nloss of her son, Bhishma addressed her again and said, 'O Queen, turn not\nthy eyes away from virtue. O, destroy us not. Breach of truth by a\nKshatriya is never applauded in our treatises on religion. I shall soon\ntell thee, O Queen, what the established Kshatriya usage is to which\nrecourse may be had to prevent Santanu's line becoming extinct on earth.\nHearing me, reflect on what should be done in consultation with learned\npriests and those that are acquainted with practices allowable in times\nof emergency and distress, forgetting not at the same time what the\nordinary course of social conduct is.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CIV\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Bhishma continued, 'In olden days, Rama, the son of Jamadagni, in anger\nat the death of his father, slew with his battle axe the king of the\nHaihayas. And Rama, by cutting off the thousand arms of Arjuna (the\nHaihaya king), achieved a most difficult feat in the world. Not content\nwith this, he set out on his chariot for the conquest of the world, and\ntaking up his bow he cast around his mighty weapons to exterminate the\nKshatriyas. And the illustrious scion of Bhrigu's race, by means of his\nswift arrows annihilated the Kshatriya tribe one and twenty times.\n\n\"And when the earth was thus deprived of Kshatriyas by the great Rishi,\nthe Kshatriya ladies all over the land had offspring raised by Brahmanas\nskilled in the Vedas. It has been said in the Vedas that the sons so\nraised belongeth to him that had married the mother. And the Kshatriya\nladies went in unto the Brahamanas not lustfully but from motives of\nvirtue. Indeed, it was thus that the Kshatriya race was revived.\n\n\"In this connection there is another old history that I will recite to\nyou. There was in olden days a wise Rishi of the name of Utathya. He had\na wife of the name Mamata whom he dearly loved. One day Utathya's younger\nbrother Vrihaspati, the priest of the celestials, endued with great\nenergy, approached Mamata. The latter, however, told her husband's\nyounger brother--that foremost of eloquent men--that she had conceived\nfrom her connection with his elder brother and that, therefore, he should\nnot then seek for the consummation of his wishes. She continued, 'O\nillustrious Vrihaspati, the child that I have conceived hath studied in\nhis mother's womb the Vedas with the six Angas, Semen tuum frustra perdi\nnon potest. How can then this womb of mine afford room for two children\nat a time? Therefore, it behoveth thee not to seek for the consummation\nof thy desire at such a time. Thus addressed by her, Vrihaspati, though\npossessed of great wisdom, succeeded not in suppressing his desire. Quum\nauten jam cum illa coiturus esset, the child in the womb then addressed\nhim and said, 'O father, cease from thy attempt. There is no space here\nfor two. O illustrious one, the room is small. I have occupied it first.\nSemen tuum perdi non potest. It behoveth thee not to afflict me.' But\nVrihaspati without listening to what that child in the womb said, sought\nthe embraces of Mamata possessing the most beautiful pair of eyes. Ille\ntamen Muni qui in venture erat punctum temporis quo humor vitalis jam\nemissum iret providens, viam per quam semen intrare posset pedibus\nobstruxit. Semen ita exhisum, excidit et in terram projectumest. And the\nillustrious Vrihaspati, beholding this, became indignant, and reproached\nUtathya's child and cursed him, saying, 'Because thou hast spoken to me\nin the way thou hast at a time of pleasure that is sought after by all\ncreatures, perpetual darkness shall overtake thee.' And from this curse\nof the illustrious Vrishaspati Utathya's child who was equal unto\nVrihaspati in energy, was born blind and came to be called Dirghatamas\n(enveloped in perpetual darkness). And the wise Dirghatamas, possessed of\na knowledge of the Vedas, though born blind, succeeded yet by virtue of\nhis learning, in obtaining for a wife a young and handsome Brahmana\nmaiden of the name of Pradweshi. And having married her, the illustrious\nDirghatamas, for the expansion of Utathya's race, begat upon her several\nchildren with Gautama as their eldest. These children, however, were all\ngiven to covetousness and folly. The virtuous and illustrious Dirghatamas\npossessing complete mastery over the Vedas, soon after learnt from\nSurabhi's son the practices of their order and fearlessly betook himself\nto those practices, regarding them with reverence. (For shame is the\ncreature of sin and can never be where there is purity of intention).\nThen those best of Munis that dwelt in the same asylum, beholding him\ntransgress the limits of propriety became indignant, seeing sin where sin\nwas not. And they said, 'O, this man, transgresseth the limit of\npropriety. No longer doth he deserve a place amongst us. Therefore, shall\nwe all cast this sinful wretch off.' And they said many other things\nregarding the Muni Dirghatamas. And his wife, too, having obtained\nchildren, became indignant with him.\n\n\"The husband then addressing his wife Pradweshi, said, 'Why is it that\nthou also hast been dissatisfied with me?' His wife answered, 'The\nhusband is called the Bhartri because he supporteth the wife. He is\ncalled Pati because he protecteth her. But thou art neither, to me! O\nthou of great ascetic merit, on the other hand, thou hast been blind from\nbirth, it is I who have supported thee and thy children. I shall not do\nso in future.'\n\n\"Hearing these words of his wife, the Rishi became indignant and said\nunto her and her children, 'Take me unto the Kshatriyas and thou shalt\nthen be rich.' His wife replied (by saying), 'I desire not wealth that\nmay be procured by thee, for that can never bring me happiness. O best of\nBrahmanas, do as thou likest. I shall not be able to maintain thee as\nbefore.' At these words of his wife, Dirghatamas said, 'I lay down from\nthis day as a rule that every woman shall have to adhere to one husband\nfor her life. Be the husband dead or alive, it shall not be lawful for a\nwoman to have connection with another. And she who may have such\nconnection shall certainly be regarded as fallen. A woman without husband\nshall always be liable to be sinful. And even if she be wealthy she shall\nnot be able to enjoy that wealth truly. Calumny and evil report shall\never dog her.' Hearing these words of her husband Pradweshi became very\nangry, and commanded her sons, saying, 'Throw him into the waters of\nGanga!' And at the command of their mother, the wicked Gautama and his\nbrothers, those slaves of covetousness and folly, exclaiming, 'Indeed,\nwhy should we support this old man?--'tied the Muni to a raft and\ncommitting him to the mercy of the stream returned home without\ncompunction. The blind old man drifting along the stream on that raft,\npassed through the territories of many kings. One day a king named Vali\nconversant with every duty went to the Ganges to perform his ablutions.\nAnd as the monarch was thus engaged, the raft to which the Rishi was\ntied, approached him. And as it came, the king took the old man. The\nvirtuous Vali, ever devoted to truth, then learning who the man was that\nwas thus saved by him, chose him for raising up offspring. And Vali said,\n'O illustrious one, it behoveth thee to raise upon my wife a few sons\nthat shall be virtuous and wise.' Thus addressed, the Rishi endued with\ngreat energy, expressed his willingness. Thereupon king Vali sent his\nwife Sudeshna unto him. But the queen knowing that the latter was blind\nand old went not unto him, she sent unto him her nurse. And upon that\nSudra woman the virtuous Rishi of passions under full control begat\neleven children of whom Kakshivat was the eldest. And beholding those\neleven sons with Kakshivat as the eldest, who had studied all the Vedas\nand who like Rishis were utterers of Brahma and were possessed of great\npower, king Vali one day asked the Rishi saying, 'Are these children\nmine?' The Rishi replied, 'No, they are mine. Kakshivat and others have\nbeen begotten by me upon a Sudra woman. Thy unfortunate queen Sudeshna,\nseeing me blind and old, insulted me by not coming herself but sending\nunto me, instead, her nurse.' The king then pacified that best of Rishis\nand sent unto him his queen Sudeshna. The Rishi by merely touching her\nperson said to her, 'Thou shalt have five children named Anga, Vanga,\nKalinga, Pundra and Suhma, who shall be like unto Surya (Sun) himself in\nglory. And after their names as many countries shall be known on earth.\nIt is after their names that their dominions have come to be called Anga,\nVanga, Kalinga, Pundra and Suhma.'\n\n\"It was thus that the line of Vali was perpetuated, in days of old, by a\ngreat Rishi. And it was thus also that many mighty bowmen and great\ncar-warriors wedded to virtue, sprung in the Kshatriya race from the seed\nof Brahmanas. Hearing this, O mother, do as thou likest, as regards the\nmatter in hand.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CV\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Bhishma, continued, 'Listen, O mother, to me as I indicate the means by\nwhich the Bharata line may be perpetuated. Let an accomplished Brahmana\nbe invited by an offer of wealth, and let him raise offspring upon the\nwives of Vichitravirya.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Satyavati, then, smiling softly and in voice\nbroken in bashfulness, addressed Bhishma saying, 'O Bharata of mighty\narms, what thou sayest is true. From my confidence in thee I shall now\nindicate the means of perpetuating our line. Thou shall not be able to\nreject it, being conversant, as thou art, with the practices permitted in\nseasons of distress. In our race, thou art Virtue, and thou art Truth,\nand thou art, too, our sole refuge. Therefore hearing what I say truly,\ndo what may be proper.\n\n\"My father was a virtuous man. For virtue's sake he had kept a (ferry)\nboat. One day, in the prime of my youth, I went to ply that boat. It so\nhappened that the great and wise Rishi Parasara, that foremost of all\nvirtuous men, came, and betook himself to my boat for crossing the\nYamuna. As I was rowing him across the river, the Rishi became excited\nwith desire and began to address me in soft words. The fear of my father\nwas uppermost in my mind. But the terror of the Rishi's curse at last\nprevailed. And having obtained from him a precious boon, I could not\nrefuse his solicitations. The Rishi by his energy brought me under his\ncomplete control, and gratified his desire then and there, having first\nenveloped the region in a thick fog. Before this there was a revolting\nfishy odour in my body; but the Rishi dispelled it and gave me my present\nfragrance. The Rishi also told me that by bringing forth his child in an\nisland of the river, I would still continue (to be) a virgin. And the\nchild of Parasara so born of me in my maidenhood hath become a great\nRishi endued with large ascetic powers and known by the name of\nDwaipayana (the island-born). That illustrious Rishi having by his\nascetic power divided the Vedas into four parts hath come to be called on\nearth by the name of Vyasa (the divider or arranger), and for his dark\ncolour, Krishna (the dark). Truthful in speech, free from passion, a\nmighty ascetic who hath burnt all his sins, he went away with his father\nimmediately after his birth. Appointed by me and thee also, that Rishi of\nincomparable splendour will certainly beget good children upon the wives\nof thy brother. He told me when he went away, 'Mother, think of me when\nthou art in difficulty.' I will now call him up, if thou, O Bhishma of\nmighty arms so desirest. If thou art willing, O Bhishma, I am sure that\ngreat ascetic will beget children upon Vichitravirya's field.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Mention being made of the great Rishi, Bhishma\nwith joined palms said, 'That man is truly intelligent who fixes his eyes\njudiciously on virtue, profit, and pleasure, and who after reflecting\nwith patience, acteth in such a way that virtue may lead to future\nvirtue, profit to future profit and pleasure to future pleasure.\nTherefore, that which hath been said by thee and which, besides being\nbeneficial to us, is consistent with virtue, is certainly the best advice\nand hath my full approval.' And when Bhishma had said this, O thou of\nKuru's race, Kali (Satyavati) thought of the Muni Dwaipayana and\nDwaipayana who was then engaged in interpreting the Vedas, learning that\nhe was being called up by his mother, came instantly unto her without\nanybody's knowing it. Satayavati then duly greeted her son and embraced\nhim with arms, bathing him in her tears, for the daughter of the\nfisherman wept bitterly at the sight of her son after so long a time. And\nher first son, the great Vyasa, beholding her weeping, washed her with\ncool water, and bowing unto her, said, 'I have come, O mother, to fulfil\nthy wishes. Therefore, O virtuous one, command me without delay. I shall\naccomplish thy desire.' The family priest of the Bharatas then worshipped\nthe great Rishi duly, and the latter accepted the offerings of worship,\nuttering the usual mantras. And gratified with the worship he received,\nhe took his seat. Satyavati, beholding him seated at his ease, after the\nusual inquiries, addressed him and said, 'O learned one, sons derive\ntheir birth both from the father and the mother. They are, therefore, the\ncommon property of both parents. There cannot be the least doubt about it\nthat the mother, hath as much power over them as the father. As thou art,\nindeed, my eldest son according to the ordinance, O Brahmarshi, so is\nVichitravirya my youngest son. And as Bhishma is Vichitravirya's brother\non the father's side, so art thou his brother on the same mother's side.\nI do not know what you may think, but this is what, O son, I think. This\nBhishma, the son of Santanu, devoted to truth, doth not, for the sake, of\ntruth, entertain the desire of either begetting children or ruling the\nkingdom. Therefore, from affection for thy brother Vichitravirya, for the\nperpetuation of our dynasty, for the sake of this Bhishma's request and\nmy command, for kindness to all creatures, for the protection of the\npeople and from the liberality of thy heart, O sinless one, it behoveth\nthee to do what I say. Thy younger brother hath left two widows like unto\nthe daughters of the celestials themselves, endued with youth and great\nbeauty. For the sake of virtue and religion, they have become desirous of\noffspring. Thou art the fittest person to be appointed. Therefore beget\nupon them children worthy of our race and for the continuance of our\nline.'\n\n\"Vyasa, hearing this, said, 'O Satyavati, thou knowest what virtue is\nboth in respect of this life and the other. O thou of great wisdom, thy\naffections also are set on virtue. Therefore, at thy command, making\nvirtue my motive, I shall do what thou desirest. Indeed, this practice\nthat is conformable to the true and eternal religion is known to me, I\nshall give unto my brother children that shall be like unto Mitra and\nVaruna. Let the ladies then duly observe for one full year the vow I\nindicate. They shall then be purified. No women shall ever approach me\nwithout having observed a rigid vow.'\n\n\"Satyavati then said, 'O sinless one, it must be as thou sayest. Take\nsuch steps that the ladies may conceive immediately. In a kingdom where\nthere is no king, the people perish from want of protection; sacrifices\nand other holy acts are suspended; the clouds send no showers; and the\ngods disappear. How can a kingdom be protected that hath no king?\nTherefore, see thou that the ladies conceive. Bhishma will watch over the\nchildren as long as they are in their mother's wombs.\n\n\"Vyasa replied, 'If I am to give unto my brother children so\nunseasonably, then let the ladies bear my ugliness. That in itself shall,\nin their case, be the austerest of penances. If the princess of Kosala\ncan bear my strong odour, my ugly and grim visage, my attire and body,\nshe shall then conceive an excellent child.'\"\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Having spoken thus unto Satyavati, Vyasa of\ngreat energy addressed her and said, 'Let the princess of Kosala clad in\nclean attire and checked with ornaments wait for me in her bed-chamber.'\nSaying this, the Rishi disappeared, Satyavati then went to her\ndaughter-in-law and seeing her in private spoke to her these words of\nbeneficial and virtuous import, 'O princess of Kosala, listen to what I\nsay. It is consistent with virtue. The dynasty of the Bharatas hath\nbecome extinct from my misfortune. Beholding my affliction and the\nextinction of his paternal line, the wise Bhishma, impelled also by the\ndesire of perpetuating our race, hath made me a suggestion, which\nsuggestion, however, for its accomplishment is dependent on thee.\nAccomplish it, O daughter, and restore the lost line of the Bharatas. O\nthou of fair hips, bring thou forth a child equal in splendour unto the\nchief of the celestials. He shall bear the onerous burden of this our\nhereditary kingdom.'\n\n\"Satyavati having succeeded with great difficulty in procuring the assent\nof her virtuous daughter-in-law to her proposal which was not\ninconsistent with virtue, then fed Brahmanas and Rishis and numberless\nguests who arrived on die occasion.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CVI\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Soon after the monthly season of the princess of\nKosala had been over, Satyavati, purifying her daughter-in-law with a\nbath, led her into the sleeping apartment. There seating her upon a\nluxurious bed, she addressed her, saying, 'O Princess of Kosala, thy\nhusband hath an elder brother who shall this day enter thy womb as thy\nchild. Wait for him tonight without dropping off to sleep.' Hearing these\nwords of her mother-in-law, the amiable princess, as she lay on her bed,\nbegan to think of Bhishma and the other elders of the Kuru race. Then the\nRishi of truthful speech, who had given his promise in respect of Amvika\n(the eldest of the princesses) in the first instance, entered her chamber\nwhile the lamp was burning. The princess, seeing his dark visage, his\nmatted locks of copper hue, blazing eyes, his grim beard, closed her eyes\nin fear. The Rishi, from desire of accomplishing his mother's wishes,\nhowever knew her. But the latter, struck with fear, opened not her eyes\neven once to look at him. And when Vyasa came out, he was met by his\nmother, who asked him, 'Shall the princess have an accomplished son?'\nHearing her, he replied, 'The son of the princess she will bring forth\nshall be equal in might unto ten thousand elephants. He will be an\nillustrious royal sage, possessed of great learning and intelligence and\nenergy. The high-souled one shall have in his time a century of sons. But\nfrom the fault of his mother he shall be blind 'At these words of her\nson, Satyavati said, 'O thou of ascetic wealth, how can one that is blind\nbecome a monarch worthy of the Kurus? How can one that is blind become\nthe protector of his relatives and family, and the glory of his father's\nrace? It behoveth thee to give another king unto the Kurus.' Saying, 'So\nbe it,' Vyasa went away. And the first princess of Kosala in due time\nbrought forth a blind son.\n\n\"Soon after Satyavati, O chastiser of foes, summoned Vyasa, after having\nsecured the assent of her daughter-in-law. Vyasa came according to his\npromise, and approached, as before, the second wife of his brother. And\nAmbalika beholding the Rishi, became pale with fear And, O Bharata,\nbeholding her so afflicted and pale with fear, Vyasa addressed her and\nsaid, 'Because thou hast been pale with fear at the sight of my grim\nvisage, therefore, thy child shall be pale in complexion. O thou of\nhandsome face, the name also thy child shall bear will be Pandu (the\npale).' 'Saying this, the illustrious and best of Rishis came out of her\nchamber. And as he came out, he was met by his mother who asked him about\nthe would-be-child. The Rishi told her that the child would be of pale\ncomplexion and known by the name of Pandu. Satyavati again begged of the\nRishi another child, and the Rishi told her in reply, 'So be it.'\nAmbalika, then, when her time came, brought forth a son of pale\ncomplexion. Blazing with beauty the child was endued with all auspicious\nmarks. Indeed, it was this child who afterwards became the father of\nthose mighty archers, the Pandavas.\n\n\"Some time after, when the oldest of Vichitravirya's widows again had her\nmonthly season, she was solicited by Satyavati to approach Vyasa once\nagain. Possessed of beauty like a daughter of a celestial, the princess\nrefused to do her mother-in-law's bidding, remembering the grim visage\nand strong odour of the Rishi. She, however, sent unto him, a maid of\nhers, endued with the beauty of an Apsara and decked with her own\nornaments. And when the Vyasa arrived, the maid rose up and saluted him.\nAnd she waited upon him respectfully and took her seat near him when\nasked. And, O king, the great Rishi of rigid vows, was well-pleased with\nher, and when he rose to go away, he addressed her and said, 'Amiable\none, thou shalt no longer be a slave. Thy child also shall be greatly\nfortunate and virtuous, and the foremost of all intelligent men on\nearth!' And, O king, the son thus begotten upon her by Krishna-Dwaipayana\nwas afterwards known by the name of Vidura. He was thus the brother of\nDhritarashtra and the illustrious Pandu. And Vidura was free from desire\nand passion and was conversant with the rules of government, and was the\ngod of justice born on earth under the curse of the illustrious Rishi\nMandavya. And Krishna-Dwaipayana, when he met his mother as before,\ninformed her as to how he had been deceived by the seniormost of the\nprincesses and how he had begotten a son upon a Sudra woman. And having\nspoken thus unto his mother the Rishi disappeared from her sight.\n\n\"Thus were born, in the field of Vichitravirya, even of Dwaipayana those\nsons of the splendour of celestial children, those propagators of the\nKuru race.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CVII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Janamejaya said, 'What did the god of justice do for which he was\ncursed? And who was the Brahmana ascetic from whose curse the god had to\nbe born in the Sudra caste?'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'There was a Brahmana known by the name of Mandavya.\nHe was conversant with all duties and was devoted to religion, truth and\nasceticism. The great ascetic used to sit at the entrance of his\nhermitage at the foot of a tree, with his arms upraised in the observance\nof the vow of silence. And as he sat there for years together, one day\nthere came into his asylum a number of robbers laden with spoil. And, O\nbull in Bharata's race, those robbers were then being pursued by a\nsuperior body as guardians of the peace. The thieves, on entering that\nasylum, hid their booty there, and in fear concealed themselves\nthereabout before the guards came. But scarcely had they thus concealed\nthemselves when the constables in pursuit came to the spot. The latter,\nobserving the Rishi sitting under the tree, questioned him, O king,\nsaying, 'O best of Brahmanas, which way have the thieves taken? Point it\nout to us so that we may follow it without loss of time.' Thus questioned\nby the guardians of peace the ascetic, O king, said not a word, good or\notherwise, in reply. The officers of the king, however, on searching that\nasylum soon discovered the thieves concealed thereabout together with the\nplunder. Upon this, their suspicion fell upon the Muni, and accordingly\nthey seized him with the thieves and brought him before the king. The\nking sentenced him to be executed along with his supposed associates. And\nthe officers, acting in ignorance, carried out the sentence by impaling\nthe celebrated Rishi. And having impaled him, they went to the king with\nthe booty they had recovered. But the virtuous Rishi, though impaled and\nkept without food, remained in that state for a long time without dying.\nAnd the Rishi by his ascetic power not only preserved his life but\nsummoned other Rishi to the scene. And they came there in the night in\nthe forms of birds, and beholding him engaged in ascetic meditation\nthough fixed on that stake, became plunged into grief. And telling that\nbest of Brahmanas who they were, they asked him saying, 'O Brahmana, we\ndesire to know what hath been thy sin for which thou hast thus been made\nto suffer the tortures of impalement!'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CVIII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Thus asked, the tiger among Munis then answered\nthose Rishis of ascetic wealth, 'Whom shall I blame for this? In fact,\nnone else (than my own self) hath offended against me!' After this, O\nmonarch, the officers of justice, seeing him alive, informed the king of\nit. The latter hearing what they said, consulted with his advisers, and\ncame to the place and began to pacify the Rishi. fixed on the stake. And\nthe king said, 'O thou best of Rishis, I have offended against thee in\nignorance. I beseech thee to pardon me for the same. It behoveth thee not\nto be angry with me.' Thus addressed by the king, the Muni was pacified.\nAnd beholding him free from wrath, the king took him up with the stake\nand endeavoured to extract it from his body. But not succeeding therein,\nhe cut it off at the point just outside the body. The Muni, with a\nportion of the stake within his body, walked about, and in that state\npractised the austerest of penances and conquered numberless regions\nunattainable by others. And for the circumstances of a part of the stake\nbeing within his body, he came to be known in the three worlds by the\nname of Ani-Mandavya (Mandavya with the stake within). And one day that\nBrahamana acquainted with the highest truth of religion went unto the\nabode of the god of justice. And beholding the god there seated on his\nthrone, the Rishi reproached him and said, 'What, pray, is that sinful\nact committed by me unconsciously, for which I am bearing this\npunishment? O, tell me soon, and behold the power of my asceticism.'\n\n\"The god of justice, thus questioned, replied, 'O thou of ascetic wealth,\na little insect was once pierced by thee on a blade of grass. Thou\nbearest now the consequence of the act. O Rishi, as a gift, however\nsmall, multiplieth in respect of its religious merits, so a sinful act\nmultiplieth in respect of the woe it bringeth in its train.' On hearing\nthis, Ani-Mandavya asked, 'O tell me truly when this act was committed by\nme. Told in reply by the god of justice that he had committed it, when a\nchild, the Rishi said, 'That shall not be a sin which may be done by a\nchild up to the twelfth year of his age from birth. The scriptures shall\nnot recognise it as sinful. The punishment thou hast inflicted on me for\nsuch a venial offence hath been disproportionate in severity. The killing\nof a Brahmana involves a sin that is heavier than the killing of any\nother living being. Thou shall, therefore, O god of justice, have to be\nborn among men even in the Sudra order. And from this day I establish\nthis limit in respect of the consequence of acts that an act shall not be\nsinful when committed by one below the age of fourteen. But when\ncommitted by one above that age, it shall be regarded as sin.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Cursed for this fault by that illustrious\nRishi, the god of justice had his birth as Vidura in the Sudra order. And\nVidura was well-versed in the doctrines of morality and also politics and\nworldly profit. And he was entirely free from covetousness and wrath.\nPossessed of great foresight and undisturbed tranquillity of mind, Vidura\nwas ever devoted to the welfare of the Kurus.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CIX\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Upon the birth of those three children, Kurujangala,\nKurukshetra, and the Kurus grew in prosperity. The earth began to yield\nabundant harvest, and the crops also were of good flavour. And the clouds\nbegan to pour rain in season and trees became full of fruits and flowers.\nAnd the draught cattle were all happy and the birds and other animals\nrejoiced exceedingly. And the flowers became fragrant and the fruits\nbecame sweet; the cities and towns became filled with merchants,\nartisans, traders and artists of every description. And the people became\nbrave, learned, honest and happy. And there were no robbers then, nor\nanybody who was sinful. And it seemed that the golden age had come upon\nevery part of the kingdom. And the people devoted to virtuous acts,\nsacrifices and truth, and regarding one another with love and affection\ngrew in prosperity. And free from pride, wrath and covetousness, they\nrejoiced in perfectly innocent sports. And the capital of the Kurus, full\nas the ocean, was a second Amaravati, teeming with hundreds of palaces\nand mansions, and possessing gates and arches dark as the clouds. And men\nin great cheerfulness sported constantly on rivers, lakes and tanks, and\nin fine groves and charming woods. And the southern Kurus, in their\nvirtuous rivalry with their northern kinsmen, walked about in the company\nof Siddhas and Charanas and Rishis. And all over that delightful country\nwhose prosperity was thus increased by the Kurus, there were no misers\nand no widowed women. And the wells and lakes were ever full; the groves\nabounded with trees, and the houses and abodes of Brahmanas were full of\nwealth and the whole kingdom was full of festivities. And, O king,\nvirtuously ruled by Bhishma, the kingdom was adorned with hundreds of\nsacrificial stakes. And the wheel of virtue having been set in motion by\nBhishma, and the country became so contented that the subjects of other\nkingdoms, quitting their homes, came to dwell there and increase its\npopulation. And the citizens and the people were filled with hope, upon\nseeing the youthful acts of their illustrious princes. And, O king, in\nthe house of the Kuru chiefs as also of the principal citizens, 'give',\n'eat' were the only words constantly heard. And Dhritarashtra and Pandu\nand Vidura of great intelligence were from their birth brought up by\nBhishma, as if they were his own sons. And the children, having passed\nthrough the usual rites of their order, devoted themselves to vows and\nstudy. And they grew up into fine young men skilled in the Vedas and all\nathletic sports. And they became well-skilled in the practice of bow, in\nhorsemanship, in encounters with mace, sword and shield, in the\nmanagement of elephants in battle, and in the science of morality.\nWell-read in history and the Puranas and various branches of learning,\nand acquainted with the truths of the Vedas and their branches they\nacquired knowledge, which was versatile and deep. And Pandu, possessed of\ngreat prowess, excelled all men in archery while Dhritarashtra excelled\nall in personal strength, while in the three worlds there was no one\nequal to Vidura in devotion to virtue and in the knowledge of the\ndictates of morality. And beholding the restoration of the extinct line\nof Santanu, the saying became current in all countries that among mothers\nof heroes, the daughters of the king of Kasi were the first; that among\ncountries Kurujangala was the first; that among virtuous men, Vidura was\nthe first; that among cities Hastinapura was the first. Pandu became\nking, for Dhritarashtra, owing to the blindness, and Vidura, for his\nbirth by a Sudra woman, did not obtain the kingdom. One day Bhishma, the\nforemost of those acquainted with the duties of a statesman and dictates\nof morality, properly addressing Vidura conversant with the truth of\nreligion and virtue, said as follows.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CX\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Bhishma said, 'This our celebrated race, resplendent with every virtue\nand accomplishment, hath all along sovereignty over all other monarchs on\nearth. Its glory maintained and itself perpetuated by many virtuous and\nillustrious monarchs of old, the illustrious Krishna (Dwaipayana) and\nSatyavati and myself have raised you (three) up, in order that it may not\nbe extinct. It behoveth myself and thee also to take such steps that this\nour dynasty may expand again as the sea. It hath been heard by me that\nthere are three maidens worthy of being allied to our race. One is the\ndaughter of (Surasena of) the Yadava race; the other is the daughter of\nSuvala; and the third is the princess of Madra. O son, all these maidens\nare of course of blue blood. Possessed of beauty and pure blood, they are\neminently fit for an alliance with our family. O thou foremost of\nintelligent men, I think we should choose them for the growth of our\nrace. Tell me what thou thinkest.' Thus addressed, Vidura replied, 'Thou\nart our father and thou art our mother, too. Thou art our respected\nspiritual instructor. Therefore, do thou what may be best for us in thy\neyes.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Soon after Bhishma heard from the Brahmanas\nthat Gandhari, the amiable daughter of Suvala, having worshipped Hara\n(Siva) had obtained from the deity the boon that she should have a\ncentury of sons. Bhishma, the grandfather of the Kurus, having heard\nthis, sent messengers unto the king of Gandhara. King Suvala at first\nhesitated on account of the blindness of the bridegroom, but taking into\nconsideration the blood of the Kurus, their fame and behaviour, he gave\nhis virtuous daughter unto Dhritarashtra and the chaste Gandhari hearing\nthat Dhritarashtra was blind and that her parents had consented to marry\nher to him, from love and respect for her future husband, blindfolded her\nown eyes. Sakuni, the son of Suvala, bringing unto the Kurus his sister\nendued with youth and beauty, formally gave her away unto Dhritarashtra.\nAnd Gandhari was received with great respect and the nuptials were\ncelebrated with great pomp under Bhishma's directions. And the heroic\nSakuni, after having bestowed his sister along with many valuable robes,\nand having received Bhishma's adorations, returned to his own city. And,\nO thou of Bharata's race, the beautiful Gandhari gratified all the Kurus\nby her behaviour and respectful attentions. And Gandhari, ever devoted to\nher husband, gratified her superiors by her good conduct; and as she was\nchaste, she never referred even by words to men other than her husband or\nsuch superiors.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXI\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'There was amongst the Yadavas a chief named\nSura. He was the father of Vasudeva. And he had a daughter called Pritha,\nwho was unrivalled for beauty on earth. And, O thou of Bharata's race,\nSura, always truthful in speech, gave from friendship this his firstborn\ndaughter unto his childless cousin and friend, the illustrious\nKuntibhoja--the son of his paternal aunt--pursuant to a former promise.\nAnd Pritha in the house of her adoptive father was engaged in looking\nafter the duties of hospitality to Brahmanas and other guests. Once she\ngratified by her attentions the terrible Brahmana of rigid vows, who was\nknown by the name of Durvasa and was well-acquainted with the hidden\ntruths of morality. Gratified with her respectful attentions, the sage,\nanticipating by his spiritual power the future (season of) distress\n(consequent upon the curse to be pronounced upon Pandu for his\nunrighteous act of slaying a deer while serving its mate) imparted to her\na formula of invocation for summoning any of the celestials she liked to\ngive her children. And the Rishi said, 'Those celestials that thou shall\nsummon by this Mantra shall certainly approach thee and give thee\nchildren.' 'Thus addressed by the Brahmana, the amiable Kunti (Pritha)\nbecame curious, and in her maidenhood summoned the god Arka (Sun). And as\nsoon as he pronounced the Mantra, she beheld that effulgent deity--that\nbeholder of everything in the world--approaching her. And beholding that\nextraordinary sight, the maiden of faultless features was overcome with\nsurprise. But the god Vivaswat (Sun) approaching her, said, 'Here I am, O\nblack-eyed girl! Tell me what I am to do for thee.'\n\n\"Hearing this, Kunti said, 'O slayer of foes, a certain Brahamana gave me\nthis formula of invocation as a boon, and, O lord, I have summoned thee\nonly to test its efficacy. For this offence I bow to thee. A woman,\nwhatever be her offence, always deserveth pardon.' Surya (Sun) replied,\n'I know that Durvasa hath granted this boon. But cast off thy fears,\ntimid maiden, and grant me thy embraces. Amiable one, my approach cannot\nbe futile; it must bear fruit. Thou hast summoned me, and if it be for\nnothing, it shall certainly be regarded as thy transgression.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Vivaswat thus spoke unto her many things with a\nview to allay her fears, but, O Bharata, the amiable maiden, from modesty\nand fear of her relatives, consented not to grant his request. And, O\nbull of Bharata's race, Arka addressed her again and said, 'O princess,\nfor my sake, it shall not be sinful for thee to grant my wish.' Thus\nspeaking unto the daughter of Kuntibhoja, the illustrious Tapana--the\nilluminator of the universe--gratified his wish. And of this connection\nthere was immediately born a son known all over the world as Karna\naccountred with natural armour and with face brightened by ear-rings. And\nthe heroic Karna was the first of all wielders of weapons, blessed with\ngood fortune, and endued with the beauty of a celestial child. And after\nthe birth of this child, the illustrious Tapana granted unto Pritha her\nmaidenhood and ascended to heaven. And the princess of the Vrishni race\nbeholding with sorrow that son born of her, reflected intently upon what\nwas then the best for her to do. And from fear of her relatives she\nresolved to conceal that evidence of her folly. And she cast her\noffspring endued with great physical strength into the water. Then the\nwell-known husband of Radha, of the Suta caste, took up the child thus\ncast into the water, and he and his wife brought him up as their own son.\nAnd Radha and her husband bestowed on him the name of Vasusena (born with\nwealth) because he was born with a natural armour and ear-rings. And\nendued as he was born with great strength, as he grew up, he became\nskilled in all weapons. Possessed of great energy, he used to adore the\nsun until his back was heated by his rays (i.e., from dawn to midday),\nand during the hours of worship, there was nothing on earth that the\nheroic and intelligent Vasusena would not give unto the Brahmanas. And\nIndra desirous of benefiting his own son Phalguni (Arjuna), assuming the\nform of a Brahmana, approached Vasusena on one occasion and begged of him\nhis natural armour. Thus asked Karna took off his natural armour, and\njoining his hands in reverence gave it unto Indra in the guise of a\nBrahmana. And the chief of the celestials accepted the gift and was\nexceedingly gratified with Karna's liberality. He therefore, gave unto\nhim a fine dart, saying, 'That one (and one only) among the celestials,\nthe Asuras, men, the Gandharvas, the Nagas, and the Rakshasas, whom thou\ndesirest to conquer, shall be certainly slain with this dart.'\n\n\"The son of Surya was before this known by the name of Vasusena. But\nsince he cut off his natural armour, he came to be called Karna (the\ncutter or peeler of his own cover).'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said. 'The large-eyed daughter of Kuntibhoja, Pritha by\nname, was endued with beauty and every accomplishment. Of rigid vows, she\nwas devoted to virtue and possessed of every good quality. But though\nendued with beauty and youth and every womanly attribute, yet it so\nhappened that no king asked-for her hand. Her father Kuntibhoja seeing\nthis, invited, O best of monarchs, the princes and kings of other\ncountries and desired his daughter to select her husband from among her\nguests. The intelligent Kunti, entering the amphitheatre, beheld\nPandu--the foremost of the Bharatas--that tiger among kings--in that\nconcourse of crowned heads. Proud as the lion, broad-chested, bull-eyed,\nendued with great strength, and outshining all other monarchs in\nsplendour, he looked like another Indra in that royal assemblage. The\namiable daughter of Kuntibhoja, of faultless features, beholding\nPandu--that best of men--in that assembly, became very much agitated. And\nadvancing with modesty, all the while quivering with emotion, she placed\nthe nuptial garland about Pandu's neck. The other monarchs, seeing Kunti\nchoose Pandu for her lord, returned to their respective kingdoms on\nelephants, horses and cars, as they had come. Then, O king, the bride's\nfather caused the nuptial rites to be performed duly. The Kuru prince\nblessed with great good fortune and the daughter of Kuntibhoja formed a\ncouple like Maghavat and Paulomi (the king and queen of the celestials).\nAnd, O best of Kuru monarchs, king Kuntibhoja, after the nuptials were\nover, presented his son-in-law with much wealth and sent him back to his\ncapital. Then the Kuru prince Pandu, accompanied by a large force bearing\nvarious kinds of banners and pennons, and eulogised by Brahmanas and\ngreat Rishis pronouncing benedictions, reached his capital. And after\narriving at his own palace, he established his queen therein.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXIII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Some time after, Bhishma the intelligent son of\nSantanu set his heart upon getting Pandu married to a second wife.\nAccompanied by an army composed of four kinds of force, and also by aged\ncouncillors and Brahmanas and great Rishis, he went to the capital of the\nking of Madra. And that bull of the Valhikas--the king of Madra--hearing\nthat Bhishma had arrived, went out to receive him. And having received\nhim with respect, he got him to enter his palace. Arriving there, the\nking of Madra offered unto Bhishma a white carpet for a seat; water to\nwash his feet with, and usual oblation of various ingredients indicative\nof respect. And when he was seated at ease, the king asked him about the\nreason of his visit. Then Bhishma--the supporter of the dignity of the\nKurus--addressed the king of Madra and said, 'O oppressor of all foes,\nknow that I have come for the hand of a maiden. It hath been heard by us\nthat thou hast a sister named Madri celebrated for her beauty and endued\nwith every virtue; I would chose her for Pandu. Thou art, O king, in\nevery respect worthy of an alliance with us, and we also are worthy of\nthee. Reflecting upon all this, O king of Madra, accept us duly.' The\nruler of Madra, thus addressed by Bhishma, replied, 'To my mind, there is\nnone else than one of thy family with whom I can enter into an alliance.\nBut there is a custom in our family observed by our ancestors, which, be\nit good or bad, I am incapable of transgressing. It is well-known, and\ntherefore is known to thee as well, I doubt not. Therefore, it is not\nproper for thee to say to me,--Bestow thy sister. The custom to which I\nallude is our family custom. With us that is a virtue and worthy of\nobservance. It is for this only, O slayer of foes, I cannot give thee any\nassurance in the matter of thy request.' On hearing this, Bhishma\nanswered the king of Madra, saying, 'O king, this, no doubt,' is a\nvirtue. The self-create himself hath said it. Thy ancestors were\nobservant of custom. There is no fault to find with it. It is also\nwell-known, O Salya, that this custom in respect of family dignity hath\nthe approval of the wise and the good.' Saying this Bhishma of great\nenergy, gave unto Salya much gold both coined and uncoined, and precious\nstones of various colours by thousands, and elephants and horses and\ncars, and much cloth and many ornaments, and gems and pearls and corals.\nAnd Salya accepting with a cheerful heart those precious gifts then gave\naway his sister decked in ornaments unto that bull of the Kuru race. Then\nthe wise Bhishma, the son of the oceangoing Ganga, rejoiced at the issue\nof his mission, took Madri with him, and returned to the Kuru capital\nnamed after the elephant.\n\n\"Then selecting on auspicious day and moment as indicated by the wise for\nthe ceremony, King Pandu was duly united with Madri. And after the\nnuptials were over, the Kuru king established his beautiful bride in\nhandsome apartments. And, O king of kings, that best of monarchs then\ngave himself up to enjoyment in the company of his two wives as best he\nliked and to the limit of his desires. And after thirty days had elapsed,\nthe Kuru king, O monarch, started from his capital for the conquest of\nthe world. And after reverentially saluting and bowing to Bhishma and the\nother elders of the Kuru race, and with adieus to Dhritarashtra and\nothers of the family, and obtaining their leave, he set out on his grand\ncampaign, accompanied by a large force of elephants, horses, and cars,\nand well-pleased with the blessings uttered by all around and the\nauspicious rites performed by the citizens for his success. And Pandu,\naccompanied by such a strong force marched against various foes. And that\ntiger among men--that spreader of the fame of the Kurus--first subjugated\nthe robber tribes of asarna. He next turned his army composed of\ninnumerable elephants, cavalry, infantry, and charioteers, with standards\nof various colours against Dhirga--the ruler of the kingdom of Maghadha\nwho was proud of his strength, and offended against numerous monarchs.\nAnd attacking him in his capital, Pandu slew him there, and took\neverything in his treasury and also vehicles and draught animals without\nnumber. He then marched into Mithila and subjugated the Videhas. And\nthen, O bull among men, Pandu led his army against Kasi, Sumbha, and\nPundra, and by the strength and prowess of his arms spread the fame of\nthe Kurus. And Pandu, that oppressor of foes, like unto a mighty fire\nwhose far-reaching flames were represented by his arrows and splendour by\nhis weapons, began to consume all kings that came in contact with him.\nThese with their forces, vanquished by Pandu at the head of his army,\nwere made the vassals of the Kurus. And all kings of the world, thus\nvanquished by him, regarded him as the one single hero on earth even as\nthe celestials regard Indra in heaven. And the kings of earth with joined\npalms bowed to him and waited on him with presents of various kinds of\ngems and wealth, precious stones and pearls and corals, and much gold and\nsilver, and first-class kine and handsome horses and fine cars and\nelephants, and asses and camels and buffaloes, and goats and sheep, and\nblankets and beautiful hides, and cloths woven out of furs. And the king\nof Hastinapura accepting those offerings retraced his steps towards his\ncapital, to the great delight of his subjects. And the citizens and\nothers filled with joy, and kings and ministers, all began to say, 'O,\nthe fame of the achievements of Santanu, that tiger among kings, and of\nthe wise Bharata, which were about to die, hath been revived by Pandu.\nThey who robbed before the Kurus of both territory and wealth have been\nsubjugated by Pandu--the tiger of Hastinapura--and made to pay tribute.'\nAnd all the citizens with Bhishma at their head went out to receive the\nvictorious king. They had not proceeded far when they saw the attendants\nof the king laden with much wealth, and the train of various conveyances\nladen with all kinds of wealth, and of elephants, horses, cars, kine,\ncamels and other animals, was so long that they saw not its end. Then\nPandu, beholding Bhishma, who was a father to him, worshipped his feet\nand saluted the citizens and others as each deserved. And Bhishma, too,\nembracing Pandu as his son who had returned victorious after grinding\nmany hostile kingdoms, wept tears of joy. And Pandu, instilling joy into\nthe hearts of his people with a flourish of trumpets and conchs and\nkettle-drums, entered his capital.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXIV\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Pandu, then, at the command of Dhritarashtra,\noffered the wealth he had acquired by the prowess of his arms to Bhishma,\ntheir grand-mother Satyavati and their mothers. And he sent portion of\nhis wealth to Vidura also. And the virtuous Pandu gratified his other\nrelatives also with similar presents. Then Satyavati and Bhishma and the\nKosala princes were all gratified with the presents Pandu made out of the\nacquisitions of his prowess. And Ambalika in particular, upon embracing\nher son of incomparable prowess, became as glad as the queen of heaven\nupon embracing Jayanta. And with the wealth acquired by that hero\nDhritarashtra performed five great sacrifices that were equal unto a\nhundred great horse-sacrifices, at all of which the offerings to\nBrahmanas were by hundreds and thousands.\n\n\"A little while after, O bull of Bharata's race, Pandu who had achieved a\nvictory over sloth and lethargy, accompanied by his two wives, Kunti and\nMadri, retired into the woods. Leaving his excellent palace with its\nluxurious beds, he became a permanent inhabitant of the woods, devoting\nthe whole of his time to the chase of the deer. And fixing his abode in a\ndelightful and hilly region overgrown with huge sala trees, on the\nsouthern slope of the Himavat mountains, he roamed about in perfect\nfreedom. The handsome Pandu with his two wives wandered in those woods\nlike Airavata accompanied by two she-elephants. And the dwellers in those\nwoods, beholding the heroic Bharata prince in the company of his wives,\narmed with sword, arrows, and bow, clad with his beautiful armour, and\nskilled in all excellent weapons, regarded him as the very god wandering\namongst them.\n\n\"And at the command of Dhritarashtra, people were busy in supplying Pandu\nin his retirement with every object of pleasure and enjoyment.\n\n\"Meanwhile the son of the ocean-going Ganga heard that king Devaka had a\ndaughter endued with youth and beauty and begotten upon a Sudra wife.\nBringing her from her father's abode, Bhishma married her to Vidura of\ngreat wisdom. And Vidura begot upon her many children like unto himself\nin accomplishments.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXV\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Meanwhile, O Janamejaya, Dhritarashtra begat upon\nGandhari a hundred sons, and upon a Vaisya wife another besides those\nhundred. And Pandu had, by his two wives Kunti and Madri, five sons who\nwere great charioteers and who were all begotten by the celestials for\nthe perpetuation of the Kuru line.'\n\n\"Janamejaya said, 'O best of Brahmanas, how did Gandhari bring forth\nthose hundred sons and in how many years? What were also the periods of\nlife allotted to each? How did Dhritarashtra also beget another son in a\nVaisya wife? How did Dhritarashtra behave towards his loving obedient,\nand virtuous wife Gandhari? How were also begotten the five sons of\nPandu, those mighty charioteers, even though Pandu himself laboured under\nthe curse of the great Rishi (he slew)? Tell me all this in detail, for\nmy thirst for hearing everything relating to my own ancestor hath not\nbeen slaked.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'One day Gandhari entertained with respectful\nattention the great Dwaipayana who came to her abode, exhausted with\nhunger and fatigue. Gratified with Gandhari's hospitality, the Rishi gave\nher the boon she asked for, viz., that she should have a century of sons\neach equal unto her lord in strength and accomplishments. Some time after\nGandhari conceived and she bore the burden in her womb for two long years\nwithout being delivered. And she was greatly afflicted at this. It was\nthen that she heard that Kunti had brought forth a son whose splendour\nwas like unto the morning sun. Impatient of the period of gestation which\nhad prolonged so long, and deprived of reason by grief, she struck her\nwomb with great violence without the knowledge of her husband. And\nthereupon came out of her womb, after two years' growth, a hard mass of\nflesh like unto an iron ball. When she was about to throw it away,\nDwaipayana, learning everything by his spiritual powers, promptly came\nthere, and that first of ascetics beholding that ball of flesh, addressed\nthe daughter of Suvala thus, 'What hast thou done?' Gandhari, without\nendeavouring to disguise her feelings, addressed the Rishi and said,\n'Having heard that Kunti had brought forth a son like unto Surya in\nsplendour, I struck in grief at my womb. Thou hadst, O Rishi, granted me\nthe boon that I should have a hundred sons, but here is only a ball of\nflesh for those hundred sons!' Vyasa then said, 'Daughter of Suvala, it\nis even so. But my words can never be futile. I have not spoken an\nuntruth even in jest. I need not speak of other occasions. Let a hundred\npots full of clarified butter be brought instantly, and let them be\nplaced at a concealed spot. In the meantime, let cool water be sprinkled\nover this ball of flesh.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'That ball of flesh then, sprinkled over with\nwater, became, in time, divided into a hundred and one parts, each about\nthe size of the thumb. These were then put into those pots full of\nclarified butter that had been placed at a concealed spot and were\nwatched with care. The illustrious Vyasa then said unto the daughter of\nSuvala that she should open the covers of the pots after full two years.\nAnd having said this and made these arrangements, the wise Dwaipayana\nwent to the Himavat mountains for devoting himself to asceticism.\n\n\"Then in time, king Duryodhana was born from among those pieces of the\nball of flesh that had been deposited in those pots. According to the\norder of birth, king Yudhishthira was the oldest. The news of\nDuryodhana's birth was carried to Bhishma and the wise Vidura. The day\nthat the haughty Duryodhana was born was also the birth-day of Bhima of\nmighty arms and great prowess.\n\n\"As soon as Duryodhana was born, he began to cry and bray like an ass.\nAnd hearing that sound, the asses, vultures, jackals and crows uttered\ntheir respective cries responsively. Violent winds began to blow, and\nthere were fires in various directions. Then king Dhritarashtra in great\nfear, summoning Bhishma and Vidura and other well-wishers and all the\nKurus, and numberless Brahmanas, addressed them and said, 'The oldest of\nthose princes, Yudhishthira, is the perpetuator of our line. By virtue of\nhis birth he hath acquired the kingdom. We have nothing to say to this.\nBut shall this my son born after him become king? Tell me truly what is\nlawful and right under these circumstances.' As soon as these words were\nspoken, O Bharata, jackals and other carnivorous animals began to howl\nominously And marking those frightful omens all around, the assembled\nBrahmanas and the wise Vidura replied, 'O king, O bull among men, when\nthese frightful omens are noticeable at the birth of thy eldest son, it\nis evident that he shall be the exterminator of thy race. The prosperity\nof all dependeth on his abandonment. Calamity there must be in keeping\nhim. O king, if thou abandonest him, there remain yet thy nine and ninety\nsons. If thou desirest the good of thy race, abandon him, O Bharata! O\nking, do good to the world and thy own race by casting off this one child\nof thine. It hath been said that an individual should be cast off for the\nsake of the family; that a family should be cast off for the sake of a\nvillage; that a village may be abandoned for the sake of the whole\ncountry; and that the earth itself may be abandoned for the sake of the\nsoul.' When Vidura and those Brahmanas had stated so, king Dhritarashtra\nout of affection for his son had not the heart to follow that advice.\nThen, O king, within a month, were born a full hundred sons unto\nDhritarashtra and a daughter also in excess of this hundred. And during\nthe time when Gandhari was in a state of advanced pregnancy, there was a\nmaid servant of the Vaisya class who used to attend on Dhritarashtra.\nDuring that year, O king, was begotten upon her by the illustrious\nDhritarashtra a son endued with great intelligence who was afterwards\nnamed Yuvutsu. And because he was begotten by a Kshatriya upon a Vaisya\nwoman, he came to be called Karna.\n\n\"Thus were born unto the wise Dhritarashtra a hundred sons who were all\nheroes and mighty chariot-fighters, and a daughter over and above the\nhundred, and another son Yuyutsu of great energy and prowess begotten\nupon a Vaisya woman.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXVI\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Janamejaya said, 'O sinless one, thou hast narrated to me from the\nbeginning all about the birth of Dhritarashtra's hundred sons owing to\nthe boon granted by the Rishi. But thou hast not told me as yet any\nparticulars about the birth of the daughter. Thou hast merely said that\nover and above the hundred sons, there was another son named Yuyutsu\nbegotten upon a Vaisya woman, and a daughter. The great Rishi Vyasa of\nimmeasurable energy said unto the daughter of the king of Gandhara that\nshe would become the mother of a hundred sons. Illustrious one, how is\nthat thou sayest Gandhari had a daughter over and above her hundred sons?\nIf the ball of flesh was distributed by the great Rishi only into a\nhundred parts, and if Gandhari did not conceive on any other occasion,\nhow was then Duhsala born. Tell me this, O Rishi! my curiosity hath been\ngreat.\"\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'O descendant of the Pandavas, thy question is just,\nand I will tell thee how it happened. The illustrious and great Rishi\nhimself, by sprinkling water over that ball of flesh, began to divide it\ninto parts. And as it was being divided into parts, the nurse began to\ntake them up and put them one by one into those pots filled with\nclarified butter. While this process was going on, the beautiful and\nchaste Gandhari of rigid vows, realising the affection that one feeleth\nfor a daughter, began to think within herself, 'There is no doubt that I\nshall have a hundred sons, the Muni having said so. It can never be\notherwise. But I should be very happy if a daughter were born of me over\nand above these hundred sons and junior to them all. My husband then may\nattain to those worlds that the possession of a daughter's sons\nconferreth. Then again, the affection the women feel for their\nsons-in-law is great. If, therefore, I obtain a daughter over and above\nmy hundred sons, then, surrounded by sons and daughter's sons, I may feel\nsupremely blest. If I have ever practised ascetic austerities, if I have\never given anything in charity, if I have ever performed the homa\n(through Brahamanas), if I have ever gratified my superiors by respectful\nattentions, then (as the fruit of those acts) let a daughter be born unto\nme.' All this while that illustrious and best of Rishis,\nKrishna-Dwaipayana himself was dividing the ball of flesh; and counting a\nfull hundred of the parts, he said unto the daughter of Suvala, 'Here are\nthy hundred sons. I did not speak aught unto thee that was false. Here,\nhowever, is one part in excess of the hundred, intended for giving thee a\ndaughter's son. This part shall develop into an amiable and fortunate\ndaughter, as thou hast desired' Then that great ascetic brought another\npot full of clarified butter, and put the part intended for a daughter\ninto it.\n\n\"Thus have I, O Bharata, narrated unto thee all about the birth of\nDuhsala. Tell me, O sinless one, what more I am now to narrate.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXVII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Janamejaya said, 'Please recite the names of Dhritarashtra's sons\naccording to the order of their birth.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Their names, O king, according to the order of\nbirth, are Duryodhana, Yuyutsu, Duhsasana, Duhsaha, Duhsala, Jalasandha,\nSama, Saha, Vinda and Anuvinda, Durdharsha, Suvahu, Dushpradharshana,\nDurmarshana and Durmukha, Dushkarna, and Karna; Vivinsati and Vikarna,\nSala, Satwa, Sulochana, Chitra and Upachitra, Chitraksha, Charuchitra,\nSarasana, Durmada and Durvigaha, Vivitsu, Vikatanana; Urnanabha and\nSunabha, then Nandaka and Upanandaka; Chitravana, Chitravarman, Suvarman,\nDurvimochana; Ayovahu, Mahavahu, Chitranga, Chitrakundala, Bhimavega,\nBhimavala, Balaki, Balavardhana, Ugrayudha; Bhima, Karna, Kanakaya,\nDridhayudha, Dridhavarman, Dridhakshatra, Somakitri, Anudara;\nDridhasandha, Jarasandha, Satyasandha, Sada, Suvak, Ugrasravas, Ugrasena,\nSenani, Dushparajaya, Aparajita, Kundasayin, Visalaksha, Duradhara;\nDridhahasta, Suhasta, Vatavega, and Suvarchas; Adityaketu, Vahvashin,\nNagadatta, Agrayayin; Kavachin, Krathana, Kunda, Kundadhara, Dhanurdhara;\nthe heroes, Ugra and Bhimaratha, Viravahu, Alolupa; Abhaya, and\nRaudrakarman, and Dridharatha; Anadhrishya, Kundabhedin, Viravi,\nDhirghalochana Pramatha, and Pramathi and the powerful Dhirgharoma;\nDirghavahu, Mahavahu, Vyudhoru, Kanakadhvaja; Kundasi and Virajas.\nBesides these hundred sons, there was a daughter named Duhsala. All were\nheroes and Atirathas, and were well-skilled in warfare. All were learned\nin the Vedas, and all kinds of weapons. And, O, king, worthy wives were\nin time selected for all of them by Dhritarashtra after proper\nexamination. And king Dhritarashtra, O monarch, also bestowed Duhsala, in\nproper time and with proper rites, upon Jayadratha (the king of Sindhu).'\n\n\n\nSECTION CXVIII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Janamejaya said, 'O utterer of Brahma, thou hast recited (everything\nabout) the extraordinary birth among men, of the sons of Dhritarashtra in\nconsequence of the Rishi's grace. Thou hast also said what their names\nare, according to the order of their birth. O Brahmana, I have heard all\nthese from thee. But tell me now all about the Pandavas. While reciting\nthe incarnations on earth of the celestial, the Asuras, and the beings of\nother classes, thou saidst that the Pandavas were all illustrious and\nendued with the prowess of gods, and that they were incarnate portion of\nthe celestials themselves. I desire, therefore, to hear all about those\nbeings of extraordinary achievements beginning from the moment of their\nbirth. O Vaisampayana, recite thou their achievements.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'O king, one day Pandu, while roaming about in the\nwoods (on the southern slopes of the Himavat) that teemed with deer and\nwild animals of fierce disposition, saw a large deer, that seemed to be\nthe leader of a herd, serving his mate. Beholding the animals, the\nmonarch pierced them both with five of his sharp and swift arrows winged\nwith golden feathers. O monarch, that was no deer that Pandu struck at,\nbut a Rishi's son of great ascetic merit who was enjoying his mate in the\nform of a deer. Pierced by Pandu, while engaged in the act of\nintercourse, he fell down to the ground, uttering cries that were of a\nman and began to weep bitterly.\n\n\"The deer then addressed Pandu and said, 'O king, even men that are\nslaves to lust and wrath, and void of reason, and ever sinful, never\ncommit such a cruel act as this. Individual judgment prevaileth not\nagainst the ordinance, the ordinance prevaileth against individual\njudgment. The wise never sanction anything discountenanced by the\nordinance. Thou art born, O Bharata, in a race that hath ever been\nvirtuous. How is it, therefore, that even thou, suffering thyself to be\noverpowered by passion and wrath losest thy reason?' Hearing this, Pandu\nreplied, 'O deer, kings behave in the matter of slaying animals of thy\nspecies exactly as they do in the matter of slaying foes. It behoveth\nthee not, therefore, to reprove me thus from ignorance. Animals of thy\nspecies are slain by open or covert means. This, indeed, is the practice\nof kings. Then why dost thou reprove me? Formerly, the Rishi Agastya,\nwhile engaged in the performance of a grand sacrifice, chased the deer,\nand devoted every deer in the forest unto the gods in general. Thou hast\nbeen slain, pursuant to the usage sanctioned by such precedent. Wherefore\nreprovest us then? For his especial sacrifices Agastya performed the homa\nwith fat of the deer.'\n\n\"The deer then said, 'O king, men do not let fly their arrows at their\nenemies when the latter are unprepared. But there is a time for doing it\n(viz., after declaration of hostilities). Slaughter at such a time is not\ncensurable.'\n\n\"Pandu replied, 'It is well-known that men slay deer by various effective\nmeans without regarding whether the animals are careful or careless.\nTherefore, O deer, why dost thou reprove me?'\n\n\"The deer then said, 'O, king, I did not blame thee for thy having killed\na deer, or for the injury thou hast done to me. But, instead of acting so\ncruelly, thou shouldst have waited till the completion of my act of\nintercourse. What man of wisdom and virtue is there that can kill a deer\nwhile engaged in such an act? The time of sexual intercourse is agreeable\nto every creature and productive of good to all. O king, with this my\nmate I was engaged in the gratification of my sexual desire. But that\neffort of mine hath been rendered futile by thee. O king of the Kurus, as\nthou art born in the race of the Pauravas ever noted for white (virtuous)\ndeeds, such an act hath scarcely been worthy of thee. O Bharata, this act\nmust be regarded as extremely cruel, deserving of universal execration,\ninfamous, and sinful, and certainly leading to hell. Thou art acquainted\nwith the pleasures of sexual intercourse. Thou art acquainted also with\nthe teaching of morality and dictates of duty. Like unto a celestial as\nthou art, it behoveth thee not to do such an act as leadeth to hell. O\nbest of kings, thy duty is to chastise all who act cruelly, who are\nengaged in sinful practices and who have thrown to the winds religion,\nprofit, and pleasure as explained in the scriptures. What hast thou done,\nO best of men, in killing me who have given thee no offence? I am, O\nking, a Muni who liveth on fruits and roots, though disguised as a deer.\nI was living in the woods in peace with all. Yet thou hast killed me, O\nking, for which I will curse thee certainly. As thou hast been cruel unto\na couple of opposite sexes, death shall certainly overtake thee as soon\nas thou feelest the influence of sexual desire. I am a Muni of the name\nof Kindama, possessed of ascetic merit. I was engaged in sexual\nintercourse with this deer, because my feelings of modesty did not permit\nme to indulge in such an act in human society. In the form of a deer I\nrove in the deep woods in the company of other deer. Thou hast slain me\nwithout knowing that I am a Brahmana, the sin of having slain a Brahmana\nshall not, therefore, be thine. But senseless man, as you have killed me,\ndisguised as a deer, at such a time, thy fate shall certainly be even\nlike mine. When, approaching thy wife lustfully, thou wilt unite with her\neven as I had done with mine, in that very state shalt thou have to go to\nthe world of the spirits. And that wife of thine with whom thou mayst be\nunited in intercourse at the time of thy death shall also follow thee\nwith affection and reverence to the domains of the king of the dead. Thou\nhast brought me grief when I was happy. So shall grief come to thee when\nthou art in happiness.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Saying this, that deer, afflicted with grief\ngave up the ghost; and Pandu also was plunged in woe at the sight.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXIX\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'After the death of that deer, king Pandu with his\nwives was deeply afflicted and wept bitterly. And he exclaimed, 'The\nwicked, even if born in virtuous families, deluded by their own passions,\nbecome overwhelmed with misery as the fruit of their own deeds. I have\nheard that my father, though begotten by Santanu of virtuous soul, was\ncut off while still a youth, only because he had become a slave to his\nlust. In the soil of that lustful king, the illustrious Rishi\nKrishna-Dwaipayana himself, of truthful speech, begot me. A son though I\nam of such a being, with my wicked heart wedded to vice, I am yet leading\na wandering life in the woods in the chase of the deer. Oh, the very gods\nhave forsaken me! I shall seek salvation now. The great impediments to\nsalvation are the desire to beget children, and other concerns of the\nworld. I shall now adopt the Brahmacharya mode of life and follow in the\nimperishable wake of my father. I shall certainly bring my passions under\ncomplete control by severe ascetic penances. Forsaking my wives and other\nrelatives and shaving my head, alone shall I wander over the earth,\nbegging for my subsistence from each of these trees standing here.\nForsaking every object of affection and aversion, and covering my body\nwith dust, I shall make the shelter of trees or deserted houses my home.\nI shall never yield to influence of sorrow or joy, and I shall regard\nslander and eulogy in the same light. I shall not seek benedictions or\nbows. I shall be at peace with all, and shall not accept gifts. I shall\nnot mock anybody, nor shall I knit my brows at any one, but shall be ever\ncheerful and devoted to the good of all creatures. I shall not harm any\nof the four orders of life gifted with power of locomotion or otherwise,\nviz., oviparous and viviparous creatures and worms and vegetables. But on\nthe contrary, preserve an equality of behaviour towards all, as if they\nwere, my own children. Once a day shall I beg of five or ten families at\nthe most, and if I do not succeed in obtaining alms, I shall then go\nwithout food. I shall rather stint myself than beg more than once of the\nsame person. If I do not obtain anything after completing my round of\nseven or ten houses, moved by covetousness, I shall not enlarge my round.\nWhether I obtain or fail to obtain alms. I shall be equally unmoved like\na great ascetic. One lopping off an arm of mine with a hatchet, and one\nsmearing another arm with sandal-paste, shall be regarded by me equally.\nI shall not wish prosperity to the one or misery to the other. I shall\nnot be pleased with life or displeased with death. I shall neither desire\nto live nor to die. Washing my heart of all sins, I shall certainly\ntranscend those sacred rites productive of happiness, that men perform in\nauspicious moments, days, and periods. I shall also abstain from all acts\nof religion and profit and also those that lead to the gratification of\nthe senses. Freed from all sins and snares of the world, I shall be like\nthe wind subject to none. Following the path of fearlessness and bearing\nmyself in this way I shall at last lay down my life. Destitute of the\npower of begetting children, firmly adhering to the line of duty I shall\nnot certainly deviate therefrom in order to tread in the vile path of the\nworld that is so full of misery. Whether respected or disrespected in the\nworld that man who from covetousness casteth on others a begging look,\ncertainly behaveth like a dog. (Destitute as I am of the power of\nprocreation, I should not certainly, from desire of offspring, solicit\nothers to give me children).'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'The king, having thus wept in sorrow, with a\nsigh looked at his two wives Kunti and Madri, and addressing them said,\n'Let the princess of Kosala (my mother), Vidura, the king with our\nfriends, the venerable Satyavati, Bhishma, the priests of our family,\nillustrious Soma-drinking Brahmanas of rigid vows and all elderly\ncitizens depending on us be informed, after being prepared for it, that\nPandu hath retired into the woods to lead a life of asceticism.' Hearing\nthese words of their lord who had set his heart on a life of asceticism\nin the woods, both Kunti and Madri addressed him in these proper words,\n'O bull of Bharata's race, there are many other modes of life which thou\ncanst adopt and in which thou canst undergo the severest penances along\nwith us, thy wedded wives--in which for the salvation of thy body\n(freedom from re-birth), thou mayest obtain heaven. We also, in the\ncompany of our lord, and for his benefit, controlling our passions and\nbidding adieu to all luxuries, shall subject ourselves to the severest\nausterities. O king, O thou of great wisdom, if thou abandonest us, we\nshall then this very day truly depart from this world.'\n\nPandu replied, 'If, indeed, this your resolve springeth from virtue, then\nwith you both I shall follow the imperishable path of my fathers.\nAbandoning the luxuries of cities and towns, clad in barks of trees, and\nliving on fruits and roots, I shall wander in deep woods, practising the\nseverest penances. Bathing morning and evening, I shall perform the homa.\nI shall reduce my body by eating very sparingly and shall wear rags and\nskins and knotted locks on my head. Exposing myself to heat and cold and\ndisregarding hunger and thirst, I shall reduce my body by severe ascetic\npenances, I shall live in solitude and I shall give myself up to\ncontemplation; I shall eat fruit, ripe or green, that I may find. I shall\noffer oblations to the Pitris (manes) and the gods with speech, water and\nthe fruits of the wilderness. I shall not see, far less harm, any of the\ndenizens of the woods, or any of my relatives, or any of the residents of\ncities and towns. Until I lay down this body, I shall thus practise the\nsevere ordinances of the Vanaprastha scriptures, always searching for\nseverer ones that they may contain.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'The Kuru king, having said this unto his wives,\ngave away to Brahmanas the big jewel in his diadem, his necklace of\nprecious gold, his bracelets, his large ear-rings, his valuable robes and\nall the ornaments of his wives. Then summoning his attendants, he\ncommended them, saying, 'Return ye to Hastinapura and proclaim unto all\nthat Pandu with his wives hath gone into the woods, foregoing wealth,\ndesire, happiness, and even sexual appetite.' Then those followers and\nattendants, hearing these and other soft words of the king, set up a loud\nwail, uttering, 'Oh, we are undone!' Then with hot tears trickling down\ntheir cheeks they left the monarch and returned to Hastinapura with speed\ncarrying that wealth with them (that was to be distributed in charity).\nThen Dhritarashtra, that first of men, hearing from them everything that\nhad happened in the woods, wept for his brother. He brooded over his\naffliction continually, little relishing the comfort of beds and seats\nand dishes.\n\n\"Meanwhile, the Kuru prince Pandu (after sending away his attendants)\naccompanied by his two wives and eating fruits and roots went to the\nmountains of Nagasata. He next went to Chaitraratha, and then crossed the\nKalakuta, and finally, crossing the Himavat, he arrived at Gandhamadana.\nProtected by Mahabhutas, Siddhas, and great Rishis, Pandu lived, O king,\nsometimes on level ground and sometimes on mountain slopes. He then\njourneyed on to the lake of Indradyumna, whence crossing the mountains of\nHansakuta, he went to the mountain of hundred peaks (Sata-sringa) and\nthere continued to practise ascetic austerities.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXX\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Pandu, possessed of great energy, then devoted\nhimself to asceticism. Within a short time he became the favourite of the\nwhole body of the Siddhas and Charanas residing there. And, O Bharata,\ndevoted to the service of his spiritual masters, free from vanity, with\nmind under complete control and the passions fully subdued, the prince,\nbecoming competent to enter heaven by his own energy, attained to great\n(ascetic) prowess. Some of the Rishis would call him brother, some\nfriend, while others cherished him as their son. And, O bull of Bharata's\nrace, having acquired after a long time great ascetic merit coupled with\ncomplete singleness, Pandu became even like a Brahmarshi (though he was a\nKshatriya by birth).\n\n\"On a certain day of the new moon, the great Rishis of rigid vows\nassembled together, and desirous of beholding Brahman were on the point\nof starting on their expedition. Seeing them about to start, Pandu asked\nthose ascetics, saying, 'Ye first of eloquent men, where shall we go?'\nThe Rishis answered, 'There will be a great gathering today, in the abode\nof Brahman, of celestials, Rishis and Pitris. Desirous of beholding the\nSelf-create we shall go there today.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing this, Pandu rose up suddenly, desirous\nof visiting heaven along with the great Rishis. Accompanied by his two\nwives, when he was on the point of following the Rishis in the northerly\ndirection from the mountain of hundred peaks, those ascetics addressed\nhim saying, 'In our northward march, while gradually ascending the king\nof mountains, we have seen on its delightful breast many regions\ninaccessible to ordinary mortals; retreats also of the gods, and\nGandharvas and Apsaras, with palatial mansions by hundreds clustering\nthick around and resounding with the sweet notes of celestial music, the\ngardens of Kuvera laid out on even and uneven grounds, banks of mighty\nrivers, and deep caverns. There are many regions also on those heights\nthat are covered with perpetual snow and are utterly destitute of\nvegetable and animal existence. In some places the downpour of rain is so\nheavy that they are perfectly inaccessible and incapable of being\nutilised for habitation. Not to speak of other animals, even winged\ncreatures cannot cross them. The only thing that can go there is air, and\nthe only beings, Siddhas and great Rishis. How shall these princesses\nascend those heights of the king of mountains? Unaccustomed to pain,\nshall they not droop in affliction? Therefore, come not with us, O bull\nof Bharata's race!'\n\n\"Pandu replied, 'Ye fortunate ones, it is said that for the sonless there\nis no admittance into heaven. I am sonless! I In affliction I speak' unto\nyou! I am afflicted because I have not been able to discharge the debt I\nowe to my ancestors. It is certain that with the dissolution of this my\nbody my ancestors perish! Men are born on this earth with four debts,\nviz. those due unto the (deceased) ancestors, the gods, the Rishis, and\nother men. In justice these must be discharged. The wise have declared\nthat no regions of bliss exist for them that neglect to pay these debts\nin due time. The gods are paid (gratified) by sacrifices, the Rishis, by\nstudy, meditation, and asceticism, the (deceased) ancestors, by begetting\nchildren and offering the funeral cake, and, lastly other men, by leading\na humane and inoffensive life. I have justly discharged my obligations to\nthe Rishis, the gods, and other men. But those others than these three\nare sure to perish with the dissolution of my body! Ye ascetics, I am not\nyet freed from the debt I owe to my (deceased) ancestors. The best of men\nare born in this world to beget children for discharging that debt. I\nwould ask you, should children be begotten in my soil (upon my wives) as\nI myself was begotten in the soil of my father by the eminent Rishi?'\n\n\"The Rishis said, 'O king of virtuous soul, there is progeny in store for\nthee, that is sinless and blest with good fortune and like unto the gods.\nWe behold it all with our prophetic eyes. Therefore, O tiger among men,\naccomplish by your own acts that which destiny pointeth at. Men of\nintelligence, acting with deliberation, always obtain good fruits; it\nbehoveth thee, therefore, O king, to exert thyself. The fruits thou\nwouldst obtain are distinctly visible. Thou wouldst really obtain\naccomplished and agreeable progeny.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these words of the ascetics, Pandu,\nremembering the loss of his procreative powers owing to the curse of the\ndeer, began to reflect deeply. And calling his wedded wife the excellent\nKunti, unto him, he told her in private, 'Strive thou to raise offspring\nat this time of distress. The wise expounders of the eternal religion\ndeclare that a son, O Kunti, is the cause of virtuous fame in the three\nworlds. It is said that sacrifices, charitable gifts, ascetic penances,\nand vows observed most carefully, do not confer religious merit on a\nsonless man. O thou of sweet smiles, knowing all this, I am certain that\nas I am sonless, I shall not obtain regions of true felicity. O timid\none, wretch that I was and addicted to cruel deeds, as a consequence of\nthe polluted life I led, my power of procreation hath been destroyed by\nthe curse of the deer. The religious institutes mention six kinds of sons\nthat are heirs and kinsmen, and six other kinds that are not heirs but\nkinsmen. I shall speak of them presently. O Pritha, listen to me. They\nare: 1st, the son begotten by one's own self upon his wedded wife; 2nd,\nthe son begotten upon one's wife by an accomplished person from motives\nof kindness; 3rd, the son begotten upon one's wife by a person for\npecuniary consideration; 4th, the son begotten upon the wife after the\nhusband's death; 5th, the maiden-born son; 6th, the son born of an\nunchaste wife; 7th, the son given; 8th, the son bought for a\nconsideration; 9th, the son self-given; 10th, the son received with a\npregnant bride; 11th, the brother's son; and 12th, the son begotten upon\na wife of lower caste. On failure of offspring of a prior class, the\nmother should desire to have offspring of the next class. In times of\ndistress, men solicit offspring from accomplished younger brothers. The\nself-born Manu hath said that men failing to have legitimate offspring of\ntheir own may have offspring begotten upon their wives by others, for\nsons confer the highest religious merit. Therefore, O Kunti, being\ndestitute myself of the power of procreation, I command thee to raise\ngood offspring through some person who is either equal or superior to me.\nO Kunti, listen to the history of the daughter of Saradandayana who was\nappointed by her lord to raise offspring. That warrior-dame, when her\nmonthly season arrived, bathed duly and in the night went out and waited\non a spot where four roads met. She did not wait long when a Brahmana\ncrowned with ascetic success came there. The daughter of Saradandayana\nsolicited him for offspring. After pouring libations of clarified butter\non the fire (in the performance of the sacrifice known by the name of\nPunsavana) she brought forth three sons that were mighty car-warriors and\nof whom Durjaya was the eldest, begotten upon her by that Brahmana. O\nthou of good fortune, do thou follow that warrior-dame's example at my\ncommand, and speedily raise offspring out of the seed of some Brahmana of\nhigh ascetic merit.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXXI\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Thus addressed, Kunti replied unto her heroic lord,\nking Pandu, that bull amongst the Kurus, saying, 'O virtuous one, it\nbehoveth thee not to say so unto me. I am, O thou lotus-eyed one, thy\nwedded wife, devoted to thee. O, Bharata of mighty arms, thyself shalt,\nin righteousness, beget upon me children endued with great energy. Then I\nshall ascend to heaven with thee; O prince of Kuru's race, receive me in\nthy embrace for begetting children. I shall not certainly, even in\nimagination, accept any other man except thee in my embraces. What other\nman is there in this world superior to thee? O virtuous one, listen to\nthis Pauranic narrative that hath been, O thou of large eyes, heard by\nme, and that I shall presently narrate.\n\n\"There was, in ancient times, a king in the race of Puru, known by the\nname of Vyushitaswa. He was devoted to truth and virtue. Of virtuous soul\nand mighty arms, on one occasion, while he was performing a sacrifice the\ngods with Indra and the great Rishis came to him, and Indra was so\nintoxicated with the Soma juice he drank and the Brahmanas with the large\npresents they received, that both the gods and the great Rishis began\nthemselves to perform everything appertaining to that sacrifice of the\nillustrious royal sage. And thereupon Vyushitaswa began to shine above\nall men like the Sun appearing in double splendour after the season of\nfrost is over. And the powerful Vyushitaswa, who was endued with the\nstrength of ten elephants very soon performed the horse-sacrifice,\noverthrowing, O best of monarchs, all the kings of the East, the North,\nthe West and the South, and exacted tributes from them all. There is an\nanecdote, O best of the Kurus, that is sung by all reciters of the\nPuranas, in connection with that first of all men, the illustrious\nVyushitaswa.--Having conquered the whole Earth up to the coast of the\nsea, Vyushitaswa protected every class of his subjects as a father does\nhis own begotten sons.--Performing many great sacrifices he gave away\nmuch wealth to the Brahmanas. After collecting unlimited jewels and\nprecious stones he made arrangements for performing still greater ones.\nAnd he performed also the Agnishtoma, and other special Vedic sacrifices,\nextracting great quantities of Soma juice. And, O king, Vyushitaswa had\nfor his dear wife, Bhadra, the daughter of Kakshivat, unrivalled for\nbeauty on earth. And it hath been heard by us that the couple loved each\nother deeply. King Vyushitaswa was seldom separated from his wife. Sexual\nexcess, however, brought on an attack of phthisis and the king died\nwithin a few days, sinking like the Sun in his glory. Then Bhadra, his\nbeautiful queen, was plunged into woe, and as she was sonless, O tiger\namong men, she wept in great affliction. Listen to me, O king, as I\nnarrate to you all that Bhadra said with bitter tears trickling down her\ncheeks. 'O virtuous one', she said, 'Women serve no purpose when their\nhusbands are dead. She who liveth after her husband is dead, draggeth on\na miserable existence that can hardly be called life. O bull of the\nKshatriya order, death is a blessing to women without husbands. I wish to\nfollow the way thou hast gone. Be kind and take me with thee. In thy\nabsence, I am unable to bear life even for a moment. Be kind to me, O\nking and take me hence pretty soon. O tiger among men, I shall follow\nthee over the even and uneven ground. Thou hast gone away, O lord, never\nto return. I shall follow thee, O king, as thy own shadow. O tiger among\nmen, I will obey thee (as thy slave) and will ever do what is agreeable\nto thee and what is for thy good. O thou of eyes like lotus-petals,\nwithout thee, from this day, mental agonies will overwhelm me and eat\ninto my heart. A wretch that I am, some loving couple had doubtless been\nseparated by me in a former life, for which, in this life, I am made to\nsuffer the pangs of separation from thee. O king, that wretched woman who\nliveth even for a moment separated from her lord, liveth in woe and\nsuffereth the pangs of hell even here. Some loving couple had doubtless\nbeen separated by me in a former life, for which sinful act I am\nsuffering this torture arising from my separation from thee. O king, from\nthis day I will lay myself down on a bed of Kusa grass and abstain from\nevery luxury, hoping to behold thee once more. O tiger among men, show\nthyself to me. O king, O lord, command once more thy wretched and\nbitterly weeping wife plunged in woe.'\n\n\"Kunti continued, 'It was thus, O Pandu, that the beautiful Bhadra wept\nover the death of her lord. And the weeping Bhadra clasped in her arms\nthe corpse in anguish of heart. Then she was addressed by an incorporeal\nvoice in these words, \"Rise up, O Bhadra, and leave this place. O thou of\nsweet smiles, I grant thee this boon. I will beget offspring upon thee.\nLie thou down with me on thy own bed, after the catamenial bath, on the\nnight of the eighth or the fourteenth day of the moon.' Thus addressed by\nthe incorporeal voice, the chaste Bhadra did, as she was directed, for\nobtaining offspring. And, O bull of the Bharatas, the corpse of her\nhusband begat upon her seven children viz., three Salwas and four Madras.\nO bull of the Bharatas, do thou also beget offspring upon me, like the\nillustrious Vyushitaswa, by the exercise of that ascetic power which thou\npossessest.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXXII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Thus addressed by his loving wife, king Pandu,\nwell-acquainted with all rules of morality, replied in these words of\nvirtuous import, 'O Kunti, what thou hast said is quite true. Vyushitaswa\nof old did even as thou hast said. Indeed he was equal unto the\ncelestials themselves. But I shall now tell thee about the practices of\nold indicated by illustrious Rishis, fully acquainted with every rule of\nmorality. O thou of handsome face and sweet smiles, women formerly were\nnot immured within houses and dependent on husbands and other relatives.\nThey used to go about freely, enjoying themselves as best as they liked.\nO thou of excellent qualities, they did not then adhere to their husbands\nfaithfully, and yet, O handsome one, they were not regarded sinful, for\nthat was the sanctioned usage of the times. That very usage is followed\nto this day by birds and beasts without any (exhibition of) jealousy.\nThat practice, sanctioned by precedent, is applauded by great Rishis. O\nthou of taper thighs, the practice is yet regarded with respect amongst\nthe Northern Kurus. Indeed, that usage, so lenient to women, hath the\nsanction of antiquity. The present practice, however (of women's being\nconfined to one husband for life) hath been established but lately. I\nshall tell thee in detail who established it and why.\n\n\"It hath been heard by us that there was a great Rishi of the name of\nUddalaka, who had a son named Swetaketu who also was an ascetic of merit.\nO thou of eyes like lotus-petals, the present virtuous practice hath been\nestablished by that Swetaketu from anger. Hear thou the reason. One day,\nin the presence of Swetaketu's father a Brahmana came and catching\nSwetaketu's mother by the hand, told her, 'Let us go.' Beholding his\nmother seized by the hand and taken away apparently by force, the son was\ngreatly moved by wrath. Seeing his son indignant, Uddalaka addressed him\nand said, 'Be not angry. O son! This is the practice sanctioned by\nantiquity. The women of all orders in this world are free, O son; men in\nthis matter, as regards their respective orders, act as kine.' The\nRishi's son, Swetaketu, however, disapproved of the usage and established\nin the world the present practice as regards men and women. It hath been\nheard by us, O thou of great virtue, that the existing practice dates\nfrom that period among human beings but not among beings of other\nclasses. Accordingly, since the establishment of the present usage, it is\nsinful for women not to adhere to their husbands. Women transgressing the\nlimits assigned by the Rishi became guilty of slaying the embryo. And,\nmen, too, viol ting a chaste and loving wife who hath from her maidenhood\nobserved the vow of purity, became guilty of the same sin. The woman also\nwho, being commanded by her husband to raise offspring, refuses to do his\nbidding, becometh equally sinful.\n\n\"Thus, O timid one, was the existing usage established of old by\nSwetaketu, the son of Uddalaka, in defiance of antiquity. O thou of taper\nthighs, it hath also been heard by us that Madayanti, the wife of\nSaudasa, commanded by her husband to raise offspring went unto Rishi\nVasishtha. And on going in unto him, the handsome Madayanti obtained a\nson named Asmaka. She did this, moved by the desire of doing good to her\nhusband. O thou of lotus-eyes, thou knowest, O timid girl, how we\nourselves, for the perpetuation of the Kuru race, were begotten by\nKrishna-Dwaipayana. O faultless one, beholding all these precedents it\nbehoveth thee to do my bidding, which is not inconsistent with virtue, O\nprincess, who is devoted to her husband, it hath also been said by those\nacquainted with the rules of morality that a wife, when her monthly\nseason cometh, must ever seek her husband, though at other times she\ndeserveth liberty. The wise have declared this to be the ancient\npractice. But, be the act sinful or sinless, those acquainted with the\nVedas have declared that it is the duty of wives to do what their\nhusbands bid them do. Especially, O thou of faultless features, I, who am\ndeprived of the power of procreation, having yet become desirous of\nbeholding offspring, deserve the more to be obeyed by thee. O amiable\none, joining my palms furnished with rosy fingers, and making of them a\ncup as of lotus leaves, I place them on my head to propitiate thee. O\nthou of lair looks, it behoveth thee to raise offspring, at my command,\nthrough some Brahmana possessed of high ascetic merit. For then, owing to\nthee, O thou of fair hips, I may go the way that is reserved for those\nthat are blessed with children.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed by Pandu, that subjugator of\nhostile cities, the handsome Kunti, ever attentive to what was agreeable\nand beneficial to her lord, then replied unto him, saying, 'In my\ngirlhood, O lord, I was in my father's house engaged in attending upon\nall guests. I used to wait respectfully upon Brahmanas of rigid vows and\ngreat ascetic merit. One day I gratified with my attentions that Brahmana\nwhom people call Durvasa, of mind under full control and possessing\nknowledge of all the mysteries of religion. Pleased with my services,\nthat Brahmana gave me a boon in the form of a mantra (formula of\ninvocation) for calling into my presence any one of the celestials I\nliked. And the Rishi, addressing me, said, 'Anyone among the celestials\nwhom thou callest by this shall, O girl, approach thee and be obedient to\nthy will, whether he liketh it or not. And, O princess, thou shall also\nhave offspring through his grace.' O Bharata, that Brahmana told me this\nwhen I lived in my father's house. The words uttered by the Brahmana can\nnever be false. The time also hath come when they may yield fruit.\nCommanded by thee, O royal sage, I can by that mantra summon any of the\ncelestials, so that we may have good children. O foremost of all truthful\nmen, tell me which of the celestials I shall summon. Know that, as\nregards this matter, I await your commands.'\n\n\"Hearing this, Pandu replied, 'O handsome one, strive duly this very day\nto gratify our wishes. Fortunate one, summon thou the god of justice. He\nis the most virtuous of the celestials. The god of justice and virtue\nwill never be able to pollute us with sin. The world also, O beautiful\nprincess, will then think that what we do can never be unholy. The son\nalso that we shall obtain from him shall in virtue be certainly the\nforemost among the Kurus. Begotten by the god of justice and morality, he\nwould never set his heart upon anything that is sinful or unholy.\nTherefore, O thou of sweet smiles, steadily keeping virtue before thy\neyes, and duly observing holy vows, summon thou the god of justice and\nvirtue by the help of thy solicitations and incantations.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then Kunti, that best of women, thus addressed\nby her lord, said, 'So be it.' And bowing down to him and reverently\ncircumambulating his person, she resolved to do his bidding.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXXIII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'O Janamejaya, when Gandhari's conception had been a\nfull year old, it was then that Kunti summoned the eternal god of justice\nto obtain offspring from him. And she offered without loss of time,\nsacrifices unto the god and began to duly repeat the formula that Durvasa\nhad imparted to her some time before. Then the god, overpowered by her\nincantations, arrived at the spot where Kunti was seated in his car\nresplendent as the Sun. Smiling, he asked, 'O Kunti, what am I to give\nthee?' And Kunti too smiling in her turn, replied, 'Thou must even give\nme offspring.' Then the handsome Kunti was united (in intercourse) with\nthe god of justice in his spiritual form and obtained from him a son\ndevoted to the good of all creatures. And she brought his excellent\nchild, who lived to acquire a great fame, at the eighth Muhurta called\nAbhijit, of the hour of noon of that very auspicious day of the seventh\nmonth (Kartika), viz., the fifth of the lighted fortnight, when the star\nJyeshtha in conjunction with the moon was ascendant. And as soon as the\nchild was born, an incorporeal voice (from the skies) said, 'This child\nshall be the best of men, the foremost of those that are virtuous. Endued\nwith great prowess and truthful in speech, he shall certainly be the\nruler of the earth. And this first child of Pandu shall be known by the\nname of Yudhishthira. Possessed of prowess and honesty of disposition, he\nshall be a famous king, known throughout the three worlds.'\n\n\"Pandu, having obtained that virtuous son, again addressed his wife and\nsaid. 'The wise have declared that a Kshatriya must be endued with\nphysical strength, otherwise he is no Kshatriya.' Therefore, ask thou for\nan offspring of superior strength. Thus commanded by her lord, Kunti then\ninvoked Vayu. And the mighty god of wind, thus invoked, came unto her,\nriding upon a deer, and said, 'What, O Kunti, am I to give thee? Tell me\nwhat is in thy heart\" Smiling in modesty, she said to him, 'Give me, O\nbest of celestials, a child endued with great strength and largeness of\nlimbs and capable of humbling the pride of every body.' The god of wind\nthereupon begat upon her the child afterwards known as Bhima of mighty\narms and fierce prowess. And upon the birth of that child endued with\nextraordinary strength, an incorporeal voice, O Bharata, as before, said,\n'This child shall be the foremost of all endued with strength.' I must\ntell you, O Bharata, of another wonderful event that occurred alter the\nbirth of Vrikodara (Bhima). While he fell from the lap of his mother upon\nthe mountain breast, the violence of the fall broke into fragments the\nstone upon which he fell without his infant body being injured in the\nleast. And he fell from his mother's lap because Kunti, frightened by a\ntiger, had risen up suddenly, unconscious of the child that lay asleep on\nher lap. And as she had risen, the infant, of body hard as the\nthunderbolt, falling down upon the mountain breast, broke into a hundred\nfragments the rocky mass upon which he fell. And beholding this, Pandu\nwondered much. And it so happened that that very day on which Vrikodara\nwas born, was also, O best of Bharatas, the birthday of Duryodhana who\nafterwards became the ruler of the whole earth.'\n\n\"After the birth of Vrikodara, Pandu again began to think, 'How am I to\nobtain a very superior son who shall achieve world-wide fame? Every,\nthing in the world dependeth on destiny and exertion. But destiny can\nnever be successful except by timely exertion. We have heard it said that\nIndra is the chief of the gods. Indeed, he is endued with immeasurable\nmight and energy and prowess and glory. Gratifying him with my\nasceticism, I shall obtain from him a son of great strength. Indeed, the\nson he giveth me must be superior to all and capable of vanquishing in\nbattle all men and creatures other than men. I shall, therefore, practise\nthe severest austerities, with heart, deed and speech.'\n\n\"After this, the Kuru king Pandu, taking counsel with the great Rishis\ncommanded Kunti to observe an auspicious vow for one full year, while he\nhimself commenced, O Bharata, to stand upon one leg from morning to\nevening, and practise other severe austerities with mind rapt in\nmeditation, for gratifying the lord of the celestials.\n\n\"It was after a long time that Indra (gratified with such devotion)\napproached Pandu and, addressing him, said, 'I shall give thee, O king, a\nson who will be celebrated all over the three worlds and who will promote\nthe welfare of Brahmanas, kine and all honest men. The son I shall give\nthee will be the smiter of the wicked and the delight of friends and\nrelatives. Foremost of all men, he will be an irresistible slayer of all\nfoes.' Thus addressed by Vasava (the king of the celestials), the\nvirtuous king of the Kuru race, well-recollecting those words, said unto\nKunti, 'O fortunate one, thy vow hath become successful. The lord of the\ncelestials hath been gratified, and is willing to give thee a son such as\nthou desirest, of superhuman achievements and great fame. He will be the\noppressor of all enemies and possessed of great wisdom. Endued with a\ngreat soul, in splendour equal unto the Sun, invincible in battles, and\nof great achievements, he will also be extremely handsome. O thou of fair\nhips and sweet smiles, the lord of the celestials hath become gracious to\nthee. Invoking him, bring thou forth a child who will be the very home of\nall Kshatriya virtues.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'The celebrated Kunti, thus addressed by her\nlord, invoked Sakra (the king of the gods) who thereupon came unto her\nand begat him that was afterwards called Arjuna. And as soon as this\nchild was born, an incorporeal voice, loud and deep as that of the clouds\nand filling the whole welkin, distinctly said, addressing Kunti in the\nhearing of every creature dwelling in that asylum, 'This child of thine,\nO Kunti, will be equal unto Kartavirya in energy and Siva in prowess.\nInvincible like Sakra himself he will spread thy fame far and wide. As\nVishnu (the youngest of Aditi's sons) had enhanced Aditi's joy, so shall\nthis child enhance thy joy. Subjugating the Madras, the Kurus along with\nthe Somakas, and the people of Chedi, Kasi and Karusha, he will maintain\nthe prosperity of the Kurus. (Surfeited with libations at the sacrifice\nof king Swetaketu), Agni will derive great gratification from the fat of\nall creatures dwelling in the Khandava woods (to be burnt down) by the\nmight of this one's arms. This mighty hero, vanquishing all the\neffeminate monarchs of the earth, will, with his brothers perform three\ngreat sacrifices. In prowess, O Kunti, he will be even as Jamadagnya or\nVishnu. The foremost of all men endued with prowess, he will achieve\ngreat fame. He will gratify in battle (by his heroism) Sankara, the god\nof gods (Mahadeva), and will receive from him the great weapon named\nPasupata. This thy son of mighty arms will also slay, at the command of\nIndra, those Daityas called the Nivatakavachas who are the enemies of the\ngods. He will also acquire all kinds of celestial weapons, and this bull\namong men will also retrieve the fortunes of his race.'\n\n'Kunti heard these extraordinary words, while lying in the room. And\nhearing those words uttered so loudly, the ascetics dwelling on the\nmountain of a hundred peaks, and the celestials with Indra sitting in\ntheir cars, became exceedingly glad. The sounds of the (invisible) drum\nfilled the entire welkin. There were shouts of joy, and the whole region\nwas covered with flowers showered down by invisible agents. The various\ntribes of celestials assembled together, began to offer their respectful\nadorations to the son of Pritha. The sons of Kadru (Nagas), the son of\nVinata, the Gandharvas, the lords of the creation, and the seven great\nRishis, viz., Bharadwaja, Kasyapa, Gautama, Viswamitra, Jamadagni,\nVasishtha, and the illustrious Atri who illumined the world of old when\nthe Sun was lost, all came there. And Marichi, Angiras, Pulastya, Pulaha,\nKratu, Daksha the lord of creation, the Gandharvas, and Apsaras, came\nthere also. The various tribes of Apsaras, decked with celestial garlands\nand every ornament, and attired in fine robes, came there and danced in\njoy, chanting the praises of Vibhatsu (Arjuna). All around, the great\nRishis began to utter propitiatory formulas. And Tumvuru accompanied by\nthe Gandharvas began to sing in charming notes. And Bhimasena and\nUgrasena, Urnayus and Anagha. Gopati and Dhritarashtra and Suryavarchas\nthe eighth, Yugapa and Trinapa, Karshni, Nandi, and Chitraratha,\nSalisirah the thirteenth, Parjanya the fourteenth, Kali the fifteenth,\nand Narada the sixteenth in this list, Vrihatta, Vrihaka, Karala of great\nsoul, Brahmacharin, Vahuguna, Suvarna of great fame, Viswavasu, Bhumanyu,\nSuchandra, Sam and the celebrated tribes of Haha and Huhu gifted with\nwonderful melody of voice,--these celestial Gandharvas, O king, all went\nthere. Many illustrious Apsaras also of large eyes, decked with every\nornament came there to dance and sing. And Anuchana and Anavadya,\nGunamukhya and Gunavara, Adrika and Soma, Misrakesi and Alambusha,\nMarichi and Suchika, Vidyutparna and Tilottama and Ambika, Lakshmana,\nKshema Devi, Rambha, Manorama, Asita, Suvahu, Supriya, Suvapuh,\nPundarika, Sugandha, Surasa, Pramathini, Kamya and Saradwati, all danced\nthere together. And Menaka, Sahajanya, Karnika, Punjikasthala,\nRitusthala, Ghritachi, Viswachi, Purvachiti, the celebrated Umlocha,\nPramlocha the tenth and Urvasi the eleventh,--these large-eyed dancing\ngirls of heaven,--came there and sang in chorus. And Dharti and Aryaman\nand Mitra and Varuna, Bhaga and Indra, Vivaswat, Pushan, Tvastri and\nParjanya or Vishnu, these twelve Adityas came there to glorify Pandu's\nson. And, O king, Mrigavyadha, Sarpa, the celebrated Niriti, Ajaikapada,\nAhivradhna, Pinakin, Dahana, Iswara, Kapalin, Sthanu and the illustrious\nBhaga--these eleven Rudras,--also came there. And the twin Aswins, the\neight Vasus, the mighty Maruts, the Viswedevas, and the Sadhyas, also\ncame there. And Karkotaka, Vasuki, Kachchhapa, Kunda and the great Naga\nTakshaka,--these mighty and wrathful snakes possessed of high ascetic\nmerit also came there. And Tarkshya, Arishtanemi, Garuda,\nAsitadvaja,--these and many other Nagas, came there, so also Aruna and\nAruni of Vinata's race also came there. And only great Rishis crowned\nwith ascetic success and not others saw those celestials and other beings\nseated in their cars or waiting on the mountain peaks. Those best of\nMunis beholding that wonderful sight, became amazed, and their love and\naffection for the children of Pandu was in consequence enhanced.\n\n\"The celebrated Pandu, tempted by the desire of having more children\nwished to speak again unto his wedded wife (for invoking some other god).\nBut Kunti addressed him, saying, 'The wise do not sanction a fourth\ndelivery even in a season of distress. The woman having intercourse with\nfour different men is called a Swairini (heanton), while she having\nintercourse with five becometh a harlot. Therefore, O learned one, as\nthou art well-acquainted with the scripture on this subject, why dost\nthou, beguiled by desire of offspring, tell me so in seeming\nforgetfulness of the ordinance?'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXXIV\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'After the birth of Kunti's sons and also of the\nhundred sons of Dhritarashtra the daughter of the king of the Madras\nprivately addressed Pandu, saying, 'O slayer of foes, I have no complaint\neven if thou beest unpropitious to me. I have, O sinless one, also no\ncomplaint that though by birth I am superior to Kunti yet I am inferior\nto her in station. I do not grieve, O thou of Kuru's race, that Gandhari\nhath obtained a hundred sons. This, however, is my great grief that while\nKunti and I are equal, I should be childless, while it should so chance\nthat thou shouldst have offspring by Kunti alone. If the daughter of\nKuntibhoja should so provide that I should have offspring, she would then\nbe really doing me a great favour and benefiting thee likewise. She being\nmy rival, I feel a delicacy in soliciting any favour of her. If thou\nbeest, O king, propitiously disposed to me, then ask her to grant my\ndesire.'\n\n\"Hearing her, Pandu replied, 'O Madri, I do revolve this matter often in\nmy own mind, but I have hitherto hesitated to tell thee anything, not\nknowing how thou wouldst receive it. Now that I know what your wishes\nare, I shall certainly strive after that end. I think that, asked by me,\nKunti will not refuse.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'After this, Pandu addressed Kunti in private,\nsaying, 'O Kunti, grant me some more offspring for the expansion of my\nrace and for the benefit of the world. O blessed one, provide thou that I\nmyself, my ancestors, and thine also, may always have the funeral cake\noffered to us. O, do what is beneficial to me, and grant me and the world\nwhat, indeed, is the best of benefits. O, do what, indeed, may be\ndifficult for thee, moved by the desire of achieving undying fame.\nBehold, Indra, even though he hath obtained the sovereignty of the\ncelestials, doth yet, for fame alone, perform sacrifices. O handsome one,\nBrahmanas, well-acquainted with the Vedas, and having achieved high\nascetic merit, do yet, for fame alone, approach their spiritual masters\nwith reverence. So also all royal sages and Brahmanas possessed of\nascetic wealth have achieved, for fame only, the most difficult of\nascetic feat. Therefore, O blameless one, rescue this Madri as by a raft\n(by granting her the means of obtaining offspring), and achieve thou\nimperishable fame by making her a mother of children.'\n\n\"Thus addressed by her lord, Kunti readily yielded, and said unto Madri,\n'Think thou, without loss of time, of some celestial, and thou shall\ncertainly obtain from him a child like unto him.' Reflecting for a few\nmoments. Madri thought of the twin Aswins, who coming unto her with speed\nbegat upon her two sons that were twins named Nakula and Sahadeva,\nunrivalled on earth for personal beauty. And as soon as they were born,\nan incorporeal voice said, 'In energy and beauty these twins shall\ntranscend even the twin Aswins themselves.' Indeed possessed of great\nenergy and beauty, they illumined the whole region.\n\n\"O king, after all the children were born the Rishis dwelling on the\nmountain of a hundred peaks uttering blessings on them and affectionately\nperforming the first rites of birth, bestowed appellations on them. The\neldest of Kunti's children was called Yudhishthira, the second Bhimasena,\nand the third Arjuna, and of Madri's sons, the first-born of the twins\nwas called Nakula and the next Sahadeva. And those foremost sons born at\nan interval of one year after one another, looked like an embodied period\nof five years. And king Pandu, beholding his children of celestial beauty\nand of super-abundant energy, great strength and prowess, and of\nlargeness of soul, rejoiced exceedingly. And the children became great\nfavourites of the Rishis, as also of their wives, dwelling on the\nmountain of a hundred peaks.\n\n\"Some time after, Pandu again requested Kunti on behalf of Madri.\nAddressed, O king, by her lord in private, Kunti replied, 'Having given\nher the formula of invocation only once, she hath, O king, managed to\nobtain two sons. Have I not been thus deceived by her, I fear, O king,\nthat she will soon surpass me in the number of her children. This,\nindeed, is the way of all wicked women. Fool that I was, I did not know\nthat by invoking the twin gods I could obtain at one birth twin children.\nI beseech thee, O king, do not command me any further. Let this be the\nboon granted (by thee) to me.'\n\n\"Thus, O king, were born unto Pandu five sons who were begotten by\ncelestials and were endued with great strength, and who all lived to\nachieve great fame and expand the Kuru race. Each bearing every\nauspicious mark on his person, handsome like Soma, proud as the lion,\nwell-skilled in the use of the bow, and of leonine tread, breast, heart,\neyes, neck and prowess, those foremost of men, resembling the celestials\nthemselves in might, began to grow up. And beholding them and their\nvirtues growing with years, the great Rishis dwelling on that snowcapped\nsacred mountain were filled with wonder. And the five Pandavas and the\nhundred sons of Dhritarashtra--that propagator of the Kuru race--grew up\nrapidly like a cluster of lotuses in a lake.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXXV\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, \"Beholding his five handsome sons growing up before\nhim in that great forest on the charming mountain slope, Pandu felt the\nlast might of his arms revive once more. One day in the season of spring\nwhich maddens every creature the king accompanied by his wife (Madri),\nbegan to rove in the woods where every tree had put forth new blossoms.\nHe beheld all around Palasas and Tilakas and Mangoes and Champakas and\nParihadrakas and Karnikaras, Asokas and Kesaras and Atimuktas and\nKuruvakas with swarms of maddened bees sweetly humming about. And there\nwere flowers of blossoming Parijatas with the Kokilas pouring forth their\nmelodies from under every twig echoing with the sweet hums of the black\nbees. And he beheld also various other kinds of trees bent down with the\nweight of their flowers and fruits. And there were also many fine pools\nof water overgrown with hundreds of fragrant lotuses. Beholding all\nthese, Pandu felt the soft influence of desire. Roving like a celestial\nwith a light heart amidst such scenery, Pandu was alone with his wife\nMadri in semi-transparent attire. And beholding the youthful Madri thus\nattired, the king's desire flamed up like a forest-fire. And ill-able to\nsuppress his desire thus kindled at the sight of his wife of eyes like\nlotus-petals, he was completely overpowered. The king then seized her\nagainst her will, but Madri trembling in fear resisted him to the best of\nher might. Consumed by desire, he forgot everything about his misfortune.\nAnd, O thou of Kuru's race unrestrained by the fear of (the Rishi's)\ncurse and impelled by fate, the monarch, overpowered by passion, forcibly\nsought the embraces of Madri, as if he wished to put an end to his own\nlife. His reason, thus beguiled by the great Destroyer himself by\nintoxicating his senses, was itself lost with his life. And the Kuru king\nPandu, of virtuous soul, thus succumbed to the inevitable influence of\nTime, while united in intercourse with his wife.\n\n\"Then Madri, clasping the body of her senseless lord, began to weep\naloud. And Kunti with her sons and the twins of Madri, hearing those\ncries of grief, came to the spot where the king lay in that state. Then,\nO king, Madri addressing Kunti in a piteous voice, said, 'Come hither\nalone, O Kunti, and let the children stay there.' Hearing these words,\nKunti, bidding the children stay, ran with speed, exclaiming, 'Woe to\nme!' And beholding both Pandu and Madri lying prostrate on the ground she\nwent in grief and affliction, saying, 'Of passions under complete\ncontrol, this hero, O Madri, had all along been watched by me with care.\nHow did he then forgetting the Rishi's curse, approach thee with\nenkindled desire? O Madri, this foremost of men should have been\nprotected by thee. Why didst thou tempt him into solitude? Always\nmelancholy at the thought of the Rishi's curse, how came he to be merry\nwith thee in solitude? O princess of Valhika, more fortunate than myself,\nthou art really to be envied, for thou hast seen the face of our lord\nsuffused with gladness and joy.'\n\n\"Madri then replied, saying, 'Revered sister, with tears in my eyes, I\nresisted the king, but he could not control himself, bent on, as it were\nmaking the Rishi's curse true.'\n\n\"Kunti then said, 'I am the older of his wedded wives; the chief\nreligious merit must be mine. Therefore, O Madri, prevent me not from\nachieving that which must be achieved. I must follow our lord to the\nregion of the dead. Rise up, O Madri, and yield me his body. Rear thou\nthese children.' Madri replied, saying, 'I do clasp our lord yet, and\nhave not allowed him to depart; therefore, I shall follow him. My\nappetite hath not been appeased. Thou art my older sister, O let me have\nthy sanction. This foremost one of the Bharata princes had approached me,\ndesiring to have intercourse. His appetite unsatiated, shall I not follow\nhim in the region of Yama to gratify him? O revered one, if I survive\nthee, it is certain I shall not be able to rear thy children as if they\nwere mine. Will not sin touch me on that account? But, thou, O Kunti,\nshall be able to bring my sons up as if they were thine. The king, in\nseeking me wishfully, hath gone to the region of spirits; therefore, my\nbody should be burnt with his. O revered sister, withhold not thy\nsanction to this which is agreeable to me. Thou wilt certainly bring up\nthe children carefully. That indeed, would be very agreeable to me. I\nhave no other direction to give!'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Having said this, the daughter of the king of\nMadras, the wedded wife of Pandu, ascended the funeral pyre of her lord,\nthat bull among men.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXXVI\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'The godlike Rishis, wise in counsels, beholding the\ndeath of Pandu, consulted with one another, and said, 'The virtuous and\nrenowned king Pandu, abandoning both sovereignty, and kingdom came hither\nfor practising ascetic austerities and resigned himself to the ascetics\ndwelling on this mountain. He hath hence ascended to heaven, leaving his\nwife and infant sons as a trust in our hands. Our duty now is to repair\nto his kingdom with these his offspring, and his wife.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then those godlike Rishis of magnanimous\nhearts, and crowned with ascetic success, summoning one another, resolved\nto go to Hastinapura with Pandu's children ahead, desiring to place them\nin the hands of Bhishma and Dhritarashtra. The ascetics set out that very\nmoment, taking with them those children and Kunti and the two dead\nbodies. And though unused to toil all her life, the affectionate Kunti\nnow regarded as very short the really long journey she had to perform.\nHaving arrived at Kurujangala within a short time, the illustrious Kunti\npresented herself at the principal gate. The ascetics then charged the\nporters to inform the king of their arrival. The men carried the message\nin a trice to the court. And the citizens of Hastinapura, hearing of the\narrival of thousands of Charanas and Munis, were filled with wonder. And\nit was soon after sunrise that they began to come out in numbers with\ntheir wives and children to behold those ascetics. Seated in all kinds of\ncars and conveyances by thousands, vast numbers of Kshatriyas with their\nwives, and Brahmanas with theirs came out. And the concourse of Vaisyas\nand Sudras too was as large on the occasion. The vast assemblage was very\npeaceful, for every heart then was inclined to piety. And there also came\nout Bhishma, the son of Santanu, and Somadatta or Valhika and the royal\nsage (Dhritarashtra) endued with the vision of knowledge and Vidura\nhimself and the venerable Satyavati and the illustrious princess of\nKosala and Gandhari accompanied by the other ladies of the royal\nhousehold. And the hundred sons of Dhritarashtra, decked with various\nornaments, also came out.\n\n\"The Kauravas, then, accompanied by their priest, saluted the Rishis by\nlowering their heads, and took their seats before them. The citizens also\nsaluting the ascetics and bowing down unto them with touching the ground,\ntook their seats there. Then Bhishma, setting that vast concourse\nperfectly still, duly worshipped, O king, those ascetics by offering them\nwater to wash their feet with and the customary Arghya. And having done\nthis, he spoke unto them about the sovereignty and the kingdom. Then the\noldest of the ascetics with matted locks on head and loins covered with\nanimal skin, stood up, and with the concurrence of the other Rishis,\nspoke as follows, 'You all know that that possessor of the sovereignty of\nthe Kurus who was called king Pandu, had, after abandoning the pleasures\nof the world, repaired hence to dwell on the mountain of a hundred peaks.\nHe adopted the Brahmacharya mode of life, but for some inscrutable\npurpose the gods have in view, this his eldest son, Yudhishthira, was\nborn there, begotten by Dharma himself. Then that illustrious king\nobtained from Vayu this other son--the foremost of all mighty men--called\nBhima. This other son, begotten upon Kunti by Indra, is Dhananjaya whose\nachievements will humble all bowmen in the world. Look here again at\nthese tigers among men, mighty in the use of the bow, the twin children\nbegotten upon Madri by the twin Aswins. Leading in righteousness the life\nof a Vanaprastha in the woods, illustrious Pandu hath thus revived the\nalmost extinct line of his grandfather. The birth, growth, and Vedic\nstudies of these children of Pandu, will, no doubt, give you great\npleasure. Steadily adhering to the path of the virtuous and the wise, and\nleaving behind him these children, Pandu departed hence seventeen days\nago. His wife Madri, beholding him placed in the funeral pyre and about\nto be consumed, herself ascended the same pyre, and sacrificing her life\nthus, hath gone with her lord to the region reserved for chaste wives.\nAccomplish now whatever rites should be performed for their benefit.\nThese are (the unburnt portions of) their bodies. Here also are their\nchildren--these oppressors of foes--with their mother. Let these be now\nreceived with due honours. After the completion of the first rites in\nhonour of the dead, let the virtuous Pandu, who had all along been the\nsupporter of the dignity of the Kurus, have the first annual Sraddha\n(sapindakarana) performed with a view to installing him formally among\nthe Pitris.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'The ascetics with Guhyakas, having said this\nunto the Kurus, instantly disappeared in the very sight of the people.\nAnd beholding the Rishis and the Siddhas thus vanish in their sight like\nvapoury forms appearing and disappearing in the skies, the citizens\nfilled with wonder returned to their homes.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXXVII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Dhritarashtra then said, 'O Vidura, celebrate\nthe funeral ceremonies of that lion among kings viz., Pandu, and of Madri\nalso, in right royal style. For the good of their souls, distribute\ncattle, cloths, gems and diverse kinds of wealth, every one receiving as\nmuch as he asketh for. Make arrangements also for Kunti's performing the\nlast rites of Madri in such a style as pleaseth her. And let Madri's body\nbe so carefully wrapped up that neither the Sun nor Vayu (god of wind)\nmay behold it. Lament not for the sinless Pandu. He was a worthy king and\nhath left behind him five heroic sons equal unto the celestials\nthemselves.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then Vidura, O Bharata, saying, 'So be it,' in\nconsultation with Bhishma, fixed upon a sacred spot for the funeral rites\nof Pandu. The family priests went out of the city without loss of time,\ncarrying with them the blazing sacred fire fed with clarified butter and\nrendered fragrant therewith. Then friends, relatives, and adherents,\nwrapping it up in cloth, decked the body of the monarch with the flowers\nof the season and sprinkled various excellent perfumes over it. And they\nalso decked the hearse itself with garlands and rich hangings. Then\nplacing the covered body of the king with that of his queen on that\nexcellent bier decked out so brightly, they caused it to be carried on\nhuman shoulders. With the white umbrella (of state) held over the hearse\nwith waving yak-tails and sounds of various musical instruments, the\nwhole scene looked bright and grand. Hundreds of people began to\ndistribute gems among the crowd on the occasion of the funeral rites of\nthe king. At length some beautiful robes, and white umbrellas and larger\nyak-tails, were brought for the great ceremony. The priests clad in white\nwalked in the van of the procession pouring libations of clarified butter\non the sacred fire blazing in an ornamental vessel. And Brahmanas, and\nKshatriyas, and Vaisyas, and Sudras by thousands followed the deceased\nking, loudly wailing in these accents, 'O prince, where dost thou go,\nleaving us behind, and making us forlorn and wretched for ever?' And\nBhishma, and Vidura, and the Pandavas, also all wept aloud. At last they\ncame to a romantic wood on the banks of the Ganga. There they laid down\nthe hearse on which the truthful and lion-hearted prince and his spouse\nlay. Then they brought water in many golden vessels, washed the prince's\nbody besmeared before with several kinds of fragrant paste, and again\nsmeared it over with sandal paste. They then dressed it in a white dress\nmade of indigenous fabrics. And with the new suit on, the king seemed as\nif he was living and only sleeping on a costly bed.\n\n\"When the other funeral ceremonies also were finished in consonance with\nthe directions of the priests, the Kauravas set fire to the dead bodies\nof the king and the queen, bringing lotuses, sandal-paste, and other\nfragrant substances to the pyre.\n\n\"Then seeing the bodies aflame, Kausalya burst out, 'O my son, my\nson!'--and fell down senseless on the ground. And seeing her down the\ncitizens and the inhabitants of the provinces began to wail from grief\nand affection for their king. And the birds of the air and the beasts of\nthe field were touched by the lamentations of Kunti. And Bhishma, the son\nof Santanu, and the wise Vidura, and the others also that were there,\nbecame disconsolate.\n\n\"Thus weeping, Bhishma, Vidura, Dhritarashtra, the Pandavas and the Kuru\nladies, all performed the watery ceremony of the king. And when all this\nwas over, the people, themselves filled with sorrow, began to console the\nbereaved sons of Pandu. And the Pandavas with their friends began to\nsleep on the ground. Seeing this the Brahmanas and the other citizens\nalso renounced their beds. Young and old, all the citizens grieved on\naccount of the sons of king Pandu, and passed twelve days in mourning\nwith the weeping Pandavas.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXXVIII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Then Bhishma and Kunti with their friends celebrated\nthe Sraddha of the deceased monarch, and offered the Pinda. And they\nfeasted the Kauravas and thousands of Brahmanas unto whom they also gave\ngems and lands. Then the citizens returned to Hastinapura with the sons\nof Pandu, now that they had been cleansed from the impurity incident to\nthe demise of their father. All then fell to weeping for the departed\nking. It seemed as if they had lost one of their own kin.\n\n\"When the Sraddha had been celebrated in the manner mentioned above, the\nvenerable Vyasa, seeing all the subjects sunk in grief, said one day to\nhis mother Satyavati, 'Mother, our days of happiness have gone by and\ndays of calamity have succeeded. Sin beginneth to increase day by day.\nThe world hath got old. The empire of the Kauravas will no longer endure\nbecause of wrong and oppression. Go thou then into the forest, and devote\nthyself to contemplation through Yoga. Henceforth society will be filled\nwith deceit and wrong. Good work will cease. Do not witness the\nannihilation of thy race, in thy old age.'\n\n\"Acquiescing in the words of Vyasa, Satyavati entered the inner\napartments and addressed her daughter-in-law, saying, 'O Ambika, I hear\nthat in consequence of the deeds of your grandsons, this Bharata dynasty\nand its subjects will perish. If thou permit, I would go to the forest\nwith Kausalya, so grieved at the loss of her son.' O king, saying this\nthe queen, taking the permission of Bhishma also, went to the forest. And\narriving there with her two daughters-in-law, she became engaged in\nprofound contemplation, and in good time leaving her body ascended to\nheaven.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then the sons of king Pandu, having gone\nthrough all the purifying rites prescribed in the Vedas, began to grow up\nin princely style in the home of their father. Whenever they were engaged\nin play with the sons of Dhritarashtra, their superiority of strength\nbecame marked. In speed, in striking the objects aimed at, in consuming\narticles of food, and scattering dust, Bhimasena beat all the sons of\nDhritarashtra. The son of the Wind-god pulled them by the hair and made\nthem fight with one another, laughing all the while. And Vrikodara easily\ndefeated those hundred and one children of great energy as if they were\none instead of being a hundred and one. The second Pandava used to seize\nthem by the hair, and throwing them down, to drag them along the earth.\nBy this, some had their knees broken, some their heads, and some their\nshoulders. That youth, sometimes holding ten of them, drowned them in\nwater, till they were nearly dead. When the sons of Dhritarashtra got up\nto the boughs of a tree for plucking fruits, Bhima used to shake that\ntree, by striking it with his foot, so that down came the fruits and the\nfruitpluckers at the same time. In fact, those princes were no match for\nBhima in pugilistic encounters, in speed, or in skill. Bhima used to make\na display of his strength by thus tormenting them in childishness but not\nfrom malice.\n\n\"Seeing these wonderful exhibitions of the might of Bhima, the powerful\nDuryodhana, the eldest son of Dhritarashtra, began to conceive hostility\ntowards him. And the wicked and unrighteous Duryodhana, through ignorance\nand ambition, prepared himself for an act of sin. He thought, 'There is\nno other individual who can compare with Bhima, the second son of Pandu,\nin point of prowess. I shall have to destroy him by artifice. Singly,\nBhima dares a century of us to the combat. Therefore, when he shall sleep\nin the garden, I shall throw him into the current of the Ganga.\nAfterwards, confining his eldest brother Yudhishthira and his younger\nbrother Arjuna, I shall reign sole king without molestation.' Determined\nthus, the wicked Duryodhana was ever on the watch to find out an\nopportunity for injuring Bhima. And, O Bharata, at length at a beautiful\nplace called Pramanakoti on the banks of the Ganga, he built a palace\ndecorated with hangings of broad-cloth and other rich stuffs. And he\nbuilt this palace for sporting in the water there, and filled it with all\nkinds of entertaining things and choice viands. Gay flags waved on the\ntop of this mansion. The name of the house was 'the water-sport house.'\nSkilful cooks prepared various kinds of viands. When all was ready, the\nofficers gave intimation to Duryodhana. Then the evil-minded prince said\nunto the Pandavas, 'Let us all go to the banks of the Ganga graced with\ntrees and crowned with flowers and sport there in the water.' And upon\nYudhishthira agreeing to this, the sons of Dhritarashtra, taking the\nPandavas with them, mounted country-born elephants of great size and cars\nresembling towns, and left the metropolis.\n\n\"On arriving at the place, the princes dismissed their attendants, and\nsurveying the beauty of the gardens and the groves, entered the palace,\nlike lions entering their mountain caves. On entering they saw that the\narchitects had handsomely plastered the walls and the ceilings and that\npainters had painted them beautifully. The windows looked very graceful,\nand the artificial fountains were splendid. Here and there were tanks of\npellucid water in which bloomed forests of lotuses. The banks were decked\nwith various flowers whose fragrance filled the atmosphere. The Kauravas\nand the Pandavas sat down and began to enjoy the things provided for\nthem. They became engaged in play and began to exchange morsels of food\nwith one another. Meanwhile the wicked Duryodhana had mixed a powerful\npoison with a quantity of food, with the object of making away with\nBhima. That wicked youth who had nectar in his tongue and a razor in his\nheart, rose at length, and in a friendly way fed Bhima largely with that\npoisoned food, and thinking himself lucky in having compassed his end,\nwas exceedingly glad at heart. Then the sons of Dhritarashtra and Pandu\ntogether became cheerfully engaged in sporting in the water. Their sport\nhaving been finished, they dressed themselves in white habiliments, and\ndecked themselves with various ornaments. Fatigued with play, they felt\ninclined in the evening to rest in the pleasurehouse belonging to the\ngarden. Having made the other youths take exercise in the waters, the\npowerful second Pandava was excessively fatigued. So that on rising from\nthe water, he lay down on the ground. He was weary and under the\ninfluence of the poison. And the cool air served to spread the poison\nover all his frame, so that he lost his senses at once. Seeing this\nDuryodhana bound him with chords of shrubs, and threw him into the water.\nThe insensible son of Pandu sank down till he reached the Naga kingdom.\nNagas, furnished with fangs containing virulent venom, bit him by\nthousands. The vegetable poison, mingled in the blood of the son of the\nWind god, was neutralised by the snake-poison. The serpents had bitten\nall over his frame, except his chest, the skin of which was so tough that\ntheir fangs could not penetrate it.\n\n\"On regaining consciousness, the son of Kunti burst his bands and began\nto press the snakes down under the ground. A remnant fled for life, and\ngoing to their king Vasuki, represented, 'O king of snakes, a man drowned\nunder the water, bound in chords of shrubs; probably he had drunk poison.\nFor when he fell amongst us, he was insensible. But when we began to bite\nhim, he regained his senses, and bursting his fetters, commenced laying\nat us. May it please Your Majesty to enquire who is.'\n\n\"Then Vasuki, in accordance with the prayer of the inferior Nagas, went\nto the place and saw Bhimasena. Of the serpents, there was one, named\nAryaka. He was the grandfather of the father of Kunti. The lord of\nserpents saw his relative and embraced him. Then, Vasuki, learning all,\nwas pleased with Bhima, and said to Aryaka with satisfaction, 'How are we\nto please him? Let him have money and gems in profusion.\"\n\n\"On hearing the words of Vasuki, Aryaka said, 'O king of serpents, when\nYour Majesty is pleased with him, no need of wealth for him! Permit him\nto drink of rasakunda (nectar-vessels) and thus acquire immeasurable\nstrength. There is the strength of a thousand elephants in each one of\nthose vessels. Let this prince drink as much as he can.'\n\n\"The king of serpents gave his consent. And the serpents thereupon began\nauspicious rites. Then purifying himself carefully, Bhimasena facing the\neast began to drink nectar. At one breath, he quaffed off the contents of\na whole vessel, and in this manner drained off eight successive jars,\ntill he was full. At length, the serpents prepared an excellent bed for\nhim, on which he lay down at ease.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXXIX\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Meanwhile the Kauravas and the Pandavas, after\nhaving thus sported there, set out, without Bhima, for Hastinapura, some\non horses, some on elephants, while others preferred cars and other\nconveyances. And on their way they said to one another, 'Perhaps, Bhima\nhath gone before us.' And the wicked Duryodhana was glad at heart to miss\nBhima, and entered the city with his brothers in joy.\n\n\"The virtuous Yudhishthira, himself unacquainted with vice and\nwickedness, regarded others to be as honest as himself. The eldest son of\nPritha, filled with fraternal love, going unto his mother, said, after\nmaking obeisance to her, 'O mother, hath Bhima come? O good mother, I\ndon't find him here. Where may he have gone? We long sought for him\neverywhere in the gardens and the beautiful woods; but found him nowhere.\nAt length, we thought that the heroic Bhima preceded us all. O\nillustrious dame, we came hither in great anxiety. Arrived here, where\nhath he gone? Have you sent him anywhere? O tell me, I am full of doubts\nrespecting the mighty Bhima. He had been asleep and hath not come. I\nconclude he is no more.'\n\n\"Hearing these words of the highly intelligent Yudhishthira, Kunti\nshrieked, in alarm, and said, 'Dear son, I have not seen Bhima. He did\nnot come to me. O, return in haste, and with your brothers search for\nhim.'\n\n\"Having said this in affliction to her eldest son, she summoned Vidura,\nand said, 'O illustrious Kshattri, Bhimasena is missing! Where has he\ngone? The other brothers have all come back from the gardens, only Bhima\nof mighty arms does not come home! Duryodhana likes him not. The Kaurava\nis crooked and malicious and low-minded and imprudent. He coveteth the\nthrone openly. I am afraid he may have in a fit of anger slain my\ndarling. This afflicts me sorely, indeed, it burns my heart.'\n\n\"Vidura replied, 'Blessed dame, say not so! Protect thy other sons with\ncare. If the wicked Duryodhana be accused, he may slay thy remaining\nsons. The great sage hath said that all thy sons will be long-lived.\nTherefore, Bhima will surely return and gladden thy heart.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'The wise Vidura, having said this unto Kunti,\nreturned to his abode, while Kunti, in great anxiety, continued to stay\nat home with her children.\n\n\"Meanwhile, Bhimasena awoke from that slumber on the eighth day, and felt\nstrong beyond measure in consequence of the nectar he had taken having\nbeen all digested. Seeing him awake, the Nagas began to console and cheer\nhim, saying, 'O thou of mighty arms, the strength-giving liquor thou hast\ndrunk will give thee the might of ten thousand elephants! No one now will\nbe able to vanquish thee in fight. O bull of Kuru's race, do thou bath in\nthis holy and auspicious water and return home. Thy brothers are\ndisconsolate because of thee.'\n\n\"Then Bhima purified himself with a bath in those waters, and decked in\nwhite robes and flowery garlands of the same hue, ate of the paramanna\n(rice and sugar pudding) offered to him by the Nagas. Then that oppressor\nof all foes, decked in celestial ornaments, received the adorations and\nblessings of the snakes, and saluting them in return, rose from the\nnether region. Bearing up the lotus-eyed Pandava from under the waters,\nthe Nagas placed him in the selfsame gardens wherein he had been\nsporting, and vanished in his very sight.\n\n\"The mighty Bhimasena, arrived on the surface of the earth, ran with\nspeed to his mother. And bowing down unto her and his eldest brother, and\nsmelling the heads of his younger brothers, that oppressor of all foes\nwas himself embraced by his mother and every one of those bulls among\nmen. Affectionate unto one another, they all repeatedly exclaimed, 'What\nis our joy today, O what joy!'\n\n'Then Bhima, endued with great strength and prowess, related to his\nbrothers everything about the villainy of Duryodhana, and the lucky and\nunlucky incidents that had befallen him in the world of the Serpents.\nThereupon Yudhishthira said, 'Do thou observe silence on this. Do not\nspeak of this to any one. From this day, protect ye all one another with\ncare.' Thus cautioned by the righteous Yudhishthira, they all, with\nYudhishthira himself, became very vigilant from that day. And lest\nnegligence might occur on the part of the sons of Kunti, Vidura\ncontinually offered them sage advice.\n\n\"Some time after, Duryodhana again mixed in the food of Bhima a poison\nthat was fresh, virulent, and very deadly. But Yuyutsu (Dhritarashtra's\nson by a Vaisya wife), moved by his friendship for the Pandavas, informed\nthem of this. Vrikodara, however, swallowed it without any hesitation,\nand digested it completely. And, though virulent the poison produced no\neffects on Bhima.\n\n\"When that terrible poison intended for the destruction of Bhima failed\nof its effect, Duryodhana. Karna and Sakuni, without giving up their\nwicked design had recourse to numerous other contrivances for\naccomplishing the death of the Pandavas. And though every one of these\ncontrivances was fully known to the Pandavas, yet in accordance with the\nadvice of Vidura they suppressed their indignation.\n\n\"Meanwhile, the king (Dhritarashtra), beholding the Kuru princes passing\ntheir time in idleness and growing naughty, appointed Gautama as their\npreceptor and sent them unto him for instruction. Born among a clump of\nheath, Gautama was well-skilled in the Vedas and it was under him (also\ncalled Kripa) that the Kuru princes began to learn the use of arms.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXXX\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Janamejaya said, 'O Brahmana, it behoveth thee to relate to me\neverything about the birth of Kripa. How did he spring from a clump of\nheath? Whence also did he obtain his weapons?'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'O king, the great sage Gautama had a son named\nSaradwat. This Saradwat was born with arrows (in hand). O oppressor of\nfoes, the son of Gautama exhibited great aptitude for the study of the\nscience of weapons, but none for the other sciences. Saradwat acquired\nall his weapons by those austerities by which Brahmanas in student life\nacquire the knowledge of Vedas. Gautama (the son of Gotama) by his\naptitude for the science of weapons and by his austerities made Indra\nhimself greatly afraid of him. Then, O thou of Kuru's race, the chief of\nthe gods summoned a celestial damsel named Janapadi and sent her unto\nGautama, saying, 'Do thy best to disturb the austerities of Gautama.'\nRepairing unto the charming asylum of Saradwat, the damsel began to tempt\nthe ascetic equipped with bow and arrows. Beholding that Apsara, of\nfigure unrivalled on earth for beauty, alone in those woods and clad in a\nsingle piece of cloth, Saradwat's eyes expanded with delight. At the\nsight of the damsel, his bow and arrows slipped from his hand and his\nframe shook all over with emotion; but possessed of ascetic fortitude and\nstrength of soul, the sage mustered sufficient patience to bear up\nagainst the temptation. The suddenness, however, of his mental agitation,\ncaused an unconscious emission of his vital fluid. Leaving his bow and\narrows and deer-skin behind, he went away, flying from the Apsara. His\nvital fluid, however, having fallen upon a clump of heath, was divided\ninto two parts, whence sprang two children that were twins.\n\n\"And it happened that a soldier in attendance upon king Santanu while the\nmonarch was out a-hunting in the woods, came upon the twins. And seeing\nthe bow and arrows and deer-skin on the ground, he thought they might be\nthe offspring of some Brahmana proficient in the science of arms.\nDeciding thus, he took up the children along with the bow and arrows, and\nshowed what he had to the king. Beholding them the king was moved with\npity, and saying, 'Let these become my children,' brought them to his\npalace. Then that first of men, Santanu, the son of Pratipa having\nbrought Gautama's twins into his house, performed in respect of them the\nusual rites of religion. And he began to bring them up and called them\nKripa and Kripi, in allusion to the fact that he brought them up from\nmotives of pity (Kripa). The son of Gotama having left his former asylum,\ncontinued his study of the science of arms in right earnest. By his\nspiritual insight he learnt that his son and daughter were in the palace\nof Santanu. He thereupon went to the monarch and represented everything\nabout his lineage. He then taught Kripa the four branches of the science\nof arms, and various other branches of knowledge, including all their\nmysteries and recondite details. In a short time Kripa became an eminent\nprofessor of the science (of arms). And the hundred sons of\nDhritarashtra, and the Pandavas along with the Yadavas, and the Vrishnis,\nand many other princes from various lands, began to receive lessons from\nhim in that science.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXXXI\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Desirous of giving his grandsons a superior\neducation, Bhishma was on the look-out for a teacher endued with energy\nand well-skilled in the science of arms. Deciding, O chief of the\nBharatas, that none who was not possessed of great intelligence, none who\nwas not illustrious or a perfect master of the science of arms, none who\nwas not of godlike might, should be the instructor of the Kuru (princes),\nthe son of Ganga, O tiger among men, placed the Pandavas and the Kauravas\nunder the tuition of Bharadwaja's son, the intelligent Drona skilled in\nall the Vedas. Pleased with the reception given him by the great Bhishma,\nthat foremost of all men skilled in arms, viz., illustrious Drona of\nworld-wide fame, accepted the princes as his pupils. And Drona taught\nthem the science of arms in all its branches. And, O monarch, both the\nKauravas and the Pandavas endued with immeasurable strength, in a short\ntime became proficient in the use of all kinds of arms.'\n\n\"Janamejaya asked, 'O Brahmana, how was Drona born? How and whence did he\nacquire his arms? How and why came he unto the Kurus? Whose son also was\nhe endued with such energy? Again, how was his son Aswatthaman, the\nforemost of all skilled in arms born? I wish to hear all this! Please\nrecite them in detail.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'There dwelt at the source of the Ganga, a great sage\nnamed Bharadwaja, ceaselessly observing the most rigid vows. One day, of\nold, intending to celebrate the Agnihotra sacrifice he went along with\nmany great Rishis to the Ganga to perform his ablutions. Arrived at the\nbank of the stream, he saw Ghritachi herself, that Apsara endued with\nyouth and beauty, who had gone there a little before. With an expression\nof pride in her countenance, mixed with a voluptuous languor of attitude,\nthe damsel rose from the water after her ablutions were over. And as she\nwas gently treading on the bank, her attire which was loose became\ndisordered. Seeing her attire disordered, the sage was smitten with\nburning desire. The next moment his vital fluid came out, in consequence\nof the violence of his emotion. The Rishi immediately held it in a vessel\ncalled a drona. Then, O king, Drona sprang from the fluid thus preserved\nin that vessel by the wise Bharadwaja. And the child thus born studied\nall the Vedas and their branches. Before now Bharadwaja of great prowess\nand the foremost of those possessing a knowledge of arms, had\ncommunicated to the illustrious Agnivesa, a knowledge of the weapon\ncalled Agneya. O foremost one of Bharata's race, the Rishi (Agnivesa)\nsprung from fire now communicated the knowledge of that great weapon to\nDrona the son of his preceptor.\n\n\"There was a king named Prishata who was a great friend of Bharadwaja.\nAbout this time Prishata had a son born unto him, named Drupada. And that\nbull among Kshatriyas, viz., Drupada, the son of Prishata, used every day\nto come to the hermitage of Bharadwaja to play with Drona and study in\nhis company. O monarch, when Prishata was dead, this Drupada of mighty\narms became the king of the northern Panchalas. About this time the\nillustrious Bharadwaja also ascended to heaven. Drona continuing to\nreside in his father's hermitage devoted himself to ascetic austerities.\nHaving become well-versed in the Vedas and their branches and having\nburnt also all his sins by asceticism, the celebrated Drona, obedient to\nthe injunctions of his father and moved by the desire of offspring\nmarried Kripi, the daughter of Saradwat. And this woman, ever engaged in\nvirtuous acts and the Agnihotra, and the austerest of penances, obtained\na son named Aswatthaman. And as soon as Aswatthaman was born, he neighed\nlike the (celestial) steed Ucchaihsravas. Hearing that cry, an invisible\nbeing in the skies said, 'The voice of this child hath, like the neighing\nof a horse, been audible all around. The child shall, therefore, be known\nby the name of Aswatthaman, (the horse-voiced). The son of Bharadwaja\n(Drona) was exceedingly glad at having obtained that child. Continuing to\nreside in that hermitage he devoted himself to the study of the science\nof arms.\n\n\"O king, it was about this time that Drona heard that the illustrious\nBrahmana Jamadagnya, that slayer of foes, that foremost one among all\nwielders of weapons, versed in all kinds of knowledge, had expressed a\ndesire of giving away all his wealth to Brahmanas. Having heard of Rama's\nknowledge of arms and of his celestial weapons also, Drona set his heart\nupon them as also upon the knowledge of morality that Rama possessed.\nThen Drona of mighty arms, endued with high ascetic virtues, accompanied\nby disciples who were all devoted to vows ascetic austerities, set out\nfor the Mahendra mountains. Arrived at Mahendra, the son of Bharadwaja\npossessed of high ascetic merit, beheld the son of Bhrigu, the\nexterminator of all foes, endued with great patience and with mind under\ncomplete control. Then, approaching with his disciples that scion of the\nBhrigu race Drona, giving him his name, told him of his birth in the line\nof Angiras. And touching the ground with his head, he worshipped Rama's\nfeet. And beholding the illustrious son of Jamadagni intent upon retiring\ninto the woods after having given away all his wealth, Drona said, 'Know\nme to have sprung from Bharadwaja, but not in any woman's womb! I am a\nBrahmana of high birth, Drona by name, come to thee with the desire of\nobtaining thy wealth.'\n\n\"On hearing him, that illustrious grinder of the Kshatriya race replied,\nThou art welcome, O best of regenerate ones! Tell me what thou desirest.\nThus addressed by Rama, the son of Bharadwaja replied unto that foremost\nof all smiters, desirous of giving away the whole of his wealth, 'O thou\nof multifarious vows, I am a candidate for thy eternal wealth,' 'O thou\nof ascetic wealth, returned Rama, 'My gold and whatever other wealth I\nhad, have all been given away unto Brahmanas! This earth also, to the\nverge of the sea, decked with towns and cities, as with a garland of\nflowers, I have given unto Kasyapa. I have now my body only and my\nvarious valuable weapons left. I am prepared to give either my body or my\nweapons. Say, which thou wouldst have! I would give it thee! Say quickly!'\n\n\"Drona answered, O son of Bhrigu, it behoveth thee to give me all thy\nweapons together with the mysteries of hurling and recalling them.'\n\n\"Saying, 'So be it,' the son of Bhrigu gave all his weapons unto\nDrona,--indeed, the whole science of arms with its rules and mysteries.\nAccepting them all, and thinking himself amply rewarded that best of\nBrahmanas then, glad at heart, set out, for (the city of) his friend\nDrupada.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXXXII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Then, O king, the mighty son of Bharadyaja presented\nhimself before Drupada, and addressing that monarch, said, 'Know me for\nthy friend.' Thus addressed by his friend, the son of Bharadwaja, with a\njoyous heart, the lord of the Panchalas was ill-able to bear that speech.\nThe king, intoxicated with the pride of wealth, contracted his brows in\nwrath, and with reddened eyes spake these words unto Drona, 'O Brahmana,\nthy intelligence is scarcely of a high order, inasmuch as thou sayest\nunto me, all on a sudden, that thou art my friend! O thou of dull\napprehension, great kings can never be friends with such luckless and\nindigent wights as thou! It is true there had been friendship between\nthee and me before, for we were then both equally circumstanced. But Time\nthat impaireth everything in its course, impaireth friendship also. In\nthis world, friendship never endureth for ever in any heart. Time weareth\nit off and anger destroyeth it too. Do not stick, therefore, to that\nworn-off friendship. Think not of it any longer. The friendship I had\nwith thee, O first of Brahmanas, was for a particular purpose. Friendship\ncan never subsist between a poor man and a rich man, between a man of\nletters and an unlettered mind, between a hero and a coward. Why dost\nthou desire the continuance of our former friendship? There may be\nfriendship or hostility between persons equally situated as to wealth or\nmight. The indigent and the affluent can neither be friends nor quarrel\nwith each other. One of impure birth can never be a friend to one of pure\nbirth; one who is not a car-warrior can never be a friend to one who is\nso; and one who is not a king never have a king for his friend.\nTherefore, why dost thou desire the continuance of our former friendship?'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed by Drupada, the mighty son of\nBharadwaja became filled with wrath, and reflecting for a moment, made up\nhis mind as to his course of action. Seeing the insolence of the Panchala\nking, he wished to check it effectually. Hastily leaving the Panchala\ncapital Drona bent his steps towards the capital of the Kurus, named\nafter the elephant.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXXXIII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Arrived at Hastinapura, that best of Brahmanas, the\nson of Bharadwaja, continued to live privately in the house of Gautama\n(Kripa). His mighty son (Aswatthaman) at intervals of Kripa's teaching,\nused to give the sons of Kunti lessons in the use of arms. But as yet\nnone knew of Aswatthaman's prowess.\n\n\"Drona had thus lived privately for some time in the house of Kripa when\none day the heroic princes, all in a company, came out of Hastinapura.\nAnd coming out of the city, they began to play with a ball and roam about\nin gladness of heart. And it so happened that the ball with which they\nhad been playing fell into a well. And thereupon the princes strove their\nbest to recover it from the well. But all the efforts the princes made to\nrecover it proved futile. They then began to eye one another bashfully,\nand not knowing how to recover it, their anxiety became great. Just at\nthis time they beheld a Brahmana near enough unto them, of darkish hue,\ndecrepit and lean, sanctified by the performance of the Agnihotra and who\nhad finished his daily rites of worship. And beholding that illustrious\nBrahmana, the princes who had despaired of success surrounded him\nimmediately. Drona (for that Brahmana was no other), seeing the princes\nunsuccessful, and conscious of his own skill, smiled a little, and\naddressing them said, 'Shame on your Kshatriya might, and shame also on\nyour skill in arms! You have been born in the race of Bharata! How is it\nthat ye cannot recover the ball (from the bottom of this well)? If ye\npromise me a dinner today, I will, with these blades of grass, bring up\nnot only the ball ye have lost but this ring also that I now throw down!'\nThus saying, Drona that oppressor of foes, taking off his ring, threw it\ndown into the dry well. Then Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, addressing\nDrona, said, 'O Brahmana (thou askest for a trifle)! Do thou, with\nKripa's permission, obtain of us that which would last thee for life!'\nThus addressed, Drona with smiles replied unto the Bharata princes,\nsaying, 'This handful of long grass I would invest, by my mantras, with\nthe virtue of weapons. Behold these blades possess virtues that other\nweapons, have not! I will, with one of these blades, pierce the ball, and\nthen pierce that blade with another, and that another with a third, and\nthus shall I, by a chain, bring up the ball.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then Drona did exactly what he had said. And\nthe princes were all amazed and their eyes expanded with delight. And\nregarding what they had witnessed to be very extraordinary, they said, O\nlearned Brahmana, do thou bring up the ring also without loss of time.'\n\n\"Then the illustrious Drona, taking a bow with an arrow, pierced the ring\nwith that arrow and brought it up at once. And taking the ring thus\nbrought up from the well still pierced with his arrow, he coolly gave it\nto the astonished princes. Then the latter, seeing the ring thus\nrecovered, said, 'We bow to thee, O Brahmana! None else owneth such\nskill. We long to know who thou art and whose son. What also can we do\nfor thee?'\n\n\"Thus addressed, Drona replied unto the princes, saying, 'Do ye repair\nunto Bhishma and describe to him my likeness and skill. The mighty one\nwill recognize me.' The princes then saying, 'So be it,' repaired unto\nBhishma and telling him of the purport of that Brahmana's speech, related\neverything about his (extraordinary) feat. Hearing everything from the\nprinces, Bhishma at once understood that the Brahmana was none else than\nDrona, and thinking that he would make the best preceptor for the\nprinces, went in person unto him and welcoming him respectfully, brought\nhim over to the place. Then Bhishma, that foremost of all wielders of\narms, adroitly asked him the cause of his arrival at Hastinapura. Asked\nby him, Drona represented everything as it had happened, saying, 'O sir,\nin times past I went to the great Rishi Agnivesa for obtaining from him\nhis weapons, desirous also of learning the science of arms. Devoted to\nthe service of my preceptor, I lived with him for many years in the\nhumble guise of a Brahmacharin, with matted locks on my head. At that\ntime, actuated by the same motives, the prince of Panchala, the mighty\nYajnasena, also lived in the same asylum. He became my friend, always\nseeking my welfare. I liked him much. Indeed, we lived together for many,\nmany years. O thou of Kuru's race, from our earliest years we had studied\ntogether and, indeed, he was my friend from boyhood, always speaking and\ndoing what was agreeable to me. For gratifying me, O Bhishma, he used to\ntell me, 'O Drona, I am the favourite child of my illustrious father.\nWhen the king installeth me as monarch of the Panchalas, the kingdom\nshall be thine. O friend, this, indeed, is my solemn promise. My\ndominion, wealth and happiness, shall all be dependent on thee.' At last\nthe time came for his departure. Having finished his studies, he bent his\nsteps towards his country. I offered him my regards at the time, and,\nindeed, I remembered his words ever afterwards.\n\n\"Some time after, in obedience to the injunctions of my father and\ntempted also by the desire of offspring, I married Kripi of short hair,\nwho gifted with great intelligence, had observed many rigid vows, and was\never engaged in the Agnihotra and other sacrifices and rigid austerities.\nGautami, in time, gave birth to a son named Aswatthaman of great prowess\nand equal in splendour unto the Sun himself. Indeed, I was pleased on\nhaving obtained Aswatthaman as much as my father had been on obtaining me.\n\n\"And it so happened that one day the child Aswatthaman observing some\nrich men's sons drink milk, began to cry. At this I was so beside myself\nthat I lost all knowledge of the point of the compass. Instead of asking\nhim who had only a few kine (so that if he gave me one, he would no\nlonger be able to perform his sacrifices and thus sustain a loss of\nvirtue), I was desirous of obtaining a cow from one who had many, and for\nthat I wandered from country to country. But my wanderings proved\nunsuccessful, for I failed to obtain a milch cow. After I had come back\nunsuccessful, some of my son's playmates gave him water mixed with\npowdered rice. Drinking this, the poor boy, was deceived into the belief\nthat he had taken milk, and began to dance in joy, saying, 'O, I have\ntaken milk. I have taken milk!' Beholding him dance with joy amid these\nplaymates smiling at his simplicity, I was exceedingly touched. Hearing\nalso the derisive speeches of busy-bodies who said, 'Fie upon the\nindigent Drona, who strives not to earn wealth, whose son drinking water\nmixed with powdered rice mistaketh it for milk and danceth with joy,\nsaying, 'I have taken milk,--I have taken milk!'--I was quite beside\nmyself. Reproaching myself much, I at last resolved that even if I should\nhave to live cast off and censured by Brahmanas, I would not yet, from\ndesire of wealth, be anybody's servant, which is ever hateful. Thus\nresolved, O Bhishma, I went, for former friendship, unto the king of the\nSomakas, taking with me my dear child and wife. Hearing that he had been\ninstalled in the sovereignty (of the Somakas), I regarded myself as\nblessed beyond compare. Joyfully I went unto that dear friend of mine\nseated on the throne, remembering my former friendship with him and also\nhis own words to me. And, O illustrious one, approaching Drupada, I said,\n'O tiger among men, know me for thy friend!'--Saying this, I approached\nhim confidently as a friend should. But Drupada, laughing in derision\ncast me off as if I were a vulgar fellow. Addressing me he said, 'Thy\nintelligence scarcely seemeth to be of a high order inasmuch as\napproaching me suddenly, thou sayest thou art my friend! Time that\nimpaireth everything, impaireth friendship also. My former friendship\nwith thee was for a particular purpose. One of impure birth can never be\na friend of one who is of pure birth. One who is not a car-warrior can\nnever be a friend of one who is such. Friendship can only subsist between\npersons that are of equal rank, but not between those that are unequally\nsituated. Friendship never subsisteth for ever in my heart. Time\nimpaireth friendships, as also anger destroyeth them. Do thou not stick,\ntherefore, to that worn-off friendship between us. Think not of it any\nlonger. The friendship I had with thee, O best of Brahmanas, was for a\nspecial purpose. There cannot be friendship between a poor man and a rich\nman, between an unlettered hind and a man of letters, between a coward\nand a hero. Why dost thou, therefore, desire, the revival of our former\nfriendship? O thou of simple understanding, great kings can never have\nfriendship with such indigent and luckless wight as thou? One who is not\na king can never have a king for his friend. I do not remember ever\nhaving promised thee my kingdom. But, O Brahmana, I can now give thee\nfood and shelter for one night.'--Thus addressed by him, I left his\npresence quickly with my wife, vowing to do that which I will certainly\ndo soon enough. Thus insulted by Drupada, O Bhishma, I have been filled\nwith wrath, I have come to the Kurus, desirous of obtaining intelligent\nand docile pupils. I come to Hastinapura to gratify thy wishes. O, tell\nme what I am to do.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed by the son of Bharadwaja,\nBhishma said unto him, 'String thy bow, O Brahmana, and make the Kuru\nprinces accomplished in arms. Worshipped by the Kurus, enjoy with a glad\nheart to thy fill every comfort in their abode. Thou art the absolute\nlord, O Brahmana, of what ever wealth the Kurus have and of their\nsovereignty and kingdom! The Kurus are thine (from this day). Think that\nas already accomplished which may be in thy heart. Thou art, O Brahmana,\nobtained by us as the fruit of our great good luck. Indeed, the favour\nthou hast conferred upon me by thy arrival is great.'\n\n\n\nSECTION CXXXIV\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Thus worshipped by Bhishma, Drona, that first of\nmen, endued with great energy, took up his quarters in the abode of the\nKurus and continued to live there, receiving their adorations. After he\nhad rested a while, Bhishma, taking with him his grandsons, the Kaurava\nprinces, gave them unto him as pupils, making at the same time many\nvaluable presents. And the mighty one (Bhishma) also joyfully gave unto\nthe son of Bharadwaja a house that was tidy and neat and well-filled with\npaddy and every kind of wealth. And that first of archers, Drona,\nthereupon joyfully, accepted the Kauravas, viz., the sons of Pandu and\nDhritarashtra, as his pupils. And having accepted them all as his pupils,\none day Drona called them apart and making them touch his feet, said to\nthem with a swelling heart, 'I have in my heart a particular purpose.\nPromise me truly, ye sinless ones, that when ye have become skilled in\narms, ye will accomplish it.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these words, the Kuru princes remained\nsilent. But Arjuna, O king, vowed to accomplish it whatever it was. Drona\nthen cheerfully clasped Arjuna to his bosom and took the scent of his\nhead repeatedly, shedding tears of joy all the while. Then Drona endued\nwith great prowess taught the sons of Pandu (the use of) many weapons\nboth celestial and human. And, O bull of the Bharata race, many other\nprinces also flocked to that best of Brahmanas for instruction in arms.\nThe Vrishnis and the Andhakas, and princes from various lands, and the\n(adopted) son of Radha of the Suta caste, (Karna), all became pupils of\nDrona. But of them all, the Suta child Karna, from jealousy, frequently\ndefied Arjuna, and supported by Duryodhana, used to disregard the\nPandavas. Arjuna, however, from devotion to the science of arms, always\nstayed by the side of his preceptor, and in skill, strength of arms, and\nperseverance, excelled all (his class-fellows). Indeed, although the\ninstruction the preceptor gave, was the same in the case of all, yet in\nlightness and skill Arjuna became the foremost of all his fellow-pupils.\nAnd Drona was convinced that none of his pupils would (at any time) be\nable to be equal to that son of Indra.\n\n\"Thus Drona continued giving lessons to the princes in the science of\nweapons. And while he gave unto every one of his pupils a narrow-mouthed\nvessel (for fetching water) in order that much time may be spent in\nfilling them, he gave unto his own son Aswatthaman a broad-mouthed\nvessel, so that, filling it quickly, he might return soon enough. And in\nthe intervals so gained, Drona used to instruct his own son in several\nsuperior methods (of using weapons). Jishnu (Arjuna) came to know of\nthis, and thereupon filling his narrow-mouthed vessel with water by means\nof the Varuna weapon he used to come unto his preceptor at the same time\nwith his preceptor's son. And accordingly the intelligent son of Pritha,\nthat foremost of all men possessing a knowledge of weapons, had no\ninferiority to his preceptor's son in respect of excellence. Arjuna's\ndevotion to the service of his preceptor as also to arms was very great\nand he soon became the favourite of his preceptor. And Drona, beholding\nhis pupil's devotion to arms, summoned the cook, and told him in secret,\n'Never give Arjuna his food in the dark, nor tell him that I have told\nthee this.' A few days after, however, when Arjuna was taking his food, a\nwind arose, and thereupon the lamp that had been burning went out. But\nArjuna, endued with energy, continued eating in the dark, his hand, from\nhabit, going to his mouth. His attention being thus called to the force\nof habit, the strong-armed son of Pandu set his heart upon practising\nwith his bow in the night. And, O Bharata, Drona, hearing the twang of\nhis bowstring in the night, came to him, and clasping him, said, 'Truly\ndo I tell thee that I shall do that unto thee by which there shall not be\nan archer equal to thee in this world.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thereafter Drona began to teach Arjuna the art\nof fighting on horse-back, on the back of elephants, on car, and on the\nground. And the mighty Drona also instructed Arjuna in fighting with the\nmace, the sword, the lance, the spear, and the dart. And he also\ninstructed him in using many weapons and fighting with many men at the\nsame time. And hearing reports of his skill, kings and princes, desirous\nof learning the science of arms, flocked to Drona by thousands. Amongst\nthose that came there, O monarch, was a prince named Ekalavya, who was\nthe son of Hiranyadhanus, king of the Nishadas (the lowest of the mixed\norders). Drona, however, cognisant of all rules of morality, accepted not\nthe prince as his pupil in archery, seeing that he was a Nishada who\nmight (in time) excel all his high-born pupils. But, O oppressor of all\nenemies, the Nishada prince, touching Drona's feet with bent head, wended\nhis way into the forest, and there he made a clay-image of Drona, and\nbegan to worship it respectfully, as if it was his real preceptor, and\npractised weapons before it with the most rigid regularity. In\nconsequence of his exceptional reverence for his preceptor and his\ndevotion to his purpose, all the three processes of fixing arrows on the\nbowstring, aiming, and letting off became very easy for him.\n\n\"And one day, O grinder of foes, the Kuru and the Pandava princes, with\nDrona's leave, set out in their cars on a hunting excursion. A servant, O\nking, followed the party at leisure, with the usual implements and a dog.\nHaving come to the woods, they wandered about, intent on the purpose they\nhad in view. Meanwhile, the dog also, in wandering alone in the woods,\ncame upon the Nishada prince (Ekalavya). And beholding the Nishada of\ndark hue, of body besmeared with filth, dressed in black and bearing\nmatted locks on head, the dog began to bark aloud.\n\n\"Thereupon the Nishada prince, desirous of exhibiting his lightness of\nhand, sent seven arrows into its mouth (before it could shut it). The\ndog, thus pierced with seven arrows, came back to the Pandavas. Those\nheroes, who beheld that sight, were filled with wonder, and, ashamed of\ntheir own skill, began to praise the lightness of hand and precision of\naim by auricular precision (exhibited by the unknown archer). And they\nthereupon began to seek in those woods for the unknown dweller therein\nthat had shown such skill. And, O king, the Pandavas soon found out the\nobject of their search ceaselessly discharging arrows from the bow. And\nbeholding that man of grim visage, who was totally a stranger to them,\nthey asked, 'Who art thou and whose son?' Thus questioned, the man\nreplied, 'Ye heroes, I am the son of Hiranyadhanus, king of the Nishadas.\nKnow me also for a pupil of Drona, labouring for the mastery of the art\nof arms.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'The Pandavas then, having made themselves\nacquainted with everything connected with him, returned (to the city),\nand going unto Drona, told him of that wonderful feat of archery which\nthey had witnessed in the woods. Arjuna, in particular, thinking all the\nwhile, O king, Ekalavya, saw Drona in private and relying upon his\npreceptor's affection for him, said, 'Thou hadst lovingly told me,\nclasping me, to thy bosom, that no pupil of thine should be equal to me.\nWhy then is there a pupil of thine, the mighty son of the Nishada king,\nsuperior to me?\"\n\n'Vaisampayana continued, 'On hearing these words, Drona reflected for a\nmoment, and resolving upon the course of action he should follow, took\nArjuna with him and went unto the Nishada prince. And he beheld Ekalavya\nwith body besmeared with filth, matted locks (on head), clad in rags,\nbearing a bow in hand and ceaselessly shooting arrows therefrom. And when\nEkalavya saw Drona approaching towards him, he went a few steps forward,\nand touched his feet and prostrated himself on the ground. And the son of\nthe Nishada king worshipping Drona, duly represented himself as his\npupil, and clasping his hands in reverence stood before him (awaiting his\ncommands). Then Drona, O king, addressed Ekalavya, saying, 'If, O hero,\nthou art really my pupil, give me then my fees.' On hearing these words,\nEkalavya was very much gratified, and said in reply, 'O illustrious\npreceptor, what shall I give? Command me; for there is nothing, O\nforemost of all persons conversant with the Vedas, that I may not give\nunto my preceptor.' Drona answered, 'O Ekalavya, if thou art really\nintent on making me a gift, I should like then to have the thumb of thy\nright hand.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these cruel words of Drona, who had\nasked of him his thumb as tuition-fee, Ekalavya, ever devoted to truth\nand desirous also of keeping his promise, with a cheerful face and an\nunafflicted heart cut off without ado his thumb, and gave it unto Drona.\nAfter this, when the Nishada prince began once more to shoot with the\nhelp of his remaining fingers, he found, O king, that he had lost his\nformer lightness of hand. And at this Arjuna became happy, the fever (of\njealousy) having left him.\n\n\"Two of Drona's pupils became very much accomplished in the use of mace.\nThese were Druvodhana and Bhima, who were, however, always jealous of\neach other. Aswatthaman excelled everyone (in the mysteries of the\nscience of arms). The twins (Nakula and Sahadeva) excelled everybody in\nhandling the sword. Yudhishthira surpassed everybody as a car-warrior;\nbut Arjuna, however, outdistanced everyone in every respect--in\nintelligence, resourcefulness, strength and perseverance. Accomplished in\nall weapons, Arjuna became the foremost of even the foremost of\ncar-warriors; and his fame spread all over the earth to the verge of the\nsea. And although the instruction was the same, the mighty Arjuna\nexcelled all (the princes in lightness of hand). Indeed, in weapons as in\ndevotion to his preceptor, he became the foremost of them all. And\namongst all the princes, Arjuna alone became an Atiratha (a car-warrior\ncapable of fighting at one time with sixty thousand foes). And the wicked\nsons of Dhritarashtra, beholding Bhimasena endued with great strength and\nArjuna accomplished in all arms, became very jealous of them.\n\n\"O bull among men, one day Drona desirous of testing the comparative\nexcellence of all his pupils in the use of arms, collected them all\ntogether after their education had been completed. And before assembling\nthem together, he had caused an artificial bird, as the would be aim, to\nbe placed on the top of a neighbouring tree. And when they were all\ntogether, Drona said unto them, 'Take up your bows quickly and stand here\naiming at that bird on the tree, with arrows fixed on your bowstrings;\nshoot and cut off the bird's head, as soon as I give the order. I shall\ngive each of you a turn, one by one, my children.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then Drona, that foremost of all Angira's sons\nfirst addressed Yudhishthira saying, 'O irrepressible one, aim with thy\narrow and shoot as soon as I give the order. Yudhishthira took up the bow\nfirst, as desired, O king, by his preceptor, and stood aiming at the\nbird. But, O bull of Bharata's race, Drona in an instant, addressing the\nKuru prince standing with bow in hand, said, 'Behold, O prince, that bird\non top of the tree.' Yudhishthira replied unto his preceptor, saying, 'I\ndo.' But the next instant Drona again asked him, 'What dost thou see now,\nO prince? Seest thou the tree, myself or thy brothers?' Yudhishthira\nanswered, 'I see the tree, myself, my brothers, and the bird.' Drona\nrepeated his question, but was answered as often in the same words. Drona\nthen, vexed with Yudhishthira, reproachingly said, 'Stand thou apart. It\nis not for thee to strike the aim.' Then Drona repeated the experiment\nwith Duryodhana and the other sons of Dhritarashtra, one after another,\nas also with his other pupils, Bhima and the rest, including the princes\nthat had come unto him from other lands. But the answer in every case was\nthe same as Yudhishthira's viz., 'We behold the tree, thyself, our\nfellow-pupils, and the bird.' And reproached by their preceptor, they\nwere all ordered, one after another, to stand apart.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXXXV\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'When everyone had failed, Drona smilingly called\nArjuna and said unto him, 'By thee the aim must be shot; therefore, turn\nthy eyes to it. Thou must let fly the arrow as soon as I give the order.\nTherefore, O son, stand here with bow and arrow for an instant.' Thus\naddressed, Arjuna stood aiming at the bird as desired by his preceptor,\nwith his bow bent. An instant after Drona asked him as in the case of\nothers, 'Seest thou, O Arjuna, the bird there, the tree, and myself?'\nArjuna replied, 'I see the bird only, but nor the tree, or thyself.' Then\nthe irrepressible Drona, well-pleased with Arjuna, the instant after,\nagain said unto that mighty car-warrior amongst the Pandavas, 'If thou\nseest the vulture, then describe it to me.' Arjuna said, I see only the\nhead of the vulture, not its body.' At these words of Arjuna, the hair\n(on Drona's body) stood on end from delight. He then said to Partha,\n'Shoot.' And the latter instantly let fly (his arrow) and with his sharp\nshaft speedily struck off the head of the vulture on the tree and brought\nit down to the ground. No sooner was the deed done than Drona clasped\nPhalguna to his bosom and thought Drupada with his friends had already\nbeen vanquished in fight.\n\n\"Some time after, O bull of Bharata's race, Drona, accompanied by all of\nhis pupils, went to the bank of the Ganga to bathe in that sacred stream.\nAnd when Drona had plunged into the stream, a strong alligator, sent as\nit were, by Death himself seized him by the thigh. And though himself\nquite capable, Drona in a seeming hurry asked his pupil to rescue him.\nAnd he said, 'O, kill this monster and rescue me.' Contemporaneously with\nthis speech, Vibhatsu (Arjuna) struck the monster within the water with\nfive sharp arrows irresistible in their course, while the other pupils\nstood confounded, each at his place. Beholding Arjuna's readiness, Drona\nconsidered him to be the foremost of all his pupils, and became highly\npleased. The monster, in the meantime cut into pieces by the arrows of\nArjuna, released the thigh of illustrious Drona and gave up the ghost.\nThe son of Bharadwaja then addressed the illustrious and mighty\ncar-warrior Arjuna and said, 'Accept, O thou of mighty arms, this very\nsuperior and irresistible weapon called Brahmasira with the methods of\nhurling and recalling it. Thou must not, however, ever use it against any\nhuman foe, for if hurled at any foe endued with inferior energy, it might\nburn the whole universe. It is said, O child, that this weapon hath not a\npeer in the three worlds. Keep it, therefore, with great care, and listen\nto what I say. If ever, O hero, any foe, not human, contendeth against\nthee thou mayst then employ it against him for compassing his death in\nbattle.' Pledging himself to do what he was bid, Vibhatsu then, with\njoined hands, received that great weapon.\n\nThe preceptor then, addressing him again, said, 'None else in this world\nwill ever become a superior bowman to thee. Vanquished thou shall never\nbe by any foe, and thy achievements will be great.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXXXVI\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'O thou of Bharata's race, beholding the sons of\nDhritarashtra and Pandu accomplished in arms, Drona, O monarch, addressed\nking Dhritarashtra, in the presence of Kripa, Somadatta, Valhika, the\nwise son of Ganga (Bhishma), Vyasa, and Vidura, and said, 'O best of Kuru\nkings, thy children have completed their education. With thy permission,\nO king, let them now show their proficiency.' Hearing him, the king said\nwith a gladdened heart, 'O best of Brahmanas, thou hast, indeed,\naccomplished a great deed. Command me thyself as to the place and the\ntime where and when and the manner also in which the trial may be held.\nGrief arising from my own blindness maketh me envy those who, blessed\nwith sight, will behold my children's prowess in arm. O Kshatri (Vidura),\ndo all that Drona sayeth. O thou devoted to virtue, I think there is\nnothing that can be more agreeable to me.' Then Vidura, giving the\nnecessary assurance to the king, went out to do what he was bid. And\nDrona endued with great wisdom, then measured out a piece of land that\nwas void of trees and thickets and furnished with wells and springs. And\nupon the spot of land so measured out, Drona, that first of eloquent men,\nselecting a lunar day when the star ascendant was auspicious, offered up\nsacrifice unto the gods in the presence of the citizens assembled by\nproclamation to witness the same. And then, O bull among men, the\nartificers of the king built thereon a large and elegant stage according\nto the rules laid down in the scriptures, and it was furnished with all\nkinds of weapons. They also built another elegant hall for the\nlady-spectators. And the citizens constructed many platforms while the\nwealthier of them pitched many spacious and high tents all around.\n\n\"When the day fixed for the Tournament came, the king accompanied by his\nministers, with Bhishma and Kripa, the foremost of preceptors, walking\nahead, came unto that theatre of almost celestial beauty constructed of\npure gold, and decked with strings of pearls and stones of lapis lazuli.\nAnd, O first of victorious men, Gandhari blessed with great good fortune\nand Kunti, and the other ladies of the royal house-hold, in gorgeous\nattire and accompanied by their waiting women, joyfully ascended the\nplatforms, like celestial ladies ascending the Sumeru mountain. And the\nfour orders including the Brahmanas and Kshatriyas, desirous of beholding\nthe princes' skill in arms, left the city and came running to the spot.\nAnd so impatient was every one to behold the spectacle, that the vast\ncrowd assembled there in almost an instant. And with the sounds of\ntrumpets and drums and the noise of many voices, that vast concourse\nappeared like an agitated ocean.\n\n\"At last, Drona accompanied by his son, dressed in white (attire), with a\nwhite sacred thread, white locks, white beard, white garlands, and white\nsandal-paste rubbed over his body, entered the lists. It seemed as if the\nMoon himself accompanied by the planet Mars appeared in an unclouded sky.\nOn entering Bharadwaja performed timely worship and caused Brahmanas\nversed in mantras to celebrate the auspicious rites. And after auspicious\nand sweet-sounding musical instruments had been struck up as a\npropitiatory ceremony, some persons entered, equipped with various arms.\nAnd then having girded up their loins, those mighty warriors, those\nforemost ones of Bharata's race (the princes) entered, furnished with\nfinger-protectors (gauntlet), and bows, and quivers. And with\nYudhishthira at their head, the valiant princes entered in order of age\nand began to show wonderful skill with their weapons. Some of the\nspectators lowered their heads, apprehending fall of arrows while others\nfearlessly gazed on with wonder. And riding swiftly on horses and\nmanaging them 'dexterously' the princes began to hit marks with shafts\nengraved with their respective names. And seeing the prowess of the\nprinces armed with bows and arrows, the spectators thought that they were\nbeholding the city of the Gandharvas, became filled with amazement. And,\nO Bharata, all on a sudden, some hundreds and thousands, with eyes wide\nopen in wonder, exclaimed, 'Well done! Well done!' And having repeatedly\ndisplayed their skill and dexterity in the use of bows and arrows and in\nthe management of cars, the mighty warriors took up their swords and\nbucklers, and began to range the lists, playing their weapons. The\nspectators saw (with wonder) their agility, the symmetry of their bodies,\ntheir grace, their calmness, the firmness of their grasp and their\ndeftness in the use of sword and buckler. Then Vrikodara and Suyodhana,\ninternally delighted (at the prospect of fight), entered the arena, mace\nin hand, like two single-peaked mountains. And those mighty-armed\nwarriors braced their loins, and summoning all their energy, roared like\ntwo infuriate elephants contending for a cow-elephant; and like two\ninfuriated elephants those mighty heroes faultlessly (in consonance with\nthe dictates of the science of arm) careered right and left, circling the\nlists. And Vidura described to Dhritarashtra and the mother of the\nPandavas (Kunti) and Gandhari, all the feats of the princes.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXXXVII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Upon the Kuru king and Bhima, the foremost of\nall endued with strength, having entered the arena, the spectators were\ndivided into two parties in consequence of the partiality swaying their\naffections. Some cried, 'Behold the heroic king of the\nKurus!'--some--'Behold Bhima!'--And on account of these cries, there was,\nall on a sudden, a loud uproar. And seeing the place become like a\ntroubled ocean, the intelligent Bharadwaja said unto his dear son,\nAswatthaman, 'Restrain both these mighty warriors so proficient in arms.\nLet not the ire of the assembly be provoked by this combat of Bhima and\nDuryodhana.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then the son of the preceptor of the princes\nrestrained those combatants with their maces uplifted and resembling two\nswollen oceans agitated by the winds that blow at the universal\ndissolution. And Drona himself entering the yard of the arena commanded\nthe musicians to stop, and with a voice deep as that of the clouds\naddressed these words, 'Behold ye now that Partha who is dearer to me\nthan my own son, the master of all arms, the son of Indra himself, and\nlike unto the younger brother of Indra, (Vishnu)! And having performed\nthe propitiatory rites, the youthful Phalguna, equipped with the finger\nprotector (gauntlet) and his quiver full of shafts and bow in hand,\ndonning his golden mail, appeared in the lists even like an evening cloud\nreflecting the rays of the setting sun and illumined by the hues of the\nrainbow and flashes of lightning.\n\n\"On seeing Arjuna, the whole assembly were delighted and conchs began to\nbe blown all around with other musical instruments. And there arose a\ngreat uproar in consequence of the spectators' exclaiming,--'This is the\ngraceful son of Kunti!'--'This is the middle (third) Pandava!'--'This is\nthe son of the mighty Indra!'--'This is the protector of the\nKurus'--'This is the foremost of those versed in arms!'--'This is the\nforemost of all cherishers of virtue!'--'This is the foremost of the\npersons of correct behaviour, the great repository of the knowledge of\nmanners!' At those exclamations, the tears of Kunti, mixing with the milk\nof her breast, wetted her bosom. And his ears being filled with that\nuproar, that first of men, Dhritarashtra, asked Vidura in delight, 'O\nKshatri, what is this great uproar for, like unto that of the troubled\nocean, arising all on a sudden and rending the very heavens?' Vidura\nreplied, 'O mighty monarch, the son of Pandu and Pritha, Phalguna, clad\nin mail hath entered the lists. And hence this uproar!' Dhritarashtra\nsaid, 'O thou of soul so great, by the three fires sprung from Pritha who\nis even like the sacred fuel, I have, indeed, been blessed, favoured and\nprotected!'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'When the spectators, excited with delight, had\nsomewhat regained their equanimity, Vibhatsu began to display his\nlightness in the use of weapons. By the Agneya weapon, he created fire,\nand by the Varuna weapon he created water, by the Vayavya weapon, he\ncreated air, and by the Parjanya weapon he created clouds. And by the\nBhauma weapon, he created land, and by the Parvatya weapon, he brought\nmountains into being. By the Antardhana weapon all these were made to\ndisappear. Now the beloved one of his preceptor (Arjuna) appeared tall\nand now short; now he was seen on the yoke of his car, and now on the car\nitself; and the next moment he was on the ground. And the hero favoured\nby his practised dexterity, hit with his various butts--some tender, some\nfine and some of thick composition. And like one shaft, he let fly at a\ntime into the mouth of a moving iron-boar five shafts together from his\nbow-string. And that hero of mighty energy discharged one and twenty\narrows into the hollow of a cow's horn hung up on a rope swaying to and\nfro. In this manner, O sinless one, Arjuna showed his profound skill in\nthe use of sword, bow, and mace, walking over the lists in circles.\n\n\"And, O Bharata, when the exhibition had well-nigh ended, the excitement\nof the spectators had cooled, and the sounds of instruments had died out\nthere was heard proceeding from the gate, the slapping of arms,\nbetokening might and strength, and even like unto the roar of the\nthunder. And, O king, as soon as this sound was heard, the assembled\nmultitude instantly thought, 'Are the mountains splitting or is the earth\nitself rending asunder, or is the welkin resounding with the roar of\ngathering clouds? And then all the spectators turned their eyes towards\nthe gate. And Drona stood, surrounded by the five brothers, the sons of\nPritha, and looked like the moon in conjunction with the five-starred\nconstellation Hasta. And Duryodhana, that slayer of foes, stood up in\nhaste and was surrounded by his century of haughty brothers with\nAswatthaman amongst them. And that prince, mace in hand, thus surrounded\nby his hundred brothers with uplifted weapons appeared like Purandara in\ndays of yore, encircled by the celestial host on the occasion of the\nbattle with the Danavas.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXXXVIII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'When the spectators, with eyes expanded with\nwonder, made way for that subjugator of hostile cities, Karna, that hero\nwith his natural mail and face brightened with ear-rings, took up his bow\nand girded on his sword, and then entered the spacious lists, like a\nwalking cliff. That far-famed destroyer of hostile hosts, the large-eyed\nKarna, was born of Pritha in her maidenhood. He was a portion of the\nhot-beamed Sun and his energy and prowess were like unto those of the\nlion, or the bull, or the leader of a herd of elephants. In splendour he\nresembled the Sun, in loveliness the Moon, and in energy the fire.\nBegotten by the Sun himself, he was tall in stature like a golden palm\ntree, and, endued with the vigour of youth, he was capable of slaying a\nlion. Handsome in features, he was possessed of countless\naccomplishments. The mighty-armed warrior, eyeing all around the arena,\nbowed indifferently to Drona and Kripa. And the entire assembly,\nmotionless and with steadfast gaze, thought, 'Who is he?' And they became\nagitated in their curiosity to know the warrior. And that foremost of\neloquent men, the offspring of the Sun, in a voice deep as that of the\nclouds, addressed his unknown brother, the son of the subduer of the\nAsura, Paka (Indra), saying, 'O Partha, I shall perform feats before this\ngazing multitude; excelling all thou hast performed! Beholding them, thou\nshall be amazed.' And, O thou best of those blest with speech, he had\nhardly done when the spectators stood up all at once, uplifted by some\ninstrument, as it were. And, O tiger among men, Duryodhana was filled\nwith delight, while Vibhatsu was instantly all abashment and anger. Then\nwith the permission of Drona, the mighty Karna, delighting in battle,\nthere did all that Partha had done before. And, O Bharata, Duryodhana\nwith his brothers thereupon embraced Karna in joy and then addressed him\nsaying, 'Welcome O mighty-armed warrior! I have obtained thee by good\nfortune, O polite one! Live thou as thou pleasest, and command me, and\nthe kingdom of the Kurus.' Kama replied, 'When thou hast said it, I\nregard it as already accomplished. I only long for thy friendship. And, O\nlord, my wish is even for a single combat with Arjuna.' Duryodhana said,\n'Do thou with me enjoy the good things of life! Be thou the benefactor of\nthy friend, and, O represser of enemies, place thou thy feet on the heads\nof all foes.\"\n\n\"Vaisampayanacontinued, 'Arjuna, after this, deeming himself disgraced,\nsaid unto Karna stationed amidst the brothers like unto a cliff, 'That\npath which the unwelcome intruder and the uninvited talker cometh to,\nshall be thine, O Karna, for thou shall be slain by me.' Karna replied,\n'This arena is meant for all, not for thee alone, O Phalguna! They are\nkings who are superior in energy; and verily the Kshatriya regardeth\nmight and might alone. What need of altercation which is the exercise of\nthe weak? O Bharata, speak then in arrows until with arrows I strike off\nthy head today before the preceptor himself!'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hastily embraced by his brothers, Partha that\nsubduer of hostile cities, with the permission of Drona, advanced for the\ncombat. On the other side, Karna, having been embraced by Duryodhana with\nhis brothers, taking up his bow and arrows, stood ready for the fight.\nThen the firmament became enveloped in clouds emitting flashes of\nlightning, and the coloured bow of Indra appeared shedding its effulgent\nrays. And the clouds seemed to laugh on account of the rows of white\ncranes that were then on the wing. And seeing Indra thus viewing the\narena from affection (for his son), the sun too dispersed the clouds from\nover his own offspring. And Phalguna remained deep hid under cover of the\nclouds, while Karna remained visible, being surrounded by the rays of the\nSun. And the son of Dhritarashtra stood by Karna, and Bharadwaja and\nKripa and Bhishma remained with Partha. And the assembly was divided, as\nalso the female spectators. And knowing the state of things, Kunti the\ndaughter of Bhoja, swooned away. And by the help of female attendants,\nVidura, versed in the lore of all duties, revived the insensible Kunti by\nsprinkling sandal-paste and water on her person. On being restored to\nconsciousness, Kunti, seeing her two sons clad in mail, was seized with\nfear, but she could do nothing (to protect them). And beholding both the\nwarriors with bows strung in their hands the son of Saradwat, viz.,\nKripa, knowing all duties and cognisant of the rules regulating duels,\naddressed Karna, saying 'This Pandava, who is the youngest son of Kunti,\nbelongeth to the Kaurava race: he will engage in combat with thee. But, O\nmighty-armed one, thou too must tell us thy lineage and the names of thy\nfather and mother and the royal line of which thou art the ornament.\nLearning all this, Partha will fight with thee or not (as he will think\nfit). Sons of kings never fight with men of inglorious lineage.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'When he was thus addressed by Kripa, Karna's\ncountenance became like unto a lotus pale and torn with the pelting\nshowers in the rainy season. Duryodhana said, 'O preceptor, verily the\nscriptures have it that three classes of persons can lay claim to\nroyalty, viz., persons of the blood royal, heroes, and lastly, those that\nlead armies. If Phalguna is unwilling to fight with one who is not a\nking, I will install Karna as king of Anga.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'At that very moment, seated on a golden seat, with\nparched paddy and with flowers and water-pots and much gold, the mighty\nwarrior Karna was installed king by Brahmanas versed in mantras. And the\nroyal umbrella was held over his head, while Yak-tails waved around that\nredoubtable hero of graceful mien. And the cheers, having ceased, king\n(Karna) said unto the Kaurava Duryodhana, 'O tiger among monarchs, what\nshall I give unto thee that may compare with thy gift of a kingdom? O\nking, I will do all thou biddest!' And Suyodhana said unto him, 'I\neagerly wish for thy friendship.' Thus spoken to, Karna replied, 'Be it\nso.' And they embraced each other in joy, and experienced great\nhappiness.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXXXIX\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'After this, with his sheet loosely hanging down,\nAdhiratha entered the lists, perspiring and trembling, and supporting\nhimself on a staff.\n\n\"Seeing him, Karna left his bow and impelled by filial regard bowed down\nhis head still wet with the water of inauguration. And them the\ncharioteer, hurriedly covering his feet with the end of his sheet,\naddressed Karna crowned with success as his son. And the charioteer\nembraced Karna and from excess of affection bedewed his head with tears,\nthat head still wet with the water sprinkled over it on account of the\ncoronation as king of Anga. Seeing the charioteer, the Pandava Bhimasena\ntook Karna for a charioteer's son, and said by way of ridicule, 'O son of\na charioteer, thou dost not deserve death in fight at the hands of\nPartha. As befits thy race take thou anon the whip. And, O worst of\nmortals, surely thou art not worthy to sway the kingdom of Anga, even as\na dog doth not deserve the butter placed before the sacrificial fire.'\nKarna, thus addressed, with slightly quivering lips fetched a deep sigh,\nlooked at the God of the day in the skies. And even as a mad elephant\nriseth from an assemblage of lotuses, the mighty Duryodhana rose in wrath\nfrom among his brothers, and addressed that performer of dreadful deeds,\nBhimasena, present there, 'O Vrikodara, it behoveth thee not to speak\nsuch words. Might is the cardinal virtue of a Kshatriya, and even a\nKshatriya of inferior birth deserveth to be fought with. The lineage of\nheroes, like the sources of a lordly river, is ever unknown. The fire\nthat covereth the whole world riseth from the waters. The thunder that\nslayeth the Danavas was made of a bone of (a mortal named) Dadhichi. The\nillustrious deity Guha, who combines in his composition the portions of\nall the other deities is of a lineage unknown. Some call him the\noffspring of Agni; some, of Krittika, some, of Rudra, and some of Ganga.\nIt hath been heard by us that persons born in the Kashatriya order have\nbecome Brahmanas. Viswamitra and others (born Kshatriyas) have obtained\nthe eternal Brahma. The foremost of all wielders of weapons, the\npreceptor Drona hath been born in a waterpot and Kripa of the race of\nGotama hath sprung from a clump of heath. Your own births, ye Pandava\nprinces, are known to me. Can a she-deer bring forth a tiger (like\nKarna), of the splendour of the Sun, and endued with every auspicious\nmark, and born also with a natural mail and ear-rings? This prince among\nmen deserveth the sovereignty of the world, not of Anga only, in\nconsequence of the might of his arm and my swearing to obey him in\neverything. If there be anybody here to whom all that I have done unto\nKarna hath become intolerable, let him ascend his chariot and bend his\nbow with the help of his feet.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then there arose a confused murmur amongst the\nspectators approving of Duryodhana's speech. The sun, however, went down,\nbut prince Duryodhana taking Karna's hand led him out of the arena\nlighted with countless lamps. And, O king, the Pandavas also, accompanied\nby Drona and Kripa and Bhishma, returned to their abodes. And the people,\ntoo, came away, some naming Arjuna, some Karna, and some Duryodhana (as\nthe victor of the day). And Kunti, recognising her son in Karna by the\nvarious auspicious marks on his person and beholding him installed in the\nsovereignty of Anga, was from motherly affection, very pleased. And\nDuryodhana, O monarch, having obtained Karna (in this way), banished his\nfears arising out of Arjuna's proficiency in arms. And the heroic Karna,\naccomplished in arms, began to gratify Duryodhana by sweet speeches,\nwhile Yudhishthira was impressed with the belief that there was no\nwarrior on earth like unto Karna.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXL\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Beholding the Pandavas and the son of\nDhritarashtra accomplished in arms, Drona thought the time had come when\nhe could demand the preceptorial fee. And, O king, assembling his pupils\none day together, the preceptor Drona asked of them the fee, saying,\n'Seize Drupada, the king of Panchala in battle and bring him unto me.\nThat shall be the most acceptable fee.' Those warriors then answering,\n'So be it', speedily mounted up on their chariots, and for bestowing upon\ntheir preceptor the fee he had demanded, marched out, accompanied by him.\nThose bulls among men, smiting the Panchalas on their way, laid siege to\nthe capital of the great Drupada. And Duryodhana and Karna and the mighty\nYuyutsu, and Duhsasana and Vikarna and Jalasandha and Sulochana,--these\nand many other foremost of Kshatriya princes of great prowess, vied with\none another in becoming the foremost in the attack. And the princes,\nriding in first class chariots and following the cavalry, entered the\nhostile capital, and proceeded along the streets.\n\n\"Meanwhile, the king of Panchala, beholding that mighty force and hearing\nits loud clamour, came out of his palace, accompanied by his brothers.\nThough king Yajnasena was well-armed, the Kuru army assailed him with a\nshower of arrows, uttering their war-cry. Yajnasena, however, not easy to\nbe subdued in battle, approaching the Kurus upon his white chariot, began\nto rain his fierce arrows around.\n\n\"Before the battle commenced, Arjuna, beholding the pride of prowess\ndisplayed by the princes, addressed his preceptor, that best of\nBrahmanas, Drona, and said, 'We shall exert ourselves after these have\ndisplayed their prowess. The king of Panchala can never be taken on the\nfield of the battle by any of these. Having said this, the sinless son of\nKunti surrounded by his brothers, waited outside the town at a distance\nof a mile from it. Meanwhile Drupada beholding the Kuru host, rushed\nforward and pouring a fierce shower of arrows around, terribly afflicted\nthe Kuru ranks. And such was his lightness of motion on the field of\nbattle that, though he was fighting unsupported on a single chariot, the\nKurus from panic supposed that there were many Drupadas opposed to them.\nAnd the fierce arrows of that monarch fell fast on all sides, till conchs\nand trumpets and drums by thousands began to be sounded by the Panchalas\nfrom their houses (giving the alarm). Then there arose from the mighty\nPanchala host a roar terrible as that of the lion, while the twang of\ntheir bow-strings seemed to rend the very heavens. Then Duryodhana and\nVikarna, Suvahu and Dirghalochana and Duhsasana becoming furious, began\nto shower their arrows upon the enemy. But the mighty bowman, Prishata's\nson, invincible in battle, though very much pierced with the arrows of\nthe enemy, instantly began, O Bharata, to afflict the hostile ranks with\ngreater vigour. And careering over the field of battle like a fiery\nwheel, king Drupada with his arrows smote Duryodhana and Vikarna and even\nthe mighty Karna and many other heroic princes and numberless warriors,\nand slaked their thirst for battle. Then all the citizens showered upon\nthe Kurus various missiles like clouds showering rain-drops upon the\nearth. Young and old, they all rushed to battle, assailing the Kurus with\nvigour. The Kauravas, then, O Bharata, beholding the battle become\nfrightful, broke and fled wailing towards the Pandavas.\n\n\"The Pandavas, hearing the terrible wail of the beaten host,\nreverentially saluted Drona and ascended their chariots. Then Arjuna\nhastily bidding Yudhishthira not to engage in the fight, rushed forward,\nappointing the sons of Madri (Nakula and Sahadeva) the protectors of his\nchariot-wheels, while Bhimasena ever fighting in the van, mace in hand,\nran ahead. The sinless Arjuna, thus accompanied by his brothers, hearing\nthe shouts of the enemy, advanced towards them, filling the whole region\nwith the rattle of his chariot-wheels. And like a Makara entering the\nsea, the mighty-armed Bhima, resembling a second Yama, mace in hand,\nentered the Panchala ranks, fiercely roaring like the ocean in a tempest.\nAnd Bhima, mace in hand, first rushed towards the array of elephants in\nthe hostile force, while Arjuna, proficient in battle, assailed that\nforce with the prowess of his arms. And Bhima, like the great Destroyer\nhimself, began to slay those elephants with his mace. Those huge animals,\nlike unto mountains, struck with Bhima's mace, had their heads broken\ninto pieces. Covered with stream of blood, they began to fall upon the\nground like cliffs loosened by thunder. And the Pandavas prostrated on\nthe ground elephants and horses and cars by thousands and slew many\nfoot-soldiers and many car-warriors. Indeed, as a herdsman in the woods\ndriveth before him with his staff countless cattle with ease, so did\nVrikodara drive before him the chariots and elephants of the hostile\nforce.\n\n\"Meanwhile, Phalguna, impelled by the desire of doing good unto\nBharadwaja's son, assailed the son of Prishata with a shower of arrows\nand felled him from the elephant on which he was seated. And, O monarch,\nArjuna, like unto the terrible fire that consumeth all things at the end\nof the Yuga, began to prostrate on the ground horses and cars and\nelephants by thousands. The Panchalas and the Srinjayas, on the other\nhand, thus assailed by the Pandava, met him with a perfect shower of\nweapons of various kinds. And they sent up a loud shout and fought\ndesperately with Arjuna. The battle became furious and terrible to\nbehold. Hearing the enemy's shouts, the son of Indra was filled with\nwrath and assailing the hostile host with a thick shower of arrows,\nrushed towards it furiously afflicting it with renewed vigour. They who\nobserved the illustrious Arjuna at that time could not mark any interval\nbetween his fixing the arrows on the bowstring and letting them off. Loud\nwere the shouts that rose there, mingled with cheers of approval. Then\nthe king of the Panchalas, accompanied by (the generalissimo of his\nforces) Satyajit, rushed with speed at Arjuna like the Asura Samvara\nrushing at the chief of the celestials (in days of yore). Then Arjuna\ncovered the king of Panchala with a shower of arrows. Then there arose a\nfrightful uproar among the Panchala host like unto the roar of a mighty\nlion springing at the leader of a herd of elephants. And beholding Arjuna\nrushing at the king of Panchala to seize him, Satyajit of great prowess\nrushed at him. And the two warriors, like unto Indra and the Asura\nVirochana's son (Vali), approaching each other for combat, began to grind\neach other's ranks. Then Arjuna with great force pierced Satyajit with\nten keen shafts at which feat the spectators were all amazed. But\nSatyajit, without losing any time, assailed Arjuna with a hundred shafts.\nThen that mighty car-warrior, Arjuna, endued with remarkable lightness of\nmotion, thus covered by that shower of arrows, rubbed his bow-string to\nincrease the force and velocity of his shafts. Then cutting in twain his\nantagonist's bow, Arjuna rushed at the king of the Panchalas, but\nSatyajit, quickly taking up a tougher bow, pierced with his arrows\nPartha, his chariot, charioteer, and horses. Arjuna, thus assailed in\nbattle by the Panchala warrior, forgave not his foe. Eager to slay him at\nonce, he pierced with a number of arrows his antagonist's horses, flags,\nbow, clenched (left) fist, charioteer, and the attendant at his back.\nThen Satyajit, finding his bows repeatedly cut in twain and his horses\nslain, desisted from the fight.\n\n\"The king of the Panchalas, beholding his general thus discomfited in the\nencounter, himself began to shower his arrows upon the Pandava prince.\nThen Arjuna, that foremost of warriors, crowned with success, began to\nfight furiously, and quickly cutting his enemy's bow in twain as also his\nflagstaff which he caused to fall down, pierced his antagonist's horses,\nand charioteer also with five arrows. Then throwing aside his bow Arjuna\ntook his quiver, and taking out a scimitar and sending forth a loud\nshout, leaped from his own chariot upon that of his foe. And standing\nthere with perfect fearlessness he seized Drupada as Garuda seizeth a\nhuge snake after agitating the waters of the ocean. At the sight of this,\nthe Panchala troops ran away in all directions.\n\n\"Then Dhananjaya, having thus exhibited the might of his arm in the\npresence of both hosts, sent forth a loud shout and came out of the\nPanchala ranks. And beholding him returning (with his captive), the\nprinces began to lay waste Drupada's capital. Addressing them Arjuna\nsaid, 'This best of monarchs, Drupada, is a relative of the Kuru heroes.\nTherefore, O Bhima, slay not his soldiers. Let us only give unto our\npreceptor his fee.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'O king, thus prevented by Arjuna, the mighty\nBhimasena, though unsatiated with the exercise of battle, refrained from\nthe act of slaughter. And, O bull of the Bharata race, the princes then,\ntaking Drupada with them after having seized him on the field of battle\nalong with his friends and counsellors, offered him unto Drona. And Drona\nbeholding Drupada thus brought under complete control--humiliated and\ndeprived of wealth--remembered that monarch's former hostility and\naddressing him said, 'Thy kingdom and capital have been laid waste by me.\nBut fear not for thy life, though it dependeth now on the will of thy\nfoe. Dost thou now desire to revive thy friendship (with me)?' Having\nsaid this, he smiled a little and again said, 'Fear not for thy life,\nbrave king! We, Brahmanas, are ever forgiving. And, O bull among\nKshatriyas, my affection and love for thee have grown with me in\nconsequence of our having sported together in childhood in the hermitage.\nTherefore, O king, I ask for thy friendship again. And as a boon\n(unasked), I give thee half the kingdom (that was thine). Thou toldest me\nbefore that none who was not a king could be a king's friend. Therefore\nis it, O Yajnasena, that I retain half thy kingdom. Thou art the king of\nall the territory lying on the southern side of the Bhagirathi, while I\nbecome king of all the territory on the north of that river. And, O\nPanchala, if it pleaseth thee, know me hence for thy friend.'\n\n\"On hearing these words, Drupada answered, 'Thou art of noble soul and\ngreat prowess. Therefore, O Brahmana, I am not surprised at what thou\ndoest. I am very much gratified with thee, and I desire thy eternal\nfriendship.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'After this, O Bharata, Drona released the king\nof Panchala, and cheerfully performing the usual offices of regard,\nbestowed upon him half the kingdom. Thenceforth Drupada began to reside\nsorrowfully in (the city of) Kampilya within (the province of) Makandi on\nthe banks of the Ganga filled with many towns and cities. And after his\ndefeat by Drona, Drupada also ruled the southern Panchalas up to the bank\nof the Charmanwati river. And Drupada from that day was well-convinced\nthat he could not, by Kshatriya might alone, defeat Drona, being very\nmuch his inferior in Brahma (spiritual) power. And he, therefore, began\nto wander over the whole earth to find out the means of obtaining a son\n(who would subjugate his Brahmana foe).\n\n\"Meanwhile Drona continued to reside in Ahicchatra. Thus, O king, was the\nterritory of Ahicchatra full of towns and cities, obtained by Arjuna, and\nbestowed upon Drona.'\n\n\n\nSECTION CXLI\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'After the expiration, O king, of a year from\nthis, Dhritarashtra, moved by kindness for the people, installed\nYudhishthira, the son of Pandu, as the heir-apparent of the kingdom on\naccount of his firmness, fortitude, patience, benevolence, frankness and\nunswerving honesty (of heart). And within a short time Yudhishthira, the\nson of Kunti, by his good behaviour, manners and close application to\nbusiness, overshadowed the deeds of his father. And the second Pandava,\nVrikodara, began to receive continued lessons from Sankarshana (Valarama)\nin encounters with the sword and the mace and on the chariot. And after\nBhima's education was finished, he became in strength like unto\nDyumatsena himself and continuing to live in harmony with his brothers,\nhe began to exert his prowess. And Arjuna became celebrated for the\nfirmness of his grasp (of weapons), for his lightness of motion,\nprecision of aim, and his proficiency in the use of the Kshura, Naracha,\nVala and Vipatha weapons, indeed, of all weapons, whether straight or\ncrooked or heavy. And Drona certified that there was none in the world\nwho was equal to Arjuna in lightness of hand and general proficiency.\n\n\"One day, Drona, addressing Arjuna before the assembled Kaurava princes,\nsaid, 'There was a disciple of Agastya in the science of arms called\nAgnivesa. He was my preceptor and I, his disciple. By ascetic merit I\nobtained from him a weapon called Brahmasira which could never be futile\nand which was like unto thunder itself, capable of consuming the whole\nearth. That weapon, O Bharata, from what I have done, may now pass from\ndisciple to disciple. While imparting it to me, my preceptor said, 'O son\nof Bharadwaja, never shouldst thou hurl this weapon at any human being,\nespecially at one who is of poor energy. Thou hast, O hero, obtained that\ncelestial weapon. None else deserveth it. But obey the command of the\nRishi (Agnivesa). And, look here, Arjuna, give me now the preceptorial\nfee in the presence of these thy cousins and relatives.' When Arjuna, on\nhearing this, pledged his word that he would give what the preceptor\ndemanded, the latter said, 'O sinless one, thou must fight with me when I\nfight with thee.' And that bull among the Kuru princes thereupon pledged\nhis word unto Drona and touching his feet, went away northward. Then\nthere arose a loud shout covering the whole earth bounded by her belt of\nseas to the effect that there was no bowman in the whole world like unto\nArjuna. And, indeed, Dhananjaya, in encounters with the mace and the\nsword and on the chariot as also with the bow, acquired wonderful\nproficiency. Sahadeva obtained the whole science of morality and duties\nfrom (Vrihaspati) the spiritual chief of celestials, and continued to\nlive under the control of his brothers. And Nakula, the favourite of his\nbrothers taught by Drona, became known as a skilful warrior and a great\ncar-warrior (Ati-ratha). Indeed, Arjuna and the other Pandava princes\nbecame so powerful that they slew in battle the great Sauvira who had\nperformed a sacrifice extending over three years, undaunted by the raids\nof the Gandharvas. And the king of the Yavanas himself whom the powerful\nPandu even had failed to bring under subjection was brought by Arjuna\nunder control. Then again Vipula, the king of the Sauviras, endued with\ngreat prowess, who had always shown a disregard for the Kurus, was made\nby the intelligent Arjuna to feel the edge of his power. And Arjuna also\nrepressed by means of his arrows (the pride of) king Sumitra of Sauvira,\nalso known by the name of Dattamitra who had resolutely sought an\nencounter with him. The third of the Pandava princes, assisted by Bhima,\non only a single car subjugated all the kings of the East backed by ten\nthousand cars. In the same way, having conquered on a single car the\nwhole of the south, Dhananjaya sent unto the kingdom of the Kurus a large\nbooty.\n\n\"Thus did those foremost of men, the illustrious Pandavas, conquering the\nterritories of other kings, extend the limits of their own kingdom. But\nbeholding the great prowess and strength of those mighty bowmen, king\nDhritarashtra's sentiments towards the Pandavas became suddenly poisoned,\nand from that day the monarch became so anxious that he could hardly\nsleep.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXLII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'On hearing that the heroic sons of Pandu endued\nwith excess of energy had become so mighty, king Dhritarashtra became\nvery miserable with anxiety. Then summoning unto his side Kanika, that\nforemost of minister, well-versed in the science of politics and an\nexpert in counsels the king said, 'O best of Brahmanas, the Pandavas are\ndaily overshadowing the earth. I am exceedingly jealous of them. Should I\nhave peace or war with them? O Kanika, advise me truly, for I shall do as\nthou biddest.\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'That best of Brahmanas, thus addressed by the\nking, freely answered him in these pointed words well-agreeing with the\nimport of political science.\"\n\n\"Listen to me, O sinless king, as I answer thee. And, O best of Kuru\nkings, it behoveth thee not to be angry with me after hearing all I say.\nKings should ever be ready with uplifted maces (to strike when\nnecessary), and they should ever increase their prowess. Carefully\navoiding all faults themselves they should ceaselessly watch over the\nfaults of their foes and take advantage of them. If the king is always\nready to strike, everybody feareth him. Therefore the king should ever\nhave recourse to chastisement in all he doeth. He should so conduct\nhimself that, his foe may not detect any weak side in him. But by means\nof the weakness he detecteth in his foe he should pursue him (to\ndestruction). He should always conceal, like the tortoise concealing its\nbody, his means and ends, and he should always keep back his own weakness\nfrom, the sight of others. And having begun a particular act, he should\never accomplish it thoroughly. Behold, a thorn, if not extracted wholly,\nproduceth a festering sore. The slaughter of a foe who doeth thee evil is\nalways praiseworthy. If the foe be one of great prowess, one should\nalways watch for the hour of his disaster and then kill him without any\nscruples. If he should happen to be a great warrior, his hour of disaster\nalso should be watched and he should then be induced to fly. O sire, an\nenemy should never be scorned, however contemptible. A spark of fire is\ncapable of consuming an extensive forest if only it can spread from one\nobject to another in proximity. Kings should sometimes feign blindness\nand deafness, for if impotent to chastise, they should pretend not to\nnotice the faults that call for chastisement. On occasions, such as\nthese, let them regard their bows as made of straw. But they should be\nalways on the alert like a herd of deer sleeping in the woods. When thy\nfoe is in thy power, destroy him by every means open or secret. Do not\nshow him any mercy, although he seeketh thy protection. A foe, or one\nthat hath once injured thee, should be destroyed by lavishing money, if\nnecessary, for by killing him thou mayest be at thy ease. The dead can\nnever inspire fear. Thou must destroy the three, five and seven\n(resources) of thy foes. Thou must destroy thy foes root and branch. Then\nshouldst thou destroy their allies and partisans. The allies and\npartisans can never exist if the principal be destroyed. If the root of\nthe tree is torn up, the branches and twigs can never exist as before.\nCarefully concealing thy own means and ends, thou shouldst always watch\nthy foes, always seeking their flaws. Thou shouldst, O king, rule thy\nkingdom, always anxiously watching thy foes. By maintaining the perpetual\nfire by sacrifices, by brown cloths, by matted locks, and by hides of\nanimals for thy bedding, shouldst thou at first gain the confidence of\nthy foes, and when thou has gained it thou shouldst then spring upon them\nlike a wolf. For it hath been said that in the acquisition of wealth even\nthe garb of holiness might be employed as a hooked staff to bend down a\nbranch in order to pluck the fruits that are ripe. The method followed in\nthe plucking of fruits should be the method in destroying foes, for thou\nshouldst proceed on the principle of selection. Bear thy foe upon thy\nshoulders till the time cometh when thou canst throw him down, breaking\nhim into pieces like an earthen pot thrown down with violence upon a\nstony surface. The foe must never be let off even though he addresseth\nthee most piteously. No pity shouldst thou show him but slay him at once.\nBy the arts of conciliation or the expenditure of money should the foe be\nslain. By creating disunion amongst his allies, or by the employment of\nforce, indeed by every means in thy power shouldst thou destroy thy foe.'\n\n\"Dhritarashtra said, 'Tell me truly how a foe can be destroyed by the\narts of conciliation or the expenditure of money, or by producing\ndisunion or by the employment of force.'\n\n\"Kanika replied, 'Listen, O monarch, to the history of a jackal dwelling\nin days of yore in the forest and fully acquainted with the science of\npolitics. There was a wise jackal, mindful of his own interests who lived\nin the company of four friends, viz., a tiger, a mouse, a wolf, and a\nmongoose. One day they saw in the woods a strong deer, the leader of a\nherd, whom, however, they could not seize for his fleetness and strength.\nThey thereupon called a council for consultation. The jackal opening the\nproceedings said, 'O tiger, thou hast made many an effort to seize this\ndeer, but all in vain simply because this deer is young, fleet and very\nintelligent. Let now the mouse go and eat into its feet when it lieth\nasleep. And when this is done, let the tiger approach and seize it. Then\nshall we all, with great pleasure feast on it.' Hearing these words of\nthe jackal, they all set to work very cautiously as he directed. And the\nmouse ate into the feet of the deer and the tiger killed it as\nanticipated. And beholding the body of the deer lying motionless on the\nground, the jackal said unto his companions, 'Blessed be ye! Go and\nperform your ablutions. In the meantime I will look after the deer.'\nHearing what the jackal said, they all went into a stream. And the jackal\nwaited there, deeply meditating upon what he should do. The tiger endued\nwith great strength, returned first of all to the spot after having\nperformed his ablutions. And he saw the jackal there plunged in\nmeditation. The tiger said, 'Why art thou so sorrowful, O wise one! Thou\nart the foremost of all intelligent beings. Let us enjoy ourselves today\nby feasting on this carcass.' The jackal said, 'Hear, O mighty-armed one,\nwhat the mouse hath said. He hath even said, O, fie on the strength of\nthe king of the beasts! This deer hath been slain by me. By might of my\narm he will today gratify his hunger.' When he hath boasted in such a\nlanguage, I, for my part, do not wish to touch this food.' The tiger\nreplied, 'If, indeed, the mouse hath said so, my sense is now awakened. I\nshall, from this day, slay with the might of my own arms, creatures\nranging the forest and then feast on their flesh.' Having said this, the\ntiger went away.\n\n\"And after the tiger had left the spot, the mouse came. And seeing the\nmouse come, the jackal addressed him and said, 'Blest be thou, O mouse,\nbut listen to what the mongoose hath said. He hath even said, The carcass\nof this deer is poison (the tiger having touched it with his claws). I\nwill not eat of it. On the other hand, if thou, O jackal, permittest it,\nI will even slay the mouse and feast on him.' Hearing this the mouse\nbecame alarmed and quickly entered his hole. And after the mouse had\ngone, the wolf, O king, came there having performed his ablutions. And\nseeing the wolf come, the jackal said unto him, 'The king of the beasts\nhath been angry with thee. Evil is certain to overtake thee. He is\nexpected here with his wife. Do as thou pleasest.' Thus was the wolf\nalso, fond of animal flesh, got rid of by the jackal. And the wolf fled,\ncontracting his body into the smallest dimensions. It was then that the\nmongoose came. And, O king, the jackal, seeing him come, said, 'By the\nmight of my arm have I defeated the others who have already fled. Fight\nwith me first and then eat of this flesh as you please.' The mongoose\nreplied, 'When, indeed, the tiger, the wolf, and the intelligent mouse\nhave all been defeated by thee, heroes as they are, thou seemest to be a\ngreater hero still. I do not desire to fight with thee.' Saying this, the\nmongoose also went away.\n\n\"Kanika continued, 'When they all had thus left the place, the jackal,\nwell-pleased with the success of his policy, alone ate up that flesh. If\nkings always act in this way, they can be happy. Thus should the timid by\nexciting their fears, the courageous by the arts of conciliation, the\ncovetous by gift of wealth, and equals and inferiors by exhibition of\nprowess be brought under thy sway. Besides all this, O king, that I have\nsaid, listen now to something else that I say.'\n\n\"Kanika continued, 'If thy son, friend, brother, father, or even the\nspiritual preceptor, anyone becometh thy foe, thou shouldst, if desirous\nof prosperity, slay him without scruples. By curses and incantations, by\ngift of wealth, by poison, or by deception, the foe should be slain. He\nshould never be neglected from disdain. If both the parties be equal and\nsuccess uncertain, then he that acteth with diligence groweth in\nprosperity. If the spiritual preceptor himself be vain, ignorant of what\nshould be done and what left undone, and vicious in his ways, even he\nshould be chastised. If thou art angry, show thyself as if thou art not\nso, speaking even then with a smile on thy lips. Never reprove any one\nwith indications of anger (in thy speech). And O Bharata, speak soft\nwords before thou smitest and even while thou art smiting! After the\nsmiting is over, pity the victim, and grieve for him, and even shed\ntears. Comforting thy foe by conciliation, by gift of wealth, and smooth\nbehaviour, thou must smite him when he walketh not aright. Thou shouldst\nequally smile the heinous offender who liveth by the practice of virtue,\nfor the garb of virtue simply covereth his offences like black clouds\ncovering the mountains. Thou shouldst burn the house of that person whom\nthou punishest with death. And thou shouldst never permit beggars and\natheists and thieves to dwell in thy kingdom. By a sudden sally or\npitched battle by poison or by corrupting his allies, by gift of wealth,\nby any means in thy power, thou shouldst destroy thy foe. Thou mayest act\nwith the greatest cruelty. Thou shouldst make thy teeth sharp to give a\nfatal bite. And thou should ever smite so effectually that thy foe may\nnot again raise his head. Thou shouldst ever stand in fear of even one\nfrom whom there is no fear, not to speak of him from whom there is such.\nFor if the first be ever powerful he may destroy thee to the root (for\nthy unpreparedness). Thou shouldst never trust the faithless, nor trust\ntoo much those that are faithful, for if those in whom thou confidest\nprove thy foes, thou art certain to be annihilated. After testing their\nfaithfulness thou shouldst employ spies in thy own kingdom and in the\nkingdoms of others. Thy spies in foreign kingdoms should be apt deceivers\nand persons in the garb of ascetics. Thy spies should be placed in\ngardens, places of amusement, temples and other holy places, drinking\nhalls, streets, and with the (eighteen) tirthas (viz., the minister, the\nchief priest, the heir-presumptive, the commander-in-chief, the\ngate-keepers of the court, persons in the inner apartments, the jailor,\nthe chief surveyor, the head of the treasury, the general executant of\norders, the chief of the town police, the chief architect, the chief\njustice, the president of the council, the chief of the punitive\ndepartment, the commander of the fort, the chief of the arsenal, the\nchief of the frontier guards, and the keeper of the forests), and in\nplaces of sacrifice, near wells, on mountains and in rivers, in forests,\nand in all places where people congregate. In speech thou shouldst ever\nbe humble, but let thy heart be ever sharp as razor. And when thou art\nengaged in doing even a very cruel and terrible act, thou shouldst talk\nwith smiles on thy lips. If desirous of prosperity, thou shouldst adopt\nall arts--humility, oath, conciliation. Worshipping the feet of others by\nlowering thy head, inspiring hope, and the like. And, a person conversant\nwith the rules of policy is like a tree decked with flowers but bearing\nno fruit; or, if bearing fruit, these must be at a great height not\neasily attainable from the ground; and if any of these fruits seem to be\nripe care must be taken to make it appear raw. Conducting himself in such\na way, he shall never fade. Virtue, wealth and pleasure have both their\nevil and good effects closely knit together. While extracting the effects\nthat are good, those that are evil should be avoided. Those that practise\nvirtue (incessantly) are made unhappy for want of wealth and the neglect\nof pleasure. Those again in pursuit of wealth are made unhappy for the\nneglect of two others. And so those who pursue pleasure suffer for their\ninattention to virtue and wealth. Therefore, thou shouldst pursue virtue,\nwealth and pleasure, in such a way that thou mayest not have to suffer\ntherefrom. With humiliation and attention, without jealousy and\nsolicitous of accomplishing thy purpose, shouldst thou, in all sincerity,\nconsult with the Brahmanas. When thou art fallen, thou shouldst raise\nthyself by any means, gentle or violent; and after thou hast thus raised\nthyself thou shouldst practise virtue. He that hath never been afflicted\nwith calamity can never have prosperity. This may be seen in the life of\none who surviveth his calamities. He that is afflicted with sorrow should\nbe consoled by the recitation of the history of persons of former times\n(like those of Nala and Rama). He whose heart hath been unstrung by\nsorrow should be consoled with hopes of future prosperity. He again who\nis learned and wise should be consoled by pleasing offices presently\nrendered unto him. He who, having concluded a treaty with an enemy,\nreposeth at ease as if he hath nothing more to do, is very like a person\nwho awaketh, fallen down from the top of a tree whereon he had slept. A\nking should ever keep to himself his counsels without fear of calumny,\nand while beholding everything with the eyes of his spies, he should take\ncare to conceal his own emotions before the spies of his enemies. Like a\nfisherman who becometh prosperous by catching and killing fish, a king\ncan never grow prosperous without tearing the vitals of his enemy and\nwithout doing some violent deeds. The might of thy foe, as represented by\nhis armed force, should ever be completely destroyed, by ploughing it up\n(like weeds) and mowing it down and otherwise afflicting it by disease,\nstarvation, and want of drink. A person in want never approacheth (from\nlove) one in affluence; and when one's purpose hath been accomplished,\none hath no need to approach him whom he had hitherto looked to for its\naccomplishment. Therefore, when thou doest anything never do it\ncompletely, but ever leave something to be desired for by others (whose\nservices thou mayest need). One who is desirous of prosperity should with\ndiligence seek allies and means, and carefully conduct his wars. His\nexertions in these respects should always be guided by prudence. A\nprudent king should ever act in such a way that friends and foes may\nnever know his motive before the commencement of his acts. Let them know\nall when the act hath been commenced or ended, and as long as danger doth\nnot come, so long only shall thou act as if thou art afraid. But when it\nhath overtaken thee, thou must grapple with it courageously. He who\ntrusteth in a foe who hath been brought under subjection by force,\nsummoneth his own death as a crab by her act of conception. Thou shouldst\nalways reckon the future act as already arrived (and concert measures for\nmeeting it), else, from want of calmness caused by haste, thou mayest\noverlook an important point in meeting it when it is before thee. A\nperson desirous of prosperity should always exert with prudence, adopting\nhis measures to time and place. He should also act with an eye to destiny\nas capable of being regulated by mantras and sacrificial rites; and to\nvirtue, wealth, and pleasure. It is well-known that time and place (if\ntaken into consideration) always produce the greatest good. If the foe is\ninsignificant, he should not yet be despised, for he may soon grow like a\npalmyra tree extending its roots or like a spark of fire in the deep\nwoods that may soon burst into an extensive conflagration. As a little\nfire gradually fed with faggots soon becometh capable of consuming even\nthe biggest blocks, so the person who increaseth his power by making\nalliances and friendships soon becometh capable of subjugating even the\nmost formidable foe. The hope thou givest unto thy foe should be long\ndeferred before it is fulfilled; and when the time cometh for its\nfulfilment, invent some pretext for deferring it still. Let that pretext\nbe shown as founded upon some reason, and let that reason itself be made\nto appear as founded on some other reason. Kings should, in the matter of\ndestroying their foes, ever resemble razors in every particular;\nunpitying as these are sharp, hiding their intents as these are concealed\nin their leathern cases, striking when the opportunity cometh as these\nare used on proper occasions, sweeping off their foes with all their\nallies and dependants as these shave the head or the chin without leaving\na single hair. O supporter of the dignity of the Kurus, bearing thyself\ntowards the Pandavas and others also as policy dictateth, act in such a\nway that thou mayest not have to grieve in future. Well do I know that\nthou art endued with every blessing, and possessed of every mark of good\nfortune. Therefore, O king, protect thyself from the sons of Pandu! O\nking, the sons of Pandu are stronger than their cousins (thy sons);\ntherefore, O chastiser of foes, I tell thee plainly what thou shouldst\ndo. Listen to it, O king, with thy children, and having listened to it,\nexert yourselves (to do the needful). O king, act in such a way that\nthere may not be any fear for thee from the Pandavas. Indeed, adopt such\nmeasures consonant with the science of policy that thou mayest not have\nto grieve in the future.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Having delivered himself thus Kanika returned\nto his abode, while the Kuru king Dhritarashtra became pensive and\nmelancholy.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXLIII\n\n(Jatugriha Parva)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Then the son of Suvala (Sakuni), king Duryodhana,\nDuhsasana and Kama, in consultation with one another, formed an evil\nconspiracy. With the sanction of Dhritarashtra, the king of the Kurus,\nthey resolved to burn to death Kunti and her (five) sons. But that wise\nVidura, capable of reading the heart by external signs, ascertained the\nintention of these wicked persons by observing their countenances alone.\nThen the sinless Vidura, of soul enlightened by true knowledge, and\ndevoted to the good of the Pandavas, came to the conclusion that Kunti\nwith her children should fly away from her foes. And providing for that\npurpose a boat strong enough to withstand both wind and wave, he\naddressed Kunti and said, 'This Dhritarashtra hath been born for\ndestroying the fame and offspring of the (Kuru) race. Of wicked soul, he\nis about to cast off eternal virtue. O blessed one, I have kept ready on\nthe stream a boat capable of withstanding both wind and wave. Escape by\nit with thy children from the net that death hath spread around you.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these words, the illustrious Kunti was\ndeeply grieved, and with her children, O bull of Bharata's race, stepped\ninto the boat and went over the Ganges. Then leaving the boat according\nto the advice of Vidura, the Pandavas took with them the wealth that had\nbeen given to them (while at Varanavata) by their enemies and safely\nentered the deep woods. In the house of lac, however, that had been\nprepared for the destruction of the Pandavas, an innocent Nishada woman\nwho had come there for some purpose, was, with her children burnt to\ndeath. And that worst of Mlechchhas, the wretched Purochana (who was the\narchitect employed in building the house of lac) was also burnt in the\nconflagration. And thus were the sons of Dhirtarashtra with their\ncounsellors deceived in their expectations. And thus also were the\nillustrious Pandavas, by the advice of Vidura, saved with their mother.\nBut the people (of Varanavata) knew not of their safety. And the citizens\nof Varanavata, seeing the house of lac consumed (and believing the\nPandavas to have been burnt to death) became exceedingly sorry. And they\nsent messengers unto king Dhritarashtra to represent everything that had\nhappened. And they said to the monarch, 'Thy great end hath been\nachieved! Thou hast at last burnt the Pandavas to death! Thy desire\nfulfilled, enjoy with thy children. O king of the Kurus, the kingdom.'\nHearing this, Dhritarashtra with his children, made a show of grief, and\nalong with his relatives, including Kshattri (Vidura) and Bhishma the\nforemost of the Kurus, performed the last honours of the Pandavas.'\n\n\"Janamejaya said, 'O best of Brahmanas, I desire to hear in full this\nhistory of the burning of the house of lac and the escape of the Pandavas\nthere from. That was a cruel act of theirs (the Kurus), acting under the\ncounsels of the wicked (Kanika). Recite the history to me of all that\nhappened. I am burning with curiosity to hear it.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'O chastiser of all foes, listen to me, O monarch, as\nI recite the (history of the) burning of the house of lac and the escape\nof the Pandavas. The wicked Duryodhana, beholding Bhimasena surpass\n(everybody) in strength and Arjuna highly accomplished in arms became\npensive and sad. Then Karna, the offspring of the Sun, and Sakuni, the\nson of Suvala, endeavoured by various means to compass the death of the\nPandavas. The Pandavas too counteracted all those contrivances one after\nanother, and in obedience to the counsels of Vidura, never spoke of them\nafterwards. Then the citizens, beholding the son of Pandu possessed of\naccomplishments, began, O Bharata, to speak of them in all places of\npublic resort. And assembled in courtyards and other places of gathering,\nthey talked of the eldest son of Pandu (Yudhishthira) as possessed of the\nqualifications for ruling the kingdom. And they said, 'Dhritarashtra,\nthough possessed of the eye of knowledge, having been (born) blind, had\nnot obtained the kingdom before. How can he (therefore) become king now?\nThen Bhishma, the son of Santanu, of rigid vows and devoted to truth,\nhaving formerly relinquished the sovereignty would never accept it now.\nWe shall, therefore, now install (on the throne) with proper ceremonies\nthe eldest of the Pandavas endued with youth, accomplished in battle,\nversed in the Vedas, and truthful and kind. Worshipping Bhishma, the son\nof Santanu and Dhritarashtra conversant with the rules of morality, he\nwill certainly maintain the former and the latter with his children in\nevery kind of enjoyment.\n\n\"The wretched Duryodhana, hearing these words of the parting partisans of\nYudhishthira, became very much distressed. Deeply afflicted, the wicked\nprince could not put up with those speeches. Inflamed with jealousy, he\nwent unto Dhritarashtra, and finding him alone he saluted him with\nreverence and distressed at (the sight of) the partiality of the citizens\nfor Yudhishthira, he addressed the monarch and said, 'O father, I have\nheard the parting citizens utter words of ill omen. Passing thee by, and\nBhishma too, they desire the son of Pandu to be their king. Bhishma will\nsanction this, for he will not rule the kingdom. It seems, therefore,\nthat the citizens are endeavouring to inflict a great injury on us. Pandu\nobtained of old the ancestral kingdom by virtue of his own\naccomplishments, but thou, from blindness, didst not obtain the kingdom,\nthough fully qualified to have it. If Pandu's son now obtaineth the\nkingdom as his inheritance from Pandu, his son will obtain it after him\nand that son's son also, and so on will it descend in Pandu's line. In\nthat case, O king of the world, ourselves with our children, excluded\nfrom the royal line, shall certainly be disregarded by all men.\nTherefore, O monarch, adopt such counsels that we may not suffer\nperpetual distress, becoming dependent on others for our food. O king, if\nthou hadst obtained the sovereignty before, we would certainly have\nsucceeded to it, however much the people might be unfavourable to us.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXLIV\n\n(Jatugriha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, \"King Dhritarashtra whose knowledge only was his\neyes, on hearing these words of his son and recollecting everything that\nKanika had, said unto him, became afflicted with sorrow, and his mind\nalso thereupon began to waver. Then Duryodhana and Karna, and Sakuni, the\nson of Suvala, and Duhsasana as their fourth, held a consultation\ntogether. Prince Duryodhana said unto Dhritarashtra, 'Send, O father, by\nsome clever contrivance, the Pandavas to the town of Varanavata. We shall\nthen have no fear of them.' Dhritarashtra, on hearing these words uttered\nby his son, reflected for a moment and replied unto Duryodhana, saying,\n'Pandu, ever devoted to virtue, always behaved dutifully towards all his\nrelatives but particularly towards me. He cared very little for the\nenjoyments of the world, but devotedly gave everything unto me, even the\nkingdom. His son is as much devoted to virtue as he, and is possessed of\nevery accomplishment. Of world-wide fame, he is again the favourite of\nthe people. He is possessed of allies; how can we by force exile him from\nhis ancestral kingdom? The counsellors and soldiers (of the state) and\ntheir sons and grandsons have all been cherished and maintained by Pandu.\nThus benefited of old by Pandu, shall not, O child, the citizens slay us\nwith all our friends and relatives now on account of Yudhishthira?\"\n\n\"Duryodhana replied, 'What thou sayest, O father, is perfectly true. But\nin view of the evil that is looming on the future as regards thyself, if\nwe conciliate the people with wealth and honours, they would assuredly\nside with us for these proofs of our power. The treasury and the\nministers of state, O king, are at this moment under our control.\nTherefore, it behoveth thee now to banish, by some gentle means, the\nPandavas to the town of Varanavata; O king, when the sovereignty shall\nhave been vested in me, then, O Bharata, may Kunti with her children come\nback from that place.'\n\n\"Dhritarashtra replied, 'This, O Duryodhana, is the very thought existing\nin my mind. But from its sinfulness I have never given expression to it.\nNeither Bhishma, nor Drona, nor Kshattri, nor Gautama (Kripa) will ever\nsanction the exile of the Pandavas. In their eyes, O dear son, amongst\nthe Kurus ourselves and the Pandavas are equal. Those wise and virtuous\npersons will make no difference between us. If therefore, we behave so\ntowards the Pandavas, shall we not, O son, deserve death at the hands of\nthe Kurus, of these illustrious personages, and of the whole world?'\n\n\"Duryodhana answered, 'Bhishma hath no excess of affection for either\nside, and will, therefore, be neutral (in case of dispute). The son of\nDrona (Aswatthaman) is on my side. There is no doubt that where the son\nis, there the father will be. Kripa, the son of Saradwat, must be on the\nside on which Drona and Aswatthaman are. He will never abandon Drona and\nhis sister's son (Aswatthaman). Kshattri (Vidura) is dependent on us for\nhis means of life, though he is secretly with the foe. It he sides the\nPandavas, he alone can do us no injury, Therefore, exile thou the\nPandavas to Varanavata without any fear. And take such steps that they\nmay go thither this very day. By this act, O father, extinguish the grief\nthat consumeth me like a blazing fire, that robbeth me of sleep, and that\npierces my heart even like a terrible dart.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXLV\n\n(Jatugriha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, Then prince Duryodhana, along with his brothers began\nto gradually win over the people to his side by grants of wealth and\nhonours. Meanwhile, some clever councillors, instructed by Dhritarashtra,\none day began to describe (in court) the town of Varanavata as a charming\nplace. And they said, The festival of Pasupati (Siva) hath commenced in\nthe town of Varanavata. The concourse of people is great and the\nprocession is the most delightful of all ever witnessed on earth. Decked\nwith every ornament, it charmed the hearts of all spectators.' Thus did\nthose councillors, instructed by Dhritarashtra, speak of Varanavata, and\nwhilst they were so speaking, the Pandavas, O king, felt the desire of\ngoing to that delightful town. And when the king (Dhritarashtra)\nascertained that the curiosity of the Pandavas had been awakened, the son\nof Ambika addressed them, saying, 'These men of mine often speak of\nVaranavata as the most delightful town in the world. If therefore, ye\nchildren, ye desire to witness that festival, go to Varanavata with your\nfollowers and friends and enjoy yourselves there like the celestials. And\ngive ye away pearls and gems unto the Brahmanas and the musicians (that\nmay be assembled there). And sporting there for some time as ye please\nlike the resplendent celestials and enjoying as much pleasure as ye like,\nreturn ye to Hastinapura again.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Yudhishthira, fully understanding the motives\nof Dhritarashtra and considering that he himself was weak and friendless,\nreplied unto the king, saying, 'So be it.' Then addressing Bhishma, the\nson of Santanu, the wise Vidura, Drona, Valhika, the Kaurava, Somadatta,\nKripa, Aswatthaman, Bhurisravas, and the other councillors, and Brahmanas\nand ascetics, and the priests and the citizens, and the illustrious\nGandhari, he said slowly and humbly, 'With our friends and followers we\ngo to the delightful and populous town of Varanavata at the command of\nDhritarashtra. Cheerfully give us your benedictions so that acquiring\nprosperity, therewith we may not be touched by sin.' Thus addressed by\nthe eldest of Pandu's sons, the Kaurava chiefs all cheerfully pronounced\nblessings on them, saying, 'Ye sons of Pandu, let all the elements bless\nyou along your way and let not the slightest evil befall you.'\n\n\"The Pandavas, having performed propitiatory rites for obtaining (their\nshare of) the kingdom, and finishing their preparations, set out for\nVaranavata.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXLVI\n\n(Jatugriha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'The wicked Duryodhana became very pleased when the\nking, O Bharata, had said so unto Pandavas. And, O bull of Bharata's\nrace, Duryodhana, then, summoning his counsellor, Purochana in private,\ntook hold of his right hand and said, 'O Purochana, this world, so full\nof wealth, is mine. But it is thine equally with me. It behoveth thee,\ntherefore, to protect it. I have no more trustworthy counsellor than thee\nwith whom to consult. Therefore, O sire, keep my counsel and exterminate\nmy foes by a clever device. O, do as I bid thee. The Pandavas have, by\nDhritarashtra, been sent to Varanavata, where they will, at\nDhritarashtra's command, enjoy themselves during the festivities. Do that\nby which thou mayest this very day reach Varanavata in a car drawn by\nswift mules. Repairing thither, cause thou to be erected a quadrangular\npalace in the neighbourhood of the arsenal, rich in the materials and\nfurniture, and guard thou the mansion well (with prying eyes). And use\nthou (in erecting that house) hemp and resin and all other inflammable\nmaterials that are procurable. And mixing a little earth with clarified\nbutter and oil and fat and a large quantity of lac, make thou a plaster\nfor lining the walls, and scatter thou all around that house hemp and oil\nand clarified butter and lac and wood in such a way that the Pandavas, or\nany others, may not, even with scrutiny behold them there or conclude the\nhouse to be an inflammable one. And having erected such mansion, cause\nthou the Pandavas, after worshipping them with great reverence, to dwell\nin it with Kunti and all their friends. And place thou there seats and\nconveyances and beds, all of the best workmanship, for the Pandavas, so\nthat Dhritarashtra may have no reason to complain. Thou must also so\nmanage it all that none of Varanavata may know anything till the end we\nhave in view is accomplished. And assuring thyself that the Pandavas are\nsleeping within in confidence and without fear, thou must then set fire\nto that mansion beginning at the outer door. The Pandavas thereupon must\nbe burnt to death, but the people will say that they have been burnt in\n(an accidental) conflagration of their house.\n\n\"Saying, 'So be it' unto the Kuru prince, Purochana repaired to\nVaranavata in a car drawn by fleet mules. And going thither, O king,\nwithout loss of time, obedient to the instructions of Duryodhana, did\neverything that the prince had bid him do.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXLVII\n\n(Jatugriha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Meanwhile the Pandavas got into their cars, yoking\nthereto some fine horses endued with the speed of wind. While they were\non the point of entering their cars, they touched, in great sorrow, the\nfeet of Bhishma, of king Dhritarashtra, of the illustrious Drona, of\nKripa, of Vidura and of the other elders of the Kuru race. Then saluting\nwith reverence all the older men, and embracing their equals, receiving\nthe farewell of even the children, and taking leave of all the venerable\nladies in their household, and walking round them respectfully, and\nbidding farewell unto all the citizens, the Pandavas, ever mindful of\ntheir vows, set out for Varanavata. And Vidura of great wisdom and the\nother bulls among the Kurus and the citizens also, from great affliction,\nfollowed those tigers among men to some distance. And some amongst the\ncitizens and the country people, who followed the Pandavas, afflicted\nbeyond measure at beholding the sons of Pandu in such distress, began to\nsay aloud, 'King Dhritarashtra of wicked soul seeth no things with the\nsame eye. The Kuru monarch casteth not his eye on virtue. Neither the\nsinless Yudhishthira, nor Bhima the foremost of mighty men, nor\nDhananjaya the (youngest) son of Kunti, will ever be guilty (of the sin\nof waging a rebellious war). When these will remain quiet, how shall the\nillustrious son of Madri do anything? Having inherited the kingdom from\ntheir father, Dhritarashtra could not bear them. How is that Bhishma who\nsuffers the exile of the Pandavas to that wretched place, sanctions this\nact of great injustice? Vichitravirya, the son of Santanu, and the royal\nsage Pandu of Kuru's race both cherished us of old with fatherly care.\nBut now that Pandu that tiger among men, hath ascended to heaven,\nDhritarashtra cannot bear with these princes his children. We who do not\nsanction this exile shall all go, leaving this excellent town and our own\nhomes, where Yudhishthira will go.'\n\n\"Unto those distressed citizens talking in this way, the virtuous\nYudhishthira, himself afflicted with sorrow, reflecting for a few moments\nsaid, 'The king is our father, worthy of regard, our spiritual guide, and\nour superior. To carry out with unsuspicious hearts whatever he biddeth,\nis indeed, our duty. Ye are our friends. Walking round us and making us\nhappy by your blessings, return ye to your abodes. When the time cometh\nfor anything to be done for us by you, then, indeed, accomplish all that\nis agreeable and beneficial to us.' Thus addressed, the citizens walked\nround the Pandavas and blessed them with their blessings and returned to\ntheir respective abodes.\n\n\"And after the citizens had ceased following the Pandavas, Vidura,\nconversant with all the dictates of morality, desirous of awakening the\neldest of the Pandavas (to a sense of his dangers), addressed him in\nthese words. The learned Vidura, conversant with the jargon (of the\nMlechchhas), addressed the learned Yudhishthira who also was conversant\nwith the same jargon, in the words of the Mlechchha tongue, so as to be\nunintelligible to all except Yudhishthira. He said, 'He that knoweth the\nschemes his foes contrive in accordance with the dictates of political\nscience, should, knowing them, act in such a way as to avoid all danger.\nHe that knoweth that there are sharp weapons capable of cutting the body\nthough not made of steel, and understandeth also the means of warding\nthem off, can never be injured by foes. He liveth who protecteth himself\nby the knowledge that neither the consumer of straw and wood nor the\ndrier of the dew burneth the inmates of a hole in the deep woods. The\nblind man seeth not his way: the blind man hath no knowledge of\ndirection. He that hath no firmness never acquireth prosperity.\nRemembering this, be upon your guard. The man who taketh a weapon not\nmade of steel (i.e., an inflammable abode) given him by his foes, can\nescape from fire by making his abode like unto that of a jackal (having\nmany outlets). By wandering a man may acquire the knowledge of ways, and\nby the stars he can ascertain the direction, and he that keepeth his five\n(senses) under control can never be oppressed y his enemies.'\n\n\"Thus addressed, Pandu's son, Yudhishthira the just replied unto Vidura,\nthat foremost of all learned men, saying, 'I have understood thee.' Then\nVidura, having instructed the Pandavas and followed them (thus far),\nwalked around them and bidding them farewell returned to his own abode.\nWhen the citizens and Bhishma and Vidura had all ceased following, Kunti\napproached Yudhishthira and said, 'The words that Kshattri said unto thee\nin the midst of many people so indistinctly as if he did not say\nanything, and thy reply also to him in similar words and voice, we have\nnot understood. If it is not improper; for us to know them I should then\nlike to hear everything that had passed between him and thee.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira replied, 'The virtuous Vidura said unto me that we should\nknow that the mansion (for our accommodation at Varanavata) hath been\nbuilt of inflammable materials. He said unto me, 'The path of escape too\nshall not be unknown to thee,'--and further,--'Those that can control\ntheir senses can acquire the sovereignty of the whole world.'--The reply\nthat I gave unto Vidura was, 'I have understood thee.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'The Pandavas set out on the eighth day of the\nmonth of Phalguna when the star Rohini was in the ascendant, and arriving\nat Varanavata they beheld the town and the people.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXLVIII\n\n(Jatugriha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Then all the citizens (of Varanavata) on hearing\nthat the son of Pandu had come, were filled with joy at the tidings,\nspeedily came out of Varanavata, in vehicles of various kinds numbering\nby thousands, taking with them every auspicious article as directed by\nthe Sastras, for receiving those foremost of men. And the people of\nVaranavata, approaching the sons of Kunti blessed them by uttering the\nJaya and stood surrounding them. That tiger among men, viz., the virtuous\nYudhishthira thus surrounded by them looked resplendent like him having\nthe thunderbolt in his hands (viz., Indra) in the midst of the\ncelestials. And those sinless ones, welcomed by the citizens and\nwelcoming the citizens in return, then entered the populous town of\nVaranavata decked with every ornament. Entering the town those heroes\nfirst went, O monarch, to the abodes of Brahmanas engaged in their proper\nduties. Those foremost of men then went to the abodes of the officials of\nthe town, and then of the Sutas and the Vaisyas and then to those of even\nthe Sudras, O bull of Bharata's race, thus adored by the citizens, the\nPandavas at last went with Purochana going before them, to the palace\nthat had been built for them, Purochana then began to place before them\nfood and drink and beds and carpets, all of the first and most agreeable\norder. The Pandavas attired in costly robes, continued to live there,\nadored by Purochana and the people having their homes in Varanavata.\n\n\"After the Pandavas had thus lived for ten nights, Purochana spoke to\nthem of the mansion (he had built) called 'The Blessed Home,' but in\nreality the cursed house. Then those tigers among men, attired in costly\ndress, entered that mansion at the instance of Purochana like Guhyakas\nentering the palace (of Siva) on the Kailasa mount. The foremost of all\nvirtuous men, Yudhishthira, inspecting the house, said unto Bhima that it\nwas really built of inflammable materials. Smelling the scent of fat\nmixed with clarified butter and preparations of lac, he said unto Bhima,\n'O chastiser of foes, this house is truly built of inflammable materials!\nIndeed, it is apparent that such is the case! The enemy, it is evident,\nby the aid of trusted artists well-skilled in the construction of houses,\nhave finely built this mansion, after procuring hemp, resin, heath,\nstraw, and bamboos, all soaked in clarified butter. This wicked wretch,\nPurochana, acting under the instruction of Duryodhana, stayeth here with\nthe object of burning me to death when he seeth me trustful. But, O son\nof Pritha, Vidura of great intelligence, knew of this danger, and,\ntherefore, hath warned me of it beforehand. Knowing it all, that youngest\nuncle of ours, ever wishing our good from affection hath told us that\nthis house, so full of danger, hath been constructed by the wretches\nunder Duryodhana acting in secrecy.'\n\n\"Hearing this, Bhima replied, 'If, sir, you know this house to be so\ninflammable, it would then be well for us to return thither where we had\ntaken up our quarters first.' Yudhishthira replied, 'It seems to me that\nwe should rather continue to live here in seeming unsuspiciousness but\nall the while with caution and our senses wide awake and seeking for some\ncertain means of escape. If Purochana findeth from our countenances that\nwe have fathomed designs, acting with haste he may suddenly burn us to\ndeath. Indeed, Purochana careth little for obloquy or sin. The wretch\nstayeth here acting under the instruction of Duryodhana. If we are burnt\nto death, will our grandfather Bhishma be angry? Why will he, by showing\nhis wrath, make the Kauravas angry with him? Or, perhaps, our grandfather\nBhishma and the other bull of Kuru's race, regarding indignation at such\na sinful act to be virtuous, may become wrathful. If however, from fear\nof being burnt, we fly from here, Duryodhana, ambitious of sovereignty\nwill certainly compass our death by means of spies. While we have no rank\nand power, Duryodhana hath both; while we have no friends and allies,\nDuryodhana hath both; while we are without wealth, Duryodhana hath at his\ncommand a full treasury. Will he not, therefore, certainly destroy us by\nadopting adequate means? Let us, therefore, by deceiving this wretch\n(Purochana) and that other wretch Duryodhana, pass our days, disguising\nourselves at times. Let us also lead a hunting life, wandering over the\nearth. We shall then, if we have to escape our enemies, be familiar with\nall paths. We shall also, this very day, cause a subterranean passage to\nbe dug in our chamber in great secrecy. If we act in this way, concealing\nwhat we do from all, fire shall never be able to consume us. We shall\nlive here, actively doing everything for our safety but with such privacy\nthat neither Purochana nor any of the citizens of Varanavata may know\nwhat we are after.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXLIX\n\n(Jatugriha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'A friend of Vidura's, well-skilled in mining,\ncoming unto the Pandavas, addressed them in secret, saying, 'I have been\nsent by Vidura and am a skilful miner. I am to serve the Pandavas. Tell\nme what I am to do for ye. From the trust he reposeth in me Vidura hath\nsaid unto me, 'Go thou unto the Pandavas and accomplish thou their good.\nWhat shall I do for you? Purochana will set fire to the door of thy house\non the fourteenth night of this dark fortnight. To burn to death those\ntigers among men, the Pandavas, with their mother, is the design of that\nwicked wretch, the son of Dhritarashtra. O son of Pandu, Vidura also told\nthee something in the Mlechchha tongue to which thou also didst reply in\nsame language. I state these particulars as my credentials.' Hearing\nthese words, Yudhishthira, the truthful son of Kunti replied, 'O amiable\none, I now know thee as a dear and trusted friend of Vidura, true and\never devoted to him. There is nothing that the learned Vidura doth not\nknow. As his, so ours art thou. Make no difference between him and us. We\nare as much thine as his. O, protect us as the learned Vidura ever\nprotecteth us. I know that this house, so inflammable, hath been\ncontrived for me by Purochana at the command of Dhritarashtra's son. That\nwicked wretch commanding wealth and allies pursueth us without\nintermission. O, save us with a little exertion from the impending\nconflagration. If we are burnt to death here, Duryodhana's most cherished\ndesire will be satisfied. Here is that wretch's well-furnished arsenal.\nThis large mansion hath been built abutting the high ramparts of the\narsenal without any outlet. But this unholy contrivance of Duryodhana was\nknown to Vidura from the first, and he it was who enlightened us\nbeforehand. The danger of which Kshattri had foreknowledge is now at our\ndoor. Save us from it without Purochana's knowledge thereof.' On hearing\nthese words, the miner said, 'So be it,' and carefully beginning his work\nof excavation, made a large subterranean passage. And the mouth of that\npassage was in the centre of that house, and it was on a level with the\nfloor and closed up with planks. The mouth was so covered from fear of\nPurochana, that wicked wretch who kept a constant watch at the door of\nthe house. The Pandavas used to sleep within their chambers with arms\nready for use, while, during the day, they went a-hunting from forest to\nforest. Thus, O king, they lived (in that mansion) very guardedly,\ndeceiving Purochana by a show of trustfulness and contentment while in\nreality they were trustless and discontented. Nor did the citizens of\nVaranavata know anything about these plans of the Pandavas. In fact, none\nelse knew of them except Vidura's friend, that good miner.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CL\n\n(Jatugriha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Seeing the Pandavas living there cheerfully and\nwithout suspicion for a full year, Purochana became exceedingly glad. And\nbeholding Purochana so very glad, Yudhishthira, the virtuous son of\nKunti, addressing Bhima and Arjuna and the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva)\nsaid, 'The cruel-hearted wretch hath been well-deceived. I think the time\nis come for our escape. Setting fire to the arsenal and burning Purochana\nto death and letting his body lie here, let us, six persons, fly hence\nunobserved by all!'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then on the occasion of an almsgiving, O king,\nKunti fed on a certain night a large number of Brahmanas. There came also\na number of ladies who while eating and drinking, enjoyed there as they\npleased, and with Kunti's leave returned to their respective homes.\nDesirous of obtaining food, there came, as though impelled by fate, to\nthat feast, in course of her wanderings, a Nishada woman, the mother of\nfive children, accompanied by all her sons. O king, she, and her\nchildren, intoxicated with the wine they drank, became incapable.\nDeprived of consciousness and more dead than alive, she with all her sons\nlay down in that mansion to sleep. Then when all the inmates of the house\nlay down to sleep, there began to blow a violent wind in the night. Bhima\nthen set fire to the house just where Purochana was sleeping. Then the\nson of Pandu set fire to the door of that house of lac. Then he set fire\nto the mansion in several parts all around. Then when the sons of Pandu\nwere satisfied that the house had caught fire in several parts those\nchastisers of foes with their mother, entered the subterranean passage\nwithout losing any time. Then the heat and the roar of the fire became\nintense and awakened the townspeople. Beholding the house in flames, the\ncitizens with sorrowful faces began to say, 'The wretch (Purochana) of\nwicked soul had under the instruction of Duryodhana built his house for\nthe destruction of his employer's relatives. He indeed hath set fire to\nit. O, fie on Dhritarashtra's heart which is so partial. He hath burnt to\ndeath, as if he were their foe, the sinless heirs of Pandu! O, the sinful\nand wicked-souled (Purochana) who hath burnt those best of men, the\ninnocent and unsuspicious princes, hath himself been burnt to death as\nfate would have it.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'The citizens of Varanavata thus bewailed (the\nfate of the Pandavas), and waited there for the whole night surrounding\nthat house. The Pandavas, however, accompanied by their mother coming out\nof the subterranean passage, fled in haste unnoticed. But those\nchastisers of foes, for sleepiness and fear, could not with their mother\nproceed in haste. But, O monarch, Bhimasena, endued with terrible prowess\nand swiftness of motion took upon his body all his brothers and mother\nand began to push through the darkness. Placing his mother on his\nshoulder, the twins on his sides, and Yudhishthira and Arjuna on both his\narms, Vrikodara of great energy and strength and endued with the speed of\nthe wind, commenced his march, breaking the trees with his breast and\npressing deep the earth with his stamp.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLI\n\n(Jatugriha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'About this time, the learned Vidura had sent into\nthose woods a man of pure character and much trusted by him. This person\ngoing to where he had been directed, saw the Pandavas with their mother\nin the forest employed in a certain place in measuring the depth of a\nriver. The design that the wicked Duryodhana had formed had been, through\nhis spies, known to Vidura of great intelligence, and, therefore, he had\nsent that prudent person unto the Pandavas. Sent by Vidura unto them, he\nshowed the Pandavas on the sacred banks of the Ganga a boat with engines\nand flags, constructed by trusted artificers and capable of withstanding\nwind and wave and endued with the speed of the tempest or of thought. He\nthen addressed the Pandavas in these words to show that he had really\nbeen sent by Vidura, 'O Yudhishthira, he said, \"listen to these words the\nlearned Vidura had said (unto thee) as a proof of the fact that I come\nfrom him. Neither the consumer of straw and the wood nor the drier of dew\never burneth the inmates of a hole in the forest. He escapeth from death\nwho protecteth himself knowing this, etc.' By these credentials know me\nto be the person who has been truly sent by Vidura and to be also his\ntrusted agent. Vidura, conversant with everything, hath again said, 'O\nson of Kunti, thou shalt surely defeat in battle Karna, and Duryodhana\nwith his brothers, and Sakuni.' This boat is ready on the waters, and it\nwill glide pleasantly thereon, and shall certainly bear you all from\nthese regions!'\n\n\"Then beholding those foremost of men with their mother pensive and sad\nhe caused them to go into the boat that was on the Ganga, and accompanied\nthem himself. Addressing them again, he said, 'Vidura having smelt your\nheads and embraced you (mentally), hath said again that in commencing\nyour auspicious journey and going alone you should never be careless.'\n\n\"Saying these words unto those heroic princes, the person sent by Vidura\ntook those bulls among men over to the other side of the Ganga in his\nboat. And having taken them over the water and seen them all safe on the\nopposite bank, he uttered the word 'Jaya' (victory) to their success and\nthen left them and returned to the place whence he had come.\n\n\"The illustrious Pandavas also sending through that person some message\nto Vidura, began, after having crossed the Ganga, to proceed with haste\nand in great secrecy.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLII\n\n(Jatugriha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Then, when the night had passed away, a large\nconcourse of the townspeople came there in haste to see the sons of\nPandu. After extinguishing the fire, they saw that the house just burnt\ndown had been built of lac in materials and that (Duryodhana's)\ncounsellor Purochana had been burnt to death. And the people began to\nbewail aloud saying, 'Indeed, this had been contrived by the sinful\nDuryodhana for the destruction of the Pandavas. There is little doubt\nthat Duryodhana hath, with Dhritarashtra's knowledge, burnt to death the\nheirs of Pandu, else the prince would have been prevented by his father.\nThere is little doubt that even Bhishma, the son of Santanu, and Drona\nand Vidura and Kripa and other Kauravas have not, any of them, followed\nthe dictates of duty. Let us now send to Dhritarashtra to say, 'Thy great\ndesire hath been achieved! Thou hast burnt to death the Pandavas!'\n\n\"They then began to extinguish the members to obtain some trace of the\nPandavas, and they saw the innocent Nishada woman with her five sons\nburnt to death. Then the miner sent by Vidura, while removing the ashes,\ncovered the hole he had dug with those ashes in such a way that it\nremained unnoticed by all who had gone there.\n\n\"The citizens then sent to Dhritarashtra to inform him that the Pandavas\nalong with (Duryodhana's) counsellor Purochana had been burnt to death.\nKing Dhritarashtra, on hearing the evil news of the death of the\nPandavas, wept in great sorrow. And he said, 'King Pandu, my brother of\ngreat fame, hath, indeed, died today when those heroic sons of his\ntogether with their mother have been burnt to death. Ye men, repair\nquickly to Varanavata and cause the funeral rites to be performed of\nthose heroes and of the daughter of Kuntiraj! Let also the bones of the\ndeceased be sanctified with the usual rites, and let all the beneficial\nand great acts (usual on such occasions) be performed. Let the friends\nand relatives of those that have been burnt to death repair thither. Let\nalso all other beneficial acts that ought, under the circumstances, to be\nperformed by us for the Pandavas and Kunti be accomplished by wealth.'\n\n\"Having said this, Dhritarashtra, the son of Ambika, surrounded by his\nrelatives, offered oblations of water to the sons of Pandu. And all of\nthem, afflicted with excessive sorrow, bewailed aloud, exclaiming, 'O\nYudhishthira! Oh prince of the Kuru race!'--While others cried aloud,\n'Oh, Bhima!--O Phalguna!'--while some again,--'Oh, the twins!--Oh,\nKunti!'--Thus did they sorrow for the Pandavas and offer oblations of\nwater unto them. The citizens also wept for the Pandavas but Vidura did\nnot weep much, because he knew the truth.\n\n\"Meanwhile the Pandavas endued with great strength with their mother\nforming a company of six going out of the town of Varanavata arrived at\nthe banks of the Ganga. They then speedily reached the opposite bank\naided by the strength of the boatmen's arms, the rapidity of the river's\ncurrent, and a favourable wind. Leaving the boat, they proceeded in the\nsouthern direction finding their way in the dark by the light of the\nstars. After much suffering they at last reached, O king, a dense forest.\nThey were then tired and thirsty; sleep was closing their eyes every\nmoment. Then Yudhishthira, addressing Bhima endued with great energy,\nsaid, 'What can be more painful than this? We are now in the deep woods.\nWe know not which side is which, nor can we proceed much further. We do\nnot know whether that wretch Purochana hath or hath not been burnt to\ndeath. How shall we escape from these dangers unseen by others? O\nBharata, taking us on thyself, proceed thou as before. Thou alone amongst\nus art strong and swift as the wind.'\n\n\"Thus addressed by Yudhishthira the just, the mighty Bhimasena, taking up\non his body Kunti and his brothers, began to proceed with great\ncelerity.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLIII\n\n(Jatugriha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said,\" As the mighty Bhima proceeded, the whole forest with\nits trees and their branches seemed to tremble, in consequence of their\nclash with his breast. The motion of his thighs raised a wind like unto\nthat which blows during the months of Jyaishtha and Ashadha (May and\nJune). And the mighty Bhima proceeded, making a path for himself, but\ntreading down the trees and creepers before him. In fact, he broke (by\nthe pressure of his body) the large trees and plants, with their flowers\nand fruits, standing on his way. Even so passeth through the woods\nbreaking down mighty trees, the leader of a herd of elephants, of the age\nof sixty years, angry and endued with excess of energy, during the season\nof rut when the liquid juice trickle down the three parts of his body.\nIndeed, so great was the force with which Bhima endued with the speed of\nGaruda or of Marut (the god of wind), proceeded that the Pandavas seemed\nto faint in consequence. Frequently swimming across streams difficult of\nbeing crossed, the Pandavas disguised themselves on their way from fear\nof the sons of Dhritarashtra. And Bhima carried on his shoulder his\nillustrious mother of delicate sensibilities along the uneven banks of\nrivers. Towards the evening, O bull of Bharata's race, Bhima (bearing his\nbrothers and mother on his back) reached a terrible forest where fruits\nand roots and water were scarce and which resounded with the terrible\ncries of birds and beasts. The twilight deepened the cries of birds and\nbeasts became fiercer, darkness shrouded everything from the view and\nuntimely winds began to blow that broke and laid low many a tree large\nand small and many creepers with dry leaves and fruits. The Kaurava\nprinces, afflicted with fatigue and thirst, and heavy with sleep, were\nunable to proceed further. They then all sat down in that forest without\nfood and drink. Then Kunti, smitten with thirst, said unto her sons, 'I\nam the mother of the five Pandavas and am now in their midst. Yet I am\nburning with thirst!' Kunti repeatedly said this unto her sons. Hearing\nthese words, Bhima's heart, from affection for his mother, was warmed by\ncompassion and he resolved to go (along as before). Then Bhima,\nproceeding through that terrible and extensive forest without a living\nsoul, saw a beautiful banian tree with widespreading branches. Setting\ndown there his brothers and mother, O bull of Bharata's race; he said\nunto them, 'Rest you here, while I go in quest of water. I hear the sweet\ncries of aquatic fowls. I think there must be a large pool here.'\nCommanded, O Bharata, by his elder brother who said unto him, 'Go', Bhima\nproceeded in the direction whence the cries of those aquatic fowls were\ncoming. And, O bull of Bharata's race, he soon came upon a lake and\nbathed and slaked his thirst. And affectionate unto his brothers, he\nbrought for them, O Bharata, water by soaking his upper garments. Hastily\nretracing his way over those four miles he came unto where his mother was\nand beholding her he was afflicted with sorrow and began to sigh like a\nsnake. Distressed with grief at seeing his mother and brothers asleep on\nthe bare ground, Vrikodara began to weep, 'Oh, wretch that I am, who\nbehold my brothers asleep on the bare ground, what can befall me more\npainful than this? Alas, they who formerly at Varanavata could not sleep\non the softest and costliest beds are now asleep on the bare ground! Oh,\nwhat more painful sight shall I ever behold than that of Kunti--the\nsister of Vasudeva, that grinder of hostile hosts--the daughter of\nKuntiraja,--herself decked with every auspicious mark, the\ndaughter-in-law of Vichitravirya,--the wife of the illustrious\nPandu,--the mother of us (five brothers),--resplendent as the filaments\nof the lotus and delicate and tender and fit to sleep on the costliest\nbed--thus asleep, as she should never be, on the bare ground! Oh, she who\nhath brought forth these sons by Dharma and Indra and Maruta--she who\nhath ever slept within palaces--now sleepeth, fatigued, on the bare\nground! What more painful sight shall ever be beheld by me than that of\nthese tigers among men (my brothers) asleep on the ground! Oh, the\nvirtuous Yudhishthira, who deserveth the sovereignty of the three worlds,\nsleepeth, fatigued, like an ordinary man, on the bare ground! This Arjuna\nof the darkish hue of blue clouds, and unequalled amongst men sleepeth on\nthe ground like an ordinary person! Oh, what can be more painful than\nthis? Oh the twins, who in beauty are like the twin Aswins amongst the\ncelestials, are asleep like ordinary mortals on the bare ground! He who\nhath no jealous evil-minded relatives, liveth in happiness in this world\nlike a single tree in a village. The tree that standeth single in a\nvillage with its leaves and fruits, from absence of other of the same\nspecies, becometh sacred and is worshipped and venerated by all. They\nagain that have many relatives who, however, are all heroic and virtuous,\nlive happily in the world without sorrow of any kind. Themselves powerful\nand growing in prosperity and always gladdening their friends and\nrelatives, they live, depending on each other, like tall trees growing in\nthe same forest. We, however, have been forced in exile by the wicked\nDhritarashtra and his sons having escaped with difficulty, from sheer\ngood fortune, a fiery death. Having escaped from that fire, we are now\nresting in the shade of this tree. Having already suffered so much, where\nnow are we to go? Ye sons of Dhritarashtra of little foresight, ye wicked\nfellows, enjoy your temporary success. The gods are certainly auspicious\nto you. But ye wicked wretches, ye are alive yet, only because\nYudhishthira doth not command me to take your lives. Else this very day,\nfilled with wrath, I would send thee, (O Duryodhana), to the regions of\nYama (Pluto) with thy children and friends and brothers, and Karna, and\n(Sakuni) the son of Suvala! But what can I do, for, ye sinful wretches,\nthe virtuous king Yudhishthira, the eldest of the Pandavas, is not yet\nangry with you?'\n\n\"Having said this, Bhima of mighty arms, fired with wrath, began to\nsqueeze his palms, sighing deeply in affliction. Excited again with wrath\nlike an extinguished fire blazing up all on a sudden, Vrikodara once more\nbeheld his brothers sleeping on the ground like ordinary persons sleeping\nin trustfulness. And Bhima said unto himself, 'I think there is some town\nnot far off from this forest. These all are asleep, so I will sit awake.\nAnd this will slake their thirst after they rise refreshed from sleep.'\nSaying this, Bhima sat there awake, keeping watch over his sleeping\nmother and brothers.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLIV\n\n(Hidimva-vadha Parva)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Not far from the place where the Pandavas were\nasleep, a Rakshasa by name Hidimva dwelt on the Sala tree. Possessed of\ngreat energy and prowess, he was a cruel cannibal of visage that was grim\nin consequence of his sharp and long teeth. He was now hungry and longing\nfor human flesh. Of long shanks and a large belly, his locks and beard\nwere both red in hue. His shoulders were broad like the neck of a tree;\nhis ears were like unto arrows, and his features were frightful. Of red\neyes and grim visage, the monster beheld, while casting his glances\naround, the sons of Pandu sleeping in those woods. He was then hungry and\nlonging for human flesh. Shaking his dry and grizzly locks and scratching\nthem with his fingers pointed upwards, the large-mouthed cannibal\nrepeatedly looked at the sleeping sons of Pandu yawning wistfully at\ntimes. Of huge body and great strength, of complexion like the colour of\na mass of clouds, of teeth long and sharp-pointed and face emitting a\nsort of lustre, he was ever pleased with human flesh. And scenting the\nodour of man, he addressed his sister, saying, 'O sister, it is after a\nlong time that such agreeable food hath approached me! My mouth waters at\nthe anticipated relish of such food. My eight teeth, so sharp-pointed and\nincapable of being resisted by any substance, I shall, today, after a\nlong time, put into the most delicious flesh. Attacking the human throat\nand even opening the veins, I shall (today) drink a plentiful quantity of\nhuman blood, hot and fresh and frothy. Go and ascertain who these are,\nlying asleep in these woods. The strong scent of man pleaseth my\nnostrils. Slaughtering all these men, bring them unto me. They sleep\nwithin my territory. Thou needest have no fear from them. Do my bidding\nsoon, for we shall then together eat their flesh, tearing off their\nbodies at pleasure. And after feasting to our fill on human flesh we\nshall then dance together to various measures!'\n\n\"Thus addressed by Hidimva in those woods, Hidimva, the female cannibal,\nat the command of her brother, went, O bull of Bharata's race, to the\nspot where the Pandavas were. And on going there, she beheld the Pandavas\nasleep with their mother and the invincible Bhimasena sitting awake. And\nbeholding Bhimasena unrivalled on earth for beauty and like unto a\nvigorous Sala tree, the Rakshasa woman immediately fell in love with him,\nand she said to herself, 'This person of hue like heated gold and of\nmighty arms, of broad shoulders as the lion, and so resplendent, of neck\nmarked with three lines like a conch-shell and eyes like lotus-petals, is\nworthy of being my husband. I shall not obey the cruel mandate of my\nbrother. A woman's love for her husband is stronger than her affection\nfor her brother. If I slay him, my brother's gratification as well as\nmine will only be momentary. But if I slay him not, I can enjoy, with him\nfor ever and ever.' Thus saying, the Rakshasa woman, capable of assuming\nform at will, assumed an excellent human form and began to advance with\nslow steps towards Bhima of mighty arms. Decked with celestial ornaments\nshe advanced with smiles on her lips and a modest gait, and addressing\nBhima said, 'O bull among men, whence hast thou come here and who art\nthou? Who, besides, are these persons of celestial beauty sleeping here?\nWho also, O sinless one, is this lady of transcendent beauty sleeping so\ntrustfully in these woods as if she were lying in her own chamber? Dost\nthou not know that this forest is the abode of a Rakshasa. Truly do I\nsay, here liveth the wicked Rakshasa called Hidimva. Ye beings of\ncelestial beauty, I have been sent hither even by that Rakshasa--my\nbrother--with the cruel intent of killing you for his food. But I tell\nthee truly that beholding thee resplendent as a celestial, I would have\nnone else for my husband save thee! Thou who art acquainted with all\nduties, knowing this, do unto me what is proper. My heart as well as my\nbody hath been pierced by (the shafts of) Kama (Cupid). O, as I am\ndesirous of obtaining thee, make me thine. O thou of mighty arms, I will\nrescue thee from the Rakshasa who eateth human flesh. O sinless one, be\nthou my husband. We shall then live on the breasts of mountains\ninaccessible to ordinary mortals. I can range the air and I do so at\npleasure. Thou mayest enjoy great felicity with me in those regions.'\n\n\"Hearing these words of hers, Bhima replied, 'O Rakshasa woman, who can,\nlike a Muni having all his passions under control, abandon his sleeping\nmother and elder and younger brothers? What man like me would go to\ngratify his lust, leaving his sleeping mother and brothers as food for a\nRakshasa?'\n\n\"The Rakshasa woman replied, 'O, awaken all these, I shall do unto you\nall that is agreeable to thee! I shall certainly rescue you all from my\ncannibal brother?'\n\n\"Bhima then said, 'O Rakshasa woman, I will not, from fear of thy wicked\nbrother, awaken my brothers and mother sleeping comfortably in the woods.\nO timid one, Rakshasas are never able to bear the prowess of my arms.\nAnd, O thou of handsome eyes, neither men, nor Gandharvas, nor Yakshas\nare able to bear my might. O amiable one, thou mayst stay or go as thou\nlikest, or mayst even send thy cannibal brother, O thou of delicate\nshape. I care not.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLV\n\n(Hidimva-vadha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Hidimva, the chief of the Rakshasas, seeing that his\nsister returned not soon enough, alighted from the tree, proceeded\nquickly to the spot where the Pandavas were. Of red eyes and strong arms\nand the arms and the hair of his head standing erect, of large open mouth\nand body like unto a mass of dark clouds, teeth long and sharp-pointed,\nhe was terrible to behold. And Hidimva, beholding her brother of\nfrightful visage alight from the tree, became very much alarmed, and\naddressing Bhima said, 'The wicked cannibal is coming hither in wrath. I\nentreat thee, do with thy brothers, as I bid thee. O thou of great\ncourage, as I am endued with the powers of a Rakshasa, I am capable of\ngoing whithersoever I like. Mount ye on my hips, I will carry you all\nthrough the skies. And, O chastiser of foes, awaken these and thy mother\nsleeping in comfort. Taking them all on my body, I will convey you\nthrough the skies.'\n\n\"Bhima then said, 'O thou of fair hips, fear not anything. I am sure that\nas long as I am here, there is no Rakshasa capable of injuring any of\nthese, O thou of slender waist. I will slay this (cannibal) before thy\nvery eyes. This worst of Rakshasas, O timid one, is no worthy antagonist\nof mine, nor can all the Rakshasas together bear the strength of my arms.\nBehold these strong arms of mine, each like unto the trunk of an\nelephant. Behold also these thighs of mine like unto iron maces, and this\nbroad and adamantine chest. O beautiful one, thou shall today behold my\nprowess like unto that of Indra. O thou of fair hips, hate me not,\nthinking that I am a man.'\n\n\"Hidimva replied saying, 'O tiger among men, O thou of the beauty of a\ncelestial, I do not certainly hold thee in contempt. But I have seen the\nprowess that Rakshasas exert upon men.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then, O Bharata, the wrathful Rakshasa eating\nhuman flesh heard these words of Bhima who had been talking in that way.\nAnd Hidimva beheld his sister disguised in human form, her head decked\nwith garlands of flowers and her face like the full moon and her eyebrows\nand nose and eyes and ringlets all of the handsomest description, and her\nnails and complexion of the most delicate hue, and herself wearing every\nkind of ornament and attired in fine transparent robes. The cannibal,\nbeholding her in that charming human form, suspected that she was\ndesirous of carnal intercourse and became indignant. And, O best of the\nKurus, becoming angry with his sister, the Rakshasa dilated his eyes and\naddressing her said, 'What senseless creature wishes to throw obstacles\nin my path now that I am so hungry? Hast thou become so senseless, O\nHidimva, that thou fearest not my wrath? Fie on thee, thou unchaste\nwoman! Thou art even now desirous of carnal intercourse and solicitous of\ndoing me an injury. Thou art ready to sacrifice the good name and honour\nof all the Rakshasas, thy ancestors! Those with whose aid thou wouldst do\nme this great injury, I will, even now, slay along with thee.' Addressing\nhis sister thus, Hidimva, with eyes red with anger and teeth pressing\nagainst teeth, ran at her to kill her then and there. But beholding him\nrush at his sister, Bhima, that foremost of smiter, endued with great\nenergy, rebuked him and said, Stop--Stop!\"\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'And Bhima, beholding the Rakshasa angry with\nhis sister, smiled (in derision), and said, addressing him, 'O Hidimva,\nwhat need is there for thee to awaken these persons sleeping so\ncomfortably? O wicked cannibal, approach me first without loss of time.\nSmite me first,--it behoveth thee not to kill a woman, especially when\nshe hath been sinned against instead of sinning. This girl is scarcely\nresponsible for her act in desiring intercourse with me. She hath, in\nthis, been moved by the deity of desire that pervadeth every living form.\nThou wicked wretch and the most infamous of Rakshasas, thy sister came\nhere at thy command. Beholding my person, she desireth me. In that the\ntimid girl doth no injury to thee. It is the deity of desire that hath\noffended. It behoveth thee not to injure her for this offence. O wicked\nwretch, thou shalt not slay a woman when I am here. Come with me, O\ncannibal, and fight with myself singly. Singly shall I send thee today to\nthe abode of Yama (Pluto). O Rakshasa, let thy head today, pressed by my\nmight, be pounded to pieces, as though pressed by the tread of a mighty\nelephant. When thou art slain by me on the field of battle, let herons\nand hawks and jackals tear in glee thy limbs today on the ground. In a\nmoment I shall today make this forest destitute of Rakshasas,--this\nforest that had so long been ruled by thee, devourer of human beings! Thy\nsister, O Rakshasa, shall today behold thyself, huge though thou art like\na mountain, like a huge elephant repeatedly dragged by a lion, O worst of\nRakshasas, thyself slain by me, men ranging these woods will henceforth\ndo so safely and without fear.'\n\n\"Hearing these words, Hidimva said, 'What need is there, O man, for this\nthy vaunt and this thy boast? Accomplish all this first, and then mayst\nthou vaunt indeed. Therefore, delay thou not. Thou knowest thyself to be\nstrong and endued with prowess, so thou shalt rightly estimate thy\nstrength today in thy encounter with me. Until that, I will not slay\nthese (thy brothers). Let them sleep comfortably. But I will, as thou art\na fool and the utterer of evil speeches, slay thee first. After drinking\nthy blood, I will slay these also, and then last of all, this (sister of\nmine) that hath done me an injury.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Saying this, the cannibal, extending his arms\nran in wrath towards Bhimasena, that chastiser of foes. Then Bhima of\nterrible prowess quickly seized, as though in sport, with great force,\nthe extended arms of the Rakshasa who had rushed at him. Then seizing the\nstruggling Rakshasa with violence, Bhima dragged him from that spot full\nthirty-two cubits like a lion dragging a little animal. Then the\nRakshasa, thus made to feel the weight of Bhima's strength, became very\nangry and clasping the Pandava, sent forth a terrible yell. The mighty\nBhima then dragged with force the Rakshasa to a greater distance, lest\nhis yells should awaken his brothers sleeping in comfort. Clasping and\ndragging each other with great force, both Hidimva and Bhimasena put\nforth their prowess. Fighting like two full-grown elephants mad with\nrage, they then began to break down the trees and tear the creepers that\ngrew around. And at those sounds, those tigers among men (the sleeping\nPandavas) woke up with their mother, and saw Hidimva sitting before\nthem.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLVI\n\n(Hidimva-vadha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Roused from sleep, those tigers among men, with\ntheir mother, beholding the extraordinary beauty of Hidimva, were filled\nwith wonder. And Kunti, gazing at her with wonder at her beauty,\naddressed her sweetly and gave her every assurance. She asked, 'O thou of\nthe splendour of a daughter of the celestials, whose art thou and who art\nthou? O thou of the fairest complexion, on what business hast thou come\nhither and whence hast thou come? If thou art the deity of these woods or\nan Apsara, tell me all regarding thyself and also why thou stayest here?'\nThereupon Hidimva replied, 'This extensive forest that thou seest, of the\nhue of blue cloud, is the abode of a Rakshasa of the name of Hidimva. O\nhandsome lady, know me as the sister of that chief of the Rakshasa.\nRevered dame, I had been sent by that brother of mine to kill thee with\nall thy children. But on arriving here at the command of that cruel\nbrother of mine, I beheld thy mighty son. Then, O blessed lady, I was\nbrought under the control of thy son by the deity of love who pervadeth\nthe nature of every being, and I then (mentally) chose that mighty son of\nthine as my husband. I tried my best to convey you hence, but I could not\n(because of thy son's opposition). Then the cannibal, seeing my delay,\ncame hither to kill all these thy children. But he hath been dragged\nhence with force by that mighty and intelligent son of thine--my husband.\nBehold now that couple--man and Rakshasa--both endued with great strength\nand prowess, engaged in combat, grinding each other and filling the whole\nregion with their shouts.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing those words of hers, Yudhishthira\nsuddenly rose up and Arjuna also and Nakula and Sahadeva of great energy\nand they beheld Bhima and the Rakshasa already engaged in fight, eager to\novercome each other and dragging each other with great force, like two\nlions endued with great might. The dust raised by their feet in\nconsequence of that encounter looked like the smoke of a\nforest-conflagration. Covered with that dust their huge bodies resembled\ntwo tall cliffs enveloped in mist. Then Arjuna, beholding Bhima rather\noppressed in the fight by the Rakshasa, slowly, said with smiles on his\nlips, 'Fear not, O Bhima of mighty arms! We (had been asleep and\ntherefore) knew not that thou wast engaged with a terrible Rakshasa and\ntired in fight. Here do I stand to help thee, let me slay the Rakshasa,\nand let Nakula and Sahadeva protect our mother.' Hearing him, Bhima said,\n'Look on this encounter, O brother, like a stranger. Fear not for the\nresult. Having come within the reach of my arms, he shall not escape with\nlife.' Then Arjuna said, 'What need, O Bhima, for keeping the Rakshasa\nalive so long? O oppressor of enemies, we are to go hence, and cannot\nstay here longer. The east is reddening, the morning twilight is about to\nset in. The Rakshasa became stronger by break of day, therefore, hasten,\nO Bhima! Play not (with thy victim), but slay the terrible Rakshasa soon.\nDuring the two twilights Rakshasas always put forth their powers of\ndeception. Use all the strength of thy arms.\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'At this speech of Arjuna, Bhima blazing up with\nanger, summoned the might that Vayu (his father) puts forth at the time\nof the universal dissolution. And filled with rage, he quickly raised\nhigh in the air the Rakshasa's body, blue as the clouds of heaven, and\nwhirled it a hundred times. Then addressing the cannibal, Bhima said, 'O\nRakshasa, thy intelligence was given thee in vain, and in vain hast thou\ngrown and thriven on unsanctified flesh. Thou deservest, therefore, an\nunholy death and I shall reduce thee today to nothing. I shall make this\nforest blessed today, like one without prickly plants. And, O Rakshasa,\nthou shalt no longer slay human beings for thy food.' Arjuna at this\njuncture, said, 'O Bhima, if thou thinkest it a hard task for thee to\novercome this Rakshasa in combat, let me render thee help, else, slay him\nthyself without loss of time. Or, O Vrikodara, let me alone slay the\nRakshasa. Thou art tired, and hast almost finished the affair. Well dost\nthou deserve rest.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these words of Arjuna, Bhima was fired\nwith rage and dashing the Rakshasa on the ground with all his might slew\nhim as if he were an animal. The Rakshasa, while dying, sent forth a\nterrible yell that filled the whole forest, and was deep as the sound of\na wet drum. Then the mighty Bhima, holding the body with his hands, bent\nit double, and breaking it in the middle, greatly gratified his brothers.\nBeholding Hidimva slain, they became exceedingly glad and lost no time in\noffering their congratulations to Bhima, that chastiser of all foes. Then\nArjuna worshipping the illustrious Bhima of terrible prowess, addressed\nhim again and said, 'Revered senior, I think there is a town not far off\nfrom this forest. Blest be thou, let us go hence soon, so that Duryodhana\nmay not trace us.'\n\n\"Then all those mighty car-warriors, those tigers among men, saying, 'So\nbe it,' proceeded along with their mother, followed by Hidimva, the\nRakshasa woman.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLVII\n\n(Hidimva-vadha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Bhima, beholding Hidimva following them, addressed\nher, saying, 'Rakshasas revenge themselves on their enemies by adopting\ndeceptions that are incapable of being penetrated. Therefore, O Hidimva,\ngo thou the way on which thy brother hath gone.' Then Yudhishthira\nbeholding Bhima in rage, said, 'O Bhima, O tiger among men, however\nenraged, do not slay a woman. O Pandava, the observance of virtue is a\nhigher duty than the protection of life. Hidimva, who had come with the\nobject of slaying us, thou hast already slain. This woman is the sister\nof that Rakshasa, what can she do to us even if she were angry?'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then Hidimva reverentially saluting Kunti and\nher son Yudhishthira also, said, with joined palms, 'O revered lady, thou\nknowest the pangs that women are made to feel at the hands of the deity\nof love. Blessed dame, these pangs, of which Bhimasena hath been the\ncause, are torturing me. I had hitherto borne these insufferable pangs,\nwaiting for the time (when thy son could assuage them). That time is now\ncome, when I expected I would be made happy. Casting off my friends and\nrelations and the usage of my race, I have, O blessed lady, chosen this\nson of thine, this tiger among men, as my husband. I tell thee truly, O\nillustrious lady, that if I am cast off by that hero or by thee either, I\nwill no longer bear this life of mine. Therefore, O thou of the fairest\ncomplexion, it behoveth thee to show me mercy, thinking me either as very\nsilly or thy obedient slave. O illustrious dame, unite me with this thy\nson, my husband. Endued as he is with the form of a celestial, let me go\ntaking him with me wherever I like. Trust me, O blessed lady, I will\nagain bring him back unto you all. When you think of me I will come to\nyou immediately and convey you whithersoever ye may command. I will\nrescue you from all dangers and carry you across inaccessible and uneven\nregions. I will carry you on my back whenever ye desire to proceed with\nswiftness. O, be gracious unto me and make Bhima accept me. It hath been\nsaid that in a season of distress one should protect one's life by any\nmeans. He, that seeketh to discharge that duty should not scruple about\nthe means. He, that in a season of distress keepeth his virtue, is the\nforemost of virtuous men. Indeed, distress is the greatest danger to\nvirtue and virtuous men. It is virtue that protecteth life; therefore is\nvirtue called the giver of life. Hence the means by which virtue or the\nobservance of a duty is secured can never be censurable.'\n\n\"Hearing these words of Hidimva, Yudhishthira said. 'It is even so, O\nHidimva, as thou sayest. There is no doubt of it. But, O thou of slender\nwaist, thou must act even as thou hast said. Bhima will, after he hath\nwashed himself and said his prayers and performed the usual propitiatory\nrites, pay his attentions to thee till the sun sets. Sport thou with him\nas thou likest during the day, O thou that art endued with the speed of\nthe mind! But thou must bring back Bhimasena hither every day at\nnightfall.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then Bhima, expressing his assent to all that\nYudhishthira said, addressed Hidimva, saying, 'Listen to me, O Rakshasa\nwoman! Truly do I make this engagement with thee that I will stay with\nthee, O thou of slender waist, until thou obtainest a son.' Then Hidimva,\nsaying, 'So be it,' took Bhima upon her body and sped through the sides.\nOn mountain peaks of picturesque scenery and regions sacred to the gods,\nabounding with dappled herds and echoing with the melodies of feathered\ntribes, herself assuming the handsomest form decked with every ornament\nand pouring forth at times mellifluous strains. Hidimva sported with the\nPandava and studied to make him happy. So also, in inaccessible regions\nof forests, and on mountain-breasts overgrown with blossoming trees on\nlakes resplendent with lotuses and lilies, islands of rivers and their\npebbly banks, on sylvan streams with beautiful banks and\nmountain-currents, in picturesque woods with blossoming trees and\ncreepers in Himalayan bowers, and various caves, on crystal pools smiling\nwith lotuses, on sea-shores shining with gold and pearls, in beautiful\ntowns and fine gardens, in woods sacred to the gods and on hill-sides, in\nthe regions of Guhyakas and ascetics, on the banks of Manasarovara\nabounding with fruits and flowers of every season Hidimva, assuming the\nhandsomest form, sported with Bhima and studied to make him happy. Endued\nwith the speed of the mind, she sported with Bhima in all these regions,\ntill in time, she conceived and brought forth a mighty son begotten upon\nher by the Pandava. Of terrible eyes and large mouth and straight arrowy\nears, the child was terrible to behold. Of lips brown as copper and sharp\nteeth and loud roar, of mighty arms and great strength and excessive\nprowess, this child became a mighty bowman. Of long nose, broad chest,\nfrightfully swelling calves, celerity of motion and excessive strength,\nhe had nothing human in his countenance, though born of man. And he\nexcelled (in strength and prowess) all Pisachas and kindred tribes as\nwell as all Rakshasas. And, O monarch, though a little child, he grew up\na youth the very hour he was born. The mighty hero soon acquired high\nproficiency in the use of all weapons. The Rakshasa women bring forth the\nvery day they conceive, and capable of assuming any forms at will, they\nalways change their forms. And the bald-headed child, that mighty bowman,\nsoon after his birth, bowing down to his mother, touched her feet and the\nfeet also of his father. His parents then bestowed upon him a name. His\nmother having remarked that his head was (bald) like unto a Ghata\n(water-pot), both his parents thereupon called him Ghatotkacha (the\npot-headed). And Ghatotkacha who was exceedingly devoted to the Pandavas,\nbecame a great favourite with them, indeed almost one of them.\n\n\"Then Hidimva, knowing that the period of her stay (with her husband) had\ncome to an end, saluted the Pandavas and making a new appointment with\nthem went away whithersoever she liked. And Ghatotkacha also--that\nforemost of Rakshasas--promising unto his father that he would come when\nwanted on business, saluted them and went away northward. Indeed, it was\nthe illustrious Indra who created (by lending a portion of himself) the\nmighty car-warrior Ghatotkacha as a fit antagonist of Karna of unrivalled\nenergy, in consequence of the dart he had given unto Karna (and which was\nsure to kill the person against whom it would be hurled).'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLVIII\n\n(Hidimva-vadha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Those mighty car-warriors, the heroic Pandavas, then\nwent, O king, from forest to forest killing deer and many animals (for\ntheir food). And in the course of their wanderings they saw the countries\nof the Matsyas, the Trigartas, the Panchalas and then of the Kichakas,\nand also many beautiful woods and lakes therein. And they all had matted\nlocks on their heads and were attired in barks of trees and the skins of\nanimals. Indeed, with Kunti in their company those illustrious heroes\nwere attired in the garbs of ascetics. And those mighty car-warriors\nsometimes proceeded in haste, carrying their mother on their backs; and\nsometimes they proceeded in disguise, and sometimes again with great\ncelerity. And they used to study the Rik and the other Vedas and also all\nthe Vedangas as well as the sciences of morals and politics. And the\nPandavas, conversant with the science of morals, met, in course of their\nwanderings their grandfather (Vyasa). And saluting the illustrious\nKrishna-Dwaipayana, those chastisers of enemies, with their mother, stood\nbefore him with joined hands.'\n\n\"Vyasa then said, 'Ye bulls of Bharata's race, I knew beforehand of this\naffliction of yours consisting in your deceitful exile by the son of\nDhritarashtra. Knowing this, I have come to you, desirous of doing you\nsome great good. Do not grieve for what hath befallen you. Know that all\nthis is for your happiness. Undoubtedly, the sons of Dhritarashtra and\nyou are all equal in my eye. But men are always partial to those who are\nin misfortune or of tender years. It is therefore, that my affection for\nyou is greater now. And in consequence of that affection, I desire to do\nyou good. Listen to me! Not far off before you is a delightful town where\nno danger can overtake you. Live ye there in disguise, waiting for my\nreturn.'\n\n'Vaisampayana continued, 'Vyasa, the son of Satyavati, thus comforting\nthe Pandavas, led them into the town of Ekachakra. And the master also\ncomforted Kunti, saying, 'Live, O daughter! This son of thine,\nYudhishthira, ever devoted to truth, this illustrious bull among men,\nhaving by his justice conquered the whole world, will rule over all the\nother monarchs of the earth. There is little doubt that, having by means\nof Bhima's and Arjuna's prowess conquered the whole earth with her belt\nof seas, he will enjoy the sovereignty thereof. Thy sons as well as those\nof Madri--mighty car-warriors all--will cheerfully sport as pleaseth them\nin their dominions. These tigers among men will also perform various\nsacrifices, such as the Rajasuya and the horse-sacrifice, in which the\npresents unto the Brahmanas are very large. And these thy sons will rule\ntheir ancestral kingdom, maintaining their friends and relatives in\nluxury and affluence and happiness.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'With these words Vyasa introduced them into the\ndwelling of a Brahmana. And the island-born Rishi, addressing the eldest\nof the Pandavas, said, 'Wait here for me! I will come back to you! By\nadapting yourselves to the country and the occasion you will succeed in\nbecoming very happy.'\n\n\"Then, O king, the Pandavas with joined hands said unto the Rishi, 'So be\nit.' And the illustrious master, the Rishi Vyasa, then went away to the\nregion whence he had come.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLIX\n\n(Vaka-vadha Parva)\n\n\"Janamejaya asked, 'O first of Brahmanas, what did the Pandavas, those\nmighty car-warriors, the sons of Kunti, do after arriving at Ekachakra?'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Those mighty car-warriors, the sons of Kunti, on\narriving at Ekachakra, lived for a short time in the abode of a Brahmana.\nLeading an eleemosynary life, they behold (in course of their wanderings)\nvarious delightful forests and earthly regions, and many rivers and\nlakes, and they became great favourites of the inhabitants of that town\nin consequence of their own accomplishments. At nightfall they placed\nbefore Kunti all they gathered in their mendicant tours, and Kunti used\nto divide the whole amongst them, each taking what was allotted to him.\nAnd those heroic chastisers of foes, with their mother, together took one\nmoiety of the whole, while the mighty Bhima alone took the other moiety.\nIn this way, O bull of Bharata's race, the illustrious Pandavas lived\nthere for some time.\n\n\"One day, while those bulls of the Bharata race were out on their tour of\nmendicancy, it so happened that Bhima was (at home) with (his mother)\nPritha. That day, O Bharata, Kunti heard a loud and heart-rending wail of\nsorrow coming from within the apartments of the Brahmana. Hearing the\ninmates of the Brahmana's house wailing and indulging in piteous\nlamentations, Kunti, O king, from compassion and the goodness of her\nheart, could not bear it with indifference. Afflicted with sorrow, the\namiable Pritha, addressing Bhima, said these words full of compassion.\n'Our woes assuaged, we are, O son, living happily in the house of this\nBrahmana, respected by him and unknown to Dhritarashtra's son. O son, I\nalways think of the good I should do to this Brahmana, like what they do\nthat live happily in others' abodes! O child, he is a true man upon whom\nfavours are never lost. He payeth back to others more than what he\nreceiveth at their hands. There is no doubt, some affliction hath\novertaken this Brahmana. If we could be of any help to him, we should\nthen be requiting his services.'\n\n\"Hearing these words of his mother, Bhima said, 'Ascertain, O mother the\nnature of the Brahmana's distress and whence also it hath arisen.\nLearning all about it, relieve it I will however difficult may the task\nprove.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued 'While mother and son were thus talking with each\nother, they heard again, O king, another wail of sorrow proceeding from\nthe Brahmana and his wife. Then Kunti quickly entered the inner\napartments of that illustrious Brahmana, like unto a cow running towards\nher tethered calf. She beheld the Brahmana with his wife, son and\ndaughter, sitting with a woeful face, and she heard the Brahmana say,\n'Oh, fie on this earthly life which is hollow as the reed and so\nfruitless after all which is based on sorrow and hath no freedom, and\nwhich hath misery for its lot! Life is sorrow and disease; life is truly\na record of misery! The soul is one: but it hath to pursue virtue, wealth\nand pleasure. And because these are pursued at one and the same time,\nthere frequently occurs a disagreement that is the source of much misery.\nSome say that salvation is the highest object of our desire. But I\nbelieve it can never be attained. The acquisition of wealth is hell; the\npursuit of wealth is attended with misery; there is more misery after one\nhas acquired it, for one loves one's possessions, and if any mishap\nbefalls them, the possessor becomes afflicted with woe. I do not see by\nwhat means I can escape from this danger, nor how I can fly hence, with\nmy wife to some region free from danger. Remember, O wife, that I\nendeavoured to migrate to some other place where we would be happy, but\nthou didst not then listen to me. Though frequently solicited by me,\nthou, O simple woman, said to me, 'I have been born here, and here have I\ngrown old; this is my ancestral homestead.' Thy venerable father, O wife,\nand thy mother also, have, a long time ago, ascended to heaven. Thy\nrelations also had all been dead. Oh why then didst thou yet like to live\nhere? Led by affection for thy relatives thou didst not then hear what I\nsaid. But the time is now come when thou art to witness the death of a\nrelative. Oh, how sad is that spectacle for me! Or perhaps the time is\ncome for my own death, for I shall never be able to abandon cruelly one\nof my own as long as I myself am alive. Thou art my helpmate in all good\ndeeds, self-denying and always affectionate unto me as a mother. The gods\nhave given thee to me as a true friend and thou art ever my prime stay.\nThou hast, by my parents, been made the participator in my domestic\nconcerns. Thou art of pure lineage and good disposition, the mother of\nchildren, devoted to me, and so innocent; having chosen and wedded thee\nwith due rites, I cannot abandon thee, my wife, so constant in thy vows,\nto save my life. How shall I myself be able to sacrifice my son a child\nof tender years and yet without the hirsute appendages (of manhood)? How\nshall I sacrifice my daughter whom I have begotten myself, who hath been\nplaced, as a pledge, in my hands by the Creator himself for bestowal on a\nhusband and through whom I hope to enjoy, along with my ancestors, the\nregions attainable by those only that have daughters' sons? Some people\nthink that the father's affection for a son is greater; others, that his\naffection for a daughter is greater, mine, however, is equal. How can I\nbe prepared to give up the innocent daughter upon whom rest the regions\nof bliss obtainable by me in after life and my own lineage and perpetual\nhappiness? If, again, I sacrifice myself and go to the other world, I\nshould scarcely know any peace, for, indeed, it is evident that, left by\nme these would not be able to support life. The sacrifice of any of these\nwould be cruel and censurable. On the other hand, if I sacrifice myself,\nthese, without me, will certainly perish. The distress into which I have\nfallen is great; nor do I know the means of escape. Alas, what course\nshall I take today with my near ones. It is well that I should die with\nall these, for I can live no longer.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLX\n\n(Vaka-vadha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, \"On hearing these words of the Brahmana, his wife\nsaid, 'Thou shouldst not, O Brahmana, grieve like an ordinary man. Nor is\nthis the time for mourning. Thou hast learning; thou knowest that all men\nare sure to die; none should grieve for that which is inevitable. Wife,\nson, and daughter, all these are sought for one's own self. As thou art\npossessed of a good understanding, kill thou thy sorrows. I will myself\ngo there. This indeed, is the highest and the eternal duty of a woman,\nviz., that by sacrificing her life she should seek the good of her\nhusband. Such an act done by me will make thee happy, and bring me fame\nin this world and eternal bliss hereafter. This, indeed, is the highest\nvirtue that I tell thee, and thou mayest, by this, acquire both virtue\nand happiness. The object for which one desireth a wife hath already been\nachieved by thee through me. I have borne thee a daughter and a son and\nthus been freed from the debt I had owed thee. Thou art well able to\nsupport and cherish the children, but I however, can never support and\ncherish them like thee. Thou art my life, wealth, and lord; bereft of\nthee, how shall these children of tender years--how also shall I myself,\nexist? Widowed and masterless, with two children depending on me, how\nshall I, without thee, keep alive the pair, myself leading an honest\nlife? If the daughter of thine is solicited (in marriage) by persons\ndishonourable and vain and unworthy of contracting an alliance with thee,\nhow shall I be able to protect the girl? Indeed, as birds seek with\navidity for meat that hath been thrown away on the ground, so do men\nsolicit a woman that hath lost her husband. O best of Brahmanas,\nsolicited by wicked men, I may waver and may not be able to continue in\nthe path that is desired by all honest men. How shall I be able to place\nthis sole daughter of thy house--this innocent girl--in the way along\nwhich her ancestors have always walked? How shall I then be able to\nimpart unto this child every desirable accomplishment to make him\nvirtuous as thyself, in that season of want when I shall become\nmasterless? Overpowering myself who shall be masterless, unworthy persons\nwill demand (the hand of) this daughter of thine, like Sudras desiring to\nhear the Vedas. And if I bestow not upon them this girl possessing thy\nblood and qualities, they may even take her away by force, like crows\ncarrying away the sacrificial butter. And beholding thy son become so\nunlike to thee, and thy daughter placed under the control of some\nunworthy persons, I shall be despised in the world by even persons that\nare dishonourable, and I will certainly die. These children also, bereft\nof me and thee, their father, will, I doubt not, perish like fish when\nthe water drieth up. There is no doubt that bereft of thee the three will\nperish: therefore it behoveth thee to sacrifice me. O Brahmana, persons\nconversant with morals have said that for women that have borne children,\nto predecease their lords is an act of the highest merit. Ready am I to\nabandon this son and this daughter, these my relations, and life itself,\nfor thee. For a woman to be ever employed in doing agreeable offices to\nher lord is a higher duty than sacrifices, asceticism, vows, and\ncharities of every description. The act, therefore, which I intend to\nperform is consonant with the highest virtue and is for thy good and that\nof thy race. The wise have declared that children and relatives and wife\nand all things held dear are cherished for the purpose of liberating\none's self from danger and distress. One must guard one's wealth for\nfreeing one's self from danger, and it is by his wealth that he should\ncherish and protect his wife. But he must protect his own self both by\n(means of) his wife and his wealth. The learned have enunciated the truth\nthat one's wife, son, wealth, and house, are acquired with the intention\nof providing against accidents, foreseen or unforeseen. The wise have\nalso said that all one's relations weighed against one's own self would\nnot be equal unto one's self. Therefore, revered sir, protect thy own\nself by abandoning me. O, give me leave to sacrifice myself, and cherish\nthou my children. Those that are conversant with the morals have, in\ntheir treatises, said, that women should never be slaughtered and that\nRakshasas are not ignorant of the rules of morality. Therefore, while it\nis certain that the Rakshasa will kill a man, it is doubtful whether he\nwill kill a woman. It behoveth thee, therefore, being conversant with the\nrules of morality, to place me before the Rakshasa. I have enjoyed much\nhappiness, have obtained much that is agreeable to me, and have also\nacquired great religious merit. I have also obtained from thee children\nthat are so dear to me. Therefore, it grieveth not me to die. I have\nborne thee children and have also grown old; I am ever desirous of doing\ngood to thee; remembering all these I have come to this resolution. O\nrevered sir, abandoning me thou mayest obtain another wife. By her thou\nmayest again acquire religious merit. There is no sin in this. For a man\npolygamy is an act of merit, but for a woman it is very sinful to betake\nherself to a second husband after the first. Considering all this, and\nremembering too that sacrifice of thy own self is censurable, O, liberate\ntoday without loss of time thy own self, thy race, and these thy children\n(by abandoning me).'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed by her, O Bharata, the Brahmana\nembraced her, and they both began to weep in silence, afflicted with\ngrief.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXI\n\n(Vaka-vadha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'On hearing these words of her afflicted parents, the\ndaughter was filled with grief, and she addressed them, saying, 'Why are\nyou so afflicted and why do you so weep, as if you have none to look\nafter you? O, listen to me and do what may be proper. There is little\ndoubt that you are bound in duty to abandon me at a certain time. Sure to\nabandon me once, O, abandon me now and save every thing at the expense of\nme alone. Men desire to have children, thinking that children would save\nthem (in this world as well as in the region hereafter). O, cross the\nstream of your difficulties by means of my poor self, as if I were a\nraft. A child rescueth his parents in this and the other regions;\ntherefore is the child called by the learned Putra (rescuer). The\nancestors desire daughter's sons from me (as a special means of\nsalvation). But (without waiting for my children) I myself will rescue\nthem by protecting the life of my father. This my brother is of tender\nyears, so there is little doubt that he will perish if thou diest now. If\nthou, my father, diest and my brother followeth thee, the funeral cake of\nthe Pitris will be suspended and they will be greatly injured. Left\nbehind by my father and brother, and by my mother also (for she will not\nsurvive her husband and son) I shall be plunged deeper and deeper in woe\nand ultimately perish in great distress. There can be little doubt that\nif thou escape from this danger as also my mother and infant brother,\nthen thy race and the (ancestral) cake will be perpetuated. The son is\none's own self; the wife is one's friend; the daughter, however, is the\nsource of trouble. Do thou save thyself, therefore, by removing that\nsource of trouble, and do thou thereby set me in the path of virtue. As I\nam a girl, O father, destitute of thee, I shall be helpless and plunged\nin woe, and shall have to go everywhere. It is therefore that I am\nresolved to rescue my father's race and share the merit of that act by\naccomplishing this difficult task. If thou, O best of Brahmanas, goest\nthither (unto the Rakshasa), leaving me here, then I shall be very much\npained. Therefore, O father, be kind to me. O thou best of men, for our\nsake, for that of virtue and also thy race, save thyself, abandoning me,\nwhom at one time thou shall be constrained to part from. There need be no\ndelay, O father, in doing that which is inevitable. What can be more\npainful than that, when thou hast ascended to heaven, we shall have to go\nabout begging our food, like dogs, from strangers. But if thou art\nrescued with thy relations from these difficulties, I shall then live\nhappily in the region of the celestials. It hath been heard by us that if\nafter bestowing thy daughter in this way, thou offerest oblations to the\ngods and the celestials, they will certainly be propitious.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'The Brahmana and his wife, hearing these\nvarious lamentations of their daughter, became sadder than before and the\nthree began to weep together. Their son, then, of tender years, beholding\nthem and their daughter thus weeping together, lisped these words in a\nsweet tone, his eyes having dilated with delight, 'Weep not, O father,\nnor thou, O mother, nor thou O sister!' And smilingly did the child\napproach each of them, and at last taking up a blade of grass said in\nglee, 'With this will I slay the Rakshasa who eateth human beings!'\nAlthough all of them had been plunged in woe, yet hearing what the child\nlisped so sweetly, joy appeared on their faces. Then Kunti thinking that\nto be the proper opportunity, approached the group and said these words.\nIndeed, her words revived them as nectar reviveth a person that is dead.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXII\n\n(Vaka-vadha Parva continued)\n\n'Kunti said, 'I desire to learn from you the cause of this grief, for I\nwill remove it, if possible.'\n\n\"The Brahmana replied, 'O thou of ascetic wealth, thy speech is, indeed\nworthy of thee. But this grief is incapable of being removed by any human\nbeing. Not far from this town, there liveth a Rakshasa of the name of\nVaka, which cannibal is the lord of this country and town. Thriving on\nhuman flesh, that wretched Rakshasa endued with great strength ruleth\nthis country. He being the chief of the Asuras, this town and the country\nin which it is situate are protected by his might. We have no fear from\nthe machinations of any enemy, or indeed from any living soul. The fee,\nhowever, fixed for that cannibal is his food, which consists of a\ncart-load of rice, two buffaloes, and a human being who conveyeth them\nunto him. One after another, the house-holders have to send him this\nfood. The turn, however, cometh to a particular family at intervals of\nmany long years. If there are any that seek to avoid it, the Rakshasa\nslayeth them with their children and wives and devoureth them all. There\nis, in this country, a city called Vetrakiya, where liveth the king of\nthese territories. He is ignorant of the science of government, and\npossessed of little intelligence, he adopts not with care any measure by\nwhich these territories may be rendered safe for all time to come. But we\ncertainly deserve it all, inasmuch as we live within the dominion of that\nwretched and weak monarch in perpetual anxiety. Brahmanas can never be\nmade to dwell permanently within the dominions of any one, for they are\ndependent on nobody, they live rather like birds ranging all countries in\nperfect freedom. It hath been said that one must secure a (good) king,\nthen a wife, and then wealth. It is by the acquisition of these three\nthat one can rescue his relatives and sons. But as regards the\nacquisition of these three, the course of my actions hath been the\nreverse. Hence, plunged into a sea of danger, am suffering sorely. That\nturn, destructive of one's family, hath now devolved upon me. I shall\nhave to give unto the Rakshasa as his fee the food of the aforesaid\ndescription and one human being to boot. I have no wealth to buy a man\nwith. I cannot by any means consent to part with any one of my family,\nnor do I see any way of escape from (the clutches of) that Rakshasa. I am\nnow sunk in an ocean of grief from which there is no escape. I shall go\nto that Rakshasa today, attended by all my family in order that that\nwretch might devour us all at once'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXIII\n\n(Vaka-vadha Parva continued)\n\n\"Kunti said, Grieve not at all, O Brahmana, on account of this danger. I\nsee a way by which to rescue thee from that Rakshasa. Thou hast only one\nson, who, besides, is of very tender years, also only one daughter, young\nand helpless, so I do not like that any of these, or thy wife, or even\nthyself should go unto the Rakshasa. I have five sons, O Brahmana, let\none of them go, carrying in thy behalf tribute of that Rakshasa.'\n\n\"Hearing this, the Brahmana replied, 'To save my own life I shall never\nsuffer this to be done. I shall never sacrifice, to save myself, the life\nof a Brahmana or of a guest. Indeed, even those that are of low origin\nand of sinful practices refuse to do (what thou askest me to do). It is\nsaid that one should sacrifice one's self and one's offspring for the\nbenefit of a Brahmana. I regard this advice excellent and I like to\nfollow it too. When I have to choose between the death of a Brahmana and\nthat of my own, I would prefer the latter. The killing of a Brahmana is\nthe highest sin, and there is no expiation for it. I think a reluctant\nsacrifice of one's own self is better than the reluctant sacrifice of a\nBrahmana. O blessed lady, in sacrificing myself I do not become guilty of\nself-destruction. No sin can attach to me when another will take my life.\nBut if I deliberately consent to the death of a Brahmana, it would be a\ncruel and sinful act, from the consequence of which there is no escape.\nThe learned have said that the abandonment of one who hath come to thy\nhouse or sought thy protection, as also the killing of one who seeketh\ndeath at thy hands, is both cruel and sinful. The illustrious among those\nconversant with practices allowable in seasons of distress, have before\nnow said that one should never perform an act that is cruel and\ncensurable. It is well for me that I should today perish myself with my\nwife, but I would never sanction the death of a Brahmana.'\n\n\"Kunti said, 'I too am firmly of opinion, O Brahmana, that Brahmanas\nshould ever be protected. As regards myself, no son of mine would be less\ndear to me even if I had a hundred instead of the five I have. But this\nRakshasa will not be able to kill my son, for that son of mine is endued\nwith great prowess and energy, and skilled in mantras. He will faithfully\ndeliver to the Rakshasa his food, but will, I know to a certainty, rescue\nhimself. I have seen before many mighty Rakshasas of huge bodies engaged\nin combat with my heroic son and killed too by him. But, O Brahmana, do\nnot disclose this fact to anybody, for if it be known, persons desirous\nof obtaining this power, will, from curiosity, always trouble my sons.\nThe wise have said that if my son imparteth any knowledge, without the\nassent of his preceptor, unto any person, my son himself will no longer\nbe able to profit by that knowledge.'\n\n\"Thus addressed by Pritha, the Brahmana with his wife became exceedingly\nglad and assented to Kunti's speech, which was unto them as nectar. Then\nKunti, accompanied by the Brahmana, went unto the son of Vayu (Bhima) and\nasked him to accomplish (that difficult task). Bhima replied unto them,\nsaying, 'So be it.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXIV\n\n(Vaka-vadha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'After Bhima had pledged himself to accomplish the\ntask, saying, 'I will do it,' the Pandavas, O Bharata, returned home with\nthe alms they had obtained during the day. Then Yudhishthira, the son of\nPandu from Bhima's countenance alone, suspected the nature of the task he\nhad undertaken to accomplish. Sitting by the side of his mother,\nYudhishthira asked her in private, 'What is the task, O mother, that\nBhima of terrible prowess seeketh to accomplish? Doth he do so at thy\ncommand or of his own accord?' Kunti replied, 'Bhima, that chastiser of\nfoes, will at my command, do this great deed for the good of the Brahmana\nand the liberation of this town.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'What rash act hast thou done, O mother! It is\ndifficult of being performed and almost amounteth to suicide! The learned\nnever applaud the abandonment of one's own child. Why dost thou, O\nmother, wish to sacrifice thy own child for the sake of another's? Thou\nhast, O mother, by this abandonment of thy child, acted not only against\nthe course of human practices but also against the teachings of the\nVedas, That Bhima, relying on whose arms we sleep happily in the night\nand hope to recover the kingdom of which we have been deprived by the\ncovetous son of Dhritarashtra, that hero of immeasurable energy,\nremembering whose prowess Duryodhana and Sakuni do not sleep a wink\nduring the whole night and by whose prowess we were rescued from the\npalace of lac and various other dangers, that Bhima who caused the death\nof Purochana, and relying on whose might we regard ourselves as having\nalready slain the sons of Dhritarashtra and acquired the whole earth with\nall her wealth, upon what considerations, O mother, hast thou resolved\nupon abandoning him? Hast thou been deprived of thy reason? Hath thy\nunderstanding been clouded by the calamities thou hast undergone?'\n\n\"On hearing these words of her son, Kunti said, 'O Yudhishthira, thou\nneedst not be at all anxious on account of Vrikodara. I have not come to\nthis resolve owing to any weakness of understanding. Respected by him,\nand with our sorrows assuaged, we have, O son, been living in the house\nof this Brahmana, unknown to the sons of Dhritarashtra. For requiting, O\nson, that Brahmana, I have resolved to do this. He, indeed, is a man upon\nwhom good offices are never lost. The measure of his requital becometh\ngreater than the measure of the services he receiveth. Beholding the\nprowess of Bhima on the occasion of (our escape from) the house of lac,\nand from the destruction also of Hidimva, my confidence in Vrikodara is\ngreat. The might of Bhima's arms is equal unto that of ten thousand\nelephants. It was, therefore, that he succeeded in carrying you all, each\nheavy as an elephant, from Varanavata. There is no one on earth equal\nunto Bhima in might; he may even overcome that foremost of warriors, the\nholder of the thunderbolt himself. Soon after his birth he fell from my\nlap on the breast of the mountain. By the weight of his body the mass of\nstone on which he fell down broke in pieces. From this also, O son of\nPandu, I have come to know Bhima's might. For this reason have I resolved\nto set him against the Brahmana's foe. I have not acted in this from\nfoolishness or ignorance or from motive of gain. I have deliberately\nresolved to do this virtuous deed. By this act, O Yudhishthira, two\nobjects will be accomplished; one is a requital of the services rendered\nby the Brahmana and the other is the acquisition of high religious merit.\nIt is my conviction that the Kshatriya who rendereth help unto a Brahmana\nin anything acquireth regions of bliss hereafter. So also a Kshatriya who\nsaveth the life of a Kshatriya achieveth that great fame in this world as\nin the other. A Kshatriya rendering help unto a Vaisya also on this earth\ncertainly acquires world-wide popularity. One of the kingly tribe should\nprotect even the Sudra who cometh to him for protection. If he doeth so,\nin his next life he receiveth his birth in a royal line, commanding\nprosperity and the respect of other kings. O scion of Puru's race, the\nillustrious Vyasa of wisdom acquired by hard ascetic toil told me so in\nbygone days. It is therefore, that I have resolved upon accomplishing\nthis.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXV\n\n(Vaka-vadha Parva continued)\n\n\"Having heard these words of his mother, Yudhishthira said, 'What thou, O\nmother, hast deliberately done, moved by compassion for the afflicted\nBrahmana, is, indeed, excellent Bhima will certainly come back with life,\nafter having slain the cannibal, inasmuch as thou art, O mother, always\ncompassionate unto Brahmanas. But tell the Brahmana, O mother, that he\ndoth not do anything whereby the dwellers in this town may know all about\nit, and make him promise to keep thy request.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then, when the night passed away, Bhimasena,\nthe son of Pandu, taking with him the Rakshasa's food set out for the\nplace where the cannibal lived. The mighty son of Pandu, approaching the\nforest where the Rakshasa dwelt, began to eat himself the food he\ncarried, calling loudly to the Rakshasa by name. The Rakshasa, inflamed\nwith anger at Bhima's words, came out and approached the place where\nBhima was.\n\n\"Of huge body and great strength, of red eyes, red beard, and red hair,\nhe was terrible to behold, and he came, pressing deep the earth with his\ntread. The opening of his mouth, was from ear to ear and his ears\nthemselves were straight as arrows. Of grim visage, he had a forehead\nfurrowed into three lines. Beholding Bhima eating his food, the Rakshasa\nadvanced, biting his nether lip and expanding his eyes in wrath. And\naddressing Bhima he said, 'Who is this fool, who desiring to go to the\nabode of Yama, eateth in my very sight the food intended for me?' Hearing\nthese words, Bhima, O Bharata, smiled in derision and disregarding the\nRakshasa, continued eating with averted face. Beholding this, the\ncannibal uttered a frightful yell and with both arms upraised ran at\nBhima desiring to kill him, there and then. Even then disregarding the\nRakshasa and casting only a single glance at him, Vrikodara, that slayer\nof hostile heroes continued to eat the Rakshasa's food. Filled with wrath\nat this, the Rakshasa struck, from behind with both his arms a heavy blow\non the back of Vrikodara, the son of Kunti. But Bhima, though struck\nheavily by the mighty Rakshasa, with both his hands, did not even look up\nat the Rakshasa but continued to eat as before. Then the mighty Rakshasa,\ninflamed with wrath, tore up a tree and ran at Bhima for striking him\nagain. Meanwhile the mighty Bhima, that bull among men had leisurely\neaten up the whole of that food and washing himself stood cheerfully for\nfight. Then, O Bharata, possessed of great energy, Bhima, smiling in\nderision, caught with his left hand the tree hurled at him by the\nRakshasa in wrath. Then that mighty Rakshasa, tearing up many more trees,\nhurled them at Bhima, and the Pandava also hurled as many at the\nRakshasa. Then, O king, the combat with trees between that human being\nand the Rakshasa, became so terrible that the region around soon became\ndestitute of trees. Then the Rakshasa, saying that he was none else than\nVaka, sprang upon the Pandava and seized the mighty Bhima with his arms.\nThat mighty hero also clasping with his own strong arms the strong-armed\nRakshasa, and exerting himself actively, began to drag him violently.\nDragged by Bhima and dragging Bhima also, the cannibal was overcome with\ngreat fatigue. The earth began to tremble in consequence of the strength\nthey both exerted, and large trees that stood there broke in pieces. Then\nBhima, beholding the cannibal overcome with fatigue, pressed him down on\nthe earth with his knees and began to strike him with great force. Then\nplacing one knee on the middle of the Rakshasa's back, Bhima seized his\nneck with his right hand and the cloth on his waist with his left, and\nbent him double with great force. The cannibal then roared frightfully.\nAnd, O monarch, he also began to vomit blood while he was being thus\nbroken on Bhima's knee.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXVI\n\n(Vaka-vadha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said 'Then Vaka, huge as a mountain, thus broken (on\nBhima's knee), died, uttering frightful yells. Terrified by these sounds,\nthe relatives of that Rakshasa came out, O king, with their attendants.\nBhima, that foremost of smiters, seeing them so terrified and deprived of\nreason, comforted them and made them promise (to give up cannibalism),\nsaying, 'Do not ever again kill human beings. If ye kill men, ye will\nhave to die even as Vaka.' Those Rakshasas hearing this speech of Bhima,\nsaid, 'So be it,' and gave, O king, the desired promise. From that day, O\nBharata, the Rakshasas (of the region) were seen by the inhabitants of\nthat town to be very peaceful towards mankind. Then Bhima, dragging the\nlifeless cannibal, placed him at one of the gates of the town and went\naway unobserved by any one. The kinsmen of Vaka, beholding him slain by\nthe might of Bhima, became frightened and fled in different directions.\n\n\"Meanwhile Bhima, having slain the Rakshasa, returned to the Brahmana's\nabode and related to Yudhishthira all that had happened, in detail. The\nnext morning the inhabitants of the town in coming out saw the Rakshasa\nlying dead on the ground, his body covered with blood. Beholding that\nterrible cannibal, huge as a mountain cliff, thus mangled and lying on\nthe ground, the hair of the spectators stood erect. Returning to\nEkachakra, they soon gave the intelligence. Then, O king, the citizens by\nthousands accompanied by their wives, young and old, all began to come to\nthe spot for beholding the Vaka and they were all amazed at seeing that\nsuperhuman feat. Instantly, O monarch, they began to pray to their gods.\nThen they began to calculate whose turn it had been the day before to\ncarry food to the Rakshasa. And ascertaining this, they all came to that\nBrahmana and asked him (to satisfy their curiosity). Thus asked by them\nrepeatedly, that bull among Brahmanas, desirous of concealing the\nPandavas, said these words unto all the citizens, 'A certain high-souled\nBrahmana, skilled in mantras, beheld me weeping with my relatives after I\nhad been ordered to supply the Rakshasa's food. Asking me the cause and\nascertaining the distress of the town, that first of Brahmanas gave me\nevery assurance and with smiles said, 'I shall carry the food for that\nwretched Rakshasa today. Do not fear for me.' Saying this he conveyed the\nfood towards the forest of Vaka. This deed, so beneficial unto us all,\nhath very certainly been done by him.'\n\nThen those Brahmanas and Kshatriyas (of the city), hearing this, wondered\nmuch. And the Vaisyas and the Sudras also became exceedingly glad, and\nthey all established a festival in which the worship of Brahmanas was the\nprincipal ceremony (in remembrance of this Brahmana who had relieved them\nfrom their fears of Vaka).\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXVII\n\n(Chaitraratha Parva)\n\nAfter this citizens returned to their respective houses and the Pandavas\ncontinued to dwell at Ekachakra as before.\n\n\"Janamejaya said, 'O Brahmana, what did those tigers among men, the\nPandavas, do after they had slain the Rakshasa Vaka?'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'The Pandavas, O king, after slaying the Rakshasa\nVaka, continued to dwell in the abode of that Brahmana, employed in the\nstudy of the Vedas. Within a few days there came a Brahmana of rigid vows\nunto the abode of their host to take up his quarters there. Their host,\nthat bull among Brahmanas, ever hospitable unto all guests, worshipping\nthe newly-arrived Brahmana with due ceremonies, gave him quarters in his\nown abode. Then those bulls among men, the Pandavas, with their mother\nKunti, solicited the new lodger to narrate to them his interesting\nexperiences. The Brahmana spake to them of various countries and shrines\nand (holy) rivers, of kings and many wonderful provinces and cities. And\nafter this narration was over, that Brahmana, O Janamejaya, also spoke of\nthe wonderful self-choice of Yajnasena's daughter, the princes of\nPanchala, and of the births of Dhrishtadyumna and Sikhandi, and of the\nbirth, without the intervention of a woman, of Krishna (Draupadi) at the\ngreat sacrifice of Drupada.\n\n\"Then those bulls among men, the Pandavas, hearing of these extraordinary\nfacts regarding that illustrious monarch (Drupada), and desiring to know\nthe details thereof, asked the Brahmana, after his narration was\nconcluded, to satisfy their curiosity. The Pandavas said, 'How, O\nBrahmana, did the birth of Dhrishtadyumna the son of Drupada, take place\nfrom the (sacrificial) fire? How also did the extraordinary birth of\nKrishna take place from the centre of the sacrificial platform? How also\ndid Drupada's son learn all weapons from the great bowman Drona? And, O\nBrahmana, how and for whom and for what reason was the friendship between\nDrona and Drupada broken off?'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus questioned, O monarch, by those bulls\namong men, the Brahmana narrated all the particulars about the birth of\nDraupadi.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXVIII\n\n(Chaitraratha Parva continued)\n\n\"The Brahmana said, 'At that region where the Ganga entered the plains\nthere lived a great Rishi, devoted to the austerest of penances. Of rigid\nvows and great wisdom, he bore the name Bharadwaja. One day, on coming to\nthe Ganga to perform his ablutions, the Rishi saw the Apsara Ghritachi,\nwho had come before, standing on the bank after her ablutions were over.\nAnd it so happened that a wind arose and disrobed the Apsara standing\nthere. And the Rishi beholding her thus disrobed, felt the influence of\ndesire. Though practising the vow of continence from his very youth, as\nsoon as he felt the influence of desire, the Rishi's vital fluid came\nout. And as it came out, he held it in a pot (drana), and of that fluid\nthus preserved in a pot was born a son who came to be called Drona (the\npot-born). And Drona studied all the Vedas and their several branches.\nAnd Bharadwaja had a friend named Prishata who was the king of Panchalas.\nAnd about the time that Drona was born, Prishata also obtained a son\nnamed Drupada. And that bull amongst Kshatriyas, Prishata's son, going\nevery day to that asylum of Bharadwaja, played and studied with Drona.\nAnd after Prishata's death, Drupada succeeded him on the throne. Drona\nabout this time heard that (the great Brahmana hero) Rama (on the eve of\nhis retiring into the weeds) was resolved to give away all his wealth.\nHearing this, the son of Bharadwaja repaired unto Rama who was about to\nretire into the woods and addressing him, said, 'O best of Brahmanas,\nknow me to be Drona who hath come to thee to obtain thy wealth.' Rama\nreplied, saying, 'I have given away everything. All that I now have is\nthis body of mine and my weapons. O Brahmana, thou mayest ask of me one\nof these two, either my body or my weapons.' Then Drona said, 'It\nbehoveth thee, sir, to give me all thy weapons together with (the\nmysteries of) their use and withdrawal.'\n\n\"The Brahmana continued, 'Then Rama of Bhrigu's race, saying, 'So be it,'\ngave all his weapons unto Drona, who obtaining them regarded himself as\ncrowned with success. Drona obtaining from Rama the most exalted of all\nweapons, called the Brahma weapon, became exceedingly glad and acquired a\ndecided superiority over all men. Then the son of Bharadwaja, endued with\ngreat prowess went to king Drupada, and approaching that monarch, that\ntiger among men, said, 'Know me for thy friend.' Hearing this Drupada\nsaid, 'One of low birth can never be the friend of one whose lineage is\npure, nor can one who is not a car-warrior have a car-warrior for his\nfriend. So also one who is not a king cannot have a king as his friend.\nWhy dost thou, therefore, desire (to revive our) former friendship?'\n\n\"The Brahmana continued, 'Drona, gifted with great intelligence, was\nextremely mortified at this, and settling in his mind some means of\nhumiliating the king of the Panchala he went to the capital of the Kurus,\ncalled after the name of an elephant. Then Bhishma, taking with him his\ngrandsons, presented them unto the wise son of Bharadwaja as his pupils\nfor instruction, along with various kinds of wealth. Then Drona, desirous\nof humiliating king Drupada, called together his disciples and addressed\nthem, 'Ye sinless ones, it behoveth you, after you have been accomplished\nin arms, to give me as preceptorial fee something that I cherish in my\nheart.' Then Arjuna and others said unto their preceptor, 'So be\nit.'--After a time when the Pandavas became skilled in arms and sure\naims, demanding of them his fee, he again told them these words,\n'Drupada, the son of Prishata, is the king of Chhatravati. Take away from\nhim his kingdom, and give it unto me.' Then the Pandavas, defeating\nDrupada in battle and taking him prisoner along with his ministers,\noffered him unto Drona, who beholding the vanquished monarch, said, 'O\nking, I again solicit thy friendship; and because none who is not a king\ndeserveth to be the friend of a king, therefore, O Yajnasena, I am\nresolved to divide thy kingdom amongst ourselves. While thou art the king\nof the country to the south of Bhagirathi (Ganga), I will rule the\ncountry to the north.'\n\n\"The Brahmana continued, 'The king of the Panchalas, thus addressed by\nthe wise son of Bharadwaja, told that best of Brahmanas and foremost of\nall persons conversant with weapons, these words, 'O high-souled son of\nBharadwaja, blest be thou, let it be so, let there be eternal friendship\nbetween us as thou desirest!' Thus addressing each other and establishing\na permanent bond between themselves, Drona and the king of Panchala, both\nof them chastisers of foes, went away to the places they came from. But\nthe thought of that humiliation did not leave the king's mind for a\nsingle moment. Sad at heart, the king began to waste away.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXIX\n\n(Chaitraratha Parva continued)\n\n\"The Brahmana continued, 'King Drupada (after this), distressed at heart,\nwandered among many asylums of Brahmanas in search of superior Brahmanas\nwell-skilled in sacrificial rites. Overwhelmed with grief and eagerly\nyearning for children, the king always said, 'Oh, I have no offspring\nsurpassing all in accomplishments.' And the monarch, from great\ndespondency, always said 'Oh, fie on those children that I have and on my\nrelatives!' And ever thinking of revenging himself on Drona, the monarch\nsighed incessantly. And that best of kings, O Bharata, even after much\ndeliberation, saw no way of overcoming, by his Kshatriya might, the\nprowess and discipline and training and accomplishment of Drona.\nWandering along the banks of the Yamuna and the Ganga, the monarch once\ncame upon a sacred asylum of Brahmanas. There was in that asylum no\nBrahmana who was not a Snataka, no one who was not of rigid vows, and\nnone who was not virtuous to a high degree. And the king saw there two\nBrahmana sages named Yaja and Upayaja, both of rigid vows and souls under\ncomplete control and belonging to the most superior order. They were both\ndevoted to the study of the ancient institutes and sprung from the race\nof Kasyapa. And those best of Brahmanas were well-able to help the king\nin the attainment of his object. The king then, with great assiduity and\nsingleness of purpose, began to court this pair of excellent Brahmanas.\nAscertaining the superior accomplishments of the younger of the two the\nking courted in private Upayaja of rigid vows, by the offer of every\ndesirable acquisition. Employed in paying homage to the feet of Upayaja,\nalways addressing in sweet words and offering him every object of human\ndesire, Drupada, after worshipping that Brahmana, addressed him (one\nday), saying, 'O Upayaja, O Brahmana, if thou, performest those\nsacrificial rites by (virtue of) which I may obtain a son who may slay\nDrona, I promise thee ten thousand kine, or whatever else may be\nagreeable to thee, O first of Brahmanas, truly am I ready to make gifts\nto thee.' Thus addressed by the king, the Rishi replied, saying, 'I\ncannot (perform such rites).' But Drupada without accepting this reply as\nfinal, once more began to serve and pay homage unto that Brahmana. Then,\nafter the expiration of a year, Upayaja, that first of Brahmanas, O\nmonarch, addressing Drupada in sweet tone, said, 'My elder brother\n(Yaja), one day, while wandering through the deep woods, took up a fruit\nthat had fallen upon a spot the purity of which he cared not to enquire\nabout. I was following him (at the time) and observed this unworthy act\nof his. Indeed, he entertains no scruples in accepting things impure. In\naccepting that (particular) fruit he saw not any impropriety of sinful\nnature: Indeed, he who observeth not purity (in one instance) is not very\nlikely to observe it in the other instances. When he lived in the house\nof his preceptor, employed in studying the institutes, he always used to\neat (impure) remnants of other people's feasts. He always speaks\napprovingly of food and entertains no dislike for anything. Arguing from\nthese, I believe that my brother covets earthy acquisitions. Therefore, O\nking, go unto him; he will perform spiritual offices for thee.' Hearing\nthese words of Upayaja, king Drupada, though entertaining a low opinion\nof Yaja, nevertheless went to his abode. Worshipping Yaja who was (still)\nworthy of homage, Drupada said unto him, 'O master, perform thou\nspiritual offices for me and I will give thee eighty thousand kine!\nEnmity with Drona burneth my heart; it behoveth thee therefore to cool\nthat heart of mine. Foremost of those conversant with the Vedas, Drona is\nalso skilled in the Brahma weapon and for this, Drona hath overcome me in\na contest arising from (impaired) friendship. Gifted with great\nintelligence, the son of Bharadwaja is (now) the chief preceptor of the\nKurus. There is no Kshatriya in this world superior to him. His bow is\nfull six cubits long and looks formidable, and his shafts are capable of\nslaying every living being. That great bowman, the high-souled son of\nBharadwaja, habited as a Brahmana, is destroying the Kshatriya power all\nover the earth. Indeed, he is like a second Jamadagnya intended for the\nextermination of the Kshatriya race. There is no man on earth who can\novercome the terrible force of his weapons. Like a blazing fire fed with\nclarified butter, Drona, possessed of Brahma might and uniting it with\nKshatriya might, consumeth every antagonist in battle. But (thy) Brahma\nforce is greater in itself than (Drona's) Brahma force united with\nKshatriya might. Therefore, as I am inferior (to Drona) in consequence of\nmy possession of Kshatriya might alone, I solicit the aid of thy Brahma\nforce, having obtained thee so superior to Drona in knowledge of Brahma.\nO Yaja, perform that sacrifice by means of which I may obtain a son\ninvincible in battle and capable of slaying Drona. Ready am I to give\nthee ten thousand kine.' Hearing these words of Drupada, Yaja said, 'So\nbe it.' Yaja then began to recollect the various ceremonies appertaining\nto the particular sacrifice. And knowing the affair to be a very grave\none, he asked the assistance of Upayaja who coveted nothing. Then Yaja\npromised to perform the sacrifice for the destruction of Drona. Then the\ngreat ascetic Upayaja spoke unto king Drupada of everything required for\nthe grand sacrifice (by aid of fire) from which the king was to obtain\noffspring. And he said, 'O king, a child shall be born unto thee, endued,\nas thou desirest, with great prowess, great energy, and great strength.'\n\n\"The Brahmana continued, 'Then king Drupada, impelled by the desire of\nobtaining a son who was to slay Drona, began, for the success of his\nwish, to make the necessary preparations. (And when everything was\ncomplete) Yaja, after having poured libations of clarified butter on the\nsacrificial fire, commanded Drupada's queen, saying, 'Come hither, O\nqueen, O daughter-in-law of Prishata! A son and a daughter have arrived\nfor thee!' Hearing this, the queen said, 'O Brahmana, my mouth is yet\nfilled with saffron and other perfumed things. My body also beareth many\nsweet scents; I am hardly fit for accepting (the sanctified butter which\nis to give me offspring). Wait for me a little, O Yaja! Wait for that\nhappy consummation.' Yaja, however, replied, 'O lady, whether thou comest\nor waitest, why should not the object of this sacrifice be accomplished\nwhen the oblation hath already been prepared by me and sanctified by\nUpayaja's invocations?'\n\n\"The Brahmana continued, 'Having said this, Yaja poured the sanctified\nlibation on the fire, whereupon arose from those flames a child\nresembling a celestial who possessing the effulgence of fire, was\nterrible to behold. With a crown on this head and his body encased in\nexcellent armour, sword in hand, and bearing a bow and arrows, he\nfrequently sent forth loud roars. And immediately after his birth, he\nascended an excellent chariot and went about in it for some time. Then\nthe Panchalas in great joy shouted, 'Excellent, Excellent.' The very\nearth seemed at that time unable to bear the weight of the Panchalas mad\nwith joy. Then, marvellous to say, the voice of some invisible spirit in\nthe skies said, 'This prince hath been born for the destruction of Drona.\nHe shall dispel all the fears of the Panchalas and spread their fame. He\nshall also remove the sorrow of the king.' And there arose, after this\nfrom the centre of the sacrificial platform, a daughter also, called\nPanchali, who, blest with great good fortune, was exceedingly handsome.\nHer eyes were black, and large as lotus-petals, her complexion was dark,\nand her locks were blue and curly. Her nails were beautifully convex, and\nbright as burnished copper; her eye-brows were fair, and bosom was deep.\nIndeed, she resembled the veritable daughter of a celestial born among\nmen. Her body gave out fragrance like that of a blue lotus, perceivable\nfrom a distance of full two miles. Her beauty was such that she had no\nequal on earth. Like a celestial herself, she could be desired (in\nmarriage) by a celestial, a Danava, or a: Yaksha. When this girl of fair\nhips was born an incorporeal voice said, 'This dark-complexioned girl\nwill be the first of all women, and she will be the cause of the\ndestruction of many Kshatriyas. This slender-waisted one will, in time,\naccomplish the purpose of the gods, and along with her many a danger will\novertake the Kauravas.' On hearing these words, the Panchalas uttered a\nloud leonine roar, and the earth was unable to bear the weight of that\njoyous concourse. Then beholding the boy and the girl, the\ndaughter-in-law of Prishata, desiring to have them, approached Yaja and\nsaid, 'Let not these know any one else except myself as their mother.'\nYaja, desiring to do good unto the king said, 'So be it!' Then the\nBrahmanas (present there), their expectations fully gratified, bestowed\nnames upon the new-born pair, 'Let this son of king Drupada, they said,\nbe called Dhrishtadyumna, because of his excessive audacity and because\nof his being born like Dyumna with a natural mail and weapon.' And they\nalso said, 'Because this daughter is so dark in complexion, she should be\ncalled Krishna (the dark).'\n\n\"The Brahmana continued, 'Thus were born those twins of the great\nsacrifice of Drupada. And the great Drona, bringing the Panchala prince\ninto his own abode, taught him all weapons in requital of half the\nkingdom he had formerly taken from Drupada. The high-souled son of\nBharadwaja, regarding destiny to be inevitable, did what would perpetuate\nhis own great deeds.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXX\n\n(Chaitraratha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Hearing these words of the Brahmana, the sons of\nKunti seemed to be, as it were, pierced with darts. Indeed, all those\nmighty heroes lost their peace of mind. Then the truthful Kunti,\nbeholding all her sons listless and inattentive, addressed Yudhishthira\nand said, 'We have now lived many nights in the abode of this Brahmana.\nWe have passed our time pleasantly in this town, living on the alms\nobtained from many honest and illustrious persons. O oppressor of foes,\nas we have now seen often and often all the agreeable woods and gardens\nthat are in this part of the country, seeing them again would no longer\ngive any pleasure. O heroic scion of Kuru's race, alms also are not now\nobtainable here as easily as before. If thou wishest it would be well for\nus now to go to Panchala; we have not seen that country, it will, no\ndoubt, O hero, prove delightful to us. O crusher of foes, it hath been\nheard by us that alms are obtainable in the country of the Panchala, and\nthat Yajnasena, the king thereof, is devoted to Brahmanas. I am of\nopinion that it is not good to live long in one place. Therefore, O son,\nif thou likest, it is good for us to go there.'\n\n\"Hearing these words, Yudhishthira said, 'It is our duty to obey thy\ncommand, which, besides, must be for our good, I do not, however, know\nwhether my younger brothers are willing to go.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXXI\n\n(Chaitraratha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then Kunti spoke unto Bhimasena and Arjuna and\nthe twins regarding the journey to Panchala. They all said, 'So be it.'\nThen, O king, Kunti with her sons saluted the Brahmana (in whose house\nthey had dwelt) and set out for the delightful town of the illustrious\nDrupada.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'While the illustrious Pandavas were living disguised\nin the abode of the Brahmana, Vyasa, the son of Satyavati, once went to\nsee them. Those chastisers of foes, beholding him coming rose up and\nstepped onward to receive him. Saluting him reverentially and worshipping\nhim also the Pandavas stood in silence with joined hands. Thus worshipped\nby them the sage became gratified. He asked them to be seated, and\ncheerfully addressing them said, 'Ye slayers of foes, are ye living in\nthe path of virtue and according to the scriptures? Do ye worship the\nBrahmanas? Ye are not, I hope, backward in paying homage unto those that\ndeserve your homage?' The illustrious Rishi, after this, spoke many words\nof virtuous import, and after discoursing upon many topics of great\ninterest, he said, 'An illustrious Rishi, living in a certain hermitage,\nhad a daughter of tender waist, fair lips, and fine eye-brows, and\npossessing every accomplishment. As a consequence of her own acts (in a\npast life) the fair maid became very unfortunate. Though chaste and\nbeautiful, the damsel obtained not a husband. With a sorrowful heart she\nthereupon began to practise ascetic penances with the object of obtaining\na husband. She soon gratified by her severe asceticism the god Sankara\n(Mahadeva), who became propitious unto her and said unto that illustrious\ndamsel, 'Ask thou the boon thou desirest! Blest be thou! I am Sankara\nprepared to give thee what thou wilt ask.' Desirous of benefiting\nherself, the maid repeatedly said unto the supreme lord, 'O give me, a\nhusband endued with every accomplishment.' Then Isana (Mahadeva), that\nforemost of all speakers, replied unto her, saying, 'O blessed one, thou\nshall have five husbands from among the Bharata princes.' Thus told, the\nmaiden said unto the god who had given her that boon, 'O lord, I desire\nto have only one husband through thy grace.' The god then addressed her\nagain and said these excellent words, 'Thou hast, O girl, said full five\ntimes, 'Give me (a) husband.' Thou shalt, therefore, in another life have\nfive husbands!' Ye princes of Bharata's line, that damsel of celestial\nbeauty hath been born in the line of Drupada. The faultless Krishna of\nPrishata's line hath been appointed to be the wife of you all. Ye mighty\nones, go therefore, to the capital of the Panchalas and dwell ye there.\nThere is no doubt that having obtained her as wife ye shall be very\nhappy.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Having said so unto the Pandavas, the\nillustrious and blessed grandsire then bade them farewell. The great\nascetic then left them and went to the place whence he had come.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXXII\n\n(Chaitraratha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'After Vyasa had gone away, those bulls among men,\nthe Pandavas, saluted the Brahmana and bade him farewell, and proceeded\n(towards Panchala) with joyous hearts and with their mother walking\nbefore them. Those slayers of all foes, in order to reach their\ndestination, proceeded in a due northerly direction, walking day and\nnight till they reached a sacred shrine of Siva with the crescent mark on\nhis brow. Then those tigers among men, the sons of Pandu, arrived at the\nbanks of the Ganga. Dhananjaya, that mighty car-warrior, walking before\nthem, torch in hand, for showing the way and guarding them (against wild\nanimals). And it so happened that at that time the proud king of the\nGandharvas, with his wives, was sporting in that solitary region in the\ndelightful waters of the Ganga. The king of the Gandharvas heard the\ntread of the Pandavas as they approached the river. On hearing the sounds\nof their foot-steps, the mighty Gandharvas were inflamed with wrath, and\nbeholding those chastisers of foes, the Pandavas, approach towards him\nwith their mother, he drew his frightful bow to a circle and said, 'It is\nknown that excepting the first forty seconds the grey twilight preceding\nnightfall hath been appointed for the wandering of the Yakshas, the\nGandharvas and the Rakshasas, all of whom are capable of going everywhere\nat will. The rest of the time hath been appointed for man to do his work.\nIf therefore, men, wandering during those moments from greed of gain,\ncome near us, both we and the Rakshasas slay those fools. Therefore,\npersons acquainted with the Vedas never applaud those men--not even kings\nat the head of their troops--who approach any pools of water at such a\ntime. Stay ye at a distance, and approach me not. Know ye not that I am\nbathing in the waters of the Bhagirathi? Know that I am Angaraparna the\nGandharva, ever relying on my own strength! I am proud and haughty and am\nthe friend of Kuvera. This my forest on the banks of the Ganga, where I\nsport to gratify all my senses, is called Angaraparna after my own name.\nHere neither gods, nor Kapalikas, nor Gandharvas nor Yakshas, can come.\nHow dare ye approach me who am the brightest jewel on the diadem of\nKuvera?'\n\n\"Hearing these words of the Gandharva, Arjuna said, 'Blockhead, whether\nit be day, night, or twilight, who can bar others from the ocean, the\nsides of the Himalayas, and this river? O ranger of the skies, whether\nthe stomach be empty or full, whether it is night or day, there is no\nspecial time for anybody to come to the Ganga--that foremost of all\nrivers. As regards ourselves endued with might, we care not when we\ndisturb thee. Wicked being, those who are weak in fighting worship thee.\nThis Ganga, issuing out of the golden peaks of Himavat, falleth into the\nwaters of the ocean, being distributed into seven streams. They who drink\nthe waters of these seven streams, viz., Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati,\nVitashtha, Sarayu, Gomati, and Gandaki, are, cleansed of all their sins.\nO Gandharva, this sacred Ganga again, flowing through the celestial\nregion is called there the Alakananda, It hath again in the region of the\nPitris become the Vaitarani, difficult of being crossed by sinners, and,\nKrishna-Dwaipayana himself hath said so. The auspicious and celestial\nriver, capable of leading to heaven (them that touch its waters), is free\nfrom all dangers. Why dost thou then desire to bar us from it? This act\nof thine is not in consonance with eternal virtue. Disregarding thy\nwords, why shall we not touch the sacred waters of the Bhagirathi free\nfrom all dangers and from which none can bar us?'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these words of Arjuna, Angaraparna\nbecame inflamed with wrath and drawing his bow to a circle began to shoot\nhis arrows like venomous snakes at the Pandavas. Then Dhananjaya, the son\nof Pandu, wielding a good shield and the torch he held in his hand,\nwarded off all those arrows and addressing the Gandharva again said, 'O\nGandharva, seek not to terrify those that are skilled in weapons, for\nweapons hurled at them vanish like froth. I think, O Gandharva, that ye\nare superior (in prowess) to men; therefore shall I fight with thee,\nusing celestial weapons and not with any crooked means. This fiery weapon\n(that I shall hurl at thee), Vrihaspati the revered preceptor of Indra,\ngave unto Bharadwaja, from whom it was obtained by Agnivesya, and from\nAgnivesya by my preceptor, that foremost of Brahmanas, Drona, who gave it\naway to me.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Saying these words, the Pandava wrathfully\nhurled at the Gandharva that blazing weapon made of fire which burnt the\nGandharva's chariot in a trice. Deprived of consciousness by the force of\nthat weapon, the mighty Gandharva was falling, head downward, from his\nchariot. Dhananjaya seized him by the hair of his head adorned with\ngarlands of flowers and thus dragged the unconscious Gandharva towards\nhis brothers. Beholding this, that Gandharva's wife Kumbhinasi, desirous\nof saving her husband, ran towards Yudhishthira and sought his\nprotection. The Gandharvi said, 'O exalted one, extend to me thy\nprotection! O, set my husband free! O lord, I am Kumbhinasi by name, the\nwife of this Gandharva, who seeketh thy protection!' Beholding her (so\nafflicted), the mighty Yudhishthira addressed Arjuna and said, 'O slayer\nof foes, O child, who would slay a foe who hath been vanquished in fight,\nwho hath been deprived of fame, who is protected by a woman, and who hath\nno prowess?' Arjuna replied, saying, 'Keep thou thy life, O Gandharva! Go\nhence, and grieve not I Yudhishthira, the king of the Kurus, commandeth\nme to show thee mercy.'\n\n\"The Gandharva replied, 'I have been vanquished by thee, I shall,\ntherefore, abandon my former name Angaraparna (the blazing vehicle). In\nname alone, O friend, I should not be boastful when my pride in my\nstrength hath been overcome: I have been fortunate in that I have\nobtained thee; O Arjuna, that wielder of celestial weapons! I like to\nimpart to thee the power of (producing) illusions which Gandharvas alone\nhave. My excellent and variegated chariot hath been burnt by means of thy\nfiery weapon. I who had formerly been called after my excellent chariot\nshould now be called after my burnt chariot. The science of producing\nillusions that I have spoken of was formerly obtained by me by ascetic\npenances. That science I will today impart to the giver of my life-thy\nillustrious self! What good luck doth he not deserve who, after\novercoming a foe by his might, giveth him life when that foe asketh for\nit? This science is called Chakshushi. It was communicated by Manu unto\nSoma and by Soma unto Viswavasu, and lastly by Viswavasu unto me.\nCommunicated by my preceptor, that science, having come unto me who am\nwithout energy, is gradually becoming fruitless. I have spoken to thee\nabout its origin and transmission. Listen now to its power! One may see\n(by its aid) whatever one wisheth to see, and in whatever way he liketh\n(generally or particularly). One can acquire this science only after\nstanding on one leg for six months. I shall however, communicate to thee\nthis science without thyself being obliged to observe any rigid vow. O\nking, it is for this knowledge that we are superior to men. And as we are\ncapable of seeing everything by spiritual sight, we are equal to the\ngods. O best of men, I intend to give thee and each of thy brothers a\nhundred steeds born in the country of the Gandharvas. Of celestial colour\nand endued with the speed of the mind, those horses are employed in\nbearing the celestial, and the Gandharvas. They may be lean-fleshed but\nthey tire not, nor doth their speed suffer on that account. In days of\nyore the thunderbolt was created for the chief of the celestials in order\nthat he might slay (the Asura) Vritra with it. But hurled at Vritra's\nhead it broke in a thousand pieces. The celestials worship with reverence\nthose fragments of the thunderbolt. That which is known in the three\nworlds as glory is but a portion of the thunderbolt. The hand of the\nBrahmana with which he poureth libations on the sacrificial fire, the\nchariot upon which the Kshatriya fighteth, the charity of the Vaisya, and\nthe service of the Sudra rendered unto the three other classes, are all\nfragments of the thunderbolt. It hath been said that horses, forming as\nthey do a portion of the Kshatriya's chariot, are, on that account,\nunslayable. Again horses which form a portion of the Kshatriya's chariot,\nare the offspring of Vadava. Those amongst them that are born in the\nregion of the Gandharvas can go everywhere and assume any hue and speed\nat the will of their owners. These horses of mine that I give thee will\nalways gratify thy wishes.\"\n\n\"On hearing these words of the Gandharva, Arjuna said, 'O Gandharva, if\nfrom satisfaction for having obtained thy life at my hands in a situation\nof danger, thou givest me thy science, and these horses, I would not\naccept thy gift.' The Gandharva replied, saying, 'A meeting with an\nillustrious person is ever a source of gratification; besides thou hast\ngiven me my life. Gratified with thee, I will give thee my science. That\nthe obligation, however, may not all be on one side, I will take from\nthee, O Vibhatsu, O bull in Bharata's race, thy excellent and eternal\nweapon of fire!'\n\n\"Arjuna said, 'I would accept thy horses in exchange for my weapon. Let\nour friendship last for ever. O friend, tell us for what we human beings\nhave to stand in fear of the Gandharvas. Chastisers of foes that we are\nand virtuous and conversant with the Vedas, tell us, O Gandharva, why in\ntravelling in the night-time we have been censured by thee.'\n\n\"The Gandharva said, 'Ye are without wives (though ye have completed the\nperiod of study). Ye are without a particular Asrama (mode of life).\nLastly, ye are out without a Brahmana walking before, therefore, ye sons\nof Pandu, ye have been censured by me. The Yakshas, Rakshasas,\nGandharvas, Pisachas, Uragas and Danavas, are possessed of wisdom and\nintelligence, and acquainted with the history of the Kuru race. O hero, I\nhave heard too from Narada and other celestial Rishis about the good\ndeeds of your wise ancestors. I myself, too, while roaming over the whole\nearth bounded by her belt of seas, have witnessed the prowess of thy\ngreat race. O Arjuna, I have personal knowledge of thy preceptor, the\nillustrious son of Bharadwaja, celebrated throughout the three worlds for\nhis knowledge of the Vedas and the science of arms. O tiger in Kuru's\nrace, O son of Pritha, I also know Dharma, Vayu, Sakra, the twin Aswins,\nand Pandu,--these six perpetuators of Kuru race,--these excellent\ncelestials and human progenitors of you all. I also know that you five\nbrothers are learned and high-souled, that ye are foremost of all\nwielders of weapons, that ye are brave and virtuous and observant of\nvows. Knowing that your understanding and hearts are excellent and your\nbehaviour faultless, I have yet censured you. For, O thou of Kuru's race,\nit behoveth no man endued with might of arms to bear with patience any\nill usage in the sight of his wife. Especially as, O son of Kunti, our\nmight increaseth during the hours of darkness, accompanied by my wife I\nwas filled with wrath. O best of vow-observing men, I have, however, been\nvanquished by thee in battle. Listen to me as I tell thee the reasons\nthat have led to my discomfiture. The Brahmacharya is a very superior\nmode of life, and as thou art in that mode now, it is for this, O Partha,\nthat I have been defeated by thee in battle. O chastiser of foes, if any\nmarried Kshatriya fight with us at night, he can never escape, with life.\nBut, O Partha, a married Kshatriya, who is sanctified with Brahma, and\nwho hath assigned the cares of his State to a priest, might vanquish! all\nwanderers in the night. O child of Tapati, men should therefore, ever\nemploy learned priests possessing self-command for the acquisition of\nevery good luck they desire. That Brahmana is worthy of being the king's\npriest who is learned in the Vedas and the six branches thereof, who is\npure and truthful, who is of virtuous soul and possessed of self-command.\nThe monarch becometh ever victorious and finally earneth heaven who hath\nfor his priest a Brahmana conversant with the rules of morality, who is a\nmaster of words, and is pure and of good behaviour. The king should\nalways select an accomplished priest in order to acquire what he hath not\nand protect what he hath. He who desireth his own prosperity should ever\nbe guided by his priest, for he may then obtain ever the whole earth\nsurrounded by her belt of seas. O son of Tapati, a king, who is without a\nBrahmana, can never acquire any land by his bravery or glory of birth\nalone. Know, therefore, O perpetuator of Kuru's race, that the kingdom\nlasteth for ever in which Brahmanas have power.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXXIII\n\n(Chaitraratha Parva continued)\n\n\"Arjuna said, 'Thou hast addressed me (more than once) as Tapatya. I\ntherefore wish to know what the precise significance of this word is, O\nvirtuous Gandharva, being sons of Kunti, we are, indeed, Kaunteyas. But\nwho is Tapati that we should be called Tapatyas?'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed, the Gandharva related to\nDhananjaya, the son of Kunti, the (following) story well-known in the\nthree worlds.'\n\n\"The Gandharva said, 'O son of Pritha, O foremost of all intelligent men,\nI will duly recite to you in full this charming narrative. O, listen with\nattention to what I say in explanation of why I have addressed thee as\nTapatya. That one in heaven who pervadeth by his light the whole\nfirmament had a daughter named Tapati equal unto himself. Tapati, the\ndaughter of the god Vivaswat, was the younger sister of Savitri, and she\nwas celebrated throughout the three worlds and devoted to ascetic\npenances. There was no woman amongst the celestials, the Asuras, the\nYakshas, the Rakshasas, the Apsaras, and the Gandharvas, who was equal to\nher in beauty. Of perfect, symmetrical and faultless features, of black\nand large eyes, and in beautiful attire, the girl was chaste and of\nperfect conduct. And, O Bharata, seeing her Savitri (the sun) thought\nthat there was none in the three worlds who, for his beauty,\naccomplishments, behaviour, and learning, deserved to be her husband.\nBeholding her attain the age of puberty and, therefore, worthy of being\nbestowed on a husband, her father knew no peace of mind, always thinking\nof the person he should select. At that time, O son of Kunti, Riksha's\nson, that bull amongst the Kurus, the mighty king Samvarana, was duly\nworshipping Surya with offerings of Arghya and flower-garlands and\nscents, and with vows and fasts and ascetic penances of various kinds.\nIndeed, Samvarana was worshipping Surya constantly in all his glory, with\ndevotion and humility and piety. And beholding Samvarana conversant with\nall rules of virtue and unequalled on earth for beauty, Surya regarded\nhim as the fit husband for his daughter, Tapati. And, O thou of Kuru's\nrace, Vivaswat then resolved to bestow his daughter on that best of\nkings, viz., Samvarana, the scion of a race of world-wide fame. As Surya\nhimself in the heavens filleth the firmament with his splendour, so did\nking Samvarana on earth fill every region with the splendour of his good\nachievements. And all men, O Partha, except Brahmanas, worshipped\nSamvarana. Blest with good luck, king Samvarana excelled Soma in soothing\nthe hearts of friends and Surya in scorching the hearts of foes. And, O\nKaurava, Tapana (Surya) himself was resolved upon bestowing his daughter\nTapati upon king Samvarana, who was possessed of such virtues and\naccomplishments.\n\n\"Once on a time, O Partha, king Samvarana, endued with beauty (of person)\nand immeasurable prowess, went on a hunting expedition to the under-woods\non the mountain-breast. While wandering in quest of deer, the excellent\nsteed the king rode, overcome, O Partha, with hunger, thirst and fatigue,\ndied on the mountains. Abandoning the steed, the king, O Arjuna, began to\nwander about upon the mountain-breast on foot and in course of his\nwandering the monarch saw a maiden of large eyes and unrivalled beauty,\nThat grinder of hostile host--that tiger among kings--himself without a\ncompanion, beholding there that maiden without a companion, stood\nmotionless gazing at her steadfastly. For her beauty, the monarch for\nsome moment believed her to be (the goddess) Sri herself. Next he\nregarded her to be the embodiment of the rays emanating from Surya. In\nsplendour of her person she resembled a flame of fire, though in\nbenignity and loveliness she resembled a spotless digit of the moon. And\nstanding on the mountain-breast, the black-eyed maiden appeared like a\nbright statue of gold. The mountain itself with its creepers and plants,\nbecause of the beauty and attire of that damsel, seemed to be converted\ninto gold. The sight of that maiden inspired the monarch with a contempt\nfor all women that he had seen before. By beholding her, the king\nregarded his eye-sight truly blessed. Nothing the king had seen from the\nday of his birth could equal, he thought, the beauty of that girl. The\nking's heart and eyes were captivated by that damsel, as if they were\nbound with a cord and he remained rooted to that spot, deprived of his\nsenses. The monarch thought that the artificer of so much beauty had\ncreated it only after churning the whole world of gods Asuras and human\nbeings. Entertaining these various thoughts, king Samvarana regarded that\nmaiden as unrivalled in the three worlds for wealth of beauty.\n\n\"And the monarch of pure descent, beholding the beautiful maiden, was\npierced with Kama's (Cupid's) shafts and lost his peace of mind. Burnt\nwith the strong flame of desire the king asked that charming maiden,\nstill innocent, though in her full youth, saying, 'Who art thou and\nwhose? Why also dost thou stay here? O thou of sweet smiles, why dost\nthou wander alone in these solitary woods? Of every feature perfectly\nfaultless, and decked with every ornament, thou seemest to be the coveted\nornament of these ornaments themselves! Thou seemest not to be of\ncelestial or Asura or Yaksha or Rakshasa or Naga or Gandharva or human\norigin. O excellent lady, the best of women that I have ever seen or\nheard of would not compare with thee in beauty! O thou of handsome face,\nat sight of thee lovelier than the moon and graced with eyes like\nlotus-petals, the god of desire is grinding me.'\n\n\"King Samvarana thus addressed that damsel in the forest, who however,\nspoke not a word unto the monarch burning with desire. Instead, like\nlightning in the clouds, that large-eyed maiden quickly disappeared in\nthe very sight of the monarch. The king then wandered through the whole\nforest, like one out of his senses, in search of that girl of eyes like\nlotus-petals. Failing to find her, that best of monarchs indulged in\ncopious lamentations and for a time stood motionless with grief.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXXIV\n\n(Chaitraratha Parva continued)\n\n\"The Gandharva continued, 'When that maiden disappeared, that feller of\nhostile ranks deprived of his senses by Kama (concupiscence) himself fell\ndown on the earth. And as the monarch fell down, that maiden of sweet\nsmiles and prominent and round hips appeared again before him, and\nsmiling sweetly, said unto that perpetuator of Kuru's race these honeyed\nwords, 'Rise, rise, O chastiser of foes! Blest be thou; it behoveth thee\nnot, O tiger among kings, to lose thy reason, a celebrated man as thou\nart in the world.' Addressed in these honeyed words, the king opened his\neyes and saw before him that selfsame girl of swelling hips. The monarch\nwho was burning with the flame of desire then addressed that black-eyed\ndamsel in accents, weak with emotion, and said, 'Blest be thou O\nexcellent woman of black eyes! As I am burning with desire and paying\nthee court, O, accept me! My life is ebbing away. O thou of large eyes,\nfor thy sake it is, O thou of the splendour of the filaments of the\nlotus, that Kama is incessantly piercing me with his keen shafts without\nstopping for a moment! O amiable and cheerful girl, I have been bitten by\nKama who is even like a venomous viper. O thou of swelling and large\nhips, have mercy on me! O thou of handsome and faultless features, O thou\nof face like unto the lotus-petal or the moon, O thou of voice sweet as\nthat of singing Kinnaras, my life now depends on thee! Without thee, O\ntimid one, I am unable to live! O thou of eyes like lotus-petals, Kama is\npiercing me incessantly! O large-eyed girl, be merciful unto me! It\nbecometh thee not, O black-eyed maid, to cast me off; O handsome girl, it\nbehoveth thee to relieve me from such affliction by giving me thy love!\nAt first sight thou hast attracted my heart. My mind wandereth! Beholding\nthee I like not to cast my eyes on any other woman! Be merciful! I am thy\nobedient slave--thy adorer! O, accept me! O beautiful lady, O large-eyed\ngirl at the sight of thee, the god of desire hath entered my heart, and\nis piercing me with his shafts! O thou of lotus-eyes, the flame of desire\nburneth within me! O, extinguish that flame with the water of thy love\npoured on it! O beautiful lady, by becoming mine, pacify thou the\nirrepressible god of desire that hath appeared here armed with his deadly\nbow and arrows and that is piercing me incessantly with those keen shafts\nof his! O thou of the fairest complexion, wed me according to the\nGandharva form, for, O thou of tapering hips, of all forms of marriage\nthe Gandharva hath been said to be the best.'\n\n\"The Gandharva continued, 'Hearing those words of the monarch, Tapati\nmade answer, 'O king, I am not the mistress of my own self! Be it known\nthat I am a maiden under the control of my father. If thou really\nentertainest an affection for me, demand me of my father. Thou sayest, O\nking, that thy heart hath been robbed by me. But thou also hast, at first\nsight, robbed me of my heart; I am not the mistress of my body, and\ntherefore, O best of kings, I do not approach thee; women are never\nindependent. What girl is there in the three worlds that would not desire\nthee for her husband, as thou art kind unto all thy dependents and as\nthou art born in a pure race? Therefore, when the opportunity comes, ask\nmy father Aditya for my hand with worship, ascetic penances, and vows. If\nmy father bestoweth me upon thee, then, O king, I shall ever be thy\nobedient wife. My name is Tapati and I am the younger sister of Savitri,\nand the daughter, O bull amongst Kshatriyas of Savitri, of (Sun) the\nilluminator of the universe.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXXV\n\n(Chaitraratha Parva continued)\n\n\"The Gandharva continued, 'Saying this, Tapati of faultless features,\nascended the skies. The monarch thereupon again fell down on the earth.\nHis ministers and followers searching for him throughout the forest at\nlength came upon him lying on that solitary spot, and beholding that\nexcellent king, that mighty bowman, thus lying forsaken on the ground\nlike a rainbow dropped from the firmament, his minister-in-chief became\nlike one burnt by a flame of fire. Advancing hastily with affection and\nrespect, the minister raised that best of monarchs lying prostrate on the\nground and deprived of his senses by desire. Old in wisdom as in age, old\nin achievements as in policy, the minister, after having raised the\nprostrate monarch, became easy (in mind). Addressing the king in sweet\nwords that were also for his good, he said, 'Blest be thou, O sinless\none! Fear not, O tiger among kings!' The minister thought that the\nmonarch, that great feller of hostile ranks in battle, had been lying on\nthe ground overcome with hunger, thirst, and fatigue. The old man then\nsprinkled over the crownless head of the monarch water that was cold and\nrendered fragrant with lotus-petals. Slowly regaining his consciousness,\nthe mighty monarch sent away all his attendants with the exception of his\nminister only. After those attendants had retired at his command, the\nking sat upon the mountain-breast. Having purified himself duly, the king\nsat upon that chief of mountains, and began, with joined palms and\nupturned face, to worship Surya. King Samvarana, that smiter of all foes,\nthought also of his chief priest Vasishtha, that best of Rishis. The king\ncontinued to sit there day and night without intermission. The Brahmana\nsage Vasishtha came there on the twelfth day: that great Rishi of soul\nunder perfect command knew at once by his ascetic power that the monarch\nhad lost his senses in consequence of Tapati. And that virtuous and best\nof Munis, as soon as he knew this, desirous of benefiting the monarch who\nwas ever observant of vows, addressed him and gave him every assurance.\nThe illustrious Rishi, in the very sight of that monarch, ascended upward\nto interview Surya, himself possessed of the splendour of that luminary.\nThe Brahmana then approached with joined hands the god of a thousand rays\nand introduced himself cheerfully unto him, saying, 'I am Vasishtha.'\nThen Vivaswat of great energy said unto that best of Rishis, 'Welcome art\nthou, O great Rishi! Tell me what is in thy mind. O thou of great good\nfortune, whatever thou demandest of me, O foremost of eloquent men, I\nwill confer on thee, however difficult it may be for me!' Thus addressed\nby Surya, the Rishi of great ascetic merit, bowing unto the god of light,\nreplied, saying, 'O Vibhavasu, this thy daughter, Tapati, the younger\nsister of Savitri, I ask of thee for Samvarana! That monarch is of mighty\nachievements, conversant with virtue, and of high soul. O\nfirmament-ranger, Samvarana will make a worthy husband for thy daughter.'\nThus addressed by the Rishi Vibhakara, resolved upon bestowing his\ndaughter upon Samvarana, saluted the Rishi, and replied unto him, saying,\n'Oh, Samvarana is the best of monarchs, thou art the best of Rishis,\nTapati is the best of women. What should we do, therefore, but bestow her\non Samvarana?' With these words, the god Tapana, made over his daughter,\nTapati, of every feature perfectly faultless, unto the illustrious\nVasishtha to bestow her upon Samvarana. And the great Rishi then accepted\nthe girl, Tapati, and taking leave of Surya, came back to the spot, where\nthat bull amongst the Kurus, of celestial achievements, was. King\nSamvarana, possessed by love and with his heart fixed on Tapati,\nbeholding that celestial maiden of sweet smiles led by Vasishtha, became\nexceedingly glad. And Tapati of fair eyebrows came down from the\nfirmament like lightning from the clouds, dazzling the ten points of the\nheavens. And the illustrious Rishi Vasishtha of pure soul approached the\nmonarch after the latter's twelve nights' vow was over. It was thus that\nking Samvarana obtained a wife after having worshipped with like the full\nmoon. And that mighty bowman, that foremost one in Kuru's race having his\ncuriosity greatly excited by what he heard of Vasishtha's ascetic power,\nasked the Gandharva, saying, 'I desire to hear of the Rishi whom thou\nhast mentioned as Vasishtha. O, tell me in full about him! O chief of the\nGandharvas, tell me who this illustrious Rishi was that was the priest of\nour forefathers.' The Gandharva replied, 'Vasishtha is Brahma's spiritual\n(lit, mind-born) son and Arundhati's husband. Ever difficult of being\nconquered by the very immortals, Desire and Wrath, conquered by\nVasishtha's ascetic penances, used to shampoo his feet. Though his wrath\nwas excited by Viswamitra's offence, that high-souled Rishi did not yet\nexterminate Kusikas (the tribe whose king Viswamitra was). Afflicted at\nthe loss of his sons, he did not, as though powerless, though really\notherwise, do any dreadful act destructive of Viswamitra, Like the ocean\ntransgressing not its continents, Vasishtha transgressed not (the laws\nof) Yama by bringing back his children from the domains of the king of\nthe dead. It was by obtaining that illustrious one who had conquered his\nown self that Ikshvaku and other great monarchs acquired the whole earth.\nAnd, O prince of Kuru's race, it was by obtaining Vasishtha, that best of\nRishis as their priest, that those monarchs performed many grand\nsacrifices. And, O best of the Pandavas, that regenerate Rishi assisted\nthese monarchs in the performance of their sacrifices like Vrihaspati\nassisting the immortals. Therefore, look ye for some accomplished and\ndesirable Brahmana conversant with the Vedas and in whose heart virtue\nprevails, to appoint as your priest. A Kshatriya of good lineage,\ndesirous of extending his dominions by conquering the earth, should, O\nPartha, first appoint a priest. He who is desirous of conquering the\nearth should have a Brahmana before him. Therefore, O Arjuna, let some\naccomplished and learned Brahmana, who has his senses under complete\ncontrol and who is conversant with religion, profit and pleasure, be your\npriest.'\"\n\n\n\nSection CLXXVII\n\n(Chaitraratha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing this, Arjuna said, 'O Gandharva, whence\narose the hostility between Viswamitra and Vasishtha both of whom dwelt\nin a celestial hermitage? O, tell us all about it.'\n\n\"The Gandharva replied, 'O Partha, the story of Vasishtha is regarded as\na Purana (legend) in all the three worlds. Listen to me as I recite it\nfully. There was, in Kanyakuvja, O bull of Bharata's race, a great king\nof worldwide fame named Gadhi, the son of Kusika. The virtuous Gadhi had\na son named Viswamitra, that grinder of foes, possessing a large army and\nmany animals and vehicles. And Viswamitra, accompanied by his ministers,\nused to roam in quest of deer through the deep woods and over picturesque\nmarascetic penances the propitious lord Vivaswat, by the help of\nVasishtha's (ascetic power). And Samvarana, that bull among men with due\nrites took Tapati's hand on that mountain-breast which was resorted to by\nthe celestials and the Gandharvas. The royal sage, with the permission of\nVasishtha, desired to sport with his wife on that mountain. And the king\ncaused Vasishtha, to be proclaimed his regent in his capital and kingdom,\nin the woods and gardens. And bidding farewell unto the monarch,\nVasishtha left him and went away. Samvarana, who sported on that mountain\nlike a celestial, sported with his wife in the woods and the under-woods\non that mountain for twelve full years. And, O best of the Bharatas, the\ngod of a thousand eyes poured no rain for twelve years on the capital and\non the kingdom of that monarch. Then, O chastiser of enemies, when that\nseason of drought broke out, the people of that kingdom, as also the\ntrees and lower animals began to die fast. And during the continuance of\nthat dreadful drought, not even a drop of dew fell from the skies and no\ncorn grew. And the inhabitants in despair, and afflicted with the fear of\nhunger, left their homes and fled away in all directions. And the\nfamished people of the capital and the country began to abandon their\nwives and children and grew reckless of one another. The people being\nafflicted with hunger, without a morsel of food and reduced to skeletons,\nthe capital looked very much like the city of the king of the dead, full\nof only ghostly beings. On beholding the capital reduced to such a state,\nthe illustrious and virtuous and best of Rishis, Vasishtha was resolved\nupon applying a remedy and brought back unto the city that tiger among\nkings, Samvarana, along with his wife, after the latter had passed so\nlong a period in solitude and seclusion. After the king had entered his\ncapital, things became as before, for, when that tiger among kings came\nback to his own, the god of a thousand eyes, the slayer of Asuras, poured\nrain in abundance and caused corn to grow. Revivified by the foremost of\nvirtuous souls the capital and the country became animated with extreme\njoy. The monarch, with his wife, Tapati, once more performed sacrifices\nfor twelve years, like the lord Indra (god of rain) performing sacrifices\nwith his wife, Sachi.'\n\n\"The Gandharva continued, 'This, O Partha, is the history of Tapati of\nold, the daughter of Vivaswat. It is for her that thou art (called)\nTapatya. King Samvarana begot upon Tapati a son named Kuru, who was the\nforemost of ascetics. Born in the race of Kuru, thou art, O Arjuna, to be\ncalled Tapatya.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXXVI\n\n(Chaitraratha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'That bull among the Bharatas, Arjuna, hearing these\nwords of the Gandharva, was inspired with feelings of devotion and stood\nshes (???--JBH), killing deer and wild boars. Once on a time, while out\nin quest of deer, the king became weak with exertion and thirst. The\nmonarch arrived in that state at the asylum of Vasishtha, and the blessed\nand illustrious Rishi beholding him arrive, reverenced with his homage\nthat best of men, king Viswamitra. And O Bharata, the Rishi saluted the\nmonarch by offering him water to wash his face and feet with, and Arghya,\nand wild fruits, and clarified butter. For the illustrious Rishi had a\ncow yielding anything that was desired of her. When she was addressed,\nsaying, 'O give',--she always yielded the article that was sought. And\nshe yielded various fruits and corn, wild or grown in gardens and fields,\nand milk, and many excellent nutritive viands full of six different kinds\nof juice (taste?) and like unto nectar itself, and various other kinds of\nenjoyable things, O Arjuna, of ambrosial taste for drinking and eating,\nand for licking and sucking, and also many precious gems and robes of\nvarious kinds. With these desirable objects in profusion the monarch was\nworshipped. And the king with his minister and troops became highly\npleased. And the monarch wondered much, beholding that cow with six\nelevated limbs and the beautiful flanks and hips, and five limbs that\nwere broad, and eyes prominent like those of the frog and beautiful in\nsize, and high udders, and faultless make, and straight and uplifted\nears, and handsome horns, and well-developed head and neck.\n\n\"And, O prince, the son of Gadhi, gratified with everything and\napplauding the cow named Nandini, addressed the Rishi, saying, 'O\nBrahmana, O great Muni, give me thy Naridini in exchange for ten thousand\nkine, or my kingdom. Enjoy thou my kingdom (giving me thy cow).'\n\n\"Hearing these words of Viswamitra, Vasishtha said, 'O sinless one, this\ncow hath been kept by me for the sake of the gods, guests, and the\nPitris, as also for my sacrifices. I cannot give Nandini in exchange for\neven thy kingdom.' Viswamitra replied, 'I am a Kshatriya, but thou art a\nBrahmana devoted to asceticism and study. Is there any energy in\nBrahmanas who are peaceful and who have their souls under perfect\ncommand? When thou givest me not what I desire in exchange even for ten\nthousand cows, I will not abandon the practice of my order; I will take\nthy cow even by force!'\n\n\"Vasishtha said, 'Thou art a Kshatriya endued with might of arms. Thou\nart a powerful monarch. O, do in haste what thou desirest; and stop not\nto consider its propriety.'\n\n\"The Gandharva continued, 'Thus addressed by Vasishtha, Viswamitra, O\nPartha, then forcibly seized Nandini, that cow (white) like the swan or\nthe moon, and attempted to take her away, afflicting her with stripes and\npersecuting her otherwise. The innocent Nandini then began, O Partha, to\nlow piteously, and approaching the illustrious Vasishtha stood before him\nwith uplifted face. Though persecuted very cruelly, she refused to leave\nthe Rishi's asylum.'\n\n\"Beholding her in that plight, Vasishtha said, 'O amiable one, thou art\nlowing repeatedly and I am hearing thy cries. But, O Nandini, even\nViswamitra is taking thee away by force, what can I do in this matter, as\nI am a forgiving Brahmana?'\n\n\"The Gandharva continued, 'Then, O bull in Bharata's race, Nandini,\nalarmed at the sight of Viswamitra's troops and terrified by Viswamitra\nhimself, approached the Rishi still closer, and said, 'O illustrious one,\nwhy art thou so indifferent to my poor self afflicted with the stripes of\nthe cruel troops of Viswamitra and crying so piteously as if I were\nmasterless?' Hearing these words of the crying and persecuted Nandini,\nthe great Rishi lost not his patience nor turned from his vow of\nforgiveness. He replied, 'The Kshatriya's might lies in physical\nstrength, the Brahmana's in forgiveness. Because I cannot give up\nforgiveness, go thou, O Nandini, if thou choosest.' Nandini answered,\n'Castest thou me away, O illustrious one, that thou sayest so? If thou\ndost not cast me off, I cannot, O Brahmana, be taken away by force.'\nVasishtha said, 'O blessed one, I do not cast thee off! Stay if thou\ncanst! O, yonder is thy calf, tied with a stout cord, and even now being\nweakened by it!'\n\n\"The Gandharva continued, 'Then the cow of Vasishtha, hearing the word\nstay, raised her head and neck upward, and became terrible to behold.\nWith eyes red with rage and lowing repeatedly, she then attacked\nViswamitra's troops on all sides. Afflicted with their stripes and\nrunning hither and thither with those red eyes of hers, her wrath\nincreased. Blazing with rage, she soon became terrible to behold like\nunto the sun in his midday glory. And from her tail she began to rain\nshowers of burning coals all around. And some moments after, from her\ntail she brought forth an army of Palhavas, and from her udders, an army\nof Dravidas and Sakas; and from her womb, an army of Yavanas, and from\nher dung, an army of Savaras; and from her urine, an army of Kanchis; and\nfrom her sides, an army of Savaras. And from the froth of her mouth came\nout hosts of Paundras and Kiratas, Yavanas and Sinhalas, and the\nbarbarous tribes of Khasas and Chivukas and Pulindas and Chinas and Hunas\nwith Keralas, and numerous other Mlechchhas. And that vast army of\nMlechchhas in various uniforms, and armed with various weapons, as soon\nas it sprang into life, deploying in the very sight of Viswamitra,\nattacked that monarch's soldiers. And so numerous was that Mlechchha host\nthat each particular soldier of Viswamitra was attacked by a band of six\nor seven of their enemies. Assailed with a mighty shower of weapons,\nViswamitra's troops broke and fled, panic-stricken, in all directions,\nbefore his very eyes. But, O bull in Bharata's race, the troops of\nVasishtha, though excited with wrath, took not the life of any of\nViswamitra's troops. Nandini simply caused the monarch's army to be\nrouted and driven off. And driven (from the asylum) twenty-seven full\nmiles, panic-stricken, they shrieked aloud and beheld not anyone that\ncould protect them. Viswamitra, beholding this wonderful feat that\nresulted from Brahmana prowess, became disgusted with Kshatriya prowess\nand said, 'O, fie on Kshatriya prowess! Brahmana prowess is true prowess!\nIn judging of strength and weakness, I see that asceticism is true\nstrength.' Saying this, the monarch, abandoning his large domains and\nregal splendour and turning his back upon all pleasures, set his mind on\nasceticism. Crowned with success in asceticism and filling the three\nworlds with the heat of his ascetic penances, he afflicted all creatures\nand finally became a Brahmana. The son of Kusika at last drank Soma with\nIndra himself (in Heaven).'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXXVIII\n\n(Chaitraratha Parva continued)\n\n\"The Gandharva continued, 'There was, O Partha, a king in this world,\nnamed Kalmashapada, who was of the race of Ikshvaku and was unequalled on\nearth for prowess. One day the king went from his capital into the woods\nfor purposes of hunting, and this grinder of foes pierced (with his\narrows) many deer and wild boars. And in those deep woods the king also\nslew many rhinoceroses. Engaged in sport for some length of time, the\nmonarch became very much fatigued and at last he gave up the chase,\ndesiring to rest awhile.\n\n\"The great Viswamitra, endued with energy, had, a little while ago,\ndesired to make that monarch his disciple. As the monarch, afflicted with\nhunger and thirst, was proceeding through the woods, he came across that\nbest of Rishis, the illustrious son of Vasishtha, coming along the same\npath. The king ever victorious in battle saw that Muni bearing the name\nof Saktri, that illustrious propagator of Vasishtha's race, the eldest of\nthe high-souled Vasishtha's hundred sons, coming along from opposite\ndirection. The king, beholding him said, 'Stand out of our way.' The\nRishi, addressing the monarch in a conciliatory manner, said unto him\nsweetly, 'O king, this is my way. This is the eternal rule of morality\nindicated in every treatise on duty and religion, viz., that a king\nshould ever make way for Brahmanas.' Thus did they address each other\nrespecting their right of way. 'Stand aside, stand aside', were the words\nthey said unto each other. The Rishi, who was in the right, did not\nyield, nor did the king yield to him from pride and anger. That best of\nmonarchs, enraged at the Rishi, refusing to yield him the way, acted like\na Rakshasa, striking him with his whip. Thus whipped by the monarch, that\nbest of Rishis, the son of Vasishtha, was deprived of his senses by\nanger, and speedily cursed that first of monarchs, saying, 'O worst of\nkings, since thou persecutest like a Rakshasa an ascetic, thou shalt from\nthis day, became a Rakshasa subsisting on human flesh! Hence, thou worst\nof kings! thou shalt wander over the earth, affecting human form!' Thus\ndid the Rishi Sakti, endued with great prowess, speak unto king\nKalmashapada. At this time Viswamitra, between whom and Vasishtha there\nwas a dispute about the discipleship of Kalmashapada, approached the\nplace where that monarch and Vasishtha's son were. And, O Partha, that\nRishi of severe ascetic penances, viz., Viswamitra of great energy,\napproached the pair (knowing by his spiritual insight that they had been\nthus quarrelling with each other). After the curse had been pronounced,\nthat best of monarchs knew that Rishi to be Vasishtha's son and equal\nunto Vasishtha himself in energy. And, O Bharata, Viswamitra, desirous of\nbenefiting himself, remained on that spot, concealed from the sight of\nboth by making himself invisible. Then that best of monarchs, thus cursed\nby Saktri, desiring to propitiate the Rishi began to humbly beseech him.\nAnd, O chief of the Kurus, Viswamitra, ascertaining the disposition of\nthe king (and fearing that the difference might be made up), ordered a\nRakshasa to enter the body of the king. And a Rakshasa of the name of\nKinkara then entered the monarch's body in obedience to Saktri's curse\nand Viswamitra's command. And knowing, O chastiser of foes, that the\nRakshasa had possessed himself of the monarch, that best of Rishis,\nViswamitra, then left the spot and went away.\n\n\"Shortly after, O Partha, the monarch, possessed by the Rakshasa and\nterribly afflicted by him, lost all his senses. At this time a Brahmana\nbeheld the king in the woods. Afflicted with hunger, that Brahmana begged\nof the king some food with meat. The royal sage, Kalmashapada, that\ncherisher of friends, answered the Brahmana, saying, 'Stay thou here, O\nBrahmana for a moment. On my return, I will give thee whatever food thou\ndesirest.' Having said this, the monarch went away, but the Brahmana\nstayed on there. The high-minded king having roved for some time at\npleasure and according to his will, at last entered his inner apartment.\nThus waking at midnight and remembering his promise, he summoned his cook\nand told him of his promise unto the Brahmana staying in the forest. And\nhe commanded him, saying, 'Hie thee to that forest. A Brahmana waiteth\nfor me in the hope of food. Go and entertain him with food and meat.'\n\n\"The Gandharva continued, 'Thus commanded, the cook went out in search of\nmeat. Distressed at not having found any, he informed the king of his\nfailure. The monarch, however, possessed as he was by the Rakshasa,\nrepeatedly said, without scruple of any kind, 'Feed him with human\nflesh.' The cook, saying, 'So be it,' went to the place where the\n(king's) executioners were, and thence taking human flesh and washing and\ncooking it duly and covering it with boiled rice offered it unto that\nhungry Brahmana devoted to ascetic penances. But that best of Brahmanas,\nseeing with his spiritual sight that the food was unholy and, therefore,\nunworthy of being eaten, said these words with eyes red with anger,\n'Because that worst of kings offereth me food that is unholy and unworthy\nof being taken, therefore that wretch shall have himself a fondness for\nsuch food. And becoming fond of human flesh as cursed by Saktri of old,\nthe wretch shall wander over the earth, alarming and otherwise troubling\nall creatures.' The curse, therefore, on that king, thus repeated a\nsecond time, became very strong, and the king, possessed by a Rakshasa\ndisposition, soon lost all his senses.\n\n\"A little while after, O Bharata, that best of monarchs, deprived of all\nhis senses by the Rakshasa within him, beholding Saktri who had cursed\nhim, said, 'Because thou hast pronounced on me this extraordinary curse,\ntherefore, I shall begin my life of cannibalism by devouring thee.'\nHaving said this, the king immediately slew Saktri and ate him up, like a\ntiger eating the animal it was fond of. Beholding Saktri thus slain and\ndevoured, Viswamitra repeatedly urged that Rakshasa (who was within the\nmonarch) against the other sons of Vasishtha. Like a wrathful lion\ndevouring small animals, that Rakshasa soon devoured the other sons of\nthe illustrious Vasishtha that were junior to Saktri in age. But\nVasishtha, learning that all his sons had been caused to be slain by\nViswamitra, patiently bore his grief like the great mountain that bears\nthe earth. That best of Munis, that foremost of intelligent men, was\nresolved rather to sacrifice his own life than exterminate (in anger) the\nrace of Kusikas. The illustrious Rishi threw himself down from the summit\nof Meru, but he descended on the stony ground as though on a heap of\ncotton. And, O son of Pandu, when the illustrious one found that death\ndid not result from that fall, he kindled a huge fire in the forest and\nentered it with alacrity. But that fire, though burning brightly,\nconsumed him not. O slayer of foes, that blazing fire seemed to him cool.\nThen the great Muni under the influence of grief, beholding the sea, tied\na stony weight to his neck and threw himself into its waters. But the\nwaves soon cast him ashore. At last when that Brahmana of rigid vows\nsucceeded not in killing himself by any means, he returned, in distress\nof heart, to his asylum.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXXIX\n\n(Chaitraratha Parva continued)\n\n\"The Gandharva continued, 'Beholding his asylum bereft of his children,\nthe Muni afflicted with great grief left it again. And in course of his\nwandering he saw, O Partha, a river swollen with the waters of the rainy\nseason, sweeping away numberless trees and plants that had grown on its\nmargin. Beholding this, O thou of Kuru's race, the distressed Muni\nthinking that he would certainly be drowned if he fell into the waters of\nthat river, he tied himself strongly with several cords and flung\nhimself, under the influence of grief, into the current of that mighty\nstream. But, O slayer of foes, that stream soon cut those cords and cast\nthe Rishi ashore. And the Rishi rose from the bank, freed from the cords\nwith which he had tied himself. And because his cords were thus broken\noff by the violence of the current, the Rishi called the stream by the\nname of Vipasa (the cord-breaker). For his grief the Muni could not, from\nthat time, stay in one place; he began to wander over mountains and along\nrivers and lakes. And beholding once again a river named Haimavati\n(flowing from Himavat) of terrible aspect and full of fierce crocodiles\nand other (aquatic) monsters, the Rishi threw himself into it, but the\nriver mistaking the Brahmana for a mass of (unquenchable) fire,\nimmediately flew in a hundred different directions, and hath been known\never since by the name of the Satadru (the river of a hundred courses).\nSeeing himself on the dry land even there he exclaimed, 'O, I cannot die\nby my own hands!' Saying this, the Rishi once more bent his steps towards\nhis asylum. Crossing numberless mountains and countries, as he was about\nto re-enter his asylum, he was followed by his daughter-in-law named\nAdrisyanti. As she neared him, he heard the sound from behind of a very\nintelligent recitation of the Vedas with the six graces of elocution.\nHearing that sound, the Rishi asked, 'Who is it that followeth me?' His\ndaughter-in-law then answered, 'I am Adrisyanti, the wife of Saktri. I am\nhelpless, though devoted to asceticism.' Hearing her, Vasishtha said, 'O\ndaughter, whose is this voice that I heard, repeating the Vedas along\nwith the Angas like unto the voice of Saktri reciting the Vedas with the\nAngas?' Adrisyanti answered, 'I bear in my womb a child by thy son\nSaktri. He hath been here full twelve years. The voice thou hearest is\nthat of the Muni, who is reciting the Vedas.'\n\n\"The Gandharva continued, 'Thus addressed by her the illustrious\nVasishtha became exceedingly glad. And saying, 'O, there is a child (of\nmy race)!'--he refrained, O Partha, from self-destruction. The sinless\none accompanied by his daughter-in-law, then returned to his asylum. And\nthe Rishi saw one day in the solitary woods (the Rakshasa) Kalmashapada.\nThe king, O Bharata, possessed by fierce Rakshasa, as he saw the Rishi,\nbecame filled with wrath and rose up, desiring to devour him. And\nAdrisyanti beholding before her that the Rakshasa of cruel deeds,\naddressed Vasishtha in these words, full of anxiety and fear, 'O\nillustrious one, the cruel Rakshasa, like unto Death himself armed with\n(his) fierce club, cometh towards us with a wooden club in hand! There is\nnone else on earth, except thee, O illustrious one, and, O foremost of\nall that are conversant with the Vedas to restrain him today. Protect me,\nO illustrious one, from this cruel wretch of terrible mien. Surely, the\nRakshasa cometh hither to devour us' Vasishtha, hearing this, said, 'Fear\nnot, O daughter, there is no need of any fear from any Rakshasa. This one\nis no Rakshasa from whom thou apprehendest such imminent danger. This is\nking Kalmashapada endued with great energy and celebrated on earth. That\nterrible man dwelleth in these woods.'\n\n\"The Gandharva continued, 'Beholding him advancing, the illustrious Rishi\nVasishtha, endued with great energy, restrained him, O Bharata, by\nuttering the sound Hum. Sprinkling him again with water sanctified with\nincantations the Rishi freed the monarch from that terrible curse. For\ntwelve years the monarch had been overwhelmed by the energy of\nVasishtha's son like Surya seized by the planet (Rahu) during the season\nof an eclipse. Freed from the Rakshasa the monarch illumined that large\nforest by his splendour like the sun illumining the evening clouds.\nRecovering his power of reason, the king saluted that best of Rishis with\njoined palms and said, 'O illustrious one, I am the son of Sudasa and thy\ndisciple, O best of Munis! O, tell me what is thy pleasure and what I am\nto do.' Vasishtha replied, saying, 'My desire hath already been\naccomplished. Return now to thy kingdom and rule thy subjects. And, O\nchief of men, never insult Brahmanas any more.' The monarch replied, 'O\nillustrious one, I shall never more insult superior Brahmanas. In\nobedience to thy command I shall always worship Brahmanas. But, O best of\nBrahmanas, I desire to obtain from thee that by which, O foremost of all\nthat are conversant with the Vedas, I may be freed from the debt I owe to\nthe race of Ikshvaku! O best of men, it behoveth thee to grant me, for\nthe perpetuation of Ikshvaku's race, a desirable son possessing beauty\nand accomplishments and good behaviour.'\n\n\"The Gandharva continued, 'Thus addressed, Vasishtha, that best of\nBrahmanas devoted to truth replied unto that mighty bowman of a monarch,\nsaying, 'I will give you.' After some time, O prince of men, Vasishtha,\naccompanied by the monarch, went to the latter's capital known all over\nthe earth by the name of Ayodhya. The citizens in great joy came out to\nreceive the sinless and illustrious one, like the dwellers in heaven\ncoming out to receive their chief. The monarch, accompanied by Vasishtha,\nre-entered his auspicious capital after a long time. The citizens of\nAyodhya beheld their king accompanied by his priest, as if he were the\nrising sun. The monarch who was superior to everyone in beauty filled by\nhis splendour the whole town of Ayodhya, like the autumnal moon filling\nby his splendour the whole firmament. And the excellent city itself, in\nconsequence of its streets having been watered and swept, and of the rows\nof banners and pendants beautifying it all around, gladdened the\nmonarch's heart. And, O prince of Kuru's race, the city filled as it was\nwith joyous and healthy souls, in consequence of his presence, looked gay\nlike Amaravati with the presence of the chief of the celestials. After\nthe royal sage had entered his capital, the queen, at the king's command,\napproached Vasishtha. The great Rishi, making a covenant with her, united\nhimself with her according to the high ordinance. And after a little\nwhile, when the queen conceived, that best of Rishis, receiving the\nreverential salutations of the king, went back to his asylum. The queen\nbore the embryo in her womb for a long time. When she saw that she did\nnot bring forth anything, she tore open her womb by a piece of stone. It\nwas then that at the twelfth year (of the conception) was born Asmaka,\nthat bull amongst men, that royal sage who founded (the city of)\nPaudanya.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXXX\n\n(Chaitraratha Parva continued)\n\n\"The Gandharva continued, 'Then, O Partha, Adrisyanti, who had been\nresiding in Vasishtha's asylum, brought forth (when the time came) a son\nwho was the perpetuator of Saktri's race and who was a second Saktri in\neverything. O foremost of Bharatas, that best of Munis, the illustrious\nVasishtha himself performed the usual after-birth ceremonies of his\ngrandson. And, because the Rishi Vasishtha had resolved on\nself-destruction but had abstained therefrom as soon as he knew of the\nexistence of that child, that child, when born, was called Parasara (the\nvivifier of the dead). The virtuous Parasara, from the day of his birth,\nknew Vasishtha for his father and behaved towards the Muni as such. One\nday, O son of Kunti, the child addressed Vasishtha, that first of\nBrahmana sages, as father, in the presence of his mother Adrisyanti.\nAdrisyanti, hearing the very intelligible sound father sweetly uttered by\nher son, addressed him with tearful eyes and said, 'O child, do not\naddress this thy grandfather as father? Thy father, O son, has been\ndevoured by a Rakshasa in a different forest. O innocent one, he is not\nthy father whom thou regardest so. The revered one is the father of that\ncelebrated father of thine.' Thus addressed by his mother that best of\nRishis of truthful speech, gave way to sorrow, but soon fired up and\nresolved to destroy the whole creation. Then that illustrious and great\nascetic Vasishtha, that foremost of all persons conversant with Brahma,\nthat son of Mitravaruna, that Rishi acquainted with positive truth,\naddressed his grandson who had set his heart upon the destruction of the\nworld. Hear, O Arjuna, the arguments by which Vasishtha succeeded in\ndriving out that resolution from his grandson's mind.'\n\n\"The Gandharva continued, 'Then Vasishtha said, 'There was a celebrated\nking of the name of Kritavirya. That bull among the kings of the earth\nwas the disciple of the Veda-knowing Bhrigus. That king, O child, after\nperforming the Soma sacrifice, gratified the Brahmanas with great\npresents of rice and wealth. After that monarch had ascended to heaven,\nan occasion came when his descendants were in want of wealth. And knowing\nthat the Bhrigus were rich, those princes went unto those best of\nBrahmanas, in the guise of beggars. Some amongst the Bhrigus, to protect\ntheir wealth, buried it under earth; and some from fear of the\nKshatriyas, began to give away their wealth unto (other) Brahmanas; while\nsome amongst them duly gave unto the Kshatriyas whatever they wanted. It\nhappened, however, that some Kshatriyas, in digging as they pleased at\nthe house of particular Bhargava, came upon a large treasure. And the\ntreasure was seen by all those bulls among Kshatriyas who had been there.\nEnraged at what they regarded as the deceitful behaviour of the Bhrigus,\nthe Kshatriyas insulted the Brahmanas, though the latter asked for mercy.\nAnd those mighty bowmen began to slaughter the Bhrigus with their sharp\narrows. And the Kshatriyas wandered over the earth, slaughtering even the\nembryos that were in the wombs of the women of the Bhrigu race. And while\nthe Bhrigu race was thus being exterminated, the women of that tribe fled\nfrom fear to the inaccessible mountains of Himavat. And one amongst these\nwomen, of tapering thighs, desiring to perpetuate her husband's race,\nheld in one of her thighs an embryo endued with great energy. A certain\nBrahmana woman, however, who came to know this fact, went from fear unto\nthe Kshatriyas and reported the matter unto them. And the Kshatriyas then\nwent to destroy that embryo. Arrived at the place, they beheld the\nwould-be mother blazing with inborn energy, and the child that was in her\nthigh came out tearing up the thigh and dazzling the eyes of those\nKshatriyas like the midday sun. Thus deprived of their eyes, the\nKshatriyas began to wander over those inaccessible mountains. And\ndistressed at the loss of sight, the princes were afflicted with woe, and\ndesirous of regaining the use of their eyes they resolved to seek the\nprotection of that faultless woman. Then those Kshatriyas, afflicted with\nsorrow, and from loss of sight like unto a fire that hath gone out,\naddressed with anxious hearts that illustrious lady, saying, 'By thy\ngrace. O lady, we wish to be restored to sight. We shall then return to\nour homes all together and abstain for ever from our sinful practice. O\nhandsome one, it behoveth thee with thy child to show us mercy. It\nbehoveth thee to favour these kings by granting them their eye-sight.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXXXI\n\n(Chaitraratha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vasishtha continued, 'The Brahmana lady, thus addressed by them, said,\n'Ye children, I have not robbed you of your eye-sight, nor am I angry\nwith you. This child, however, of the Bhrigu race hath certainly been\nangry with you. There is little doubt, ye children, that ye have been\nrobbed of your sight by that illustrious child whose wrath hath been\nkindled at the remembrance of the slaughter of his race. Ye children,\nwhile ye were destroying even the embryos of the Bhrigu race, this child\nwas held by me in my thigh for a hundred years! And in order that the\nprosperity of Bhrigu's race might be restored, the entire Vedas with\ntheir branches came unto this one even while he was in the womb. It is\nplain that this scion of the Bhrigu race, enraged at the slaughter of his\nfathers, desireth to slay you! It is by his celestial energy that your\neyes have been scorched. Therefore, ye children, pray ye unto this my\nexcellent child born of my thigh. Propitiated by your homage he may\nrestore your eye-sight.'\n\n\"Vasishtha continued, 'Hearing those words of the Brahmana lady, all\nthese princes addressed the thigh-born child, saying, 'Be propitious!'\nAnd the child became propitious unto them. And that best of Brahmana\nRishis, in consequence of his having been born after tearing open his\nmother's thigh, came to be known throughout the three worlds by the name\nof Aurva (thigh-born). And those princes regaining their eye-sight went\naway. But the Muni Aurva of the Bhrigu race resolved upon overcoming the\nwhole world. And the high-souled Rishi set his heart, O child, upon the\ndestruction of every creature in the world. And that scion of the Bhrigu\nrace, for paying homage (as he regarded) unto his slaughtered ancestors,\ndevoted himself to the austerest of penances with the object of\ndestroying the whole world. And desirous of gratifying his ancestors, the\nRishi afflicted by his severe asceticism the three worlds with the\ncelestials, the Asuras and human beings. The Pitris, then, learning what\nthe child of their race was about, all came from their own region unto\nthe Rishi and addressing him said:\n\n'Aurva, O son, fierce thou hast been in thy asceticism. Thy power hath\nbeen witnessed by us. Be propitious unto the three worlds. O, control thy\nwrath. O child, it was not from incapacity that the Bhrigus of souls\nunder complete control were, all of them, indifferent to their own\ndestruction at the hands of the murderous Kshatriyas. O child, when we\ngrew weary of the long periods of life alloted to us, it was then that we\ndesired our own destruction through the instrumentality of the\nKshatriyas. The wealth that the Bhrigus had placed in their house\nunderground had been placed only with the object of enraging the\nKshatriyas and picking a quarrel with them. O thou best of Brahmanas, as\nwe were desirous of heaven, of what use could wealth be to us? The\ntreasurer of heaven (Kuvera) had kept a large treasure for us. When we\nfound that death could not, by any means, overtake us all, it was then, O\nchild, that we regarded this as the best means (of compassing our\ndesire). They who commit suicide never attain to regions that are\nblessed. Reflecting upon this, we abstained from self-destruction. That\nwhich, therefore thou desirest to do is not agreeable to us. Restrain thy\nmind, therefore, from the sinful act of destroying the whole world. O\nchild, destroy not the Kshatriyas nor the seven worlds. O, kill this\nwrath of thine that staineth thy ascetic energy.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXXXII\n\n(Chaitraratha Parva continued)\n\n\"The Gandharva said, 'Vasishtha after this, continued the narration\nsaying, 'Hearing these words of the Pitris, Aurva, O child, replied unto\nthem to this effect:\n\n'Ye Pitris, the vow I have made from anger for the destruction of all the\nworlds, must not go in vain. I cannot consent to be one whose anger and\nvows are futile. Like fire consuming dry woods, this rage of mine will\ncertainly consume me if I do not accomplish my vow. The man that\nrepresseth his wrath that hath been excited by (adequate) cause, becometh\nincapable of duly compassing the three ends of life (viz., religion,\nprofit and pleasure). The wrath that kings desirous of subjugating the\nwhole earth exhibit, is not without its uses. It serveth to restrain the\nwicked and to protect the honest. While lying unborn within my mother's\nthigh, I heard the doleful cries of my mother and other women of the\nBhrigu race who were then being exterminated by the Kshatriyas. Ye\nPitris, when those wretches of Kshatriyas began to exterminate the\nBhrigus together with unborn children of their race, it was then that\nwrath filled my soul. My mother and the other women of our race, each in\nan advanced state of pregnancy, and my father, while terribly alarmed,\nfound not in all the worlds a single protector. Then when the Bhrigu\nwomen found not a single protector, my mother held me in one of her\nthighs. If there be a punisher of crimes in the worlds no one in all the\nworlds would dare commit a crime; if he findeth not a punisher, the\nnumber of sinners becometh large. The man who having the power to prevent\nor punish sin doth not do so knowing that a sin hath been committed, is\nhimself defiled by that sin. When kings and others, capable of protecting\nmy fathers, protect them not, postponing that duty preferring the\npleasures of life, I have just cause to be enraged with them. I am the\nlord of the creation, capable of punishing its iniquity. I am incapable\nof obeying your command. Capable of punishing this crime, if I abstain\nfrom so doing, men will once more have to undergo a similar persecution.\nThe fire of my wrath too that is ready to consume the worlds, if\nrepressed, will certainly consume by its own energy my own self. Ye\nmasters, I know that ye ever seek the good of the worlds: direct me,\ntherefore, as to what may benefit both myself and the worlds.'\n\n\"Vasishtha continued, 'The Pitris replied saying, O, throw this fire that\nis born of thy wrath and that desireth to consume the worlds, into the\nwaters. That will do thee good. The worlds, indeed, are all dependent on\nwater (as their elementary cause). Every juicy substance containeth\nwater, indeed the whole universe is made of water. Therefore, O thou best\nof Brahmanas, cast thou this fire of thy wrath into the waters. If,\ntherefore, thou desirest it, O Brahmana, let this fire born of thy wrath\nabide in the great ocean, consuming the waters thereof, for it hath been\nsaid that the worlds are made of water. In this way, O thou sinless one,\nthy word will be rendered true, and the worlds with the gods will not be\ndestroyed.'\n\n\"Vasishtha continued, 'Then, O child, Aurva cast the fire of his wrath\ninto the abode of Varuna. And that fire which consumeth the waters of the\ngreat ocean, became like unto a large horse's head which persons\nconversant with the Vedas call by the name of Vadavamukha. And emitting\nitself from that mouth it consumeth the waters of the mighty ocean. Blest\nbe thou! It behoveth not thee, therefore, to destroy the worlds. O thou\nParasara, who art acquainted with the higher regions, thou foremost of\nwise men!'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXXXIII\n\n(Chaitraratha Parva continued)\n\n\"The Gandharva continued, 'The Brahmana sage (Parasara) thus addressed by\nthe illustrious Vasishtha restrained his wrath from destroying the\nworlds. But the Rishi Parasara endued with great energy--the son of\nSaktri--the foremost of all persons acquainted with the Vedas--performed\na grand Rakshasa sacrifice. And remembering the slaughter of (his father)\nSaktri, the great Muni began to consume the Rakshasas, young and old, in\nthe sacrifice he performed. And Vasishtha did not restrain him from this\nslaughter of the Rakshasa, from the determination of not obstructing this\nsecond vow (of his grandson). And in that sacrifice the great Muni\nParasara sat before three blazing fires, himself like unto a fourth fire.\nAnd the son of Saktri, like the Sun just emerging from the clouds,\nilluminated the whole firmament by that stainless sacrifice of his into\nwhich large were the libations poured of clarified butter. Then Vasishtha\nand the other Rishis regarded that Muni blazing with his own energy as if\nhe were the second Sun. Then the great Rishi Atri of liberal soul\ndesirous of ending that sacrifice, an achievement highly difficult for\nothers,--came to that place. And there also came, O thou slayer of all\nfoes, Pulastya and Pulaha, and Kratu the performer of many great\nsacrifices, all influenced by the desire of saving the Rakshasas. And, O\nthou bull of the Bharata race, Pulastya then, seeing that many Rakshasas\nhad already been slain, told these words unto Parasara that oppressor of\nall enemies:\n\n'There is no obstruction, I hope, to this sacrifice of thine, O child!\nTakest thou any pleasure, O child, in this slaughter of even all those\ninnocent Rakshasas that know nothing of thy father's death. It behoveth\nthee not to destroy any creatures thus. This, O child, is not the\noccupation of a Brahmana devoted to asceticism. Peace is the highest\nvirtue. Therefore, O Parasara, establish thou peace. How hast thou, O\nParasara, being so superior, engaged thyself in such a sinful practice?\nIt behoveth not thee to transgress against Saktri himself who was\nwell-acquainted with all rules of morality. It behoveth not thee to\nextirpate any creatures. O descendant of Vasishtha's race, that which\nbefell thy father was brought about by his own curse. It was for his own\nfault that Saktri was taken hence unto heaven. O Muni, no Rakshasa was\ncapable of devouring Saktri; he himself provided for his own death. And,\nO Parasara, Viswamitra was only a blind instrument in that matter. Both\nSaktri and Kalmashapada, having ascended to heaven are enjoying great\nhappiness. And, the other sons also of the great Rishi Vasishtha who were\nyounger than Saktri, are even now enjoying themselves with the\ncelestials. And, O child, O offspring of Vasishtha's son, thou hast also\nbeen, in this sacrifice, only an instrument in the destruction of these\ninnocent Rakshasas. O, blest be thou! Abandon this sacrifice of thine.\nLet it come to an end.'\n\n\"The Gandharva continued, 'Thus addressed by Pulastya, as also by the\nintelligent Vasishtha, that mighty Muni--the son of Saktri then brought\nthat sacrifice to an end. And the Rishi cast the fire that he had ignited\nfor the purpose of the Rakshasas' sacrifice into the deep woods on the\nnorth of the Himavat. And that fire may be seen to this day consuming\nRakshasas and trees and stones in all seasons.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXXXIV\n\n(Chaitraratha Parva continued)\n\n\"Arjuna asked, 'What for, O Gandharva, did king Kalmashapada command his\nqueen to go unto that foremost of all persons conversant with the\nVedas--the master Vasishtha? Why also did that illustrious and great\nRishi Vasishtha himself who was acquainted with every rule of morality\nknow a woman he should not have known? O friend, was this an act of sin\non the part of Vasishtha? It behoveth thee to remove the doubts I\nentertain and refer to thee for solution.'\n\n\"The Gandharva replied, saying, 'O irrepressible Dhananjaya, listen to me\nas I answer the question thou hast asked in respect of Vasishtha and king\nKalmashapada that cherisher of friends. O thou best of the Bharatas, I\nhave told thee all about the curse of king Kalmashapada by Saktri, the\nillustrious son of Vasishtha. Brought under the influence of the curse,\nthat smiter of all foes--king Kalmashapada--with eyes whirling in anger\nwent out of his capital accompanied by his wife. And entering with his\nwife the solitary woods the king began to wander about. And one day while\nthe king under the influence of the curse was wandering through that\nforest abounding in several kinds of deer and various other animals and\novergrown with numerous large trees and shrubs and creepers and\nresounding with terrible cries, he became exceedingly hungry. And the\nmonarch thereupon began to search for some food. Pinched with hunger, the\nking at last saw, in a very solitary part of the woods, a Brahmana and\nhis wife enjoying each other. Alarmed at beholding the monarch the couple\nran away, their desire ungratified. Pursuing the retreating pair, the\nking forcibly seized the Brahmana. Then the Brahmani, beholding her lord\nseized, addressed the monarch, saying, 'Listen to what I say, O monarch\nof excellent vows! It is known all over the world that thou art born in\nthe solar race, and that thou art ever vigilant in the practice of\nmorality and devoted to the service of thy superiors. It behoveth thee\nnot to commit sin, O thou irrepressible one, deprived though thou hast\nbeen of thy senses by (the Rishi's) curse. My season hath come, and\nwishful of my husband's company I was connected with him. I have not been\ngratified yet. Be propitious unto us, O thou best of kings! Liberate my\nhusband.' The monarch, however, without listening to her cries cruelly\ndevoured her husband like a tiger devouring its desirable prey. Possessed\nwith wrath at this sight, the tears that that woman shed blazed up like\nfire and consumed everything in that place. Afflicted with grief at the\ncalamity that overtook her lord, the Brahmani in anger cursed the royal\nsage Kalmashapada, 'Vile wretch, since thou hast today cruelly devoured\nunder my very nose my illustrious husband dear unto me, even before my\ndesires have been gratified, therefore shall thou, O wicked one afflicted\nby my curse, meet with instant death when thou goest in for thy wife in\nseason. And thy wife, O wretch, shall bring forth a son uniting herself\nwith that Rishi Vasishtha whose children have been devoured by thee. And\nthat child, O worst of kings, shall be the perpetuator of thy race.' And\ncursing the monarch thus, that lady of Angira's house bearing every\nauspicious mark, entered the blazing fire in the very sight of the\nmonarch. And, O thou oppressor of all foes, the illustrious and exalted\nVasishtha by his ascetic power and spiritual insight immediately knew\nall. And long after this, when the king became freed from his curse, he\napproached his wife Madayanati when her season came. But Madayanati\nsoftly sent him away. Under the influence of passion the monarch had no\nrecollection of that curse. Hearing, however, the words of his wife, the\nbest of kings became terribly alarmed. And recollecting the curse he\nrepented bitterly of what he had done. It was for this reason, O thou\nbest of men, that the monarch infected with the Brahmani's curse,\nappointed Vasishtha to beget a son upon his queen.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXXXV\n\n(Chaitraratha Parva continued)\n\n\"Arjuna asked, 'O Gandharva, thou art acquainted with everything. Tell\nus, therefore, which Veda-knowing Brahmana is worthy to be appointed as\nour priest.'\n\n\"The Gandharva replied, 'There is in these woods a shrine of the name of\nUtkochaka. Dhaumya, the younger brother of Devala is engaged there in\nascetic penances. Appoint him, if ye desire, your priest.\"\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Then Arjuna, highly pleased with everything that had\nhappened, gave unto that Gandharva, his weapon of fire with befitting\nceremonies. And addressing him, the Pandava also said, 'O thou best of\nGandharvas, let the horses thou givest us remain with thee for a time.\nWhen the occasion cometh, we will take them from thee. Blest be thou.'\nThen the Gandharva and the Pandavas, respectfully saluting each other,\nleft the delightful banks of the Bhagirathi and went wheresoever they\ndesired. Then, O Bharata, the Pandavas going to Utkochaka, the sacred\nasylum of Dhaumya installed Dhaumya as their priest. And Dhaumya, the\nforemost of all conversant with the Vedas, receiving them with presents\nof wild fruits and (edible) roots, consented to become their priest. And\nthe Pandavas with their mother forming the sixth of the company, having\nobtained that Brahmana as their priest regarded their sovereignty and\nkingdom as already regained and the daughter of the Panchala king as\nalready obtained in the Swayamavara. And those bulls of the Bharata race,\nhaving obtained the master Dhaumya as their priest, also regarded\nthemselves as placed under a powerful protector. And the high-souled\nDhaumya, acquainted with the true meaning of the Vedas and every rule of\nmorality, becoming the spiritual preceptor of the virtuous Pandavas, made\nthem his Yajamanas (spiritual disciples). And that Brahmana, beholding\nthose heroes endued with intelligence and strength and perseverance like\nunto the celestials, regarded them as already restored, by virtue of\ntheir own accomplishments to their sovereignty and kingdom. Then those\nkings of men, having had benedictions uttered upon them by that Brahmana,\nresolved to go, accompanied by him, to the Swayamvara of the Princess of\nPanchala.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXXXVI\n\n(Swayamvara Parva)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Then those tigers among men--those brothers--the\nfive Pandavas, set out for Panchala to behold that country and Draupadi\nand the festivities (in view of her marriage). And those tigers among\nmen--those oppressors of all enemies--in going along with their mother,\nsaw on the way numerous Brahmanas proceeding together. And those\nBrahmanas who were all Brahmacharis beholding the Pandavas, O king, asked\nthem, 'Where are ye going to? Whence also are ye come?' And Yudhishthira\nreplied unto them, saying, 'Ye bulls among Brahmanas, know ye that we are\nuterine brothers proceeding together with our mother. We are coming even\nfrom Ekachakra.' The Brahmanas then said, 'Go ye this very day to the\nabode of Drupada in the country of the Panchalas. A great Swayamvara\ntakes place there, on which a large sum of money will be spent. We also\nare proceeding thither. Let us all go together. Extraordinary festivities\nwill take place (in Drupada's abode). The illustrious Yajnasena,\notherwise called Drupada, had a daughter risen from the centre of the\nsacrificial altar. Of eyes like lotus-petals and of faultless features\nendued with youth and intelligence, she is extremely beautiful. And the\nslender-waisted Draupadi of every feature perfectly faultless, and whose\nbody emitteth a fragrance like unto that of the blue lotus for two full\nmiles around, is the sister of the strong-armed Dhrishtadyumna gifted\nwith great prowess--the (would-be) slayer of Drona--who was born with\nnatural mail and sword and bow and arrows from the blazing fire, himself\nlike unto the second Fire. And that daughter of Yajnasena will select a\nhusband from among the invited princes. And we are repairing thither to\nbehold her and the festivities on the occasion, like unto the festivities\nof heaven. And to that Swayamvara will come from various lands kings and\nprinces who are performers of sacrifices in which the presents to the\nBrahmanas are large: who are devoted to study, are holy, illustrious, and\nof rigid vows; who are young and handsome; and who are mighty\ncar-warriors and accomplished in arms. Desirous of winning (the hand of)\nthe maiden those monarchs will all give away much wealth and kine and\nfood and other articles of enjoyment. And taking all they will give away\nand witnessing the Swayamvara, and enjoying the festivities, we shall go\nwheresoever we like. And there will also come unto that Swayamvara, from\nvarious countries, actors, and bards singing the panegyrics of kings, and\ndancers, and reciters of Puranas, and heralds, and powerful athletes. And\nbeholding all these sights and taking what will be given away to\nillustrious ones, ye will return with us. Ye are all handsome and like\nunto the celestials! Beholding you, Krishna may, by chance, choose some\none amongst you superior to the rest. This thy brother of mighty arms and\nhandsome and endued with beauty also, engaged in (athletic) encounters,\nmay, by chance, earn great wealth.'\n\n\"On hearing these words of the Brahmanas, Yudhishthira replied, 'Ye\nBrahmanas, we will all go with you to witness that maiden's\nSwayamvara--that excellent jubilee.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXXXVII\n\n(Swayamvara Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Thus addressed by the Brahmanas, the Pandavas, O\nJanamejaya, proceeded towards the country of the southern Panchalas ruled\nover by the king Drupada. And on their way those heroes beheld the\nillustrious Dwaipayana--that Muni of pure soul, and perfectly sinless.\nAnd duly saluting the Rishi and saluted by him, after their conversation\nwas over, commanded by him they proceeded to Drupada's abode. And those\nmighty chariot-fighters proceeded by slow stages staying for some time\nwithin those beautiful woods and by fine lakes that they beheld along\ntheir way. Devoted to study, pure in their practices, amiable, and\nsweet-speeched, the Pandavas at last entered the country of the\nPanchalas. And beholding the capital, as also the fort, they took up\ntheir quarters in the house of a potter, Adopting the Brahmanical\nprofession, they began to lead an eleemosynary life. And no men\nrecognised those heroes during their stay in Drupada's capital.\n\n\"Yajnasena always cherished the desire of bestowing his daughter on\nKiriti (Arjuna), the son of Pandu. But he never spoke of it to anybody.\nAnd, O Janamejaya, the king of Panchala thinking of Arjuna caused a very\nstiff bow to be made that was incapable of being bent by any except\nArjuna. Causing some machinery to be erected in the sky, the king set up\na mark attached to that machinery. And Drupada said, 'He that will string\nthis bow and with these well-adorned arrows shoot the mark above the\nmachine shall obtain my daughter.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'With these words king Drupada proclaimed the\nSwayamvara. On hearing of them, O Bharata, the kings of other lands came\nto his capital. And there came also many illustrious Rishis desirous of\nbeholding the Swayamvara. And there came also, O king, Duryodhana and the\nKurus accompanied by Kama. There also came many superior Brahmanas from\nevery country. And the monarchs who came there were all received with\nreverence by the illustrious Drupada. Desirous of beholding the\nSwayamvara, the citizens, roaring like the sea, all took their seats on\nthe platforms that were erected around the amphitheatre. The monarch\nentered the grand amphitheatre by the north-eastern gate. And the\namphitheatre which itself had been erected on an auspicious and level\nplain to the north-east of Drupada's capital, was surrounded by beautiful\nmansions. And it was enclosed on all sides with high walls and a moat\nwith arched doorways here and there. The vast amphitheatre was also\nshaded by a canopy of various colours. And resounding with the notes of\nthousands of trumpets, it was scented with black aloes and sprinkled all\nover with water mixed with sandal-paste and decorated with garlands of\nflowers. It was surrounded with high mansions perfectly white and\nresembling the cloud-kissing peaks of Kailasa. The windows of those\nmansions were covered with net works of gold; the walls were set with\ndiamonds and precious costly carpets and cloths. All those mansions\nadorned with wreaths and garlands of flowers and rendered fragrant with\nexcellent aloes, were all white and spotless, like unto the necks of\nswans. And the fragrance therefrom could be perceived from the distance\nof a Yojana (eight miles). And they were each furnished with a hundred\ndoors wide enough to admit a crowd of persons; they were adorned with\ncostly beds and carpets, and beautified with various metals; they\nresembled the peaks of the Himavat. And in those seven-storied houses of\nvarious sizes dwelt the monarchs invited by Drupada whose persons were\nadorned with every ornament and who were possessed with the desire of\nexcelling one another. And the inhabitants of the city and the country\nwho had come to behold Krishna and taken their seats on the excellent\nplatforms erected around, beheld seated within those mansions those lions\namong kings who were all endued with the energy of great souls. And those\nexalted sovereigns were all adorned with the fragrant paste of the black\naloe. Of great liberality, they were all devoted to Brahma and they\nprotected their kingdoms against all foes. And for their own good deeds\nthey were loved by the whole world.\n\n\"The Pandavas, too, entering that amphitheatre, sat with the Brahmanas\nand beheld the unequalled affluence of the king of the Panchalas. And\nthat concourse of princes, Brahmanas, and others, looking gay at the\nperformances of actors and dancers (large presents of every kind of\nwealth being constantly made), began to swell day by day. And it lasted,\nO king, several days, till on the sixteenth day when it was at its full,\nthe daughter of Drupada, O thou bull of the Bharata race, having washed\nherself clean entered the amphitheatre, richly attired and adorned with\nevery ornament and bearing in her hand a dish of gold (whereon were the\nusual offerings of Arghya) and a garland of flowers. Then the priest of\nthe lunar race--a holy Brahmana conversant with all mantras--ignited the\nsacrificial fire and poured on it with due rites libations of clarified\nbutter. And gratifying Agni by these libations and making the Brahmanas\nutter the auspicious formula of benediction, stopped the musical\ninstruments that were playing all around. And when that vast\namphitheatre, O monarch, became perfectly still, Dhrishtadyumna possessed\nof a voice deep as the sound of the kettledrum or the clouds, taking hold\nof his sister's arm, stood in the midst of that concourse, and said, with\na voice loud and deep as the roar of the clouds, these charming words of\nexcellent import, 'Hear ye assembled kings, this is the bow, that is the\nmark, and these are the arrows. Shoot the mark through the orifice of the\nmachine with these five sharpened arrows. Truly do I say that, possessed\nof lineage, beauty of persons, and strength whoever achieveth this great\nfeat shall obtain today this my sister, Krishna for his wife.' Having\nthus spoken unto the assembled monarchs Drupada's son then addressed his\nsister, reciting unto her the names and lineages and achievements of\nthose assembled lords of the earth.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXXXVIII\n\n(Swayamvara Parva continued)\n\n\"Dhrishtadyumna said, 'Duryodhana, Durvisaha, Durmukha and\nDushpradharshana, Vivinsati, Vikarna, Saha, and Duhsasana; Yuyutsu and\nVayuvega and Bhimavegarava; Ugrayudha, Valaki, Kanakayu, and Virochana,\nSukundala, Chitrasena, Suvarcha, and Kanakadhwaja; Nandaka, and Vahusali,\nand Tuhunda, and Vikata; these, O sister, and many other mighty sons of\nDhritarashtra--all heroes--accompanied by Karna, have come for thy hand.\nInnumerable other illustrious monarchs all bulls among Kshatriyas--have\nalso come for thee. Sakuni, Sauvala, Vrisaka, and Vrihadvala,--these sons\nof the king Gandhara--have also come. Foremost of all wielders of\nweapons--the illustrious Aswatthaman and Bhoja, adorned with every\nornament have also come for thee. Vrihanta, Manimana, Dandadhara,\nSahadeva, Jayatsena, Meghasandhi, Virata with his two sons Sankha and\nUttara, Vardhakshemi, Susarma, Senavindu, Suketu with his two sons Sunama\nand Suvarcha, Suchitra, Sukumara, Vrika, Satyadhriti, Suryadhwaja,\nRochamana, Nila, Chitrayudha, Agsuman, Chekitana, the mighty Sreniman,\nChandrasena the mighty son of Samudrasena, Jarasandha, Vidanda, and\nDanda--the father and son, Paundraka, Vasudeva, Bhagadatta endued with\ngreat energy, Kalinga, Tamralipta, the king of Pattana, the mighty\ncar-warrior Salya, the king of Madra, with his son, the heroic\nRukmangada, Rukmaratha, Somadatta of the Kuru race with his three sons,\nall mighty chariot-fighters and heroes, viz., Bhuri, Bhurisrava, and\nSala, Sudakshina, Kamvoja of the Puru race, Vrihadvala, Sushena, Sivi,\nthe son of Usinara, Patcharanihanta, the king of Karusha, Sankarshana\n(Valadeva), Vasudeva (Krishna) the mighty son of Rukmini, Samva,\nCharudeshna, the son of Pradyumna with Gada, Akrura, Satyaki, the\nhigh-souled Uddhava, Kritavarman, the son of Hridika, Prithu, Viprithu,\nViduratha, Kanka, Sanku with Gaveshana, Asavaha, Aniruddha, Samika,\nSarimejaya, the heroic Vatapi Jhilli Pindaraka, the powerful Usinara, all\nthese of the Vrishni race, Bhagiratha, Vrihatkshatra, Jayadratha the son\nof Sindhu, Vrihadratha, Valhika, the mighty charioteer Srutayu, Uluka,\nKaitava, Chitrangada and Suvangada, the highly intelligent Vatsaraja, the\nking of Kosala, Sisupala and the powerful Jarasandha, these and many\nother great kings--all Kshatriyas celebrated throughout the world--have\ncome, O blessed one, for thee. Endued with prowess, these will shoot the\nmark. And thou shalt choose him for thy husband who amongst these will\nshoot the mark.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXXXIX\n\n(Swayamvara Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Then those youthful princes adorned with ear-rings,\nvying with one another and each regarding himself accomplished in arms\nand gifted with might, stood up brandishing their weapons. And\nintoxicated with pride of beauty, prowess, lineage, knowledge, wealth,\nand youth, they were like Himalayan elephants in the season of rut with\ncrowns split from excess of temporal juice. And beholding each other with\njealousy and influenced by the god of desire, they suddenly rose up from\ntheir royal seats, exclaiming 'Krishna shall be mine.' And the Kshatriyas\nassembled in that amphitheatre, each desirous of winning the daughter of\nDrupada, looked like the celestial (of old) standing round Uma, the\ndaughter of the King of mountains. Afflicted with the shafts of the god\nof the flowery bow and with hearts utterly lost in the contemplation of\nKrishna, those princes descended into the amphitheatre for winning the\nPanchala maiden and began to regard even their best friends with\njealousy. And there came also the celestials on their cars, with the\nRudras and the Adityas, the Vasus and the twin Aswins, the Swadhas and\nall the Marutas, and Kuvera with Yama walking ahead. And there came also\nthe Daityas and the Suparnas, the great Nagas and the celestial Rishis,\nthe Guhyakas and the Charanas and Viswavasu and Narada and Parvata, and\nthe principal Gandharvas with Apsaras. And Halayudha (Valadeva) and\nJanardana (Krishna) and the chief of the Vrishni, Andhaka, and Yadava\ntribes who obeyed the leadership of Krishna were also there, viewing the\nscene. And beholding those elephants in rut--the five\n(Pandavas)--attracted towards Draupadi like mighty elephants towards a\nlake overgrown with lotuses, or like fire covered with ashes, Krishna the\nforemost of Yadu heroes began to reflect. And he said unto Rama\n(Valadeva), 'That is Yudhishthira; that is Bhima with Jishnu (Arjuna);\nand those are the twin heroes.' And Rama surveying them slowly cast a\nglance of satisfaction at Krishna. Biting their nether lips in wrath, the\nother heroes there--sons and grandsons of kings--with their eyes and\nhearts and thoughts set on Krishna, looked with expanded eyes on Draupadi\nalone without noticing the Pandavas. And the sons of Pritha also, of\nmighty arms, and the illustrious twin heroes, beholding Draupadi, were\nall likewise struck by the shafts of Kama. And crowded with celestial\nRishis and Gandharvas and Suparnas and Nagas and Asuras and Siddhas, and\nfilled with celestial perfumes and scattered over with celestial flowers,\nand resounding with the kettle-drum and the deep hum of infinite voices,\nand echoing with the softer music of the flute, the Vina, and the tabor,\nthe cars of the celestials could scarcely find a passage through the\nfirmament. Then those princes--Karna, Duryodhana, Salwa, Salya,\nAswatthaman, Kratha, Sunitha, Vakra, the ruler of Kalinga and Banga,\nPandya, Paundra, the ruler of Videha, the chief of the Yavanas, and many\nother sons and grandsons of kings,--sovereigns of territories with eyes\nlike lotus-petals,--one after another began to exhibit prowess for\n(winning) that maiden of unrivalled beauty. Adorned with crowns,\ngarlands, bracelets, and other ornaments, endued with mighty arms,\npossessed of prowess and vigour and bursting with strength and energy,\nthose princes could not, even in imagination, string that bow of\nextraordinary stiffness.\n\n\"And (some amongst) those kings in exerting with swelling lips each\naccording to his strength, education, skill, and energy,--to string that\nbow, were tossed on the ground and lay perfectly motionless for some\ntime. Their strength spent and their crowns and garlands loosened from\ntheir persons, they began to pant for breath and their ambition of\nwinning that fair maiden was cooled. Tossed by that tough bow, and their\ngarlands and bracelets and other ornaments disordered, they began to\nutter exclamations of woe. And that assemblage of monarchs, their hope of\nobtaining Krishna gone, looked sad and woeful. And beholding the plight\nof those monarchs, Karna that foremost of all wielders of the bow went to\nwhere the bow was, and quickly raising it strung it and placed the arrows\non the string. And beholding the son of Surya--Karna of the Suta\ntribe--like unto fire, or Soma, or Surya himself, resolved to shoot the\nmark, those foremost of bowmen--the sons of Pandu--regarded the mark as\nalready shot and brought down upon the ground. But seeing Karna, Draupadi\nloudly said, 'I will not select a Suta for my lord.' Then Karna, laughing\nin vexation and casting glance at the Sun, threw aside the bow already\ndrawn to a circle.\n\nThen when all those Kshatriyas gave up the task, the heroic king of the\nChedis--mighty as Yama (Pluto) himself--the illustrious and determined\nSisupala, the son of Damaghosa, in endeavouring to string the bow,\nhimself fell upon his knees on the ground. Then king Jarasandha endued\nwith great strength and powers, approaching the bow stood there for some\nmoment, fixed and motionless like a mountain. Tossed by the bow, he too\nfell upon his knees on the ground, and rising up, the monarch left the\namphitheatre for (returning to) his kingdom. Then the great hero Salya,\nthe king of Madra, endued with great strength, in endeavouring to string\nthe bow fell upon his knees on the ground. At last when in that\nassemblage consisting of highly respectable people, all the monarchs had\nbecome subjects of derisive talk that foremost of heroes--Jishnu, the son\nof Kunti--desired to string the bow and placed the arrows on the\nbow-string.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXL\n\n(Swayamvara Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'When all the monarchs had desisted from\nstringing that bow, the high-souled Jishnu arose from among the crowd of\nBrahmanas seated in that assembly. And beholding Partha possessing the\ncomplexion of Indra's banner, advancing towards the bow, the principal\nBrahmanas shaking their deer-skins raised a loud clamour. And while some\nwere displeased, there were others that were well-pleased. And some there\nwere, possessed of intelligence and foresight, who addressing one another\nsaid, 'Ye Brahmanas, how can a Brahmana stripling unpractised in arms and\nweak in strength, string that bow which such celebrated Kshatriyas as\nSalya and others endued with might and accomplished in the science and\npractice of arms could not? If he doth not achieve success in this\nuntried task which he hath undertaken from a spirit of boyish\nunsteadiness, the entire body of Brahmanas here will be rendered\nridiculous in the eyes of the assembled monarchs. Therefore, forbid this\nBrahmana that he may not go to string the bow which he is even now\ndesirous of doing from vanity, childish daring, or mere unsteadiness.'\nOthers replied, 'We shall not be made ridiculous, nor shall we incur the\ndisrespect of anybody or the displeasure of the sovereigns. Some\nremarked, 'This handsome youth is even like the trunk of a mighty\nelephant, whose shoulders and arms and thighs are so well-built, who in\npatience looks like the Himavat, whose gait is even like that of the\nlion, and whose prowess seems to be like that of an elephant in rut, and\nwho is so resolute, that it is probable that he will accomplish this\nfeat. He has strength and resolution. If he had none, he would never go\nof his own accord. Besides, there is nothing in the three worlds that\nBrahmanas of all mortal men cannot accomplish. Abstaining from all food\nor living upon air or eating of fruits, persevering in their vows, and\nemaciated and weak, Brahmanas are ever strong in their own energy. One\nshould never disregard a Brahmana whether his acts be right or wrong, by\nsupposing him incapable of achieving any task that is great or little, or\nthat is fraught with bliss or woe. Rama the son of Jamadagni defeated in\nbattle, all the Kshatriyas. Agastya by his Brahma energy drank off the\nfathomless ocean. Therefore, say ye, 'Let this youth bend the bow and\nstring it with ease' (and many said), 'So be it.' And the Brahmanas\ncontinued speaking unto one another these and other words. Then Arjuna\napproached the bow and stood there like a mountain. And walking round\nthat bow, and bending his head unto that giver of boons--the lord\nIsana--and remembering Krishna also, he took it up. And that bow which\nRukma, Sunitha, Vakra, Radha's son, Duryodhana, Salya, and many other\nkings accomplished in the science and practice of arms, could not even\nwith great exertion, string, Arjuna, the son of Indra, that foremost of\nall persons endued with energy and like unto the younger brother of Indra\n(Vishnu) in might, strung in the twinkling of an eye. And taking up the\nfive arrows he shot the mark and caused it to fall down on the ground\nthrough the hole in the machine above which it had been placed. Then\nthere arose a loud uproar in the firmament, and the amphitheatre also\nresounded with a loud clamour. And the gods showered celestial flowers on\nthe head of Partha the slayer of foes. And thousands of Brahmanas began\nto wave their upper garments in joy. And all around, the monarchs who had\nbeen unsuccessful, uttered exclamations of grief and despair. And flowers\nwere rained from the skies all over the amphitheatre. And the musicians\nstruck up in concert. Bards and heralds began to chant in sweet tones the\npraises (of the hero who accomplished the feat). And beholding Arjuna,\nDrupada--that slayer of foes,--was filled with joy. And the monarch\ndesired to assist with his forces the hero if the occasion arose. And\nwhen the uproar was at its height, Yudhishthira, the foremost of all\nvirtuous men, accompanied by those first of men the twins, hastily left\nthe amphitheatre for returning to his temporary home. And Krishna\nbeholding the mark shot and beholding Partha also like unto Indra\nhimself, who had shot the mark, was filled with joy, and approached the\nson of Kunti with a white robe and a garland of flowers. And Arjuna the\naccomplisher of inconceivable feats, having won Draupadi by his success\nin the amphitheatre, was saluted with reverence by all the Brahmanas. And\nhe soon after left the lists followed close by her who thus became his\nwife.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXLI\n\n(Swayamvara Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'When the king (Drupada) expressed his desire of\nbestowing his daughter on that Brahmana (who had shot the mark), all\nthose monarchs who had been invited to the Swayamvara, looking at one\nanother, were suddenly filled with wrath. And they said, 'Passing us by\nand treating the assembled monarchs as straw this Drupada desireth to\nbestow his daughter--that first of women,--on a Brahmana! Having planted\nthe tree he cutteth it down when it is about to bear fruit. The wretch\nregardeth us not: therefore let us slay him. He deserveth not our respect\nnor the veneration due to age. Owing to such qualities of his, we shall,\ntherefore, slay this wretch that insulteth all kings, along with his son.\nInviting all the monarchs and entertaining them with excellent food, he\ndisregardeth us at last. In this assemblage of monarchs like unto a\nconclave of the celestials, doth he not see a single monarch equal unto\nhimself? The Vedic declaration is well-known that the Swayamvara is for\nthe Kshatriyas. The Brahmanas have no claim in respect of a selection of\nhusband by a Kshatriya damsel. Or, ye kings, if this damsel desireth not\nto select any one of us as her lord, let us cast her into the fire and\nreturn to our kingdoms. As regards this Brahmana, although he hath, from\nofficiousness or avarice, done this injury to the monarchs, he should not\nyet be slain; for our kingdoms, lives, treasures, sons, grandsons, and\nwhatever other wealth we have, all exist for Brahmanas. Something must be\ndone here (even unto him), so that from fear of disgrace and the desire\nof maintaining what properly belongeth unto each order, other Swayamvaras\nmay not terminate in this way.'\n\n\"Having addressed one another thus, those tigers among monarchs endued\nwith arms like unto spiked iron maces, took up their weapons and rushed\nat Drupada to slay him then and there. And Drupada beholding those\nmonarchs all at once rushing towards him in anger with bows and arrows,\nsought, from fear, the protection of the Brahmanas. But those mighty\nbowmen (Bhima and Arjuna) of the Pandavas, capable of chastising all\nfoes, advanced to oppose those monarchs rushing towards them impetuously\nlike elephants in the season of rut. Then the monarchs with gloved\nfingers and upraised weapons rushed in anger at the Kuru princes, Bhima\nand Arjuna, to slay them. Then the mighty Bhima of extraordinary\nachievements, endued with the strength of thunder, tore up like an\nelephant a large tree and divested it of its leaves. And with that tree,\nthe strong-armed Bhima, the son of Pritha, that grinder of foes, stood,\nlike unto the mace-bearing king of the dead (Yama) armed with his fierce\nmace, near Arjuna that bull amongst men. And beholding that feat of his\nbrother, Jishnu of extraordinary intelligence, himself also of\ninconceivable feats, wondered much. And equal unto Indra himself in\nachievements, shaking off all fear he stood with his bow ready to receive\nthose assailants. And beholding those feats of both Jishnu and his\nbrother, Damodara (Krishna) of superhuman intelligence and inconceivable\nfeats, addressing his brother, Halayudha (Valadeva) of fierce energy,\nsaid, 'That hero there, of tread like that of a mighty lion, who draweth\nthe large bow in his hand four full cubits in length, is Arjuna! There is\nno doubt, O Sankarshana, about this, if I am Vasudeva. That other hero\nwho having speedily torn up the tree hath suddenly become ready to drive\noff the monarchs is Vrikodara! For no one in the world, except Vrikodara,\ncould today perform such a feat in the field of battle. And that other\nyouth of eyes like unto lotus-petals, of full four cubits height, of gait\nlike that of a mighty lion, and humble withal, of fair complexion and\nprominent and shining nose, who had, a little before, left the\namphitheatre, is Dharma's son (Yudhishthira). The two other youths, like\nunto Kartikeya, are, I suspect, the sons of the twin Aswins. I heard that\nthe sons of Pandu along with their mother Pritha had all escaped from the\nconflagration of the house of lac.' Then Halayudha of complexion like\nunto that of clouds uncharged with rain, addressing his younger brother\n(Krishna), said with great satisfaction, 'O, I am happy to hear, as I do\nfrom sheer good fortune, that our father's sister Pritha with the\nforemost of the Kaurava princes have all escaped (from death)!'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXLII\n\n(Swayamvara Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Then those bulls among Brahmanas shaking their\ndeer-skins and water-pots made of cocoanut-shells exclaimed, 'Fear not,\nwe will fight the foe!' Arjuna smilingly addressing those Brahmanas\nexclaiming thus, said, 'Stand ye aside as spectators (of the fray)\nShowering hundreds of arrows furnished with straight points even I shall\ncheck, like snakes with mantras, all those angry monarchs.' Having said\nthis, the mighty Arjuna taking up the bow he had obtained as dower\naccompanied by his brother Bhima stood immovable as a mountain. And\nbeholding those Kshatriyas who were ever furious in battle with Karna\nahead, the heroic brothers rushed fearlessly at them like two elephants\nrushing against a hostile elephant. Then those monarchs eager for the\nfight fiercely exclaimed, 'The slaughter in battle of one desiring to\nfight is permitted.' And saying this, the monarchs suddenly rushed\nagainst the Brahmanas. And Karna endued with great energy rushed against\nJishnu for fight. And Salya the mighty king of Madra rushed against Bhima\nlike an elephant rushing against another for the sake of a she-elephant\nin heat; while Duryodhana and others engaged with the Brahmanas,\nskirmished with them lightly and carelessly. Then the illustrious Arjuna\nbeholding Karna, the son of Vikartana (Surya), advancing towards him,\ndrew his tough bow and pieced him with his sharp arrows. And the impetus\nof those whetted arrows furnished with fierce energy made Radheya (Karna)\nfaint. Recovering consciousness Karna attacked Arjuna with greater care\nthan before. Then Karna and Arjuna, both foremost of victorious warriors,\ndesirous of vanquishing each other, fought madly on. And such was the\nlightness of hand they both displayed that (each enveloped by the other's\nshower of arrows) they both became invisible (unto the spectators of\ntheir encounter). 'Behold the strength of my arms.'--'Mark, how I have\ncounteracted that feat,'--those were the words--intelligible to heroes\nalone--in which they addressed each other. And incensed at finding the\nstrength and energy of Arjuna's arms unequalled on the earth, Karna, the\nson of Surya, fought with greater vigour. And parrying all those\nimpetuous arrows shot at him by Arjuna, Karna sent up a loud shout. And\nthis feat of his was applauded by all the warriors. Then addressing his\nantagonist, Karna said, 'O thou foremost of Brahmanas, I am gratified to\nobserve the energy of thy arms that knoweth no relaxation in battle and\nthy weapons themselves fit for achieving victory. Art thou the embodiment\nof the science of weapons, or art thou Rama that best of Brahmanas, or\nIndra himself, or Indra's younger brother Vishnu called also Achyuta, who\nfor disguising himself hath assumed the form of a Brahmana and mustering\nsuch energy of arms fighteth with me? No other person except the husband\nhimself of Sachi or Kiriti, the son of Pandu, is capable of fighting with\nme when I am angry on the field of battle.' Then hearing those words of\nhis, Phalguna replied, saying, 'O Karna, I am neither the science of arms\n(personified), nor Rama endued with superhuman powers. I am only a\nBrahmana who is the foremost of all warriors and all wielders of weapons.\nBy the grace of my preceptor I have become accomplished in the Brahma and\nthe Paurandara weapons. I am here to vanquish thee in battle. Therefore,\nO hero, wait a little.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed (by Arjuna), Karna the adopted\nson of Radha desisted from the fight, for that mighty chariot-fighter\nthought that Brahma energy is ever invincible. Meanwhile on another part\nof the field, the mighty heroes Salya and Vrikodara, well-skilled in\nbattle and possessed of great strength and proficiency, challenging each\nother, engaged in fight like two elephants in rut. And they struck each\nother with their clenched fists and knees. And sometimes pushing each\nother forward and sometimes dragging each other near, sometimes throwing\neach other down; face downward, and sometimes on the sides, they fought\non, striking, each other at times with their clenched fists. And\nencountering each other with blows hard as the clash of two masses of\ngranite, the lists rang with the sounds of their combat. Fighting with\neach other thus for a few seconds, Bhima the foremost of the Kuru heroes\ntaking up Salya on his arms hurled him to a distance. And Bhimasena, that\nbull amongst men, surprised all (by the dexterity of his feat) for though\nhe threw Salya on the ground he did it without hurting him much. And when\nSalya was thus thrown down and Karna was struck with fear, the other\nmonarchs were all alarmed. And they hastily surrounded Bhima and\nexclaimed, 'Surely these bulls amongst Brahmanas are excellent\n(warriors)! Ascertain in what race they have been born and where they\nabide. Who can encounter Karna, the son of Radha, in fight, except Rama\nor Drona, or Kiriti, the son of Pandu? Who also can encounter Duryodhana\nin battle except Krishna, the son of Devaki, and Kripa, the son of\nSaradwan? Who also can overthrow in battle Salya, that first of mighty\nwarriors, except the hero Valadeva or Vrikodara, the son of Pandu, or the\nheroic Duryodhana? Let us, therefore, desist from this fight with the\nBrahmanas. Indeed, Brahmanas, however offending, should yet be ever\nprotected. And first let us ascertain who these are; for after we have\ndone that we may cheerfully fight with them.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'And Krishna, having beheld that feat of Bhima,\nbelieved them both to be the son of Kunti. And gently addressing the\nassembled monarchs, saying, 'This maiden hath been justly acquired (by\nthe Brahmana),' he induced them to abandon the fight. Accomplished in\nbattle, those monarchs then desisted from the fight. And those best of\nmonarchs then returned to their respective kingdoms, wondering much. And\nthose who had come there went away saying. 'The festive scene hath\nterminated in the victory of the Brahmanas. The princess of Panchala hath\nbecome the bride of a Brahmana.' And surrounded by Brahmanas dressed in\nskins of deer and other wild animals, Bhima and Dhananjaya passed with\ndifficulty out of the throng. And those heroes among men, mangled by the\nenemy and followed by Krishna, on coming at last out of that throng,\nlooked like the full moon and the sun emerging from the clouds.\n\n\"Meanwhile Kunti seeing that her sons were late in returning from their\neleemosynary round, was filled with anxiety. She began to think of\nvarious evils having overtaken her sons. At one time she thought that the\nsons of Dhritarashtra having recognised her sons had slain them. Next she\nfeared that some cruel and strong Rakshasas endued with powers of\ndeception had slain them. And she asked herself, 'Could the illustrious\nVyasa himself (who had directed my sons to come to Panchala) have been\nguided by perverse intelligence?' Thus reflected Pritha in consequence of\nher affection for her offspring. Then in the stillness of the late\nafternoon, Jishnu, accompanied by a body of Brahmanas, entered the abode\nof the potter, like the cloud-covered sun appearing on a cloudy day.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXLIII\n\n(Swayamvara Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Then those illustrious sons of Pritha, on returning\nto the potter's abode, approached their mother. And those first of men\nrepresented Yajnaseni unto their mother as the alms they had obtained\nthat day. And Kunti who was there within the room and saw not her sons,\nreplied, saying, 'Enjoy ye all (what ye have obtained).' The moment\nafter, she beheld Krishna and then she said, 'Oh, what have I said?' And\nanxious from fear of sin, and reflecting how every one could be\nextricated from the situation, she took the cheerful Yajnaseni by the\nhand, and approaching Yudhishthira said, 'The daughter of king Yajnasena\nupon being represented to me by thy younger brothers as the alms they had\nobtained, from ignorance, O king, I said what was proper, viz., 'Enjoy ye\nall what hath been obtained. O thou bull of the Kuru race, tell me how my\nspeech may not become untrue; how sin may not touch the daughter of the\nking of Panchala, and how also she may not become uneasy.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed by his mother that hero among\nmen, that foremost scion of the Kuru race, the intelligent king\n(Yudhishthira), reflecting for a moment, consoled Kunti, and addressing\nDhananjaya, said, 'By thee, O Phalguna, hath Yajnaseni been won. It is\nproper, therefore, that thou shouldst wed her. O thou withstander of all\nfoes, igniting the sacred fire, take thou her hand with due rites.'\n\n\"Arjuna, hearing this, replied, 'O king, do not make me a participator in\nsin. Thy behest is not conformable to virtue. That is the path followed\nby the sinful. Thou shouldst wed first, then the strong-armed Bhima of\ninconceivable feats, then myself, then Nakula, and last of all, Sahadeva\nendued with great activity. Both Vrikodara and myself, and the twins and\nthis maiden also, all await, O monarch, thy commands. When such is the\nstate of things, do that, after reflection, which would be proper, and\nconformable virtue, and productive of fame, and beneficial unto the king\nof Panchala. All of us are obedient to thee. O, command us as thou\nlikest.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these words of Jishnu, so full of\nrespect and affection, the Pandavas all cast their eyes upon the princess\nof Panchala. And the princess of Panchala also looked at them all. And\ncasting their glances on the illustrious Krishna, those princes looked at\none another. And taking their seats, they began to think of Draupadi\nalone. Indeed, after those princes of immeasurable energy had looked at\nDraupadi, the God of Desire invaded their hearts and continued to crush\nall their senses. As the lavishing beauty of Panchali who had been\nmodelled by the Creator himself, was superior to that of all other women\non earth, it could captivate the heart of every creature. And\nYudhishthira, the son of Kunti, beholding his younger brothers,\nunderstood what was passing in their minds. And that bull among men\nimmediately recollected the words of Krishna-Dwaipayana. And the king,\nthen, from fear of a division amongst the brothers, addressing all of\nthem, said, 'The auspicious Draupadi shall be the common wife of us all.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'The sons of Pandu, then, hearing those words of\ntheir eldest brother, began to revolve them in their minds in great\ncheerfulness. The hero of the Vrishni race (Krishna suspecting the five\npersons he had seen at the Swayamvara to be none else than the heroes of\nthe Kuru race), came accompanied by the son of Rohini (Valadeva), to the\nhouse of the potter where those foremost of men had taken up their\nquarters. On arriving there, Krishna and Valadeva beheld seated in that\npotter's house Ajatasanu (Yudhishthira) of well developed and long arms,\nand his younger brothers passing the splendour of fire sitting around\nhim. Then Vasudeva approaching that foremost of virtuous men--the son of\nKunti--and touching the feet of that prince of the Ajamida race, said, 'I\nam Krishna.' And the son of Rohini (Valadeva) also approaching\nYudhishthira, did the same. And the Pandavas, beholding Krishna and\nValadeva, began to express great delight. And, O thou foremost of the\nBharata race, those heroes of the Yadu race thereafter touched also the\nfeet of Kunti, their father's sister. And Ajatasatru, that foremost of\nthe Kuru race, beholding Krishna, enquired after his well-being and\nasked, 'How, O Vasudeva, hast thou been able to trace us, as we are\nliving in disguise?' And Vasudeva, smilingly answered, 'O king, fire,\neven if it is covered, can be known. Who else among men than the Pandavas\ncould exhibit such might? Ye resisters of all foes, ye sons of Pandu, by\nsheer good fortune have ye escaped from that fierce fire. And it is by\nsheer good fortune alone that the wicked son of Dhritarashtra and his\ncounsellors have not succeeded in accomplishing their wishes. Blest be\nye! And grow ye in prosperity like a fire in a cave gradually growing and\nspreading itself all around. And lest any of the monarchs recognise ye,\nlet us return to our tent.' Then, obtaining Yudhishthira's leave, Krishna\nof prosperity knowing no decrease, accompanied by Valadeva, hastily went\naway from the potter's abode.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXLIV\n\n(Swayamvara Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'When the Kuru princes (Bhima and Arjuna) were\nwending towards the abode of the potter, Dhrishtadyumna, the Panchala\nprince followed them. And sending away all his attendants, he concealed\nhimself in some part of the potter's house, unknown to the Pandavas. Then\nBhima, that grinder of all foes, and Jishnu, and the illustrious twins,\non returning from their eleemosynary round in the evening, cheerfully\ngave everything unto Yudhishthira. Then the kind-hearted Kunti addressing\nthe daughter of Drupada said, 'O amiable one, take thou first a portion\nfrom this and devote it to the gods and give it away to Brahmanas, and\nfeed those that desire to eat and give unto those who have become our\nguests. Divide the rest into two halves. Give one of these unto Bhima, O\namiable one, for this strong youth of fair complexion--equal unto a king\nof elephants--this hero always eateth much. And divide the other half\ninto six parts, four for these youths, one for myself, and one for thee.'\nThen the princess hearing those instructive words of her mother-in-law\ncheerfully did all that she had been directed to do. And those heroes\nthen all ate of the food prepared by Krishna. Then Sahadeva, the son of\nMadri, endued with great activity, spread on the ground a bed of kusa\ngrass. Then those heroes, each spreading thereon his deer-skin, laid\nthemselves down to sleep. And those foremost of the Kuru princes lay down\nwith heads towards the south. And Kunti laid herself down along the line\nof their heads, and Krishna along that of their feet. And Krishna though\nshe lay with the sons of Pandu on that bed of kusa grass along the line\nof their feet as if she were their nether pillow, grieved not in her\nheart nor thought disrespectfully of those bulls amongst the Kurus. Then\nthose heroes began to converse with one another. And the conversations of\nthose princes, each worthy to lead an army, was exceedingly interesting\nthey being upon celestial cars and weapons and elephants, and swords and\narrows, and battle-axes. And the son of the Panchala king listened (from\nhis place of concealment) unto all they said. And all those who were with\nhim beheld Krishna in that state.\n\n\"When morning came, the prince Dhristadyumna set out from his place of\nconcealment with great haste in order to report to Drupada in detail all\nthat had happened at the potter's abode and all that he had heard those\nheroes speak amongst themselves during the night. The king of Panchala\nhad been sad because he knew not the Pandavas as those who had taken away\nhis daughter. And the illustrious monarch asked Dhristadyumna on his\nreturn, 'Oh, where hath Krishna gone? Who hath taken her away? Hath any\nSudra or anybody of mean descent, or hath a tribute-paying Vaisya by\ntaking my daughter away, placed his dirty foot on my head? O son, hath\nthat wreath of flowers been thrown away on a grave-yard? Hath any\nKshatriya of high birth, or any one of the superior order (Brahmana)\nobtained my daughter? Hath any one of mean descent, by having won\nKrishna, placed his left foot on my head? I would not, O son, grieve but\nfeel greatly happy, if my daughter hath been united with Partha that\nforemost of men! O thou exalted one, tell me truly who hath won my\ndaughter today? O, are the sons of that foremost of Kurus,\nVichitravirya's son alive? Was it Partha (Arjuna) that took up the bow\nand shot the mark?'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXLV\n\n(Vaivahika Parva)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Thus addressed Dhrishtadyumna, that foremost of the\nLunar princes, cheerfully said unto his father all that had happened and\nby whom Krishna had been won. And the prince said, 'With large, red eyes,\nattired in deer-skin, and resembling a celestial in beauty, the youth who\nstrung that foremost of bows and brought down to the ground the mark set\non high, was soon surrounded by the foremost of Brahmanas who also\noffered him their homage for the feat he had achieved. Incapable of\nbearing the sight of a foe and endued with great activity, he began to\nexert his prowess. And surrounded by the Brahmanas he resembled the\nthunder-wielding Indra standing in the midst of the celestials, and the\nRishis. And like a she-elephant following the leader of a herd, Krishna\ncheerfully followed that youth catching hold of his deer-skin. Then when\nthe assembled monarchs incapable of bearing that sight lose up in wrath\nand advanced for fight, there rose up another hero who tearing up a large\ntree rushed at that concourse of kings, felling them right and left like\nYama himself smiting down creatures endued with life. Then, O monarch,\nthe assembled kings stood motionless and looked at that couple of heroes,\nwhile they, resembling the Sun and the Moon, taking Krishna with them,\nleft the amphitheatre and went into the abode of a potter in the suburbs\nof the town, and there at the potter's abode sat a lady like unto a flame\nof fire who, I think, is their mother. And around her also sat three\nother foremost of men each of whom was like unto fire. And the couple of\nheroes having approached her paid homage unto her feet, and they said\nunto Krishna also to do the same. And keeping Krishna with her, those\nforemost of men all went the round of eleemosynary visits. Some time\nafter when they returned, Krishna taking from them what they had obtained\nas alms, devoted a portion thereof to the gods, and gave another portion\naway (in gift) to Brahmanas. And of what remained after this, she gave a\nportion to that venerable lady, and distributed the rest amongst those\nfive foremost of men. And she took a little for herself and ate it last\nof all. Then, O monarch, they all laid themselves down for sleep, Krishna\nlying along the line of their feet as their nether pillow. And the bed on\nwhich they lay was made of kusa grass upon which was spread their\ndeer-skins. And before going to sleep they talked on diverse subjects in\nvoices deep as of black clouds. The talk of those heroes indicated them\nto be neither Vaisyas nor Sudras, nor Brahmanas. Without doubt, O\nmonarch, they are bulls amongst Kshatriyas, their discourse having been\non military subjects. It seems, O father, that our hope hath been\nfructified, for we have heard that the sons of Kunti all escaped from the\nconflagration of the house of lac. From the way in which the mark was\nshot down by that youth, and the strength with which the bow was strung\nby him, and the manner in which I have heard them talk with one another\nproves conclusively, O monarch, that they are the sons of Pritha\nwandering in disguise.'\n\n\"Hearing these words of his son, king Drupada became exceedingly glad,\nand he sent unto them his priest directing him to ascertain who they were\nand whether they were the sons of the illustrious Pandu. Thus directed,\nthe king's priest went unto them and applauding them all, delivered the\nking's message duly, saying, 'Ye who are worthy of preference in\neverything, the boon-giving king of the earth--Drupada--is desirous of\nascertaining who ye are. Beholding this one who hath shot down the mark,\nhis joy knoweth no bounds. Giving us all particulars of your family and\ntribe, place ye your feet on the heads of your foes and gladden the\nhearts of the king of Panchala mid his men and mine also. King Pandu was\nthe dear friend of Drupada and was regarded by him as his counterself.\nAnd Drupada had all along cherished the desire of bestowing this daughter\nof his upon Pandu as his daughter-in-law. Ye heroes of features perfectly\nfaultless, king Drupada hath all along cherished this desire in his heart\nthat Arjuna of strong and long arms might wed this daughter of his\naccording to the ordinance. If that hath become possible, nothing could\nbe better; nothing more beneficial; nothing more conducive to fame and\nvirtue, so far as Drupada is concerned.'\n\n\"Having said this, the priest remained silent and humbly waited for an\nanswer. Beholding him sitting thus, the king Yudhishthira commanded Bhima\nwho sat near, saying, 'Let water to wash his feet with and the Arghya be\noffered unto this Brahmana. He is king Drupada's priest and, therefore,\nworthy of great respect. We should worship him with more than ordinary\nreverence.' Then, O monarch, Bhima did as directed. Accepting the worship\nthus offered unto him, the Brahmana with a joyous heart sat at his ease.\nThen Yudhishthira addressed him and said, 'The king of the Panchalas\nhath, by fixing a special kind of dower, given away his daughter\naccording to the practice of his order and not freely. This hero hath, by\nsatisfying that demand, won the princess. King Drupada, therefore, hath\nnothing now to say in regard to the race, tribe, family and disposition\nof him who hath performed that feat. Indeed, all his queries have been\nanswered by the stringing of the bow and the shooting down of the mark.\nIt is by doing what he had directed that this illustrious hero hath\nbrought away Krishna from among the assembled monarchs. In these\ncircumstances, the king of the Lunar race should not indulge in any\nregrets which can only make him unhappy without mending matters in the\nleast. The desire that king Drupada hath all along cherished will be\naccomplished for his handsome princess who beareth, I think, every\nauspicious mark. None that is weak in strength could string that bow, and\nnone of mean birth and unaccomplished in arms could have shot down the\nmark. It behoveth not, therefore, the king of the Panchalas to grieve for\nhis daughter today. Nor can anybody in the world undo that act of\nshooting down the mark. Therefore the king should not grieve for what\nmust take its course.'\n\n\"While Yudhishthira was saying all this, another messenger from the king\nof the Panchalas, coming thither in haste, said, 'The (nuptial), feast is\nready.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXLVI\n\n(Vaivahika Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'The messenger said, 'King Drupada hath, in view\nof his daughter's nuptials prepared a good feast for the bride-groom's\nparty. Come ye thither after finishing your daily rites. Krishna's\nwedding will take place there. Delay ye not. These cars adorned with\ngolden lotuses drawn by excellent horses are worthy of kings. Riding on\nthem, come ye into the abode of the king of the Panchalas.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then those bulls among the Kurus, dismissing\nthe priest and causing Kunti and Krishna to ride together on one of those\ncars, themselves ascended those splendid vehicles and proceeded towards\nDrupada's place. Meanwhile, O Bharata, hearing from his priest the words\nthat Yudhishthira had said, king Drupada, in order to ascertain the order\nto which those heroes belonged, kept ready a large collection of articles\n(required by the ordinance for the wedding of each of the four orders).\nAnd he kept ready fruits, sanctified garlands, and coats of mail, and\nshields, and carpets, and kine, and seeds, and various other articles and\nimplements of agriculture. And the king also collected, O monarch, every\narticle appertaining to other arts, and various implements and apparatus\nof every kind of sport. And he also collected excellent coats of mail and\nshining shields, and swords and scimitars, of fine temper, and beautiful\nchariots and horses, and first-class bows and well-adorned arrows, and\nvarious kinds of missiles ornamented with gold. And he also kept ready\ndarts and rockets and battle-axes and various utensils of war. And there\nwere in that collection beds and carpets and various fine things, and\ncloths of various sorts. When the party went to Drupada's abode, Kunti\ntaking with her the virtuous Krishna entered the inner apartments of the\nking. The ladies of the king's household with joyous hearts worshipped\nthe queen of the Kurus. Beholding, O monarch, those foremost of men, each\npossessing the sportive gait of the lion, with deer-skins for their upper\ngarments, eyes like unto those of mighty bulls, broad shoulders, and\nlong-hanging arms like unto the bodies of mighty snakes, the king, and\nthe king's ministers, and the king's son, and the king's friends and\nattendants, all became exceedingly glad. Those heroes sat on excellent\nseats, furnished with footstools without any awkwardness and hesitation.\nAnd those foremost of men sat with perfect fearlessness on those costly\nseats one after another according to the order of their ages. After those\nheroes were seated, well-dressed servants male and female, and skilful\ncooks brought excellent and costly viands worthy of kings on gold and\nsilver plates. Then those foremost of men dined on those dishes and\nbecame well-pleased. And after the dinner was over, those heroes among\nmen, passing over all other articles, began to observe with interest the\nvarious utensils of war. Beholding this, Drupada's son and Drupada\nhimself, along with all his chief ministers of state, understanding the\nsons of Kunti to be all of royal blood became exceedingly glad.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXLVII\n\n(Vaivahika Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Then the illustrious king of Panchala, addressing\nprince Yudhishthira in the form applicable to Brahmanas, cheerfully\nenquired of that illustrious son of Kunti, saying, 'Are we to know you as\nKshatriyas, or Brahamanas, or are we to know you as celestials who\ndisguising themselves as Brahmanas are ranging the earth and come hither\nfor the hand of Krishna? O tell us truly, for we have great doubts! Shall\nwe not be glad when our doubts have been removed? O chastiser of enemies,\nhave the fates been propitious unto us? Tell us the truth willingly!\nTruth becometh monarchs better than sacrifices and dedications of tanks.\nTherefore, tell us not what is untrue. O thou of the beauty of a\ncelestial, O chastiser of foes, hearing thy reply I shall make\narrangements for my daughter's wedding according to the order to which ye\nbelong.'\n\n\"Hearing these words of Drupada, Yudhishthira answered, saying 'Be not\ncheerless, O king; let joy fill thy heart! The desire cherished by thee\nhath certainly been accomplished. We are Kshatriyas, O king, and sons of\nthe illustrious Pandu. Know me to be the eldest of the sons of Kunti and\nthese to be Bhima and Arjuna. By these, O king, was thy daughter won amid\nthe concourse of monarchs. The twins (Nakula and Sahadeva) and Kunti wait\nwhere Krishna is. O bull amongst men, let grief be driven from thy heart,\nfor we are Kshatriyas. Thy daughter, O monarch, hath like a lotus been\ntransferred only from one lake into another. O king, thou art our revered\nsuperior and chief refuge. I have told thee the whole truth.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing those words, the king Drupada's eyes\nrolled in ecstasy. And. filled with delight the king could not, for some\nmoments answer Yudhishthira. Checking his emotion with great effort, that\nchastiser of foes at last replied unto Yudhishthira in proper words. The\nvirtuous monarch enquired how the Pandavas had escaped from the town of\nVaranavata. The son of Pandu told the monarch every particular in detail\nof their escape from the burning palace of lac. Hearing everything that\nthe son of Kunti said, king Drupada censured Dhritarashtra, that ruler of\nmen. And the monarch gave every assurance unto Yudhishthira, the son of\nKunti. And that foremost of eloquent men then and there vowed to restore\nYudhishthira to his paternal throne.\n\n\"Then Kunti and Krishna and Bhima and Arjuna and the twins, commanded by\nthe king, to reside there, treated by Yajnasena with due respect. Then\nking Drupada with his sons, assured by all that had happened, approaching\nYudhishthira, said, 'O thou of mighty arms, let the Kuru prince Arjuna\ntake with due rites, the hand of my daughter on this auspicious day, and\nlet him, therefore, perform the usual initiatory rites of marriage.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these words of Drupada, the virtuous\nking Yudhishthira replied, saying, 'O great king, I also shall have to\nmarry.' Hearing him, Drupada said, 'If it pleaseth thee, take thou the\nhand of my daughter thyself with due rites. Or, give Krishna in marriage\nunto whomsoever of thy brothers thou likest.' Yudhishthira said, 'Thy\ndaughter, O king, shall be the common wife of us all! Even thus it hath\nbeen ordered, O monarch, by our mother. I am unmarried still, and Bhima\nalso is so amongst the sons of Pandu. This thy jewel of a daughter hath\nbeen won by Arjuna. This, O king, is the rule with us; to ever enjoy\nequally a jewel that we may obtain. O best of monarchs, that rule of\nconduct we cannot now abandon. Krishna, therefore, shall become the\nwedded wife of us all. Let her take our hands, one after another before\nthe fire.'\n\n'Drupada answered, 'O scion of Kuru's race, it hath been directed that\none man may have many wives. But it hath never been heard that one woman\nmay have many husbands! O son of Kunti, as thou art pure and acquainted\nwith the rules of morality, it behoveth thee not to commit an act that is\nsinful and opposed both to usage and the Vedas. Why, O prince, hath thy\nunderstanding become so?' Yudhishthira said in reply, 'O monarch,\nmorality is subtle. We do not know its course. Let us follow the way\ntrodden by the illustrious ones of former ages. My tongue never uttered\nan untruth. My heart also never turneth to what is sinful. My mother\ncommandeth so; and my heart also approveth of it. Therefore, O king, that\nis quite conformable to virtue. Act according to it, without any\nscruples. Entertain no fear, O king, about this matter.'\n\n\"Drupada said, 'O son of Kunti thy mother, and my son Dhrishtadyumna and\nthyself, settle amongst yourselves as to what should be done. Tell me the\nresult of your deliberations and tomorrow I will do what is proper.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'After this, O Bharata, Yudhishthira, Kunti and\nDhrishtadyumna discoursed upon this matter. Just at that time, however,\nthe island-born (Vyasa), O monarch, came there in course of his\nwanderings.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXLVIII\n\n(Vaivahika Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Then all the Pandavas and the illustrious king of\nthe Panchalas and all others there present stood up and saluted with\nreverence the illustrious Rishi Krishna (Dwaipayana). The high-souled\nRishi, saluting them in return and enquiring after their welfare, sat\ndown on a carpet of gold. And commanded by Krishna (Dwaipayana) of\nimmeasurable energy, those foremost of men all sat down on costly seats.\nA little after, O monarch, the son of Prishata in sweet accents asked the\nillustrious Rishi about the wedding of his daughter. And he said, 'How, O\nillustrious one, can one woman become the wife of many men without being\ndefiled by sin? O, tell me truly all about this.' Hearing these words\nVyasa replied, 'This practice, O king, being opposed to usage and the\nVedas, hath become obsolete. I desire, however, to hear what the opinion\nof each of you is upon this matter.'\n\n\"Hearing these words of the Rishi, Drupada spoke first, saying, 'The\npractice is sinful in my opinion, being opposed to both usage and the\nVedas. O best of Brahmanas, nowhere have I seen many men having one wife.\nThe illustrious ones also of former ages never had such a usage amongst\nthem. The wise should never commit a sin. I, therefore, can never make up\nmind to act in this way. This practice always appeareth to me to be of\ndoubtful morality.\n\n\"After Drupada had ceased, Dhrishtadyumna spoke, saying 'O bull amongst\nBrahmanas, O thou of ascetic wealth, how can, O Brahmana, the elder\nbrother, if he is of a good disposition, approach the wife of his younger\nbrother? The ways of morality are ever subtle, and, therefore, we know\nthem not. We cannot, therefore, say what is conformable to morality and\nwhat not. We cannot do such a deed, therefore, with a safe conscience.\nIndeed, O Brahmana, I cannot say, 'Let Draupadi become the common wife of\nfive brothers.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira then spoke, saying, 'My tongue never uttereth an untruth\nand my heart never inclineth to what is sinful. When my heart approveth\nof it, it can never be sinful. I have heard in the Purana that a lady of\nname Jatila, the foremost of all virtuous women belonging to the race of\nGotama had married seven Rishis. So also an ascetic's daughter, born of a\ntree, had in former times united herself in marriage with ten brothers\nall bearing the same name of Prachetas and who were all of souls exalted\nby asceticism. O foremost of all that are acquainted with the rules of\nmorality, it is said that obedience to superior is ever meritorious.\nAmongst all superiors, it is well-known that the mother is the foremost.\nEven she hath commanded us to enjoy Draupadi as we do anything obtained\nas alms. It is for this, O best of Brahmanas, that I regard the\n(proposed) act as virtuous.'\n\n\"Kunti then said, 'The act is even so as the virtuous Yudhishthira hath\nsaid. I greatly fear, O Brahmana, lest my speech should become untrue.\nHow shall I be saved from untruth?'\n\n\"When they had all finished speaking, Vyasa said, 'O amiable one, how\nshall thou be saved from the consequence of untruth? Even this is eternal\nvirtue! I will not, O king of the Panchalas, discourse on this before you\nall. But thou alone shalt listen to me when I disclose how this practice\nhath been established and why it is to be regarded as old and eternal.\nThere is no doubt that what Yudhishthira hath said is quite conformable\nto virtue.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then the illustrious Vyasa--the master\nDwaipayana--rose, and taking hold of Drupada's hand led him to a private\napartment. The Pandavas and Kunti and Dhrishtadyumna of Prishata's race\nsat there, waiting for the return of Vyasa and Drupada. Meanwhile,\nDwaipayana began his discourse with illustrious monarch for explaining\nhow the practice of polyandry could not be regarded as sinful.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXLIX\n\n(Vaivahika Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Vyasa continued, 'In days of yore, the celestials\nhad once commenced a grand sacrifice in the forest of Naimisha. At that\nsacrifice, O king, Yama, the son of Vivaswat, became the slayer of the\ndevoted animals. Yama, thus employed in that sacrifice, did not (during\nthat period), O king, kill a single human being. Death being suspended in\nthe world, the number of human beings increased very greatly. Then Soma\nand Sakra and Varuna and Kuvera, the Sadhyas, the Rudras, the Vasus, the\ntwin Aswins,--these and other celestials went unto Prajapati, the Creator\nof the universe. Struck with fear for the increase of the human\npopulation of the world they addressed the Master of creation and said,\n'Alarmed, O lord, at the increase of human beings on earth, we come to\nthee for relief. Indeed, we crave thy protection.' Hearing those words\nthe Grandsire said, 'Ye have little cause to be frightened at this\nincrease of human beings. Ye all are immortal. It behoveth you not to\ntake fright at human beings.' The celestials replied, 'The mortals have\nall become immortal. There is no distinction now between us and them.\nVexed at the disappearance of all distinction, we have come to thee in\norder that thou mayest distinguish us from them.' The Creator then said,\n'The son of Vivaswat is even now engaged in the grand sacrifice. It is\nfor this that men are not dying. But when Yama's work in connection with\nthe sacrifice terminates, men will again begin to die as before.\nStrengthened by your respective energies, Yama will, when that time\ncomes, sweep away by thousands the inhabitants on earth who will scarcely\nhave then any energy left in them.'\n\n\"Vyasa continued, 'Hearing these words of the first-born deity, the\ncelestials returned to the spot where the grand sacrifice was being\nperformed. And the mighty one sitting by the side of the Bhagirathi saw a\n(golden) lotus being carried along by the current. And beholding that\n(golden) lotus, they wondered much. And amongst them, that foremost of\ncelestials, viz., Indra, desirous of ascertaining whence it came,\nproceeded up along the course of the Bhagirathi. And reaching that spot\nwhence the goddess Ganga issues perennially, Indra beheld a woman\npossessing the splendour of fire. The woman who had come there to take\nwater was washing herself in the stream, weeping all the while. The\ntear-drops she shed, falling on the stream, were being transformed into\ngolden lotuses. The wielder of the thunderbolt, beholding that wonderful\nsight, approached the woman and asked her, 'Who art thou, amiable lady?\nWhy dost thou weep? I desire to know the truth. O, tell me everything.'\n\n\"Vyasa continued, 'The woman thereupon answered, 'O Sakra, thou mayest\nknow who I am and why, unfortunate that I am, I weep, if only, O chief of\nthe celestials, thou comest with me as I lead the way. Thou shall then\nsee what it is I weep for.\" Hearing these words of the lady, Indra\nfollowed her as she led the way. And soon he saw, not far off from where\nhe was, a handsome youth with a young lady seated on a throne placed on\none of the peaks of Himavat and playing at dice. Beholding that youth,\nthe thief of the celestials said, 'Know, intelligent youth, that this\nuniverse is under my sway.' Seeing, however, that the person addressed\nwas so engrossed in dice that he took no notice of what he said, Indra\nwas possessed by anger and repeated, 'I am the lord of the universe. The\nyouth who was none else than the god Mahadeva (the god of the gods),\nseeing Indra filled with wrath, only smiled, having cast a glance at him.\nAt that glance, however, the chief of the celestials was at once\nparalysed and stood there like a stake. When the game at dice was over,\nIsana addressing the weeping woman said, 'Bring Sakra hither, for I shall\nsoon so deal with him that pride may not again enter his heart.' As soon\nas Sakra was touched by that woman, the chief of the celestials with\nlimbs paralysed by that touch, fell down on the earth. The illustrious\nIsana of fierce energy then said unto him, 'Act not, O Sakra, ever again\nin this way. Remove this huge stone, for thy strength and energy are\nimmeasurable, and enter the hole (it will disclose) where await some\nothers possessing the splendour of the sun and who are all like unto\nthee.' Indra, then, on removing that stone, beheld a cave in the breast\nof that king of mountains, within which were four others resembling\nhimself. Beholding their plight, Sakra became seized with grief and\nexclaimed, 'Shall I be even like these?' Then the god Girisha, looking\nfull at Indra with expanded eyes, said in anger, 'O thou of a hundred\nsacrifices, enter this cave without loss of time, for thou hast from\nfolly insulted me.' Thus addressed by the lord Isana, the chief of the\ncelestials, in consequence of that terrible imprecation, was deeply\npained, and with limbs weakened by fear trembled like the wind-shaken\nleaf of a Himalayan fig. And cursed unexpectedly by the god owning a bull\nfor his vehicle, Indra, with joined hands and shaking from head to foot,\naddressed that fierce god of multi-form manifestations, saving, 'Thou\nart, O Bhava, the over-looker of the infinite Universe!' Hearing these\nwords the god of fiery energy smiled and said, 'Those that are of\ndisposition like thine never obtain my grace. These others (within the\ncave) had at one time been like thee. Enter thou this cave, therefore,\nand lie there for some time. The fate of you all shall certainly be the\nsame. All of you shall have to take your birth in the world of men,\nwhere, having achieved many difficult feats and slaying a large number of\nmen, ye shall again by the merits of your respective deeds, regain the\nvalued region of Indra. Ye shall accomplish all I have said and much more\nbesides, of other kinds of work.' Then those Indras, of their shorn glory\nsaid, 'We shall go from our celestial regions even unto the region of men\nwhere salvation is ordained to be difficult of acquisition. But let the\ngods Dharma, Vayu, Maghavat, and the twin Aswins beget us upon our\nwould-be mother. Fighting with men by means of both celestial and human\nweapons, we shall again come back into the region of Indra.'\n\n\"Vyasa continued, 'Hearing these words of the former Indras, the wielder\nof the thunderbolt once more addressed that foremost of gods, saying,\n'Instead of going myself, I shall, with a portion of my energy, create\nfrom myself a person for the accomplishment of the task (thou assignest)\nto form the fifth among these!' Vishwabhuk, Bhutadhaman, Sivi of great\nenergy, Santi the fourth, and Tejaswin, these it is said were the five\nIndras of old. And the illustrious god of the formidable bow, from his\nkindness, granted unto the five Indras the desire they cherished. And he\nalso appointed that woman of extraordinary beauty, who was none else than\ncelestial Sri (goddess of grace) herself, to be their common wife in the\nworld of men. Accompanied by all those Indras, the god Isana then went\nunto Narayana of immeasurable energy, the Infinite, the Immaterial, the\nUncreate, the Old, the Eternal, and the Spirit of these universes without\nlimits. Narayana approved of everything. Those Indras then were born in\nthe world of men. And Hari (Narayana) took up two hairs from his body,\none of which hairs was black and the other white. And those two hairs\nentered the wombs of two of the Yadu race, by name Devaki and Rohini. And\none of these hairs viz., that which was white, became Valadeva. And the\nhair that was black was born as Kesava's self, Krishna. And those Indras\nof old who had been confined in the cave on the Himavat are none else\nthan the sons of Pandu, endued with great energy. And Arjuna amongst the\nPandavas, called also Savyasachin (using both hands with equal dexterity)\nis a portion of Sakra.'\n\n\"Vyasa continued, 'Thus, O king, they who have been born as the Pandavas\nare none else than those Indras of old. And the celestial Sri herself who\nhad been appointed as their wife is this Draupadi of extraordinary\nbeauty. How could she whose effulgence is like that of the sun or the\nmoon, whose fragrance spreads for two miles around, take her birth in any\nother than an extraordinary way, viz., from within the earth, by virtue\nof the sacrificial rites? Unto thee, O king, I cheerfully grant this\nother boon in the form of spiritual sight. Behold now the sons of Kunti\nendued with their sacred and celestial bodies of old!'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Saying this, that sacred Brahmana Vyasa of\ngenerous deeds, by means of his ascetic power, granted celestial sight\nunto the king. Thereupon the king beheld all the Pandavas endued with\ntheir former bodies. And the king saw them possessed of celestial bodies,\nwith golden crowns and celestial garlands, and each resembling Indra\nhimself, with complexions radiant as fire or the sun, and decked with\nevery ornament, and handsome, and youthful, with broad chests and\nstatures measuring about five cubits. Endued with every accomplishment,\nand decked with celestial robes of great beauty and fragrant garlands of\nexcellent making the king beheld them as so many three-eyed gods\n(Mahadeva), or Vasus, or Rudras, or Adityas themselves. And observing the\nPandavas in the forms of those Indras of old, and Arjuna also in the form\nof Indra sprung from Sakra himself, king Drupada was highly pleased. And\nthe monarch wondered much on beholding that manifestation of celestial\npower under deep disguise. The king looking at his daughter, that\nforemost of women endued with great beauty, like unto a celestial damsel\nand possessed of the splendour of fire or the moon, regarded her as the\nworthy wife of those celestial beings, for her beauty, splendour and\nfame. And beholding that wonderful sight, the monarch touched the feet of\nSatyavati's son, exclaiming, 'O great Rishi, nothing is miraculous in\nthee!' The Rishi then cheerfully continued, 'In a certain hermitage there\nwas an illustrious Rishi's daughter, who, though handsome and chaste,\nobtained not a husband. The maiden gratified, by severe ascetic penances,\nthe god Sankara (Mahadeva). The lord Sankara, gratified at her penances,\ntold her himself. 'Ask thou the boon thou desirest' Thus addressed, the\nmaiden repeatedly said unto the boon-giving Supreme Lord, 'I desire to\nobtain a husband possessed of every accomplishment. Sankara, the chief of\nthe gods, gratified with her, gave her the boon she asked, saying, 'Thou\nshall have, amiable maiden, five husbands.' The maiden, who had succeeded\nin gratifying the god, said again, 'O Sankara, I desire to have from thee\nonly one husband possessed of every virtue?' The god of gods,\nwell-pleased with her, spake again, saying, 'Thou hast, O maiden,\naddressed me five full times, repeating, 'Give me a husband.' Therefore,\nO amiable one, it shall even be as thou hast asked. Blessed be thou. All\nthis, however, will happen in a future life of thine!'\n\n\"Vyasa continued, 'O Drupada, this thy daughter of celestial beauty is\nthat maiden. Indeed, the faultless Krishna sprung from Prishata's race\nhath been pre-ordained to become the common wife of five husbands. The\ncelestial Sri, having undergone severe ascetic penances, hath, for the\nsake of the Pandavas, had her birth as thy daughter, in the course of thy\ngrand sacrifice. That handsome goddess, waited upon by all the\ncelestials, as a consequence of her own acts becomes the (common) wife of\nfive husbands. It is for this that the self-create had created her.\nHaving listened to all this, O king Drupada, do what thou desirest.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CC\n\n(Vaivahika Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Drupada, on hearing this, observed, O great Rishi,\nit was only when I had not heard this from thee that I had sought to act\nin the way I told thee of. Now, however, that I know all, I cannot be\nindifferent to what hath been ordained by the gods. Therefore do I\nresolve to accomplish what thou hast said. The knot of destiny cannot be\nuntied. Nothing in this world is the result of our own acts. That which\nhad been appointed by us in view of securing one only bridegroom hath now\nterminated in favour of many. As Krishna (in a former life) had\nrepeatedly said, 'O, give me a husband!' the great god himself even gave\nher the boon she had asked. The god himself knows the right or wrong of\nthis. As regards myself, when Sankara hath ordained so, right or wrong,\nno sin can attach to me. Let these with happy hearts take, as ordained,\nthe hand of Krishna with the rites.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then the illustrious Vyasa, addressing\nYudhishthira the just, said, 'This day is an auspicious day, O son of\nPandu! This day the moon has entered the constellation called Pushya.\nTake thou the hand of Krishna today, thyself first before thy brothers!'\nWhen Vyasa had said so, king Yajnasena and his son made preparations for\nthe wedding. And the monarch kept ready various costly articles as\nmarriage presents. Then he brought out his daughter Krishna, decked,\nafter a bath, with many jewels and pearls. Then there came to witness the\nwedding all the friends and relatives of the king, ministers of state,\nand many Brahmanas and citizens. And they all took their seats according\nto their respective ranks. Adorned with that concourse of principal men,\nwith its yard decked with lotuses and lilies scattered thereupon, and\nbeautified with lines of troops, king Drupada's palace, festooned around\nwith diamonds and precious stones, looked like the firmament studded with\nbrilliant stars. Then those princes of the Kuru line, endued with youth\nand adorned with ear-rings, attired in costly robes and perfumed with\nsandal-paste, bathed and performed the usual religious rites and\naccompanied by their priest Dhaumya who was possessed of the splendour of\nfire, entered the wedding hall one after another in due order, and with\nglad hearts, like mighty bulls entering a cow-pen. Then Dhaumya,\nwell-conversant with the Vedas, igniting the sacred fire, poured with due\nmantras libations of clarified butter into that blazing element. And\ncalling Yudhishthira there, Dhaumya, acquainted with mantras, united him\nwith Krishna. Walking round the fire the bridegroom and the bride took\neach other's hand. After their union was complete, the priest Dhaumya,\ntaking leave of Yudhishthira, that ornament of battles, went out of the\npalace. Then those mighty car-warriors,--those perpetuators of the Kuru\nline,--those princes attired in gorgeous dresses, took the hand of that\nbest of women, day by day in succession, aided by that priest. O king,\nthe celestial Rishi told me of a very wonderful and extraordinary thing\nin connection with these marriages, viz., that the illustrious princess\nof slender waist regained her virginity every day after a previous\nmarriage. After the weddings were over, king Drupada gave unto those\nmighty car-warriors diverse kinds of excellent wealth. And the king gave\nunto them one hundred cars with golden standards, each drawn by four\nsteeds with golden bridles. And he gave them one hundred elephants all\npossessing auspicious marks on their temples and faces and like unto a\nhundred mountains with golden peaks. He also gave them a hundred female\nservants all in the prime of youth and clad in costly robes and ornaments\nand floral wreaths. And the illustrious monarch of the Lunar race gave\nunto each of those princes of celestial beauty, making the sacred fire a\nwitness of his gifts, much wealth and many costly robes and ornaments of\ngreat splendour. The sons of Pandu endued with great strength, after\ntheir wedding were over, and after they had obtained Krishna like unto a\nsecond Sri along with great wealth, passed their days in joy and\nhappiness, like so many Indras, in the capital of the king of the\nPanchalas,'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCI\n\n(Vaivahika Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'King Drupada, after his alliance with the Pandavas,\nhad all his fears dispelled. Indeed, the monarch no longer stood in fear\neven of the gods. The ladies of the illustrious Drupada's household\napproached Kunti and introduced themselves unto her, mentioning their\nrespective names, and worshipped her feet with heads touching the ground.\nKrishna also, attired in red silk and her wrists still encircled with the\nauspicious thread, saluting her mother-in-law with reverence, stood\ncontentedly before her with joined palms. Pritha, out of affection,\npronounced a blessing upon her daughter-in-law endued with great beauty\nand every auspicious mark and possessed of a sweet disposition and good\ncharacter, saying, 'Be thou unto thy husband as Sachi unto Indra, Swaha\nunto Vibhavasu, Rohini unto Soma, Damayanti unto Nala, Bhadra unto\nVaisravana, Arundhati unto Vasishtha, Lakshmi unto Narayana! O amiable\none, be thou the mother of long-lived and heroic children, and possessed\nof everything that can make thee happy! Let luck and prosperity ever wait\non thee! Wait thou ever on husbands engaged in the performance of grand\nsacrifices. Be thou devoted to thy husbands. And let thy days be ever\npassed in duly entertaining and reverencing guests and strangers arrived\nat thy abode, and the pious and the old; children and superiors. Be thou\ninstalled as the Queen of the kingdom and the capital of Kurujangala,\nwith thy husband Yudhishthira the just! O daughter, let the whole earth,\nconquered by the prowess of thy husbands endued with great strength, be\ngiven away by thee unto Brahmanas at horse-sacrifice! O accomplished one\nwhatever gems there are on earth possessed of superior virtues, obtain\nthem, O lucky one, and be thou happy for a full hundred years! And, O\ndaughter-in-law, as I rejoice today beholding thee attired in red silk,\nso shall I rejoice again, when, O accomplished one, I behold thee become\nthe mother of a son!'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'After the sons of Pandu had been married, Hari\n(Krishna) sent unto them (as presents) various gold ornaments set with\npearls and black gems (lapis lazuli). And Madhava (Krishna) also sent\nunto them costly robes manufactured in various countries, and many\nbeautiful and soft blankets and hides of great value, and many costly\nbeds and carpets and vehicles. He also sent them vessels by hundreds, set\nwith gems and diamonds. And Krishna also gave them female servants by\nthousands, brought from various countries, and endued with beauty, youth\nand accomplishments and decked with every ornament. He also gave them\nmany well-trained elephants brought from the country of Madra, and many\nexcellent horses in costly harness, cars drawn by horses of excellent\ncolours and large teeth. The slayer of Madhu, of immeasurable soul, also\nsent them coins of pure gold by crores upon crores in separate heaps. And\nYudhishthira the just, desirous of gratifying Govinda, accepted all those\npresents with great joy.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCII\n\n(Viduragamana Parva)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'The news was carried unto all the monarchs (who had\ncome to the Self-choice of Draupadi) by their trusted spies that the\nhandsome Draupadi had been united in marriage with the sons of Pandu. And\nthey were also informed that the illustrious hero who had bent the bow\nand shot the mark was none else than Arjuna, that foremost of victorious\nwarriors and first of all wielders of the bow and arrows. And it became\nknown that the mighty warrior who had dashed Salya, the king of Madra, on\nthe ground, and who in wrath had terrified the assembled monarchs by\nmeans of the tree (he had uprooted), and who had taken his stand before\nall foes in perfect fearlessness, was none else than Bhima, that feller\nof hostile ranks, whose touch alone was sufficient to take the lives out\nof all foes. The monarchs, upon being informed that the Pandavas had\nassumed the guise of peaceful Brahmanas, wondered much. They even heard\nthat Kunti with all her sons had been burnt to death in the conflagration\nof the house of lac. They, therefore, now regarded the Pandavas in the\nlight of persons who had come back from the region of the dead. And\nrecollecting the cruel scheme contrived by Purochana, they began to say,\n'O, fie on Bhishma, fie on Dhritarashtra of the Kuru race!'\n\n\"After the Self-choice was over, all the monarchs (who had come thither),\nhearing that Draupadi had been united with the Pandavas, set out for\ntheir own dominions. And Duryodhana, hearing that Draupadi had selected\nthe owner of white steeds (Arjuna) as her lord, became greatly depressed.\nAccompanied by his brothers, Aswatthaman, his uncle (Sakuni), Karna and\nKripa the prince set out with a heavy heart for his capital. Then\nDuhsasana, blushing with shame, addressed his brother softly and said,\n'If Arjuna had not disguised himself as a Brahmana, he could never have\nsucceeded in obtaining Draupadi. It was for this disguise, O king, that\nno one could recognise him as Dhananjaya. Fate, I ween, is ever supreme.\nExertion is fruitless; fie on our exertions, O brother! The Pandavas are\nstill alive!' Speaking unto one another thus and blaming Purochana (for\nhis carelessness), they then entered the city of Hastinapura, with\ncheerless and sorrowful hearts. Beholding the mighty sons of Pritha,\nescaped from the burning house of lac and allied with Drupada, and\nthinking of Dhrishtadyumna and Sikhandin and the other sons of Drupada\nall accomplished in fight, they were struck with fear and overcome with\ndespair.\n\n\"Then Vidura, having learnt that Draupadi had been won by the Pandavas\nand that the sons of Dhritarashtra had come back (to Hastinapura) in\nshame, their pride humiliated, became filled with joy. And, O king,\napproaching Dhritarashtra, Kshattri said, 'The Kurus are prospering by\ngood luck!' Hearing those words of Vidura, the son of Vichitravirya,\nwondering, said in great glee, 'What good luck, O Vidura! What good\nluck!' From ignorance, the blind monarch understood that his eldest son\nDuryodhana had been chosen by Drupada's daughter as her lord. And the\nking immediately ordered various ornaments to be made for Draupadi. And\nhe commanded that both Draupadi and his son Duryodhana should be brought\nwith pomp to Hastinapura. It was then that Vidura told the monarch that\nDraupadi had chosen the Pandavas for her lords, and that those heroes\nwere all alive and at peace, and that they had been received with great\nrespect by king Drupada. And he also informed Dhritarashtra that the\nPandavas had been united with the many relatives and friends of Drupada,\neach owning large armies, and with many others who had come to that\nself-choice.\n\n\"Hearing these words of Vidura, Dhritarashtra said, 'Those children are\nto me as dear as they were to Pandu. Nay, more. O listen to me why my\naffection for them now is even greater! The heroic sons of Pandu are well\nand at ease. They have obtained many friends. Their relatives, and others\nwhom they have gained as allies, are all endued with great strength. Who\namongst monarchs in prosperity or adversity would not like to have\nDrupada with his relatives as an ally?'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Having heard these words of the monarch, Vidura\nsaid, 'O king, let thy understanding remain so without change for a\nhundred years!' Having said this Vidura returned to his own abode. Then,\nO monarch, there came unto Dhritarashtra, Duryodhana and the son of\nRadha, Karna. Addressing the monarch, they said, 'We cannot, O king,\nspeak of any transgression in the presence of Vidura! We have now found\nthee alone, and will, therefore, say all we like! What is this that thou\nhast, O monarch, desired to do? Dost thou regard the prosperity of thy\nfoes as if it were thy own, that thou hast been applauding the Pandavas,\nO foremost of men, in the presence of Vidura? O sinless one, thou actest\nnot, O king, in the way thou shouldst! O father, we should now act every\nday in such a way as to weaken (the strength of) the Pandavas. The time\nhath come, O father, for us to take counsel together, so that the\nPandavas may not swallow us all with our children and friends and\nrelatives.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCIII\n\n(Viduragamana Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Dhritarashtra replied saying, I desire to do exactly\nwhat you would recommend. But I do not wish to inform Vidura of it even\nby a change of muscle. It was, therefore, O son, that I was applauding\nthe Pandavas in Vidura's presence, so that he might not know even by a\nsign what is in my mind. Now that Vidura hath gone away, this is the\ntime, O Suyodhana (Duryodhana), for telling me what thou hast hit upon,\nand what, O Radheya (Karna), thou too hast hit upon.'\n\n\"Duryodhana said. 'Let us, O father, by means of trusted and skilful and\nadroit Brahmanas, seek to produce dissensions between the sons of Kunti\nand Madri. Or, let king Drupada and his sons, and all his ministers of\nstate, be plied with presents of large wealth, so that they may abandon\nthe cause of Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti. Or, let our spies induce the\nPandavas to settle in Drupada's dominions, by describing to them,\nseparately, the inconvenience of residing in Hastinapura, so that,\nseparated from as, they may permanently settle in Panchala. Or, let some\nclever spies, full of resources, sowing the seeds of dissension among the\nPandavas, make them jealous of one another. Or, let them incite Krishna\nagainst her husbands. She has many lords and this will not present any\ndifficulty. Or, let some seek to make the Pandavas themselves\ndissatisfied with Krishna, in which case Krishna also will be\ndissatisfied with them. Or, let, O king, some clever spies, repairing\nthither, secretly compass the death of Bhimasena. Bhima is the strongest\nof them all. Relying upon Bhima alone, the Pandavas used to disregard us,\nof old. Bhima is fierce and brave and the (sole) refuge of the Pandavas.\nIf he be slain, the others will be deprived of strength and energy.\nDeprived of Bhima who is their sole refuge, they will no longer strive to\nregain their kingdom. Arjuna, O king, is invincible in battle, if Bhima\nprotecteth him from behind. Without Bhima, Arjuna is not equal to even a\nfourth part of Radheya. Indeed, O king, the Pandavas conscious of their\nown feebleness without Bhima and of our strength would not really strive\nto recover the kingdom. Or, if, O monarch, coming hither, they prove\ndocile and obedient to us, we would then seek to repress them according\nto the dictates of political science (as explained by Kanika). Or, we may\ntempt them by means of handsome girls, upon which the princess of\nPanchala will get annoyed with them. Or, O Radheya, let messengers be\ndespatched to bring them hither, so that, when arrived, we may through\ntrusted agents, by some of the above methods, cause them to be slain.\nStrive, O father, to employ any of these (various) methods that may\nappear to thee faultless. Time passeth. Before their confidence in king\nDrupada--that bull amongst kings--is established we may succeed, O\nmonarch, to encounter them. But after their confidence hath been\nestablished in Drupada, we are sure to fail. These, O father, are my\nviews for the discomfiture of the Pandavas. Judge whether they be good or\nbad. What, O Karna, dost thou think?'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCIV\n\n(Viduragamana Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Thus addressed by Duryodhana, Karna said, 'It doth\nnot seem to me, O Duryodhana, that thy reasoning is well-founded. O\nperpetuator of the Kuru race, no method will succeed against the\nPandavas. O brave prince, thou hast before, by various subtle means,\nstriven to carry out thy wishes. But ever hast thou failed to slay thy\nfoes. They were then living near thee, O king! They were then unfledged\nand of tender years, but thou couldst not injure them then. They are now\nliving at a distance, grown up, full-fledged. The sons of Kunti, O thou\nof firm resolution, cannot now be injured by any subtle contrivances of\nthine. This is my opinion. As they are aided by the very Fates, and as\nthey are desirous of regaining their ancestral kingdom, we can never\nsucceed in injuring them by any means in our power. It is impossible to\ncreate disunion amongst them. They can never be disunited who have all\ntaken to a common wife. Nor can we succeed in estranging Krishna from the\nPandavas by any spies of ours. She chose them as her lords when they were\nin adversity. Will she abandon them now that they are in prosperity?\nBesides women always like to have many husbands, Krishna hath obtained\nher wish. She can never be estranged from the Pandavas. The king of\nPanchala is honest and virtuous; he is not avaricious. Even if we offer\nhim our whole kingdom he will not abandon the Pandavas. Drupada's son\nalso possesseth every accomplishment, and is attached to the Pandavas.\nTherefore, I do not think that the Pandavas can now be injured by any\nsubtle means in thy power. But, O bull amongst men, this is what is good\nand advisable for us now, viz., to attack and smite them till they are\nexterminated. Let this course recommend itself to thee. As long as our\nparty is strong and that of the king of the Panchalas is weak, so long\nstrike them without any scruple. O son of Gandhari, as long as their\ninnumerable vehicles and animals, friends, and friendly tribes are not\nmustered together, continue, O king, to exhibit thy prowess. As long as\nthe king of the Panchalas together with his sons gifted with great\nprowess, setteth not his heart upon fighting with us, so long, O king,\nexhibit thy prowess. And, O king, exert thy prowess before he of the\nVrishni race (Krishna) cometh with the Yadava host into the city of\nDrupada, carrying everything before him, to restore the Pandavas to their\npaternal kingdom. Wealth, every article of enjoyment, kingdom, there is\nnothing that Krishna may not sacrifice for the sake of the Pandavas. The\nillustrious Bharata had acquired the whole earth by his prowess alone.\nIndra hath acquired sovereignty of the three worlds by prowess alone. O\nking, prowess is always applauded by the Kshatriyas. O bull amongst\nKshatriyas, prowess is the cardinal virtue of the brave. Let us,\ntherefore, O monarch, with our large army consisting of four kinds of\nforces, grind Drupada without loss of time, and bring hither the\nPandavas. Indeed, the Pandavas are incapable of being discomfited by any\npolicy of conciliation, of gift, of wealth and bribery, or of disunion.\nVanquish them, therefore, by thy prowess. And vanquishing them by thy\nprowess, rule thou this wide earth. O monarch, I see not any other means\nby which we may accomplish our end.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these words of Radheya, Dhritarashtra,\nendued with great strength, applauded him highly. The monarch then\naddressed him and said, 'Thou, O son of a Suta, art gifted with great\nwisdom and accomplished in arms. This speech, therefore, favouring the\nexhibition of prowess suiteth thee well. But let Bhishma, and Drona, and\nVidura, and you two, take counsel together and adopt that proposal which\nmay lead to our benefit.'\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"'Then king Dhritarashtra called unto him, all\nthose celebrated ministers and took counsel with them.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCV\n\n(Viduragamana Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Asked by Dhritarashtra to give his opinion, Bhishma\nreplied, 'O Dhritarashtra, a quarrel with the Pandavas is what I can\nnever approve of. As thou art to me, so was Pandu without doubt. And the\nsons of Gandhari are to me, as those of Kunti. I should protect them as\nwell as I should thy sons, O Dhritarashtra! And, O king, the Pandavas are\nas much near to me as they are to prince Duryodhana or to all the other\nKurus. Under these circumstances a quarrel with them is what I never\nlike. Concluding a treaty with those heroes, let half the land be given\nunto them. This is without doubt, the paternal kingdom of those foremost\nones of the Kuru race. And, O Duryodhana, like thee who lookest upon this\nkingdom as thy paternal property, the Pandavas also look upon it as their\npaternal possession. If the renowned sons of Pandu obtain not the\nkingdom, how can it be thine, or that of any other descendant of the\nBharata race? If thou regardest thyself as one that hath lawfully come\ninto the possession of the kingdom, I think they also may be regarded to\nhave lawfully come into the possession of this kingdom before thee. Give\nthem half the kingdom quietly. This, O tiger among men, is beneficial to\nall. If thou actest otherwise, evil will befall us all. Thou too shall be\ncovered with dishonour. O Duryodhana, strive to maintain thy good name. A\ngood name is, indeed, the source of one's strength. It hath been said\nthat one liveth in vain whose reputation hath gone. A man, O Kaurava,\ndoth not die so long as his fame lasteth. One liveth as long as one's\nfame endureth, and dieth when one's fame is gone. Follow thou, O son of\nGandhari, the practice that is worthy of the Kuru race. O thou of mighty\narms, imitate thy own ancestors. We are fortunate that the Pandavas have\nnot perished. We are fortunate that Kunti liveth. We are fortunate that\nthe wretch Purochana without being able to accomplish his purpose hath\nhimself perished. From that time when I heard that the sons of\nKuntibhoja's daughter had been burnt to death, I was, O son of Gandhari,\nill able to meet any living creature. O tiger among men, hearing of the\nfate that overtook Kunti, the world doth not regard Purochana so guilty\nas it regardeth thee. O king, the escape, therefore, of the sons of Pandu\nwith life from that conflagration and their re-appearance, do away with\nthy evil repute. Know, O thou of Kuru's race, that as long as those\nheroes live, the wielder of the thunder himself cannot deprive them of\ntheir ancestral share in the kingdom. The Pandavas are virtuous and\nunited. They are being wrongly kept out of their equal share in the\nkingdom. If thou shouldst act rightly, if thou shouldst do what is\nagreeable to me, if thou shouldst seek the welfare of all, then give half\nthe kingdom unto them.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCVI\n\n(Viduragamana Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'After Bhishma had concluded, Drona spoke, saying, 'O\nking Dhritarashtra, it hath been heard by us that friends summoned for\nconsultation should always speak what is right, true, and conductive to\nfame. O sire, I am of the same mind in this matter with the illustrious\nBhishma. Let a share of the kingdom be given unto the Pandavas. This is\neternal virtue. Send, O Bharata, unto Drupada without loss of time some\nmessenger of agreeable speech, carrying with him a large treasure for the\nPandavas. And let the man go unto Drupada carrying costly presents for\nboth the bridegrooms and the bride, and let him speak unto that monarch\nof thy increase of power and dignity arising from this new alliance with\nhim. And, O monarch, let the man know also that both thyself and\nDuryodhana have become exceedingly glad in consequence of what hath\nhappened. Let him say this repeatedly unto Drupada and Dhrishtadyumna.\nAnd let him speak also about the alliance as having been exceedingly\nproper, and agreeable unto thee, and of thyself being worthy of it. And\nlet the man repeatedly propitiate the sons of Kunti and those of Madri\n(in proper words). And at thy command, O king, let plenty of ornaments of\npure gold be given unto Draupadi. And let, O bull of Bharata's race,\nproper presents be given unto all the sons of Drupada. Let the messenger\nthen propose the return of the Pandavas to Hastinapura. After the heroes\nwill have been permitted (by Drupada), to come hither, let Duhsasana and\nVikarna go out with a handsome train to receive them. And when they will\nhave arrived at Hastinapura, let those foremost of men be received with\naffection by thee. And let them then be installed on their paternal\nthrone, agreeably to the wishes of the people of the realm. This, O\nmonarch of Bharata's race, is what I think should be thy behaviour\ntowards the Pandavas who are to thee even as thy own sons.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'After Drona had ceased, Karna spake again,\n'Both Bhishma and Drona have been pampered with wealth that is thine and\nfavours conferred by thee! They are also always regarded by thee as thy\ntrusted friends! What can therefore be more amusing than that they both\nshould give thee advice which is not for thy good? How can the wise\napprove that advice which is pronounced good by a person speaking with\nwicked intent but taking care to conceal the wickedness of his heart?\nIndeed, in a season of distress, friends can neither benefit nor injure.\nEvery one's happiness or the reverse dependeth on destiny. He that is\nwise and he that is foolish, he that is young (in years) and he that is\nold, he that hath allies and he that hath none, all become, it is seen\neverywhere, happy or unhappy at times. It hath been heard by us that\nthere was, of old, a king by name Amvuvicha. Having his capital at\nRajagriha, he was the king of all the Magadha chiefs. He never attended\nto his affairs. All his exertion consisted in inhaling the air. All his\naffairs were in the hands of his minister. And his minister, named\nMahakarni, became the supreme authority in the state. Regarding himself\nall powerful, he began to disregard the king. And the wretch himself\nappropriated everything belonging unto the king, his queens and treasures\nand sovereignty. But the possession of all these, instead of satisfying\nhis avarice, only served to inflame him the more. Having appropriated\neverything belonging to the king, he even coveted the throne. But it hath\nbeen heard by us that with all his best endeavours he succeeded not in\nacquiring the kingdom of the monarch, his master, even though the latter\nwas inattentive to business and content with only breathing the air. What\nelse can be said, O king, than that monarch's sovereignty was dependent\non destiny? If, therefore, O king, this kingdom be established in thee by\ndestiny, it will certainly continue in thee, even if the whole world were\nto become thy enemy! If, however, destiny hath ordained otherwise,\nhowsoever mayest thou strive, it will not last in thee! O learned one,\nremembering all this, judge of the honesty or otherwise of thy advisers.\nAscertain also who amongst them are wicked and who have spoken wisely and\nwell.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these words of Karna, Drona replied,\n'As thou art wicked it is evident thou sayest so in consequence of the\nwickedness of thy intent. It is for injuring the Pandavas that thou\nfindest fault with us. But know, O Karna, what I have said is for the\ngood of all and the prosperity of the Kuru race. If thou regardest all\nthis as productive of evil, declare thyself what is for our good. If the\ngood advice I have given be not followed, I think the Kurus will be\nexterminated in no time.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCVII\n\n(Viduragamana Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'After Drona had ceased, Vidura spoke, saying, 'O\nmonarch, thy friends without doubt, are saying unto thee what is for thy\ngood. But as thou art unwilling to listen to what they say, their words\nscarcely find a place in thy ears. What that foremost one of Kuru's race,\nviz., Bhishma, the son of Santanu, hath said, is excellent and is for thy\ngood. But thou dost not listen to it. The preceptor Drona also hath said\nmuch that is for thy good which however Karna, the son of Radha, doth not\nregard to be such. But, O king, reflecting hard I do not find any one who\nis better a friend to thee than either of these two lions among men\n(viz., Bhishma and Drona), or any one who excels either of them in\nwisdom. These two, old in years, in wisdom, and in learning, always\nregard thee, O king, and the sons of Pandu with equal eyes. Without\ndoubt, O king of Bharata's race, they are both, in virtue and\ntruthfulness, not inferior to Rama, the son of Dasaratha, and Gaya. Never\nbefore did they give thee any evil advice. Thou also, O monarch, hast\nnever done them any injury. Why should, therefore, these tigers among\nmen, who are ever truthful, give thee wicked advice, especially when thou\nhast never injured them? Endued with wisdom these foremost of men, O\nking, will never give thee counsels that are crooked. O scion of Kuru's\nrate, this is my firm conviction that these two, acquainted with all\nrules of morality, will never, tempted by wealth, utter anything\nbetraying a spirit of partisanship. What they have said, O Bharata, I\nregard highly beneficial to thee. Without doubt, O monarch, the Pandavas\nare thy sons as much as Duryodhana and others are. Those ministers,\ntherefore, that give thee any counsel fraught with evil unto the\nPandavas, do not really look to thy interests. If there is any partiality\nin thy heart, O king, for thy own children, they who by their counsel\nseek to bring it out, certainly do thee no good. Therefore, O king, these\nillustrious persons endued with great splendour, have not I think, said\nanything that leadeth to evil. Thou, however, dost not understand it.\nWhat these bulls among men have said regarding the invincibility of the\nPandavas is perfectly true. Think not otherwise of it, O tiger among men.\nBlest be thou! Can the handsome Dhananjaya, the son of Pandu, using the\nright and the left hand with equal activity, be vanquished in battle even\nby Maghavat himself? Can the great Bhimasena of strong arms possessing\nthe might of ten thousand elephants, be vanquished in battle by the\nimmortals themselves? Who also that desireth to live can overcome in\nbattle the twins (Nagula and Sahadeva) like unto the sons of Yama\nhimself, and well-skilled in fight? How too can the eldest one of the\nPandavas in whom patience, mercy, forgiveness, truth, and prowess always\nlive together, be vanquished? They who have Rama (Valadeva) as their\nally, and Janardana (Krishna) as their counsellor, and Satyaki as their\npartisan, have already defeated everybody in war. They who have Drupada\nfor their father-in-law, and Drupada's sons--the heroic brothers, viz.,\nDhristadyumna and others of Prishata's race for their brothers-in-law,\nare certainly invincible. Remembering this, O monarch, and knowing that\ntheir claim to the kingdom is even prior to thine, behave virtuously\ntowards them. The stain of calumny is on thee, O monarch, in consequence\nof that act of Purochana. Wash thyself of it now, by a kindly behaviour\ntowards the Pandavas. This kindly behaviour of thine, O monarch, towards\nthe Pandavas will be an act of great benefit to us, protecting the lives\nof us all that belong to Kuru's race, and leading to the growth of the\nwhole Kshatriya order! We had formerly warred with king Drupada; if we\ncan now secure him as an ally, it will strengthen our party. The\nDasarhas, O king, are numerous and strong. Know where Krishna is, all of\nthem must be, and where Krishna is, there victory also must be! O king,\nwho, unless cursed by the gods, would seek, to effect that by means of\nwar which can be effected by conciliation? Hearing that the sons of\nPritha are alive, the citizens and other subjects of the realm have\nbecome exceedingly glad and eager for beholding them. O monarch, act in a\nway that is agreeable to them. Duryodhana and Karna and Sakuni, the son\nof Suvala, are sinful, foolish and young; listen not to them. Possessed\nof every virtue thou art I long ago told thee, O monarch that for\nDuryodhana's fault, the subjects of this kingdom would be exterminated.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCVIII\n\n(Viduragamana Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Hearing these various speeches, Dhritarashtra said,\nThe learned Bhishma, the son of Santanu, and the illustrious Rishi Drona,\nand thyself also (O Vidura), have said the truth and what also is most\nbeneficial to me. Indeed, as those mighty car-warriors, the heroic sons\nof Kunti. are the children of Pandu, so are they, without doubt, my\nchildren according to the ordinance. And as my sons are entitled to this\nkingdom, so are the sons of Pandu certainly entitled to it. Therefore,\nhasten to bring hither the Pandavas along with their mother, treating\nthem with affectionate consideration. O thou of Bharata's race, bring\nalso Krishna of celestial beauty along with them. From sheer good fortune\nthe sons of Pritha are alive; and from good fortune alone those mighty\ncar-warriors have obtained the daughter of Drupada. It is from good\nfortune alone that our strength hath increased, and it is from good\nfortune alone that Purochana hath perished. O thou of great splendour, it\nis from good fortune that my great grief hath been killed!'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then Vidura, at the command of Dhritarashtra,\nrepaired, O Bharata, unto Yajnasena and the Pandavas. And he repaired\nthither carrying with him numerous jewels and various kinds of wealth for\nDraupadi and the Pandavas and Yajnasena also. Arrived at Drupada's abode,\nVidura conversant with every rule of morality and deep in every science,\nproperly accosted the monarch and waited upon him. Drupada received\nVidura in proper form and they both enquired after each other's welfare.\nVidura then saw there the Pandavas and Vasudeva. As soon as he saw them\nhe embraced them from affection and enquired after their well being. The\nPandavas also along with Vasudeva, in due order, worshipped Vidura of\nimmeasurable intelligence. But Vidura, O king, in the name of\nDhritarashtra repeatedly enquired with great affection after their\nwelfare. He then gave, O monarch, unto the Pandavas and Kunti and\nDraupadi, and unto Drupada and Drupada's sons, the gems and various kinds\nof wealth that the Kauravas had sent through him. Possessed of\nimmeasurable intelligence, the modest Vidura then, in the presence of the\nPandavas and Keshava, addressed the well-behaved Drupada thus:\n\n\"With thy ministers and sons, O monarch, listen to what I say. King\nDhritarashtra, with ministers, sons, and friends, hath with a joyous\nheart, O king, repeatedly enquired after thy welfare. And, O monarch, he\nhath been highly pleased with this alliance with thee. So also, O king,\nBhishma of great wisdom, the son of Santanu, with all the Kurus, enquired\nafter thy welfare in every respect. Drona also of great wisdom the son of\nBharadwaja and thy dear friend, embracing thee mentally, enquired of thy\nhappiness. And, O king of Panchalas, Dhritarashtra and all the Kurus, in\nconsequence of this alliance with thee regard themselves supremely blest.\nO Yajnasena, the establishment of this alliance with thee hath made them\nhappier than if they had acquired a new kingdom. Knowing all this, O\nmonarch, permit the Pandavas to re-visit their ancestral kingdom. The\nKurus are exceedingly eager to behold the sons of Pandu. These bulls\namong men have been long absent (from their kingdom). They as well as\nPritha must be very eager to behold their city. And all the Kuru ladies\nand the citizens and our subjects are eagerly waiting to behold Krishna\nthe Panchala Princess. This, therefore, is my opinion, O monarch, that\nthou shouldst, without delay, permit the Pandavas to go thither with\ntheir wife. And after the illustrious Pandavas, O king, will have\nreceived thy permission to go thither, I shall send information unto\nDhritarashtra by quick messengers. Then, O king, will the Pandavas set\nout with Kunti and Krishna.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCIX\n\n(Viduragamana Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Hearing these words of Vidura, Drupada said, 'It is\neven so as thou, O Vidura of great wisdom, hast said. Venerable one, I\ntoo have been exceedingly happy in consequence of this alliance. It is\nhighly proper that these illustrious princes should return to their\nancestral kingdom. But it is not proper for me to say this myself. If the\nbrave son of Kunti viz., Yudhishthira, if Bhima and Arjuna, if these\nbulls among men, viz., the twins, themselves desire to go and if Rama\n(Valadeva) and Krishna, both acquainted with every rule of morality, be\nof the same mind, then let the Pandavas go thither. For these tigers\namong men (Rama and Krishna) are ever engaged in doing what is agreeable\nand beneficial to the sons of Pandu.'\n\n\"Hearing this, Yudhishthira said, 'We are now, O monarch, with all our\nyounger brothers, dependent on thee. We shall cheerfully do what thou art\npleased to command.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then Vasudeva said, 'I am of opinion that the\nPandavas should go. But we should all abide by the opinion of king\nDrupada who is conversant with every rule of morality.'\n\n\"Drupada then spoke, 'I certainly agree with what this foremost of men,\nthinketh, having regard to the circumstances. For the illustrious sons of\nPandu now are to me as they are, without doubt, to Vasudeva. Kunti's son\nYudhishthira himself doth not seek the welfare of the Pandavas so\nearnestly as, Kesava, that tiger among men.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Commanded by the illustrious Drupada, the\nPandavas, then, O king, and Krishna and Vidura, taking with them Krishna,\nthe daughter of Drupada, and the renowned Kunti, journeyed towards the\ncity called after the elephant, stopping at various places along the way\nfor purposes of pleasure and enjoyment. King Dhritarashtra, hearing that\nthose heroes had neared the capital sent out the Kauravas to receive\nthem. They who were thus sent out were, O Bharata, Vikarna of the great\nbow, and Chitrasena, and Drona that foremost of warriors, and Kripa of\nGautama's line. Surrounded by these, those mighty heroes, their splendour\nenhanced by that throng slowly entered the city of Hastinapura. The whole\ncity became radiant, as it were, with the gay throng of sight-seers\nanimated by curiosity. Those tigers among men gladdened the hearts of all\nwho beheld them. And the Pandavas, dear unto the hearts of the people,\nheard, as they proceeded, various exclamations with the citizens, ever\ndesirous of obeying the wishes of those princes, loudly uttered. Some\nexclaimed, 'Here returns that tiger among men, conversant with all the\nrules of morality and who always protects us as if we were his nearest\nrelatives.' And elsewhere they said, 'It seems that king Pandu--the\nbeloved of his people--returneth today from the forest, doubtless to do\nwhat is agreeable to us.' And there were some that said, 'What good is\nnot done to us today when the heroic sons of Kunti come back to our town?\nIf we have ever given away in charity, if we have ever poured libations\nof clarified butter on the fire, if we have any ascetic merit, let the\nPandavas, by virtue of all those acts stay in our town for a hundred\nyears.'\n\n\"At last the Pandavas, on arriving at the place, worshipped the feet of\nDhritarashtra, as also those of the illustrious Bhishma. They also\nworshipped the feet of everybody else that deserved that honour. And they\nenquired after the welfare of every citizen (there present). At last, at\nthe command of Dhritarashtra they entered the chambers that had been\nassigned to them.\n\n\"After they had rested there for some time, they were summoned (to the\ncourt) by king Dhritarashtra and Bhishma, the son of Santanu. When they\ncame, king Dhritarashtra addressing Yudhishthira, said, 'Listen, O son of\nKunti, with thy brothers, to what I say. Repair ye to Khandavaprastha so\nthat no difference may arise again (between you and your cousins). If you\ntake up your quarters there no one will be able to do you any injury.\nProtected by Partha (Arjuna), like the celestials by the thunderbolt,\nreside ye at Khandavaprastha, taking half of the kingdom.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Agreeing to what Dhritarashtra said, those\nbulls among men worshipping the king set out from Hastinapura. And\ncontent with half the kingdom, they removed to Khandavaprastha, which was\nin unreclaimed desert. Then those heroes of unfading splendour, viz., the\nPandavas, with Krishna at their head, arriving there, beautified the\nplace and made it a second heaven. And those mighty car-warriors,\nselecting with Dwaipayana's assistance a sacred and auspicious region,\nperformed certain propitiatory ceremonies and measured out a piece of\nland for their city. Then surrounded by a trench wide as the sea and by\nwalls reaching high up to the heavens and white as the fleecy clouds or\nthe rays of the moon, that foremost of cities looked resplendent like\nBhogavati (the capital of the nether kingdom) decked with the Nagas. And\nit stood adorned with palatial mansions and numerous gates, each\nfurnished with a couple of panels resembling the out-stretched wings of\nGaruda. And it was protected with gateways looking like the clouds and\nhigh as the Mandara mountains. And well-furnished with numerous weapons\nof attack the missiles of the foes could not make slightest impression on\nthem. And they were almost covered with darts and other missiles like\ndouble-tongued snakes. The turrets along the walls were filled with armed\nmen in course of training; and the walls were lined with numerous\nwarriors along their whole length. And there were thousands of sharp\nhooks and Sataghnis (machines slaying a century of warriors) and numerous\nother machines on the battlements. There were also large iron wheels\nplanted on them. And with all these was that foremost of cities adorned.\nThe streets were all wide and laid out excellently; and there was no fear\nin them of accident. And decked with innumerable mansions, the city\nbecame like unto Amaravati and came to be called Indraprastha (like unto\nIndra's city). In a delightful and auspicious part of the city rose the\npalace of the Pandavas filled with every kind of wealth and like unto the\nmansion of the celestial treasurer (Kuvera) himself. And it looked like a\nmass of clouds charged with lightning.\n\n\"When the city was built, there came, O king, numerous Brahmanas\nwell-acquainted with all the Vedas and conversant with every language,\nwishing to dwell there. And there came also unto that town numerous\nmerchants from every direction, in the hope of earning wealth. There also\ncame numerous persons well-skilled in all the arts, wishing to take up\ntheir abode there. And around the city were laid out many delightful\ngardens adorned with numerous trees bearing both fruits and flowers.\nThere were Amras (mango trees) and Amaratakas, and Kadamvas and Asokas,\nand Champakas; and Punnagas and Nagas and Lakuchas and Panasas; and Salas\nand Talas (palm trees) and Tamalas and Vakulas, and Ketakas with their\nfragrant loads; beautiful and blossoming and grand Amalakas with branches\nbent down with the weight of fruits and Lodhras and blossoming Ankolas;\nand Jamvus (blackberry trees) and Patalas and Kunjakas and Atimuktas; and\nKaraviras and Parijatas and numerous other kinds of trees always adorned\nwith flowers and fruits and alive with feathery creatures of various\nspecies. And those verdant groves always resounded with the notes of\nmaddened peacocks and Kokilas (blackbirds). And there were various\npleasure-houses, bright as mirrors, and numerous bowers of creepers, and\ncharming and artificial hillocks, and many lakes full to the brim of\ncrystal water, and delightful tanks fragrant with lotuses and lilies and\nadorned with swans and ducks and chakravakas (brahminy ducks). And there\nwere many delicious pools overgrown with fine aquatic plants. And there\nwere also diverse ponds of great beauty and large dimension. And, O king,\nthe joy of the Pandavas increased from day to day, in consequence of\ntheir residence in that large kingdom that was peopled with pious men.\n\n\"Thus in consequence of the virtuous behaviour of Bhishma and king\nDhritarashtra towards them, the Pandavas took up their abode in\nKhandavaprastha. Adorned with those five mighty warriors, each equal unto\nIndra himself, that foremost of cities looked like Bhogavati (the capital\nof the nether kingdom) adorned with the Nagas. And, O monarch, having\nsettled the Pandavas there, the heroic Krishna, obtaining their leave,\ncame back with Rama to Dwaravati.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCX\n\n(Rajya-labha Parva)\n\n\"Janamejaya said, 'O thou possessed of ascetic wealth, what did those\nhigh-souled ones, my grandsires, the illustrious Pandavas, do, after\nobtaining the kingdom of Indraprastha? How did their wife Draupadi obey\nthem all? How is it also that no dissensions arose amongst those\nillustrious rulers of men, all attached to one wife, viz., Krishna? O\nthou of the wealth of asceticism, I wish to hear everything in detail\nregarding the behaviour towards one another of those rulers of men after\ntheir union with Krishna.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Those scorchers of foes, the Pandavas, having\nobtained their kingdom, at the command of Dhritarashtra, passed their\ndays in joy and happiness at Khandavaprastha with Krishna. And\nYudhishthira. endued with great energy and ever adhering to truth, having\nobtained the sovereignty, virtuously ruled the land, assisted by his\nbrothers. And the sons of Pandu, endued with great wisdom and devoted to\ntruth and virtue, having vanquished all their foes, continued to live\nthere in great happiness. And those bulls among men, seated on royal\nseats of great value, used to discharge all the duties of government. And\none day, while all those illustrious heroes were so seated, there came\nunto them the celestial Rishi Narada, in course of his wanderings.\nBeholding the Rishi, Yudhishthira offered him his own handsome seat. And\nafter the celestial Rishi had been seated, the wise Yudhishthira duly\noffered him the Arghya with his own hands. And the king also informed the\nRishi of the state of his kingdom. The Rishi accepting the worship,\nbecame well-pleased, and eulogising him with benedictions, commanded the\nking to take his seat. Commanded by the Rishi, the king took his seat.\nThen the king sent word unto Krishna (in the inner apartments) of the\narrival of the illustrious one. Hearing of the Rishi's arrival Draupadi,\npurifying herself properly, came with a respectful attitude to where\nNarada was with the Pandavas. The virtuous princess of Panchala,\nworshipping the celestial Rishi's feet, stood with joined hands before\nhim, properly veiled, The illustrious Narada, pronouncing various\nbenedictions on her, commanded the princess to retire. After Krishna had\nretired, the illustrious Rishi, addressing in private all the Pandavas\nwith Yudhishthira at their head, said, 'The renowned princess of Panchala\nis the wedded wife of you all. Establish a rule amongst yourselves so\nthat disunion may not arise amongst you. There were, in former days,\ncelebrated throughout the three worlds, two brothers named Sunda and\nUpasunda living together and incapable of being slain by anybody unless\neach slew the other. They ruled the same kingdom, lived in the same\nhouse, slept on the same bed, sat on the same seat, and ate from the same\ndish. And yet they killed each for the sake of Tilottama. Therefore, O\nYudhishthira, preserve your friendship for one another and do that which\nmay not produce disunion amongst you.'\n\n\"On hearing this, Yudhishthira asked, 'O great Muni, whose sons were\nAsuras called Sunda and Upasunda? Whence arose that dissension amongst\nthem, and why did they slay each other? Whose daughter also was this\nTilottama for whose love the maddened brothers killed each other? Was she\nan Apsara (water nymph) or the daughter of any celestial? O thou whose\nwealth is asceticism, we desire, O Brahmana, to hear in detail everything\nas it happened. Indeed, our curiosity hath become great.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXI\n\n(Rajya-labha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Hearing these words of Yudhishthira, Narada replied,\n'O son of Pritha, listen with thy brothers to me as I recite this old\nstory, O Yudhishthira, exactly as everything happened. In olden days, a\nmighty Daitya named Nikumbha, endued with great energy and strength was\nborn in the race of the great Asura, Hiranyakasipu. Unto this Nikumbha,\nwere born two sons called Sunda and Upasunda. Both of them were mighty\nAsuras endued with great energy and terrible prowess. The brothers were\nboth fierce and possessed of wicked hearts. And those Daityas were both\nof the same resolution, and ever engaged in achieving the same tasks and\nends. They were ever sharers with each other in happiness as well as in\nwoe. Each speaking and doing what was agreeable to the other, the\nbrothers never were unless they were together, and never went anywhere\nunless together. Of exactly the same disposition and habits, they seemed\nto be one individual divided into two parts. Endued with great energy and\never of the same resolution in everything they undertook, the brothers\ngradually grew up. Always entertaining the same purpose, desirous of\nsubjugating the three worlds, the brothers, after due initiation, went to\nthe mountains of Vindhya. And severe were the ascetic penances they\nperformed there. Exhausted with hunger and thirst, with matted locks on\ntheir heads and attired in barks of trees, they acquired sufficient\nascetic merit at length. Besmearing themselves with dirt from head to\nfoot, living upon air alone, standing on their toes, they threw pieces of\nthe flesh of their bodies into the fire. Their arms upraised, and eye\nfixed, long was the period for which they observed their vows. And during\nthe course of their ascetic penances, a wonderful incident occurred\nthere. For the mountains of Vindhya, heated for a long course of years by\nthe power of their ascetic austerities, began to emit vapour from every\npart of their bodies. And beholding the severity of their austerities,\nthe celestials became alarmed. The gods began to cause numerous\nobstructions to impede the progress of their asceticism. The celestials\nrepeatedly tempted the brothers by means of every precious possession and\nthe most beautiful girls. The brothers broke not their vows. Then the\ncelestials once more manifested, before the illustrious brothers, their\npowers of illusion. For it seemed their sisters, mothers, wives, and\nother relatives, with disordered hair and ornaments and robes, were\nrunning towards them in terror, pursued and struck by a Rakshasa with a\nlance in hand. And it seemed that the women implored the help of the\nbrothers crying, 'O save us!' But all this went for nothing, for firmly\nwedded thereto, the brothers did not still break their vows. And when it\nwas found that all this produced not the slightest impression on any of\nthe two, both the women and the Rakshasa vanished from sight. At last the\nGrandsire himself, the Supreme Lord ever seeking the welfare of all, came\nunto those great Asuras and asked them to solicit the boon they desired.\nThen the brothers Sunda and Upasunda, both of great prowess, beholding\nthe Grandsire, rose from their seats and waited with joined palms. And\nthe brothers both said unto the God, 'O Grandsire, if thou hast been\npleased with these our ascetic austerities, and art, O lord, propitious\nunto us, then let us have knowledge of all weapons and of all powers of\nillusion. Let us be endued with great strength, and let us be able to\nassume any form at will. And last of all, let us also be immortal.'\nHearing these words of theirs, Brahman said, 'Except the immortality you\nask for, you shall be given all that you desire. Solicit you some form of\ndeath by which you may still be equal unto the immortals. And since you\nhave undergone these severe ascetic austerities from desire of\nsovereignty alone I cannot confer on you the boon of immortality. You\nhave performed your ascetic penances even for the subjugation of the\nthree worlds. It is for this, O mighty Daityas, that I cannot grant you\nwhat you desire.'\n\n\"Narada continued, 'Hearing these words of Brahman, Sunda and Upasunda\nsaid, 'O Grandsire, let us have no fear then from any created thing,\nmobile or immobile, in the three worlds, except only from each other!'\nThe Grandsire then said, 'I grant you what you have asked for, even this\nyour desire'. And granting them this boon, the Grandsire made them desist\nfrom their asceticism, and returned to his own region. Then the brothers,\nthose mighty Daityas, having received those several boons became\nincapable of being slain by anybody in the universe. They then returned\nto their own abode. All their friends and relatives, beholding those\nDaityas of great intelligence, crowned with success in the matter of the\nboons they had obtained, became exceedingly glad. And Sunda and Upasunda\nthen cut off their matted locks and wore coronets on their heads. Attired\nin costly robes and ornaments, they looked exceedingly handsome. They\ncaused the moon to rise over their city every night even out of his\nseason. And friends and relatives gave themselves up to joy and merriment\nwith happy hearts. Eat, feed, give, make merry, sing, drink--these were\nthe sounds heard everyday in every house. And here and there arose loud\nuproars of hilarity mixed with clappings of hands which filled the whole\ncity of the Daityas, who being capable of assuming any form at will, were\nengaged in every kind of amusement and sport and scarcely noticed the\nflight of time, even regarding a whole year as a single day.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXII\n\n(Rajya-labha Parva continued)\n\n'Narada continued, 'As soon as those festivities came to an end, the\nbrothers Sunda and Upasunda, desirous of the Sovereignty of the three\nworlds, took counsel and commanded their forces to be arranged. Obtaining\nthe assent of their friends and relatives, of the elders of the Daitya\nrace and of their ministers of state, and performing the preliminary\nrites of departure, they set out in the night when the constellation\nMagha was in the ascendant. The brothers set out with a large Daitya\nforce clad in mail and armed with maces and axes and lances and clubs.\nThe Daitya heroes set out on their expedition with joyous hearts, the\ncharanas (bards) chanting auspicious panegyrics indicative of their\nfuture triumphs. Furious in war, the Daitya brothers, capable of going\neverywhere at will, ascended the skies and went to the region of the\ncelestials. The celestials knowing they were coming and acquainted also\nwith the boons granted unto them by the Supreme Deity left heaven and\nsought refuge in the region of Brahman. Endued with fierce prowess, the\nDaitya heroes soon subjugated the region of Indra, and vanquishing the\ndiverse tribes of Yakshas and Rakshasas and every creature ranging the\nskies, came away. Those mighty car-warriors next subjugated the Nagas of\nthe nether region, and then the inmates of the ocean and then all the\ntribes of the Mlechchhas. Desirous next of subjugating the whole earth,\nthose heroes of irresistible sway, summoning their soldiers, issued these\ncruel commands, 'Brahmanas and royal sages (on earth) with their\nlibations and other food offered at grand sacrifices, increase the energy\nand strength of the gods, as also their prosperity. Engaged in such acts,\nthey are the enemies of the Asuras. All of us, therefore, mustering\ntogether should completely slaughter them off the face of the earth!'\nOrdering their soldiers thus on the eastern shore of the great ocean, and\nentertaining such a cruel resolution, the Asura brothers set out in all\ndirections. And those that were performing sacrifices and the Brahmanas\nthat were assisting at those sacrifices, the mighty brothers instantly\nslew. And slaughtering them with violence they departed for some other\nplace. Whilst their soldiers threw into the water the sacrificial fires\nthat were in the asylums of Munis with souls under complete control, the\ncurses uttered by the illustrious Rishis in wrath, rendered abortive by\nthe boons granted (by Brahman), affected not the Asura brothers. When the\nBrahmanas saw that their curses produced not the slightest effect like\nshafts shot at stones they fled in all directions, forsaking their rites\nand vows. Even those Rishis on earth that were crowned with ascetic\nsuccess, and had their passions under complete control and were wholly\nengrossed in meditation of the Deity, from fear of the Asura brothers,\nfled like snakes at the approach of Vinata's son (Garuda the\nsnake-eater). The sacred asylums were all trodden down and broken. The\nsacrificial jars and vessels being broken, their (sacred) contents were\nscattered over the ground. The whole universe became empty, as if its\ncreatures had all been stricken down during the season of general\ndissolution. And, O king, after the Rishis had all disappeared and made\nthemselves invisible both the great Asuras, resolved upon their\ndestruction, began to assume various forms. Assuming the forms of\nmaddened elephants with temples rent from excess of juice, the Asura\npair, searching out the Rishis who had sheltered themselves in caves,\nsent them to the region of Yama. Sometimes becoming as lions and again as\ntigers and disappearing the next moment, by these and other methods the\ncruel couple, seeing the Rishis, slew them instantly. Sacrifice and study\nceased, and kings and Brahmanas were exterminated. The earth became\nutterly destitute of sacrifices and festivals. And the terrified people\nuttered cries of Oh and Alas and all buying and selling were stopped. All\nreligious rites ceased, and the earth became destitute of sacred\nceremonies and marriages. Agriculture was neglected and cattle were no\nlonger tended. Towns and asylums became desolate. And scattered over with\nbones and skeletons, the earth assumed a frightful aspect. All ceremonies\nin honour of the Pitris were suspended, and the sacred sound of Vashat\nand the whole circle of auspicious rites ceased. The earth became\nfrightful to behold. The Sun and the Moon, the Planets and Stars, and\nConstellations, and the other dwellers in the firmament, witnessing these\nacts of Sunda and Upasunda, grieved deeply. Subjugating all the points of\nheaven by means of such cruel acts, the Asura brothers took up their\nabode in Kurukshetra, without a single rival.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXIII\n\n(Rajya-labha Parva continued)\n\n\"Narada continued, 'Then the celestial Rishis, the Siddhas, and the\nhigh-souled Rishis possessing the attributes of tranquillity and\nself-restraint, beholding that act of universal slaughter, were afflicted\nwith great grief. With passions and senses and souls under complete\ncontrol, they then went to the abode of the Grandsire, moved by\ncompassion for the universe. Arrived there, they beheld the Grandsire\nseated with gods, Siddhas, and Brahmarshis around him. There were present\nthat God of gods, viz., Mahadeva, and Agni, accompanied by Vayu, and Soma\nand Surya and Sakra, and Rishis devoted to the contemplation of Brahma,\nand the Vaikhanasas, the Valakhilyas, the Vanaprasthas, the Marichipas,\nthe Ajas, the Avimudas, and other ascetics of great energy. All those\nRishis were sitting with the Grandsire, when the celestial and other\nRishis, approaching Brahman with sorrowful hearts, represented unto him\nall the acts of Sunda and Upasunda. And they told the Grandsire in detail\neverything that the Asura brothers had done, and how they had done it,\nand in what order. Then all the celestials and the great Rishis pressed\nthe matter before the Grandsire. The Grandsire, hearing everything they\nsaid, reflected for a moment and settled in his mind what he should do.\nResolving to compass the destruction of the Asura brothers, he summoned\nViswakarman (the celestial architect). Seeing Viswakarman before him, the\nGrandsire possessed of supreme ascetic merit commanded him, saying,\n'Create thou a damsel capable of captivating all hearts.' Bowing down\nunto the Grandsire and receiving his command with reverence, the great\nartificer of the universe created a celestial maiden with careful\nattention. Viswakrit first collected all handsome features upon the body\nof the damsel he created. Indeed, the celestial maiden that he created\nwas almost a mass of gems. And created with great care by Viswakarman,\nthe damsel, in beauty, became unrivalled among the women of the three\nworlds. There was not even a minute part of her body which by its wealth\nof beauty could not attract the gaze of beholders. And like unto the\nembodied Sri herself, that damsel of extraordinary beauty captivated the\neyes and hearts of every creature. And because she had been created with\nportions of every gem taken in minute measures, the Grandsire bestowed\nupon her the name of Tilottama. And as soon as he started it into life,\nthe damsel bowed to Brahman and with joined palms said, 'Lord of every\ncreated thing, what task am I to accomplish and what have I been created\nfor?' The Grandsire answered, 'Go, O Tilottama, unto the Asuras, Sunda\nand Upasunda. O amiable one, tempt them with thy captivating beauty. And,\nO damsel, conduct thyself there in such a way that the Asura brothers\nmay, in consequence of the wealth of thy beauty, quarrel with each other\nas soon as they cast their eyes upon thee.'\n\n\"Narada continued, 'Bowing unto the Grandsire and saying, 'So be\nit,'--the damsel walked round the celestial conclave. The illustrious\nBrahman was then sitting with face turned eastwards, and Mahadeva with\nface also towards the east, and all the celestials with faces northwards,\nand the Rishis with faces towards all directions. While Tilottama walked\nround the conclave of the celestials, Indra and the illustrious Sthanu\n(Mahadeva) were the only ones that succeeded in preserving their\ntranquillity of mind. But exceedingly desirous as Mahadeva was (of\nbeholding Tilottama) when the damsel (in her progress round the celestial\nconclave) was at his side, another face like a full-blown lotus appeared\non the southern side of his body. And when she was behind him, another\nface appeared on the west. And when the damsel was on the northern side\nof the great god, a fourth face appeared on the northern side of his\nbody. Mahadeva (who was eager to behold the damsel) came also to have a\nthousand eyes, each large and slightly reddish, before, behind and on his\nflanks. And it was thus that Sthanu the great god came to have four\nfaces, and the slayer of Vala, a thousand eyes. And as regards the mass\nof the celestials and the Rishis, they turned their faces towards all\ndirections as Tilottama walked round them. Except the divine Grandsire\nhimself, the glances of those illustrious personages, even of all of them\nfell upon Tilottama's body. And when Tilottama set out (for the city of\nthe Asuras) with the wealth of her beauty, all regarded the task as\nalready accomplished. After Tilottama had gone away, the great god who\nwas the First Cause of the Universe, dismissed all the celestials and the\nRishis.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXIV\n\n(Rajya-labha Parva continued)\n\n\"Narada continued, 'Meanwhile the Asura brothers having subjugated the\nearth were without a rival. The fatigue of exertion gone, they, having\nbrought the three worlds under equal sway, regarded themselves as persons\nthat had nothing more to do. Having brought all the treasures of the\ngods, the Gandharvas, the Yakshas, the Nagas, the Rakshasas, and the\nkings of the earth, the brothers began to pass their days in great\nhappiness. When they saw they had no rivals (in the three worlds), they\ngave up all exertion and devoted their time to pleasure and merriment,\nlike the celestials. They experienced great happiness by giving\nthemselves up to every kind of enjoyment, such as women, and perfumes and\nfloral wreaths and viands, and drinks and many other agreeable objects\nall in profusion. In houses and woods and gardens, on hills and in\nforests, wherever they liked they passed their time in pleasure and\namusement, like the immortals. And it so happened that one day they went\nfor purposes of pleasure to a tableland of the Vindhya range, perfectly\nlevel and stony, and overgrown with blossoming trees. After every object\nof desire, all of the most agreeable kind, had been brought, the brothers\nsat on an excellent seat, with happy hearts and accompanied by handsome\nwomen. And those damsels, desirous of pleasing the brothers, commenced a\ndance in accompaniment to music, and sweetly chanted many a song in\npraise of the mighty pair.'\n\n\"Meanwhile Tilottama attired in a single piece of red silk that exposed\nall her charms, came along, plucking wild flowers on her way. She\nadvanced slowly to where those mighty Asuras were. The Asura brothers,\nintoxicated with the large portions they had imbibed, were smitten upon\nbeholding that maiden of transcendent beauty. Leaving their seats they\nwent quickly to where the damsel was. Both of them being under the\ninfluence of lust, each sought the maiden for himself. And Sunda seized\nthat maid of fair brows by her right hand. Intoxicated with the boons\nthey had obtained, with physical might, with the wealth and gems they had\ngathered from every quarter, and with the wine they had drunk, maddened\nwith all these, and influenced by wishful desire, they addressed each\nother, each contracting his bow in anger, 'She is my wife, and therefore\nyour superior,' said Sunda. 'She is my wife, and therefore your\nsister-in-law', replied Upasunda. And they said unto each other, 'She is\nmine not yours.' And soon they were under the influence of rage. Maddened\nby the beauty of the damsel, they soon forgot their love and affection\nfor each other. Both of them, deprived of reason by passion, then took up\ntheir fierce maces. Each repeating, I was the first, I was the first,'\n(in taking her hand) struck the other. And the fierce Asuras, struck by\neach other with the mace, fell down upon the ground, their bodies bathed\nin blood, like two suns dislodged from the firmament. And beholding this,\nthe women that had come there, and the other Asuras there present, all\nfled away trembling in grief and fear, and took refuge in the nether\nregions. The Grandsire himself of pure soul, then came there, accompanied\nby the celestials, and the great Rishis. And the illustrious Grandsire\napplauded Tilottama and expressed his wish of granting her a boon. The\nSupreme Deity, before Tilottama spoke, desirous of granting her a boon,\ncheerfully said, 'O beautiful damsel, thou shalt roam in the region of\nthe Adityas. Thy splendour shall be so great that nobody will ever be\nable to look at thee for any length of time!' The Grandsire of all\ncreatures, granting this boon unto her, establishing the three worlds in\nIndra as before, returned to his own region.'\n\n\"Narada continued, 'It was thus that Asuras, ever united and inspired by\nthe same purpose slew each other in wrath for the sake of Tilottama.\nTherefore, from affection I tell you, ye foremost ones of Bharata's line,\nthat if you desire to do anything agreeable to me, make some such\narrangements that you may not quarrel with one another for the sake of\nDraupadi.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'The illustrious Pandavas, thus addressed by the\ngreat Rishi Narada, consulting with one another, established a rule\namongst themselves in the presence of the celestial Rishi himself endued\nwith immeasurable energy. And the rule they made was that when one of\nthem would be sitting with Draupadi, any of the other four who would see\nthat one thus must retire into the forest for twelve years, passing his\ndays as a Brahmacharin. After the virtuous Pandavas had established that\nrule amongst themselves, the great Muni Narada, gratified with them, went\nto the place he wished. Thus, O Janamejaya, did the Pandavas urged by\nNarada, established a rule amongst themselves in regard to their common\nwife. And it was for this, O Bharata, that no dispute ever arose between\nthem.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXV\n\n(Arjuna-vanavasa Parva)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'The Pandavas, having established such a rule,\ncontinued to reside there. By the prowess of their arms they brought many\nkings under their sway. And Krishna became obedient unto all the five\nsons of Pritha, those lions among men, of immeasurable energy. Like the\nriver Saraswati decked with elephants, which again take pleasure in that\nstream, Draupadi took great delight in her five heroic husbands and they\ntoo took delight in her. And in consequence of the illustrious Pandavas\nbeing exceedingly virtuous in their practice, the whole race of Kurus,\nfree from sin, and happy, grew in prosperity.\n\n\"After some time, O king, it so happened that certain robbers lifted the\ncattle of a Brahmana, and while they were carrying away the booty, the\nBrahmana, deprived of his senses by anger, repaired to Khandavaprastha,\nand began to reprove the Pandavas in accents of woe. The Brahmana said,\n'Ye Pandavas, from this your dominion, my kine are even now being taken\naway by force by despicable and wicked wretches! Pursue ye the thieves.\nAlas, the sacrificial butter of a peaceful Brahmana is being taken away\nby crows! Alas, the wretched jackal invadeth the empty cave of a lion! A\nking that taketh the sixth part of the produce of the land without\nprotecting the subject, hath been called by the wise to be the most\nsinful person in the whole world. The wealth of a Brahmana is being taken\naway by robbers! Virtue itself is sustaining a diminution! Take me up by\nthe hand, ye Pandavas for I am plunged in grief!\"\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Dhananjaya, the son of Kunti, heard those\naccents of the Brahmana weeping in bitter grief. As soon as he heard\nthose accents, he loudly assured the Brahmana, saying, 'No fear!' But it\nso happened that the chamber where the illustrious Pandavas had their\nweapons was then occupied by Yudhishthira the just with Krishna. Arjuna,\ntherefore, was incapable of entering it or, going alone with the\nBrahmana, though repeatedly urged (to do either) by the weeping accents\nof the Brahmana. Summoned by the Brahmana, Arjuna reflected, with a\nsorrowful heart, Alas, this innocent Brahmana's wealth is being robbed! I\nshould certainly dry up his tears. He hath come to our gate, and is\nweeping even now. If I do not protect him, the king will be touched with\nsin in consequence of my indifference; our own irreligiousness will be\ncited throughout the kingdom, and we shall incur a great sin. If,\ndisregarding the king, I enter the chamber, without doubt I shall be\nbehaving untruthfully towards the monarch without a foe. By entering the\nchamber, again, I incur the penalty of an exile in the woods. But I must\noverlook everything. I care not if I have to incur sin by disregarding\nthe king. I care not if I have to go to the woods and die there. Virtue\nis superior to the body and lasteth after the body hath perished!'\nDhananjaya, arriving at this resolution, entered the chamber and talked\nwith Yudhishthira. Coming out with the bow, he cheerfully told the\nBrahmana, 'Proceed, O Brahmana, with haste, so that those wretched\nrobbers may not go much ahead of us. I shall accompany thee and restore\nunto thee thy wealth that hath fallen into the hands of the thieves.'\nThen Dhananjaya, capable of using both his arms with equal skill, armed\nwith the bow and cased in mail and riding in his war-chariot decked with\na standard, pursued the thieves, and piercing them with his arrows,\ncompelled them to give up the booty. Benefiting the Brahmana thus by\nmaking over to him his kine, and winning great renown, the hero returned\nto the capital. Bowing unto all the elders, and congratulated by\neverybody, Partha at last approached Yudhishthira, and addressing him,\nsaid, 'Give me leave, O lord, to observe the vow I took. In beholding\nthee sitting with Draupadi, I have violated the rule established by\nourselves. I shall therefore go into the woods, for this is even our\nunderstanding.' Then Yudhishthira, suddenly hearing those painful words,\nbecame afflicted with grief, and said in an agitated voice, 'Why!' A\nlittle while after, king Yudhishthira in grief said unto his brother\nDhananjaya of curly hair who never departed from his vows, these words,\n'O sinless one, if I am an authority worthy of regard, listen to what I\nsay. O hero, full well do I know the reason why thou hadst entered my\nchamber and didst what thou regardest to be an act disagreeable to me.\nBut there is no displeasure in my mind. The younger brother may, without\nfault, enter the chamber where the elder brother sitteth with his wife.\nIt is only the elder brother that acts against the rules of propriety by\nentering the room where the younger brother sitteth with his wife.\nTherefore, O thou of mighty arms, desist from thy purpose. Do what I say.\nThy virtue hath sustained no diminution. Thou hast not disregarded me.'\n\n\"Arjuna, hearing this, replied, 'I have heard, even from thee, that\nquibbling is not permitted in the discharge of duty. I cannot waver from\ntruth. Truth is my weapon.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Obtaining then the king's permission, Arjuna\nprepared himself for a forest-life; and he went to the forest to live\nthere for twelve years.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXVI\n\n(Arjuna-vanavasa Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'When that spreader of the renown of Kuru's race, the\nstrong-armed Arjuna, set out (for the forest), Brahmanas conversant with\nthe Vedas walked behind that illustrious hero to a certain distance.\nFollowed by Brahmanas conversant with the Vedas and their branches and\ndevoted to the contemplation of the Supreme Spirit, by persons skilled in\nmusic, by ascetics devoted to the Deity, by reciters of Puranas, by\nnarrators of sacred stories by devotees leading celibate lives, by\nVanaprasthas, by Brahmanas sweetly reciting celestial histories, and by\nvarious other classes of persons of sweet speeches, Arjuna journeyed like\nIndra followed by the Maruts. And, O thou of Bharata's race, that bull\namong the Bharatas saw, as he journeyed, many delightful and picturesque\nforests, lakes, rivers, seas, provinces, and waters. At length, on\narriving at the source of the Ganges the mighty hero thought of settling\nthere.\n\n\"Listen now, O Janamejaya, to a wonderful feat which that foremost of the\nsons of Pandu, of high soul, did, while living there. When that son of\nKunti, O Bharata, and the Brahmanas who had followed him, took up their\nresidence in that region, the latter performed innumerable Agnihotras\n(sacrificial rites by igniting the sacred fire). And, O king, in\nconsequence of those learned vow-observing, and illustrious Brahmanas,\nwho never deviated from the right path, daily establishing and igniting\nwith mantras on the banks of that sacred stream, after the performance of\ntheir ablutions, fires for their sacrifices, and pouring libations of\nclarified butter into the same, and worshipping those fires with\nofferings of flowers, that region itself where the Ganges entered the\nplains became exceedingly beautiful. One day that bull amongst the\nPandavas, while residing in that region in the midst of those Brahmanas,\ndescended (as usual) into the Ganges to perform his ablutions. After his\nablutions had been over, and after he had offered oblations of water unto\nhis deceased ancestors, he was about to get up from the stream to perform\nhis sacrificial rites before the fire, when the mighty-armed hero, O\nking, was dragged into the bottom of the water by Ulupi, the daughter of\nthe king of the Nagas, urged by the god of desire. And it so happened\nthat the son of Pandu was carried into the beautiful mansion of Kauravya,\nthe king of the Nagas. Arjuna saw there a sacrificial fire ignited for\nhimself. Beholding that fire, Dhananjaya, the son of Kunti performed his\nsacrificial rites with devotion. And Agni was much gratified with Arjuna\nfor the fearlessness with which that hero had poured libations into his\nmanifest form. After he had thus performed his rites before the fire, the\nson of Kunti, beholding the daughter of the king of the Nagas, addressed\nher smilingly and said, 'O handsome girl, what an act of rashness hast\nthou done. O timid one! Whose is this beautiful region, who art thou and\nwhose daughter?'\n\n\"Hearing these words of Arjuna, Ulupi answered, 'There is a Naga of the\nname of Kauravya, born in the line of Airavata. I am, O prince, the\ndaughter of that Kauravya, and my name is Ulupi. O tiger among men,\nbeholding thee descend into the stream to perform thy ablutions, I was\ndeprived of reason by the god of desire. O sinless one, I am still\nunmarried. Afflicted as I am by the god of desire on account of thee, O\nthou of Kuru's race, gratify me today by giving thyself up to me.'\n\n\"Arjuna replied, 'Commanded by king Yudhishthira, O amiable one, I am\nundergoing the vow of Brahmacharin for twelve years. I am not free to act\nin any way I like. But, O ranger of the waters, I am still willing to do\nthy pleasure (if I can). I have never spoken an untruth in my life. Tell\nme, therefore, O Naga maid, how I may act so that, while doing thy\npleasure, I may not be guilty of any untruth or breach of duty.'\n\n\"Ulupi answered, 'I know, O son of Pandu, why thou wanderest over the\nearth, and why thou hast been commanded to lead the life of a\nBrahmacharin by the superior. Even this was the understanding to which\nall of you had been pledged, viz., that amongst you all owning Drupada's\ndaughter as your common wife, he who would from ignorance enter the room\nwhere one of you would be sitting with her, should lead the life of a\nBrahmacharin in the woods for twelve years. The exile of any one amongst\nyou, therefore, is only for the sake of Draupadi. Thou art but observing\nthe duty arising from that vow. Thy virtue cannot sustain any diminution\n(by acceding to my solicitation). Then again, O thou of large eyes, it is\na duty to relieve the distressed. Thy virtue suffereth no diminution by\nrelieving me. Oh, if (by this act), O Arjuna, thy virtue doth suffer a\nsmall diminution, thou wilt acquire great merit by saving my life. Know\nme for thy worshipper, O Partha! Therefore, yield thyself up to me! Even\nthis, O lord, is the opinion of the wise (viz., that one should accept a\nwoman that wooeth). If thou do not act in this way, know that I will\ndestroy myself. O thou of mighty arms, earn great merit by saving my\nlife. I seek thy shelter, O best of men! Thou protectest always, O son of\nKunti, the afflicted and the masterless. I seek thy protection, weeping\nin sorrow. I woo thee, being filled with desire. Therefore, do what is\nagreeable to me. It behoveth thee to gratify my wish by yielding thy self\nup to me.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Thus addressed by the daughter of the king of the\nNagas, the son of Kunti did everything she desired, making virtue his\nmotive. The mighty Arjuna, spending the night in the mansion of the Naga\nrose with the sun in the morning. Accompanied by Ulupi he came back from\nthe palace of Kauravya to the region where the Ganges entereth the\nplains. The chaste Ulupi, taking her leave there, returned to her own\nabode. And, O Bharata, she granted unto Arjuna a boon making him\ninvincible in water, saying, 'Every amphibious creature shall, without\ndoubt, be vanquishable by thee.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXVII\n\n(Arjuna-vanavasa Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Then the son of the wielder of the thunderbolt\nnarrated everything unto those Brahmanas (residing with him there), set\nout for the breast of Himavat. Arriving at the spot called Agastyavata,\nhe next went to Vasishtha's peak. Thence the son of Kunti proceeded to\nthe peak of Bhrigu. Purifying himself with ablutions and other rites\nthere, that foremost of the Kurus gave away unto Brahmanas many thousands\nof cows and many houses. Thence that best of men proceeded to the sacred\nasylum called Hiranyavindu. Performing his ablutions there, that foremost\nof the sons of Pandu saw many holy regions. Descending from those heights\nthat chief of men, O Bharata, accompanied by the Brahmanas, journeyed\ntowards the east, desiring to behold the regions that lay in that\ndirection. That foremost one of Kuru's race saw many regions of sacred\nwaters one after another. And beholding in the forest of Naimisha the\ndelightful river Utpalini (full of lotuses) and the Nanda and the Apara\nNanda, the far-famed Kausiki, and the mighty rivers Gaya and Ganga, and\nall the regions of sacred water, he purified himself, O Bharata, (with\nthe usual rites), and gave away many cows unto Brahmanas. Whatever\nregions of sacred waters and whatever other holy palaces there were in\nVanga and Kalinga, Arjuna visited all of them. Seeing them all and\nperforming proper ceremonies, he gave away much wealth. Then, O Bharata,\nall those Brahmanas following the son of Pandu, bade him farewell at the\ngate of the kingdom of Kalinga and desisted from proceeding with him any\nfurther. The brave Dhananjaya, the son of Kunti, obtaining their leave,\nwent towards the ocean, accompanied by only a few attendants. Crossing\nthe country of the Kalingas, the mighty one proceeded, seeing on his way\ndiverse countries and sacred spots and diverse delightful mansions and\nhouses. Beholding the Mahendra mountain adorned with the ascetics\n(residing there), he went to Manipura, proceeding slowly along the\nsea-shore. Beholding all the sacred waters and other holy places in that\nprovince, the strong-armed son of Pandu at last went, O king, to the\nvirtuous Chitravahana, the ruler of Manipura. The king of Manipura had a\ndaughter of great beauty named Chitrangada. And it so happened that\nArjuna beheld her in her father's palace roving at pleasure. Beholding\nthe handsome daughter of Chitravahana, Arjuna desired to possess her.\nGoing unto the king (her father), he represented unto him what he sought.\nHe said. 'Give away unto me thy daughter, O king! I am an illustrious\nKshatriya's son.' Hearing this, the king asked him, 'Whose son art thou?'\nArjuna replied, 'I am Dhananjaya, the son of Pandu and Kunti.' The king,\nhearing this, spoke unto him these words in sweet accents, 'There was in\nour race a king of the name of Prabhanjana, who was childless. To obtain\na child, he underwent severe ascetic penances. By his severe asceticism,\nO Partha, he gratified that god of gods, Mahadeva, the husband of Uma,\nthat supreme Lord holding (the mighty bow called) Pinaka. The illustrious\nLord granted him the boon that each successive descendant of his race\nshould have one child only. In consequence of that boon only one child is\nborn unto every successive descendant of this race. All my ancestors (one\nafter another) had each a male child. I, however, have only a daughter to\nperpetuate my race. But, O bull amongst men, I ever look upon this\ndaughter of mine as my son. O bull of Bharata's race, I have duly made\nher a Putrika. Therefore, one amongst the sons that may be begotten upon\nher by thee, O Bharata, shall be the perpetuator of my race. That son is\nthe dower for which I may give away my daughter. O son of Pandu, if them\nchoosest, thou canst take her upon this understanding.' Hearing these\nwords of the king, Arjuna accepted them all, saying, 'So be it.' Taking\nChitravahana's daughter (as his wife), the son of Kunti resided in that\ncity for three years. When Chitrangada at last gave birth to a son,\nArjuna embraced that handsome princess affectionately. And taking leave\nof the king (her father), he set out on his wanderings again.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXVIII\n\n(Arjuna-vanavasa Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Then that bull of Bharata's race went to the sacred\nwaters on the banks of the southern ocean, all adorned with the ascetics\nresiding there. And there lay scattered five such regions where also\ndwelt many ascetics. But those five waters themselves were shunned by all\nof them. Those sacred waters were called Agastya, and Saubhadra and\nPauloma of great holiness, and Karandhama of great propitiousness\nyielding the fruits of a horse-sacrifice unto those that bathed there,\nand Bharadwaja, that great washer of sins. That foremost one among the\nKurus, beholding those five sacred waters, and finding them uninhabited,\nand ascertaining also that they were shunned by the virtuous ascetics\ndwelling around, asked those pious men with joined hands, saying, 'Why O\nascetics, are these five sacred waters shunned by utterers of Brahma?'\nHearing him, the ascetics replied, 'There dwell in these waters five\nlarge crocodiles which take away the ascetics that may happen to bathe in\nthem. It is for this, O son of Kuru's race, that these waters are\nshunned.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these words of the ascetics, that\nforemost of men endued with mighty arms, though dissuaded by them went to\nbehold those waters. Arrived at the excellent sacred water called\nSaubhadra after a great Rishi, the brave scorcher of all foes suddenly\nplunged into it to have a bath. As soon as that tiger among men had\nplunged into the water a great crocodile (that was in it) seized him by\nthe leg. But the strong-armed Dhananjaya the son of Kunti, that foremost\nof all men endued with might, seized that struggling ranger of the water\nand dragged it forcibly to the shore. But dragged by the renowned Arjuna\nto the land, that crocodile became (transformed into) a beautiful damsel\nbedecked with ornament. O king, that charming damsel of celestial form\nseemed to shine for her beauty and complexion. Dhananjaya, the son of\nKunti, beholding that strange sight, asked that damsel with a pleased\nheart, 'Who art thou, O beautiful one? Why hast thou been a ranger of the\nwaters? Why also didst thou commit such a dreadful sin?' The damsel\nreplied, saying, 'I am, O mighty-armed one, an Apsara that sported in the\ncelestial woods. I am, O mighty one, Varga by name, and ever dear unto\nthe celestial treasurer (Kuvera). I have four other companions, all\nhandsome and capable of going everywhere at will. Accompanied by them I\nwas one day going to the abode of Kuvera. On the way we beheld a Brahmana\nof rigid vows, and exceedingly handsome, studying the Vedas in solitude.\nThe whole forest (in which he was sitting) seemed to be covered with his\nascetic splendour. He seemed to have illuminated the whole region like\nthe Sun himself. Beholding his ascetic devotion of that nature and his\nwonderful beauty, we alighted in that region, in order to disturb his\nmeditations. Myself and Saurabheyi and Samichi and Vudvuda and Lata,\napproached that Brahmana, O Bharata, at the same time. We began to sing\nand smile and otherwise tempt that Brahmana. But, O hero, that Brahmana\n(youth) set not his heart even once upon us. His mind fixed on pure\nmeditation, that youth of great energy suffered not his heart to waver, O\nbull among Kshatriyas, the glance he cast upon us was one of wrath. And\nhe said, staring at us, 'Becoming crocodiles, range ye the waters for a\nhundred years.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXIX\n\n(Arjuna-vanavasa Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Varga continued, 'We were then, O foremost one of\nBharata's race, deeply distressed at this curse. We sought to propitiate\nthat Brahmana of ascetic wealth that departed not from his vow.\nAddressing him, we said, 'Inflated with a sense of our beauty and youth,\nand urged by the god of desire, we have acted very improperly. It\nbehoveth thee, O Brahmana, to pardon us! Truly, O Brahmana, it was death\nto us that we had at all come hither to tempt thee of rigid vows and\nascetic wealth. The virtuous, however, have said that women should never\nbe slain. Therefore grow thou in virtue. It behoveth thee not to slay us\nso. O thou that art conversant with virtue, it hath been said that a\nBrahmana is ever the friend of every creature. O thou of great\nprosperity, let this speech of the wise become true. The eminent always\nprotect those that seek protection at their hands. We seek thy\nprotection. It behoveth thee to grant us pardon.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed, that Brahmana of virtuous soul\nand good deeds and equal in splendour, O hero, unto the sun or the moon,\nbecame propitious unto them. And the Brahmana said, 'The words hundred\nand hundred thousand are all indicative of eternity. The word hundred,\nhowever, as employed by me is to be understood as a limited period and\nnot indicative of a period without end. Ye shall, therefore, becoming\ncrocodiles, seize and take away men (for only a hundred years as\nexplained by me). At the end of that period, an exalted individual will\ndrag you all from water to the land. Then ye will resume your real forms.\nNever have I spoken an untruth even in jest. Therefore, all that I have\nsaid must come to pass. And those sacred waters (within which I assign\nyou your places), will, after you will have been delivered by that\nindividual, become known all over the world by the name of Nari-tirthas\n(or sacred waters connected with the sufferings and the deliverance of\nfemales), and all of them shall become sacred and sin cleansing in the\neyes of the virtuous and the wise.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Varga then addressing Arjuna, finished her\ndiscourse, saying, 'Hearing these words of the Brahmana, we saluted him\nwith reverence and walked round him. Leaving that region we came away\nwith heavy hearts, thinking as we proceeded, 'Where shall we all soon\nmeet with that man who will give us back our own shapes (after our\ntransformation)?' As we were thinking of it, in almost a moment, O\nBharata, we beheld even the eminent celestial Rishi Narada. Beholding\nthat Rishi of immeasurable energy, our hearts were filled with joy.\nSaluting him with reverence, O Partha, we stood before him, with blushing\nfaces. He asked of us the cause of our sorrow and we told him all.\nHearing what had happened the Rishi said, 'In the low-lands bordering on\nthe southern ocean, there are five regions of sacred water. They are\ndelightful and eminently holy. Go ye thither without delay. That tiger\namong men, Dhananjaya, the son of Pandu of pure soul, will soon deliver\nyou, without doubt, from this sad plight.' O hero, hearing the Rishi's\nwords, all of us came hither. O sinless one, true it is that I have today\nbeen delivered by thee. But those four friends of mine are still within\nthe other waters here. O hero, do a good deed by delivering them also.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then, O monarch, that foremost of the Pandavas,\nendued with great prowess, cheerfully delivered all of them from that\ncurse. Rising from the waters they all regained their own forms. Those\nApsaras then, O king, all looked as before. Freeing those sacred waters\n(from the danger for which they had been notorious), and giving the\nApsaras leave to go where they chose, Arjuna became desirous of once more\nbeholding Chitrangada. He, therefore, proceeded towards the city of\nManipura. Arrived there, he beheld on the throne the son he had begotten\nupon Chitrangada, and who was called by the name of Vabhruvahana. Seeing\nChitrangada once more, Arjuna proceeded, O monarch, towards the spot\ncalled Gokarna.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXX\n\n(Arjuna-vanavasa Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Then Arjuna of immeasurable prowess saw, one after\nanother, all the sacred waters and other holy places that were on the\nshores of the western ocean. Vibhatsu reached the sacred spot called\nPrabhasa. When the invisible Arjuna arrived at that sacred and delightful\nregion, the slayer of Madhu (Krishna) heard of it. Madhava soon went\nthere to see his friend, the son of Kunti. Krishna and Arjuna met\ntogether and embracing each other enquired after each other's welfare.\nThose dear friends, who were none else than the Rishis Nara and Narayana\nof old, sat down. Vasudeva asked Arjuna about his travels, saying, 'Why,\nO Pandava art thou wandering over the earth, beholding all the sacred\nwaters and other holy places?' Then Arjuna told him everything that had\nhappened. Hearing everything, that mighty hero of Vrishni's race said,\n'This is as it should be.' And Krishna and Arjuna having sported as they\nliked, for some time at Prabhasa, went to the Raivataka mountain to pass\nsome days there. Before they arrived at Raivataka, that mountain had, at\nthe command of Krishna been well-adorned by many artificers. Much food\nalso had, at Krishna's command, been collected there. Enjoying everything\nthat had been collected there for him, Arjuna sat with Vasudeva to see\nthe performances of the actors and the dancers. Then the high-souled\nPandava, dismissing them all with proper respect, laid himself down on a\nwell-adorned and excellent bed. As the strong-armed one lay on that\nexcellent bed, he described unto Krishna everything about the sacred\nwaters, the lakes and the mountains, the rivers and the forests he had\nseen. While he was speaking of these, stretched upon that celestial bed,\nsleep, O Janamejaya, stole upon him. He rose in the morning, awakened, by\nsweet songs and melodious notes of the Vina (guitar) and the panegyrics\nand benedictions of the bards. After he had gone through the necessary\nacts and ceremonies, he was affectionately accosted by him of the Vrishni\nrace. Riding upon a golden car, the hero then set out for Dwaraka, the\ncapital of the Yadavas. And, O Janamejaya, for honouring the son of\nKunti, the city of Dwaraka, was well-adorned, even all the gardens and\nhouses within it. The citizens of Dwaraka, desirous of beholding the son\nof Kunti, began to pour eagerly into the public thoroughfares by hundreds\nof thousands. In the public squares and thoroughfares, hundreds and\nthousands of women, mixing with the men, swelled the great crowd of the\nBhojas, the Vrishnis, and the Andhakas, that had collected there. Arjuna\nwas welcomed with respect by all the sons of Bhojas, the Vrishnis, and\nthe Andhakas. And he, in his turn, worshipped those that deserved his\nworship, receiving their blessings. The hero was welcomed with\naffectionate reception by all the young men of the Yadava tribe. He\nrepeatedly embraced all that were equal to him in age. Wending then to\nthe delightful mansion of Krishna that was filled with gems and every\narticle of enjoyment, he took up his abode there with Krishna for many\ndays.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXXI\n\n(Subhadra-harana Parva)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'O best of monarchs, within a few days after this,\nthere commenced on the Raivataka mountain, a grand festival of the\nVrishnis and the Andhakas. At the mountain-festival of the Bhojas, the\nVrishnis and the Andhakas, the heroes of those tribes began to give away\nmuch wealth unto Brahmanas by thousands. The region around that hill, O\nking was adorned with many a mansion decked with gems and many an\nartificial tree of gaudy hue. The musicians struck up in concert and the\ndancers began to dance and the vocalists to sing. And the youth of the\nVrishni race, endued with great energy, adorned with every ornament, and\nriding in their gold-decked cars, looked extremely handsome. The\ncitizens, some on foot and some in excellent cars, with their wives and\nfollowers were there by hundreds and thousands. And there was the lord\nHaladhara (Valarama), roving at will, hilarious with drink, accompanied\nby (his wife) Revati, and followed by many musicians and vocalists. There\ncame Ugrasena also, the powerful king of he Vrishni race, accompanied by\nhis thousand wives and followed by sweet singers. And Raukmineya and\nShamva also, ever furious in battle, roved there, excited with drink and\nadorned with floral wreaths of great beauty and with costly attires, and\ndisported themselves like a pair of celestials. And Akrura and Sarana and\nGada, and Vabhru, and Nisatha, and Charudeshna, and Prithu, Viprithu, and\nSatyaka, and Satyaki, and Bhangakara, and Maharava, and Hardikya, and\nUddhava, and many others whose names are not given, accompanied by their\nwives that followed by bands of singers, adorned that mountain-festival.\nWhen that delightful festival of immense grandeur commenced, Vasudeva and\nPartha went about, together, beholding everything around. While wandering\nthere, they saw the handsome daughter of Vasudeva, Bhadra by name, decked\nwith every ornament, in the midst of her maids. As soon as Arjuna beheld\nher he was possessed by the god of desire. Then, O Bharata, that tiger\namong men, Krishna, observing Partha contemplate her with absorbed\nattention, said with a smile, 'How is this? Can the heart of one that\nrangeth the woods be agitated by the god of desire? This is my sister, O\nPartha, and the uterine sister of Sarana. Blest be thou, her name is\nBhadra and she is the favourite daughter of my father. Tell me if thy\nheart is fixed upon her, for I shall then speak to my father myself.'\n\n\"Arjuna answered, 'She is Vasudeva's daughter and Vasudeva's (Krishna)\nsister; endued with so much beauty, whom can she not fascinate? If this\nthy sister, this maid of the Vrishni race, becometh my wife, truly may I\nwin prosperity in everything. Tell me, O Janardana, by what means I may\nobtain her. To get her I will achieve anything that is achievable by man.'\n\n\"Vasudeva answered, 'O bull amongst men, self-choice hath been ordained\nfor the marriage of Kshatriyas. But that is doubtful (in its\nconsequences), O Partha, as we do not know this girl's temper and\ndisposition. In the case of Kshatriyas that are brave, a forcible\nabduction for purposes of marriage is applauded, as the learned have\nsaid. Therefore O Arjuna, carry away this my beautiful sister by force,\nfor who knows what she may do at a self-choice.' Then Krishna and Arjuna,\nhaving thus settled as to what should be done sent some speedy messengers\nunto Yudhishthira at Indraprastha, informing him of everything. The\nstrong-armed Yudhishthira, as soon as he heard it, gave his assent to\nit.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXXII\n\n(Subhadra-harana Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Then Dhananjaya, informed of the assent of\nYudhishthira, and ascertaining, O Janamejaya, that the maiden had gone to\nthe Raivataka hill, obtained the assent of Vasudeva also, after having\nsettled in consultation with him all that required to be done. Then that\nbull of Bharata's race, that foremost of men, with Krishna's assent,\nriding in his well-built car of gold equipped with rows of small bells\nand with every kind of weapon and the clatter of whose wheels resembled\nthe roar of the clouds and whose splendour was like unto that of a\nblazing fire and which struck terror into the hearts of all foes and unto\nwhich were yoked the steeds Saivya and Sugriva, himself accoutred in mail\nand armed with sword and his fingers encased in leathern gloves, set out,\nas it were, on a hunting expedition. Meanwhile Subhadra, having paid her\nhomage unto that prince of hills, Raivataka and having worshipped the\ndeities and made the Brahmanas utter benedictions upon her, and having\nalso walked round the hill, was coming towards Dwaravati. The son of\nKunti, afflicted with the shafts of the god of desire, suddenly rushed\ntowards that Yadava girl of faultless features and forcibly took her into\nhis car. Having seized that girl of sweet smiles, that tiger among men\nproceeded in his car of gold towards his own city (Indraprastha).\nMeanwhile, the armed attendants of Subhadra, beholding her thus seized\nand taken away, all ran, crying towards the city of Dwaraka. Reaching all\ntogether the Yadava court called by the name of Sudharma, they\nrepresented everything about the prowess of Partha unto the chief officer\nof the court. The chief officer of the court, having heard everything\nfrom those messengers, blew his gold-decked trumpet of loud blare,\ncalling all to arms. Stirred up by that sound, the Bhojas, the Vrishnis,\nand the Andhakas began to pour in from all sides. Those that were eating\nleft their food, and those that were drinking left their drink. Those\ntigers among men, those great warriors of the Vrishni and the Andhaka\ntribes, took their seats upon their thousand thrones of gold covered with\nexcellent carpets and variegated with gems and corals and possessed of\nthe lustre of blazing fire. Indeed they took their seats upon those\nthrones, like blazing fires receiving faggots to increase their\nsplendour. And after they were seated in that court which was like unto a\nconclave of the celestials themselves, the chief officer of the court,\nassisted by those that stood at his back, spoke of the conduct of Jishnu.\nThe proud Vrishni heroes, of eyes red with wine, as soon as they heard of\nit, rose up from their seats, unable to brook what Arjuna had done. Some\namongst them said, 'Yoke our cars', and some, 'Bring our weapons' and\nsome said, 'Bring our costly bows and strong coats of mail; and some\nloudly called upon their charioteers to harness their cars, and some,\nfrom impatience, themselves yoked their horses decked with gold unto\ntheir cars. And while their cars and armours and standards were being\nbrought, loud became the uproar of those heroes. Then Valadeva, white and\ntall as the peak of Kailasa, decked with garlands of wild flowers and\nattired in blue robes, and proud and intoxicated with drink, said these\nwords:\n\n'Ye senseless men, what are ye doing, when Janardana sitteth silent?\nWithout knowing what is in his mind, vainly do we roar in wrath! Let the\nhigh-souled Krishna give out what he proposeth. Accomplish promptly what\nhe desireth to do.' Then all of them, hearing those words of Halayudha\nthat deserved to be accepted, exclaimed, 'Excellent! Excellent!' They\nthen all became silent. Silence having been restored by the words of the\nintelligent Valadeva, they took their seats once more in that assembly.\nThen Rama, that oppressor of foes, spoke unto Vasudeva, saying, 'Why, O\nJanardana, sittest thou, gazing silently? O Achyuta, it was for thy sake\nthat the son of Pritha had been welcomed and honoured by us. It seemeth,\nhowever, that that vile wretch deserved not our homage. What man is there\nborn of a respectable family that would break the plate after having\ndined from it! Even if one desireth to make such an alliance, yet\nremembering all the services he hath received, who is there, desirous of\nhappiness, that acts so rashly? That Pandava disregarding us and thee too\nhath today outraged Subhadra, desiring (to compass) his own death. He\nhath placed his foot on the crown of my head. How shall I, O Govinda,\ntamely bear it? Shall I not resent it, even like a snake that is trodden\nupon? Alone shall I today make the earth destitute of Kauravas! Never\nshall I put up with this transgression by Arjuna.' Then all the Bhojas,\nVrishnis, and Andhakas, present there, approved of everything that\nValadeva had said, deeply roaring like unto a kettle-drum or the clouds.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXXIII\n\n(Haranaharana Parva)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'When the heroes of the Vrishni race began to speak\nrepeatedly in this strain, Vasudeva uttered these words pregnant with\ndeep import and consistent with true morality. Gudakesa (the conqueror of\nsleep or he of the curly hair), by what he hath done, hath not insulted\nour family. He hath without doubt, rather enhanced our respect. Partha\nknoweth that we of the Satwata race are never mercenary. The son of Pandu\nalso regardeth a self-choice as doubtful in its results. Who also would\napprove of accepting a bride in gift as if she were an animal? What man\nagain is there on earth that would sell his offspring? I think Arjuna,\nseeing these faults in all the other methods took the maiden away by\nforce, according to the ordinance. This alliance is very proper. Subhadra\nis a renowned girl. Partha too possesseth renown. Perhaps, thinking of\nall this, Arjuna hath taken her away by force. Who is there that would\nnot desire to have Arjuna for a friend, who is born in the race of\nBharata and the renowned Santanu, and the son also of the daughter of\nKuntibhoja? I do not see, in all the worlds with Indra and the Rudras,\nthe person that can by force vanquish Partha in battle, except the\nthree-eyed god Mahadeva. His car is well-known. Yoked thereunto are those\nsteeds of mine. Partha as a warrior is well-known; and his lightness of\nhand is well-known. Who shall be equal to him? Even this is my opinion:\ngo ye cheerfully after Dhananjaya and by conciliation stop him and bring\nhim back. If Partha goes to his city after having vanquished us by force,\nour fame will be gone. There is no disgrace, however, in conciliation.'\nHearing, O monarch, those words of Vasudeva, they did as he directed.\nStopped by them, Arjuna returned to Dwaraka and was united in marriage\nwith Subhadra. Worshipped by the sons of Vrishni's race, Arjuna, sporting\nthere as he pleased, passed a whole year in Dwaraka. The last year of his\nexile the exalted one passed at the sacred region of Pushkara. After the\ntwelve years were complete he came back to Khandavaprastha. He approached\nthe king first and then worshipped the Brahmanas with respectful\nattention. At last the hero went unto Draupadi. Draupadi, from jealousy,\nspoke unto him, saying, 'Why tarriest thou here, O son of Kunti? Go where\nthe daughter of the Satwata race is! A second tie always relaxeth the\nfirst one upon a faggot!' And Krishna lamented much in this strain. But\nDhananjaya pacified her repeatedly and asked for her forgiveness. And\nreturning soon unto where Subhadra, attired in red silk, was staying,\nArjuna, sent her into the inner apartments dressed not as a queen but in\nthe simple garb of a cowherd woman. But arrived at the palace, the\nrenowned Subhadra looked handsomer in that dress. The celebrated Bhadra\nof large and slightly red eyes first worshipped Pritha. Kunti from excess\nof affection smelt the head of that girl of perfectly faultless features,\nand pronounced infinite blessing upon her. Then that girl of face like\nthe full moon hastily went unto Draupadi and worshipped her, saying, 'I\nam thy maid!' Krishna rose hastily and embraced the sister of Madhava\nfrom affection, and said, 'Let thy husband be without a foe!' Bhadra\nthen, with a delighted heart, said unto Draupadi, 'So be it!' From that\ntime, O Janamejaya, those great warriors, the Pandavas, began to live\nhappily, and Kunti also became very happy.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'When that scorcher of foes, viz., Kesava of\npure soul and eyes, like lotus-petals, heard that the foremost of the\nPandavas, viz., Arjuna, had reached his own excellent city of\nIndraprastha, he came thither accompanied by Rama and the other heroes\nand great warriors of the Vrishni and the Andhaka tribes, and by his\nbrothers and sons and many other brave warriors. And Saurin came\naccompanied by a large army that protected him. And there came with\nSaurin, that oppressor of foes, viz., the exceedingly liberal Akrura of\ngreat intelligence and renown, the generalissimo of the brave Vrishni\nhost. And there also came Anadhrishti of great prowess, and Uddhava of\ngreat renown, of great intelligence, of great soul, and a disciple of\nVrihaspati himself. And there also came Satyaka and Salyaka and\nKritavarman and Satwata; and Pradyumna and Samva and Nisatha and Sanku;\nand Charudeshna, and Jhilli of great prowess, and Viprithu also and\nSarana of mighty arms and Gada, the foremost of learned men. These and\nmany other Vrishnis and Bhojas, and Andhakas came to Indraprastha,\nbringing with them many nuptial presents. King Yudhishthira, hearing that\nMadhava had arrived, sent the twins out to receive him. Received by them,\nthe Vrishni host of great prosperity entered Khandavaprastha well-adorned\nwith flags and ensigns. The streets were well-swept and watered and\ndecked with floral wreaths and bunches. These were, again, sprinkled over\nwith sandalwood water that was fragrant and cooling. Every part of the\ntown was filled with the sweet scent of burning aloes. And the city was\nfull of joyous and healthy people and adorned with merchants and traders.\nThat best of men, viz., Kesava of mighty arms, accompanied by Rama and\nmany of the Vrishnis, Andhakas and Bhojas, having entered the town, was\nworshipped by the citizens and Brahmanas by thousands. At last Kesava\nentered the palace of the king which was like unto the mansion of Indra\nhimself. Beholding Rama, Yudhishthira received him with due ceremonies.\nThe king smelt the head of Kesava and embraced him. Govinda, gratified\nwith the reception, humbly worshipped Yudhishthira. He also paid homage\nunto Bhima, that tiger among men. Yudhishthira the son of Kunti then\nreceived the other principal men of the Vrishni and the Andhaka tribes\nwith due ceremonies. Yudhishthira reverentially worshipped some as his\nsuperiors, and welcomed others as equals. And some he received with\naffection and by some he was worshipped with reverence. Then Hrishikesa\nof great renown gave unto the party of the bridegroom much wealth. And\nunto Subhadra he gave the nuptial presents that had been given to her by\nher relatives. Krishna gave unto the Pandavas a thousand cars of gold\nfurnished with rows of bells, and unto each of which were put four steeds\ndriven by well-trained charioteers. He also gave unto them ten thousand\ncows belonging to the country of Mathura, and yielding much milk and all\nof excellent colour. Well-pleased, Janardana also gave them a thousand\nmares with gold harnesses and of colour white as the beams of the moon.\nHe also gave them a thousand mules, all well-trained and possessing the\nspeed of the wind, of white colour with black manes. And he of eyes like\nlotus-petals also gave unto them a thousand damsels well-skilled in\nassisting at bathing and at drinking, young in years and virgins all\nbefore their first-season, well-attired and of excellent complexion, each\nwearing a hundred pieces of gold around her neck, of skins perfectly\npolished, decked with every ornament, and well-skilled in every kind of\npersonal service. Janardana also gave unto them hundreds of thousands of\ndraft horses from the country of the Valhikas as Subhadra's excellent\ndower. That foremost one of Dasarha's race also gave unto Subhadra as her\npeculium ten carrier-loads of first class gold possessing the splendour\nof fire, some purified and some in a state of ore. And Rama having the\nplough for his weapon and always loving bravery gave unto Arjuna, as a\nnuptial present, a thousand elephants with secretions flowing in three\nstreams from the three parts of their bodies (the temple, the ears, and\nthe anus) each large as a mountain summit, irresistible in battle, decked\nwith coverlets and bells, well-adorned with other golden ornaments, and\nequipped with excellent thrones on their backs. And that large wave of\nwealth and gems that the Yadavas presented, together with the cloths and\nblankets that represented its foam, and the elephants its alligators and\nsharks, and the flags its floating weeds swelling into large proportions,\nmingled with the Pandu ocean and filled it to the brim, to the great\nsorrow of all foes. Yudhishthira accepted all those presents and\nworshipped all those great warriors of the Vrishni and the Andhaka races.\nThose illustrious heroes of the Kuru, the Vrishni, and the Andhaka races\npassed their days in pleasure and merriment there like virtuous men\n(after death) in the celestial regions. The Kurus and the Vrishnis with\njoyous hearts amused themselves there, setting up at times loud shouts\nmingled with clappings of the hand. Spending many days in sports and\nmerriment there, and worshipped by the Kurus all the while, the Vrishni\nheroes endued with great energy then returned to the city of Dwaravati.\nAnd the great warriors of the Vrishni and the Andhaka races set out with\nRama in the van, carrying with them those gems of the purest rays that\nhad been given them by those foremost ones of Kuru's race. And, O\nBharata, the high-souled Vasudeva remained there with Arjuna in the\ndelightful city of Indraprastha. And the illustrious one wandered over\nthe banks of the Yamuna in search of deer. And he sported with Arjuna\npiercing with his shafts deer and wild boars. Then Subhadra, the\nfavourite sister of Kesava, gave birth to an illustrious son, like\nPuloma's daughter, (the queen of heaven) bringing forth Jayanta. And the\nson that Subhadra brought forth was of long arms, broad chest, and eyes\nas large as those of a bull. That hero and oppressor of foes came to be\ncalled Abhimanyu. And the son of Arjuna, that grinder of foes and bull\namong men, was called Abhimanyu because he was fearless and wrathful. And\nthat great warrior was begotten upon the daughter of the Satwata race by\nDhananjaya, like fire produced in a sacrifice from within the sami wood\nby the process of rubbing. Upon the birth of this child, Yudhishthira,\nthe powerful son of Kunti, gave away unto Brahmanas ten thousand cows and\ncoins of gold. The child from his earliest years became the favourite of\nVasudeva and of his father and uncles, like the moon of all the people of\nthe world. Upon his birth, Krishna performed the usual rites of infancy.\nThe child began to grow up like the Moon of the bright fortnight. That\ngrinder of foes soon became conversant with the Vedas and acquired from\nhis father the science of weapon both celestial and human, consisting of\nfour branches and ten divisions.\n\n\"Endued with great strength, the child also acquired the knowledge of\ncounteracting the weapons hurled at him by others, and great lightness of\nhand and fleetness of motion forward and backward and transverse and\nwheeling. Abhimanyu became like unto his father in knowledge of the\nscriptures and rites of religion. And Dhananjaya, beholding his son,\nbecame filled with joy. Like Maghavat beholding Arjuna, the latter beheld\nhis son Abhimanyu and became exceedingly happy. Abhimanyu possessed the\npower of slaying every foe and bore on his person every auspicious mark.\nHe was invisible in battle and broad-shouldered as the bull. Possessing a\nbroad face as (the hood of) the snake, he was proud like the lion.\nWielding a large bow, his prowess was like that of an elephant in rut.\nPossessed of a face handsome as the full-moon, and of a voice deep as the\nsound of the drum or the clouds, he was equal unto Krishna in bravery and\nenergy, in beauty and in features. The auspicious Panchali also, from her\nfive husbands, obtained five sons all of whom were heroes of the foremost\nrank and immovable in battle like the hills. Prativindhya by\nYudhishthira, Sutasoma by Vrikodara, Srutakarman by Arjuna, Satanika by\nNakula, and Srutasena by Sahadeva,--these were the five heroes and great\nwarriors that Panchali brought forth, like Aditi bringing forth the\nAdityas. And the Brahmanas, from their foreknowledge, said unto\nYudhishthira that as the son of his would be capable of bearing like the\nVindhya mountains the weapons of the foe, he should be called\nPrativindhya. And because the child that Draupadi bore to Bhimasena was\nborn after Bhima had performed a thousand Soma sacrifices, he came to be\ncalled Sutasoma. And because Arjuna's son was born upon his return from\nexile during which he had achieved many celebrated feats, that child came\nto be called Srutakarman. While Nakula named his son Satanika after a\nroyal sage of that name, in the illustrious race of Kuru. Again the son\nthat Draupadi bore to Sahadeva was born under the constellation called\nVahni-daivata (Krittika), therefore was he called after the generalissimo\nof the celestial host, Srutasena (Kartikeya). The sons of Draupadi were\nborn, each at the interval of one year, and all of them became renowned\nand much attached to one another. And, O monarch, all their rites of\ninfancy and childhood, such as Chudakarana and Upanayana (first shave of\nthe head and investiture with the sacred threads) were performed by\nDhaumya according to the ordinance. All of them, of excellent behaviour\nand vows, after having studied the Vedas, acquired from Arjuna a\nknowledge of all the weapons, celestial and human. And, O tiger among\nkings, the Pandavas, having obtained sons all of whom were equal unto the\nchildren of the celestials and endued with broad chests, and all of whom\nbecame great warriors, were filled with joy.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXXIV\n\n(Khandava-daha Parva)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'The Pandavas, after they had taken up their abode at\nIndraprastha at the command of Dhritarashtra and Bhishma began to bring\nother kings under their sway. All the subjects (of the kingdom) lived\nmost happily depending upon Yudhishthira the just, like a soul living\nhappily depending upon a body blest with auspicious marks and pious\ndeeds. And, O bull in Bharata's race, Yudhishthira paid homage unto\nvirtue, pleasure, and profit, in judicious proportion, as if each were a\nfriend dear unto him as his own self. It seemed as if the three\npursuits--virtue, pleasure, and profit--became personified on earth, and\namongst them the king shone as a fourth. The subjects having obtained\nYudhishthira as their king, obtained in their monarch one that was\ndevoted to the study of the Vedas, one that was performer of the great\nsacrifices, and one that was protector of all good people. In consequence\nof Yudhishthira's influence, the good fortune of all the monarchs of the\nearth became stationary, and their hearts became devoted to the\nmeditation of the Supreme Spirit, and virtue itself began to grow every\nway all round. And in the midst of and assisted by his four brothers, the\nking looked more resplendent (than he would have done if he were alone),\nlike a great sacrifice depending upon and assisted by the four Vedas.\nMany learned Brahmanas with Dhananjaya at their head, each like unto\nVrihaspati, waited upon the monarch, like the celestials waiting upon the\nLord of the creation. From excess of affection, the eyes and hearts of\nall the people equally took great delight in Yudhishthira who was even as\nthe full moon without a stain. The people took delight in him not only\nbecause he was their king but also from sincere affection. The king\nalways did what was agreeable to them. The sweet-speeched Yudhishthira of\ngreat intelligence never uttered anything that was improper or untrue or\nunbearable or disagreeable. The best of monarchs of the Bharata race,\nendued with great energy, passed his days happily for the welfare of all\nas his own. His brothers also bringing by their energy other kings under\ntheir sway, passed their days in happiness, without a foe to disturb\ntheir peace.\n\n\"After a few days, Vibhatsu, addressing Krishna, said, 'The summer days\nhave set in, O Krishna! Therefore, let us go to the banks of the Yamuna.\nO slayer of Madhu, sporting there in the company of friends, we will, O\nJanardana, return in the evening'. Thereupon Vasudeva said, 'O son of\nKunti, this is also my wish. Let us, O Partha, sport in the waters as we\nplease, in the company of friends.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then, O Bharata, having consulted thus with\neach other, Partha and Govinda, with Yudhishthira's leave, set out,\nsurrounded by friends. Reaching a fine spot (on the banks of the Yamuna)\nsuitable for purposes of pleasure, overgrown with numerous tall trees and\ncovered with several high mansions that made the place look like the\ncelestial city and within which had been collected for Krishna and Partha\nnumerous costly and well-flavoured viands and drinks and other articles\nof enjoyment and floral wreaths and various perfumes, the party entered\nwithout delay the inner apartments adorned with many precious gems of\npure rays. Entering those apartments, everybody, O Bharata, began to\nsport, according to his pleasure. The women of the party, all of full\nrotund hips and deep bosoms and handsome eyes, and gait unsteady with\nwine began to sport there at the command of Krishna and Partha. Some\namongst the women sported as they liked in the woods, some in the waters,\nand some within the mansions, as directed by Partha and Govinda. Draupadi\nand Subhadra, exhilarated with wine, began to give away unto the women so\nsporting, their costly robes and ornaments. And some amongst those women\nbegan to dance in joy, and some began to sing; and some amongst them\nbegan to laugh and jest, and some to drink excellent wines. Some began to\nobstruct one another's progress and some to fight with one another, and\nto discourse with one another in private. Those mansions and the woods,\nfilled with the charming music of flutes and guitars and kettledrums,\nbecame the scene of Prosperity personified.\n\n\"When such was the state of things there, Arjuna and Vasudeva went to a\ncertain charming spot (in those woods) not far from the place where the\nothers were. O monarch, the high-souled Krishna, and that subjugators of\nhostile cities, viz., Arjuna, going thither, sat down upon two very\ncostly seats. Vasudeva and Partha amused themselves there with\ndiscoursing upon many past achievements of prowess and other topics. Unto\nVasudeva and Dhananjaya happily sitting there like the Aswins in heaven,\na certain Brahmana came. The Brahmana that came there looked like a tall\nSala tree. His complexion was like unto molten gold; his beard was bright\nyellow tinged with green; and the height and the thickness of the body\nwere in just proportion. Of matted locks and dressed in rags, he\nresembled the morning sun in splendour. Of eyes like lotus-petals and of\na tawny hue, he seemed to be blazing with effulgence. Beholding that\nforemost of Brahmanas blazing with splendour approach towards them both\nArjuna and Vasudeva, hastily rising from their seats, stood, waiting (for\nhis commands).'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXXV\n\n(Khandava-daha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Then that Brahmana addressed Arjuna and Vasudeva of\nthe Satwata race, saying, 'Ye who are now staying so near unto Khandava\nare the two foremost of heroes on earth. I am a voracious Brahmana that\nalways eateth much. O thou of the Vrishni race, and O Partha, I solicit\nyou to gratify me by giving me sufficient food.' Thus addressed by the\nBrahmana, Krishna and the son of Pandu answered him, saying, 'O, tell us\nwhat kind of food will gratify thee so that we may endeavour to give it\nthee.' The illustrious Brahmana, thus replied to, said unto those heroes\nwho were enquiring after the kind of food he sought, 'I do not desire to\neat ordinary food. Know that I am Agni! Give me that food which suiteth\nme. This forest of Khandava is always protected by Indra. And as it is\nprotected by the illustrious one, I always fail to consume it. In that\nforest dwelleth, with his followers and family, a Naga, called Takshaka,\nwho is the friend of Indra. It is for him that the wielder of the\nthunderbolt protecteth this forest. Many other creatures also are thus\nprotected here for the sake of Takshaka. Desiring to consume the forest I\nsucceed not in my attempts in consequence of Indra's prowess. Beholding\nme blazing forth, he always poureth upon me water from the clouds.\nTherefore, I succeed not in consuming the forest of Khandava, although I\ndesire very much to do so. I have now come to you--you who are both\nskilled in weapons! If you help me I will surely consume this forest: for\neven this is the food that is desired by me! As ye are conversant with\nexcellent weapons, I pray you to prevent those showers from descending\nand any of the creatures from escaping, when I begin to consume this\nforest!'\n\n\"Janamejaya said, 'Why did the illustrious Agni desire to consume the\nforest of Khandava that was filled with various living creatures and\nprotected by the chief of the celestials? When Agni consumed in wrath the\nforest of Khandava, it is evident there was a grave cause. I desire, O\nBrahmana, to hear all this in detail from thee. Tell me, O sage, how the\nKhandava forest was consumed in days of yore.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'O chief of men, I will narrate to you the story of\nthe conflagration of Khandava as told by Rishis in the Purana. It hath\nbeen heard, O king, in the Purana that there was a celebrated king of the\nname of Swetaki who was endued with strength and prowess and who was\nequal unto Indra himself. No one on earth has equalled him in sacrifices,\ncharity, and intelligence. Swetaki performed the five great sacrifices\nand many others, at all of which the presents unto Brahmanas were large.\nThe heart of that monarch, O king, was always set upon sacrifices,\nreligious rites, and gifts of all kinds. And king Swetaki of great\nintelligence, assisted by his Ritwiks performed sacrifices for many long\nyears, till those sacrificial priests with eyes afflicted by the\ncontinued smoke and becoming very weak, left that monarch, wishing never\nmore to assist at his sacrifices. The king, however, repeatedly asked\nthose Ritwiks to come to him. But they came not to his sacrifice in\nconsequence of the painful state of their eyes. The king, therefore,\ninvited at the command of his own Ritwiks, others like unto them, and\ncompleted the sacrifice that he had begun. After some days had elapsed,\nking Swetaki desired to perform another sacrifice which should extend for\na hundred years. But the illustrious monarch obtained not any priest to\nassist him in it. The celebrated king then, with his friends and\nrelatives, casting off all sloth, repeatedly courted his priests with\ngreat persistence, by bowing down unto them, by conciliatory speeches,\nand by gifts of wealth. All of them, however, refused to accomplish the\npurpose which that king of immeasurable energy had in view. Then that\nroyal sage, getting angry, addressed those Brahmanas sitting in their\nasylums, and said, 'If, ye Brahmanas, I were a fallen person, or, if, I\nwere wanting in homage and service to you, I should then deserve to be\nabandoned without scruple by you and by other Brahmanas at the same time.\nBut as I am neither degraded nor wanting in homage to you, it behoveth\nyou not to obstruct the performance by me of my sacrifice or to abandon\nme thus, ye foremost of Brahmanas, without adequate reason. I seek, ye\nBrahmanas, your protection! It behoveth you to be propitious unto me.\nBut, ye foremost of Brahmanas, if you abandon me from enmity alone or any\nimproper motive, I shall go unto other priests for their assistance in\nthis sacrifice of mine, and conciliating them by sweet words and gifts, I\nshall represent unto them the business I have on hand, so that they may\naccomplish it.' Having said this, the monarch became silent. And, O\nchastiser of foes, when those priests well knew that they could not\nassist at the king's sacrifice, they pretended to be angry, and\naddressing that best of monarchs said, 'O best of kings, thy sacrifices\nare incessant! By assisting thee always, we have all been fatigued. And\nas we have been wearied in consequence of these labours, it behoveth thee\nto give us leave. O sinless one, from loss of judgment thou canst not\nwait (but urgest us repeatedly). Go unto Rudra! He will assist at thy\nsacrifice!' Hearing those words of censure and wrath, king Swetaki became\nangry. And the monarch wending to the mountains of Kailasa, devoted\nhimself to asceticism there. And, O king, the monarch began to worship\nMahadeva, with fixed attention, and by observing the most rigid vows. And\nforegoing all food at times, he passed a long period. The monarch ate\nonly fruits and roots sometimes at the twelfth and sometimes at the\nsixteenth hour of the whole day. King Swetaki stood for six months, rapt\nin attention, with arms upraised and steadfast eyes, like the trunk of a\ntree or a column rooted to the ground. And, O Bharata, Sankara at last\ngratified with that tiger among kings, who was undergoing such hard\npenances, showed himself unto him. And the god spake unto the monarch in\na calm and grave voice, saying, 'O tiger among kings, O chastiser of\nfoes, I have been gratified with thee for thy asceticism! Blest be thou!\nAsk now the boon that thou, O king, desirest.' Hearing these words of\nRudra of immeasurable energy, the royal sage bowed unto that deity and\nreplied, saying, 'O illustrious one, O thou that art worshipped by the\nthree worlds, if thou hast been gratified with me, then, O god of gods,\nassist me thyself, O lord of the celestials, in my sacrifice!' Hearing\nthese words spoken by the monarch, the illustrious god was gratified, and\nsmilingly said, 'We do not ourselves assist at sacrifices: but as thou, O\nking, hast undergone severe penances, desirous of obtaining a boon, I\nwill, O chastiser of foes, assist at thy sacrifice, upon, O king, this\ncondition.' And Rudra continued, 'If, O king of kings, thou canst, for\ntwelve years, pour without intermission libations of clarified butter\ninto the fire, thyself leading all the while the life of a Brahmacharin\nwith rapt attention, then thou shalt obtain from me what thou askest.'\nKing Swetaki, thus addressed by Rudra, did all that he was directed to do\nby the wielder of the trident. And after twelve years had elapsed, he\nagain came unto Maheswara. And Sankara, the Creator of the worlds upon\nseeing Swetaki, that excellent monarch, immediately said, in great\ngratification, 'I have been gratified by thee, O best of kings, with this\nthy own act! But, O chastiser of foes, the duty of assisting at\nsacrifices properly belongeth to Brahmanas. Therefore, O oppressor of\nfoes, I will not myself assist at thy sacrifice today. There is on earth\nan exalted Brahmana who is even a portion of my own self. He is known by\nthe name of Durvasa. Even that Brahmana endued with great energy will\nassist you in thy sacrifice. Let, therefore, every preparation be made.'\nHearing these words uttered by Rudra, the king, returning to his own\ncapital, began to collect all that was necessary. After everything had\nbeen collected, the monarch again presented himself before Rudra and\nsaid, 'Every necessary article hath been collected, and all my\npreparations are complete, through thy grace, O god of gods! Let me,\ntherefore, be installed at the sacrifice tomorrow.' Having heard these\nwords of that illustrious king, Rudra summoned Durvasa before him and\nsaid. 'This, O Durvasa, is that best of monarchs called Swetaki. At my\ncommand, O best of Brahmanas, assist even this king in his sacrifice.'\nAnd the Rishi Durvasa said unto Rudra, 'So be it.' Then the sacrifice for\nwhich king Swetaki had made those preparations, took place. And the\nillustrious monarch's sacrifice was performed according to the ordinance\nand in proper season. And the gifts, on that occasion, unto the Brahmanas\nwere large. And after that monarch's sacrifice had come to an end, all\nthe other priests who had come to assist at it went away with Durvasa's\nleave. All other Sadasyas also of immeasurable energy, who had been\ninstalled at that sacrifice, then went away. That exalted monarch then\nentered his own palace, worshipped by exalted Brahmanas conversant with\nthe Vedas, eulogised by chanters of panegyrical hymns and congratulated\nby the citizens.\n\n\"Such was the history of that best of monarchs, the royal sage Swetaki,\nwho, when the time came, ascended to heaven, having won great renown on\nearth, and accompanied by the Ritwiks and the Sadasyas that had helped\nhim in life.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'At that sacrifice of Swetaki, Agni had drunk\nclarified butter for twelve years. Indeed, clarified butter had been\npoured into Agni's mouth in a continuous stream for that period. Having\ndrunk so much butter, Agni, satiated, desired not to drink butter again\nfrom the hand of anybody else at any other sacrifice. Agni became pale,\nhaving lost his colour, and he could not shine as before. He felt a loss\nof appetite from surfeit, and his energy itself decreased and sickness\nafflicted him. Then when the drinker of sacrificial libations perceived\nthat his energy was gradually diminishing, he went to the sacred abode of\nBrahman that is worshipped by all. Approaching the great Deity seated on\nhis seat, Agni said, 'O exalted one, Swetaki hath (by his sacrifice)\ngratified me to excess. Even now I am suffering from surfeit which I\ncannot dispel. O Lord of the universe, I am being reduced both in\nsplendour and strength. I desire to regain, through thy grace, my own\npermanent nature.' Hearing these words from Hutavaha, the illustrious\nCreator of all things smilingly replied unto him, saying, 'O exalted one,\nthou hast eaten, for twelve years, a continuous stream of sacrificial\nbutter poured into thy mouth! It is for this that illness hath seized\nthee. But, O Agni, grieve not for it. Thou shalt soon regain thy own\nnature. I shall dispel this surfeit of thine and the time for it is even\ncome. The dreadful forest Khandava, that abode of the enemies of the\ngods, which thou hadst of old once consumed to ashes at the request of\nthe gods, hath now become the home of numerous creatures. When thou will\nhave eaten the fat of those creatures, thou shalt regain thy own nature.\nProceed thither in haste to consume that forest with its living\npopulation. Thou wilt then be cured of thy malady.' Hearing the words\nthat fell from the lips of the Supreme Deity, Hutasana proceeded with\ngreat speed and soon reached the forest of Khandava in great vigour.\nArrived there, he suddenly blazed forth in anger, assisted by Vayu.\nBeholding Khandava on fire the dwellers (in the forest) that were there,\nmade great efforts to extinguish the conflagration. Elephants by hundreds\nof thousands, speeding in anger, brought water in their trunks and\nscattered it upon the fire. Thousands of many-hooded snakes, mad with\nanger, hastily began to scatter upon fire much water from those many\nhoods of theirs. And so, O bull of Bharata's race, the other creatures\ndwelling in that forest, by various appliances and efforts, soon\nextinguished the fire. In this way, Agni blazed forth in Khandava\nrepeatedly, even for seven times. And it was in this way that the blazing\nfire was extinguished there as often by the denizens of that forest.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXXVI\n\n(Khandava-daha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Then Havyavahana (Agni) in anger and disappointment,\nwith his ailment uncured, went back to the Grandsire. And he represented\nunto Brahman all that had happened: The illustrious deity, reflecting for\na moment, said unto him, 'O sinless one. I see a way by which thou mayest\nconsume the forest of Khandava today in the very sight of Indra. Those\nold deities, Nara and Narayana, have become incarnate in the world of men\nto accomplish the business of the celestials. They are called on earth\nArjuna and Vasudeva. They are even now staying in the forest of Khandava.\nSolicit them for aiding thee in consuming that forest. Thou shalt then\nconsume the forest even if it be protected by the celestials. They will\ncertainly prevent the population of Khandava from escaping, and thwart\nIndra also (in aiding any one in the escape). I have no doubt of this!'\nHearing these words, Agni came in haste unto Krishna and Partha. O king,\nI have already told thee what he said, having approached the illustrious\npair. O tiger among kings, hearing those words of Agni who was desirous\nof consuming the forest of Khandava against the will of Indra, Vibhatsu\nsaid unto him these words well-suited to the occasion, I have numberless\nexcellent celestial weapons with which I can fight even many wielders of\nthe thunderbolt. But, O exalted one, I have no bow suited to the strength\nof my arms, and capable of bearing the might I may put forth in battle.\nIn consequence of the lightness of my hands also I require arrows that\nmust never be exhausted. My car also is scarcely able to bear load of\narrows that I would desire to keep by me. I desire celestial steeds of\npure white, possessing the speed of the wind; and a car possessing the\nsplendour of the sun and the clatter of whose wheels should resemble the\nroar of the clouds. Then, there is no weapon suited to Krishna's energy\nand with which Madhava can slay Nagas and Pisachas. O exalted one, it\nbehoveth thee to give us the means by which success may be achieved and\nby which we may thwart Indra in pouring his showers upon that extensive\nforest. O Pavaka, we are ready to do all that manliness and prowess can\ndo. But, O exalted one, it behoveth thee to give us the adequate means.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXXVII\n\n(Khandava-daha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana, said, 'Thus addressed by Arjuna, the smoke-bannered\nHutasana, desirous of an interview with Varuna, recollected that son of\nAditi,--that deity protecting one of the points of the heavens and having\nhis home in the water and ruling that element. Varuna, knowing that he\nwas thought of by Pavaka, immediately appeared before that deity. The\nsmoke-bannered celestial welcoming with reverence the ruler of the\nwaters, that fourth of the Lokapalas, said unto that eternal god of gods,\n'Give me without loss of time that bow and quiver, and that ape-bannered\ncar also, which were obtained from king Soma. Partha will achieve a great\ntask with Gandiva, and Vasudeva also with the discus! Give both,\ntherefore, unto me today.' Hearing these words, Varuna replied unto\nPavaka, saying, 'Well, I am giving them.' He then gave that wonderful\njewel of a bow that was endued with great energy. That bow was the\nenhancer of fame and achievements, and was incapable of being injured by\nany weapon. It was the chief of all weapons, and the grinder of them all.\nAnd it was the smiter of hostile armies and was alone equal to a hundred\nthousand bows. It was the multiplier of kingdoms, and was variegated with\nexcellent colours. It was well-adorned, and beautiful to behold, and\nwithout a mark of weakness or injury anywhere. And it was always\nworshipped both by the celestials and the Gandharvas. Varuna also gave\ntwo inexhaustible quivers, and he also gave a car furnished with\ncelestial weapons and whose banner bore a large ape. Yoked unto that car\nwere steeds white as silver of the fleecy clouds, and born in the region\nof the Gandharvas, and decked with golden harness, and resembling in\nfleetness the wind or the mind. And it was equipped with implement of\nwar, and was incapable of being vanquished by the celestials or the\nAsuras. Its splendour was great and the sounds of its wheels was\ntremendous. It delighted the heart of every creature that looked at it.\nIt had been made by Viswakarman, the architect of the universe and one of\nthe lords of creation, after severe ascetic meditation. Its splendour,\nlike that of the sun, was so great that no one could gaze at it. It was\nthe very car from which the lord Soma had vanquished the Danavas.\nResplendent with beauty, it looked like an evening cloud reflecting the\neffulgence of the setting sun. It was furnished with an excellent\nflag-staff of golden colour and great beauty. And there sat upon that\nflag-staff a celestial ape of form fierce like that of a lion or a tiger.\nStationed on high, the ape seemed bent upon burning everything it beheld.\nAnd upon the (other) flags were various creatures of large size, whose\nroars and yells caused the enemy's soldiers to faint. Then Arjuna,\naccoutred in mail and armed with the sword, and his fingers cased in\nleathern gloves, walking round that excellent car adorned with numerous\nflags and bowing unto the gods, ascended it like a virtuous man riding in\nthe celestial car that bears him to heaven. And taking up that celestial\nand first of bows created by Brahman of old and called Gandiva, Arjuna\nwas filled with joy. And bowing unto Hutasana, Partha endued with great\nenergy, took up the bow and strung it forcibly. Those who heard the noise\nthat was made while the mighty Pandava strung that bow, quaked with fear.\nAnd having obtained that car and that bow, and the two inexhaustible\nquivers, the son of Kunti became glad and thought himself competent to\nassist at the task. And Pavaka then gave unto Krishna a discus with an\niron pole attached to a hole in the centre. And it was a fiery weapon and\nbecame his favourite. Having obtained that weapon, Krishna also became\nequal to the task. Pavaka then, addressing Krishna, said, 'With this, O\nslayer of Madhu, thou shalt be able without doubt to vanquish in battle\neven foes that are not human. With this weapon, without doubt, thou shalt\nbe superior in battle to men and gods, and Rakshasas and Pisachas, and\nDaityas and Nagas. And thou shalt certainly be able with this to smite\nall. And, O Madhava, hurled by thee in battle at thy foes, this weapon\nwill irresistibly slay the enemy and again come back into thy hands.' And\nthe lord Varuna, after this, gave unto Krishna a mace, of name Kaumodaki,\ncapable of slaying every Daitya and producing, when hurled, a roar like\nthat of the thunder. Then Arjuna and Achyuta, filled with joy said unto\nPavaka, 'O exalted one, furnished with weapons and knowing their use,\npossessed of cars with flags and flagstaffs, we are now able to fight\nwith even all the celestials and the Asuras (together), let alone the\nwielder of the thunderbolt desirous of fighting for the sake of the Naga\n(his friend Takshaka).' Arjuna also said, 'O Pavaka, while Hrishikesa,\nendued with abundant energy, moves on the field of battle with this\ndiscus in hand, there is nothing in the three worlds that he will not be\nable to consume by hurling this weapon. Having obtained the bow Gandiva\nand this couple of inexhaustible quivers I also am ready to conquer in\nbattle the three worlds. Therefore, O lord, blaze thou forth as thou\nlikest, surrounding this large forest on every side. We are quite able to\nhelp thee.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed both by Dasarha and Arjuna, the\nillustrious god then put forth his most energetic form, and prepared to\nconsume the forest. Surrounding it on all sides with his seven flames, he\nbegan to consume the forest of Khandava, exhibiting his all-consuming\nform like that at the end of the Yuga (cycle). And, O bull of Bharata's\nrace, surrounding that forest and catching it from all sides with a roar\nlike that of the clouds, Agni made every creature within it tremble. And,\nO Bharata, that burning forest then looked resplendent like the king of\nmountains, Meru, blazing with the rays of the sun fallen thereupon.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXXVIII\n\n(Khandava-daha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Then those foremost of car-warriors (Krishna and\nArjuna), riding in their cars and placing themselves on opposite sides of\nthat forest, began a great slaughter, on all sides, of the creatures\ndwelling in Khandava. At whatever point any of the creatures residing in\nKhandava could be seen attempting to escape, thither rushed those mighty\nheroes (to prevent its flight). Indeed those two excellent cars seemed to\nbe but one, and the two warriors also therein but one individual. And\nwhile the forest was burning, hundreds and thousands of living creatures,\nuttering frightful yells, began to run about in all directions. Some had\nparticular limbs burnt, some were scorched with excessive heat, and some\ncame out, and some ran about from fear. And some clasping their children\nand some their parents and brothers, died calmly without, from excess of\naffection, being able to abandon these that were dear to them. And many\nthere were who biting their nether lips rose upwards and soon fell\nwhirling into the blazing element below. And some were seen to roll on\nthe ground with wings, eyes, and feet scorched and burnt. These creatures\nwere all seen to perish there almost soon enough. The tanks and ponds\nwithin that forest, heated by the fire around, began to boil; the fishes\nand the tortoises in them were all seen to perish. During that great\nslaughter of living creatures in that forest, the burning bodies of\nvarious animals looked as if fire itself had assumed many forms. The\nbirds that took wings to escape from that conflagration were pierced by\nArjuna with his shafts, and cut into pieces, they fell down into the\nburning element below. Pierced all over with Arjuna's shafts, the birds\ndropped down into the burning forest, uttering loud cries. The denizens\nof the forest, struck with those shafts, began to roar and yell. The\nclamour they raised was like unto the frightful uproar heard during the\nchurning of the ocean (in days of yore). The mighty flames of the blazing\nfire reaching the firmament, caused great anxiety to the celestials\nthemselves. Then all the illustrious dwellers in heaven went in a body\nunto him of a hundred sacrifices and thousand eyes, viz., their chief,\nthat grinder of Asuras. Approaching Indra, the celestial said, 'Why, O\nlord of immortals, doth Agni burn these creatures below? Hath the time\ncome for the destruction of the world?'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these words of the gods, and himself\nbeholding what Agni was doing, the slayer of Vritra set out for the\nprotection of the forest of Khandava. And Vasava, the chief of the\ncelestials soon covering the sky with masses of clouds of every kind\nbegan to shower upon the burning forest. Those masses of clouds by\nhundreds and thousands, commanded by Indra began to pour rain upon\nKhandava in showers thick as the flag-staffs of battle-cars. But the\nshowers were all dried up in the sky itself by the heat of the fire and\ncould not, therefore, reach the fire at all! Then the slayer of Namuchi,\ngetting angry with Agni, collected huge masses of clouds and caused them\nto yield a heavy downpour. Then with the flames contending with those\nheavy showers, and with masses of clouds overhead, that forest, filled\nwith smoke and flashes of lightning, became terrible to behold.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXXIX\n\n(Khandava-daha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Then Vibhatsu, the son of Pandu, invoking his\nexcellent weapons, prevented that shower of rain by Indra, by means of a\nshower of his own weapons. And Arjuna of immeasurable soul soon covered\nthe forest of Khandava with innumerable arrows like the moon covering the\natmosphere with a thick fog. When the sky above that forest was thus\ncovered with the arrows of Arjuna no living creature could then escape\nfrom below. And it so happened that while that forest was burning,\nTakshaka, the chief of the Nagas, was not there, having gone at that time\nto the field of Kurukshetra. But Aswasena, the mighty son of Takshaka,\nwas there. He made great efforts to escape from that fire; but confined\nby Arjuna's shafts he succeeded not in finding a way. It was then that\nhis mother, the daughter of a snake, determined to save him by swallowing\nhim first. His mother first swallowed his head and then was swallowing\nhis tail. And desirous of saving her son, the sea-snake rose (up from the\nearth) while still employed in swallowing her son's tail. But Arjuna as\nsoon as he beheld her escaping, severed her head from her body by means\nof a sharp and keen-edged arrow. Indra saw all this, and desiring to save\nhis friend's son, the wielder of the thunderbolt, by raising a violent\nwind, deprived Arjuna of consciousness. During those few moments,\nAswasena succeeded in effecting his escape. Beholding that manifestation\nof the power of illusion, and deceived by that snake, Arjuna was much\nenraged. He forthwith cut every animal seeking to escape by the skies,\ninto two, three, or more pieces. And Vibhatsu in anger, and Agni, and\nVasudeva also, cursed the snake that had escaped so deceitfully, saying,\n'Never shalt thou be famous!' And Jishnu remembering the deception\npractised upon him, became angry, and covering the firmament with a cloud\nof arrows, sought to fight with him of a thousand eyes. The chief of the\ncelestials also, seeing Arjuna in anger, sought to fight with him, and\nhurled his own fierce weapons, covering the wide expanse of the\nfirmament. Then the winds, making a loud roar and agitating all the\noceans, brought together masses of clouds in the sky, charged with\ntorrents of rain. Those masses of clouds began to vomit thunder and\nterrible flashes of lightning charged with the thunderclap. Then Arjuna\npossessing a knowledge of means, hurled the excellent weapon called\nVayavya with proper mantras to dispel those clouds. With that weapon the\nenergy and force of Indra's thunderbolt and of those clouds were\ndestroyed. And the torrents of rain with which those clouds were charged\nwere all dried up, and the lightning that played amongst them was also\ndestroyed. Within a moment the sky was cleared of dust and darkness, and\na delicious, cool breeze began to blow and the disc of the sun resumed\nits normal state. Then the eater of clarified butter (Agni), glad because\nnone could baffle him, assumed various forms, and sprinkled over with the\nfat exuded by the bodies of creatures, blazed forth with all his flames,\nfilling the universe with his roar. Then numerous birds of the Garuda\ntribe bearing excellent feathers, beholding that the forest was protected\nby Krishna and Arjuna, descended filled with pride, from the upper skies,\ndesirous of striking those heroes with their thunderlike wings, beaks and\nclaws. Innumerable Nagas also, with faces emitting fire descending from\nhigh, approached Arjuna, vomiting the most virulent poison all the while.\nBeholding them approach, Arjuna cut them into pieces by means of arrows\nsteeped in the fire of his own wrath. Then those birds and snakes,\ndeprived of life, fell into the burning element below. And there came\nalso, desirous of battle, innumerable Asuras with Gandharvas and Yakshas\nand Rakshasas and Nagas sending forth terrific yells. Armed with machines\nvomiting from their throats (mouths?) iron balls and bullets, and\ncatapults for propelling huge stones, and rockets, they approached to\nstrike Krishna and Partha, their energy and strength increased by wrath.\nBut though they rained a perfect shower of weapons, Vibhatsu, addressing\nthem reproachfully, struck off their heads with his own sharp arrows.\nThat slayer of foes, Krishna, also, endued with great energy, made a\ngreat slaughter of the Daitya and the Danava with his discus. Many Asuras\nof immeasurable might, pierced with Krishna's arrows and smitten with the\nforce of his discus, became motionless like waifs and strays stranded on\nthe bank by the violence of the waves. Then Sakra the lord of the\ncelestials, riding on his white elephant, rushed at those heroes, and\ntaking up his thunderbolt which could never go in vain, hurled it with\ngreat force. And the slayer of Asuras said unto the gods, 'These two are\nslain.' Beholding the fierce thunderbolt about to be hurled by their\nchief, the celestials all took up their respective weapons. Yama, O king,\ntook up the death-dealing mace, and Kuvera his spiked club, and Varuna\nhis noose and beautiful missile. And Skanda (Kartikeya) took up his long\nlance and stood motionless like the mountain of Meru. The Aswins stood\nthere with resplendent plants in their hands. Dhatri stood, bow in hand,\nand Jaya with a thick club. Tvashtri of great strength took up in wrath,\na huge mountain and Surya stood with a bright dart, and Mrityu with a\nbattle-axe. Aryaman stalked about with a terrible bludgeon furnished with\nsharp spikes, and Mitra stood there with a discus sharp as a razor. And,\nO monarch, Pusha and Bhaga and Savitri, in wrath, rushed at Krishna and\nPartha with bows and scimitars in hand. And Rudras and the Vasus, the\nmighty Maruts and the Viswedevas and the Sadhyas, all resplendent with\ntheir own energy,--these and many other celestials, armed with various\nweapons rushed against those exalted of men, Krishna and Partha, for\nsmiting them down. Then were seen in that great conflict wonderful\nportents all around robbing every creature of his sense, and resembling\nthose that appeared at the time of the universal dissolution. But Arjuna\nand Krishna, fearless and invincible in battle, beholding Sakra and the\nother celestials prepared for fight, calmly waited, bows in hands.\nSkilled in battle, those heroes in wrath assailed the advancing host of\ncelestials with their own thunderlike arrows. The celestials repeatedly\nrouted by Krishna and Arjuna, at last left the field of battle for fear\nand sought the protection of Indra. The Munis who were witnessing the\nbattle from the skies, beholding the celestials defeated by Madhava and\nArjuna, were filled with wonder. Sakra also repeatedly witnessing their\nprowess in battle, became exceedingly gratified, and once more rushed to\nthe assault. The chastiser of Paka then caused a heavy shower of stones,\ndesiring to ascertain the prowess of Arjuna who was able to draw the bow\neven with his left hand. Arjuna, in great wrath, dispelled with his\narrows that thick shower. Then he of a hundred sacrifices beholding that\nshower baffled, once more caused a thicker shower of stones. But the son\nof the chastiser of Paka (viz., Arjuna) gratified his father by baffling\nthat shower also with his swift arrows. Then Sakra, desirous of smiting\ndown the son of Pandu, tore up with his hands a large peak from Mandara,\nwith tall trees on it, and hurled it against him. But Arjuna divided that\nmountain-peak into a thousand pieces by his swift-going and fire-mouthed\narrows. The fragments of that mountain, in falling through the skies,\nlooked as if the sun and the moon and the planets, displaced from their\npositions fell down on earth. That huge peak fell down upon that forest\nand by its fall killed numerous living creatures that dwelt in Khandava.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXXX\n\n(Khandava-daha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Then the inhabitants of the forest of Khandava, the\nDanavas and Rakshasas and Nagas and wolves and bears and other wild\nanimals, and elephants with rent temples, and tigers, and lions with\nmanes and deer and buffaloes by hundreds, and birds, and various other\ncreatures, frightened at the falling stones and extremely anxious, began\nto fly in all directions. They saw the forest (burning all around) and\nKrishna and Arjuna also ready with their weapons. Frightened at the\nterrible sounds that were audible there those creatures lost their power\nof movement. Beholding the forest burning in innumerable places and\nKrishna also ready to smite them down with his weapons, they all set up a\nfrightful roar. With that terrible clamour as also with the roar of fire,\nthe whole welkin resounded, as it were, with the voice of portentous\nclouds. Kesava of dark hue and mighty arms, in order to compass their\ndestruction, hurled at them his large and fierce discus resplendent with\nits own energy. The forest-dwellers including the Danavas and the\nRakshasas, afflicted by that weapon, were cut in hundreds of pieces and\nfell unto the mouth of Agni. Mangled by Krishna's discus, the Asuras were\nbesmeared with blood and fat and looked like evening clouds. And, O\nBharata, he of the Vrishni race moved able like death itself, slaying\nPisachas and birds and Nagas and other creatures by thousands. The discus\nitself, repeatedly hurled from the hands of Krishna, that slayer of all\nfoes, came back to his hands after slaughtering numberless creatures. The\nface and form of Krishna that soul of every created thing--became fierce\nto behold while he was thus employed in the slaughter of the Pisachas,\nNagas and Rakshasas. No one among the celestials, who had mustered there\ncould vanquish in battle Krishna and Arjuna. When the celestials saw that\nthey could not protect that forest from the might of Krishna and Arjuna\nby extinguishing that conflagration, they retired from the scene. Then, O\nmonarch, he of a hundred sacrifices (Indra), beholding the immortals\nretreat, became filled with joy and applauded Krishna and Arjuna. And\nwhen the celestials gave up the fight, an incorporeal voice, deep and\nloud, addressing him of a hundred sacrifices, said, 'Thy friend Takshaka,\nthat chief of snakes, hath not been slain! Before the conflagration\ncommenced in Khandava he had journeyed to Kurukshetra. Know from my\nwords, O Vasava, that Vasudeva and Arjuna are incapable of being\nvanquished in battle by any one! They are Nara and Narayana--those gods\nof old heard of in heaven! Thou knowest what their energy is and what\ntheir prowess. Invincible in battle, these best of old Rishis are\nunconquerable by any one in all the worlds! They deserve the most\nreverential worship of all the celestials and Asuras; of Yakshas and\nRakshasas and Gandharvas, of human beings and Kinnaras and Nagas.\nTherefore, O Vasava, it behoveth thee to go hence with all the\ncelestials. The destruction of Khandava hath been ordained by Fate!' Then\nthe chief of the immortals, ascertaining those words to be true abandoned\nhis wrath and jealousy, and went back to heaven. The dwellers in heaven,\nO monarch, beholding the illustrious Indra abandon the fight, followed\nhim with all their soldiers. Then those heroes, Vasudeva and Arjuna, when\nthey saw the chief of the celestials retreat accompanied by all the gods,\nset up a leonine roar. And, O monarch, Kesava and Arjuna, after Indra had\nleft the scene, became exceedingly glad. Those heroes then fearlessly\nassisted at the conflagration of the forest. Arjuna scattered the\ncelestials like the wind scattering the clouds, and slew with showers of\nhis arrows, numberless creatures that dwelt in Khandava. Cut off by\nArjuna's arrows, no one amongst the innumerable creatures could escape\nfrom the burning forest. Far from fighting with him, none amongst even\nthe strongest creatures mustered there could look at Arjuna whose weapons\nwere never futile. Sometimes piercing hundred creatures with one shaft\nand sometimes a single creature with hundred shafts, Arjuna moved about\nin his car. The creatures themselves, deprived of life, began to fall\ninto the mouth of Agni (god of fire), struck down as it were by death\nitself. On the banks of rivers or on uneven plains or on crematoriums, go\nwhere they did, the creatures (dwelling in Khandava) found no ease, for\nwherever they sought shelter there they were afflicted by the heat. And\nhosts of creatures roared in pain, and elephants and deer and wolves set\nup cries of affliction. At that sound the fishes of the Ganges and the\nsea, and the various tribes of Vidyadharas dwelling in that forest all\nbecame frightened. O thou of mighty arms, let alone battling with them,\nno one, could even gaze at Arjuna and Janardana of dark hue. Hari slew\nwith his discus those Rakshasas and Danavas and Nagas that rushed at him\nin bands. Of huge bodies, their heads and trunks were cut off by the\nswift motion of the discus, and deprived of life they fell down into the\nblazing fire. Gratified with large quantities of flesh, blood, and fat,\nthe flames rose up to a great height without a curling wreath of smoke.\nHutasana (fire-god) with blazing and coppery eyes, and flaming tongue and\nlarge mouth, and the hair on the crown of his head all fiery, drinking,\nwith the help of Krishna and Arjuna, that nectar-like stream of animal\nfat, became filled with joy. Gratified greatly, Agni derived much\nhappiness.\n\n\"And it so happened that the slayer of Madhu suddenly beheld an Asura of\nthe name of Maya escaping from the abode of Takshaka. Agni having Vayu\nfor his car-driver, assuming a body with matted locks on head, and\nroaring like the clouds, pursued the Asura, desirous of consuming him.\nBeholding the Asura, Vasudeva stood with his weapon upraised, ready to\nsmite him down, seeing the discus uplifted and Agni pursuing from behind\nto burn him, Maya said 'Run to me, O Arjuna, and protect me!' Hearing his\naffrighted voice Arjuna said, 'Fear not!' That voice of Arjuna, O\nBharata, seemed to give Maya his life. As the merciful son of Pritha said\nunto Maya that there was nothing to fear, he of the Dasarha race no\nlonger desired to slay Maya who was the brother of Namuchi, and Agni also\nburned him not.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Protected from Indra by Krishna and Partha,\nAgni gifted with great intelligence, burned that forest for five and ten\ndays. And while the forest burned Agni spared only six of its dwellers,\nviz., Aswasena, Maya, and four birds called Sarngakas.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXXXI\n\n(Khandava-daha Parva continued)\n\n\"Janamejaya said, 'O Brahmana, tell me why and when that forest burnt in\nthat way, Agni consumed not the birds called Sarngakas? Thou hast, O\nBrahmana, recited (to us) the cause of Aswasena and the Danava Maya not\nhaving been consumed. But thou hast not as yet said what the cause was of\nthe escape of the Sarngakas? The escape of those birds, O Brahmana,\nappeareth to me to be wonderful. Tell us why they were not destroyed in\nthat dreadful conflagration.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'O slayer of all foes, I shall tell thee all as to\nwhy Agni did not burn up those birds during the conflagration. There was,\nO king, a great Rishi known by the name of Mandapala, conversant with all\nthe shastras, of rigid vows, devoted to asceticism, and the foremost of\nall virtuous persons. Following in the wake of Rishis that had drawn up\ntheir virile fluid, that ascetic, O monarch, with every sense under\ncomplete control, devoted himself to study and virtue. Having reached the\nopposite shores of asceticism, O Bharata, he left his human form and went\nto the region of the Pitris. But going thither he failed to obtain the\n(expected) fruit of his acts. He asked the celestials that sat around the\nking of the dead as to the cause of his treatment, saying, 'Why have\nthese regions become unattainable by me,--regions that I had thought had\nbeen acquired by me by my ascetic devotions? Have I not performed those\nacts whose fruits are these regions? Ye inhabitants of heaven, tell me\nwhy these regions are shut against me! I will do that which will give me\nthe fruit of my ascetic penances.'\n\n\"The celestials answered, 'Hear, O Brahmana, of those acts and things on\naccount of which men are born debtors. Without doubt, it is for religious\nrites, studies according to the ordinance, and progeny, that men are born\ndebtors. These debts are all discharged by sacrifices, asceticism, and\noffspring. Thou art an ascetic and hast also performed sacrifices; but\nthou hast no offspring. These regions are shut against thee only for want\nof children. Beget children, therefore! Thou shalt then enjoy\nmultifarious regions of felicity. The Vedas declared that the son\nrescueth the father from a hell called Put. Then, O best of Brahmanas,\nstrive to beget offspring.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Mandapala, having heard these words of the\ndwellers in heaven, reflected how best he could obtain the largest number\nof offspring within the shortest period of time. The Rishi, after\nreflection, understood that of all creatures birds alone were blest with\nfecundity. Assuming the form of a Sarngaka the Rishi had connection with\na female bird of the same species called by the name of Jarita. And he\nbegat upon her four sons who were all reciters of the Vedas. Leaving all\nthose sons of his with their mother in that forest, while they were still\nwithin eggs, the ascetic went to (another wife called by the name of)\nLapita. And, O Bharata, when the exalted sage went away for the company\nof Lapita, moved by affection for her offspring, Jarita became very\nthoughtful. Though forsaken by their father in the forest of Khandava,\nJarita, anxious in her affection for them, could not forsake her\noffspring, those infant Rishis encased in eggs. Moved by parental\naffection, she brought up these children born of her, herself following\nthe pursuits proper to her own species. Some time after, the Rishi, in\nwandering over that forest in the company of Lapita, saw Agni coming\ntowards Khandava to burn it down. Then the Brahmana Mandapala, knowing\nthe intention of Agni and remembering also that his children were all\nyoung moved by fear, gratified the god, of the burning element, that\nregent of the universe, endued with great energy. And he did this,\ndesiring to put in a word for his unfledged offspring. Addressing Agni,\nthe Rishi said, 'Thou art, O Agni, the mouth of all the worlds! Thou art\nthe carrier of the sacrificial butter! O purifier (of all sins), thou\nmovest invisible with the frame of every creature! The learned have\nspoken of thee as an One, and again as possessed of triple nature. The\nwise perform their sacrifices before thee, taking thee as consisting of\neight (mouths). The great Rishis declare that this universe hath been\ncreated by thee. O thou that feedest on sacrificial butter, without thee\nthis whole universe would be destroyed in a single day. Bowing to thee,\nthe Brahmanas, accompanied by their wives and children, go to eternal\nregions won by them by help of their own deeds. O Agni, the learned\nrepresent thee as the clouds in the heavens charged with lightning. O\nAgni, the flames put forth by thee consume every creature. O thou of\ngreat splendour, this universe hath been created by thee. The Vedas are\nthy word. All creatures, mobile and immobile, depend upon thee. Water\nprimarily dependeth on thee, so also the whole of this universe. All\nofferings of clarified butter and oblations of food to the pitris have\nbeen established in thee. O god, thou art the consumer, and thou art the\ncreator and thou art Vrihaspati himself (in intelligence). Thou art the\ntwin Aswins; thou art Surya; thou art Soma; thou art Vayu.\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'O monarch, thus praised by Mandapala, Agni was\ngratified with that Rishi of immeasurable energy; and the god,\nwell-pleased, replied, 'What good can I do to thee?' Then Mandapala with\njoined palms said unto the carrier of clarified butter, 'While thou\nburnest the forest of Khandava, spare my children.' The illustrious\nbearer of clarified butter replied, 'So be it.' It was, therefore, O\nmonarch, that he blazed not forth, while consuming the forest of\nKhandava, for the destruction of Mandapala's children.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXXXII\n\n(Khandava-daha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'When the fire blazed forth in the forest of\nKhandava, the infant birds became very much distressed and afflicted.\nFilled with anxiety, they saw not any means of escape. Their mother, the\nhelpless Jarita, knowing that they were too young to escape, was filled\nwith sorrow and wept aloud. And she said, 'Oh, the terrible\nconflagration, illuminating the whole universe and burning the forest\ndown, approacheth towards us, increasing my woe. These infants with\nimmature understanding, without feathers and feet, and the sole refuge of\nour deceased ancestors, afflict me. Oh, this fire approacheth, spreading\nfear all around, and licking with its tongue the tallest trees. But my\nunfledged children are incapable of effecting their escape. I myself am\nnot capable of escaping, taking all these with me. Nor am I capable of\nabandoning them, for my heart is distressed on their account. Whom\namongst my sons, shall I leave behind, and whom shall I carry with me?\nWhat (act) should I do now that is consistent with duty? What also do\nyou, my infant sons, think? I do not, even by reflection, see any way of\nescape for you. I shall even cover you with my wings and die with you.\nYour cruel father left me some time before, saying, 'Upon this Jaritari,\nbecause he is the eldest of my sons, will my race depend. My second\nSarisrikka will beget progeny for the expansion of my ancestors' race. My\nthird, Stamvamitra, will be devoted to asceticism, and my youngest,\nDrona, will become the foremost of those acquainted with the Vedas.' But\nhow hath this terrible calamity overtaken us! Whom shall I take with me?\nAs I am deprived of judgment what should I do that is consistent with\nduty? I do not see, by the exercise of my own judgment, the escape of my\nchildren from the fire!'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Unto their mother indulging in these lamentations,\nthe infant ones said. 'O mother, relinquishing thy affection for us, go\nthou to a place where there is no fire. If we are killed here, thou\nmayest have other children born to thee. If thou, O mother be killed, we\ncan have no more children in our race. Reflecting upon both these\ncalamities, the time hath come for thee, O mother, to do that which is\nbeneficial to our race. Do not be influenced by affection for thy\noffspring, which promises to destroy both us and thee. If thou savest\nthyself, our father, who is even desirous of winning regions of felicity,\nmay have his wishes gratified.'\n\n\"Hearing what the infants said. Jarita replied, 'There is a hole here in\nthe ground near to this tree, belonging to a mouse. Enter this hole\nwithout loss of time. You shall have then no fear of fire. After ye have\nentered it, I shall, ye children, cover its mouth with dust. This is the\nonly means of escape that I see from the blazing fire. Then when the fire\nwill be put out, I shall return hither to remove the dust. Follow my\nadvice if you are to escape from the conflagration.'\n\n\"The infant birds replied, 'Without feathers we are but so many balls of\nflesh. If we enter the hole, certain it is that the carnivorous mouse\nwill destroy us all. Beholding this danger before us, we cannot enter\nthis hole. Alas, we do not see any means by which we may escape from the\nfire or from the mouse. We do not see how our father's act of procreation\nmay be prevented from becoming futile, and how also our mother may be\nsaved. If we enter the hole, the mouse will destroy us; we remain where\nwe are and the sky-ranging fire will destroy us. Reflecting upon both the\ncalamities, a death by fire is preferable to a death by being eaten up.\nIf we are devoured by the mouse within the hole, that death is certainly\nignoble, whereas the destruction of the body in fire is approved by the\nwise.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXXXIII\n\n(Khandava-daha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Hearing those words of her sons Jarita continued,\n'The little mouse that had come out of this hole was seized by a hawk\nwith his claws and carried away hence. Therefore, ye may fearlessly enter\nthis hole now.' The young ones replied, 'We are not by any means certain\nof that mouse having been taken away by the hawk. There may be other mice\nliving here. From them we have every fear. Whereas it is doubtful whether\nfire will at all approach us here. Already we see an adverse wind blowing\nthe flames away. If we enter the hole, death is certain at the hands of\nthe dwellers in the hole. But if we remain where we are, death is\nuncertain. O mother, a position in which death is uncertain is better\nthan that in which it is certain. It is thy duty, therefore, to escape\nthyself, for, if thou livest thou mayest obtain other children as good.'\n\n\"Their mother then said, 'Ye children, I myself saw the mighty hawk, that\nbest of birds, swoop down and fly away with the mouse from the hole. And\nwhile he was flying away swiftly, I followed him behind and pronounced\nblessing on him for his having taken away the mouse from the hole. I said\nunto him. 'O king of hawks, because thou art flying away with our enemy,\nthe mouse, in thy claws, mayest thou, without a foe, live in heaven with\na golden body.' Afterwards when that hawk devoured the mouse, I came\naway, obtaining his leave. Therefore, ye children, enter this hole\ntrustfully. Ye have nothing to fear. The mouse that was its inmate was\nseized and taken away by the hawk in my sight.' The young ones again\nsaid, 'O mother, we do not by any means know that the mouse hath been\ncarried away by the hawk. We cannot enter this hole in the ground without\nbeing certain of the fact.' Their mother said, 'I know to a certainty\nthat the mouse hath been carried away by the hawk. Therefore, ye\nchildren, ye have nothing to fear; do what I say.' The young ones again\nsaid, 'We do not, O mother, say that thou art dispelling our fears with a\nfalse story. For whatever is done by a person when his reason hath been\ndisturbed can scarcely be said to be that person's deliberate act. Thou\nhast not been benefited by us, nor dost thou know who we are. Why dost\nthou, therefore, strive to protect us at so much cost to thyself? Who are\nwe to thee? Thou art young and handsome, and capable of seeking out thy\nhusband. Go unto thy husband. Thou shalt obtain good children again. Let\nus by entering the fire attain to regions of felicity. If, however, the\nfire consume us not, thou mayest come back and obtain us again.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'The parent bird then, thus addressed by her sons,\nleft them in Khandava and hastily went to the spot where there was no\nfire and there was safety. Then Agni in haste and with fierce flames\napproached the spot where the sons of Mandapala were. The young birds saw\nthe blazing fire come towards them. Then Jaritari, the eldest of the\nfour, in the hearing of Agni, began to speak.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXXXIV\n\n(Khandava-daha Parva continued)\n\n\"Jaritari said, 'The person that is wise remaineth wakeful in view of\ndeath. Accordingly, when the hour of death approacheth, he feeleth no\npangs. But the person of perplexed soul, who remaineth not awake, when\nthe hour of death comes, feeleth the pangs of death and never attaineth\nsalvation.'\n\n\"The second brother Sarisrikka, said, 'Thou art patient and intelligent.\nThe time is come when our lives are threatened. Without doubt, one only\namongst many becometh wise and brave.'\n\n\"The third brother, Stamvamitra, said, 'The eldest brother is called the\nprotector. It is the eldest brother that rescueth (the younger ones) from\ndanger. If the eldest himself faileth to rescue them, what can the\nyounger ones do?'\n\n\"The fourth and the youngest brother, Drona said, 'The cruel god of fire,\nwith seven tongues and seven mouths quickly cometh towards our\nhabitation, blazing forth in splendour and licking up everything in his\npath.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Having addressed one another thus, the sons of\nMandapala then each devotedly addressed an eulogistic hymn to Agni.\nListen now, O monarch, to those hymns as I recite them.'\n\n\"Jaritari said, 'Thou art, O fire, the soul of air! Thou art the body of\nthe Earth's vegetation! O Sukra, water is thy parent as thou art the\nparent of water! O thou of great energy, thy flames, like the rays of the\nsun, extend themselves above, below, behind, and on each side.'\n\n\"Sarisrikka said, 'O smoke-bannered god, our mother is not to be seen,\nand we know not our father! Our feathers have not grown as yet. We have\nnone to protect us save thee. Therefore, O Agni, infants that we are\nprotect us! O Agni, as we are distressed, protect us with that auspicious\nform thou hast and with those seven flames of thine! We seek protection\nat thy hands. Thou alone, O Agni, art the giver of heat (in the\nuniverse). O lord, there is none else (save thee) that giveth heat to the\nrays of the sun. O, protect us who are young and who are Rishis. O\nHavyavaha (carrier of sacrificial butter), be pleased to go hence by some\nother route.'\n\n\"Stamvamitra said, 'Thou alone, O Agni, art everything! This whole\nuniverse is established in thee! Thou sustainest every creature, and thou\nsupportest the universe! Thou art the carrier of the sacrificial butter,\nand thou art the excellent sacrificial butter itself! The wise know thee\nto be one (as cause) and many (as effects)! Having created the three\nworlds, thou, O Havyavaha, again destroyest them when the time cometh,\nswelling thyself forth! Thou art the productive cause of the whole\nuniverse, and thou also art the essence in which the universe dissolveth\nitself!'\n\n\"Drona said, 'O lord of the universe, growing in strength and remaining\nwithin their bodies, thou causest the food that living creatures eat to\nbe digested. Everything therefore, is established in thee. O Sukra, O\nthou from whose mouth the Vedas have sprung, it is thou who assumests the\nform of the sun, and sucking up the waters of the earth and every liquid\njuice that the earth yields, givest them back in time in the form of rain\nand causest everything to grow! From thee, O Sukra, are these plants and\ncreepers with green foliage! From thee have sprung these tanks and pools,\nand the great ocean also that is ever blessed! O thou of fierce rays,\nthis our (human) body dependeth on Varuna (the water-god)! We are unable\nto bear thy heat. Be thou, therefore, our auspicious protector! O,\ndestroy us not! O thou of copper-hued eyes, O thou of red neck, O thou\nwhose path is marked by a black colour, save us by going along any remote\nroute, as indeed, the ocean saveth the house on its banks!'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed by Drona--that utterer of\nBrahma--Agni, well-pleased at what he heard, and remembering also the\npromise he had made to Mandapala, replied unto him, saying, 'Thou art a\nRishi, O Drona! For what thou hast said is Brahma (Vedic truth). I shall\ndo your pleasure. Fear not! Indeed, Mandapala had spoken to me of you to\nthe effect that I should spare his sons, while consuming the forest. The\nwords he spoke and thy speech also are entitled to great weight to me.\nSay what I am to do. O best of Brahmanas, I have been greatly pleased\nwith thy hymn. Blest be thou, O Brahmana!'\n\n\"Drona said, 'O Sukra, these cats trouble us every day. O Hutasana;\nconsume them with their friends and relatives.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then Agni did what the Sarngakas; asked him to\ndo, telling them of his intentions. And, O Janamejaya, growing in\nstrength, he began then to consume the forest of Khandava.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXXXV\n\n(Khandava-daha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'O thou of Kuru's race, the Rishi Mandapala became\nvery anxious about his children, although he had spoken of them to the\ngod of fierce rays. Indeed, his mind was not in peace. Distressed on\naccount of his sons, he addressed Lapita (his second wife with whom he\nthen was), saying, 'O Lapita, as my children are incapable of the power\nof moving, how are they? When the fire will grow in strength and the wind\nbegin to blow violently, my children will scarcely be able to save\nthemselves. How will their mother be able to rescue them? That innocent\nwoman will be afflicted with great sorrow when she will find herself\nunable to save her offspring. Oh, how will she compose herself, uttering\nvarious lamentations on account of my children who are all incapable of\ntaking wing or rising up into the air. Oh, how is Jaritari, my son, and\nhow is Sarisrikka, and how is Stamvamitra, and how is Drona, and how also\nis their helpless mother?'\n\n\"Unto the Rishi Mandapala thus weeping in the forest, Lapita, O Bharata,\nthus replied, under the influence of jealousy, 'Thou need not worry for\nthy children who, as thou hast assured me, are all Rishis endued with\nenergy and prowess! They can have no fear from fire. Didst thou not speak\nto Agni in my presence, in their behalf? Has not the illustrious deity\npromised to save them? One of the regents of the universe as Agni is, he\nwill never falsify his speech. Thou hast no anxiety, nor is thy heart\ninclined towards benefiting friends. It is only by thinking of her--my\nrival (Jarita) that thou art so distracted! Certain it is that the love\nthou bearest to me is not equal to what thou hadst for her at first. He\nthat hath two parties dividing his attention, can easily behold one of\nthose suffer all sorts of pangs; but he should not disregard the party\nthat is next to his heart. Then go thou to Jarita, for whom thy heart is\nsorrowing! As for myself, I shall henceforth wander alone, as a fit\nreward for my having attached myself to a wicked person.'\n\n\"Hearing these words, Mandapala replied, 'I do not wander over the earth\nwith such intentions as thou conceivest. It is only for the sake of\nprogeny that I am here. And even those that I have are in danger. He who\ncasteth off what he hath for the sake of what he may acquire, is a wicked\nperson. The world disregardeth and insulteth him. (Therefore, go I must).\nAs for thyself thou art free to do what thou choosest. This blazing fire\nthat licketh up the trees causeth sorrow in my anxious heart and raiseth\ntherein evil presentiments.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Meanwhile, after the fire had left the spot\nwhere the Sarngakas dwelt, Jarita, much attached to her children, hastily\ncame thither to see how they were. She found that all of them had escaped\nfrom the fire and were perfectly well. Beholding their mother, they began\nto weep, though safe and sound. She too shed tears upon beholding them\nalive. And she embraced, one by one, all her weeping children. Just at\nthat time, O Bharata, the Rishi Mandapala arrived there. But none of his\nsons expressed joy, upon beholding him. The Rishi, however, began to\nspeak to them one after another and unto Jarita also, repeatedly. But\nneither his sons nor Jarita spoke anything well or ill unto him in\nreturn.'\n\n\"Mandapala then said, 'Who amongst these is thy first born, and who the\nnext after him? And who is the third, and who the youngest? I am speaking\nunto thee woefully; why dost thou not reply to me? I left thee, it is\ntrue, but I was not happy where I was.'\n\n\"Jarita then said, 'What hast thou to do with the eldest of these, and\nwhat with him that is next? And what with the third and what with the\nyoungest? Go now unto that Lapita of sweet smiles and endued with youth,\nunto whom thou didst go of old, beholding me deficient in everything!'\nMandapala replied, 'As regards females, there is nothing so destructive\nof their happiness whether in this or the other world as a co-wife and a\nclandestine lover. There is nothing like these two that, inflames the\nfire of hostility and causes such anxiety. Even the auspicious and\nwell-behaved Arundhati, celebrated amongst all creatures, had been\njealous of the illustrious Vasishtha of great purity of mind and always\ndevoted to the good of his wife. Arundhati insulted even the wise Muni\namongst the (celestial) seven. In consequence of such insulting thoughts\nof hers, she has become a little star, like fire mixed with smoke,\nsometimes visible and sometimes invisible, like an omen portending no\ngood (amongst a constellation of seven bright stars representing the\nseven Rishis). I look to thee for the sake of children. I never wronged\nthee, like Vasishtha who never wronged his wife. Thou hast, therefore, by\nthy jealousy behaved towards me like Arundhati of old towards Vasishtha.\nMen should never trust women even if they be wives. Women, when they have\nbecome mothers, do not much mind serving their husbands.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'After this, all his children came forward to\nworship him. And he also began to speak kindly towards them all, giving\nthem every assurance.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXXXVI\n\n(Khandava-daha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Mandapala then addressed his children, saying, 'I\nhad spoken unto Agni for the safety of you all. The illustrious deity had\nassured me that he would grant my wish. At those words of Agni, and\nknowing the virtuous disposition of your mother, as also the great energy\nthat is in yourselves, I came not here earlier. Therefore, ye sons, do\nnot harbour in your hearts any resentment towards me. Ye are all Rishis\nacquainted with the Vedas. Even Agni knoweth you well.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Having given such assurances unto his sons, the\nBrahmana Mandapala took with him his wife and sons, and leaving that\nregion, went away to some other country.\n\n\"It was thus that the illustrious god of fierce rays, having grown in\nstrength consumed the forest of Khandava with the help of Krishna and\nArjuna, for the good of the world. And Agni having drunk several rivers\nof fat and marrow, became highly gratified, and showed himself to Arjuna.\nThen Purandara, surrounded by the Maruts, descended from the firmament\nand addressing Partha and Kesava said, 'Ye have achieved a feat that a\ncelestial even could not. Ask ye each a boon that is not obtainable by\nany man. I have been gratified with you.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then Partha asked from Indra all his weapons.\nAt this Sakra of great splendour, having fixed the time for giving them,\nsaid, 'When the illustrious Madhava becomes pleased with thee, then, O\nson of Pandu, I will give thee all my weapons! O prince of Kuru's race, I\nshall know when the time cometh. Even for thy austere asceticism I will\ngive thee all my weapons of fire and all my Vayavya weapons, and thou\nalso wilt accept them all of me.' Then Vasudeva asked that his friendship\nwith Arjuna might be eternal. The chief of the celestials granted unto\nthe intelligent Krishna the boon he desired. And having granted these\nboons unto Krishna and Arjuna, the lord of the Maruts, accompanied by the\ncelestials, ascended to heaven, having also spoken to Hutasana (one whose\nfood is sacrificial butter). Agni also, having burnt that forest with its\nanimals and birds for five and ten days, became gratified and ceased to\nburn. Having eaten flesh in abundance and drunk fat and blood, he became\nhighly gratified, and addressing Achyuta and Arjuna said, 'I have been\ngratified by you two tigers among men. At my command, ye heroes, ye shall\nbe competent to go wheresoever ye choose!' Thus addressed by the\nillustrious Agni, Arjuna and Vasudeva and the Danava Maya also--these\nthree,--having wandered a little at last sat themselves down on the\ndelightful banks of a river.'\"\n\nEND OF ADI PARVA\n\nFOOTNOTES\n\n1. These are divisions of time\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Mahabharata\n\nof\n\nKrishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa\n\nBOOK 2\n\nSABHA PARVA\n\nTranslated into English Prose from the Original Sanskrit Text\n\nby\n\nKisari Mohan Ganguli\n\n[1883-1896]\n\nScanned at sacred-texts.com, 2003. Proofed at Distributed Proofing,\nJuliet Sutherland, Project Manager. Additional proofing and formatting at\nsacred-texts.com, by J. B. Hare.\n\n\n\nSECTION I\n\n(Sabhakriya Parva)\n\nOm! After having bowed down to Narayana, and Nara, the most exalted male\nbeing, and also to the goddess Saraswati, must the word Jaya be uttered.\n\n\"Vaisampayana said,--\"Then, in the presence of Vasudeva, Maya Danava,\nhaving worshipped Arjuna, repeatedly spoke unto him with joined hands and\nin amiable words,--'O son of Kunti, saved have I been by thee from this\nKrishna in spate and from Pavaka (fire) desirous of consuming me. Tell me\nwhat I have to do for thee.\n\n\"Arjuna said,--'O great Asura, everything hath already been done by thee\n(even by this offer of thine). Blest be thou. Go whithersoever thou\nlikest. Be kind and well-disposed towards me, as we are even kind to and\nwell-pleased with thee!'\n\n\"Maya said,--'O bull amongst men, what thou hast said is worthy of thee,\nO exalted one. But O Bharata, I desire to do something for thee\ncheerfully. I am a great artist, a Viswakarma among the Danavas. O son of\nPandu, being what I am, I desire to do something for thee.'\n\n\"Arjuna said,--'O sinless one, thou regardest thyself as saved (by me)\nfrom imminent death. Even if it hath been so, I cannot make thee do\nanything for me. At the same time, O Danava, I do not wish to frustrate\nthy intentions. Do thou something for Krishna. That will be a sufficient\nrequital for my services to thee.'\n\nVaisampayana said,--\"Then, O bull of the Bharata race, urged by Maya,\nVasudeva reflected for a moment as to what he should ask Maya to\naccomplish. Krishna, the Lord of the universe and the Creator of every\nobject, having reflected in his mind, thus commanded Maya,--'Let a\npalatial sabha (meeting hall) as thou choosest, be built (by thee), if\nthou, O son of Diti, who art the foremost of all artists, desirest to do\ngood to Yudhishthira the just. Indeed, build thou such a palace that\npersons belonging to the world of men may not be able to imitate it even\nafter examining it with care, while seated within. And, O Maya, build\nthou a mansion in which we may behold a combination of godly, asuric and\nhuman designs.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"Having heard those words, Maya became\nexceedingly glad. And he forthwith built a magnificent palace for the son\nof Pandu like unto the palace of the celestials themselves. Then Krishna\nand Partha (Arjuna) after having narrated everything unto king\nYudhishthira the just, introduced Maya unto him. Yudhishthira received\nMaya with respect, offering him the honour he deserved. And, O Bharata,\nMaya accepted that honour thinking highly of it. O monarch of the Bharata\nrace, that great son of Diti then recited unto the sons of Pandu the\nhistory of the Danava Vrisha-parva, and that foremost of artists then,\nhaving rested awhile, set himself after much thoughtful planning to build\na palace for the illustrious sons of Pandu. Agreeably to the wishes of\nboth Krishna and the sons of Pritha, the illustrious Danava of great\nprowess, having performed on an auspicious day the initial propitiatory\nrites of foundation and having also gratified thousands of well-versed\nBrahmanas with sweetened milk and rice and with rich presents of various\nkinds, measured out a plot of land five thousand cubits square, which was\ndelightful and exceedingly handsome to behold and which was favourable\nfor construction of a building well-suited to the exigencies of every\nseason.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION II\n\n\"Vaisampayana said,--\"Janardana deserving the worship of all, having\nlived happily at Khandavaprastha for some time, and having been treated\nall the while with respectful love and affection by the sons of Pritha,\nbecame desirous one day of leaving Khandavaprastha to behold his father.\nThat possessor of large eyes, unto whom was due the obeisance of the\nuniverse, then saluted both Yudhishthira and Pritha and made obeisance\nwith his head unto the feet of Kunti, his father's sister. Thus revered\nby Kesava, Pritha smelt his head and embraced him. The illustrious\nHrishikesa approached his own sister Subhadra affectionately, with his\neyes filled with tears, and spoke unto her words of excellent import and\ntruth, terse proper, unanswerable and fraught with good. The\nsweet-speeched Subhadra also, saluting him in return and worshipping him\nrepeatedly with bent head, told him all that she wished to be conveyed to\nher relatives on the paternal side. And bidding her farewell and uttering\nbenedictions on his handsome sister, he of the Vrishni race, next saw\nDraupadi and Dhaumya. That best of men duly made obeisance unto Dhaumya,\nand consoling Draupadi obtained leave from her. Then the learned and\nmighty Krishna, accompanied by Partha, went to his cousins. And\nsurrounded by the five brothers, Krishna shone like Sakra in the midst of\nthe celestials. He whose banner bore the figure of Garuda, desirous of\nperforming the rites preparatory to the commencement of a journey,\npurified himself by a bath and adorned his person with ornaments. The\nbull of the Yadu race then worshipped the gods and Brahmanas with floral\nwreaths, mantras, bows of the head, and excellent perfumes. Having\nfinished all these rites, that foremost of steady and virtuous persons\nthen thought of setting out. The chief of the Yadu race then came out of\nthe inner to the outer apartment, and issuing thence he made unto\nBrahmanas, deserving of worship, offerings of vessel-fulls of curd and\nfruits, and parched-grain and caused them to pronounce benedictions upon\nhim. And making unto them presents also of wealth, he went round them.\nThen ascending his excellent car of gold endued with great speed and\nadorned with banner bearing the figure of Tarkhya (Garuda) and furnished\nalso with mace, discus, sword, his bow Sharnga and other weapons, and\nyoking thereunto his horses Saivya and Sugriva, he of eyes like lotuses\nset out at an excellent moment of a lunar day of auspicious stellar\nconjunction. And Yudhishthira, the king of the Kurus, from affection,\nascended the chariot after Krishna, and causing that best charioteer\nDaruka to stand aside, himself took the reins. And Arjuna also, of long\narms, riding on that car, walked round Krishna and fanned him with a\nwhite chamara furnished with a handle of gold. And the mighty Bhimasena\naccompanied by the twin brothers Nakula and Sahadeva and the priests and\ncitizens all followed Krishna from behind. And Kesava, that slayer of\nhostile heroes, followed by all the brothers, shone like a preceptor\nfollowed by his favourite pupils. Then Govinda spoke unto Arjuna and\nclasped him firmly, and worshipping Yudhisthira and Bhima, embraced the\ntwins. And embraced in return by the three elder Pandavas, he was\nreverentially saluted by the twins. After having gone about half a Yojana\n(two miles), Krishna, that subjugator of hostile towns, respectfully\naddressed Yudhishthira and requested him, O Bharata, to stop following\nhim further. And Govinda, conversant with every duty, then reverentially\nsaluted Yudhishthira and took hold of his feet. But Yudhishthira soon\nraised Kesava and smelt his head. King Yudhishthira the just, the son of\nPandu, having raised Krishna endued with eyes like lotus-petals and the\nforemost of the Yadava race, gave him leave, saying,--'Good bye!' Then\nthe slayer of Madhu, making an appointment with them (about his return)\nin words that were proper, and preventing with difficulty the Pandavas\nfrom following him further on foot, gladly proceeded towards his own\ncity, like Indra going towards Amravati. Out of the love and affection\nthey bore him, the Pandavas gazed on Krishna as long as he was within\nsight, and their minds also followed him when he got out of sight. And\nKesava of agreeable person soon disappeared from their sight, unsatiated\nthough their minds were with looking at him. Those bulls among men, the\nsons of Pritha, with minds fixed on Govinda, desisted (from following him\nfurther) and unwillingly returned to their own city in haste. And Krishna\nin his car soon reached Dwaraka followed by that hero Satyaki. Then\nSauri, the son of Devaki, accompanied by his charioteer Daruka reached\nDwaraka with the speed of Garuda.\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"Meanwhile king Yudhishthira of unfading glory,\naccompanied by his brothers and surrounded by friends, entered his\nexcellent capital. And that tiger among men, dismissing all his\nrelatives, brothers, and sons, sought to make himself happy in the\ncompany of Draupadi. And Kesava also, worshipped by the principal Yadavas\nincluding Ugrasena, entered with a happy heart his own excellent city.\nAnd worshipping his old father and his illustrious mother, and saluting\n(his brother) Valadeva, he of eyes like lotus-petals took his seat.\nEmbracing Pradyumna, Shamva, Nishatha, Charudeshna, Gada, Aniruddha and\nBhanu, and obtaining the leave of all the elderly men, Janardana entered\nthe apartments of Rukmini.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION III\n\n\"Vaisampayana said,--\"Then Maya Danava addressed Arjuna, that foremost of\nsuccessful warriors, saying,--'I now go with thy leave, but shall come\nback soon. On the north of the Kailasa peak near the mountains of\nMainaka, while the Danavas were engaged in a sacrifice on the banks of\nVindu lake, I gathered a huge quantity of delightful and variegated vanda\n(a kind of rough materials) composed of jewels and gems. This was placed\nin the mansion of Vrishaparva ever devoted to truth. If it be yet\nexisting, I shall come back, O Bharata, with it. I shall then commence\nthe construction of the delightful palace of the Pandavas, which is to be\nadorned with every kind of gems and celebrated all over the world. There\nis also, I think, O thou of the Kuru race, a fierce club placed in the\nlake Vindu by the King (of the Danavas) after slaughtering therewith all\nhis foes in battle. Besides being heavy and strong and variegated with\ngolden knobs, it is capable of bearing great weight, and of slaying all\nfoes, and is equal in strength unto an hundred thousand clubs. It is a\nfit weapon for Bhima, even as the Gandiva is for thee. There is also (in\nthat lake) a large conch-shell called Devadatta of loud sound, that came\nfrom Varuna. I shall no doubt give all these to thee. Having spoken thus\nunto Partha, the Asura went away in a north-easterly direction. On the\nnorth of Kailasa in the mountains of Mainaka, there is a huge peak of\ngems and jewels called Hiranya-sringa. Near that peak is a delightful\nlake of the name of Vindu. There, on its banks, previously dwelt king\nBhagiratha for many years, desiring to behold the goddess Ganga, since\ncalled Bhagirathee after that king's name. And there, on its banks, O\nthou best of the Bharatas, Indra the illustrious lord of every created\nthing, performed one hundred great sacrifices. There, for the sake of\nbeauty, though not according to the dictates of the ordinance, were\nplaced sacrificial stakes made of gems and altars of gold. There, after\nperforming those sacrifices, the thousand-eyed lord of Sachi became\ncrowned with success. There the fierce Mahadeva, the eternal lord of\nevery creature, has taken up his abode after having created all the\nworlds and there he dwelleth, worshipped with reverence by thousands of\nspirits. There Nara and Narayana, Brahma and Yama and Sthanu the fifth,\nperform their sacrifices at the expiration of a thousand yugas. There,\nfor the establishment of virtue and religion, Vasudeva, with pious\ndevotion, performed his sacrifices extending for many, many long years.\nThere were placed by Keshava thousands and tens of thousands of\nsacrificial stakes adorned with golden garlands and altars of great\nsplendour. Going thither, O Bharata, Maya brought back the club and the\nconch-shell and the various crystalline articles that had belonged to\nking Vrishaparva. And the great Asura, Maya, having gone thither,\npossessed himself of the whole of the great wealth which was guarded by\nYakshas and Rakshasas. Bringing them, the Asura constructed therewith a\npeerless palace, which was of great beauty and of celestial make,\ncomposed entirely of gems and precious stones, and celebrated throughout\nthe three worlds. He gave unto Bhimasena that best of clubs, and unto\nArjuna the most excellent conch-shell at whose sound all creatures\ntrembled in awe. And the palace that Maya built consisted of columns of\ngold, and occupied, O monarch, an area of five thousand cubits. The\npalace, possessing an exceedingly beautiful form, like unto that of Agni\nor Suryya, or Soma, shone in great splendour, and by its brilliance\nseemed to darken even the bright rays of the sun. And with the effulgence\nit exhibited, which was a mixture of both celestial and terrestrial\nlight, it looked as if it was on fire. Like unto a mass of new clouds\nconspicuous in the sky, the palace rose up coming into view of all.\nIndeed, the palace that the dexterous Maya built was so wide, delightful,\nand refreshing, and composed of such excellent materials, and furnished\nwith such golden walls and archways, and adorned with so many varied\npictures, and was withal so rich and well-built, that in beauty it far\nsurpassed Sudharma of the Dasarha race, or the mansion of Brahma himself.\nAnd eight thousand Rakshasas called Kinkaras, fierce, huge-bodied and\nendued with great strength, of red coppery eyes and arrowy ears,\nwell-armed and capable of ranging through the air, used to guard and\nprotect that palace. Within that palace Maya placed a peerless tank, and\nin that tank were lotuses with leaves of dark-coloured gems and stalks of\nbright jewels, and other flowers also of golden leaves. And aquatic fowls\nof various species sported on its bosom. Itself variegated with\nfull-blown lotuses and stocked with fishes and tortoises of golden hue,\nits bottom was without mud and its water transparent. There was a flight\nof crystal stairs leading from the banks to the edge of the water. The\ngentle breezes that swept along its bosom softly shook the flowers that\nstudded it. The banks of that tank were overlaid with slabs of costly\nmarble set with pearls. And beholding that tank thus adorned all around\nwith jewels and precious stones, many kings that came there mistook it\nfor land and fell into it with eyes open. Many tall trees of various\nkinds were planted all around the palace. Of green foliage and cool\nshade, and ever blossoming, they were all very charming to behold.\nArtificial woods were laid around, always emitting a delicious fragrance.\nAnd there were many tanks also that were adorned with swans and\nKarandavas and Chakravakas (Brahminy ducks) in the grounds lying about\nthe mansion. And the breeze bearing the fragrance of lotuses growing in\nwater and (of those growing on land) ministered unto the pleasure and\nhappiness of the Pandavas. And Maya having constructed such a palatial\nhall within fourteen months, reported its completion unto Yudhishthira.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION IV\n\n\"Vaisampayana said,--\"Then that chief of men, king Yudhishthira, entered\nthat palatial sabha having first fed ten thousand Brahmanas with\npreparations of milk and rice mixed with clarified butter and honey with\nfruits and roots, and with pork and venison. The king gratified those\nsuperior Brahmanas, who had come from various countries with food\nseasoned with seasamum and prepared with vegetables called jibanti, with\nrice mixed with clarified butter, with different preparations of\nmeat--with indeed various kinds of other food, as also numberless viands\nthat are fit to be sucked and innumerable kinds of drinks, with new and\nunused robes and clothes, and with excellent floral wreaths. The king\nalso gave unto each of those Brahmanas a thousand kine. And, O Bharata,\nthe voice of the gratified Brahmanas uttering,--'What an auspicious day\nis this! became so loud that it seemed to reach heaven itself. And when\nthe Kuru king entered the palatial sabha having also worshipped the gods\nwith various kinds of music and numerous species of excellent and costly\nperfumes, the athletes and mimes and prize-fighters and bards and\nencomiasts began to gratify that illustrious son of Dharma by exhibiting\ntheir skill. And thus celebrating his entry into the palace, Yudhishthira\nwith his brothers sported within that palace like Sakra himself in\nheaven. Upon the seats in that palace sat, along with the Pandavas,\nRishis and kings that came from various countries, viz., Asita and\nDevala, Satya, Sarpamali and Mahasira; Arvavasu, Sumitra, Maitreya,\nSunaka and Vali; Vaka, Dalvya, Sthulasira, Krishna-Dwaipayana, and Suka\nSumanta, Jaimini, Paila, and the disciples of Vyasa, viz., ourselves;\nTittiri, Yajanavalkya, and Lomaharshana with his son; Apsuhomya, Dhaumya,\nAnimandavya; and Kausika; Damoshnisha and Traivali, Parnada, and\nVarayanuka, Maunjayana, Vayubhaksha, Parasarya, and Sarika; Valivaka,\nSilivaka, Satyapala, and Krita-srama; Jatukarna, and Sikhavat. Alamva and\nParijataka; the exalted Parvata, and the great Muni Markandeya;\nPavitrapani, Savarna, Bhaluki, and Galava. Janghabandhu, Raibhya,\nKopavega, and Bhrigu: Harivabhru, Kaundinya, Vabhrumali, and Sanatana,\nKakshivat, and Ashija, Nachiketa, and Aushija, Nachiketa, and Gautama;\nPainga, Varaha, Sunaka, and Sandilya of great ascetic merit: Kukkura,\nVenujangha, Kalapa and Katha;--these virtuous and learned Munis with\nsenses and souls under complete control, and many others as numerous, all\nwell-skilled in the Vedas and Vedangas and conversant with (rules of)\nmorality and pure and spotless in behaviour, waited on the illustrious\nYudhishthira, and gladdened him by their sacred discourses. And so also\nnumerous principal Kshatriyas, such as the illustrious and virtuous\nMujaketu, Vivarddhana, Sangramjit, Durmukha, the powerful Ugrasena;\nKakshasena, the lord of the Earth, Kshemaka the invincible; Kamatha, the\nking of Kamvoja, and the mighty Kampana who alone made the Yavanas to\never tremble at his name just as the god that wieldeth the thunder-bolt\nmaketh those Asuras, the Kalakeyas, tremble before him; Jatasura, and the\nking of the Madrakas, Kunti, Pulinda the king of the Kiratas, and the\nkings of Anga and Vanga, and Pandrya, and the king of Udhara, and\nAndhaka; Sumitra, and Saivya that slayer of foes; Sumanas, the king of\nthe Kiratas, and Chanur the King of the Yavanas, Devarata, Bhoja, and the\nso called Bhimaratha, Srutayudha--the king of Kalinga, Jayasena the king\nof Magadha; and Sukarman, and Chekitana, and Puru that slayer of foes;\nKetumata, Vasudana, and Vaideha and Kritakshana: Sudharman, Aniruddha,\nSrutayu endued with great strength; the invincible Anuparaja, the\nhandsome Karmajit; Sisupala with his son, the king of Karusha; and the\ninvincible youths of the Vrishni race, all equal in beauty unto the\ncelestials, viz., Ahuka, Viprithu, Sada, Sarana, Akrura, Kritavarman, and\nSatyaka, the son of Sini; and Bhismaka, Ankriti, and the powerful\nDyumatsena, those chief of bowmen viz., the Kaikeyas and Yajnasena of the\nSomaka race; these Kshatriyas endured with great might, all well-armed\nand wealthy, and many others also regarded as the foremost, all waited\nupon Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, in that Sabha, desirous of\nministering to his happiness. And those princes also, endued with great\nstrength, who dressing themselves in deer-skins learnt the science of\nweapons under Arjuna, waited upon Yudhishthira. And O king, the princes\nalso of the Vrishni race, viz., Pradyumna (the son of Rukmini) and Samva,\nand Yuyudhana the son of Satyaki and Sudharman and Aniruddha and Saivya\nthat foremost of men who had learnt the science of arms under Arjuna\nthese and many other kings, O lord of the Earth, used to wait on\nYudhishthira on that occasion. And that friend of Dhananjaya, Tumvuru,\nand the Gandharva Chittasena with his ministers, any many other\nGandharvas and Apsaras, well-skilled in vocal and instrumental music and\nin cadence and Kinnaras also well-versed in (musical) measures and\nmotions singing celestial tunes in proper and charming voices, waited\nupon and gladdened the sons of Pandu and the Rishis who sat in that\nSabha. And seated in that Sabha, those bull among men, of rigid vows and\ndevoted to truth, all waited upon Yudhishthira like the celestials in\nheaven waiting upon Brahma.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION V\n\n(Lokapala Sabhakhayana Parva)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said,--\"While the illustrious Pandavas were seated in that\nSabha along with the principal Gandharvas, there came, O Bharata, unto\nthat assembly the celestial Rishi Narada, conversant with the Vedas and\nUpanishadas, worshipped by the celestials acquainted with histories and\nPuranas, well-versed in all that occurred in ancient kalpas (cycles),\nconversant with Nyaya (logic) and the truth of moral science, possessing\na complete knowledge of the six Angas (viz., pronunciation, grammar,\nprosody, explanation of basic terms, description of religious rites, and\nastronomy). He was a perfect master in reconciling contradictory texts\nand differentiating in applying general principles to particular cases,\nas also in interpreting contraries by reference to differences in\nsituation, eloquent, resolute, intelligent, possessed of powerful memory.\nHe was acquainted with the science of morals and politics, learned,\nproficient in distinguishing inferior things from superior ones, skilled\nin drawing inference from evidence, competent to judge of the correctness\nor incorrectness of syllogistic statements consisting of five\npropositions. He was capable of answering successively Vrihaspati himself\nwhile arguing, with definite conclusions properly framed about religion,\nwealth, pleasure and salvation, of great soul and beholding this whole\nuniverse, above, below, and around, as if it were present before his\neyes. He was master of both the Sankhya and Yoga systems of philosophy,\never desirous of humbling the celestials and Asuras by fomenting quarrels\namong them, conversant with the sciences of war and treaty, proficient in\ndrawing conclusions by judging of things not within direct ken, as also\nin the six sciences of treaty, war, military campaigns, maintenance of\nposts against the enemy and stratagems by ambuscades and reserves. He was\na thorough master of every branch of learning, fond of war and music,\nincapable of being repulsed by any science or any course, of action, and\npossessed of these and numberless other accomplishments. The Rishi,\nhaving wandered over the different worlds, came into that Sabha. And the\ncelestial Rishi  of immeasurable splendour, endued with great energy was\naccompanied, O monarch, by Parijata and the intelligent Raivata and\nSaumya and Sumukha. Possessing the speed of the mind, the Rishi came\nthither and was filled with gladness upon beholding the Pandavas. The\nBrahmana, on arriving there, paid homage unto Yudhishthira by uttering\nblessings on him and wishing him victory. Beholding the learned Rishi\narrive, the eldest of the Pandavas, conversant with all rules of duty,\nquickly stood up with his younger brothers. Bending low with humility,\nthe monarch cheerfully saluted the Rishi, and gave with due ceremonies a\nbefitting seat unto him. The king also gave him kine and the usual\nofferings of the Arghya including honey and the other ingredients.\nConversant with every duty the monarch also worshipped the Rishi with\ngems and jewels with a whole heart. Receiving that worship from\nYudhishthira in proper form, the Rishi became gratified. Thus worshipped\nby the Pandavas and the great Rishis, Narada possessing a complete\nmastery over the Vedas, said unto Yudhishthira the following words\nbearing upon religion, wealth, pleasures and salvation.\n\n\"Narada said--'Is the wealth thou art earning being spent on proper\nobjects? Doth thy mind take pleasure in virtue? Art thou enjoying the\npleasures of life? Doth not thy mind sink under their weight? O chief of\nmen, continuest thou in the noble conduct consistent with religion and\nwealth practised by thy ancestors towards the three classes of subjects,\n(viz., good, indifferent, and bad)? Never injurest thou religion for the\nsake of wealth, or both religion and wealth for the sake of pleasure that\neasily seduces? O thou foremost of victorious men ever devoted to the\ngood of all, conversant as thou art with the timeliness of everything,\nfollowest thou religion, wealth, pleasure and salvation dividing thy time\njudiciously? O sinless one, with the six attributes of kings (viz.,\ncleverness of speech, readiness in providing means, intelligence in\ndealing with the foe, memory, and acquaintance with morals and politics),\ndost thou attend to the seven means (viz., sowing dissensions,\nchastisement, conciliation, gifts, incantations, medicine and magic)?\nExaminest thou also, after a survey of thy own strength and weakness, the\nfourteen possessions of thy foes? These are the country, forts, cars,\nelephants, cavalry, foot-soldiers, the principal officials of state, the\nzenana, food supply, computations of the army and income, the religious\ntreatises in force, the accounts of state, the revenue, wine-shops and\nother secret enemies. Attendest thou to the eight occupations (of\nagriculture, trade, &c), having examined, O thou foremost of victorious\nmonarchs, thy own and thy enemy's means, and having made peace with thy\nenemies? O bull of the Bharata race, thy seven principal officers of\nstate (viz., the governor of the citadel, the commander of forces, the\nchief judge, the general in interior command, the chief priest, the chief\nphysician, and the chief astrologer), have not, I hope, succumbed to the\ninfluence of thy foes, nor have they, I hope, become idle in consequence\nof the wealth they have earned? They are, I hope, all obedient to thee.\nThy counsels, I hope, are never divulged by thy trusted spies in\ndisguise, by thyself or by thy ministers? Thou ascertainest, I hope, what\nthy friends, foes and strangers are about? Makest thou peace and makest\nthou war at proper times? Observest thou neutrality towards strangers and\npersons that are neutral towards thee? And, O hero, hast thou made\npersons like thyself, persons that are old, continent in behaviour,\ncapable of understanding what should be done and what should not, pure as\nregards birth and blood, and devoted to thee, thy ministers? O Bharata,\nthe victories of kings can be attributed to good counsels. O child, is\nthy kingdom protected by ministers learned in Sastras, keeping their\ncounsels close? Are thy foes unable to injure it? Thou hast not become\nthe slave of sleep? Wakest thou at the proper time? Conversant with\npursuits yielding profit, thinkest thou, during the small hours of night,\nas to what thou shouldst do and what thou shouldst not do the next day?\nThou settlest nothing alone, nor takest counsels with many? The counsels\nthou hast resolved upon, do not become known all over thy kingdom?\nCommencest thou soon to accomplish measures of great utility that are\neasy of accomplishment? Such measures are never obstructed? Keepest thou\nthe agriculturists not out of thy sight? They do not fear to approach\nthee? Achievest thou thy measures through persons that are trusted\nincorruptible, and possessed of practical experience? And, O brave king.\nI hope, people only know the measures already accomplished by thee and\nthose that have been partially accomplished and are awaiting completion,\nbut not those that are only in contemplation and uncommenced? Have\nexperienced teachers capable of explaining the causes of things and\nlearned in the science of morals and every branch of learning, been\nappointed to instruct the princes and the chiefs of the army? Buyest thou\na single learned man by giving in exchange a thousand ignorant\nindividuals? The man that is learned conferreth the greatest benefit in\nseasons of distress. Are thy forts always filled with treasure, food,\nweapons, water, engines and instruments, as also with engineers and\nbowmen? Even a single minister that is intelligent, brave, with his\npassions under complete control, and possessed of wisdom and judgment, is\ncapable of conferring the highest prosperity on a king or a king's son. I\nask thee, therefore, whether there is even one such minister with thee?\nSeekest thou to know everything about the eighteen Tirthas of the foe and\nfifteen of thy own by means of three and three spies all unacquainted\nwith one another? O slayer of all foes, watchest thou all thy enemies\nwith care and attention, and unknown to them? Is the priest thou\nhonourest, possessed of humility, and purity of blood, and renown, and\nwithout jealousy and illiberality? Hath any well-behaved, intelligent,\nand guileless Brahmana, well-up in the ordinance, been employed by thee\nin the performance of thy daily rites before the sacred fire, and doth he\nremind thee in proper time as to when thy homa should be performed? Is\nthe astrologer thou hast employed skilled in reading physiognomy, capable\nof interpreting omens, and competent to neutralise the effect of the\ndisturbances of nature? Have respectable servants been employed by thee\nin offices that are respectable, indifferent ones in indifferent offices,\nand low ones in offices that are low? Hast thou appointed to high offices\nministers that are guileless and of well conduct for generations and\nabove the common run? Oppressest thou not thy people with cruel and\nsevere punishment? And, O bull of the Bharata race, do thy ministers rule\nthy kingdom under thy orders? Do thy ministers ever slight thee like\nsacrificial priests slighting men that are fallen (and incapable of\nperforming any more sacrifices) or like wives slighting husbands that are\nproud and incontinent in their behaviour? Is the commander of thy forces\npossessed of sufficient confidence, brave, intelligent, patient,\nwell-conducted, of good birth, devoted to thee, and competent? Treatest\nthou with consideration and regard the chief officers of thy army that\nare skilled in every kind of welfare, are forward, well-behaved, and\nendued with prowess? Givest thou to thy troops their sanctioned rations\nand pay in the appointed time? Thou dost not oppress them by withholding\nthese? Knowest thou that the misery caused by arrears of pay and\nirregularity in the distribution of rations driveth the troops to mutiny,\nand that is called by the learned to be one of the greatest of mischiefs?\nAre all the principal high-born men devoted to thee, and ready with\ncheerfulness to lay down their lives in battle for thy sake? I hope no\nsingle individual of passions uncontrolled is ever permitted by thee to\nrule as he likes a number of concerns at the same time appertaining to\nthe army? Is any servant of thine, who hath accomplished well a\nparticular business by the employment of special ability, disappointed in\nobtaining from thee a little more regard, and an increase of food and\npay? I hope thou rewardest persons of learning and humility, and skill in\nevery kind of knowledge with gifts of wealth and honour proportionate to\ntheir qualifications. Dost thou support, O bull in the Bharata race, the\nwives and children of men that have given their lives for thee and have\nbeen distressed on thy account? Cherishest thou, O son of Pritha, with\npaternal affection the foe that hath been weakened, or him also that hath\nsought thy shelter, having been vanquished in battle? O lord of Earth,\nart thou equal unto all men, and can every one approach thee without\nfear, as if thou wert their mother and father? And O bull of the Bharata\nrace, marchest thou, without loss of time, and reflecting well upon three\nkinds of forces, against thy foe when thou hearest that he is in\ndistress? O subjugator of all foes beginnest thou thy march when the time\ncometh, having taken into consideration all the omens you might see, the\nresolutions thou hast made, and that the ultimate victory depends upon\nthe twelve mandalas (such as reserves, ambuscades, &c, and payment of pay\nto the troops in advance)? And, O persecutor of all foes, givest thou\ngems and jewels, unto the principal officers of enemy, as they deserve,\nwithout thy enemy's knowledge? O son of Pritha, seekest thou to conquer\nthy incensed foes that are slaves to their passions, having first\nconquered thy own soul and obtained the mastery over thy own senses?\nBefore thou marchest out against thy foes, dost thou properly employ the\nfour arts of reconciliation, gift (of wealth) producing disunion, and\napplication of force? O monarch, goest thou out against thy enemies,\nhaving first strengthened thy own kingdom? And having gone out against\nthem, exertest thou to the utmost to obtain victory over them? And having\nconquered them, seekest thou to protect them with care? Are thy army\nconsisting of four kinds of forces, viz., the regular troops, the allies,\nthe mercenaries, and the irregulars, each furnished with the eight\ningredients, viz., cars, elephants, horses, offices, infantry,\ncamp-followers, spies possessing a thorough knowledge of the country, and\nensigns led out against thy enemies after having been well trained by\nsuperior officers? O oppressor of all foes, O great king, I hope thou\nslayest thy foes without regarding their seasons of reaping and of\nfamine? O king, I hope thy servants and agents in thy own kingdom and in\nthe kingdoms of thy foes continue to look after their respective duties\nand to protect one another. O monarch, I hope trusted servants have been\nemployed by thee to look after thy food, the robes thou wearest and the\nperfumes thou usest. I hope, O king, thy treasury, barns, stables\narsenals, and women's apartments, are all protected by servants devoted\nto thee and ever seeking thy welfare. I hope, O monarch, thou protectest\nfirst thyself from thy domestic and public servants, then from those\nservants of thy relatives and from one another. Do thy servants, O king,\never speak to thee in the forenoon regarding thy extravagant expenditure\nin respect of thy drinks, sports, and women? Is thy expenditure always\ncovered by a fourth, a third or a half of thy income? Cherishest thou\nalways, with food and wealth, relatives, superiors, merchants, the aged,\nand other proteges, and the distressed? Do the accountants and clerks\nemployed by thee in looking after thy income and expenditure, always\nappraise thee every day in the forenoon of thy income and expenditure?\nDismissest thou without fault servants accomplished in business and\npopular and devoted to thy welfare? O Bharata, dost thou employ superior,\nindifferent, and low men, after examining them well in offices they\ndeserve? O monarch, employest thou in thy business persons that are\nthievish or open to temptation, or hostile, or minors? Persecutest thou\nthy kingdom by the help of thievish or covetous men, or minors, or women?\nAre the agriculturists in thy kingdom contented. Are large tanks and\nlakes constructed all over thy kingdom at proper distances, without\nagriculture being in thy realm entirely dependent on the showers of\nheaven? Are the agriculturists in thy kingdom wanting in either seed or\nfood? Grantest thou with kindness loans (of seed-grains) unto the\ntillers, taking only a fourth in excess of every measure by the hundred?\nO child, are the four professions of agriculture, trade, cattle-rearing,\nand lending at interest, carried on by honest men? Upon these O monarch,\ndepends the happiness of thy people. O king, do the five brave and wise\nmen, employed in the five offices of protecting the city, the citadel,\nthe merchants, and the agriculturists, and punishing the criminals,\nalways benefit thy kingdom by working in union with one another? For the\nprotection of thy city, have the villages been made like towns, and the\nhamlets and outskirts of villages like villages? Are all these entirely\nunder thy supervision and sway? Are thieves and robbers that sack thy\ntown pursued by thy police over the even and uneven parts of thy kingdom?\nConsolest thou women and are they protected in thy realm? I hope thou\nplacest not any confidence in them, nor divulgest any secret before any\nof them? O monarch, having heard of any danger and having reflected on it\nalso, liest thou in the inner apartments enjoying every agreeable object?\nHaving slept during the second and the third divisions of the night,\nthinkest thou of religion and profit in the fourth division wakefully. O\nson of Pandu, rising from bed at the proper time and dressing thyself\nwell, showest thou thyself to thy people, accompanied by ministers\nconversant with the auspiciousness or otherwise of moments? O represser\nof all foes, do men dressed in red and armed with swords and adorned with\nornaments stand by thy side to protect thy person? O monarch! behavest\nthou like the god of justice himself unto those that deserve punishment\nand those that deserve worship, unto those that are dear to thee and\nthose that thou likest not? O son of Pritha, seekest thou to cure bodily\ndiseases by medicines and fasts, and mental illness with the advice of\nthe aged? I hope that the physicians engaged in looking after thy health\nare well conversant with the eight kinds of treatment and are all\nattached and devoted to thee. Happeneth it ever, O monarch, that from\ncovetousness or folly or pride thou failest to decide between the\nplaintiff and the defendant who have come to thee? Deprivest thou,\nthrough covetousness or folly, of their pensions the proteges who have\nsought thy shelter from trustfulness or love? Do the people that inhabit\nthy realm, bought by thy foes, ever seek to raise disputes with thee,\nuniting themselves with one another? Are those amongst thy foes that are\nfeeble always repressed by the help of troops that are strong, by the\nhelp of both counsels and troops? Are all the principal chieftains (of\nthy empire) all devoted to thee? Are they ready to lay down their lives\nfor thy sake, commanded by thee? Dost thou worship Brahmanas and wise men\naccording to their merits in respect of various branches of learning? I\ntell thee, such worship is without doubt, highly beneficial to thee. Hast\nthou faith in the religion based on the three Vedas and practised by men\nwho have gone before thee? Dost thou carefully follow the practices that\nwere followed by them? Are accomplished Brahmanas entertained in thy\nhouse and in thy presence with nutritive and excellent food, and do they\nalso obtain pecuniary gifts at the conclusion of those feasts? Dost thou,\nwith passions under complete control and with singleness of mind, strive\nto perform the sacrifices called Vajapeya and Pundarika with their full\ncomplement of rites? Bowest thou unto thy relatives and superiors, the\naged, the gods, the ascetics, the Brahmanas, and the tall trees (banian)\nin villages, that are of so much benefit to people? O sinless one,\ncausest thou ever grief or anger in any one? Do priests capable of\ngranting thee auspicious fruits ever stand by thy side? O sinless one,\nare thy inclinations and practices such as I have described them, and as\nalways enhance the duration of life and spread one's renown and as always\nhelp the cause of religion, pleasure, and profit? He who conducteth\nhimself according to this way, never findeth his kingdom distressed or\nafflicted; and that monarch, subjugating the whole earth, enjoyeth a high\ndegree of felicity. O monarch, I hope, no well-behaved, pure-souled, and\nrespected person is ever ruined and his life taken, on a false charge or\ntheft, by thy ministers ignorant of Sastras and acting from greed? And, O\nbull among men, I hope thy ministers never from covetousness set free a\nreal thief, knowing him to be such and having apprehended him with the\nbooty about him? O Bharata, I hope, thy ministers are never won over by\nbribes, nor do they wrongly decide the disputes that arise between the\nrich and the poor. Dost thou keep thyself free from the fourteen vices of\nkings, viz., atheism, untruthfulness, anger, incautiousness,\nprocrastination, non-visit to the wise, idleness, restlessness of mind,\ntaking counsels with only one man, consultation with persons unacquainted\nwith the science of profit, abandonment of a settled plan, divulgence of\ncounsels, non-accomplishment of beneficial projects, and undertaking\neverything without reflection? By these, O king, even monarchs firmly\nseated on their thrones are ruined. Hath thy study of the Vedas, thy\nwealth and knowledge of the Sastras and marriage been fruitful?\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued,--After the Rishi had finished, Yudhishthira\nasked,--\"How, O Rishi, do the Vedas, wealth, wife, and knowledge of the\nSastras bear fruit?\"\n\n\"The Rishi answered,--\"The Vedas are said to bear fruit when he that hath\nstudied them performeth the Agnihotra and other sacrifices. Wealth is\nsaid to bear fruit when he that hath it enjoyeth it himself and giveth it\naway in charity. A wife is said to bear fruit when she is useful and when\nshe beareth children. Knowledge of the Sastras is said to bear fruit when\nit resulteth in humility and good behaviour.\"\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued,--The great ascetic Narada, having answered\nYudhishthira thus, again asked that just ruler,-\"Do the officers of thy\ngovernment, O king, that are paid from the taxes levied on the community,\ntake only their just dues from the merchants that come to thy territories\nfrom distant lands impelled by the desire of gain? Are the merchants, O\nking, treated with consideration in thy capital and kingdom, capable of\nbringing their goods thither without being deceived by the false pretexts\nof (both the buyers and the officers of government)?\n\nListenest thou always, O monarch, to the words, fraught with instructions\nin religion and wealth, of old men acquainted with economic doctrines?\nAre gifts of honey and clarified butter made to the Brahmanas intended\nfor the increase of agricultural produce, of kine, of fruits and flowers,\nand for the sake of virtue? Givest thou always, O king, regularly unto\nall the artisans and artists employed by thee the materials of their\nworks and their wages for periods not more than four months? Examinest\nthou the works executed by those that are employed by thee, and\napplaudest thou them before good men, and rewardest thou them, having\nshewn them proper respect? O bull of the Bharata race, followest thou the\naphorisms (of the sage) in respect of every concern particularly those\nrelating to elephants, horses, and cars? O bull of the Bharata race, are\nthe aphorisms relating to the science of arms, as also those that relate\nto the practice of engines in warfare--so useful to towns and fortified\nplaces, studied in thy court? O sinless one, art thou acquainted with all\nmysterious incantations, and with the secrets of poisons destructive of\nall foes? Protectest thou thy kingdom from the fear of fire, of snakes\nand other animals destructive of life, of disease, and Rakshasas? As\nacquainted thou art with every duty, cherishest thou like a father, the\nblind, the dumb, the lame, the deformed, the friendless, and ascetics\nthat have no homes. Hast thou banished these six evils, O monarch, viz.,\nsleep, idleness, fear, anger, weakness of mind, and procrastination?'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued,--The illustrious bull among the Kurus, having\nheard these words of that best of Brahmanas, bowed down unto him and\nworshipped his feet. And gratified with everything he heard, the monarch\nsaid unto Narada of celestial form,--\"I shall do all that thou hast\ndirected, for my knowledge hath expanded under thy advice!' Having said\nthis the king acted conformably to that advice, and gained in time the\nwhole Earth bounded by her belt of seas. Narada again spoke,\nsaying,--\"That king who is thus employed in the protection of four\norders, Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Sudras, passeth his days\nhere happily and attaineth hereafter to the region of Sakra (heaven).'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION VI\n\n\"Vaisampayana said,--At the conclusion of Narada's words, king\nYudhishthira the just worshipped him duly; and commanded by him the\nmonarch began to reply succinctly to the questions the Rishi had asked.\n\n\"Yudhishthira said--'O holy one, the truths of religion and morality thou\nhast indicated one after another, are just and proper. As regards myself,\nI duly observe those ordinances to the best of my power. Indeed, the acts\nthat were properly performed by monarchs of yore are, without doubt, to\nbe regarded as bearing proper fruit, and undertaken from solid reasons\nfor the attainment of proper objects. O master, we desire to walk in the\nvirtuous path of those rulers that had, besides, their souls under\ncomplete control.\"\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued,--\"Yudhishthira, the son of Pandu, possessed of\ngreat glory, having received with reverence the words of Narada and\nhaving also answered the Rishi thus, reflected for a moment. And\nperceiving a proper opportunity, the monarch, seated beside the Rishi,\nasked Narada sitting at his ease and capable of going into every world at\nwill, in the presence of that assembly of kings, saying,--'Possessed of\nthe speed of mind, thou wanderest over various and many worlds created in\ndays of yore by Brahma, beholding everything. Tell me, I ask thee, if\nthou hast, O Brahmana, ever beheld before anywhere an assembly room like\nthis of mine or superior to it!' Hearing these words of Yudhishthira the\njust, Narada smilingly answered the son of Pandu in these sweet accents,--\n\n\"Narada said,--'O child, O king I did neither see nor hear of ever before\namongst men, any assembly room built of gems and precious stones like\nthis of thine, O Bharata. I shall, however, describe unto thee the rooms\nof the king of the departed (Yama), of Varuna (Neptune) of great\nintelligence, of Indra, the King of Gods and also of him who hath his\nhome in Kailasha (Kuvera). I shall also describe unto thee the celestial\nSabha of Brahma that dispelleth every kind of uneasiness. All these\nassembly rooms exhibit in their structure both celestial and human\ndesigns and present every kind of form that exists in the universe. And\nthey are ever worshipped by the gods and the Pitris, the Sadhyas,\n(under-deities called Gana), by ascetics offering sacrifices, with souls\nunder complete command, by peaceful Munis engaged without intermission in\nVedic sacrifices with presents to Brahmanas. I shall describe all these\nto you if, O bull of the Bharata race, thou hast any inclinations to\nlisten to me!'\"\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued,--\"Thus addressed by Narada, the high-souled king\nYudhishthira the just, with his brothers and all those foremost of\nBrahmanas (seated around him), joined his hands (in entreaty). And the\nmonarch then asked Narada, saying,--'Describe unto us all those assembly\nrooms. We desire to listen to thee. O Brahmana, what are the articles\nwith which each of the Sabhas are made of? What is the area of each, and\nwhat is the length and breadth of each? Who wait upon the Grandsire in\nthat assembly room? And who also upon Vasava, the Lord of the celestials\nand upon Yama, the son of Vivaswana? Who wait upon Varuna and upon Kuvera\nin their respective assembly rooms. O Brahmana Rishi, tell us all about\nthese. We all together desire to hear thee describe them. Indeed, our\ncuriosity is great.' Thus addressed by the son of Pandu, Narada replied,\nsaying,--'O monarch, hear ye all about those celestial assembly rooms one\nafter another.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION VII\n\n\"Narada said,--the celestial assembly room of Sakra is full of lustre. He\nhath obtained it as the fruit of his own acts. Possessed of the splendour\nof the sun, it was built, O scion of the Kuru race, by Sakra himself.\nCapable of going everywhere at will, this celestial assembly house is\nfull one hundred and fifty yojanas in length, and hundred yojanas in\nbreadth, and five yojanas in height. Dispelling weakness of age, grief,\nfatigue, and fear, auspicious and bestowing good fortune, furnished with\nrooms and seats and adorned with celestial trees, it is delightful in the\nextreme. There sitteth in that assembly room, O son of Pritha, on an\nexcellent seat, the Lord of celestials, with his wife Sachi endowed with\nbeauty and affluence. Assuming a form incapable of description for its\nvagueness, with a crown on his head and bright bracelets on the upper\narms, attired in robes of pure white and decked with floral wreaths of\nmany hues, there he sitteth with beauty, fame, and glory by his side. And\nthe illustrious deity of a hundred sacrifices is daily waited upon. O\nmonarch, in that assembly by the Marutas in a body, each leading the life\nof a householder in the bosom of his family. And the Siddhyas, celestial\nRishis, the Sadhyas in all, the gods, and Marutas of brilliant complexion\nand adorned with golden garlands,--all of them in celestial form and\ndecked in ornaments, always wait upon and worship the illustrious chief\nof the immortals, that mighty represser of all foes. And O son of Pritha,\nthe celestial Rishis also, all of pure souls, with sins completely washed\noff and resplendent as the fire, and possessed of energy, and without\nsorrow of any kind, and freed from the fever of anxiety, and all\nperformers of the Soma sacrifice, also wait upon and worship Indra. And\nParasara and Parvata and Savarni and Galava; and Sankha, and the Muni,\nGaursiras, and Durvasa, and Krodhana and Swena and the Muni Dhirghatamas;\nand Pavitrapani, Savarni, Yajnavalkya and Bhaluki; and Udyalaka,\nSwetaketu, and Tandya, and also Bhandayani; and Havishmat, and Garishta,\nand king Harischandra; and Hridya, Udarshandilya. Parasarya, Krishivala;\nVataskandha, Visakha, Vidhatas and Kala. Karaladanta, Tastri, and\nVishwakarman, and Tumuru; and other Rishis, some born of women and others\nliving upon air, and others again living upon fire, these all worship\nIndra, the wielder of the thunderbolt, the lord of all the worlds. And\nSahadeva, and Sunitha, and Valmiki of great ascetic merit; and Samika of\ntruthful speech, and Prachetas ever fulfilling their promises, and\nMedhatithi, and Vamadeva, and Pulastya, Pulaha and Kratu; and Maruta and\nMarichi, and Sthanu of great ascetic merit; and Kakshivat, and Gautama,\nand Tarkhya, and also the Muni Vaishwanara; and the Muni Kalakavrikhiya\nand Asravya, and also Hiranmaya, and Samvartta, and Dehavya, and\nViswaksena of great energy; and Kanwa, and Katyayana, O king, and Gargya,\nand Kaushika;--all are present there along with the celestial waters and\nplants; and faith, and intelligence, and the goddess of learning, and\nwealth, religion, and pleasure; and lightning. O son of Pandu; and the\nrain-charged clouds, and the winds, and all the loud-sounding forces of\nheaven; the eastern point, the twenty seven fires conveying the\nsacrificial butter, Agni and Soma, and the fire of Indra, and Mitra, and\nSavitri, and Aryaman; Bhaga, Viswa the Sadhyas, the preceptor\n(Vrihaspati), and also Sukra; and Vishwavasu and Chitrasena, and Sumanas,\nand also Taruna; the Sacrifices, the gifts to Brahmanas, the planets, and\nthe stars, O Bharata, and the mantras that are uttered in sacrifices--all\nthese are present there. And, O King, many Apsaras and Gandharvas, by\nvarious kinds of dances and music both instrumental and vocal, and by the\npractice of auspicious rites, and by the exhibition of many feats of\nskill, gratify the lord of the celestials--Satakratu--the illustrious\nslayer of Vala and Vritra. Besides these, many other Brahmanas and royal\nand celestial Rishis, all resplendent as the fire, decked in floral\nwreaths and ornaments, frequently come to and leave that assembly, riding\non celestial cars of various kinds. And Vrihaspati and Sukra are present\nthere on all occasions. These and many other illustrious ascetics of\nrigid wows, and Bhrigu and the seven Rishis who are equal, O king, unto\nBrahma himself, come to and leave that assembly house, riding on cars\nbeautiful as the car of Soma, and themselves looking as bright therein as\nSoma himself. This, O mighty armed monarch, is the assembly house, called\nPushkaramalini, of Indra of a hundred sacrifices that I have seen. Listen\nnow to the account of Yama's assembly house.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION VIII\n\n\"Narada said,--'O Yudhisthira, I shall now describe the assembly house of\nYama, the son of Vivaswat, which, O son of Pritha, was built by\nViswakarma. Listen now to me. Bright as burnished gold, that assembly\nhouse, O monarch, covers an area of much more than a hundred yojanas.\nPossessed of the splendour of the sun, it yieldeth everything that one\nmay desire. Neither very cool nor very hot, it delighteth the heart. In\nthat assembly house there is neither grief nor weakness of age, neither\nhunger nor thirst. Nothing disagreeable findeth a place there, nor any\nkind of evil feelings there. Every object of desire, celestial or human,\nis to be found in that mansion. And all kinds of enjoyable articles, as\nalso of sweet, juicy, agreeable, and delicious edibles in profusion that\nare licked, sucked, and drunk, are there, O chastiser of all enemies. The\nfloral wreaths in that mansion are of the most delicious fragrance, and\nthe trees that stand around it yield fruits that are desired of them.\nThere are both cold and hot waters and these are sweet and agreeable. In\nthat mansion many royal sages of great sanctity and Brahmana sages also\nof great purity, cheerfully wait upon, O child, and worship Yama, the son\nof Vivaswat. And Yayati, Nahusha, Puru, Mandhatri, Somaka, Nriga; the\nroyal sage Trasadasyu, Kritavirya, Sautasravas; Arishtanemi, Siddha,\nKritavega, Kriti, Nimi, Pratarddana, Sivi, Matsya, Prithulaksha,\nVrihadratha, Vartta, Marutta, Kusika, Sankasya, Sankriti, Dhruva,\nChaturaswa, Sadaswormi and king Kartavirya; Bharata and Suratha, Sunitha,\nNisatha, Nala, Divodasa, and Sumanas, Amvarisha, Bhagiratha; Vyaswa,\nVadhraswa, Prithuvega, Prithusravas, Prishadaswa, Vasumanas, Kshupa, and\nSumahavala, Vrishadgu, and Vrishasena, Purukutsa, Dhwajin and Rathin;\nArshtisena, Dwilipa, and the high-souled Ushinara; Ausinari, Pundarika,\nSaryati, Sarava, and Suchi; Anga, Rishta, Vena, Dushmanta, Srinjaya and\nJaya; Bhangasuri, Sunitha, and Nishada, and Bahinara; Karandhama,\nValhika, Sudymna, and the mighty Madhu; Aila and the mighty king of earth\nMaruta; Kapota, Trinaka, and Shadeva, and Arjuna also. Vysawa; Saswa and\nKrishaswa, and king Sasavindu; Rama the son of Dasaratha, and Lakshmana,\nand Pratarddana; Alarka, and Kakshasena, Gaya, and Gauraswa; Rama the son\nof Jamadagnya, Nabhaga, and Sagara; Bhuridyumna and Mahaswa, Prithaswa,\nand also Janaka; king Vainya, Varisena, Purujit, and Janamejaya;\nBrahmadatta, and Trigarta, and king Uparichara also; Indradyumna,\nBhimajanu, Gauraprishta, Nala, Gaya; Padma and Machukunda, Bhuridyumna,\nPrasenajit; Aristanemi, Sudymna, Prithulauswa, and Ashtaka also; a\nhundred kings of the Matsya race and hundred of the Vipa and a hundred of\nthe Haya races; a hundred kings of the name of Dhritarashtra, eighty\nkings of the name of Janamejaya; a hundred monarchs called Brahmadatta,\nand a hundred kings of the name of Iri; more than two hundred Bhishmas,\nand also a hundred Bhimas; a hundred Prativindhyas, a hundred Nagas, and\na hundred Palasas, and a hundred called Kasa and Kusa; that king of kings\nSantanu, and thy father Pandu, Usangava, Sata-ratha, Devaraja,\nJayadratha; the intelligent royal sage Vrishadarva with his ministers;\nand a thousand other kings known by the name of Sasa-vindu, and who have\ndied, having performed many grand horse-sacrifices with large presents to\nthe Brahmanas--these holy royal sages of grand achievements and great\nknowledge of the Sastras, wait upon, O King, and worship the son of\nVivaswat in that assembly house. And Agastya and Matanga, and Kala, and\nMrityu (Death), performers of sacrifices, the Siddhas, and many Yogins;\nthe Prtris (belonging to the classes--called Agniswattas, Fenapa,\nUshampa, Swadhavat, and Verhishada), as also those others that have\nforms; the wheel of time, and the illustrious conveyer himself of the\nsacrificial butter; all sinners among human beings, as also those that\nhave died during the winter solstice; these officers of Yama who have\nbeen appointed to count the allotted days of everybody and everything;\nthe Singsapa, Palasa, Kasa, and Kusa trees and plants, in their embodied\nforms, these all, O king, wait upon and worship the god of justice in\nthat assembly house of his. These and many others are present at the\nSabha of the king of the Pitris (manes). So numerous are they that I am\nincapable of describing them either by mentioning their names or deeds. O\nson of Pritha, the delightful assembly house, moving everywhere at the\nwill of its owner, is of wide extent. It was built by Viswakarma after a\nlong course of ascetic penances. And, O Bharata, resplendent with his own\neffulgence, it stands glorified in all its beauty. Sannyasis of severe\nascetic penance, of excellent vows, and of truthful speech, peaceful and\npure and sanctified by holy deeds, of shining bodies and attired in\nspotless robes, decked with bracelets and floral garlands, with ear-rings\nof burnished gold, and adorned with their own holy acts as with the marks\nof their order (painted over their bodies), constantly visit that Sabha\n(Assembly). Many illustrious Gandharvas, and many Apsaras fill every part\nof that mansion with music; both instrumental and vocal and with sounds\nof laughter and dance. And, O son of Pritha, excellent perfumes, and\nsweet sounds and garlands of celestial flowers always contribute towards\nmaking that mansion supremely blest. And hundreds of thousands of\nvirtuous persons, of celestial beauty and great wisdom, always wait upon\nand worship the illustrious Yama, the lord of created beings in that\nassembly house. Such, O monarch, is the Sabha, of the illustrious king of\nthe Pitris! I shall now describe unto the assembly house of Varuna also\ncalled Pushkaramalini!\"\n\n\n\nSECTION IX\n\n'Narada said--O Yudhishthira, the celestial Sabha of Varuna is\nunparalleled in splendour. In dimensions it is similar to that of Yama.\nIts walls and arches are all of pure white. It hath been built by\nViswakarma (the celestial architect) within the waters. It is surrounded\non all sides by many celestial trees made of gems and jewels and yielding\nexcellent fruits and flowers. And many plants with their weight of\nblossoms, blue and yellow, and black and darkish, and white and red, that\nstand there, or excellent bowers around. Within those bowers hundreds and\nthousands of birds of diverse species, beautiful and variegated, always\npour forth their melodies. The atmosphere of that mansion is extremely\ndelightful, neither cold nor hot. Owned by Varuna, that delightful\nassembly house of pure white consists of many rooms and is furnished with\nmany seats. There sitteth Varuna attired in celestial robe, decked in\ncelestial ornaments and jewels, with his queen, adorned with celestial\nscents and besmeared with paste of celestial fragrance. The Adityas wait\nupon and worship the illustrious Varuna, the lord of the waters. And\nVasuki and Takshaka, and the Naga called Airavana; Krishna and Lohita;\nPadma and Chitra endued with great energy; the Nagas called Kamvala and\nAswatara; and Dhritarashtra and Valahaka; Matimat and Kundadhara and\nKarkotaka and Dhananjaya; Panimat and the mighty Kundaka, O lord of the\nEarth; and Prahlada and Mushikada, and Janamejaya,--all having auspicious\nmarks and mandalas and extended hoods;--these and many other snakes. O\nYudhishthira, without anxiety of any kind, wait upon and worship the\nillustrious Varuna. And, O king, Vali the son of Virochana, and Naraka\nthe subjugator of the whole Earth; Sanghraha and Viprachitti, and those\nDanavas called Kalakanja; and Suhanu and Durmukha and Sankha and Sumanas\nand also Sumati; and Ghatodara, and Mahaparswa, and Karthana and also\nPithara and Viswarupa, Swarupa and Virupa, Mahasiras; and Dasagriva,\nVali, and Meghavasas and Dasavara; Tittiva, and Vitabhuta, and Sanghrada,\nand Indratapana--these Daityas and Danavas, all bedecked with ear-rings\nand floral wreaths and crowns, and attired in the celestial robes, all\nblessed with boons and possessed of great bravery, and enjoying\nimmortality, and all well of conduct and of excellent vows, wait upon and\nworship in that mansion the illustrious Varuna, the deity bearing the\nnoose as his weapon. And, O king, there are also the four oceans, the\nriver Bhagirathee, the Kalindi, the Vidisa, the Venwa, the Narmada of\nrapid current; the Vipasa, the Satadu, the Chandrabhaga, the Saraswati;\nthe Iravati, the Vitasta, the Sindhu, the Devanadi; the Godavari, the\nKrishnavenwa and that queen of rivers the Kaveri; the Kimpuna, the\nVisalya and the river Vaitarani also; the Tritiya, the Jeshthila, and the\ngreat Sone (Soane); the Charmanwati and the great river Parnasa; the\nSarayu, the Varavatya, and that queen of rivers the Langali, the\nKaratoya, the Atreyi, the red Mahanada, the Laghanti, the Gomati, the\nSandhya, and also the Trisrotasi--these and other rivers which are all\nsacred and are world-renowned places of pilgrimage, as also other rivers\nand sacred waters and lakes and wells and springs, and tanks, large or\nsmall, in their personified form, O Bharata, wait upon and worship the\nlord Varuna. The points of the heavens, the Earth, and all the Mountains,\nas also every species of aquatic animals, all worship Varuna there. And\nvarious tribes of Gandharvas and Apsaras, devoted to music, both vocal\nand instrumental, wait upon Varuna, singing eulogistic hymns unto him.\nAnd all those mountains that are noted for being both delightful and rich\nin jewels, wait (in their personified forms) in that Sabha, enjoying\nsweet converse with one another. And the chief minister of Varuna,\nSunabha by name, surrounded by his sons and grandsons, also attend upon\nhis master, along with (the personified form) of a sacred water called\ngo. These all, in their personified forms, worship the deity. O bull of\nthe Bharata race, such is the assembly room of Varuna seen by me before,\nin the course of my wanderings. Listen now to the account I give of the\nassembly room of Kuvera.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION X\n\n\"Narada said,--'Possessed of great splendour, the assembly house of\nVaisravana, O king, is a hundred yojanas in length and seventy yojanas in\nbreadth. It was built, O king, by Vaisravana himself using his ascetic\npower. Possessing the splendour of the peaks of Kailasa, that mansion\neclipses by its own the brilliance of the Moon himself. Supported by\nGuhyakas, that mansion seems to be attached to the firmament. Of\ncelestial make, it is rendered extremely handsome with high chambers of\ngold. Extremely delightful and rendered fragrant with celestial perfumes,\nit is variegated with numberless costly jewels. Resembling the peaks of a\nmass of white clouds, it seems to be floating in the air. Painted with\ncolours of celestial gold, it seems to be decked with streaks of\nlightning. Within that mansion sitteth on an excellent seat bright as the\nsun and covered with celestial carpets and furnished with a handsome\nfootstool, king Vaisravana of agreeable person, attired in excellent\nrobes and adorned with costly ornaments and ear-rings of great\nbrilliance, surrounded by his thousand wives. Delicious and cooling\nbreezes murmuring through forests of tall Mandaras, and bearing fragrance\nof extensive plantations of jasmine, as also of the lotuses on the bosom\nof the river Alaka and of the Nandana-gardens, always minister to the\npleasure of the King of the Yakshas. There the deities with the\nGandharvas surrounded by various tribes of Apsaras, sing in chorus, O\nking, notes of celestial sweetness. Misrakesi and Rambha, and Chitrasena,\nand Suchismita; and Charunetra, and Gritachi and Menaka, and\nPunjikasthala; and Viswachi Sahajanya, and Pramlocha and Urvasi and Ira,\nand Varga and Sauraveyi, and Samichi, and Vududa, and Lata--these and a\nthousand other Apsaras and Gandharvas, all well-skilled in music and\ndance, attend upon Kuvera, the lord of treasures. And that mansion,\nalways filled with the notes of instrumental and vocal music, as also\nwith the sounds of dance of various tribes of Gandharvas, and Apsaras\nhath become extremely charming and delicious. The Gandharvas called\nKinnaras, and others called Naras, and Manibhadra, and Dhanada, and\nSwetabhadra and Guhyaka; Kaseraka, Gandakandu, and the mighty Pradyota;\nKustumvuru, Pisacha, Gajakarna, and Visalaka, Varaha-Karna, Tamraushtica,\nFalkaksha, and Falodaka; Hansachuda, Sikhavarta, Vibhishana, Pushpanana,\nPingalaka, Sonitoda and Pravalaka; Vrikshavaspa-niketa, and\nChiravasas--these O Bharata, and many other Yakshas by hundred and\nthousands always wait upon Kuvera. The goddess Lakshmi always stayeth\nthere, also Kuvera's son Nalakuvera. Myself and many others like myself\noften repair thither. Many Brahmana Rishis and celestial Rishis also\nrepair there often. Many Rakshasas, and many Gandharvas, besides those\nthat have been named, wait upon the worship, in that mansion, the\nillustrious lord of all treasures. And, O tiger among kings, the\nillustrious husband of Uma and lord of created things, the three-eyed\nMahadeva, the wielder of the trident and the slayer of the Asura called\nBhaga-netra, the mighty god of the fierce bow, surrounded by multitudes\nof spirits in their hundreds and thousands, some of dwarfish stature,\nsome of fierce visage, some hunch-backed, some of blood-red eyes, some of\nfrightful yells, some feeding upon fat and flesh, and some terrible to\nbehold, but all armed with various weapons and endued with the speed of\nwind, with the goddess (Parvati) ever cheerful and knowing no fatigue,\nalways waiteth here upon their friend Kuvera, the lord of treasures. And\nhundreds of Gandharva chiefs, with cheerful hearts and attired in their\nrespective robes and Viswavasu, and Haha and Huhu; and Tumvuru and\nParvatta, and Sailusha; and Chitrasena skilled in music and also\nChitraratha,--these and innumerable Gandharvas worship the lord of\ntreasures. And Chakradhaman, the chief of the Vidyadharas, with his\nfollowers, waiteth in that mansion upon the lord of treasures. And\nKinnaras by hundreds and innumerable kings with Bhagadatta as their\nchief, and Druma, the chief of the Kimpurushas, and Mahendra, the chief\nof the Rakshasas, and Gandhamadana accompanied by many Yakshas and\nGandharvas and many Rakshasas wait upon the lord of treasures. The\nvirtuous Vibhishana also worshippeth there his elder brother the lord\nKuvera (Croesus). The mountains of Himavat, Paripatra, Vindhya, Kailasa,\nMandara, Malaya, Durdura, Mahendra, Gandhamadana, Indrakila, Sunava, and\nEastern and the Western hills--these and many other mountains, in their\npersonified forms, with Meru standing before all, wait upon and worship\nthe illustrious lord of treasures. The illustrious Nandiswaras, and\nMahakala, and many spirits with arrowy ears and sharp-pointed mouths,\nKaksha, Kuthimukha, Danti, and Vijaya of great ascetic merit, and the\nmighty white bull of Siva roaring deep, all wait in that mansion. Besides\nthese many other Rakshasas and Pisachas (devils) worship Kuvera in that\nassembly house. The son of Pulastya (Kuvera) formerly used always to\nworship in all the modes and sit, with permission obtained, beside the\ngod of gods, Siva, the creator of the three worlds, that supreme Deity\nsurrounded by his attendants. One day the exalted Bhava (Siva) made\nfriendship with Kuvera. From that time, O king, Mahadeva always sitteth\non the mansion of his friend, the lord of treasures. Those best of all\njewels, those princes of all gems in the three worlds, viz., Sankha and\nPadma, in their personified forms, accompanied by all the jewels of the\nearth (also in their personified forms) worship Kuvera.\"\n\n\"This delightful assembly house of Kuvera that I have seen, attached to\nthe firmament and capable of moving along it, is such, O king. Listen now\nto the Sabha I describe unto thee, belonging to Brahma the Grandsire.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XI\n\n\"Narada said,--Listen to me, O child, as I tell thee of the assembly\nhouse of the Grandsire, that house which none can describe, saying it is\nsuch. In the Krita (golden) age of old, O king, the exalted deity Aditya\n(once) came down from heaven into the world of men. Having seen before\nthe assembly-house of Brahma the Self-created, Aditya was cheerfully\nwandering over the Earth in human form, desirous of beholding what could\nbe seen here. It was on that occasion, O son of Pandu, that the god of\nday spoke unto me, O bull of the Bharata race, of that celestial Sabha\n(assembly) of the Grandsire, immeasurable and immaterial and\nindescribable, as regards form and shape, and capable of delighting the\nheart of every creature by its splendour. Hearing, O bull of the Bharata\nrace, of the merits of that Sabha, I became, O king, desirous of\nbeholding it. I then asked Aditya, saying,--O exalted one, I desire to\nbehold the sacred Sabha of the Grandsire. O lord of light, tell me, O\nexalted one, by what ascetic penances, or by what acts, or by what charms\nor by what rites, I may be enabled to behold that excellent sin-cleaning\nSabha.\"--Hearing these words of mine, Aditya the god of day, the deity of\na thousand rays, answered me, O chief of the Bharata race, thus: Observe\nthou, with mind rapt in meditation, the Brahma vow extending for a\nthousand years. Repairing then to the breast of the Himavat, I commenced\nthat great vow, and after I had completed it the exalted and sinless\ndeity Surya endued with great energy, and knowing no fatigue, took me\nwith him to the Sabha of the Grandsire. O king, it is impossible to\ndescribe that Sabha, saying--it is such, for within a moment it assumes a\ndifferent form that language fails to paint. O Bharata, it is impossible\nto indicate its dimensions or shape. I never saw anything like it before.\nEver contributing to the happiness of those within it, its atmosphere is\nneither cold nor warm. Hunger and thirst or any kind of uneasiness\ndisappear as soon as one goeth thither. It seems to be made up of\nbrilliant gems of many kinds. It doth not seem to be supported on\ncolumns, it knoweth no deterioration, being eternal. That self effulgent\nmansion, by its numerous blazing, celestial indications of unrivalled\nsplendour, seems to surpass the moon, the sun and the fire in splendour.\nStationed in heaven, it blazes forth, censuring as it were the maker of\nthe day. In that mansion O king, the Supreme Deity, the Grand-sire of all\ncreated things, having himself created everything by virtue of his\ncreative illusion, stayeth ever. And Daksha, Prachetas, Pulaha, Marichi,\nthe master Kasyapa, Bhrigu, Atri, and Vasistha and Gautama, and also\nAngiras, and Pulastya, Kraut, Prahlada, and Kardama, these Prajapatis,\nand Angirasa of the Atharvan Veda, the Valikhilyas, the Marichipas;\nIntelligence, Space, Knowledge, Air, Heat, Water, Earth, Sound, Touch,\nForm, Taste, Scent; Nature, and the Modes (of Nature), and the elemental\nand prime causes of the world,--all stay in that mansion beside the lord\nBrahma. And Agastya of great energy, and Markandeya, of great ascetic\npower, and Jamadagni and Bharadwaja, and Samvarta, and Chyavana, and\nexalted Durvasa, and the virtuous Rishyasringa, the illustrious\nSanatkumara of great ascetic merit and the preceptor in all matters\naffecting Yoga; Asita and Devala, and Jaigishavya acquainted with truth;\nRishava, Ajitasatru, and Mani of great energy; and the Science of healing\nwith its eight branches--all in their personified forms, O Bharata; the\nmoon with all the stars and the stellar conjunctions; Aditya with all his\nrays; the winds; the Sacrifices, the Declarations of purpose (in\nsacrifices), the Vital principles,--these illustrious and vow-observing\nbeings in their personified forms, and many others too numerous to\nmention, attend all upon Brahma in that mansion. Wealth and Religion and\nDesire, and Joy, and Aversion, and Asceticism and Tranquillity--all wait\ntogether upon the Supreme Deity in that palace. The twenty tribes of the\nGandharvas and Apsaras, as also their seven other tribes, and all the\nLokapalas (chief protectors of several regions), and Sukra, and\nVrihaspati, and Vudha, and Angaraka (Mangala), Sani, Rahu, and the other\nplanets; the Mantras (of the Sama Veda), the special Mantras (of the same\nVeda); (the rites of) Harimat and Vasumat, the Adityas with Indra, the\ntwo Agnis mentioned by name (viz. Agnisoma and Indragni), the Marutas,\nViswakarman, and the Vasus, O Bharata; the Pitris, and all kinds of\nsacrificial libations, the four Vedas. viz., Rig, Sama, Yajuh, and\nAtharva; all Sciences and branches of learning; Histories and all minor\nbranches of learning; the several branches of the Vedas; the planets, the\nSacrifices, the Soma, all the deities; Savitri (Gayatri), the seven kinds\nof rhyme; Understanding, Patience, Memory, Wisdom, Intelligence, Fame,\nForgiveness; the Hymns of the Sama Veda; the Science of hymns in general,\nand various kinds of Verses and Songs; various Commentaries with\narguments;--all in their personified forms, O king, and various Dramas\nand Poems and Stories and abridged Glosses--these also, and many others\nwait upon the Supreme Deity in that Sabha, Kshanas, Lavas, Muhurtas, Day,\nNight, Fortnights, Months, the six Seasons, O Bharata, Years, Yugas, the\nfour kinds of Days and Nights (viz., appearing to man, to the Pitris, to\nthe gods, and to Brahma) and that eternal, indestructible,\nundeteriorating, excellent Wheel of Time and also the Wheel of\nVirtue,--these always wait there. O Yudhishthira; and Aditi, Diti, Danu,\nSurasa, Vinata, Ira, Kalika, Suravi, Devi, Sarama, Gautami and the\ngoddesses Pradha, and Kadru;--these mothers of the celestials, and\nRudrani, Sree, Lakshmi, Bhadra, Shashthi, the Earth, Ganga, Hri, Swaha,\nKriti, the goddess Sura, Sachi Pushti, Arundhati, Samvritti, Asa, Niyati,\nSrishti, Rati,--these and many other goddesses wait upon the Creator of\nall. The Adityas, Vasus, Rudras, Marutas, Aswinas, the Viswadevas\nSadhyas, and the Pitris gifted with the speed of the mind; these all wait\nthere upon the Grandsire. And, O bull amongst men, know thou that there\nare seven classes of Pitris, of which four classes have embodied forms\nand the remaining three without embodied forms. It is well known that the\nillustrious Vairajas and Agniswattas and Garhapattyas (three classes of\nPitris) range in heaven. And those amongst the Pitris that are called the\nSomapas, the Ekasringras, the Chaturvedas, and the Kalas, are ever\nworshipped amongst the four orders of men. Gratified with the Soma\n(juice), first, these gratify Soma afterwards. All these tribes of Pitris\nwait upon the Lord of the creation and cheerfully worship the Supreme\nDeity of immeasurable energy. And Rakshasas, Pisachas, the Danavas and\nGuhyakas; Nagas, Birds, and various animals; and all mobile and immobile\ngreat beings;--all worship the Grandsire. And Purandara the chief of the\ncelestials, and Varuna and Kuvera and Yama, and Mahadeva accompanied by\nUma, always repair thither. And, O king of kings, Mahasena (Kartikeya)\nalso adoreth there the Grandsire. Narayana himself, and the celestial\nRishis, and those Rishis called Valakhillyas, and all beings born of\nfemales and all those not born of females, and whatever else is seen in\nthe three worlds--both mobile and immobile, were all seen by me there,\nknow O king. And eighty thousand Rishis with vital seed drawn up, and O\nPandu, fifty thousand Rishis having sons, were all seen by me there. And\nall the dwellers in heaven repairing thither behold the Supreme Deity\nwhen they please, and worshipping him with a bow of their head return\nwhence they came. And, O king of men, the Grandsire of all created\nbeings, the Soul of the universe, the Self create Brahma of immeasurable\nintelligence and glory, equally kind unto all creatures, honoureth as\nthey deserve, and gratifieth with sweet speech and gift of wealth and\nother enjoyable articles, the gods, the Daityas, the Nagas, the\nBrahmanas, the Yakshas, the Birds, the Kaleyas, the Gandharvas, the\nApsaras, and all other exalted beings that came to him as his guests. And\nthat delicious Sabha, O child, is always crowded with persons coming and\ngoing. Filled with every kind of energy, and worshipped by Brahmarshis,\nthat celestial Sabha blazes forth with the graceful possessions of Brahma\nand looks extremely handsome, O tiger among kings as this Sabha of yours\nis unrivalled in the world of men, so is that Sabha of Brahma, seen by me\nunrivalled in all the worlds. I have seen these Sabhas, O Bharata, in\nregions of the celestials. This thy Sabha is unquestionably the foremost\nin the world of men!\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XII\n\n\"Yudhishthira said,--'O thou foremost of eloquent men, as thou hast\ndescribed the different Sabhas unto me, it appeareth that almost all the\nmonarchs of the earth are to be found in the Sabha of Yama. And, O\nmaster, almost all the Nagas, and principal Daityas, and rivers, and\noceans, are to be found in the Sabha of Varuna. And so the Yakshas, the\nGuhyakas, the Rakshasas, the Gandharvas and Apsaras and the Deity (Yama)\nhaving the bull for his vehicle, are to be found in the Sabha of the lord\nof treasures. Thou hast said that in the Sabha of the Grandsire are to be\nseen all the great Rishis, all the gods, all the branches of learning. As\nregards the Sabha of Sakra, however, thou hast named, O Muni, all the\ngods, the Gandharvas, and various Rishis. But, O great Muni, thou hast\nmentioned one and only one king, viz., the royal Rishi Harishchandra as\nliving in the Sabha of the illustrious chief of the gods. What act was\nperformed by that celebrated king, or what ascetic penances with steady\nvows, in consequence of which he hath been equal to Indra himself? O\nBrahmana, how didst thou also meet with my father, the exalted Pandu, now\na guest in the region of the Pitris? O exalted one of excellent vows hath\nhe told thee anything? O tell me all as I am exceedingly curious to hear\nall this from thee.\"\n\n\"Narada said,--'O king of kings, I shall tell thee all that thou askest\nme about Harischandra, I shall presently tell thee of his high\nexcellence. He was a powerful king, in fact, an emperor over all the\nkings of the earth. Indeed, all the kings of the earth obeyed his sway. O\nmonarch, mounted alone upon a victorious car adorned with gold, that king\nby the prowess of his weapons brought the whole earth with her seven\nislands under his sway. And, O monarch, having subjugated the whole earth\nwith her mountains, forests, and woods, he made preparations for the\ngreat sacrifice called the Rajasuya. And all the kings of the earth\nbrought at his command wealth unto that sacrifice. All of them consented\nto become distributors of food and gifts unto the Brahmanas that were fed\non the occasion. At that sacrifice king Harishchandra gave away unto all\nwho asked, wealth that was five times what each had solicited. At the\nconclusion of the sacrifice, the king gratified the Brahmanas that came\nfrom various countries with large presents of various kinds of wealth.\nThe Brahmanas gratified with various kinds of food and enjoyable\narticles, given away unto them to the extent of their desires, and with\nthe heaps of jewels distributed amongst them, began to say,--King\nHarischandra is superior to all kings in energy and renown.--And know, O\nmonarch, O bull of the Bharata race, it was for this reason that\nHarischandra shone more brightly than thousands of other kings. The\npowerful Harischandra having concluded his great sacrifice, became\ninstalled, O king, in the sovereignty of the earth and looked resplendent\non his throne. O bull of the Bharata race, all those monarchs that\nperform the sacrifice of Rajasuya, (attaining to the region of Indra)\npass their time in felicity in Indra's company. And, O bull of the\nBharata race, those kings also that yield up their lives without turning\ntheir backs on the field of battle attain to the mansion of Indra and\nlive in joy with him. Those again that yield up their bodies after severe\nascetic penances also attain to the same region and shine brightly there\nfor ages. O king of the Kuru race, O son of Kunti, thy father Pandu,\nbeholding the good fortune of Harischandra and wondering much thereat,\nhath told thee something. Knowing that I was coming to the world of men,\nhe bowed unto me and said,--Thou shouldst tell Yudhishthira, O Rishi,\nthat he can subjugate the whole Earth inasmuch as his brothers are all\nobedient to him. And having done this let him commence the grand\nsacrifice called Rajasuya. He is my son; if he performeth that sacrifice,\nI may, like Harischandra, soon attain to the region of Indra, and there\nin his Sabha pass countless years in continuous joy. I told him in\nreply,--O King, I shall tell thy son all this, if I go to the world of\nman. I have now told thee what he said, O tiger among men. Accomplish\nthen, O son of Pandu, the desires of thy father. If thou performest that\nsacrifice, thou shall then be able to go, along with thy deceased\nancestors, into the same region that is inhabited by the chief of the\nimmortals. It hath been said,--O king, that the performance of this great\nsacrifice is attended with many obstacles. A class of Rakshasas called\nBrahma Rakshasas, employed in obstructing all sacrifices, always search\nfor loop-holes when this great sacrifice is commenced. On the\ncommencement of such a sacrifice a war may take place destroying the\nKshatriyas and even furnishing occasion for the destruction of the whole\nEarth. A slight obstacle may involve the whole Earth in ruin. Reflecting\nupon all this, O king of kings do what is for thy good. Be thou watchful\nand ready in protecting the four orders of thy subjects. Grow, thou in\nprosperity, and enjoy thou felicity. Gratify thou the Brahmanas with\ngifts of wealth. I have now answered in detail all that thou hast asked\nme. With thy leave I will now go to the city (Dwaravati) of that\nDasarhas.\"\n\nVaisampayana said,--'O Janamejaya, having said this unto the son of\nPritha, Narada went away, accompanied by those Rishis with whom he had\ncome. And after Narada had gone away, king Yudhishthira, O thou of the\nKuru race, began to think, along with his brothers, of that foremost of\nsacrifices called Rajasuya.'\n\n\n\nSECTION XIII\n\nVaisampayana said,--\"Yudhishthira, having heard these words of Narada,\nbegan to sigh heavily. And, O Bharata, engaged in his thoughts about the\nRajasuya, the king had no peace of mind. Having heard of this glory of\nthe illustrious monarchs (of old) and being certain about the acquisition\nof regions of felicity by performers of sacrifices in consequence of\ntheir sacred deeds, and thinking especially of that royal sage\nHarischandra who had performed the great sacrifice king Yudhishthira\ndesired to make preparations for the Rajasuya sacrifice. Then worshipping\nhis counsellors and others present at his Sabha, and worshipped by them\nin return, he began to discuss with them about that sacrifice. Having\nreflected much, that king of kings, that bull amongst the Kurus, inclined\nhis mind towards making preparations for the Rajasuya. That prince of\nwonderful energy and prowess, however, reflecting upon virtue and\nrighteousness, again set his heart to find out what would be for the good\nof all his people. For Yudhishthira, that foremost of all virtuous men,\nalways kind unto his subjects, worked for the good of all without making\nany distinctions. Indeed, shaking off both anger and arrogance,\nYudhishthira always said,--Give unto each what is due to each,--and the\nonly sounds that he could hear were,--Blessed be Dharma! Blessed be\nDharma! Yudhishthira! conducting himself thus and giving paternal\nassurance to everybody, there was none in the kingdom who entertained any\nhostile feelings towards him. He therefore came to be called Ajatasatru\n(one with no enemy at all). The king cherished every one as belonging to\nhis family, and Bhima ruled over all justly. Arjuna, used to employing\nboth his hands with equal skill, protected the people from (external)\nenemies. And the wise Sahadeva administered justice impartially. And\nNakula behaved towards all with humility that was natural to him. Owing\nto all this, the kingdom became free from disputes and fear of every\nkind. And all the people became attentive to their respective\noccupations. The rain became so abundant as to leave no room for desiring\nmore; and the kingdom grew in prosperity. And in consequence of the\nvirtues of the king, money-lenders, the articles required for sacrifices,\ncattle-rearing, tillage, and traders, all and everything grew in\nprosperity. Indeed, during the reign of Yudhishthira who was ever devoted\nto truth, there was no extortion, no stringent realisation of arrears of\nrent, no fear of disease, of fire, or of death by poisoning and\nincantations, in the kingdom. It was never heard at that time that\nthieves or cheats or royal favourites ever behaved wrongfully towards the\nking or towards one another amongst themselves. Kings conquered on the\nsix occasions (of war, treaty, &c.) were wont to wait upon him in order\nto do good unto the monarch and worship him ever, while the traders of\ndifferent classes came to pay him the taxes leviable on their respective\noccupations. And accordingly during the reign of Yudhishthira who was\never devoted to virtue, his dominion grew in prosperity. Indeed, the\nprosperity of the kingdom was increased not by these alone but even by\npersons wedded to voluptuousness and indulging in all luxuries to their\nfill. And the king of kings, Yudhishthira, whose sway extended over all,\nwas possessed of every accomplishment and bore everything with patience.\nAnd, O king, whatever countries the celebrated and illustrious monarch\nconquered, the people everywhere, from Brahmanas to swains, were all more\nattached to him than to their own fathers and mothers.'\n\nVaisampayana said,--\"King Yudhishthira, then, that foremost of speakers,\nsummoning together his counsellors and brothers, asked them repeatedly\nabout the Rajasuya sacrifice. Those ministers in a body, thus asked by\nthe wise Yudhishthira desirous of performing the sacrifice, then told him\nthese words of grave import,--'One already in possession of a kingdom\ndesireth all the attributes of an emperor by means of that sacrifice\nwhich aideth a king in acquiring the attributes of Varuna. O prince of\nKuru race, thy friends think that as thou art worthy of the attributes of\nan emperor, the time is even come for thee for the performance of the\nRajasuya sacrifice. The time for the performance of that sacrifice in\nwhich Rishis of austere vows kindle six fires with mantras of the Sama\nVeda, is come for thee in consequence of thy Kshatriya possessions. At\nthe conclusion of the Rajasuya sacrifice when the performer is installed\nin the sovereignty of the empire, he is rewarded with the fruits of all\nsacrifices including the Agnihotra. It is for this that he is called the\nconqueror of all. Thou art quite able, O strong-armed one, to perform\nthis sacrifice. All of us are obedient to thee. Soon will you be able, O\ngreat king, to perform the Rajasuya sacrifice. Therefore, O great king,\nlet thy resolution be taken to perform this sacrifice without further\ndiscussion. Thus, spoke unto the king all his friends and counsellors\nseparately and jointly. And, O king, Yudhishthira that slayer of all\nenemies, having heard these virtuous, bold, agreeable and weighty words\nof theirs, accepted them mentally. And having heard those words of his\nfriends and counsellors, and knowing his own strength also, the king, O\nBharata, repeatedly thought over the matter. After this the intelligent\nand virtuous Yudhishthira, wise in counsel, again consulted with his\nbrothers, with the illustrious Ritwijas about him, with his ministers and\nwith Dhaumya and Dwaipayana and others.\n\n'Yudhishthira said,--\"How may this wish that I entertain of performing\nthe excellent sacrifice of Rajasuya that is worthy of an emperor, bear\nfruit, in consequence of my faith and speech alone.'\"\n\nVaisampayana said,--\"O thou of eyes like lotus-petals, thus asked by the\nking, they replied at that time unto Yudhishthira the just in these\nwords,--Being conversant with the dictates of morality, thou art, O king,\nworthy to perform the grand sacrifice of Rajasuya. After the Ritwijas and\nthe Rishis  had told these words unto the king, his ministers and\nbrothers highly approved of the speech. The king, however, possessed of\ngreat wisdom, and with mind under complete control, actuated by the\ndesire of doing good unto the world, again resolved the matter in his\nmind, thinking of his own strength and means, the circumstances of time\nand place and his income and expenditure. For he knew that the wise never\ncome to grief owing to their always acting after full deliberation.\nThinking that the sacrifice should not be commenced, pursuant to his own\nresolution only, Yudhishthira, carefully bearing upon his shoulder the\nweight of affairs thought of Krishna that persecutor of all sinners as\nthe fittest person to decide the matter, in as much as he knew him to be\nthe foremost of all persons, possessed of immeasurable energy,\nstrong-armed, without birth but born amongst men from Will alone.\nReflecting upon his god-like feats the son of Pandu concluded that there\nwas nothing that was unknown to him, nothing that he could not achieve,\nand nothing that he could not bear, and Yudhishthira, the son of Pritha,\nhaving come to this settled resolution soon sent a messenger unto that\nmaster of all beings, conveying through him blessings and speeches such\nas one senior in age might send to one that is younger. And that\nmessenger riding in a swift car arrived amongst the Yadavas and\napproached Krishna who was then residing in Dwaravati. And Achyuta\n(Krishna) hearing that the son of Pritha had become desirous of seeing\nhim, desired to see his cousin. And quickly passing over many regions,\nbeing drawn by his own swift horses, Krishna arrived at Indraprastha,\naccompanied by Indrasena. And having arrived at Indraprastha, Janardana\napproached Yudhisthira without loss of time. And Yudhisthira received\nKrishna with paternal-affection, and Bhima also received him likewise.\nAnd Janardana then went with a cheerful heart to his father's sister\n(Kunti). And worshipped then with reverence by the twins, he began to\nconverse cheerfully with his friend Arjuna who was overjoyed at seeing\nhim. And after he had rested awhile in a pleasant apartment and had been\nfully refreshed, Yudhishthira approached him at his leisure and informed\nhim all about the Rajasuya sacrifice.\n\n\"Yudhishthira said,--'I have wished to perform the Rajasuya sacrifice.\nThat sacrifice, however, cannot be performed by one's wishing alone to\nperform it. Thou knowest, O Krishna, even thing about the means by which\nit may be accomplished. He alone can achieve this sacrifice in whom\neverything is possible, who is worshipped everywhere and who is the king\nof kings. My friends and counsellors approaching me have said that I\nshould perform that sacrifice. But, O Krishna, in respect of that matter,\nthy words shall be my guide. Of counsellers some from friendship do not\nnotice the difficulties; others from motives of self-interest say only\nwhat is agreeable. Some again regard that which is beneficial to\nthemselves as worthy of adoption. Men are seen to counsel thus on matters\nawaiting decision. But thou, O Krishna, art above such motives. Thou hast\nconquered both desire and anger. It behoveth thee to tell me what is most\nbeneficial to the world.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XIV\n\n(Rajasuyarambha Parva)\n\n\"Krishna said,--'O great king, thou art a worthy possessor of all the\nqualities essential for the performance of the Rajasuya sacrifice. Thou\nknowest everything, O Bharata. I shall, however, still tell thee\nsomething. Those persons in the world that now go by the name of\nKshatriyas are inferior (in everything) to those Kshatriyas that Rama,\nthe son of Jamadagnya, exterminated.' O lord of the earth, O bull of the\nBharata race, thou knowest what form of rule these Kshatriyas, guided by\nthe instructions traditionally handed down from generation to generation,\nhave established amongst their own order, and how far they are competent\nto perform the Rajasuya sacrifice. The numerous royal lines and other\nordinary Kshatriyas all represent themselves to be the descendants of\nAila and Ikshwaku. The descendants of Aila, O king, as, indeed, the kings\nof Ikshwaku's race, are, know O bull of the Bharata race, each divided\ninto a hundred separate dynasties. The descendants of Yayati and the\nBhojas are great, both in extent (number) and accomplishments. O king,\nthese last are to-day scattered all over the earth. And all the\nKshatriyas worship the prosperity of those monarchs. At present, however,\nO monarch, king Jarasandha, overcoming that prosperity enjoyed by their\nwhole order, and overpowering them by his energy hath set himself over\nthe heads of all these kings. And Jarasandha, enjoying the sovereignty\nover the middle portion of the earth (Mathura), resolved to create a\ndisunion amongst ourselves. O monarch, the king who is the lord paramount\nof all kings, and in whom alone the dominion of the universe is centered,\nproperly deserves to be called an emperor. And, O monarch, king Sisupala\nendued with great energy, hath placed himself under his protection and\nhath become the generalissimo of his forces. And, O great king, the\nmighty Vaka, the king of the Karushas, capable of fighting by putting\nforth his powers of illusion, waiteth, upon Jarasandha, as his disciple.\nThere are two others, Hansa and Dimvaka, of great energy and great soul,\nwho have sought the shelter of the mighty Jarasandha. There are others\nalso viz., Dantavakra, Karusha, Karava, Meghavahana, that wait upon\nJarasandha. He also that beareth on his head that gem which is known as\nthe most wonderful on earth, that king of the Yavanas, who hath chastised\nMuru and Naraka, whose power is unlimited, and who ruleth the west like\nanother Varuna, who is called Bhagadatta, and who is the old friend of\nthy father, hath bowed his head before Jarasandha, by speech and\nspecially by act. In his heart, however, tied as he is by affection to\nthee, he regardeth thee as a father regardeth his child. O king, that\nlord of the earth who hath his dominions on the west and the south, who\nis thy maternal uncle and who is called Purujit, that brave perpetuator\nof the Kunti race, that slayer of all foes, is the single king that\nregardeth thee from affection. He whom I did not formerly slay, that\nwicked wretch amongst the Chedis, who represented himself in this world\nas a divine personage and who hath become known also as such, and who\nalways beareth, from foolishness, the signs that distinguish me that king\nof Vanga Pundra and the Kiratas, endowed with great strength, and who is\nknown on earth by the names of Paundraka and Vasudeva hath also espoused\nthe side of Jarasandha. And, O king of kings, Bhishmaka, the mighty king\nof the Bhojas--the friend of Indra--the slayer of hostile heroes--who\ngoverns a fourth part of the world, who by his learning conquered the\nPandyas and the Kratha-Kausikas, whose brother the brave Akriti was like\nRama, the son of Jamdagni, hath become a servitor to the king of Magadha.\nWe are his relatives and are, therefore, engaged everyday in doing what\nis agreeable unto him. But although we regard him much, still he\nregardeth us not and is engaged in doing us ill. And, O king, without\nknowing his own strength and the dignity of the race to which he\nbelongeth, he hath placed himself under Jarasandha's shelter at sight of\nthe latter's blazing fame alone. And, O exalted one, the eighteen tribes\nof the Bhojas, from fear of Jarasandha, have all fled towards the west;\nso also have the Surasenas, the Bhadrakas, the Vodhas, the Salwas, the\nPatachchavas, the Susthalas, the Mukuttas, and the Kulindas, along with\nthe Kuntis. And the king of the Salwayana tribe with their brethren and\nfollowers; and the southern Panchalas and the eastern Kosalas have all\nfled to the country of the Kuntis. So also the Matsyas and the\nSannyastapadas, overcome with fear, leaving their dominions in the north,\nhave fled into the southern country. And so all the Panchalas, alarmed at\nthe power of Jarasandha, have left their own kingdom and fled in all\ndirections. Some time before, the foolish Kansa, having persecuted the\nYadavas, married two of the daughters of Jarasandha. They are called Asti\nand Prapti and are the sister of Sahadeva. Strengthened by such an\nalliance, the fool persecuting his relatives gained an ascendency over\nthem all. But by this conduct he earned great obloquy. The wretch also\nbegan to oppress the old kings of the Bhoja tribe, but they, to protect\nthemselves from the persecution of their relative, sought our help.\nHaving bestowed upon Akrura the handsome daughter of Ahuka, with\nSankarshana as my second I did a service to my relatives, for both Kansa\nand Sunaman were slain by me assisted by Rama. But after the immediate\ncause of fear was removed (by the death of Kansa), Jarasandha, his\nfather-in-law, took up arms. Ourselves consisting of the eighteen younger\nbranches of the Yadavas arrived at the conclusion that even if we struck\nour enemies continually with excellent weapons capable of taking the\nlives of the foes, we should still be unable to do anything unto him even\nin three hundred years. He hath two friends that are like unto the\nimmortals, and in point of strength the foremost of all men endued with\nmight. They are called Hansa and Dimvaka who are both incapable of being\nslain by weapons. The mighty Jarasandha, being united with them, becomes\nincapable, I think, of being vanquished by even the three worlds. O thou\nforemost of all intelligent men, this is not our opinion alone but all\nother kings also are of the same mind. There lived, O monarch, a king of\nthe name of Hansa, who was slain by Rama (Valadeva) after a battle of\neighteen days. But, O Bharata, hearing people say that Hansa had been\nkilled, Dimvaka, O king, thought that he could not live without Hansa. He\naccordingly jumped into the waters of the Yamuna and killed himself.\nAfterwards when Hansa, the subjugator of hostile heroes, heard that\nDimvaka, had killed himself, he went to the Yamuna and jumped into its\nwaters. Then, O bull of the Bharata race, king Jarasandha, hearing that\nboth Hansa and Dimvaka had been killed, returned to his kingdom with an\nempty heart. After Jarasandha had returned, O slayer of all foes, we were\nfilled with pleasure and continued to live at Mathura. Then the widow of\nHansa and the daughter of Jarasandha, that handsome woman with eyes like\nlotus-petals, grieved at the death of her lord, went unto her father, and\nrepeatedly urged, O Monarch, the king of Magadha, saying,--O slayer of\nall foes, kill thou the slayer of my husband.--Then, O great king,\nremembering the conclusion to which we had come of old we became\nexceedingly cheerless and fled from Mathura. Dividing our large wealth\ninto small portions so as to make each portion easily portable, we fled\nfrom fear of Jarasandha, with our cousins and relatives. Reflecting upon\neverything, we fled towards the west. There is a delightful town towards\nthe west called Kusasthali, adorned by the mountains of Raivata. In that\ncity, O monarch, we took up our abode. We rebuilt its fort and made it so\nstrong that it has become impregnable even to the Gods. And from within\nit even the women might fight the foe, what to speak of the Yadava heroes\nwithout fear of any kind? O slayer of all foes, we are now living in that\ncity. And, O tiger of the Kuru race, considering the inaccessibility of\nthat first of mountains and regarding themselves as having already\ncrossed the fear of Jarasandha, the descendants of Madhu have become\nexceedingly glad. Thus, O king, though possessed of strength and energy,\nyet from the oppressions of Jarasandha we have been obliged to repair to\nthe mountains of Gomanta, measuring three Yojanas in length. Within each\nyojana have been established one and twenty posts of armed men. And at\nintervals of each yojana are hundred gates with arches which are defended\nby valourous heroes engaged in guarding them. And innumerable Kshatriyas\ninvincible in war, belonging to the eighteen younger branches of the\nYadavas, are employed in defending these works. In our race, O king,\nthere are full eighteen thousand brothers and cousins. Ahuka hath had a\nhundred sons, each of whom is almost like a god (in prowess), Charudeshna\nwith his brother Chakradeva, Satyaki, myself, Valadeva the son of Rohini,\nand my son Samva who is equal unto me in battle--these seven, O king are\nAtirathas. Besides these, there are others, O king, whom I shall\npresently name. They are Kritavarman, Anadhrishti, Samika, Samitinjaya,\nKanka, Sanku and Kunti. These seven are Maharathas. There are also two\nsons of Andhakabhoja, and the old king himself. Endued with great energy\nthese are all heroes, each mighty as the thunderbolt. These Maharathas,\nchoosing the middle country, are now living amongst the Vrishnis. O thou\nbest of the Bharata line, thou alone art worthy of being an emperor. It\nbehoveth thee, O Bharata, to establish thy empire over all the\nKshatriyas. But this is my judgment, O king, that thou wilt not be able\nto celebrate the Rajasuya sacrifice as long as the mighty Jarasandha\nliveth. By him have been immured in his hillfort numerous monarchs, like\na lion that hath deposited the slain bodies of mighty elephants within a\ncave of the king of mountains. O slayer of all enemies, king Jarasandha,\ndesirous of offering in sacrifice hundred monarchs, adored for his fierce\nascetic penances the illustrious god of gods, the lord of Uma. It is by\nthis means that the kings of the earth have been vanquished by\nJarasandha. And, O best of monarchs, he hath by that means been able to\nfulfil the vow he had made relative to his sacrifice. By defeating the\nkings with their troops and bringing all of them as captives into this\ncity, he had swelled its crowds enormously. We also, O king, from fear of\nJarasandha, at one time had to leave Mathura and fly to the city of\nDwaravati. If, O great king, thou desirest to perform this sacrifice,\nstrive to release the kings confined by Jarasandha, as also to compass\nhis death. O son of the Kuru race, otherwise this undertaking of thine\ncan never be completed. O thou foremost of intelligent men if the\nRajasuya is to be performed by thee, you must do this in this way and not\notherwise. This, O king, is my view (on the matter). Do, O sinless one,\nas thou thinkest. Under these circumstances, O king, having reflected\nupon everything, taking note of causes, tell us what thou thyself\nthinkest proper.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XV\n\n\"Yudhishthira said,--\"Intelligent as thou art, thou hast said what none\nelse is capable of saying. There is none else on earth who is settler of\nall doubts. Behold, there are kings in every province employed in\nbenefiting their respective selves. But no one amongst them hath been\nable to achieve the imperial dignity. Indeed, the title emperor is\ndifficult of acquisition. He that knoweth the valour and strength of\nothers never applaudeth himself. He, indeed, is really worthy of applause\n(worship) who, engaged in encounters with his enemies, beareth himself\ncommendably. O thou supporter of the dignity of the Vrishni race, man's\ndesires and propensities, like the wide earth itself adorned with many\njewels, are varied and extensive. As experience can seldom be gained but\nby travelling in regions remote from one's home, so salvation can never\nbe attained except by acting according to principles that are very high,\ncompared with the ordinary level of our desire and propensities. I regard\npeace of mind as the highest object here, for from that quality may\nproceed my prosperity. In my judgment, if I undertake to celebrate this\nsacrifice, I shall never win the highest reward. O Janardana, endued with\nenergy and intelligence, these that have been born in our race think that\nsome one amongst them will at one time become the foremost amongst all\nKshatriyas. But, O exalted one, we also were all frightened by the fear\nof Jarasandha and, O sinless one, by the wickedness of that monarch. O\nthou invincible in battle, the might of thy arm is my refuge. When,\ntherefore, thou taken fright at Jarasandha's might, how should I regard\nmyself strong in comparison with him? Madhava, O thou of the Vrishni\nrace, I am repeatedly depressed by the thought whether Jarasandha is\ncapable or not of being slain by thee, by Rama, by Bhimasena, or by\nArjuna. But what shall I say, O Keshava? Thou art my highest authority on\neverything.'\n\n\"On hearing these words, Bhima well-skilled in speech said,--'That king\nwho is without exertion, or who being weak and without resources entereth\ninto hostility with one that is strong, perisheth like an ant-hill. It\nmay be generally seen, however, that even a king that is weak may\nvanquish an enemy that is strong and obtain the fruition of all his\nwishes, by wakefulness and by the application of policy. In Krishna is\npolicy, in myself strength, in Arjuna triumphs. So like the three\n(sacrificial) fires that accomplish a sacrifice, we shall accomplish the\ndeath of the king of Magadha.\"\n\n\"Krishna then said,--'One that is immature in understanding seeketh the\nfruition of his desire without an eye to what may happen to him in\nfuture. It is seen that no one forgiveth for that reason a foe that is of\nimmature understanding and inclined to serve his own interests. It hath\nbeen heard by us that in the krita age, having brought every one under\ntheir subjection, Yauvanaswin by the abolition of all taxes, Bhagiratha\nby his kind treatment to his subjects, Kartavirya by the energy of his\nasceticism, the lord Bharata by his strength and valour, and Maruta by\nhis prosperity, all these five became emperors. But, O Yudhishthira, thou\nwho covetest the imperial dignity deserves it, not by one but by all\nthese qualities, viz., victory, protection afforded to thy people,\nvirtue, prosperity, and policy. Know, O bull of the Kuru race, that\nJarasandha, the son of Vrihadratha, is even such (i.e., a candidate for\nthe imperial dignity). A hundred dynasties of kings have become unable to\noppose Jarasandha. He, therefore, may be regarded to be an emperor for\nhis strength. Kings that are wearers of jewels worship Jarasandha (with\npresents of jewels). But, wicked from his childhood, he is scarcely\nsatisfied with such worship. Having become the foremost among all, he\nattacketh yet with violence kings with crowns on their heads. Nor is\nthere seen any king from whom he taketh not tribute. Thus hath he brought\nunder his sway nearly a hundred kings. How can, O son of Pritha, any weak\nmonarch approach him with hostile intentions? Confined in the temple of\nShiva and offered as sacrifice unto him like so many animals, do not\nthese monarchs dedicated unto that god feel the most poignant misery, O\nbull of the Bharata race? A Kshatriya that dieth in battle is ever\nregarded with respect. Why shall we not, therefore, meet together and\noppose Jarsandha in battle? He hath already brought eighty-six kings;\nfourteen only are wanting to complete one hundred. As soon as he\nobtaineth those fourteen, he will begin his cruel act. He that shall be\nto obstruct that act will surely win blazing renown. And he that will\nvanquish Jarasandha will surely become the emperor of all the\nKshatriyas.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XVI\n\n\"Yudhishthira said,--'Desirous of the imperial dignity but acting from\nselfish motives and relying upon courage alone, how, O Krishna, can I\ndespatch ye (unto Jarasandha)? Both Bhima and Arjuna, I regard as my\neyes, and thee, O Janardana as my mind. How shall I live, deprived of my\neyes and mind. Yama himself cannot vanquish in battle the mighty host of\nJarasandha that is endued, besides, with terrible valour. What valour can\nye exhibit against it. This affair that promises to terminate otherwise\nmay lead to great mischief. It is my opinion, therefore, that the\nproposed task should not be undertaken. Listen, O Krishna, to what I for\none think. O Janardana, desisting from this act seemeth to me to be\nbeneficial. My heart to-day is afflicted. The Rajasuya appeareth to me\ndifficult of accomplishment.'\"\n\n\"Vaisampayana said,--\"Arjuna who had obtained that excellent of bows and\nthat couple of inexhaustible quivers, and that car with that banner, as\nalso that assembly room, now addressed Yudhishthira and said,--'I have\nobtained, O king, a bow and weapons and arrows and energy and allies and\ndominions and fame and strength. Those are always difficult of\nacquisition, however much they may be desired. Learned men of repute\nalways praise in good society nobleness of descent. But nothing is equal\nto might. Indeed, O monarch, there is nothing I like more than prowess.\nBorn in a race noted for its valour, one that is without valour is\nscarcely worthy of regard. One, however, possessed of valour, that is\nborn in a race not noted for it, is much superior to the former. He, O\nking, is a Kshatriya in every thing who increaseth his fame and\npossessions by the subjugation of his enemies. And he that is possessed\nof valour, though destitute of all (other) merits, will vanquish his\nfoes. One, however, that is destitute of valour, though possessed of\nevery (other) merit, can scarcely accomplish anything. Every merit exists\nby the side of valour in an incipient state. Concentration of attention,\nexertion and destiny exist as the three causes of victory. One, however,\nthat is possessed of valour doth not yet deserve success if he acts\ncarelessly. It is for this that an enemy endued with strength sometimes\nsuffers death at the hands of his foes. As meanness overtakes the weak,\nso folly sometimes overtakes the strong. A king, therefore, that is\ndesirous of victory, should avoid both these causes of destruction. If,\nfor the purpose of our sacrifice, we endeavour to slay Jarasandha and\nrescue the kings kept by him for a cruel purpose, there is no higher act\nwhich we could employ ourselves in. If, however, we do not undertake the\ntask, the world will always think us incompetent. We have certainly the\ncompetence, O king! Why should you, therefore, regard us as incompetent?\nThose that have become Munis desirous of achieving tranquillity of souls,\nobtain yellow robes with ease. So if we vanquish the foe, the imperial\ndignity will easily be ours. We shall, therefore fight the foe.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XVII\n\n\"Vasudeva said,--'Arjuna hath indicated what the inclination should be of\none that is born in the Bharata race, especially of one who is the son of\nKunti. We know not when death will overtake us, in the night or in the\nday. Nor have we ever heard that immortality hath been achieved by\ndesisting from fight. This, therefore, is the duty of men, viz., to\nattack all enemies in accordance with the principles laid down in the\nordinance. This always gives satisfaction to the heart. Aided by good\npolicy, if not frustrated by Destiny, an undertaking becomes crowned with\nsuccess. If both parties aided by such means encounter each other, one\nmust obtain ascendency over the other, for both cannot win or lose. A\nbattle however, if directed by bad policy which again is destitute of the\nwell-known arts, ends in defeat or destruction. If, again, both parties\nare equally circumstanced, the result becomes doubtful. Both, however,\ncannot win. When such is the case, why should we not, aided by good\npolicy, directly approach the foe; and destroy him, like the current of\nthe river uprooting a tree? If, disguising our own faults, we attack the\nenemy taking advantage of his loopholes, why should we not succeed?\nIndeed, the policy of intelligent men, is that one should not fight\nopenly with foes that are exceedingly powerful and are at the head of\ntheir well-arrayed forces. This too is my opinion. If, however, we\naccomplish our purpose secretly entering the abode of our foe and\nattacking his person, we shall never earn obloquy. That bull among\nmen--Jarasandha--alone enjoyeth unfaded glory, like unto him who is the\nself in the heart of every created being. But I see his destruction\nbefore me. Desirous of protecting our relatives we will either slay him\nin battle or shall ascend to heaven being ourselves slain in the end by\nhim.'\n\nYudhishthira said--\"O Krishna, who is this Jarasandha? What is his energy\nand what is his prowess, that having touched thee he hath not been burnt\nlike an insect at the touch of fire?\"\n\nKrishna said,--'Hear, O monarch, who Jarasandha is; what his energy; and\nwhat is his prowess; and why also he hath been spared by us, Even though\nhe hath repeatedly offended us. There was a mighty king of the name of\nVrihadratha, the lord of the Magadhas. Proud in battle, he had three\nAkshauhinis of troops. Handsome and endued with energy, possessed of\naffluence and prowess beyond measure, and always bearing on his person\nmarks indicating installation at sacrifices. He was like a second Indra.\nIn glory he was like unto Suryya, in forgiveness like unto the Earth, in\nwrath like unto the destroyer Yama and in wealth like unto Vaisravana.\nAnd O thou foremost of the Bharata race, the whole earth was covered by\nhis qualities that descended upon him from a long line of ancestors, like\nthe rays emerging from the sun. And, O bull of the Bharata race, endued\nwith great energy that monarch married two twin daughters of the king of\nKasi, both endued with the wealth of beauty. And that bull among men made\nan engagement in secret with his wives that he would love them equally\nand would never show a preference for either. And the lord of the earth\nin the company of his two dearly loved wives, both of whom suited him\nwell, passed his days in joy like a mighty elephant in the company of two\ncow-elephants, or like the ocean in his personified form between Ganga\nand Yamuna (also in their personified forms). The monarch's youth\nhowever, passed away in the enjoyment of his possessions, without any son\nbeing born unto him to perpetuate his line. The best of monarch failed to\nobtain a son to perpetuate his race, even by means of various auspicious\nrites, and homas, and sacrifices performed with the desire for having an\noffspring. One day the king heard that the high-souled Chanda-kausika,\nthe son of Kakshivat of the illustrious Gautama race, having desisted\nfrom ascetic penances had come in course of his wanderings to his capital\nand had taken his seat under the shade of a mango tree. The king went\nunto that Muni accompanied by his two wives, and worshipping him with\njewels and valuable presents gratified him highly. That best of Rishis\ntruthful in speech and firmly attached to truth, then told the king,--O\nking of kings, I have been pleased with thee. O thou of excellent vows,\nsolicit thou a boon. King Vrihadratha then, with his wives, bending low\nunto that Rishi, spoke these words choked with tears in consequence of\nhis despair of obtaining a child.--'O holy one forsaking my kingdom I am\nabout to go into the woods to practise ascetic penances. I am very\nunfortunate for I have no son. What shall I do, therefore, with my\nkingdom or with a boon?'\n\nKrishna continued,--\"Hearing these words (of the king), the Muni\ncontrolling his outer senses entered into meditation, sitting in the\nshade of that very mango tree where he was. And there fell upon the lap\nof the seated Muni a mango that was juicy and untouched by the beak of a\nparrot or any other bird. That best of Munis, taking up the fruit and\nmentally pronouncing certain mantras over it, gave it unto the king as\nthe means of his obtaining an incomparable offspring. And the great Muni,\npossessed also of extraordinary wisdom, addressing the monarch,\nsaid,--\"Return, O king, thy wish is fulfilled. Desist, O king, from going\n(into the woods)\".--Hearing these words of the Muni and worshipping his\nfeet, the monarch possessed of great wisdom, returned to his own abode.\nAnd recollecting his former promise (unto them) the king gave, O bull of\nthe Bharata race, unto his two wives that one fruit. His beautiful\nqueens, dividing that single fruit into two parts, ate it up. In\nconsequence of the certainty of the realisation of the Muni's words and\nhis truthfulness, both of them conceived, as an effect of their having\neaten that fruit. And the king beholding them in that state became filled\nwith great joy. Then, O wise monarch, some time after, when the time\ncame, each of the queens brought forth a fragmentary body. And each\nfragment had one eye, one arm, one leg, half a stomach, half a face, and\nhalf an anus. Beholding the fragmentary bodies, both the mothers trembled\nmuch. The helpless sisters then anxiously consulted each other, and\nsorrowfully abandoned those fragments endued with life. The two midwives\n(that waited upon the queens) then carefully wrapping up the still-born\n(?) fragments went out of the inner apartments (of the palace) by the\nback door and throwing away the bodies, returned in haste. A little while\nafter, O tiger among men, a Rakshasa woman of the name of Jara living\nupon flesh and blood, took up the fragments that lay on a crossing. And\nimpelled by force of fate, the female cannibal united the fragments for\nfacility of carrying them away. And, O bull among men, as soon as the\nfragments were united they formed a sturdy child of one body (endued with\nlife). Then, O king, the female cannibal, with eyes expanded in wonder,\nfound herself unable to carry away that child having a body as hard and\nstrong as the thunder-bolt. That infant then closing his fists red as\ncopper and inserting them into its mouth, began to roar terribly as\nrain-charged clouds. Alarmed at the sound, the inmates of the palace, O\ntiger among men, suddenly came out with the king, O slayer of all foes.\nThe helpless and disappointed and sad queens also, with breasts full of\nmilk, also came out suddenly to recover their child. The female cannibal\nbeholding the queens in that condition and the king too so desirous of an\noffspring, and the child was possessed of such strength thought within\nherself--I live within dominions of the king who is so desirous of an\noffspring. It behoveth not me, therefore, to kill the infant child of\nsuch an illustrious and virtuous monarch. The Rakshasa woman then,\nholding the child in her arms like the clouds enveloping the sun, and\nassuming a human form, told the king these words,--O Vrihadratha, this is\nthy child. Given to thee by me, O, take it. It hath been born of both thy\nwives by virtue of the command of the great Brahmana. Cast away by the\nmidwives, it hath been protected by me!\n\n\"Krishna continued,--O thou foremost of the Bharata race, the handsome\ndaughters of the king of Kasi, having obtained the child, soon drenched\nit with their lacteal streams. The king ascertaining everything, was\nfilled with joy, and addressing that female cannibal disguised as a human\nbeing possessing the complexion of gold, asked,--O thou of the complexion\nof the filament of the lotus, who art thou that givest me this child? O\nauspicious one, thou seemest to me as a goddess roaming at thy pleasure!\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XVIII\n\n\"Krishna continued,--'hearing these words of the king, the Rakshasa woman\nanswered--Blessed be thou, O king of kings. Capable of assuming any form\nat will. I am a Rakshasa woman called Jara. I am living, O king, happily\nin thy house, worshipped by all. Every day I wander from house to house\nof men. Indeed, I was created of old by the Self-create and was named\nGrihadevi (the household goddess)'. Of celestial beauty I was placed (in\nthe world) for the destruction of the Danavas. He that with devotion\npainteth on the walls (of his house) a likeness of myself endued with\nyouth and in the midst of children, must have prosperity in his abode;\notherwise a household must sustain decay and destruction. O lord, painted\non the walls of thy house is a likeness of myself surrounded by numerous\nchildren. Stationed there I am daily worshipped with scents and flowers,\nwith incense and edibles and various objects of enjoyment. Thus\nworshipped in thy house, I daily think of doing thee some good in return.\nIt chanced, O virtuous king, that I beheld the fragmentary bodies of thy\nson. When these happened to be united by me, a living child was formed of\nthem. O great king, it hath been so owing to thy good fortune alone. I\nhave been only the instrument, I am capable of swallowing the mountain of\nMeru itself, what shall I say of the child? I have, however, been\ngratified with thee in consequence of the worship I receive in thy house.\nIt is, therefore, O king, that I have bestowed this child on thee.\n\n\"Krishna continued,--Having spoken these words, O king, Jara disappeared\nthere and then. The king having obtained the child then entered the\npalace. And the king then caused all the rites of infancy to be performed\non that child, and ordered a festival to be observed by his people in\nHonour of that Rakshasa woman. And the monarch equal unto Brahma himself\nthen bestowed a name on his child. And he said that because the child had\nbeen united by Jara, he should be called (Jarasandha i.e., united by\nJara). And the son of the king of Magadha endued with great energy, began\nto grow up in bulk and strength like a fire into which hath been poured\nlibation of clarified butter. And increasing day by day like the moon in\nthe bright fortnight, the child began to enhance the joy of his parents.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XIX\n\n\"Krishna said,--some time after this, the great ascetic, the exalted\nChandakausika, again came into the country of the Magadhas. Filled with\njoy at the advent of the Rishi, king Vrihadratha, accompanied by his\nministers and priest and wives and son, went out to receive him. And, O\nBharata, worshipping the Rishi with water to wash his feet and face, and\nwith the offerings of Arghya the king then offered his whole kingdom\nalong with his son for the acceptance of the Rishi. The adorable Rishi\naccepting that worship offered by the king, addressing the ruler of\nMagadha, O monarch, said with well-pleased heart,--O king, I knew all\nthis by spiritual insight. But hear, O king of kings, what this son of\nthine will be in future, as also what his beauty, excellence, strength,\nand valour will be. Without doubt this son of thine, growing in\nprosperity and endued with prowess, will obtain all these. Like other\nbirds that can never imitate the speed of Vinata's son (Garuda), the\nother monarchs of the earth will not be able to equal in energy this thy\nson, who will be endued with great valour. And all those that will stand\nin his way will certainly be destroyed. Like the force of the current\nthat can never make the slightest impression upon the rocky breast of a\nmountain, weapons hurled at him even by the celestials will fail to\nproduce the least pain in him. He will blaze forth above the heads of all\nthat wear crowns on their brows. Like the sun that dims the lustre of all\nluminous bodies, this son of thine will rob all monarchs of their\nsplendour. Even kings that are powerful and own large armies and\nnumberless vehicles and animals, upon approaching this son of thine, will\nall perish as insects upon fire. This child will seize the growing\nprosperity of all kings like the ocean receiving the rivers swollen with\nthe water of the rainy season. Like the huge earth that bears all kinds\nof produce, supporting things that are both good and evil, this child\nendued with great strength will support all the four orders of men. And\nall the kings of the earth will live in obedience to the commands of this\nchild just as every creature endued with body live in dependence upon\nVayu that is dear as self unto beings. This prince of Magadha--the\nmightiest of all men in the world--will behold with his physical eyes the\ngod of gods called Rudra or Hara, the slayer of Tripura. O thou slayer of\nall foes, saying this, the Rishi, thinking of his own business, dismissed\nking Vrihadratha. The lord of the Magadhas then, re-entering his capital,\nand calling together his friends and relations, installed Jarasandha, on\nthe throne. King Vrihadratha then came to feel a great distaste for\nworldly pleasures. And after the installation of Jarasandha king\nVrihadratha followed by his two wives became an inmate of an ascetic\nasylum in the woods. And, O king, after his father and mothers had\nretired into the woods, Jarasandha by his valour brought numerous kings\nunder his sway.'\"\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued,--'King Vrihadratha, having lived for some time\nin the woods and practised ascetic penances, ascended to heaven at last\nwith his wives. King Jarasandha, also, as uttered by Kausika, having\nreceived those numerous boons ruled his kingdom like a father. Some time\nafter when king Kansa was slain by Vasudeva, an enmity arose between him\nand Krishna. Then, O Bharata, the mighty king of Magadha from his city of\nGirivraja, whirling a mace ninety-nine times, hurled it towards Mathura.\nAt that time Krishna of wonderful deeds was residing at Mathura. The\nhandsome mace hurled by Jarasandha fell near Mathura at a distance of\nninety-nine yojanas from Gririvraja The citizens beholding the\ncircumstance well, went unto Krishna and informed him of the fall of the\nmace. The place where the mace fell is adjacent to Mathura and is called\nGadavasan. Jarasandha had two supporters called Hansa and Dimvaka, both\nof whom were incapable of being slain by weapons. Well-conversant with\nthe science of politics and morality, in counsel they were the foremost\nof all intelligent men. I have already told thee everything about that\nmighty pair. They two and Jarasandha, I believe, are more than a match\nfor three worlds. O brave king, it was for this reason that the powerful\nKukkura, Andhaka and Vrishni tribes, acting from motives of policy, did\nnot deem it proper to fight with him.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XX\n\n(Jarasandhta-badha Parva)\n\n\"Krishna said,--both Hansa and Dimvaka have fallen; Kansa also with all\nhis followers has been slain. The time hath, therefore come for the\ndestruction of Jarasandha. He is incapable of being vanquished in battle\neven by all the celestials and the Asuras (fighting together). We think,\nhowever, that he should be vanquished in a personal struggle with bare\narms. In me is policy, in Bhima is strength and in Arjuna is triumph; and\ntherefore, as prelude to performing the Rajasuya, we will certainly\nachieve the destruction of the ruler of Magadha. When we three approach\nthat monarch in secret, and he will, without doubt, be engaged in an\nencounter with one of us. From fear of disgrace, from covetousness, and\nfrom pride of strength he will certainly summon Bhima to the encounter.\nLike death himself that slays a person however swollen with pride, the\nlong-armed and mighty Bhimasena will effect the destruction of the king.\nIf thou knowest my heart, if thou hast any faith in me, then make over to\nme, as a pledge, Bhima and Arjuna without loss of time!\"\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued,--Thus addressed by the exalted one,\nYudhishthira, beholding both Bhima and Arjuna standing with cheerful\nfaces, replied, saying--'O Achyuta, O Achyuta, thou slayer of all\nenemies, say not so. Thou art the lord of the Pandavas! We are dependent\non thee. What thou sayest, O Govinda, is consistent with wise counsels.\nThou never leadest those upon whom Prosperity hath turned her back. I who\nstay under thy command regard that Jarasandha is already slain, that the\nmonarchs confined by him have already been set free, that the Rajasuya\nhath already been accomplished by me. O lord of the universe, O thou best\nof persons, watchfully act thou so that this task may be accomplished.\nWithout ye then I dare not live, like a sorrowful man afflicted with\ndisease, and bereft of the three attributes of morality, pleasure and\nwealth. Partha cannot live without Sauri (Krishna), nor can Sauri live\nwithout Partha. Nor is there anything in the world that is unconquerable\nby these two, viz., Krishna and Arjuna. This handsome Bhima also is the\nforemost of all persons endued with might. Of great renown, what can he\nnot achieve when with ye two? Troops, when properly led, always do\nexcellent service. A force without a leader hath been called inert by the\nwise. Forces, therefore, should always be led by experienced commanders.\nInto places that are low, the wise always conduct the water. Even\nfishermen cause the water (of tank) to run out through holes.\n(Experienced leaders always lead their forces noting the loopholes and\nassailable points of the foe). We shall, therefore, strive to accomplish\nour purpose following the leadership of Govinda conversant with the\nscience of politics, that personage whose fame hath spread all over the\nworld. For the successful accomplishment of one's purposes one should\never place Krishna in the van, that foremost of personages whose strength\nconsists in wisdom and policy and who possesseth a knowledge of both\nmethod and means. For the accomplishment of one's purpose let, therefore,\nArjuna, the son of Pritha, follow Krishna the foremost of the Yadavas and\nlet Bhima follow Arjuna. Policy and good fortune and might will (then)\nbring about success in a matter requiring valour.' Vaisampayana\nsaid,--'Thus addressed by Yudhishthira, the trio Krishna, Arjuna and\nBhima, all possessed of great energy, set out for Magadha attired in the\ngarb of Snataka Brahmanas of resplendent bodies, and blessed by the\nagreeable speeches of friends and relatives. Possessed of superior energy\nand of bodies already like the Sun, the Moon, and the Fire, inflamed with\nwrath at the sad lot of their relative kings, those bodies of theirs\nbecame much more blazing. And the people, beholding Krishna and Arjuna,\nboth of whom had never before been vanquished in battle, with Bhima in\nthe van, all ready to achieve the same task, regarded Jarasandha as\nalready slain. For the illustrious pair (Krishna and Arjuna) were masters\nthat directed every operation (in the universe), as also all acts\nrelating to the morality, wealth, and pleasure of every being. Having set\nout from the country of the Kurus, they passed through Kuru-jangala and\narrived at the charming lake of lotuses. Passing over the hills of\nKalakuta, they then went on crossing the Gandaki, the Sadanira\n(Karatoya), and the Sarkaravarta and the other rivers taking their rise\nin the same mountains. They then crossed the delightful Sarayu and saw\nthe country of Eastern Kosala. Passing over that country they went to\nMithila and then crossing the Mala and Charamanwati, the three heroes\ncrossed the Ganges and the Sone and went on towards the east. At last\nthose heroes of unfaded glory arrived at Magadha in the heart of (the\ncountry of) Kushamva. Reaching then the hills of Goratha, they saw the\ncity of Magadha that was always filled with kine and wealth and water and\nrendered handsome with the innumerable trees standing there.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXI\n\n\"Vasudeva said,--'behold, O Partha, the great capital of Magadha,\nstanding in all its beauty. Filled with flocks and herds and its stock of\nwater never exhausted, and adorned also with fine mansions standing in\nexcellent array, it is free from every kind of calamity. The five large\nhills of Vaihara, Varaha, Vrishava, Rishigiri, and the delightful\nChaitya, all of high peaks and overgrown with tall trees of cool shade\nand connected with one another, seem to be jointly protecting the city of\nGirivraja. The breasts of the hills are concealed by forests of\ndelightful and fragrant Lodhras having the ends of their branches covered\nwith flowers. It was here that the illustrious Gautama of rigid vows\nbegat on the Sudra woman Ausinari (the daughter of Usinara) Kakshivat and\nother celebrated sons. That the race sprung from Gautama doth yet live\nunder the sway of an ordinary human race (of monarchs) is only evidence\nof Gautama's kindness to kings. And, O Arjuna, it was here that in olden\ntimes the mighty monarchs of Anga, and Vanga and other countries, came to\nthe abode of Gautama, and passed their days in joy and happiness. Behold,\nO Partha, those forests of delightful Pippalas and beautiful Lodhras\nstanding near the side of Gautama's abode. There dwelt in old days those\nNagas, Arvuda and Sakravapin, those persecutors of all enemies, as also\nthe Naga Swastika and that other excellent Naga called Manu. Manu himself\nhad ordered the country of the Magadhas to be never afflicted with\ndrought, and Kaushika and Manimat also have favoured the country. Owning\nsuch a delightful and impregnable city, Jarasandha is ever bent on\nseeking the fruition of his purposes unlike other monarchs. We shall,\nhowever, by slaying him to-day humble his pride.\"\n\nVaisampayana said,--Thus saying those brothers of abundant energy, viz.,\nhe of the Vrishni race and the two Pandavas entered the city of Magadha.\nThey then approached towards the impregnable city of Girivraja that was\nfull of cheerful and well-fed inhabitants belonging to all the four\norders, and where festivities were perennial. On arriving then at the\ngate of the city, the brothers (instead of passing through it) began to\npierce (with their shafts) the heart of the high Chaityaka peak that was\nworshipped by the race of Vrihadratha, as also by the citizens and which\ndelighted the hearts of all the Magadhas. There Vrihadratha had slain a\ncannibal called Rishava and having slain the monster made of his hide\nthree drums which he placed in his own city. And those drums were such\nthat once beaten their sound lasted one full month. And the brothers\nbroke down the Chaityaka peak that was delightful to all the Magadhas, at\nthat point where those drums covered with celestial flowers used to yield\ntheir continuous sound. And desirous of slaying Jarasandha they seemed by\nthat act of theirs to place their feet upon the head of their foe. And\nattacking with their mighty arms that immovable and huge and high and old\nand celebrated peak always worshipped with perfumes and floral wreaths,\nthose heroes broke it down. And with joyful hearts they then entered the\ncity. And it so happened that the learned Brahmanas residing within the\ncity saw many evil omens which they reported to Jarasandha. And the\npriest making the king mount an elephant whirled lighted brands about\nhim. And king Jarasandha also, possessed of great prowess, with a view to\nwarding of those evils, entered upon the celebration of a sacrifice, with\nproper vows and fasts. Meanwhile, O Bharata, the brothers unarmed, or\nrather with their bare arms as their only weapons, desirous of fighting\nwith Jarasandha, entered the capital in the guise of Brahmanas. They\nbeheld the extraordinary beauty of the shops full of various edibles and\nfloral wreaths, and supplied with articles of every variety of various\nqualities that man can desire. Those best of men, Krishna, Bhima, and\nDhananjaya, beholding in those shops their affluence, passed along the\npublic road. And endued with great strength they snatched forcibly from\nthe flower-vendors the garlands they had exposed for sale. And attired in\nrobes of various colours and decked in garlands and ear-rings the heroes\nentered the abode of Jarasandha possessed of great intelligence, like\nHimalayan lions eyeing cattle-folds. And the arms of those warriors, O\nking, besmeared with sandal paste, looked like the trunks of sala trees.\nThe people of Magadha, beholding those heroes looking like elephants,\nwith necks broad like those of trees and wide chests, began to wonder\nmuch. Those bull among men, passing through three gates that were crowded\nwith men, proudly and cheerfully approached the king. And Jarasandha\nrising up in haste received them with water to wash their feet with, and\nhoney and the other ingredients of the Arghya--with gifts of kine, and\nwith other forms of respect. The great king addressing them said,--'Ye\nare welcome'! And, O Janamejaya, both Partha and Bhima remained silent at\nthis. And addressing the monarch Krishna said,--'O king of kings these\ntwo are now in the observance of a vow. Therefore they will not speak.\nSilent they will remain till midnight After that hour they will speak\nwith thee!' The king then quartering his guests in the sacrificial\napartments retired into his private chambers. And when midnight arrived,\nthe monarch arrived at the place where his guests attired as Brahmanas\nwere. For, O King, that ever victorious monarch observed this vow which\nwas known throughout the Worlds that as soon as he should hear of the\narrival of Snataka Brahmanas at his place, should it be even at midnight,\nhe would immediately, O Bharata, come out and grant them an audience.\nBeholding the strange attire of his guests that best of kings wondered\nmuch. For all that, however, he waited on them respectfully. Those bulls\namong men, those slayers of all foes, on the other hand, O thou best of\nthe Bharata race, beholding king Jarasandha, said,--'Let salvation be\nattained by thee, O king, without difficulty.' And, O tiger among kings,\nhaving said this unto the monarch, they stood looking at each other. And,\nO king of kings, Jarasandha then said unto those sons of Pandu and him of\nthe Yadu race, all disguised as Brahmanas--'Take your seats.' And those\nbulls among men sat themselves down, and like the three priests of a\ngreat sacrifice blazed forth in their beauty. And king Jarasandha, O thou\nof the Kuru race, firmly devoted to truth, censuring the disguised\nguests, said unto them,--'It is well known to me that in the whole world\nBrahmanas in the observance of Snataka vow never deck their persons with\ngarlands and fragrant paste unseasonably. Who are ye, therefore, thus\ndecked with flowers, and with hands bearing the marks of the bow-string?\nAttired in coloured robes and decked unseasonably with flowers and paste,\nye give me to understand that ye are Brahmanas, although ye bear\nKshatriya energy. Tell me truly who ye are. Truth decks even kings.\nBreaking down the peak of the Chaityaka hill, why have ye, in disguise,\nentered (the city) by an improper gate without fear of the royal wrath?\nThe energy of a Brahmana dwelleth in his speech, (not in act). This your\nfeat is not suited to the order to which ye profess to belong. Tell us\ntherefore, the end ye have in view. Arrived here by such an improper way,\nwhy accept ye not the worship I offer? What is your motive for coming to\nme? Thus addressed by the king, the high-souled Krishna, well-skilled in\nspeech, thus replied unto the monarch in a calm and grave voice.\n\n\"Krishna said,--'O king, know us for Snataka Brahmanas. Brahmanas and\nKshatriyas and Vaishyas are all, O monarch, competent to observe the vow\nof Snataka. This vow, besides, hath (many) especial and general rules. A\nKshatriya observing this vow with especial rules always achieve\nprosperity. Therefore, have we decked ourselves with flowers. Kshatriyas\nagain, O king, exhibit their energy by their arms and not in speech. It\nis, therefore, O son of Vrihadratha, that the speeches uttered by a\nKshatriya are never audacious. O monarch, the creator hath planted his\nown energy in the aim of the Kshatriya. If thou wishest to behold it,\nthou shalt certainly behold it today. These are the rules of the\nordinance, viz., that an enemy's abode should be entered through a wrong\ngate and a friend's abode through the right one. And know, O monarch,\nthat this also is our eternal vow that having entered the foe's abode for\nthe accomplishment of our purpose, we accept not the worship offered to\nus!\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXII\n\n\"Jarasandha said,--'I do not recollect if I ever acted injuriously\ntowards ye! Even upon a careful mental scrutiny I fail to see the injury\nI did unto ye. When I have never done ye an injury, why, ye Brahmanas do\nye regard me, who am innocent, as your foe? O, answer me truly, for this,\nindeed, is the rule followed by the honest. The mind is pained at the\ninjury to one's pleasure and morality. That Kshatriya who injures an\ninnocent man's (sources of) pleasure and morality even if he be otherwise\na great warrior and well-versed in all rules of morality, obtains,\nwithout any doubt the fate of sinners (hereafter) and falls off from\nprosperity. The practices of the Kshatriyas are the best of those that\nare honest in the three worlds Indeed, those that are acquainted with\nmorality applaud the Kshatriya practices. Adhering to those practices of\nmy order with steady soul, I never injure those that are under me. In\nbringing this charge, therefore, against me, it appears that ye speak\nerroneously!'\n\n\"Krishna said,--'O thou of mighty arms, there is a certain person of the\nhead of a (royal) line who upholdeth the dignity of his race At his\ncommand have we come against thee. Thou hast brought, O king, many of the\nKshatriyas of the world as captives (to thy city.) Having perpetrated\nthat wicked wrong how dost thou regard thyself as innocent? O best of\nmonarchs, how can a king act wrongfully towards other virtuous kings? But\nthou, O king, treating other kings with cruelty, seekest to offer them as\nsacrifice unto the god Rudra! O son of Vrihadratha, this sin committed by\nthee may touch even us, for as we are virtuous in our practices, we are\ncapable of protecting virtue. The slaughter of human being as sacrifice\nunto the gods is never seen. Why dost thou, therefore, seek to perform a\nsacrifice unto god Sankara by slaughtering human beings? Thou art\naddressing persons belonging to thy own order as animals (fit for\nsacrifice)! Fool as thou art, who else, O Jarasandha, is capable of\nbehaving in this way? One always obtaineth the fruits of whatever acts\none performeth under whatever circumstances. Therefore, desirous as we\nare of helping all distressed people, we have, for the prosperity of our\nrace, come hither to slay thee, the slaughterer of our relatives. Thou\nthinkest that there is no man among the Kshatriyas (equal to thee). This,\nO king, is a great error of judgment on thy part. What Kshatriya is\nthere, O king, who endued with greatness of soul and recollecting the\ndignity of his own parentage, would not ascend to eternal heaven that\nhath not its like anywhere, falling in open fight? Know O bull among men,\nthat Kshatriyas engage themselves in battle, as persons installed in\nsacrifices, with heaven in view, and vanquish the whole world! Study of\nthe Vedas, great fame, ascetic penances, and death in battle, are all\nacts that lead to heaven. The attainment of heaven by the three other\nacts may be uncertain, but death in battle hath that for its certain\nconsequence. Death in battle is the sure cause of triumph like Indra's.\nIt is graced by numerous merits. It is for this reason that he of a\nhundred sacrifices (Indra) hath become what he is, and by vanquishing the\nAsuras he ruleth the universe. Hostility with whom else than thee is so\nsure of leading to heaven, proud as thou art of the excessive strength of\nthy vast Magadha host? Don't disregard others, O king. Valour dwelleth in\nevery man. O king of men, there are many men whose valour may be equal or\nsuperior to thine. As long as these are not known, so long only art thou\nnoted for thy valour. Thy prowess, O king, can be borne by us. It is,\ntherefore, that I say so. O king of Magadha, cast off thy superiority and\npride in the presence of those that are thy equals. Go not, O king, with\nthy children and ministers and army, into the regions of Yama.\nDamvodhava, Kartavirya, Uttara, and Vrihadratha, were kings that met with\ndestruction, along with all their forces, for having disregarded their\nsuperiors. Desirous of liberating the captive monarchs from thee, know\nthat we are certainly not Brahmanas. I am Hrishesha otherwise called\nSauri, and these two heroes among men are the sons of Pandu. O king of\nMagadha, we challenge thee. Fight standing before us. Either set free all\nthe monarchs, or go thou to the abode of Yama.\n\n\"Jarasandha said,--'I never make a captive of a king without first\nvanquishing him. Who hath been kept here that hath not been defeated in\nwar? This, O Krishna, it hath been said, is the duty that should be\nfollowed by the Kshatriyas, viz., to bring others under sway by the\nexhibition of prowess and then to treat them as slaves. Having gathered\nthese monarchs with the intention of offering them as sacrifices unto the\ngod, how shall I, O Krishna, from fear liberate them to-day, when I\nrecollect also the duty I have recited of a Kshatriya? With troops\nagainst troops arrayed in order of battle, or alone against one, or\nagainst two, or against three, at the same time or separately, I am ready\nto fight.'\"\n\nVaisampayana said,--\"Having spoken thus, and desiring to fight with those\nheroes of terrible achievements, king Jarasandha ordered (his son)\nSahadeva to be installed on the throne. Then, O bull of the Bharata race,\nthe king, on the eve of battle, thought of his two generals Kausika and\nChitrasena. These two, O king, were formerly called by everybody in the\nworld of men by the respectful appellations of Hansa and Dimvaka. And, O\nmonarch, that tiger among men, the lord Sauri ever devoted to truth, the\nslayer of Madhu, the younger brother of Haladhara, the foremost of all\npersons having their senses under complete control, keeping in view the\ncommand of Brahma and remembering that the ruler of Magadha was destined\nto be slain in battle by Bhima and not by the descendant of Madhu\n(Yadavas), desired not to slay himself king Jarasandha, that foremost of\nall men endued with strength, that hero possessed of the prowess of a\ntiger, that warrior of terrible valour.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXIII\n\nVaisampayana said,--'then that foremost of all speakers, Krishna of the\nYadava race, addressing king Jarasandha who was resolved upon fighting,\nsaid,--'O king, with whom amongst us three dost thou desire to fight? Who\namongst us shall prepare himself for battle (with thee)?' Thus addressed,\nthe ruler of Magadha, king Jarasandha of great splendour, expressed his\ndesire for fighting with Bhima. The priest then, bringing with him the\nyellow pigment obtained from the cow and garlands of flowers and other\nauspicious articles, as also various excellent medicines for restoring\nlost consciousness and alleviating pain, approached Jarasandha, panting\nfor battle. The king Jarasandha, on whose behalf propitiatory ceremonies\nwith benedictions were performed by a renowned Brahmana, remembering the\nduty of a Kshatriya dressed himself for battle. Taking off his crown and\nbinding his hair properly, Jarasandha stood up like an ocean bursting its\ncontinents. Then the monarch possessed of terrible prowess, addressing\nBhima. said, 'I will fight with thee. It is better to be vanquished by a\nsuperior person.' And saying this, Jarasandha, that represser of all foes\nendued, rushed with great energy at Bhimasena like the Asura Vala or old\nwho rushed at the chief of the celestials. And the mighty Bhimasena, on\nwhose behalf the gods had been invoked by Krishna, that cousin of his,\nhaving consulted with advanced towards Jarasandha, impelled by the desire\nof fight. Then those tigers among men, those heroes of great prowess,\nwith their bare arms as their only weapons, cheerfully engaged themselves\nin the encounter, each desirous of vanquishing the other. And seizing\neach other's arms and twining each other's legs, (at times) they slapped\ntheir arm-pits, causing the enclosure to tremble at the sound. And\nfrequently seizing each other's necks with their hands and dragging and\npushing it with violence, and each pressing every limb of his body\nagainst every limb of the other, they continued, O exalted one, to slap\ntheir arm-pits (at time). And sometimes stretching their arms and\nsometimes drawing them close, and now raising them up and now dropping\nthem down, they began to seize each other. And striking neck against neck\nand forehead against forehead, they caused fiery sparks to come out like\nflashes of lightning. And grasping each other in various ways by means of\ntheir arms, and kicking each other with such violence as to affect the\ninnermost nerves, they struck at each other's breasts with clenched\nfists. With bare arms as their only weapons roaring like clouds they\ngrasped and struck each other like two mad elephants encountering each\nother with their trunks. Incensed at each other's blow, they fought on\ndragging and pushing each other and fiercely looking at each other like\ntwo wrathful lions. And each striking every limb of the other with his\nown and using his arms also against the other, and catching hold of each\nother's waist, they hurled each other to a distance. Accomplished in\nwrestling, the two heroes clasping each other with their arms and each\ndragging the other unto himself, began to press each other with great\nviolence. The heroes then performed those grandest of all feats in\nwrestling called Prishtabhanga, which consisted in throwing each other\ndown with face towards the earth and maintaining the one knocked down in\nthat position as long as possible. And employing his arms, each also\nperformed the feats called Sampurna-murchcha and Purna-kumbha. At times\nthey twisted each other's arms and other limbs as if these were vegetable\nfibres that were to be twisted into chords. And with clenched fists they\nstruck each other at times, pretending to aim at particular limbs while\nthe blows descended upon other parts of the body. It was thus that those\nheroes fought with each other. The citizens consisting of thousands, of\nBrahmanas, Kshatriyas and Vaisyas and Sudras, and even women and the\naged, O tiger among men, came out and gathered there to behold the fight.\nAnd the crowd became so great that it was one solid mass of humanity with\nno space between body and body. The sound the wrestlers made by the\nslapping of their arms, the seizing of each other's necks for bringing\neach other down, and the grasping of each other's legs for dashing each\nother to the ground, became so loud that it resembled the roar of thunder\nor of falling cliffs. Both of them were foremost of mighty men, and both\ntook great delight in such encounter. Desirous of vanquishing the other,\neach was on the alert for taking advantage of the slightest lapse of the\nother. And, O monarch, the mighty Bhima and Jarasandha fought terribly on\nin those lists, driving the crowd at times by the motions of their hands\nlike Vritra and Vasava of old. Thus two heroes, dragging each other\nforward and pressing each other backward and with sudden jerks throwing\neach other face downward and sideways, mangled each other dreadfully. And\nat times they struck each other with their knee-joints. And addressing\neach other loudly in stinging speeches, they struck each other with\nclenched fists, the blows descending like a mass of stone upon each\nother. With broad shoulders and long arms and both well-skilled in\nwrestling encounters, they struck each other with those long arms of\ntheirs that were like maces of iron. That encounter of the heroes\ncommenced on the first (lunar) day of the month of Kartic (October) and\nthe illustrious heroes fought on without intermission and food, day and\nnight, till the thirteenth lunar day. It was on the night of the\nfourteenth of the lunar fortnight that the monarch of Magadha desisted\nfrom fatigue. And O king, Janardana beholding the monarch tired,\naddressed Bhima of terrible deeds, and as if to stimulate him said,--'O\nson of Kunti, a foe that is fatigued cannot be pressed for if pressed at\nsuch a time he may even die. Therefore, O son of Kunti, this king should\nnot be oppressed by thee. On the other hand, O bull of the Bharata race,\nfight with him With thy arms, putting forth as much strength only as thy\nantagonist hath now left!' Then that slayer of hostile heroes, the son of\nPandu, thus addressed by Krishna, understood the plight of Jarasandha and\nforthwith resolved upon taking his life. And that foremost of all men\nendued with strength, that prince of the Kuru race, desirous of\nvanquishing the hitherto unvanquished Jarasandha, mustered all his\nstrength and courage.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXIV\n\nVaisampayana said,--\"thus addressed, Bhima firmly resolved upon slaying\nJarasandha, replied unto Krishna of the Yadu race, saying,--O tiger of\nthe Yadu race, O Krishna, this wretch that yet stayeth before me with\nsufficient strength and bent upon fight, should not be forgiven by me.\nHearing these words of Vrikodara (Bhima), that tiger among men, Krishna,\ndesiring to encourage that hero to accomplish the death of Jarasandha\nwithout any delay, answered,--'O Bhima, exhibit today upon Jarasandha the\nstrength thou hast luckily derived, the might thou hast obtained from\n(thy father), the god Maruta.' Thus addressed by Krishna, Bhima, that\nslayer of foes, holding up in the air the powerful Jarasandha, began to\nwhirl him on high. And, O bull of the Bharata race, having so whirled him\nin the air full hundred times, Bhima pressed his knee against\nJarasandha's backbone and broke his body in twain. And having killed him\nthus, the mighty Vrikodara uttered a terrible roar. And the roar of the\nPandava mingling with that death knell of Jarasandha, while he was being\nbroken on Bhima's knee, caused a loud uproar that struck fear into the\nheart of every creature. And all the citizens of Magadha became dumb with\nterror and many women were even prematurely delivered. And hearing those\nroars, the people of Magadha thought that either the Himavat was tumbling\ndown or the earth itself was being rent asunder. And those oppressors of\nall foes then, leaving the lifeless body of the king at the palace gate\nwhere he lay as one asleep, went out of the town. And Krishna, causing\nJarasandha's car furnished with an excellent flagstaff to be made ready\nand making the brothers (Bhima and Arjuna) ride in it, went in and\nreleased his (imprisoned) relatives. And those kings rescued from\nterrible fate, rich in the possession of jewels, approaching Krishna made\npresents unto him of jewels and gems. And having vanquished his foe,\nKrishna furnished with weapons and unwounded and accompanied by the kings\n(he had released), came out of Girivraja riding in that celestial car (of\nJarasandha). And he also who could wield the bow with both hands\n(Arjuna), who was incapable of being vanquished by any of the monarchs on\nearth, who was exceedingly handsome in person and well-skilled in the\ndestruction of the foe, accompanied by the possessor of great strength\n(Bhima), came out of that tort with Krishna driving the car whereon he\nrode. And that best of cars, incapable of being vanquished by any king,\nridden in by those warriors Bhima and Arjuna, and driven by Krishna,\nlooked exceedingly handsome. Indeed, it was upon that car that Indra and\nVishnu had fought of old in the battle (with the Asuras) in which Taraka\n(the wife of Vrihaspati) had become the immediate cause of much\nslaughter. And riding upon that car Krishna now came out of the\nhill-fort. Possessed of the splendour of heated gold, and decked with\nrows of jingling bells and furnished with wheels whose clatter was like\nthe roar of clouds, and ever victorious in battle, and always\nslaughtering the foe against whom it was driven, it was that very car\nriding upon which Indra had slain ninety-nine Asuras of old. And those\nbulls among men (the three cousins) having obtained that car became\nexceedingly glad. The people of Magadha, behold the long-armed Krishna\nalong with the two brothers, seated in that car (of Jarasandha) wondered\nmuch. O Bharata, that car, whereunto were yoked celestial horses and\nwhich possessed the speed of the wind, thus ridden upon by Krishna,\nlooked exceedingly beautiful. And upon that best of cars was a flag-staff\nwithout being visibly attached thereto, and which was the product of\ncelestial skill. And the handsome flag-staff, possessed of the splendour\nof the rainbow, could be seen from the distance of a yojana. And Krishna\nwhile, coming out, thought of Garuda. And Garuda, thought of by his\nmaster, came thither in no time, like a tree of vast proportions standing\nin a village worshipped by all. Garuda of immense weight of body and\nliving upon snakes sat upon that excellent car along with the numberless\nopen-mouthed and frightfully-roaring creatures on its flag-staff. And\nthereupon that best of cars became still more dazzling with its splendour\nand was as incapable of being looked at by created being as the midday\nsun surrounded by a thousand rays. And, O king, such was that best of\nflag-staffs of celestial make that it never struck against any tree nor\ncould any weapon injure it at all even though visible to men's eyes. And\nAchyuta, that tiger among men, riding with the two sons of Pandu upon\nthat celestial car, the clatter of whose wheels was like the roar of the\nclouds, came out of Girivraja. The car upon which Krishna rode had been\nobtained by king Vasu from Vasava, and from Vasu by Vrihadratha, and from\nthe latter in due course by king Jarasandha. And he of long arms and eyes\nlike lotus-petals and possessed of illustrious reputation, coming out of\nGirivraja, stopped (for some time) on a level plain outside the town.\nAnd, O king, all the citizens then, with the Brahmanas at their head,\nhastened thither to adore him with due religious rites. And the kings who\nhad been released from confinement worshipped the slayer of Madhu with\nreverence, and addressing him with eulogies said,--O thou of long arms,\nthou hast to-day rescued us, sunk in the deep mire of sorrow in the hand\nof Jarasandha. Such an act of virtue by thee, O son of Devaki, assisted\nby the might of Bhima and Arjuna, is most extraordinary. O Vishnu,\nlanguishing as we all were in the terrible hill-fort of Jarasandha, it\nwas verily from sheer good fortune alone that thou hast rescued us, O son\nof the Yadu race, and achieved thereby a remarkable reputation. O tiger\namong men, we bow down to thee. O, command us what we shall do. However\ndifficult of accomplishment, thy command being made known to us, O lord\n(Krishna), it will at once be accomplished by us. Thus addressed by the\nmonarchs, the high-souled Hrishikesa gave them every assurance and\nsaid,--'Yudhishthira is desirous of performing the sacrifice of Rajasuya.\nThat monarch, ever guided by virtue, is solicitous of acquiring the\nimperial dignity. Having known this from me assist ye him in his\nendeavours. Then, O king, all those monarchs with joyous hearts accepted\nthe words of Krishna, saying,--'So be it! And saying this, those lords of\nearth made presents of jewels unto him of the Dasarha race. And Govinda,\nmoved by kindness towards them, took a portion of those presents,\n\n\"Then the son of Jarasandha, the high-souled Sahadeva, accompanied by his\nrelatives and the principal officers of state, and with his priest in\nfront came thither. And the prince, bending himself low and making large\npresents of jewels and precious stones, worshipped Vasudeva, that god\namong men. Then that best of men, Krishna, giving every assurance unto\nthe prince afflicted with fear, accepted those presents of his of great\nvalue. And Krishna joyfully installed the prince there and then in the\nsovereignty of Magadha. And the strong-armed and illustrious son of\nJarasandha, thus installed on the throne by those most exalted of men and\nhaving obtained the friendship of Krishna and treated with respect and\nkindness by the two sons of Pritha, re-entered the city of his father.\nAnd that bull amongst men, Krishna, accompanied by the sons of Pritha and\ngraced with great good fortune, left the city of Magadha, laden with\nnumerous jewels. Accompanied by the two sons of Pandu, Achyuta (Krishna)\narrived at Indraprastha, and approaching Yudhishthira joyfully addressing\nthat monarch said,--'O best of kings, from good fortune, the mighty\nJarasandha hath been slain by Bhima, and the kings confined (at\nGirivraja) have been all set free. From good fortune also, these two,\nBhima and Dhananjaya, are well and arrived, O Bharata, it their own city\nunwounded. Then Yudhishthira worshipped Krishna as he deserved and\nembraced Bhima and Arjuna in joy. And the monarch who had no enemy,\nhaving obtained victory through the agency of his brothers in consequence\nof the death of Jarasandha, gave himself up to pleasure and merriment\nwith all his brothers. And the oldest son of Pandu (Yudhisthira) together\nwith his brothers approached the kings who had come to Indraprastha and\nentertaining and worshipping them, each according to his age, dismissed\nthem all. Commanded by Yudhishthira those kings with joyful hearts, set\nout for their respective countries without loss of time, riding upon\nexcellent vehicles. Thus, O king, did that tiger among men. Janardana of\ngreat intelligence, caused his foe Jarasandha to be slain through the\ninstrumentality of the Pandavas. And, O Bharata, that chastiser of all\nfoes having thus caused Jarasandha to be slain, took leave of\nYudhishthira and Pritha, and Draupadi and Subhadra, and Bhimasena and\nArjuna and the twins Nakula and Sahadeva. After taking leave of\nDhananjaya also, he set out for his own city (of Dwarka), riding upon\nthat best of cars of celestial make, possessed of the speed of the mind\nand given unto him by Yudhishthira, filling the ten points of the horizon\nwith the deep rattle of its wheels. And, O bull of the Bharata race, just\nas Krishna was on the point of setting out, the Pandavas with\nYudhishthira at their head walked round that tiger among men who was\nnever fatigued with exertion.'\n\n\"And after the illustrious Krishna, the son of Devaki, had departed (from\nIndraprastha) having acquired that great victory and having also\ndispelled the fears of the kings, that feat, O Bharata, swelled the fame\nof the Pandavas. And, O king, the Pandavas passed their days, continuing\nto gladden the heart of Draupadi. And at that time, whatever was proper\nand consistent with virtue, pleasure, and profit, continued to be\nproperly executed by king Yudhishthira in the exercise of his duties of\nprotecting his subjects.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXV\n\n(Digvijaya Parva)\n\nVaisampayana said,--Arjuna, having obtained that best of bows and that\ncouple of inexhaustible quivers and that car and flag-staff, as also that\nassembly-house, addressing Yudhisthira said,--Bow, weapons, great energy,\nallies, territory, fame, army-those, O king, difficult of acquisition\nhowever desirable, have all been obtained by me. I think, therefore, that\nwhat should now be done is for the swelling up of our treasury. I desire,\nO best of monarchs, to make the kings (of the earth) pay tributes to us.\nI desire to set out, in an auspicious moment of a holy day of the moon\nunder a favourable constellation for the conquest of the direction that\nis presided over by the Lord of treasures (viz. the North).\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"King Yudhisthira the just, hearing these words\nof Dhananjaya, replied unto him in a grave and collected tone, saying,--O\nbull of the Bharata race, set thou out, having made holy Brahmanas utter\nbenedictions on thee, to plunge thy enemies in sorrow and to fill thy\nfriend with joy. Victory, O son of Pritha, will surely be thine, and thou\nwilt surely obtain thy desires fulfilled.\n\n\"Thus addressed, Arjuna, surrounded by a large host, set out in that\ncelestial car of wonderful achievements he had obtained from Agni. And\nBhimasena also, and those bull among men, the twins, dismissed with\naffection by Yudhishthira the just set out, each at the head of a large\narmy. And Arjuna, the son of the chastiser of Paka then brought under\nsubjugation that direction (the North) which was presided over by the\nLord of treasures. And Bhimasena overcome by force the East and Sahadeva\nthe South, and Nakula, O king, acquainted with all the weapons, conquered\nthe West. Thus while his brothers were so employed, the exalted king\nYudishthira the just stayed within Khandavaprastha in the enjoyment of\ngreat affluence in the midst of friends and relatives.\"\n\n\"Bhagadatta, hearing this, said,--'O thou who hast Kunto for thy mother,\nas thou art to me, so is Yudhishthira also. I shall do all this. Tell me,\nwhat else I may do for thee.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXVI\n\nVaisampayana continued,--thus addressed, Dhananjaya replied unto\nBhagadatta, saying,--'If thou wilt give thy promise to do this, thou hast\ndone all I desire. And having thus subjugated the king of Pragjyotisha,\nDhananjaya of long arms, the son of Kunti, then marched towards the\nnorth--the direction presided over by the lord of treasures. That bull\namongst men, that son of Kunti, then conquered the mountainous tracts and\ntheir outskirts, as also the hilly regions. And having conquered all the\nmountains and the kings that reigned there, and bringing them under his\nsway, he exacted tributes from all. And winning the affections of those\nkings and uniting himself with them, he next marched, O king, against\nVrihanta, the king of Uluka, making this earth tremble with the sound of\nhis drums, the clatter of his chariot-wheels, and the roar of the\nelephants in his train. Vrihanta, however, quickly coming out of his city\nfollowed by his army consisting of four kinds of troops, gave battle to\nFalguna (Arjuna). And the fight that took place between Vrihanta and\nDhananjaya was terrible. It so happened that Vrihanta was unable to bear\nthe prowess of the son of Pandu. Then that invincible king of the\nmountainous region regarding the son of Kunti irresistible, approached\nhim with all his wealth. Arjuna snatched out the kingdom from Vrihanta,\nbut having made peace with him marched, accompanied by that king, against\nSenavindu whom he soon expelled from his kingdom. After this he\nsubjugated Modapura, Vamadeva, Sudaman, Susankula, the Northern Ulukas,\nand the kings of those countries and peoples. Hereafter at the command of\nYudhishthira, O monarch, Arjuna, did not move from the city of Senavindu\nbut sent his troops only and brought under his sway those five countries\nand peoples. For Arjuna, having arrived at Devaprastha, the city of\nSenavindu, took up his quarters there with his army consisting of four\nkinds of forces. Thence, surrounded by the kings and the peoples he had\nsubjugated, the hero marched against king Viswagaswa--that bull of Puru's\nrace. Having vanquished in battle the brave mountaineers, who were all\ngreat warriors, the son of Pandu, O king, then occupied with the help of\nhis troops, the town protected by the Puru king. Having vanquished in\nbattle the Puru king, as also the robber tribes, of the mountains, the\nson of Pandu brought under his sway the seven tribes called\nUtsava-sanketa. That bull of the Kshatriya race then defeated the brave\nKshatriyas of Kashmira and also king Lohita along with ten minor chiefs.\nThen the Trigartas, the Daravas, the Kokonadas, and various other\nKshatriyas, O king, advanced against the son of Pandu. That Prince of the\nKuru race then took the delightful town of Avisari, and then brought\nunder his sway Rochamana ruling in Uraga. Then the son of Indra (Arjuna),\nputting forth his might, pressed the delightful town of Singhapura that\nwas well-protected with various weapons. Then Arjuna, that bull amongst\nthe son of Pandu, at the head of all his troops, fiercely attacked the\nregions called Suhma and Sumala. Then the son of Indra, endued with great\nprowess, after pressing them with great force, brought the Valhikas\nalways difficult of being vanquished, under his sway. Then Falguna, the\nson of Pandu, taking with him a select force, defeated the Daradas along\nwith the Kambojas. Then the exalted son of Indra vanquished the robber\ntribes that dwelt in the north-eastern frontier and those also that dwelt\nin the woods. And, O great king, the son of Indra also subjugated the\nallied tribes of the Lohas, the eastern Kambojas, and northern Rishikas.\nAnd the battle with the Rishikas was fierce in the extreme. Indeed, the\nfight that took place between them and the son of Pritha was equal to\nthat between the gods and the Asuras in which Taraka (the wife of\nVrihaspati) had become the cause of so much slaughter. And defeating, O\nking, the Rishikas in the field of battle, Arjuna took from them as\ntribute eight horses that were of the colour of the parrot's breast, as\nalso other horses of the hues of the peacock, born in northern and other\nclimes and endued with high speed. At last having conquered all the\nHimalayas and the Nishkuta mountains, that bull among men, arriving at\nthe White mountains, encamped on its breast.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXVII\n\nVaisampayana said,--\"that heroic and foremost of the Pandavas endued with\ngreat energy, crossing the White mountains, subjugated the country of the\nLimpurushas ruled by Durmaputra, after a collision involving a great\nslaughter of Kshatriyas, and brought the region under his complete sway.\nHaving reduced that country, the son of Indra (Arjuna) with a collected\nmind marched at the head of his troops to the country called Harataka,\nruled by the Guhakas. Subjugating them by a policy of conciliation, the\nKuru prince beheld (in that region) that excellent of lakes called Manasa\nand various other lakes and tanks sacred to the Rishis. And the exalted\nprince having arrived at the lake Manasa conquered the regions ruled by\nthe Gandharvas that lay around the Harataka territories. Here the\nconqueror took, as tribute from the country, numerous excellent horses\ncalled Tittiri, Kalmasha, Manduka. At last the son of the slayer of Paka,\narriving in the country of North Harivarsha desired to conquer it.\nThereupon certain frontier-guards of huge bodies and endued with great\nstrength and energy, coming to him with gallant hearts, said, 'O son of\nPritha, this country can be never conquered by thee. If thou seekest thy\ngood, return hence. He that entereth this region, if human, is sure to\nperish. We have been gratified with thee; O hero, thy conquests have been\nenough. Nor is anything to be seen here, O Arjuna, that may be conquered\nby thee. The Northern Kurus live here. There cannot be war here. Even if\nthou enterest it, thou will not be able to behold anything, for with\nhuman eyes nothing can be seen here. If, however thou seekest anything\nelse, O Bharata tell us, O tiger among men, so that we may do thy\nbidding. Thus addressed by them, Arjuna smilingly addressing them,\nsaid,--'I desire the acquisition of the imperial dignity by Yudhishthira\nthe just, of great intelligence. If your land is shut against human\nbeings, I shall not enter it. Let something be paid unto Yudhishthira by\nye as tribute. Hearing these words of Arjuna, they gave him as tribute\nmany cloths and ornaments of celestial make, silks of celestial texture\nand skins of celestial origin.\n\n\"It was thus that tiger among men subjugated the countries that lay to\nthe North, having fought numberless battles with both Kshatriya and\nrobber tribes. And having vanquished the chiefs and brought them under\nhis sway he exacted from them much wealth, various gems and jewels, the\nhorses of the species called Tittiri and Kalmasha, as also those of the\ncolour of the parrot's wings and those that were like the peacocks in hue\nand all endued with the speed of the wind. And surrounded, O king, by a\nlarge army consisting of the four kinds of forces, the hero came back to\nthe excellent city of Sakraprastha. And Partha offered the whole of that\nwealth, together with the animals he had brought, unto Yudhishthira the\njust. And commanded by the monarch, the hero retired to a chamber of the\npalace for rest.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXVIII\n\nVaisampayana said,--in the meantime, Bhimasena also endued with great\nenergy, having obtained the assent of Yudhishthira the just marched\ntowards the eastern direction. And the tiger among the Bharatas,\npossessed of great valour and ever increasing the sorrows of his foes,\nwas accompanied by a mighty host with the full complement of elephants\nand horses and cars, well-armed and capable of crushing all hostile\nkingdoms. That tiger among men, the son of Pandu, going first into the\ngreat country of the Panchalas, began by various means to conciliate that\ntribe. Then that hero, that bull of the Bharata race, within a short\ntime, vanquished the Gandakas and the Videhas. That exalted one then\nsubjugated the Dasarnas. There in the country of the Dasarnas, the king\ncalled Sudharman with his bare arms fought a fierce battle with\nBhimasena. And Bhimasena, beholding that feat of the illustrious king,\nappointed the mighty Sudharman as the first in command of his forces.\nThen Bhima of terrible prowess marched towards the east, causing the\nearth itself to tremble with the tread of the mighty host that followed\nhim. Then that hero who in strength was the foremost of all strong men\ndefeated in battle Rochamana, the king of Aswamedha, at the head of all\nhis troops. And the son of Kunti, having vanquished that monarch by\nperforming feats that excelled in fierceness, subjugated the eastern\nregion. Then that prince of the Kuru race, endued with great prowess\ngoing into the country of Pulinda in the south, brought Sukumara and the\nking Sumitra under his sway. Then, O Janamejaya, that bull in the Bharata\nrace, at the command of Yudhishthira the just marched against Sisupala of\ngreat energy. The king of Chedi, hearing of the intentions of the son of\nPandu, came out of his city. And that chastiser of all foes then received\nthe son of Pritha with respect. Then, O king, those bulls of the Chedi\nand the Kuru lines, thus met together, enquired after each other's\nwelfare. Then, O monarch, the king of Chedi offered his kingdom unto\nBhima and said smilingly,--'O sinless one, upon what art thou bent?' And\nBhima thereupon represented unto him the intentions of king Yudhishthira.\nAnd Bhima dwelt there, O king, for thirty nights, duly entertained by\nSisupala. And after this he set out from Chedi with his troops and\nvehicles.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXIX\n\nVaisampayana said,--that chastiser of all foes then vanquished king\nSrenimat of the country of Kumara, and then Vrihadvala, the king of\nKosala. Then the foremost of the sons of Pandu, by performing feats\nexcelling in fierceness, defeated the virtuous and mighty king\nDirghayaghna of Ayodhya. And the exalted one then subjugated the country\nof Gopalakaksha and the northern Kosalas and also the king of Mallas. And\nthe mighty one, arriving then in the moist region at the foot of the\nHimalayas soon brought the whole country under his sway. And that bull of\nBharata race brought under control in this way diverse countries. And\nendued with great energy and in strength the foremost of all strong men,\nthe son of Pandu next conquered the country of Bhallata, as also the\nmountain of Suktimanta that was by the side of Bhallata. Then Bhima of\nterrible prowess and long arms, vanquishing in battle the unretreating\nSuvahu the king of Kasi, brought him under complete sway. Then that bull\namong the sons of Pandu overcame in battle, by sheer force, the great\nking Kratha reigning in the region lying about Suparsa. Then the hero of\ngreat energy vanquished the Matsya and the powerful Maladas and the\ncountry called Pasubhumi that was without fear or oppression of any kind.\nAnd the long-armed hero then, coming from that land, conquered Madahara,\nMahidara, and the Somadheyas, and turned his steps towards the north. And\nthe mighty son of Kunti then subjugated, by sheer force, the country\ncalled Vatsabhumi, and the king of the Bhargas, as also the ruler of the\nNishadas and Manimat and numerous other kings. Then Bhima, with scarcely\nany degree of exertion and very soon, vanquished the southern Mallas and\nthe Bhagauanta mountains. And the hero next vanquished, by policy alone,\nthe Sarmakas and the Varmakas. And that tiger among men then defeated\nwith comparative ease that lord of earth, Janaka the king of the Videhas.\nAnd the hero then subjugated strategically the Sakas and the barbarians\nliving in that part of the country. And the son of Pandu, sending forth\nexpeditions from Videha, conquered the seven kings of the Kiratas living\nabout the Indra mountain. The mighty hero then, endued with abundant\nenergy, vanquished in battle the Submas and the Prasuhmas. And winning\nthem over to his side, the son of Kunti, possessed of great strength,\nmarched against Magadha. On his way he subjugated the monarchs known by\nthe names of Danda and Dandadhara, And accompanied by those monarchs, the\nson of Pandu marched against Girivraja. After bringing the son of\nJarasandha under his sway by conciliation and making him pay tribute, the\nhero then accompanied by the monarchs he had vanquished, marched against\nKansa. And making the earth tremble by means of his troops consisting of\nthe four kinds of forces, the foremost of the Pandavas then encountered\nKarna that slayer of foes. And, O Bharata, having subjugated Karna and\nbrought him under his sway, the mighty hero then vanquished the powerful\nking of the mountainous regions. And the son of Pandu then slew in a\nfierce encounter, by the strength of his arms, the mighty king who dwelt\nin Madagiri. And the Pandava then, O king, subjugated in battle those\nstrong and brave heroes of fierce prowess, viz., the heroic and mighty\nVasudeva, the king of Pundra and king Mahaujah who reigned in\nKausika-kachchha, and then attacked the king of Vanga. And having\nvanquished Samudrasena and king Chandrasena and Tamralipta, and also the\nking of the Karvatas and the ruler of the Suhmas, as also the kings that\ndwelt on the sea-shore, that bull among the Bharatas then conquered all\nMlechchha tribes. The mighty son of the wind-god having thus conquered\nvarious countries, and exacting tributes from them all advanced towards\nLohity. And the son of Pandu then made all the Mlechchha kings dwelling\nin the marshy regions on the sea-coast, pay tributes and various kinds of\nwealth, and sandal wood and aloes, and clothes and gems, and pearls and\nblankets and gold and silver and valuable corals. The Mlechchha kings\nshowered upon the illustrious son of Kunti a thick downpour of wealth\nconsisting of coins and gems counted by hundreds of millions. Then\nreturning to Indraprastha, Bhima of terrible prowess offered the whole of\nthat wealth unto king Yudhisthira the just.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXX\n\nVaisampayana said,--\"thus also Sahadeva, dismissed with affection by king\nYudhisthira the just, marched towards the southern direction accompanied\nby a mighty host. Strong in strength, that mighty prince of the Kuru\nrace, vanquishing completely at the outset the Surasenas, brought the\nking of Matsya under his sway. And the hero then, defeating Dantavakra,\nthe mighty king of the Adhirajas and making him pay tribute,\nre-established him on his throne. The prince then brought under his sway\nSukumara and then king Sumitra, and he next vanquished the other Matsyas\nand then the Patacharas. Endued with great intelligence, the Kuru warrior\nthen conquered soon enough the country of the Nishadas and also the high\nhill called Gosringa, and that lord of earth called Srenimat. And\nsubjugating next the country called Navarashtra, the hero marched against\nKuntibhoja, who with great willingness accepted the sway of the\nconquering hero. And marching thence to the banks of the Charmanwati, the\nKuru warrior met the son of king Jamvaka, who had, on account of old\nhostilities, been defeated before by Vasudeva. O Bharata, the son of\nJamvaka gave battle to Sahadeva. And Sahadeva defeating the prince\nmarched towards the south. The mighty warrior then vanquished the Sekas\nand others, and exacted tributes from them and also various kinds of gems\nand wealth. Allying himself with the vanquished tribes the prince then\nmarched towards the countries that lay on the banks of the Narmada. And\ndefeating there in battle the two heroic kings of Avanti, called Vinda\nand Anuvinda, supported by a mighty host, the mighty son of the twin gods\nexacted much wealth from them. After this the hero marched towards the\ntown of Bhojakata, and there, O king of unfading glory, a fierce\nencounter took place between him and the king of that city for two whole\ndays. But the son of Madri, vanquishing the invincible Bhismaka, then\ndefeated in battle the king of Kosala and the ruler of the territories\nlying on the banks of the Venwa, as also the Kantarakas and the kings of\nthe eastern Kosalas. The hero then defeating both the Natakeyas and the\nHeramvaks in battle, and subjugating the country of Marudha, reduced\nMunjagrama by sheer strength. And the son of Pandu then vanquished the\nmighty monarchs of the Nachinas and the Arvukas and the various forest\nking of that part of the country. Endued with great strength the hero\nthen reduced to subjection king Vatadhipa. And defeating in battle the\nPulindas, the hero then marched southward. And the younger brother of\nNakula then fought for one whole day with the king of Pandrya. The\nlong-armed hero having vanquished that monarch marched further to the\nsouth. And then he beheld the celebrated caves of Kishkindhya and in that\nregion fought for seven days with the monkey-kings Mainda and Dwivida.\nThose illustrious kings however, without being tired an the encounter,\nwere gratified with Sahadeva. And joyfully addressing the Kuru prince,\nthey said,--'O tiger among the sons of Pandu, go hence, taking with the\ntribute from us all. Let the mission of the king Yudhishthira the just\npossessed of great intelligence, be accomplished without hindrance. And\ntaking jewels and gems from them all, the hero marched towards the city\nof Mahishmati, and there that bull of men did battle with king Nila. The\nbattle that took place between king Nila and the mighty Sahadeva the son\nof Pandu, that slayer of hostile heroes, was fierce and terrible. And the\nencounter was an exceedingly bloody one, and the life of the hero himself\nwas exposed to great risk, for the god Agni himself assisted king Nila in\nthat fight. Then the cars, heroes, elephants, and the soldiers in their\ncoats of mail of Sahadeva's army all appeared to be on fire. And\nbeholding this the prince of the Kuru race became exceedingly anxious.\nAnd, O Janamejaya, at sight of this the hero could not resolve upon what\nhe should do.\n\nJanamejaya said,--O regenerate one, why was it that the god Agni become\nhostile in battle unto Sahadeva, who was fighting simply for the\naccomplishment of a sacrifice (and therefore, for the gratification of\nAgni himself)?\n\nVaisampayana said,--'It is said, O Janamejaya, that the god Agni while\nresiding in Mahishmati, earned the reputation of a lover. King Nila had a\ndaughter who was exceedingly beautiful. She used always to stay near the\nsacred fire of her father, causing it to blaze up with vigour. And it so\nhappened that king Nila's fire, even if fanned, would not blaze up till\nagitated by the gentle breath of that girl's fair lips. And it was said\nin King Nila's palace and in the house of all his subjects that the god\nAgni desired that beautiful girl for his bride. And it so happened that\nhe was accepted by the girl herself. One day the deity assuming the form\nof a Brahmana, was happily enjoying the society of the fair one, when he\nwas discovered by the king. And the virtuous king thereupon ordered the\nBrahmana to be punished according to law. At this the illustrious deity\nflamed up in wrath. And beholding this, the king wondered much and bent\nhis head low on the ground. And after some time the king bowing low\nbestowed the daughter of his upon the god Agni, disguised as a Brahmana.\nAnd the god Vibhabasu (Agni) accepting that fair-browed daughter of king\nNila, became gracious unto that monarch. And Agni, the illustrious\ngratifier of all desires also asked the monarch to beg a boon of him. And\nthe king begged that his troops might never be struck with panic while\nengaged in battle. And from that time, O king, those monarchs who from\nignorance of this, desire to subjugate king Nila's city, are consumed by\nHutasana (Agni). And from that time, O perpetuator of the Kuru race, the\ngirls of the city of Mahishmati became rather unacceptable to others (as\nwives). And Agni by his boon granted them sexual liberty, so that the\nwomen of that town always roam about at will, each unbound to a\nparticular husband. And, O bull of the Bharata race, from that time the\nmonarchs (of other countries) forsake this city for fear of Agni. And the\nvirtuous Sahadeva, beholding his troops afflicted with fear and\nsurrounded by flames of fire, himself stood there immovable as a\nmountain. And purifying himself and touching water, the hero (Sahadeva)\nthen addressed Agni, the god that sanctifieth everything, in these\nwords,--\n\n'I bow unto thee, O thou whose track is always marked with smoke. These\nmy exertions are all for thee. O thou sanctifier of all, thou art the\nmouth of the gods and thou art Sacrifice personified. Thou art called\nPavaka because thou sanctifiest everything, and thou art Havyavahana,\nbecause thou carriest the clarified butter that is poured on thee. The\nVeda have sprung for ministering unto thee, and, therefore, thou art\ncalled Jataveda. Chief of the gods as thou art, thou art called\nChitrabhanu, Anala, Vibhavasu, Hutasana, Jvalana, Sikhi, Vaiswanara,\nPingesa, Plavanga, Bhuritejah. Thou art he from whom Kumara (Kartikeya)\nhad his origin; thou art holy; thou art called Rudragarva and\nHiranyakrit. Let thee, O Agni, grant me energy, let Vayu grant me life,\nlet Earth grant me nourishment and strength, and let Water grant me\nprosperity. O Agni, thou who art the first cause of the waters, thou who\nart of great purity, thou for ministering unto whom the Vedas have\nsprung, thou who art the foremost of the deities, thou who art their\nmouth, O purify me by thy truth. Rishis and Brahmanas, Deities and Asuras\npour clarified butter every day, according to the ordinance into thee\nduring sacrifices. Let the rays of truth emanating from thee, while thou\nexhibitest thyself in those sacrifices, purify me. Smoke-bannered as thou\nart and possessed of flames, thou great purifier from all sins born of\nVayu and ever present as thou art in all creatures, O purify me by the\nrays of thy truth. Having cleansed myself thus cheerfully, O exalted one,\ndo I pray unto thee. O Agni, grant me now contentment and prosperity, and\nknowledge and gladness.\n\nVaisampayana continued.--'He that will pour clarified butter into Agni\nreciting these mantras, will ever be blessed with prosperity, and having\nhis soul under complete control will also be cleansed from all his sins.\n\n\"Sahadeva, addressing Agni again, said,--'O carrier of the sacrificial\nlibations, it behoveth thee not to obstruct a sacrifice!' Having said\nthis, that tiger among men--the son of Madri--spreading some kusa grass\non earth sat down in expectation of the (approaching) fire and in front\nof those terrified and anxious troops of his. And Agni, too, like the\nocean that never transgresseth its continents, did not pass over his\nhead. On the other hand approaching Sahadeva quietly and addressing that\nprince of the Kuru race, Agni that god of men gave him every assurance\nand said,--'O thou of the Kuru race, rise up from this posture. O rise\nup, I was only trying thee. I know all thy purpose, as also those of the\nson of Dharma (Yudhisthira). But, O best of the Bharata race, as long as\nthere is a descendant of king Nila's line, so long should this town be\nprotected by me. I will, however O son of Pandu, gratify the desires of\nthy heart. And at these words of Agni, O bull of the Bharata race, the\nson of Madri rose up with a cheerful heart, and joining his hands and\nbending his head worshipped that god of fire, sanctifier of all beings.\nAnd at last, after Agni had disappeared, king Nila came there, and at the\ncommand of that deity, worshipped with due rites Sahadeva, that tiger\namong men--that master of battle. And Sahadeva accepted that worship and\nmade him pay tribute. And having brought king Nila under his sway thus,\nthe victorious son of Madri then went further towards the south. The\nlong-armed hero then brought the king of Tripura of immeasurable energy\nunder his sway. And next turning his forces against the Paurava kingdom,\nhe vanquished and reduced to subjection the monarch thereof. And the\nprince, after this, with great efforts brought Akriti, the king of\nSaurashtra and preceptor of the Kausikas under his sway. The virtuous\nprince, while staying in the kingdom of Saurashtra sent an ambassador\nunto king Rukmin of Bhishmaka within the territories of Bhojakata, who,\nrich in possessions and intelligence, was the friend of Indra himself.\nAnd the monarch along with his son, remembering their relationship with\nKrishna, cheerfully accepted, O king, the sway of the son of Pandu. And\nthe master of battle then, having exacted jewels and wealth from king\nRukmin, marched further to the south. And, endued with great energy and\ngreat strength, the hero then, reduced to subjection, Surparaka and\nTalakata, and the Dandakas also. The Kuru warrior then vanquished and\nbrought under his subjection numberless kings of the Mlechchha tribe\nliving on the sea coast, and the Nishadas and the cannibals and even the\nKarnapravarnas, and those tribes also called the Kalamukhas who were a\ncross between human beings and Rakshasas, and the whole of the Cole\nmountains, and also Surabhipatna, and the island called the Copper\nisland, and the mountain called Ramaka. The high-souled warrior, having\nbrought under subjection king Timingila, conquered a wild tribe known by\nthe name of the Kerakas who were men with one leg. The son of Pandu also\nconquered the town of Sanjayanti and the country of the Pashandas and the\nKarahatakas by means of his messengers alone, and made all of them pay\ntributes to him. The hero brought under his subjection and exacted\ntributes from the Paundrayas and the Dravidas along with the Udrakeralas\nand the Andhras and the Talavanas, the Kalingas and the Ushtrakarnikas,\nand also the delightful city of Atavi and that of the Yavanas. And, O\nking of kings, that slayer of all foes, the virtuous and intelligent son\nof Madri having arrived at the sea-shore, then despatched with great\nassurance messengers unto the illustrious Vibhishana, the grandson of\nPulastya. And the monarch willingly accepted the sway of the son of\nPandu, for that intelligent and exalted king regarded it all as the act\nof Time. And he sent unto the son of Pandu diverse kinds of jewels and\ngems, and sandal and also wood, and many celestial ornaments, and much\ncostly apparel, and many valuable pearls. And the intelligent Sahadeva,\naccepting them all, returned to his own kingdom.\n\n\"Thus it was, O king, that slayer of all foes, having vanquished by\nconciliation and war numerous kings and having also made them pay\ntribute, came back to his own city. The bull of the Bharata race, having\npresented the whole of that wealth unto king Yudhisthira the just\nregarded himself, O Janamejaya, as crowned with success and continued to\nlive happily.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXI\n\nVaisampayana said,--\"I shall now recite to you the deeds and triumphs of\nNakula, and how that exalted one conquered the direction that had once\nbeen subjugated by Vasudeva. The intelligent Nakula, surrounded by a\nlarge host, set out from Khandavaprastha for the west, making this earth\ntremble with the shouts and the leonine roars of the warriors and the\ndeep rattle of chariot wheels. And the hero first assailed the\nmountainous country called Rohitaka that was dear unto (the celestial\ngeneralissimo) Kartikeya and which was delightful and prosperous and full\nof kine and every kind of wealth and produce. And the encounter the son\nof Pandu had with the Mattamyurakas of that country was fierce. And the\nillustrious Nakula after this, subjugated the whole of the desert country\nand the region known as Sairishaka full of plenty, as also that other one\ncalled Mahetta. And the hero had a fierce encounter with the royal sage\nAkrosa. And the son of Pandu left that part of the country having\nsubjugated the Dasarnas, the Sivis, the Trigartas, the Amvashtas, the\nMalavas, the five tribes of the Karnatas, and those twice born classes\nthat were called the Madhyamakeyas and Vattadhanas. And making circuitous\njourney that bull among men then conquered the (Mlechcha) tribes called\nthe Utsava-sanketas. And the illustrious hero soon brought under\nsubjection the mighty Gramaniya that dwelt on the shore of the sea, and\nthe Sudras and the Abhiras that dwelt on the banks of the Saraswati, and\nall those tribes that lived upon fisheries, and those also that dwelt on\nthe mountains, and the whole of the country called after the five rivers,\nand the mountains called Amara, and the country called Uttarayotisha and\nthe city of Divyakutta and the tribe called Dwarapala. And the son of\nPandu, by sheer force, reduced to subjection the Ramathas, the Harahunas,\nand various kings of the west. And while staying there Nakula sent. O\nBharata, messengers unto Vasudeva. And Vasudeva with all the Yadavas\naccepted his sway. And the mighty hero, proceeding thence to Sakala, the\ncity of the Madras, made his uncle Salya accept from affection the sway\nof the Pandavas. And, O monarch, the illustrious prince deserving the\nhospitality and entertainment at his uncle's hands, was well entertained\nby his uncle. And skilled in war, the prince, taking from Salya a large\nquantity of jewels and gems, left his kingdom. And the son of Pandu then\nreduced to subjection the fierce Mlechchas residing on the sea coast, as\nalso the wild tribes of the Palhavas, the Kiratas, the Yavanas, and the\nSakas. And having subjugated various monarchs, and making all of them pay\ntributes, Nakula that foremost of the Kurus, full of resources, retraced\nhis way towards his own city. And, O king, so great was the treasure\nwhich Nakula brought that ten thousand camels could carry it with\ndifficulty on their backs. And arriving at Indraprastha, the heroic and\nfortunate son of Madri presented the whole of that wealth unto\nYudhishthira.\n\n\"Thus, O king, did Nakula subjugate the countries that lay to the\nwest--the direction that is presided over by the god Varuna, and that had\nonce before been subjugated by Vasudeva himself!\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXII\n\n(Rajasuyika Parva)\n\nVaisampayana said,--\"in consequence of the protection afforded by\nYudhisthira the just, and of the truth which he ever cherished in his\nbehaviour, as also of the check under which he kept all foes, the\nsubjects of that virtuous monarch were all engaged in their respective\navocations. And by reason of the equitable taxation and the virtuous rule\nof the monarch, clouds in his kingdom poured as much rain as the people\ndesired, and the cities and the town became highly prosperous. Indeed as\na consequence of the monarch's acts; every affair of the kingdom,\nespecially cattle bleeding, agriculture and trade prospered highly. O\nking, during those days even robbers and cheats never spoke lies amongst\nthemselves, nor they that were the favourites of the monarch. There were\nno droughts and floods and plagues and fires and premature deaths in\nthose days of Yudhishthira devoted to virtue. And it was only for doing\nagreeable services, or for worshipping, or for offering tributes that\nwould not impoverish, that other kings used to approach Yudhisthira (and\nnot for hostility or battle.) The large treasure room of the king became\nso much filled with hoards of wealth virtuously obtained that it could\nnot be emptied even in a hundred years. And the son of Kunti,\nascertaining the state of his treasury and the extent of his possessions,\nfixed his heart upon the celebration of a sacrifice. His friends and\nofficers, each separately and all together, approaching him said,--'The\ntime hath come, O exalted one, for thy sacrifice. Let arrangements,\ntherefore, be made without loss of time.' While they were thus talking,\nHari (Krishna), that omniscient and ancient one, that soul of the Vedas,\nthat invincible one as described by those that have knowledge, that\nforemost of all lasting existences in the universe, that origin of all\nthings, as also that in which all things come to be dissolved, that lord\nof the past, the future, and the present Kesava--the slayer of Kesi, and\nthe bulwark of all Vrishnis and the dispeller of all fear in times of\ndistress and the smiter of all foes, having appointed Vasudeva to the\ncommand of the (Yadava) army, and bringing with him for the king\nYudhishthira just a large mass of treasure; entered that excellent city\nof cities. Khandava, himself surrounded by a mighty host and filling the\natmosphere with the rattle of his chariot-wheels. And Madhava, that tiger\namong men enhancing that limitless mass of wealth the Pandavas had by\nthat inexhaustible ocean of gems he had brought, enhanced the sorrows of\nthe enemies of the Pandavas. The capital of the Bharata was gladdened by\nKrishna's presence just as a dark region is rendered joyful by the sun or\na region of still air by a gentle breeze. Approaching him joyfully and\nreceiving him with due respect, Yudhishthira enquired of his welfare. And\nafter Krishna had been seated at ease, that bull among men, the son of\nPandu, with Dhaumya and Dwaipayana and the other sacrificial priests and\nwith Bhima and Arjuna and the twins, addressed Krishna thus,--\n\n'O Krishna it is for thee that the whole earth is under my sway. And, O\nthou of the Vrishni race, it is through thy grace that vast wealth had\nbeen got by me. And, O son of Devaki, O Madhava, I desire to devote that\nwealth according to the ordinance, unto superior Brahmanas and the\ncarrier of sacrificial libations. And, O thou of the Dasarha race, it\nbehoveth thee, O thou of mighty arms, to grant me permission to celebrate\na sacrifice along with thee and my younger brothers. Therefore, O\nGovinda, O thou of long arms, install thyself at that sacrifice; for, O\nthou of the Dasarha race, if thou performed the sacrifice, I shall be\ncleansed of sin. Or, O exalted one, grant permission for myself being\ninstalled at the sacrifice along with these my younger brothers, for\npermitted by thee, O Krishna. I shall be able to enjoy the fruit of an\nexcellent sacrifice.\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"Unto Yudhisthira after he had said this,\nKrishna, extolling his virtues, said.--'Thou, O tiger among kings,\ndeservest imperial dignity. Let, therefore, the great sacrifice be\nperformed by thee. And if thou performest that sacrifice an obtainest its\nfruit we all shall regard ourselves as crowned with success. I am always\nengaged in seeking good. Perform thou then the sacrifice thou desirest.\nEmploy me also in some office for that purpose, for I should obey all thy\ncommands. Yudhisthira replied--O Krishna, my resolve is already crowned\nwith fruit, and success also is surely mine, when thou, O Harishikesa,\nhast arrived here agreeably to my wish!'\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"Commanded by Krishna, the son of Pandu along\nwith his brothers set himself upon collecting the materials for the\nperformance of the Rajasuya sacrifice. And that chastiser of all foes,\nthe son of Pandu, then commanded Sahadeva that foremost of all warriors\nand all ministers also, saying,--Let persons be appointed to collect\nwithout loss of time, all those articles which the Brahmanas have\ndirected as necessary for the performance of this sacrifice, and all\nmaterials and auspicious necessaries that Dhaumya may order as required\nfor it, each of the kind needed and one after another in due order. Let\nIndrasena and Visoka and Puru with Arjuna for his charioteer be engaged\nto collect food if they are to please me. Let these foremost of the Kurus\nalso gather every article of agreeable taste and smell that may delight\nand attract the hearts of the Brahmanas.'\n\n\"Simultaneously with these words of king Yudhisthira the just, Sahadeva\nthat foremost of warriors, having accomplished everything, represented\nthe matter to the king. And Dwaipayana, O king, then appointed as\nsacrificial priests exalted Brahmanas that were like the Vedas themselves\nin embodied forms. The son of Satyavati became himself the Brahma of that\nsacrifice. And that bull of the Dhananjaya race, Susaman, became the\nchanter of the Vedic (Sama) hymns. Yajnavalkya devoted to Brahma became\nthe Adhyaryu, and Paila--the son of Vasu and Dhaumya became the Hotris.\nAnd O bull of the Bharata race, the disciples and the sons of these men,\nall well-acquainted with the Vedas and the branches of the Vedas, became\nHotragts. And all of them, having uttered benedictions and recited the\nobject of the sacrifice, worshipped, according to the ordinance the large\nsacrificial compound. Commanded by the Brahmanas, builders and artificers\nerected numerous edifices there that were spacious and well-perfumed like\nunto the temples of the gods. After these were finished, that best of\nkings and that bull among men Yudhishthira. commanded his chief adviser\nSahadeva, saying,--'Despatch thou, without loss of time, messengers\nendued with speed to invite all to the sacrifice. And Sahadeva, hearing\nthese words of the king, despatched messengers telling them,--'Invite ye\nall the Brahmanas in the kingdom and all the owners of land (Kshatriyas)\nand all the Vaisyas and also all the respectable Sudras, and bring them\nhither!'\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"Endued with speed, these messengers then, thus\ncommanded, invited everybody according to the orders of the Pandava,\nwithout losing any time, and brought with them many persons, both friends\nand strangers. Then, O Bharata, the Brahmanas at the proper time\ninstalled Yudhishthira the son of Kunti at the Rajasuya sacrifice. And\nafter the ceremony of installation was over, that foremost of men, the\nvirtuous king Yudhishthira the just like the god Dharma himself in human\nframe, entered the sacrificial compound, surrounded by thousands of\nBrahmanas and his brothers and the relatives and friends and counsellors,\nand by a large number of Kshatriya kings who had come from various\ncountries, and by the officers of State. Numerous Brahmanas, well-skilled\nin all branches of knowledge and versed in the Vedas and their several\nbranches, began to pour in from various countries. Thousands of\ncraftsmen, at the command of king Yudhishthira the just, erected for\nthose Brahmanas with their attendants separate habitations well-provided\nwith food and clothes and the fruits and flowers of every season. And, O\nking, duly worshipped by the monarch the Brahmanas continued to reside\nthere passing their time in conversation on diverse topics and beholding\nthe performances of actors and dancers. And the clamour of high-souled\nBrahmanas, cheerfully eating and talking, was heard there without\nintermission. 'Give,' and 'Eat' were the words that were heard there\nincessantly and every day. And, O Bharata, king Yudhishthira the just\ngave unto each of those Brahmanas thousands of kine and beds and gold\ncoins and damsels.\n\nThus commenced on earth the sacrifice of that unrivalled hero, the\nillustrious son of Pandu, like the sacrifice in heaven of Sakra himself.\nThen that bull among men, king Yudhishthira despatched Nakula the son of\nPandu unto Hastinapura to bring Bhishma and Drona, Dhritarashtra and\nVidura and Kripa and those amongst his cousins that were well-disposed\ntowards him.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXIII\n\nVaisampayana said,--\"the ever-victorious Nakula, the son of Pandu, having\nreached Hastinapura, formally invited Bhishma and Dhritarashtra. The\nelder of the Kuru race with the preceptor at their head, invited with due\nceremonies, came with joyous hearts to that sacrifice, with Brahmanas\nwalking before them. And, O hull of the Bharata race, having heard of\nking Yudhishthira's sacrifice, hundreds of other Kshatriyas acquainted\nwith the nature of the sacrifice, with joyous hearts came there from\nvarious countries, desiring to behold king Yudhishthira the son of Pandu\nand his sacrificial mansion, and brought with them many costly jewels of\nvarious kinds. And Dhritarashtra and Bhishma and Vidura of high\nintelligence; and all Kaurava brothers with Duryyodhana at their head;\nand Suvala the king of Gandhara and Sakuni endued with great strength;\nand Achala, and Vrishaka, and Karna that foremost of all charioteers; and\nSalya endued with great might and the strong Valhika; and Somadatta, and\nBhuri of the Kuru race, and Bhurisravas and Sala; and Aswatthama, Kripa,\nDrona, and Jayadratha, the ruler of Sindhu; and Yajnasena with his sons,\nand Salya that lord of earth and that great car warrior king Bhagadatta\nof Pragjyotisha accompanied by all Mlechcha tribes inhabiting the marshy\nregions on the sea-shore; and many mountain kings, and king Vrihadvala;\nand Vasudeva the king of the Paundrayas, and the kings of Vanga and\nKalinga; and Akastha and Kuntala and the kings of the Malavas and the\nAndhrakas; and the Dravidas and the Singhalas and the king of Kashmira,\nand king Kuntibhoja of great energy and king Gauravahana, and all the\nother heroic kings of Valhika; and Virata with his two sons, and Mavella\nendued with great might; and various kings and princes ruling in various\ncountries; and, O Bharata king Sisupala endued with great energy and\ninvincible in battle accompanied by his son--all of them came to the\nsacrifice of the son of Pandu. And Rama and Aniruddha and Kanaka and\nSarana; and Gada, Pradyumna, Shamva, and Charudeshna of great energy; and\nUlmuka and Nishatha and the brave Angavaha; and innumerable other\nVrishnis--all mighty car-warriors--came there.\n\n\"These and many other kings from the middle country came, O monarch, to\nthat great Rajasuya sacrifice of the son of Pandu. And, O king, at the\ncommand of king Yudhishthira the just, mansions were assigned to all\nthose monarchs, that were full of various kinds of edibles and adorned\nwith tanks and tall trees. And the son of Dharma worshipped all those\nillustrious monarchs as they deserved. Worshipped by the king they\nretired to mansions that were assigned to them. Those mansions were\n(white and high) like the cliffs of Kailasa, and delightful to behold,\nand furnished with every kind of furniture. They were enclosed on all\nsides with well-built and high white-washed walls; their windows were\ncovered with net-works of gold and their interiors were furnished with\nrows of pearls, their flights of stairs were easy of ascent and the\nfloors were all laid over with costly carpets. They were all hung over\nwith garlands of flowers and perfumed with excellent aloes. White as snow\nor the moon, they looked extremely handsome even from the distance of a\nyojana. Their doors and entrances were set uniformly and were wide enough\nto admit a crowd of persons. Adorned with various costly articles and\nbuilt with various metals, they looked like peaks of the Himavat. Having\nrested a while in those mansions the monarchs beheld king Yudhishthira\nthe just surrounded by numerous Sadasyas (sacrificial priests) and ever\nperforming sacrifices distinguished by large gifts to Brahmanas. That\nsacrificial mansion wherein were present the kings and Brahmanas and\ngreat Rishis looked, O king, as handsome as heaven itself crowded with\nthe gods!\"\n\nThus ends the thirty-fourth section in the Rajasuyika Parva of the Sabha\nParva.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXIV\n\nVaisampayana said,--\"then, O king, Yudhishthira, having approached and\nworshipped his grandfather and his preceptor, addressed Bhishma and Drona\nand Kripa and the son of Drona and Duryyodhana and Vivingsati, and\nsaid,--'Help me ye all in the mater of this sacrifice. This large\ntreasure that is here is yours. Consult ye with one another and guide me\nas ye desire.\n\n\"The eldest of the sons of Pandu, who had been installed at the\nsacrifice, having said this unto all, appointed every one of them to\nsuitable offices. He appointed Dussasana to superintend the department of\nfood and other enjoyable articles. Aswatthama was asked to attend on the\nBrahmanas. Sanjaya was appointed to offer return-worship unto the kings.\nBhishma and Drona, both endued with great intelligence, were appointed to\nsee what was done and what was left undone. And the king appointed Kripa\nto look after the diamonds and gold and the pearls and gems, as also\nafter the distribution of gifts to Brahmanas. And so other tigers among\nmen were appointed to similar offices. Valhika and Dhritarashtra and\nSomadatta and Jayadratha, brought thither by Nakula, went about, enjoying\nthemselves as lords of the sacrifice. Vidura otherwise called Kshatta,\nconversant with every rule of morality, became the disburser. Duryyodhana\nbecame the receiver of the tributes that were brought by the kings.\nKrishna who was himself the centre of all worlds and round whom moved\nevery creature, desirous of acquiring excellent fruits, was engaged at\nhis own will in washing the feet of the Brahmanas.\n\n\"And desirous of beholding that sacrificial mansion, as also king\nYudhishthira the just, none came there with tribute less than a thousand\n(in number, weight or measure). Everyone honoured the king Yudhishthira\nthe just with large presents of jewels. And each of the kings made a\npresent of his wealth, flattering himself with the proud belief that the\njewels he gave would enable the Kuru king Yudhisthira to complete his\nsacrifice. And, O monarch, the sacrificial compound of the illustrious\nson of Kunti looked extremely handsome--with the multitude of palaces\nbuilt so as to last for ever and crowded with guards and warriors. These\nwere so high that their tops touched the cars of the gods that came to\nbehold that sacrifice; as also with the cars themselves of the\ncelestials, and with the dwelling of the Brahmanas and the mansions made\nthere for the kings resembling the cars of the celestials and adorned\nwith gems and filled with every kind of wealth, and lastly with crowds of\nthe kings that came there all endued with beauty and wealth. Yudhisthira,\nas though vying with Varuna himself in wealth, commenced the sacrifice\n(of Rajasuya) distinguished by six fires and large gifts to Brahmanas.\nThe King gratified everybody with presents of great value and indeed with\nevery kind of object that one could desire. With abundance of rice and of\nevery kind of food, as also with a mass of jewels brought as tribute,\nthat vast concourse consisted of persons every one of whom was fed to the\nfull. The gods also were gratified at the sacrifice by the Ida, clarified\nbutter, Homa and libations poured by the great Rishis versed in mantras\nand pronunciation. Like the gods, the Brahmanas also were gratified with\nthe sacrificial gifts and food and great wealth. And all the other orders\nof men also were gratified at that sacrifice and filled with joy.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXV\n\n(Arghyaharana Parva)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said,--On the last day of the sacrifice when the king was\nto be sprinkled over with the sacred water, the great Brahmana Rishis\never deserving of respectful treatment, along with the invited kings,\nentered together the inner enclosure of the sacrificial compound. And\nthose illustrious Rishis with Narada as their foremost, seated at their\nease with those royal sages within that enclosure, looked like the gods\nseated in the mansion of Brahma in the company of the celestial Rishis.\nEndued with immeasurable energy those Rishis, having obtained leisure,\nstarted various topics of conversation. 'This is so,' 'This is not so,'\n'This is even so.' 'This cannot be otherwise,'--thus did many of them\nengage in discussions with one another. Some amongst the disputants, by\nwell-chosen arguments made the weaker position appear the stronger and\nthe stronger the weaker. Some disputants endued with great intelligence\nfell upon the position urged by others like hawks darting at meat thrown\nup into the air, while some amongst them versed in the interpretations of\nreligious treatises and others of rigid vows, and well-acquainted with\nevery commentary and gloss engaged themselves in pleasant converse. And,\nO king, that platform crowded with gods, Brahmanas and great Rishis\nlooked extremely handsome like the wide expanse of the firmament studded\nwith stars. O monarch, there was then no Sudra near that platform of\nYudhisthira's mansion, nor anybody that was without vows.\n\n\"And Narada, beholding the fortunate Yudhisthira's prosperity that was\nborn of that sacrifice, became highly gratified. Beholding that vast\nconcourse all the Kshatriyas, the Muni Narada, O king of men, became\nthoughtful. And, O bull amongst men, the Rishi began to recollect the\nwords he had heard of old in the mansion of Brahma regarding the\nincarnation on earth of portions of every deity. And knowing, O son of\nthe Kuru race, that that was a concourse (of incarnate) gods, Narada\nthought in his mind of Hari with eyes like lotus-petals. He knew that\nthat creator himself of every object one, that exalted of all\ngods--Narayana--who had formerly commanded the celestials, saying,--'Be\nye born on earth and slay one another and come back to heaven'--that\nslayer of all the enemies of the gods, that subjugator of all hostile\ntowns, in order to fulfil his own promise, had been born in the Kshatriya\norder. And Narada knew that the exalted and holy Narayana, also called\nSambhu the lord of the universe, having commanded all the celestials\nthus, had taken his birth in the race of Yadus and that foremost of all\nperpetuator of races, having sprung from the line of the Andhaka-Vrishnis\non earth was graced with great good fortune and was shining like the moon\nherself among stars. Narada knew that Hari the grinder of foes, whose\nstrength of arm was ever praised by all the celestials with Indra among\nthem, was then living in the world in human form. Oh, the Self-Create\nwill himself take away (from the earth) this vast concourse of Kshatriyas\nendued with so much strength. Such was the vision of Narada the\nomniscient who knew Hari or Narayana to be that Supreme Lord whom\neverybody worshipped with sacrifice. And Narada, gifted with great\nintelligence and the foremost of all persons and conversant with\nmorality, thinking of all this, sat at that sacrifice of the wise king\nYudhisthira the just with feelings of awe.\n\n\"Then Bhishma, O king, addressing king Yudhisthira the just, said, \"O\nBharata, let Arghya (an article of respect) be offered unto the kings as\neach of them deserveth. Listen, O Yudhishthira, the preceptor, the\nsacrificial priest, the relative, the Snataka, the friend, and the king,\nit hath been said are the six that deserve Arghya. The wise have said\nthat when any of these dwell with one for full one year he deserveth to\nbe worshipped with Arghya. These kings have been staying with us for some\ntime. Therefore, O king, let Arghyas be procured to be offered unto each\nof them. And let an Arghya be presented first of all unto him among those\npresent who is the foremost.\n\n\"Hearing these words of Bhishma, Yudhishthira said--'O Grandsire, O thou\nof the Kuru race, whom thou deemest the foremost amongst these and unto\nwhom the Arghya should be presented by us, O tell me.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued,--Then, O Bharata, Bhishma the son of Santanu,\njudged it by his intelligence that on earth Krishna was the foremost of\nall. And he said--'As is the sun among all luminous objects, so is the\none (meaning Krishna) (who shines like the sun) among us all, in\nconsequence of his energy, strength and prowess. And this our sacrificial\nmansion is illuminated and gladdened by him as a sunless region by the\nsun, or a region of still air by a gust of breeze. Thus commanded by\nBhishma, Sahadeva endued with great prowess duly presented the first\nArghya of excellent ingredients unto Krishna of the Vrishni race. Krishna\nalso accepted it according to the forms of the ordinance. But Sisupala\ncould not bear to see that worship offered unto Vasudeva. And this mighty\nking of Chedi, reproving in the midst of that assembly both Bhishma and.\nYudhishthira, censured Vasudeva thereafter.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXVI\n\n\"Sisupala said--'O thou of the Kuru race, this one of the Vrishni race\ndoth not deserve royal worship as if he were a king, in the midst of all\nthese illustrious monarchs. O son of Pandu, this conduct of thine in thus\nwillingly worshipping him with eyes like lotus-petals is not worthy of\nthe illustrious Pandavas. Ye sons of Pandu. Ye are children. Ye know not\nwhat morality is, for that is very subtle. Bhishma, this son also of\nGanga is of little knowledge and hath transgressed the rules of morality\n(by giving ye such counsel). And, O Bhishma, if one like thee, possessed\nof virtue and morality acteth from motives of interest, he is deserving\nof censure among the honest and the wise. How doth he of the Dasarha\nrace, who is not even a king, accept worship before these kings and how\nis it that he hath been worshipped by ye? O bull of the Kuru race, if\nthou regardest Krishna as the oldest in age, here is Vasudeva, and how\ncan his son be said so in his presence? Or, if thou regardest Vasudeva as\nyour well-wisher and supporter, here is Drupada; how then can Madhava\ndeserve the (first) worship? Or, O son of Kuru, regardest thou Krishna as\npreceptor? When Drona is here, how hast thou worshipped him of the\nVrishni race? Or, O son of Kuru, regardest thou Krishna as the Ritwija?\nWhen old Dwaipayana is here, how hath Krishna been worshipped by thee?\nAgain when old Bhishma, the son of Santanu, that foremost of men who is\nnot to die save at his own wish is here, why, O king, hath Krishna been\nworshipped by thee? When the brave Aswatthaman, versed in every branch of\nknowledge is here, why, O king, hath Krishna, O thou of the Kuru race,\nbeen worshipped by thee? When that King of kings, Duryyodhana, that\nforemost of men, is here, as also Kripa the preceptor of the Bharata\nprinces, why hath Krishna been worshipped by thee? How, O son of Pandu,\npassing over Druma, the preceptor of the Kimpurusas, hast thou worshipped\nKrishna? When the invincible Bhishmaka and king Pandya possessed of every\nauspicious mark, and that foremost of kings--Rukmi and Ekalavya and\nSalya, the king of the Madras, are here, how, O son of Pandu, hast thou\noffered the first worship unto Krishna? Here also is Karna ever boasting\nof his strength amongst all kings, and (really) endued with great might,\nthe favourite disciple of the Brahmana Jamadagnya, the hero who\nvanquished in battle all monarchs by his own strength alone. How, O\nBharata, hast thou, passing him over, offered the first worship unto\nKrishna? The slayer of Madhu is neither a sacrificial priest nor a\npreceptor, nor a king. That thou hast notwithstanding all these\nworshipped him, O chief of the Kurus, could only have been from motives\nof gain. If, O Bharata, it was your wish to offer the first worship unto\nthe slayer of Madhu, why were these monarchs brought here to be insulted\nthus? We have not paid tributes to the illustrious son of Kunti from\nfear, from desire of gain, or from having been won over by conciliation.\nOn the other hand, we have paid him tribute simply because he hath been\ndesirous of the imperial dignity from motives of virtue. And yet he it is\nthat thus insulteth us. O king, from what else, save motives of insult,\ncould it have been that thou hast worshipped Krishna, who possesseth not\nthe insignia of royalty, with the Arghya in the midst of the assembled\nmonarchs? Indeed, the reputation for virtue that the son of Dharma hath\nacquired, hath been acquired by him without cause, for who would offer\nsuch undue worship unto one that hath fallen off from virtue. This wretch\nborn in the race of the Vrishnis unrighteously slew of old the\nillustrious king Jarasandha. Righteousness hath today been abandoned by\nYudhishthira and meanness only hath been displayed by him in consequence\nof his having offered the Arghya to Krishna. If the helpless sons of\nKunti were affrighted and disposed to meanness, thou, O Madhava, ought to\nhave enlightened them as to thy claims to the first worship? Why also, O\nJanarddana, didst thou accept the worship of which thou art unworthy,\nalthough it was offered unto thee by those mean-minded princes? Thou\nthinkest much of the worship unworthily offered unto thee, like a dog\nthat lappeth in solitude a quantity of clarified butter that it hath\nobtained. O Janarddana, this is really no insult offered unto the\nmonarchs; on the other hand it is thou whom the Kurus have insulted.\nIndeed, O slayer of Madhu, as a wife is to one that is without virile\npower, as a fine show is to one that is blind, so is this royal worship\nto thee who art no king. What Yudhishthira is, hath been seen; what\nBhishma is, hath been seen; and what this Vasudeva is hath been seen.\nIndeed, all these have been seen as they are!\"\n\n\"Having spoken these words, Sisupala rose from his excellent seat, and\naccompanied by the kings, went out of that assembly.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXVII\n\n\"Vaisampayana said,--Then the king Yudhishthira hastily ran after\nSisupala and spoke unto him sweetly and in a conciliating tone the\nfollowing words,--'O lord of earth, what thou hast said is scarcely\nproper for thee. O king, it is highly sinful and needlessly cruel. Insult\nnot Bhishma, O king, by saying that he doth not know what virtue is.\nBehold, these many kings, older than thou art, all approve of the worship\noffered unto Krishna. It behoveth thee to bear it patiently like them. O\nruler of Chedi, Bhishma knoweth Krishna truly. Thou knowest him not so\nwell as this one of the Kuru race.'\"\n\n\"Bhishma also, after this, said,--He that approveth not the worship\noffered unto Krishna, the oldest one in the universe, deserveth neither\nsoft words nor conciliation. The chief of warriors of the Kshatriya rare\nwho having overcome a Kshatriya in battle and brought him under his\npower, setteth him free, becometh the guru (preceptor or master) of the\nvanquished one. I do not behold in this assembly of kings even one ruler\nof men who hath not been vanquished in battle by the energy of this son\nof the Satwata race. This one (meaning Krishna) here, of undefiled glory,\ndeserveth to be worshipped not by ourselves alone, but being of mighty\narms, he deserveth to be worshipped by the three worlds also. Innumerable\nwarriors among Kshatriyas have been vanquished in battle by Krishna. The\nwhole universe without limit is established in him of the Vrishni race.\nTherefore do we worship Krishna amongst the best and the oldest, and not\nothers. It behoveth thee not to say so. Let thy understanding be never\nso. I have, O king, waited upon many persons that are old in knowledge. I\nhave heard from all those wise men, while talking; of the numerous\nmuch-regarded attributes of the accomplished Sauri. I have also heard\nmany times all the acts recited by people that Krishna of great\nintelligence hath performed since his birth. And, O king of Chedi, we do\nnot from caprice, or keeping in view our relationship or the benefits he\nmay confer on us, worship Janarddana who is worshipped by the good on\nearth and who is the source of the happiness of every creature. We have\noffered unto him the first worship because of his fame, his heroism, his\nsuccess. There is none here of even tender years whom we have not taken\ninto consideration. Passing over many persons that are foremost for their\nvirtues, we have regarded Hari as deserving of the first worship. Amongst\nthe Brahmanas one that is superior in knowledge, amongst the Kshatriyas\none that is superior in strength, amongst the Vaisyas one that is\nsuperior in possessions and wealth, and amongst the Sudras one that is\nsuperior in years, deserveth to be worshipped. In the matter of the\nworship offered unto Govinda, there are two reason, viz., knowledge of\nthe Vedas and their branches, and also excess of strength. Who else is\nthere in the world of men save Kesava that is so distinguished? Indeed,\nliberality, cleverness, knowledge of the Vedas, bravery, modesty,\nachievements, excellent intelligence, humility, beauty, firmness,\ncontentment and prosperity--all dwell for ever in Achyuta. Therefore, ye\nkings; it behoveth ye to approve of the worship that hath been offered\nunto Krishna who is of great accomplishments, who as the preceptor, the\nfather, the guru, is worthy of the Arghya and deserving of (everybody's)\nworship. Hrishikesa is the sacrificial priest, the guru, worthy of being\nsolicited to accept one's daughter in marriage, the Snataka, the king,\nthe friend: therefore hath Achyuta been worshipped by us. Krishna is the\norigin of the universe and that in which the universe is to dissolve.\nIndeed, this universe of mobile and immobile creatures hath sprung into\nexistence from Krishna only. He is the unmanifest primal cause (Avyakta\nPrakriti), the creator, the eternal, and beyond the ken of all creatures.\nTherefore doth he of unfading glory deserve highest worship. The\nintellect, the seat of sensibility, the five elements, air, heat, water,\nether, earth, and the four species of beings (oviparous, viviparous, born\nof filthy damp and vegetal) are all established in Krishna. The sun, the\nmoon, the constellations, the planets, all the principal directions, the\nintermediate directions, are all established in Krishna. As the Agnihotra\nis the foremost among all Vedic sacrifices, as the Gayatri is the\nforemost among metres, as the king is the foremost among men, as the\nocean is the foremost among all rivers, as the moon is the foremost among\nall constellations, as the sun is the foremost among all luminous bodies,\nas the Meru is the foremost among all mountains, as Garuda is the\nforemost among all birds, so as long as the upward, downward, and sideway\ncourse of the universe lasteth, Kesava is the foremost in all the worlds\nincluding the regions of the celestials. This Sisupala is a mere boy and\nhence he knoweth not Krishna, and ever and everywhere speaketh of Krishna\nthus. This ruler of Chedi will never see virtue in that light in which\none that is desirous of acquiring high merit will see it. Who is there\namong the old and the young or among these illustrious lords of earth\nthat doth not regard Krishna as deserving of worship or that doth not\nworship Krishna? If Sisupala regardeth this worship as undeserved, it\nbehoveth him to do what is proper in this matter.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXVIII\n\n\"Vaisampayana said,--The mighty Bhishma ceased, having said this.\nSahadeva then answered (Sisupala) in words of grave import, saying,--'If\namongst ye there be any king that cannot bear to see Kesava of dark hue,\nthe slayer of Kesi, the possessor of immeasurable energy, worshipped by\nme, this my foot is placed on the heads of all mighty ones (like him).\nWhen I say this, let that one give me an adequate reply. And let those\nkings that possess intelligence approve the worship of Krishna who is the\npreceptor, the father, the guru, and deserveth the Arghya and the worship\n(already offered unto him).'\n\n\"When Sahadeva thus showed his foot, no one among those intelligent and\nwise and proud and mighty monarchs said anything. And a shower of flowers\nfell on Sahadeva's head, and an incorporeal voice said--'Excellent,\nexcellent.' Then Narada clad in black deer-skin, speaking of both the\nfuture and the past, that dispeller of all doubts, fully acquainted with\nall the worlds, said in the midst of innumerable creatures, these words\nof the clearest import,--'Those men that will not worship the lotus-eyed\nKrishna should be regarded as dead though moving, and should never be\ntalked to on any occasion.'\"\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued,--Then that god among men, Sahadeva cognisant of\nthe distinction between a Brahmana and a Kshatriya, having worshipped\nthose that deserved worship, completed that ceremony. But upon Krishna\nhaving received the first worship, Sunitha (Sisupala) that mower of\nfoes--with eyes red as copper from anger, addressed those rulers of men\nand said,--'When I am here to head ye all, what are ye thinking of now?\nArrayed let us stand in battle against the assembled Vrishnis and the\nPandavas?' And the bull of the Chedis, having thus stirred the kings up,\nbegan to consult with them how to obstruct the completion of the\nsacrifice. All the invited monarchs who had come to the sacrifice, with\nSunitha as their chief, looked angry and their faces became pale. They\nall said, 'We must so act that the final sacrificial rite performed by\nYudhishthira and the worship of Krishna may not be regarded as having\nbeen acquiesced in by us. And impelled by a belief in their power and\ngreat assurance, the kings, deprived of reason through anger, began to\nsay this. And being moved by self-confidence and smarting under the\ninsult offered unto them, the monarchs repeatedly exclaimed thus. Though\ntheir friends sought to appease them, their faces glowed with anger like\nthose of roaring lions driven away from their preys. Krishna then\nunderstood that the vast sea of monarchs with its countless waves of\ntroops was preparing for a terrific rush.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXIX\n\n(Sisupala-badha Parva)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said,--Beholding that vast assembly of kings agitated with\nwrath, even like the terrific sea agitated by the winds that blow at the\ntime of the universal dissolution, Yudhishthira addressing the aged\nBhishma, that chief of intelligent men and the grandsire of the Kurus,\neven like Puruhita (Indra) that slayer of foes, of abundant energy\naddressing Vrihaspati, said,--'This vast ocean of kings, hath been\nagitated by wrath. Tell me, O Grandsire, what I should do in view of\nthis. O Grandsire, now what I should do that my sacrifice may not be\nobstructed and my subjects may not be injured.'\n\n\"When king Yudhishthira the just, conversant with morality, said this,\nBhishma the grandsire of the Kurus, spoke these words in reply,--'Fear\nnot, O tiger of the Kurus. Can the dog slay the lion? I have before this\nfound out a way that is both beneficial and comfortable to practise. As\ndogs in a pack approaching the lion that is asleep bark together, so are\nall these lords of earth. Indeed, O child, like dogs before the lion,\nthese (monarchs) are barking in rage before the sleeping lion of the\nVrishni race. Achyuta now is like a lion that is asleep. Until he waketh\nup, this chief of the Chedis--this lion among men--maketh these monarchs\nlook like lions. O child, O thou foremost of all monarchs, this Sisupala\npossessed of little intelligence is desirous of taking along with him all\nthese kings, through the agency of him who is the soul of the universe,\nto the regions of Yama. Assuredly, O Bharata Vishnu hath been desirous of\ntaking back unto himself the energy that existeth in this Sisupala. O\nChief of all intelligent men, O son of Kunti, the intelligence of this\nwicked-minded king of the Chedis, as also of all these monarchs, hath\nbecome perverse. Indeed, the intelligence of all those whom this tiger\namong men desireth to take unto himself, becometh perverse even like that\nof this king of the Chedis. O Yudhishthira, Madhava is the progenitor as\nalso the destroyer of all created beings of the four species, (oviparous,\netc.,) existing in the three worlds.'\"\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued--Then the ruler of Chedis, having heard these\nwords of Bhishma, addressed the latter, O Bharata, in words that were\nstern and rough.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XL\n\n'Sisupala said,--'Old and infamous wretch of thy race, art thou not\nashamed of affrighting all these monarchs with these numerous false\nterrors! Thou art the foremost of the Kurus, and living as thou dost in\nthe third state (celibacy) it is but fit for thee that thou shouldst give\nsuch counsel that is so wide of morality. Like a boat tied to another\nboat or the blind following the blind, are the Kurus who have thee for\ntheir guide. Thou hast once more simply pained our hearts by reciting\nparticularly the deeds of this one (Krishna), such as the slaying of\nPutana and others. Arrogant and ignorant as thou art, and desirous of\npraising Kesava, why doth not this tongue of thine split up into a\nhundred parts? How dost thou, superior as thou art in knowledge, desire\nto praise that cow-boy in respect of whom even men of little intelligence\nmay address invectives? If Krishna in his infancy slew a vulture, what is\nthere remarkable in that, or in that other feat of his, O Bhishma, viz.,\nin his slaughter of Aswa and Vrishava, both of whom were unskilled in\nbattle? If this one threw drown by a kick an inanimate piece of wood,\nviz., a car, what is there, O Bhishma, wonderful in that? O Bhishma, what\nis there remarkable in this one's having supported for a week the\nGovardhan mount which is like an anthill? 'While sporting on the top of a\nmountain this one ate a large quantity of food,'--hearing these words of\nthine many have wondered exceedingly. But, O thou who art conversant with\nthe rules of morality, is not this still more wrongful that that great\nperson, viz., Kansa, whose food this one ate, hath been slain by him?\nThou infamous one of the Kuru race, thou art ignorant of the rules of\nmorality. Hast thou not ever heard, from wise men speaking unto thee,\nwhat I would now tell thee? The virtuous and the wise always instruct the\nhonest that weapons must never be made to descend upon women and kine and\nBrahmanas and upon those whose food hath been taken, as also upon those\nwhose shelter hath been enjoyed. It seemeth, O Bhishma, that all these\nteachings hath been thrown away by thee. O infamous one of the Kuru race,\ndesiring to praise Kesava, thou describest him before me as great and\nsuperior in knowledge and in age, as if I knew nothing. If at thy word, O\nBhishma, one that hath slain women (meaning Putana) and kine be\nworshipped, then what is to become of this great lesson? How can one who\nis such, deserve praise, O Bhishma? 'This one is the foremost of all wise\nmen,--'This one is the lord of the universe'--hearing these words of\nthine, Janarddana believeth that these are all true. But surely, they are\nall false. The verses that a chanter sings, even if he sings them often,\nproduce no impression on him. And every creature acts according to his\ndisposition, even like the bird Bhulinga (that picks the particles of\nflesh from between the lion's teeth, though preaching against rashness).\nAssuredly thy disposition is very mean. There is not the least doubt\nabout it. And so also, it seemeth, that the sons of Pandu who regard\nKrishna as deserving of worship and who have thee for their guide, are\npossessed of a sinful disposition. Possessing a knowledge of virtue, thou\nhast fallen off from the path of the wise. Therefore thou art sinful.\nWho, O Bhishma, knowing himself to be virtuous and superior in knowledge,\nwill so act as thou hast done from motives of virtue? If thou knowest the\nways of the morality, if thy mind is guided by wisdom, blessed be thou.\nWhy then, O Bhishma, was that virtuous girl Amva, who had set her heart\nupon another, carried off by thee, so proud of wisdom and virtue? Thy\nbrother Vichitravirya conformably to the ways of the honest and the\nvirtuous, knowing that girl's condition, did not marry her though brought\nby thee. Boasting as thou dost of virtue, in thy very sight, upon the\nwidow of thy brother were sons begotten by another according to the ways\nof the honest. Where is thy virtue, O Bhishma? This thy celebacy, which\nthou leadest either from ignorance or from impotence, is fruitless. O\nthou who art conversant with virtue, I do not behold thy well-being. Thou\nwho expoundest morality in this way dost not seem to have ever waited\nupon the old. Worship, gift, study,--sacrifices distinguished by large\ngifts to the Brahmanas,--these all equal not in merit even one-sixteenth\npart of that which is obtainable by the possession of a son. The merit, O\nBhishma, that is acquired by numberless vows and fasts assuredly becomes\nfruitless in the case of one that is childless. Thou art childless and\nold and the expounder of false morality. Like the swan in the story, thou\nshalt now die at the hands of thy relatives. Other men possessed of\nknowledge have said this of old. I will presently recite it fully in thy\nhearing.\n\n\"There lived of yore an old swan on the sea-coast. Ever speaking of\nmorality, but otherwise in his conduct, he used to instruct the feathery\ntribe. Practise ye virtue and forego sin,--these were the words that\nother truthful birds, O Bhishma, constantly heard him utter And the other\noviparous creatures ranging the sea, it hath been heard by us, O Bhishma\nuse for virtue's sake to bring him food. And, O Bhishma, all those other\nbirds, keeping their eggs, with him, ranged and dived in the waters of\nthe sea. And the sinful old swan, attentive to his own pursuits, used to\neat up the eggs of all those birds that foolishly trusted in him. After a\nwhile when the eggs were decreasing in number, a bird of great wisdom had\nhis suspicions roused and he even witnessed (the affair) one day. And\nhaving witnessed the sinful act of the old swan, that bird in great\nsorrow spoke unto all the other birds. Then, O thou best of the Kurus,\nall those birds witnessing with their own eyes the act of the old swan,\napproached that wretch of false conduct and slew him.\n\n\"Thy behaviour, O Bhishma, is even like that of the old swan. These lords\nof earth might slay thee in anger like those creatures of the feathery\ntribe slaying the old swan. Persons conversant with the Puranas recite a\nproverb, O Bhishma, as regards this occurrence, I shall, O Bharata,\nrepeat it to thee fully. It is even this: O thou that supportest thyself\non thy wings, though thy heart is affected (by the passions), thou\npreachest yet (of virtue); but this thy sinful act of eating up the eggs\ntransgresseth thy speech!\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XLI\n\n\"Sisupala said,--\"That mighty king Jarasandha who desired not to fight\nwith Krishna, saying 'He is a slave,' was worthy of my greatest esteem.\nWho will regard as praiseworthy the act which was done by Kesava, as also\nby Bhima and Arjuna, in the matter of Jarasandha's death? Entering by an\nimproper gate, disguised as a Brahmana, thus Krishna observed the\nstrength of king Jarasandha. And when that monarch offered at first unto\nthis wretch water to wash his feet, it was then that he denied his\nBrahmanahood from seeming motives of virtue. And when Jarasandha, O thou\nof the Kuru race, asked Krishna and Bhima and Dhananjaya to eat, it was\nthis Krishna that refused that monarch's request. If this one is the lord\nof the universe, as this fool representeth him to be, why doth he not\nregard himself as a Brahmana? This, however, surpriseth me greatly that\nthough thou leadest the Pandavas away from the path of the wise, they yet\nregard thee as honest. Or, perhaps, this is scarcely a matter of surprise\nin respect of those that have thee, O Bharata, womanish in disposition\nand bent down with age, for their counsellor in everything.\"\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued,--Hearing these words of Sisupala, harsh both in\nimport and sound, that foremost of mighty men, Bhimasena endued with\nenergy became angry. And his eyes, naturally large and expanding and like\nunto lotus leaves became still more extended and red as copper under the\ninfluence of that rage. And the assembled monarchs beheld on his forehead\nthree lines of wrinkles like the Ganga of treble currents on the\ntreble-peaked mountain. When Bhimasena began to grind his teeth in rage,\nthe monarchs beheld his face resembling that of Death himself, at the end\nof the Yuga, prepared to swallow every creature. And as the hero endued\nwith great energy of mind was about to leap up impetuously, the\nmighty-armed Bhishma caught him like Mahadeva seizing Mahasena (the\ncelestial generalissimo). And, O Bharata, Bhima's wrath was soon appeased\nby Bhishma, the grand-sire of the Kurus, with various kinds of counsel.\nAnd Bhima, that chastiser of foes, could not disobey Bhishma's words,\nlike the ocean that never transgresseth (even when swollen with the\nwaters of the rainy season) its continents. But, O king, even though\nBhima was angry, the brave Sisupala depending on his own manhood, did not\ntremble in fear. And though Bhima was leaping up impetuously every\nmoment, Sisupala bestowed not a single thought on him, like a lion that\nrecks not a little animal in rage. The powerful king of Chedi, beholding\nBhima of terrible prowess in such rage, laughingly said,--'Release him, O\nBhishma! Let all the monarchs behold him scorched by my prowess like an\ninsect in fire.' Hearing these words of the ruler of the Chedis, Bhishma,\nthat foremost of the Kurus and chief of all intelligent men, spoke unto\nBhima these words.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XLII\n\n\"Bhishma said,--This Sisupala was born in the line of the king of Chedi\nwith three eyes and four hands. As soon as he was born, he screamed and\nbrayed like an ass. On that account, his father and mother along with\ntheir relatives, were struck with fear. And beholding these extraordinary\nomens, his parents resolved to abandon him. But an incorporeal voice,\nabout this time, said unto the king and his wife with their ministers and\npriest, all with hearts paralysed by anxiety, those words,--'This thy\nson, O king, that hath been born will become both fortunate and superior\nin strength. Therefore thou hast no fear from him. Indeed cherish the\nchild without anxiety. He will not die (in childhood). His time is not\nyet come. He that will slay him with weapons hath also been born.'\nHearing these words, the mother, rendered anxious by affection for her\nson, addressed the invisible Being and said,--I bow with joined hands\nunto him that hath uttered these words respecting my son; whether he be\nan exalted divinity or any other being, let him tell me another word, I\ndesire to hear who will be the slayer of this my son. The invisible Being\nthen said,--'He upon whose lap this child being placed the superfluous\narms of his will fall down upon the ground like a pair of five-headed\nsnakes, and at the sight of whom his third eye on the forehead will\ndisappear, will be his slayer?' Hearing of the child's three eyes and\nfour arms as also of the words of the invisible Being, all the kings of\nthe earth went to Chedi to behold him. The king of Chedi worshipping, as\neach deserved, the monarchs that came, gave his child upon their laps one\nafter another. And though the child was placed upon the laps of a\nthousand kings, one after another, yet that which the incorporeal voice\nhad said came not to pass. And having heard of all this at Dwaravati, the\nmighty Yadava heroes Sankarshana and Janarddana also went to the capital\nof the Chedis, to see their father's sister--that daughter of the Yadavas\n(the queen of Chedi) And saluting everybody according to his rank and the\nking and queen also, and enquiring after every body's welfare, both Rama\nand Kesava took their seats. And after those heroes had been worshipped,\nthe queen with great pleasure herself placed the child on the lap of\nDamodara. As soon as the child was placed on his lap, those superfluous\narms of his fell down and the eye on his forehead also disappeared. And\nbeholding this, the queen in alarm and anxiety begged of Krishna a boon.\nAnd she said,--'O mighty-armed Krishna, I am afflicted with fear; grant\nme a boon. Thou art the assurer of all afflicted ones and that the\ndispeller of everybody's fear. Thus addressed by her. Krishna, that son\nof the Yadu race, said--'Fear not, O respected one. Thou art acquainted\nwith morality. Thou needest have no fear from me. What boon shall I give\nthee? What shall I do, O aunt? Whether able or not, I shall do thy\nbidding.'--Thus spoken to by Krishna, the queen said, 'O thou of great\nstrength, thou wilt have to pardon the offences of Sisupala for my sake.\nO tiger of the Yadu race. Know O lord, even this is the boon that I ask.'\nKrishna then said, 'O aunt, even when he will deserve to be slain, I will\npardon an hundred offences of his. Grieve thou not.'\n\n\"Bhishma continued,--'Even thus, O Bhima, is this wretch of a\nking--Sisupala of wicked heart, who, proud of the boon granted by\nGovinda, summons thee to battle!'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XLIII\n\n\"Bhishma said,--The will under which the ruler of Chedi summoneth thee to\nfight though thou art of strength that knoweth no deterioration, is\nscarcely his own intention. Assuredly, this is the purpose of Krishna\nhimself, the lord of the universe. O Bhima, what king is there on earth\nthat would dare abuse me thus, as this wretch of his race, already\npossessed by Death, hath done to-day? This mighty-armed one is, without\ndoubt, a portion of Hari's energy. And surely, the Lord desireth to take\nback unto himself that energy of his own. In consequence of this, O tiger\nof the Kuru race, this tiger-like king of Chedi, so wicked of heart,\nroareth in such a way caring little for us all.\"\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued,--\"Hearing these words of Bhishma, the king of\nChedi could bear no more, He then replied in rage unto Bhishma in these\nwords.--\n\n'Let our foes, O Bhishma, be endued with that prowess which this Kesava\nhath, whom thou like a professional chanter of hymns praisest, rising\nrepeatedly from thy seat. If thy mind, O Bhishma, delighteth so in\npraising others, then praise thou these kings, leaving off Krishna.\nPraise thou this excellent of kings, Darada, the ruler of Valhika, who\nrent this earth as soon as he was born. Praise thou, O Bhishma, this\nKarna, the ruler of the territories of Anga and Vanga, who is equal in\nstrength unto him of a thousand eyes, who draweth a large bow, who endued\nwith mighty arms owneth celestial ear-rings of heavenly make with which\nhe was born and this coat of mail possessing the splendour of the rising\nsun, who vanquished in a wrestling encounter the invincible Jarasandha\nequal unto Vasava himself, and who tore and mangled that monarch. O\nBhishma, praise Drona and Aswatthaman, who both father and son, are\nmighty warriors, worthy of praise, and the best of Brahmanas, and either\nof whom, O Bhishma, if enraged could annihilate this earth with its\nmobile and immobile creatures, as I believe. I do not behold, O Bhishma,\nthe king that is equal in battle unto Drona or Aswatthaman. Why wishest\nthou not to praise them? Passing over Duryyodhana, that mighty-armed king\nof kings, who is unequalled in whole earth girt with her seas and king\nJayadratha accomplished in weapons and endued with great prowess, and\nDruma the preceptor of the Kimpurushas and celebrated over the world for\nprowess, and Saradwata's son, old Kripa, the preceptor of the Bharata\nprinces and endued with great energy, why dost thou praise Kesava?\nPassing over that foremost of bowmen--that excellent of kings, Rukmin of\ngreat energy, why praisest thou Kesava? Passing over Bhishmaka of\nabundant energy, and king Dantavakra, and Bhagadatta known for his\ninnumerable sacrificial stakes, and Jayatsena the king of the Magadha,\nand Virata and Drupada, and Sakuni and Vrihadvala, and Vinda and Anuvinda\nof Avant Pandya, Sweta Uttama Sankhya of great prosperity, the proud\nVrishasena, the powerful Ekalavya, and the great charioteer Kalinga of\nabundant energy, why dost thou praise Kesava? And, O Bhishma, if thy mind\nis always inclined to sing the praises of others, why dost thou not\npraise Salya and other rulers of the earth? O king, what can be done by\nme when (it seemeth) thou hast not heard anything before from virtuous\nold men giving lessons in morality? Hast thou never heard, O Bhishma,\nthat reproach and glorification, both of self and others, are not\npractices of those that are respectable? There is no one that approveth\nthy conduct, O Bhishma, in unceasingly praising with devotion, from\nignorance alone, Kesava so unworthy of praise. How dost thou, from thy\nwish alone, establish the whole universe in the servitor and cowherd of\nBhoja (Kansa)? Perhaps, O Bharata, this thy inclination is not\nconformable to thy true nature, like to what may be in the bird Bhulinga,\nas hath already been said by me. There is a bird called Bhulinga living\non the other side of the Himavat. O Bhishma, that bird ever uttereth\nwords of adverse import. Never do anything rash,--this is what she always\nsayeth, but never understandeth that she herself always acteth very\nrashly. Possessed of little intelligence that bird picketh from the\nlion's mouth the pieces of flesh sticking between the teeth, and at a\ntime when the lion is employed in eating. Assuredly, O Bhishma, that bird\nliveth at the pleasure of the lion. O sinful wretch, thou always speakest\nlike that bird. And assuredly, O Bhishma, thou art alive at the pleasure\nonly of these kings. Employed in acts contrary to the opinions of all,\nthere is none else like thee!\"\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued,--Hearing these harsh words of the ruler of\nChedi, Bhishma, O king, said in the hearing of the king of Chedi,--'Truly\nam I alive at the pleasure of these rulers of earth. But I do regard\nthese kings as not equal to even a straw.' As soon as these words were\nspoken by Bhishma, the kings became inflamed with wrath. And the down of\nsome amongst them stood erect and some began to reprove Bhishma. And\nhearing those words of Bhishma, some amongst them, that were wielders of\nlarge bows exclaimed, 'This wretched Bhishma, though old, is exceedingly\nboastful. He deserveth not our pardon. Therefore, ye kings, incensed with\nrage as this Bhishma is, it is well that this wretch were slain like an\nanimal, or, mustering together, let us burn him in a fire of grass or\nstraw.' Hearing these words of the monarchs, Bhishma the grand-sire of\nthe Kurus, endued with great intelligence, addressing those lords of\nearth, said,--'I do not see the end of our speeches, for words may be\nanswered with words. Therefore, ye lords of earth, listen ye all unto\nwhat I say. Whether I be slain like an animal or burnt in a fire of grass\nand straw, thus do I distinctly place my foot on the heads of ye all.\nHere is Govinda, that knoweth no deterioration. Him have we worshipped.\nLet him who wisheth for speedy death, summon to battle Madhava of dark\nhue and the wielder of the discus and the mace; and falling enter into\nand mingle with the body of this god!\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XLIV\n\n\"Vaisampayana said,--Hearing these words of Bhishma, the ruler of Chedi\nendued with exceeding prowess, desirous of combating with Vasudeva\naddressed him and said,--O Janarddana, I challenge thee. Come, fight with\nme until I slay thee today with all the Pandavas. For, O Krishna, the\nsons of Pandu also, who disregarding the claims of all these kings, have\nworshipped thee who art no king, deserve to be slain by me along with\nthee. Even this is my opinion, O Krishna, that they who from childishness\nhave worshipped thee, as if thou deservest it, although thou art unworthy\nof worship, being only a slave and a wretch and no king, deserve to be\nslain by me.' Having said this, that tiger among kings stood there\nroaring in anger. And after Sisupala had ceased, Krishna addressing all\nthe kings in the presence of the Pandavas, spoke these words in a soft\nvoice.--'Ye kings, this wicked-minded one, who is the son of a daughter\nof the Satwata race, is a great enemy of us of the Satwata race; and\nthough we never seek to injure him, he ever seeketh our evil. This wretch\nof cruel deeds, ye kings, hearing that we had gone to the city of\nPragjyotisha, came and burnt Dwaraka, although he is the son of my\nfather's sister. While king Bhoja was sporting on the Raivataka hill,\nthis one fell upon the attendants of that king and slew and led away many\nof them in chains to his own city. Sinful in all his purpose, this\nwretch, in order to obstruct the sacrifice of my father, stole the\nsacrificial horse of the horse-sacrifice that had been let loose under\nthe guard of armed men. Prompted by sinful motives, this one ravished the\nreluctant wife of the innocent Vabhru (Akrura) on her way from Dwaraka to\nthe country of the Sauviras. This injurer of his maternal uncle,\ndisguising himself in the attire of the king of Karusha, ravished also\nthe innocent Bhadra, the princess of Visala, the intended bride of king\nKarusha. I have patiently borne all these sorrows for the sake of my\nfather's sister. It is, however, very fortunate that all this hath\noccurred today in the presence of all the kings. Behold ye all today the\nhostility this one beareth towards me. And know ye also all that he hath\ndone me at my back. For the excess of that pride in which he hath\nindulged in the presence of all these monarchs, he deserveth to be slain\nby me. I am ill able to pardon today the injuries that he hath done me.\nDesirous of speedy death, this fool had desired Rukmini. But the fool\nobtained her not, like a Sudra failing to obtain the audition of the\nVedas.\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"Hearing these words of Vasudeva, all the\nassembled monarchs began to reprove the ruler of Chedi. But the powerful\nSisupala, having heard these words, laughed aloud and spoke thus,--'O\nKrishna, art thou not ashamed in saying in this assembly, especially\nbefore all these kings that Rukmini (thy wife) had been coveted by me? O\nslayer of Madhu, who else is there than thee, who regarding himself a man\nwould say in the midst of respectable men that his wife had been intended\nfor some body else? O Krishna, pardon me if thou pleasest, or pardon me\nnot. But angry or friendly, what canst thou do unto me?'\n\n\"And while Sisupala was speaking thus, the exalted slayer of Madhu\nthought in his mind of the discus that humbleth the pride of the Asuras.\nAnd as soon as the discus came into his hands, skilled in speech the\nillustrious one loudly uttered these words,--'Listen ye lords of earth,\nwhy this one had hitherto been pardoned by me. As asked by his mother, a\nhundred offences (of his) were to be pardoned by me. Even this was the\nboon she had asked, and even this I granted her. That number, ye kings,\nhath become full. I shall now slay him in your presence, ye monarchs.'\nHaving said this, the chief of the Yadus, that slayer of all foes, in\nanger, instantly cut off the head of the ruler of Chedi by means of his\ndiscus. And the mighty-armed one fell down like a cliff struck with\nthunder. And, O monarch, the assembled kings then beheld a fierce energy,\nlike unto the sun in the sky, issue out of the body of the king of Chedi,\nand O king, that energy then adored Krishna, possessed of eyes like lotus\nleaves and worshipped by all the worlds, and entered his body. And all\nthe kings beholding the energy which entered that mighty-armed chief of\nmen regarded it as wonderful. And when Krishna had slain the king of\nChedi, the sky, though cloudless, poured showers of rain, and blasting\nthunders were hurled, and the earth itself began to tremble. There were\nsome among the kings who spoke not a word during those unspeakable\nmoments but merely sat gazing at Janarddana. And some there were that\nrubbed in rage their palms with their forefingers. And there were others\nwho deprived of reason by rage bit their lips with their teeth. And some\namongst the kings applauded him of the Vrishni race in private. And some\nthere were that became excited with anger; while others became mediators.\nThe great Rishis with pleased hearts praised Kesava and went away. And\nall the high-souled Brahmanas and the mighty kings that were there,\nbeholding Krishna's prowess, became glad at heart and praised him.\n\n\"Yudhishthira then commanded his brothers to perform without delay the\nfuneral rites of king Sisupala, the brave son of Damaghosha, with proper\nrespect. The sons of Pandu obeyed the behest of their brother. And\nYudhishthira then, with all the kings, installed the son of king Sisupala\nin the sovereignty of the Chedis.\n\n\"Then that sacrifice, O monarch, of the king of the Kurus possessed of\ngreat energy, blessed with every kind of prosperity, became exceedingly\nhandsome and pleasing unto all young men. And commenced auspiciously, and\nall impediments removed, and furnished with abundance of wealth and corn,\nas also with plenty of rice and every kind of food, it was properly\nwatched by Kesava. And Yudhishthira in due time completed the great\nsacrifice. And the mighty-armed Janarddana, the exalted Sauri, with his\nbow called Saranga and his discus and mace, guarded that sacrifice till\nits completion. And all the Kshatriya monarchs, having approached the\nvirtuous Yudhishthira who had bathed after the conclusion of the\nsacrifice, said these words: 'By good fortune thou hast come out\nsuccessful. O virtuous one, thou hast obtained the imperial dignity. O\nthou of the Ajamida race, by thee hath been spread the fame of thy whole\nrace. And, O king of kings, by this act of thine, thou hast also acquired\ngreat religious merit. We have been worshipped by thee to the full extent\nof our desires. We now tell thee that we are desirous of returning to our\nown kingdoms. It behoveth thee to grant us permission.'\n\n\"Hearing these words of the monarchs, king Yudhishthira the just,\nworshipping each as he deserved, commanded his brothers, saying, 'These\nmonarchs had all come to us at their own pleasure. These chastisers of\nfoes are now desirous of returning to their own kingdoms, bidding me\nfarewell. Blest be ye, follow ye these excellent kings to the confines of\nour own dominions.' Hearing these words of their brother, the virtuous\nPandava princes followed the kings, one after another as each deserved.\nThe powerful Dhrishtadyumna followed without loss of time king Virata:\nand Dhananjaya followed the illustrious and mighty charioteer Yajnasena;\nand the mighty Bhimasena followed Bhishma and Dhritarashtra: and\nSahadeva, that master of battle, followed the brave Drona and his son;\nand Nakula, O king, followed Suvala with his son; and the sons of\nDraupadi with the son of Subhadra followed those mighty warriors--the\nkings of the mountainous countries. And other bulls among Kshatriyas\nfollowed other Kshatriyas. And the Brahmanas by thousands also went away,\nduly worshipped.\n\n\"After all the Kings and the Brahmanas had gone away, the powerful\nVasudeva addressing Yudhishthira said,--'O son of the Kuru race, with thy\nleave, I also desire to go to Dwaraka. By great good fortune, thou hast\naccomplished the foremost of sacrifices--Rajasuya!' Thus addressed by\nJanarddana, Yudhishthira replied, 'Owing to thy grace, O Govinda. I have\naccomplished the great sacrifice. And it is owing to thy grace that the\nwhole Kshatriya world having accepted my sway, had come hither with\nvaluable tribute. O hero, without thee, my heart never feeleth any\ndelight. How can I, therefore, O hero, give thee, O sinless one, leave to\ngo? But thou must have to go to the city of Dwaraka.' The virtuous Hari\nof worldwide fame, thus addressed by Yudhishthira, cheerfully went with\nhis cousin to Pritha and said,--'O aunt, thy sons have now obtained the\nimperial dignity. They have obtained vast wealth and been also crowned\nwith success. Be pleased with all this. Commanded by thee, O aunt, I\ndesire to go to Dwaraka.' After this, Kesava bade farewell to Draupadi\nand Subhadra. Coming out then of the inner apartments accompanied by\nYudhishthira, he performed his ablutions and went through the daily rites\nof worship, and then made the Brahmanas utter benedictions. Then the\nmighty armed Daruka came there with a car of excellent design and body\nresembling the clouds. And beholding that Garuda-bannered car arrived\nthither, the high-souled one, with eyes like lotus leaves, walked round\nit respectfully and ascending on it set out for Dwaravati. And king\nYudhishthira the just, blessed with prosperity, accompanied by his\nbrothers, followed on foot the mighty Vasudeva. Then Hari with eyes like\nlotus leaves, stopping that best of cars for a moment, addressing\nYudhishthira the son of Kunti, said,--'O king of kings, cherishest thou\nthy subjects with ceaseless vigilance and patience. And as the clouds are\nunto all creatures, as the large tree of spreading bough is unto birds,\nas he of a thousand eyes is unto the immortals, be thou the refuge and\nsupport of thy relatives. And Krishna and Yudhishthira having thus talked\nunto each other took each other's leave and returned to their respective\nhomes. And, O king, after the chief of the Satwata race had gone to\nDwaravati, king Duryodhana alone, with king Suvala's son, Sakuni,--these\nbulls among men,--continued to live in that celestial assembly house.\n\n\n\nSECTION XLV\n\n(Dyuta Parva)\n\nVaisampayana said,--\"when that foremost of sacrifices, the Rajasuya so\ndifficult of accomplishment, was completed, Vyasa surrounded by his\ndisciples presented himself before Yudhishthira. And Yudhishthira, upon\nbeholding him quickly rose from his seat, surrounded by his brothers, and\nworshipped the Rishi who was his grand-father, with water to wash his\nfeet and the offer of a seat. The illustrious one having taken his seat\non a costly carpet inlaid with gold, addressed king Yudhishthira the just\nand said.--'Take thy seat'. And after the king had taken his seat\nsurrounded by his brothers, the illustrious Vyasa, truthful in speech\nsaid,--'O son of Kunti, thou growest from good fortune. Thou hast\nobtained imperial sway so difficult of acquisition. And O perpetuator of\nthe Kuru race, all the Kauravas have prospered in consequence of thee. O\nEmperor, I have been duly worshipped. I desire now to go with thy leave!\nKing Yudhishthira the just, thus addressed by the Rishi of dark hue,\nsaluted (him) his grandfather and touching his feet said,--'O chief of\nmen, a doubt difficult of being dispelled, hath risen within me. O bull\namong regenerate ones, save thee there is none to remove it. The\nillustrious Rishi Narada said that (as a consequence of the Rajasuya\nsacrifice) three kinds of portents, viz., celestial, atmospherical and\nterrestrial ones happen. O grandsire, have those portents been ended by\nthe fall of the kind of the Chedis?''\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"Hearing these words of the king, the exalted\nson of Parasara, the island-born Vyasa of dark hue, spoke these\nwords,--'For thirteen years, O king, those portents will bear mighty\nconsequences ending in destruction, O king of kings, of all the\nKshatriyas. In course of time, O bull of the Bharata race, making thee\nthe sole cause, the assembled Kshatriyas of the world will be destroyed,\nO Bharata, for the sins of Duryodhana and through the might of Bhima and\nArjuna. In thy dream, O king of kings thou wilt behold towards the end of\nthis might the blue throated Bhava, the slayer of Tripura, ever absorbed\nin meditation, having the bull for his mark, drinking off the human\nskull, and fierce and terrible, that lord of all creatures, that god of\ngods, the husband of Uma, otherwise called Hara and Sarva, and Vrisha,\narmed with the trident and the bow called Pinaka, and attired in tiger\nskin. And thou wilt behold Siva, tall and white as the Kailasa cliff and\nseated on his bull, gazing unceasingly towards the direction (south)\npresided over by the king of the Pitris. Even this will be the dream thou\nwilt dream today, O king of kings. Do not grieve for dreaming such a\ndream. None can rise superior to the influence of Time. Blest be thou! I\nwill now proceed towards the Kailasa mountain. Rule thou the earth with\nvigilance and steadiness, patiently bearing every privation!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"Having said this, the illustrious and\nisland-born Vyasa of dark hue, accompanied by his disciples ever\nfollowing the dictates of the Vedas, proceeded towards Kailasa. And after\nthe grand-father had thus gone away, the king afflicted with anxiety and\ngrief, began to think continuously upon what the Rishi hath said. And he\nsaid to himself, 'Indeed what the Rishi hath said must come to pass. We\nwill succeed in warding off the fates by exertion alone?' Then\nYudhishthira endued with great energy addressing all his brothers, said,\n'Ye tigers among men, ye have heard what the island-born Rishi hath told\nme. Having heard the words of the Rishi, I have arrived at this firm\nresolution viz., that I should die, as I am ordained to be the cause of\nthe destruction of all Kshatriyas. Ye my dear ones, if Time hath intended\nso what need is there for me to live?' Hearing these words of the king,\nArjuna replied, 'O king, yield not thyself to this terrible depression\nthat is destructive of reason. Mustering fortitude, O great king, do what\nwould be beneficial.' Yudhishthira then, firm in truth, thinking all the\nwhile of Dwaipayana's words answered his brothers thus,--'Blest be ye.\nListen to my vow from this day. For thirteen years, what ever purpose\nhave I to live for, I shall not speak a hard word to my brothers or to\nany of the kings of the earth. Living under the command of my relatives,\nI shall practise virtue, exemplifying my vow. If I live in this way,\nmaking no distinction between my own children and others, there will be\nno disagreement (between me and others). It is disagreement that is the\ncause of war in the world. Keeping war at a distance, and ever doing what\nis agreeable to others, evil reputation will not be mine in the world, ye\nbulls among men. Hearing these words of their eldest brother, the\nPandavas, always engaged in doing what was agreeable to him, approved of\nthem. And Yudhishthira the just, having pledged so, along with his\nbrothers in the midst of that assembly, gratified his priests as also the\ngods with due ceremonies. And, O bull of the Bharata race, after all the\nmonarchs had gone away, Yudhishthira along with his brothers, having\nperformed the usual auspicious rites, accompanied by his ministers\nentered his own palace. And, O ruler of men, king Duryodhana and Sakuni,\nthe son of Suvala, continued to dwell in that delightful assembly house.\n\n\n\nSECTION XLVI\n\nVaisampayana said,--\"That bull among men, Duryodhana, continued to dwell\nin that, assembly house (of the Pandavas). And with Sakuni, the Kuru\nprince slowly examined the whole of that mansion, and the Kuru prince\nbeheld in it many celestial designs, which he had never seen before in\nthe city called after the elephant (Hastinapore). And one day king\nDuryodhana in going round that mansion came upon a crystal surface. And\nthe king, from ignorance, mistaking it for a pool of water, drew up his\nclothes. And afterwards finding out his mistake the king wandered about\nthe mansion in great sorrow. And sometime after, the king, mistaking a\nlake of crystal water adorned with lotuses of crystal petals for land,\nfell into it with all his clothes on. Beholding Duryodhana fallen into\nthe lake, the mighty Bhima laughed aloud as also the menials of the\npalace. And the servants, at the command of the king, soon brought him\ndry and handsome clothes. Beholding the plight of Duryodhana, the mighty\nBhima and Arjuna and both the twins--all laughed aloud. Being unused to\nputting up with insults, Duryodhana could not bear that laugh of theirs.\nConcealing his emotions he even did not cast his looks on them. And\nbeholding the monarch once more draw up his clothes to cross a piece of\ndry land which he had mistaken for water, they all laughed again. And the\nking sometime after mistook a closed door made of crystal as open. And as\nhe was about to pass through it his head struck against it, and he stood\nwith his brain reeling. And mistaking as closed another door made of\ncrystal that was really open, the king in attempting to open it with\nstretched hands, tumbled down. And coming upon another door that was\nreally open, the king thinking it as closed, went away from it. And, O\nmonarch, king Duryodhana beholding that vast wealth in the Rajasuya\nsacrifice and having become the victim of those numerous errors within\nthe assembly house at last returned, with the leave of the Pandavas, to\nHastinapore.\n\nAnd the heart of king Duryodhana, afflicted at sight of the prosperity of\nthe Pandavas, became inclined to sin, as he proceeded towards his city\nreflecting on all he had seen and suffered. And beholding the Pandavas\nhappy and all the kings of the earth paying homage to them, as also\neverybody, young and old, engaged in doing good unto them, and reflecting\nalso on the splendour and prosperity of the illustrious sons of Pandu,\nDuryodhana, the son of Dhritarashtra, became pale. In proceeding (to his\ncity) with an efflicted heart, the prince thought of nothing else but\nthat assembly house and that unrivalled prosperity of the wise\nYudhishthira. And Duryodhana, the son of Dhritarashtra, was so taken up\nwith his thoughts then that he spoke not a word to Suvala's son even\nthough the latter addressed him repeatedly. And Sakuni, beholding him\nabsent-minded, said,--'O Duryodhana, why art thou proceeding thus'?\n\n\"Duryodhana replied,--O uncle, beholding this whole earth owning the sway\nof Yudhishthira in consequence of the might of the illustrious Arjuna's\nweapons and beholding also that sacrifice of the son of Pritha like unto\nthe sacrifice of Sakra himself of great glory among the celestials, I,\nbeing filled with jealousy and burning day and night, am being dried up\nlike a shallow tank in the summer season. Behold, when Sisupala was slain\nby the chief of the Satwatas, there was no man to take the side of\nSisupala. Consumed by the fire of the Pandava, they all forgave that\noffence; otherwise who is there that could forgive it? That highly\nimproper act of grave consequence done by Vasudeva succeeded in\nconsequence of the power of the illustrious son of Pandu. And so many\nmonarchs also brought with them various kinds of wealth for king\nYudhishthira, the son of Kunti, like tribute-paying Vaisyas! Beholding\nYudhishthira's prosperity of such splendour, my heart burneth, efflicted\nwith jealously, although it behoveth me not to be jealous.'\n\n\"Having reflected in this way, Duryodhana, as if burnt by fire, addressed\nthe king of Gandhara again and said,--'I shall throw myself upon a\nflaming fire or swallow poison or drown myself in water. I cannot live.\nWhat man is there in the world possessed of vigour who can bear to see\nhis foes in the enjoyment of prosperity and himself in destitution?\nTherefore I who bear to see that accession of prosperity and fortune (in\nmy foes) am neither a woman nor one that is not a woman, neither also a\nman nor one that is not a man. Beholding their sovereignty over the world\nand vast affluence, as also that sacrifice, who is there like me that\nwould not smart under all that? Alone I am incapable of acquiring such\nroyal prosperity; nor do I behold allies that could help me in the\nmatter. It is for this that I am thinking of self-destruction. Beholding\nthat great and serene prosperity of the son of Kunti, I regard Fate as\nsupreme and exertions fruitless. O son of Suvala, formerly I strove to\ncompass his destruction. But baffling all my efforts he hath grown in\nprosperity even like the lotus from within a pool of water. It is for\nthis that I regard Fate as supreme and exertions fruitless. Behold, the\nsons of Dhritarashtra are decaying and the sons of Pritha are growing day\nby day. Beholding that prosperity of the Pandavas, and that assembly\nhouse of theirs, and those menials laughing at me, my heart burneth as if\nit were on fire. Therefore, O uncle, know me now as deeply grieved and\nfilled with jealousy, and speak of it to Dhritarashtra.\n\n\n\nSECTION XLVII\n\n\"Sakuni said.--'O Duryodhana, thou shouldst not be jealous of\nYudhishthira. The sons of Pandu are enjoying what they deserve in\nconsequence of their own good fortune. O slayer of foes, O great king,\nthou couldst not destroy them by repeatedly devising numberless plans,\nmany of which thou hadst even put to practice. Those tigers among men out\nof sheer luck escaped all those machinations. They have obtained Draupadi\nfor wife and Drupada with his sons as also Vasudeva of great prowess as\nallies, capable of helping them in subjugating the whole world. And O\nking, having inherited the paternal share of the kingdom without being\ndeprived of it they have grown in consequence of their own energy. What\nis there to make thee sorry for this? Having gratified Hustasana,\nDhananjaya hath obtained the bow Gandiva and the couple of inexhaustible\nquivers and many celestial weapons. With that unique bow and by the\nstrength of his own arms also he hath brought all the kings of the world\nunder his sway. What is there to make thee sorry for this? Having saved\nthe Asura Maya from a conflagration, Arjuna, that slayer of foes, using\nboth his hands with equal skill, caused him to build that assembly house.\nAnd it is for this also that commanded by Maya, those grim Rakshasas\ncalled Kinkaras supported that assembly house. What is there in this to\nmake thee sorry? Thou hast said, O king, that thou art without allies.\nThis, O Bharata, is not true. These thy brothers are obedient to thee.\nDrona of great prowess and wielding the large bow along with his son,\nRadha's son Karna, the great warrior Gautama (Kripa), myself with my\nbrothers and king Saumadatti--these are thy allies. Uniting thyself with\nthese, conquer thou the whole of the earth.'\n\n\"Duryodhana said,--'O king, with thee, as also with these great warriors,\nI shall subjugate the Pandavas, if it pleases thee. If I can now\nsubjugate them, the world will be mine and all the monarchs, and that\nassembly house so full of wealth.'\n\n\"Sakuni replied,--'Dhananjaya and Vasudeva, Bhimasena and Yudhishthira,\nNakula and Sahadeva and Drupada with his sons,--these cannot be\nvanquished in battle by even the celestials, for they are all great\nwarriors wielding the largest bows, accomplished in weapons, and\ndelighting in battle. But, O king, I know the means by which Yudhishthira\nhimself may be vanquished. Listen to me and adopt it.'\n\n\"Duryodhana said,--'without danger to our friends and other illustrious\nmen, O uncle, tell me if there is any way by which I may vanquish him.'\n\n\"Sakuni said,--'The son of Kunti is very fond of dice-play although he\ndoth not know how to play. That king if asked to play, is ill able to\nrefuse. I am skillful at dice. There is none equal to me in this respect\non earth, no, not even in the three worlds, O son of Kuru. Therefore, ask\nhim to play at dice. Skilled at dice, I will win his kingdom, and that\nsplendid prosperity of his for thee, O bull among men. But, O Duryodhana,\nrepresent all this unto the king (Dhritarashtra). Commanded by thy father\nI will win without doubt the whole of Yudhishthira's possessions.'\n\n\"Duryodhana said 'O son of Suvala, thou thyself represent properly all\nthis to Dhritarashtra, the chief of the Kurus. I shall not be able to do\nso.\n\n\n\nSECTION XLVIII\n\nVaisampayana said--\"O king, impressed with the great Rajasuya sacrifice\nof king Yudhishthira, Sakuni, the son of Suvala, having learnt before the\nintentions of Duryodhana, while accompanying him in the way from the\nassembly house, and desirous of saying what was agreeable to him,\napproached Dhritarashtra endued with great wisdom, and finding the\nmonarch deprived of his eye seated (in his throne), told him these\nwords,--'Know, O great king, O bull of the Bharata race, that Duryodhana,\nhaving lost colour, hath become pale and emaciated and depressed and a\nprey to anxiety. Why dost thou not, after due enquiry, ascertain the\ngrief that is in the heart of thy eldest son, the grief that is caused by\nthe foe?'\n\n\"Dhritarashtra said,--'Duryodhana, what is the reason of thy great\naffliction. O son of the Kuru race? If it is fit for me to hear it, then\ntell me the reason. This Sakuni here says that thou hast lost colour,\nbecome pale and emaciated, and a prey to anxiety. I do not know what can\nbe the reason of the sorrow. This vast wealth of mine is at thy control.\nThy brothers and all our relations never do anything that is disagreeable\nto thee. Thou wearest the best apparel and eatest the best food that is\nprepared with meat. The best of horse carries thee. What it is,\ntherefore, that hath made thee pale and emaciated? Costly beds, beautiful\ndamsels, mansions decked with excellent furniture, and sport of the\ndelightful kind, without doubt these all wait but at thy command, as in\nthe case of the gods themselves Therefore, O proud one, why dost thou\ngrieve, O son, as if thou wert destitute.'\n\n\"Duryodhana said,--'I eat and dress myself like a wretch and pass my time\nall the while a prey to fierce jealousy. He indeed is a man, who\nincapable of bearing the pride of the foe, liveth having vanquished that\nfoe with the desire of liberating his own subjects from the tyranny of\nthe foe. Contentment, as also pride, O Bharata, are destructive of\nprosperity; and those other two qualities also, viz., compassion and\nfear. One who acteth under the influence of these, never obtaineth\nanything high. Having beheld Yudhishthira's prosperity, whatever I enjoy\nbrings me no gratification. The prosperity of Kunti's son that is\npossessed of such splendour maketh me pale. Knowing the affluence of the\nfoe and my own destitution, even though that affluence is not before me,\nI yet see it before me. Therefore, have I lost colour and become\nmelancholy, pale and emaciated. Yudhishthira supporteth eighty-eight\nthousand Snataka Brahmanas leading domestic lives, giving unto each of\nthem thirty slave-girls. Beside this, thousand other Brahmanas daily eat\nat his palace the best of food on golden plates. The king of Kambhoja\nsent unto him (as tribute) innumerable skins, black, darkish, and red, of\nthe deer Kadali, as also numberless blankets of excellent textures. And\nhundreds and thousands and thousands of she-elephants and thirty thousand\nshe-camels wander within the palace, for the kings of the earth brought\nthem all as tribute to the capital of the Pandavas. And, O lord of earth,\nthe kings also brought unto this foremost of sacrifices heaps upon heaps\nof jewels and gems for the son of Kunti. Never before did I see or hear\nof such enormous wealth as was brought unto the sacrifice of the\nintelligent sons of Pandu. And, O king, beholding that enormous\ncollection of wealth belonging to the foe, I can not enjoy peace of mind.\nHundreds of Brahmanas supported by the grants that Yudhishthira hath\ngiven them and possessing wealth of kine, waited at the palace gate with\nthree thousands of millions of tribute but were prevented by the keepers\nfrom entering the mansion. Bringing with them clarified butter in\nhandsome Kamandalus made of gold, they did not obtain admission into the\npalace, and Ocean himself brought unto him in vessels of white copper the\nnectar that is generated within his waters and which is much superior to\nthat which flowers and annual plants produce for Sakra. And Vasudeva (at\nthe conclusion of the sacrifice) having brought an excellent conch bathed\nthe Sun of Pritha with sea water brought in thousand jars of gold, all\nwell adorned with numerous gems. Beholding all this I became feverish\nwith jealousy. Those jars had been taken to the Eastern and the Southern\noceans. And they had also been taken on the shoulders of men to the\nWestern ocean, O bull among men. And, O father, although none but birds\nonly can go to the Northern region Arjuna, having gone thither, exacted\nas tribute a vast quantity of wealth. There is another wonderful incident\nalso which I will relate to thee. O listen to me. When a hundred thousand\nBrahmanas were fed, it had been arranged that to notify this act every\nday conches would be blown in a chorus. But, O Bharata, I continually\nheard conches blown there almost repeatedly. And hearing those notes my\nhair stood on end. And, O great king, that palatial compound, filled with\ninnumerable monarchs that came there as spectators, looked exceedingly\nhandsome like the cloudless firmament with stars. And, O king of men, the\nmonarchs came into that sacrifice of the wise son of Pandu bringing with\nthem every kind of wealth. And the kings that came there became like\nVaisyas the distributors of food unto the Brahmanas that were fed. And O\nking, the prosperity that I beheld of Yudhishthira was such that neither\nthe chief himself of the celestials, nor Yama or Varuna, nor the lord of\nthe Guhyakas owneth the same. And beholding that great prosperity of the\nson of Pandu, my heart burneth and I cannot enjoy peace.\n\n\"Hearing these words of Duryodhana, Sakuni replied,--'Hear how thou\nmayest obtain this unrivalled prosperity that thou beholdest in the son\nof Pandu, O thou that hast truth for thy prowess. O Bharata, I am an\nadept at dice, superior to all in the world. I can ascertain the success\nor otherwise of every throw, and when to stake and when not. I have\nspecial knowledge of the game. The Son of Kunti also is fond of dice\nplaying though he possesseth little skill in it. Summoned to play or\nbattle, he is sure to come forward, and I will defeat him repeatedly at\nevery throw by practising deception. I promise to win all that wealth of\nhis, and thou, O Duryodhana, shalt then enjoy the same.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"King Duryodhana, thus addressed by Sakuni,\nwithout allowing a moment to elapse, said unto Dhritarashtra,--'This,\nSakuni, an adept at dice, is ready to win at dice, O king, the wealth of\nthe sons of Pandu. It behoveth thee to grant him permission to do so.'\n\n\"Dhritarashtra replied,--'I always follow the counsels of Kshatta, my\nminister possessed of great wisdom. Having consulted with him, I will\ninform thee what my judgment is in respect of this affair. Endued with\ngreat foresight, he will, keeping morality before his eyes, tell us what\nis good and what is proper for both parties, and what should be done in\nthis matter.'\n\n\"Duryodhana said,--'If thou consultest with Kshatta he will make thee\ndesist. And if thou desist, O king, I will certainly kill myself. And\nwhen I am dead, O king, thou wilt become happy with Vidura. Thou wilt\nthen enjoy the whole earth; what need hast thou with me?'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"Dhritarashtra, hearing these words of\naffliction uttered by Duryodhana from mixed feeling, himself ready to\nwhat Duryodhana had dictated, commanded his servant, saying,--'Let\nartificers be employed to erect without delay a delightful and handsome\nand spacious palace with an hundred doors and a thousand columns. And\nhaving brought carpenters and joiners, set ye jewels and precious stones\nall over the walls. And making it handsome and easy of access, report to\nme when everything is complete. And, O monarch, king Dhritarashtra having\nmade this resolution for the pacification of Duryodhana, sent messengers\nunto Vidura for summoning him. For without taking counsel with Vidura\nnever did the monarch form any resolution. But as regards the matter at\nhand, the king although he knew the evils of gambling, was yet attracted\ntowards it. The intelligent Vidura, however, as soon as he heard of it,\nknew that the arrival of Kali was at hand. And seeing that the way to\ndestruction was about to open, he quickly came to Dhritarashtra. And\nVidura approaching his illustrious eldest brother and bowing down unto\nhis feet, said these words:\n\n'O exalted king, I do not approve of this resolution that thou hast\nformed. It behave thee, O king, to act in such a way that no dispute may\narise between thy children on account of this gambling match.'\n\nDhritarashtra replied,--'O Kshatta, if the gods be merciful unto us,\nassuredly no dispute will ever arise amongst my sons. Therefore,\nauspicious or otherwise, beneficial or otherwise, let this friendly\nchallenge at dice proceed. Even this without doubt is what fate hath\nordained for us. And, O son of the Bharata race, when I am near, and\nDrona and Bhishma and thou too, nothing evil that even Fate might have\nordained is likely to happen. Therefore, go thou on a car yoking thereto\nhorses endued with the speed of the wind, so that thou mayest reach\nKhandavaprastha even today and bring thou Yudhishthira with thee. And, O\nVidura, I tell that even this is my resolution. Tell me nothing. I regard\nFate as supreme which bringeth all this.' Hearing these words of\nDhritarashtra and concluding that his race was doomed, Vidura in great\nsorrow went unto Bhishma with great wisdom.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XLIX\n\nJanamejaya said,--\"O thou foremost of all conversant with the Vedas, how\ndid that game at dice take place, fraught with such evil to the cousins\nand through which my grand-sires, the son of Pandu, were plunged into\nsuch sorrow? What kings also were present in that assembly, and who\namongst them approved of the gambling match and who amongst them forbade\nit? O sinless one, O chief of regenerate ones, I desire thee to recite in\ndetail all about this, which, indeed, was the cause of the destruction of\nthe world.\"\n\nSanti said,--\"Thus addressed by the king, the disciple of Vyasa, endued\nwith great energy and conversant with the entire Vedas, narrated\neverything that had happened.\"\n\nVaisampayana said,--\"O best of the Bharatas, O great king, if thou\ndesirest to hear, then listen to me as I narrate to thee everything again\nin detail.\n\n\"Ascertaining the opinion of Vidura, Dhritarashtra the son of Amvika,\ncalling Duryodhana told him again in private--'O son of Gandhari, have\nnothing to do with dice. Vidura doth not speak well of it. Possessed of\ngreat wisdom, he will never give me advice that is not for my good. I\nalso regard what Vidura sayeth as exceedingly beneficial for me. Do that,\nO son, for I regard it all as for thy good also. Indeed, Vidura knoweth\nwith all its mysteries the science (of political morality) that the\nillustrious and learned and wise Vrihaspati, the celestial Rishi who is\nthe spiritual guide of Vasava--had unfolded unto the wise chief of the\nimmortals. And O son, I always accept what Vidura adviseth. O king, as\nthe wise Uddhava is ever regarded amongst the Vrishnis, so is Vidura\npossessed of great intelligence esteemed as the foremost of the Kurus.\nTherefore, O son, have nothing to do with dice. It is evident that dice\nsoweth dissensions. And dissensions are the ruin of the kingdom.\nTherefore, O son, abandon this idea of gambling. O son, thou hast\nobtained from us what, it hath been ordained, a father and a mother\nshould give unto their son, viz., ancestral rank and possessions. Thou\nart educated and clever in every branch of knowledge, and hast been\nbrought up with affection in thy paternal dwelling. Born the eldest among\nall thy brothers, living within thy own kingdom, why regardest thou\nthyself as unhappy? O thou of mighty arms, thou obtainest food and attire\nof the very best kind and which is not obtainable by ordinary men. Why\ndost thou grieve yet. O son, O mighty-armed one, ruling thy large\nancestral kingdom swelling with people and wealth, thou shinest as\nsplendidly as the chief of the celestials in heaven. Thou art possessed\nof wisdom. It behoveth thee to tell me what can be the root of this grief\nthat hath made thee so melancholy.\n\n\"Duryodhana replied,--'I am a sinful wretch, O king, because I eat and\ndress beholding (the prosperity of the foes). It hath been said that man\nis a wretch who is not filled with jealousy at the sight of his enemy's\nprosperity. O exalted one, this kind of prosperity of mine doth not\ngratify me. Beholding that blazing prosperity of the son of Kunti, I am\nvery much pained. I tell thee strong must be my vitality, in as much as I\nam living even at the sight of the whole earth owning the sway of\nYudhishthira. The Nipas, the Chitrakas, the Kukkuras, the Karaskaras, and\nthe Lauha-janghas are living in the palace of Yudhishthira like bondsmen.\nThe Himavat, the ocean, the regions on the sea-shore, and the numberless\nother regions that yield jewels and gems, have all acknowledged\nsuperiority of the mansion of Yudhishthira in respect of wealth it\ncontaineth. And, O Monarch, regarding me as the eldest and entitled to\nrespect, Yudhishthira having received me respectfully, appointed me in\nreceiving the jewels and gems (that were brought as tribute). O Bharata,\nthe limit and the like of the excellent and invaluable jewels that were\nbrought there have not been seen. And O king, my hands were fatigued in\nreceiving that wealth. And when I was tired, they that brought those\nvaluable articles from distant regions used to wait till I was able to\nresume my labour. Bringing jewels from the lake Vindu, the Asura\narchitect Maya constructed (for the Pandavas) a lake-like surface made of\ncrystal. Beholding the (artificial) lotuses with which it was filled, I\nmistook it, O king for water. And seeing me draw up my clothes (while\nabout to cross it), Vrikodara (Bhima) laughed at me, regarding me as\nwanting in jewels and having lost my head at the sight of the affluence\nof my enemy. If I had the ability, I would, O king, without the loss of a\nmoment, slay Vrikodara for that. But, O monarch, if we endeavour to slay\nBhima now, without doubt, ours will be the fate of Sisupala. O Bharata,\nthat insult by the foe burneth me. Once again, O king, beholding a\nsimilar lake that is really full of water but which I mistook for a\ncrystal surface, I fell into it. At that, Bhima with Arjuna once more\nlaughed derisively, and Draupadi also accompanied by other females joined\nin the laughter. That paineth my heart exceedingly. My apparel having\nbeen wet, the menials at the command of the king gave me other clothes.\nThat also is my great sorrow. And O king, hear now of another mistake\nthat I speak of. In attempting to pass through what is exactly of the\nshape of a door but through which there was really no passage, I struck\nmy forehead against stone and injured myself. The twins Nakula and\nSahadeva beholding from a distance that I was so hit at the head came and\nsupported me in their arms, expressing great concern for me. And Sahadeva\nrepeatedly told me, as if with a smile,--'This O king, is the door. Go\nthis way!' And Bhimasena, laughing aloud, addressed me and said,--'O son\nof Dhritarashtra, this is the door. And, O king I had not even heard of\nthe names of those gems that I saw in that mansion. And it is for these\nreasons that my heart so acheth.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION L\n\nDuryodhana said,--'Listen now, O Bharata, about all the most costly\narticles I saw, belonging unto the sons of Pandu, and brought one after\nanother by the kings of the earth. Beholding that wealth of the foe, I\nlost my reason and scarcely knew myself. And, O Bharata, listen as I\ndescribe that wealth consisting of both manufactures and the produce of\nthe land. The king of Kamboja gave innumerable skins of the best king,\nand blankets made of wool, of the soft fur of rodents and other\nburroughers, and of the hair of cats,--all inlaid with threads of gold.\nAnd he also gave three hundred horses of the Titteti and the Kalmasha\nspecies possessing noses like parrots. And he also gave three hundred\ncamels and an equal number of she-asses, all fattened with the olives and\nthe Pilusha. And innumerable Brahmanas engaged in rearing cattle and\noccupied in low offices for the gratification of the illustrious king\nYudhishthira the just waited at the gate with three hundred millions of\ntribute but they were denied admission into the palace. And hundred upon\nhundreds of Brahmanas possessing wealth of kine and living upon the lands\nthat Yudhishthira had given them, came there with their handsome golden\nKamandalus filled with clarified butter. And though they had brought such\ntribute, they were refused admission into the palace. And the Sudra kings\nthat dwelt in the regions on the seacoast, brought with them, O king,\nhundred thousands of serving girls of the Karpasika country, all of\nbeautiful features and slender waist and luxuriant hair and decked in\ngolden ornaments; and also many skins of the Ranku deer worthy even of\nBrahmanas as tribute unto king Yudhishthira. And the tribes Vairamas,\nParadas, Tungas, with the Kitavas who lived upon crops that depended on\nwater from the sky or of the river and also they who were born in regions\non the sea-shore, in woodlands, or countries on the other side of the\nocean waited at the gate, being refused permission to enter, with goats\nand kine and asses and camels and vegetable, honey and blankets and\njewels and gems of various kinds. And that great warrior king Bhagadatta,\nthe brave ruler of Pragjyotisha and the mighty sovereign of the\nmlechchas, at the head of a large number of Yavanas waited at the gate\nunable to enter, with a considerable tribute comprising of horses of the\nbest breed and possessing the speed of the wind. And king Bhagadatta\n(beholding the concourse) had to go away from the gate, making over a\nnumber of swords with handles made of the purest ivory and well-adorned\nwith diamonds and every kind of gems. And many tribes coming from\ndifferent regions, of whom some possess two eyes, some three and some had\neyes on their foreheads, and those also called Aushmikas, and Nishadas,\nand Romakas, some cannibals and many possessing only one leg. I say, O\nking, standing at the gate, being refused permission to enter. And these\ndiverse rulers brought as tribute ten thousand asses of diverse hues and\nblack necks and huge bodies and great speed and much docility and\ncelebrated all over the world. And these asses were all of goodly size\nand delightful colour. And they were all bred on the coast of Vankhu. And\nthere were many kings that gave unto Yudhishthira much gold and silver.\nAnd having given much tribute they obtained admission into the palace of\nYudhishthira. The people that came there possessing only one leg gave\nunto Yudhishthira many wild horses, some of which were as red as the\ncochineal, and some white, and some possessing the hues of the rainbow\nand some looking like evening clouds, and some that were of variegated\ncolour. And they were all endued with the speed of the mind. And they\nalso gave unto the king enough gold of superior quality. I also saw\nnumberless Chins and Sakas and Uddras and many barbarous tribes living in\nthe woods, and many Vrishnis and Harahunas, and dusky tribes of the\nHimavat, and many Nipas and people residing in regions on the sea-coast,\nwaiting at the gate being refused permission to enter. And the people of\nValhika gave unto him as tribute ten thousand asses, of goodly size and\nblack necks and daily running two hundred miles, And those asses were of\nmany shapes. And they were well-trained and celebrated all over the\nworld. And possessed of symmetrical proportion and excellent colour,\ntheir skins were pleasant to the touch. And the Valhikas also presented\nnumerous blankets of woollen texture manufactured in Chin and numerous\nskins of the Ranku deer, and clothes manufactured from jute, and others\nwoven with the threads spun by insects. And they also gave thousands of\nother clothes not made of cotton, possessing the colour of the lotus. And\nthese were all of smooth texture. And they also gave soft sheep-skins by\nthousands. And they also gave many sharp and long swords and scimitars,\nand hatchets and fine-edged battle-axes manufactured in the western\ncountries. And having presented perfumes and jewels and gems of various\nkinds by thousands as tribute, they waited at the gate, being refused\nadmission into the palace. And the Sakas and Tukhatas and Tukharas and\nKankas and Romakas and men with horns bringing with them as tribute\nnumerous large elephants and ten thousand horses, and hundreds and\nhundreds of millions of gold waited at the gate, being refused permission\nto enter. And the kings of the eastern countries having presented\nnumerous valuable articles including many costly carpets and vehicles and\nbeds, and armours of diverse hues decked with jewels and gold and ivory,\nand weapons of various kinds, and cars of various shapes and handsome\nmake and adorned with gold, with well-trained horses trimmed with tiger\nskins, and rich and variegated blankets for caprisoning elephants, and\nvarious kinds of jewels and gems, arrows long and short and various other\nkinds of weapons, obtained permission to enter the sacrificial palace of\nthe illustrious Pandava!'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LI\n\nDuryodhana said,--'O sinless one, listen to me as I describe that large\nmass of wealth consisting of various kinds of tribute presented unto\nYudhishthira by the kings of the earth. They that dwell by the side of\nthe river Sailoda flowing between the mountains of Mer and Mandara and\nenjoy the delicious shade of topes of the Kichaka bamboo, viz., the\nKhashas, Ekasanas, the Arhas, the Pradaras, the Dirghavenus, the Paradas,\nthe Kulindas, the Tanganas, and the other Tanganas, brought as tribute\nheaps of gold measured in dronas (jars) and raised from underneath the\nearth by ants and therefore called after these creatures. The mountain\ntribes endued with great strength having brought as tribute numerous\nChamaras (long brushes) soft and black and others white as moon-beam and\nsweet honey extracted from the flowers growing on the Himavat as also\nfrom the Mishali champaka and garlands of flowers brought from the region\nof the northern Kurus, and diverse kinds of plants from the north even\nfrom Kailasa, waited with their heads bent down at the gate of king\nYudhishthira, being refused permission to enter. I also beheld there\nnumberless chiefs of the Kiratas armed with cruel weapons and ever\nengaged in cruel deeds, eating of fruits and roots and attired in skins\nand living on the northern slopes of the Himavat and on the mountain from\nbehind which the sun rises and in the region of Karusha on the sea-coast\nand on both sides of the Lohitya mountains. And, O king, having brought\nwith them as tribute loads upon loads of sandal and aloe as also black\naloe, and heaps upon heaps of valuable skins and gold and perfumes, and\nten thousand serving-girls of their own race, and many beautiful animals\nand birds of remote countries, and much gold of great splendour procured\nfrom mountains, the Kiratas waited at the gate, being refused permission\nto enter. The Kairatas, the Daradas, the Darvas, the Suras, the\nVaiamakas, the Audumvaras, the Durvibhagas, the Kumaras, the Paradas\nalong with the Vahlikas, the Kashmiras, the Ghorakas, the Hansakayanas,\nthe Sivis, the Trigartas, the Yauddheyas, the ruler of Madras and the\nKaikeyas, the Amvashtas, the Kaukuras, the Tarkshyas, the Vastrapas along\nwith the Palhavas, the Vashatayas, the Mauleyas along with the\nKshudrakas, and the Malavas, the Paundrayas, the Kukkuras, the Sakas, the\nAngas, the Vangas, the Punras, the Sanavatyas, and the Gayas--these good\nand well-born Kshatriyas distributed into regular clans and trained to\nthe use of arms, brought tribute unto king Yudhishthira by hundreds and\nthousands. And the Vangas, the Kalingas, the Magadhas, the Tamraliptas,\nthe Supundrakas, the Dauvalikas, the Sagarakas, the Patrornas, the\nSaisavas, and innumerable Karnapravaranas, who presented themselves at\nthe gate, were told by the gate-keepers at the command of the king, that\nif they could wait and bring good tribute they could obtain admission.\nThen the kings of those nations each gave a thousand elephants furnished\nwith tusks like unto the shafts of ploughs and decked with girdles made\nof gold, and covered with fine blankets and therefore, resembling the\nlotus in hue. And they were all darkish as rocks and always musty, and\nprocured from the sides of the Kamyaka lake, and covered with defensive\narmour. And they were also exceedingly patient and of the best breed. And\nhaving made these presents, those kings were permitted to enter. O king,\nthese and many others, coming from various regions, and numberless other\nillustrious kings, brought jewels and gems unto this sacrifice. And\nChitraratha, also the king of Gandharvas, the friend of Indra, gave four\nhundred horses gifted with the speed of the wind. And the Gandharva\nTumvuru gladly gave a hundred horses of the colour of mango leaf and\ndecked in gold. And, O thou of the Kuru race, the celebrated king of the\nMlechcha tribe, called the Sukaras, gave many hundreds of excellent\nelephants. And Virata, the king of Matsya, gave as tribute two thousand\nelephants decked in gold. And king Vasudana from the kingdom of Pansu\npresented unto the son of Pandu six and twenty elephants and two thousand\nhorses. O king, all decked in gold and endued with speed and strength and\nin full vigour of youth, and diverse other kinds of wealth. And Yajnasena\npresented unto the sons of Pandu for the sacrifice, fourteen thousand\nserving-girls and ten thousand serving-men with their wives, many\nhundreds of excellent elephants, six and twenty cars with elephants yoked\nunto them, and also his whole kingdom. And Vasudeva of the Vrishni race,\nin order to enhance the dignity of Arjuna, gave fourteen thousands of\nexcellent elephants. Indeed, Krishna is the soul of Arjuna and Arjuna is\nthe soul of Krishna, and whatever Arjuna may say Krishna is certain to\naccomplish. And Krishna is capable of abandoning heaven itself for the\nsake of Arjuna. and Arjuna also is capable of sacrificing his life for\nthe sake of Krishna. And the Kings of Chola and Pandya, though they\nbrought numberless jars of gold filled with fragrant sandal juice from\nthe hills of Malaya, and loads of sandal and aloe wood from the Dardduras\nhills, and many gems of great brilliancy and fine cloths inlaid with\ngold, did not obtain permission (to enter). And the king of the Singhalas\ngave those best of sea-born gems called the lapis lazuli, and heaps of\npearls also, and hundreds of coverlets for elephants. And numberless\ndark-coloured men with the ends of their, eyes red as copper, attired in\nclothes decked with gems, waited at the gate with those presents. And\nnumberless Brahmanas and Kshatriyas who had been vanquished, and Vaisyas\nand serving Sudras, from love of Yudhishthira, brought tribute unto the\nson of Pandu. And even all the Mlechchas, from love and respect, came\nunto Yudhishthira. And all orders of men, good, indifferent and low,\nbelonging to numberless races, coming from diverse lands made\nYudhishthira's habitation the epitome of the world.\n\n\"And beholding the kings of the earth to present unto the foes such\nexcellent and valuable presents, I wished for death out of grief. And O\nking, I will now tell thee of the servants of the Pandavas, people for\nwhom Yudhishthira supplieth food, both cooked and uncooked. There are a\nhundred thousand billions of mounted elephants and cavalry and a hundred\nmillions of cars and countless foot soldiers. At one place raw provisions\nare being measured out; at another they are being cooked; and at another\nplace the foods are being distributed. And the notes of festivity are\nbeing heard everywhere. And amongst men of all orders I beheld not a\nsingle one in the mansion of Yudhishthira that had not food and drink and\nornaments. And eighty-eight thousands of Snataka Brahmanas leading\ndomestic lives, all supported by Yudhishthira, with thirty serving-girls\ngiven unto each, gratified by the king, always pray with complacent\nhearts for the destruction of his foes. And ten thousands of other\nascetics with vital seed drawn up, daily eat of golden plates in\nYudhishthira's palace. And, O king, Yajnaseni, without having eaten\nherself, daily seeth whether everybody, including even the deformed and\nthe dwarfs, hath eaten or not. And, O Bharata, only two do not pay\ntribute unto the son of Kunti, viz., the Panchalas in consequence of\ntheir relationship by marriage, and the Andhakas and Vrishnis in\nconsequence of their friendship.\n\n\n\nSECTION LII\n\nDuryodhana said,--\"Those king that are revered over all the world, who\nare devoted to truth and who are pledged to the observance of rigid vows,\nwho are possessed of great learning and eloquence, who are fully\nconversant with the Vedas and their branches as also with sacrifices, who\nhave piety and modesty, whose souls are devoted to virtue, who possess\nfame, and who have enjoyed the grand rites of coronation, all wait upon\nand worship Yudhishthira. And, O king, I beheld there many thousands of\nwild kine with as many vessels of white copper for milking them, brought\nthither by the kings of the earth as sacrificial presents to be given\naway by Yudhishthira unto the Brahmana. And, O Bharata, for bathing\nYudhishthira at the conclusion of the sacrifice, many kings with the\ngreatest alacrity, themselves brought there in a state of purity many\nexcellent jars (containing water). And king Vahlika brought there a car\ndecked with pure gold. And king Sudakshina himself yoked thereto four\nwhite horses of Kamboja breed, and Sunitha of great might fitted the\nlower pole and the ruler of Chedi with his own hands took up and fitted\nthe flag-staff. And the king of the Southern country stood ready with the\ncoat of mail; the ruler of Magadha, with garlands of flowers and the\nhead-gear; the great warrior Vasudana with a sixty years old elephant,\nthe king of Matsya, with the side-fittings of the car, all encased in\ngold; king Ekalavya, with the shoes; the king of Avanti, with diverse\nkinds of water for the final bath; king Chekitana, with the quiver; the\nking of Kasi, with the bow; and Salya; with a sword whose hilt and straps\nwere adorned with gold. Then Dhaumya and Vyasa, of great ascetic merit,\nwith Narada and Asita's son Devala, standing before performed the\nceremony of sprinkling the sacred water over the king. And the great\nRishis with cheerful hearts sat where the sprinkling ceremony was\nperformed. And other illustrious Rishis conversant with the Vedas, with\nJamadagni's son among them, approached Yudhishthira, the giver of large\nsacrificial presents, uttering mantras all the while, like the seven\nRishis, approaching the great India in heaven. And Satyaki of unbaffled\nprowess held the umbrella (over the king's head). And Dhananjaya and\nBhima were engaged in tanning the king; while the twins held a couple of\nchamaras in their hands. And the Ocean himself brought in a sling that\nbig conch of Varuna which the celestial artificer Viswakarman had\nconstructed with a thousand Nishkas of gold, and which Prajapati had in a\nformer Kalpa, presented unto India. It was with that conch that Krishna\nbathed Yudhishthira after the conclusion of the sacrifice, and beholding\nit, I swooned away. People go to the Eastern or the Western seas and also\nto the Southern one. But, O father, none except birds can ever go to the\nNorthern sea. But the Pandavas have spread their dominion even there, for\nI heard hundreds of conches that had been brought thence blown (in the\nsacrificial mansion) indicative of auspicious rejoicing. And while those\nconches blew simultaneously, my hair stood on end. And those among the\nkings, who were weak in strength fell down. And Dhrishtadyumna and\nSatyaki and the sons of Pandu and Kesava,--those eight, endued with\nstrength and prowess and handsome in person, beholding the kings deprived\nof consciousness and myself in that plight, laughed outright. Then\nVibhatsu (Arjuna) with a cheerful heart gave, O Bharata, unto the\nprincipal Brahmanas five hundred bullocks with horns plated with gold.\nAnd king Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, having completed the Rajasuya\nsacrifice, obtained like the exalted Harishchandra such prosperity that\nneither Rantideva nor Nabhaga, nor Jauvanaswa, nor Manu, nor king Prithu\nthe son of Vena, nor Bhagiratha, Yayati, nor Nahusha, had obtained its\nlike. And beholding, O exalted one, such prosperity, in the son of Pritha\nwhich is even like that which Harishchandra had, I do not see the least\ngood in continuing to live, O Bharata! O ruler of men, a yoke that is\ntied (to the bullock's shoulders) by a blind man becomes loosened. Even\nsuch is the case with us. The younger ones are growing while the elder\nones are decaying. And beholding all this, O chief of the Kurus, I cannot\nenjoy peace even with the aid of reflection. And it is for this, O king,\nthat I am plunged into grief and becoming pale and emaciated.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LIII\n\n\"Dhritrashtra said,--Thou art my eldest son and born also of my eldest\nwife. Therefore, O son, be not jealous of the Pandavas. He that is\njealous is always unhappy and suffereth the pangs of death. O bull of the\nBharata race, Yudhishthira knoweth not deception, possesseth wealth equal\nunto thine, hath thy friends for his, and is not jealous of thee. Why\nshouldst thou, therefore, be jealous of him? O king, in respect of\nfriends and allies thou art equal unto Yudhishthira. Why shouldst thou,\ntherefore, covet, from folly, the property of thy brother? Be not so.\nCease to be jealous. Do not grieve. O bull of the Bharata race, it thou\ncovetest the dignity attaching to the performance of a sacrifice, let the\npriests arrange for thee the great sacrifice, called the Saptatantu. The\nkings of the earth will then, cheerfully and with great respect, bring\nfor thee also much wealth and gems and ornaments. O child, coveting\nother's possessions is exceedingly mean. He, on the other hand, enjoyeth\nhappiness, who is content with his own being engaged in the practices of\nhis own order. Never striving to obtain the wealth of others, persevering\nin one's own affairs, and protecting what hath been earned,--these are\nthe indications of true greatness. He that is unmoved in calamity,\nskilled in his own business, ever exerting vigilant and humble, always\nbeholdeth prosperity. The sons of Pandu are as thy arms. Do not lop off\nthose arms of thine. Plunge not into internal dissensions for the sake of\nthat wealth of thy brothers. O king, be not jealous of the sons of Pandu.\nThy wealth is equal unto that of thy brothers in his entirety. There is\ngreat sin in quarrelling with friends. They that are thy grandsires are\ntheirs also. Give away in charity on occasions of sacrifices, gratify\nevery dear object of thy desire, disport in the company of women freely,\nand enjoy thou peace.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LIV\n\n\"Duryodhana said,--'He that is devoid of intellect but hath merely heard\nof many things, can scarcely understand the real import of the\nscriptures, like the spoon that hath no perception of the taste of the\nsoup it toucheth. Thou knowest everything, but yet confoundest me. Like a\nboat fastened to another, thou and I are tied to each other. Art thou\nunmindful of thy own interests? Or, dost thou entertain hostile feeling\ntowards me? These thy sons and allies are doomed to destruction, inasmuch\nas they have thee for their ruler, for thou describest as attainable in\nthe future what is to be done at the present moment. He often trippeth\nwhose guide acts under the instructions of others. How then can his\nfollowers expect to come across a right path? O king, thou art of mature\nwisdom; thou hast the opportunity to listen to the words of old, and thy\nsenses also are under thy control. It behoveth thee not to confound us\nwho are ready to seek our own interests. Vrihaspati hath said that the\nusage of kings are different from those of common people. Therefore kings\nshould always attend to their own interests with vigilance. The\nattainment of success is the sole criterion that should guide the conduct\nof a Kshatriya. Whether, therefore, the means is virtuous or sinful, what\nscruples can there be in the duties of one's own order? He that is\ndesirous of snatching the blazing prosperity of his foe, should, O bull\nof the Bharata race, bring every direction under his subjection like the\ncharioteer taming the steeds with his whip. Those used to handling\nweapons say that, a weapon is not simply an instrument that cuts but is a\nmeans, whether covert or overt, that can defeat a foe. Who is to be\nreckoned a foe and who a friend, doth not depend on one's figure or\ndimensions. He that paineth another is, O king, to be regarded a foe by\nhim that is pained. Discontent is the root of prosperity. Therefore, O\nking, I desire to be discontented. He that striveth after the acquisition\nof prosperity is, O king, a truly politic person. Nobody should be\nattached to wealth and affluence, for the wealth that hath been earned\nand hoarded may be plundered. The usages of kings are even such. It was\nduring a period of peace that Sakra cut off the head of Namuchi after\nhaving given a pledge to the contrary, and it was because he approved of\nthis eternal usage towards the enemy that he did so. Like a snake that\nswalloweth up frogs and other creatures living in holes, the earth\nswalloweth up a king that is peaceful and a Brahmana that stirreth not\nout of home. O king, none can by nature be any person's foe. He is one's\nfoe, and not anybody else, who hath common pursuits with one. He that\nfrom folly neglecteth a growing foe, hath his vitals cut off as by a\ndisease that he cherished without treatment. A foe, however\ninsignificant, if suffered to grow in prowess, swalloweth one like the\nwhite ants at the root of a tree eating off the tree itself. O Bharata, O\nAjamida, let not the prosperity of the foe be acceptable to thee. This\npolicy (of neglecting the foe) should always be borne on their heads by\nthe wise even like a load. He that always wisheth for the increase of his\nwealth, ever groweth in the midst of his relatives even like the body\nnaturally growing from the moment of birth. Prowess conferreth speedy\ngrowth. Coveting as I do the prosperity of the Pandavas. I have not yet\nmade it my own. At present I am a prey to doubts in respect of my\nability. I am determined to resolve those doubts of mine. I will either\nobtain that prosperity of theirs, or lie down having perished in battle.\nO king when the state of my mind is such, what do I care now for life,\nfor the Pandavas are daily growing while our possessions know no\nincrease?'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LV\n\n\"Sakuni said,--O thou foremost of victorious persons, I will snatch (for\nthee) this prosperity of Yudhishthira, the son of Pandu, at the sight of\nwhich thou grievest so. Therefore, O king, let Yudhishthira the son of\nKunti be summoned. By throwing dice a skilful man, himself uninjured, may\nvanquish one that hath no skill. Know, O Bharata, that betting is my bow,\nthe dice are my arrows, the marks on them my bow-string, and the\ndice-board my car.\n\n\"Duryodhana said,--'This Sukuni skilled at dice, is ready, O king, to\nsnatch the prosperity of the son of Pandu by means of dice. It behoveth\nthee to give him permission.\n\n\"Dhritarashtra said,--'I am obedient to the counsels of my brother, the\nillustrious Vidura. Consulting with him, I shall tell what should be done\nin this matter.\n\n\"Duryodhana said,--'Vidura is always engaged in doing good to the sons of\nPandu. O Kaurava, his feelings towards us are otherwise. He will,\ntherefore, without doubt, withdraw thy heart from the proposed act. No\nman should set himself to any task depending upon the counsels of\nanother, for, O son of Kuru's race, the minds of two persons seldom agree\nin any particular act. The fool that liveth shunning all causes of fear\nwasteth himself like an insect in the rainy season. Neither sickness nor\nYama waiteth till one is in prosperity. So long, therefore, as there is\nlife and health, one should (without waiting for prosperity) accomplish\nhis purpose.'\n\n\"Dhritarashtra said,--'O son, hostility with those that are strong, is\nwhat never recommendeth itself to me. Hostility bringeth about a change\nof feelings, and that itself is a weapon though not made of steel. Thou\nregardest, O Prince, as a great blessing what will bring in its train the\nterrible consequences of war. What is really fraught with mischief. If\nonce it beginneth, it will create sharp swords and pointed arrows.'\n\n\"Duryodhana replied,--'Men of the most ancient times invented the use of\ndice. There is no destruction in it, nor is there any striking with,\nweapons. Let the words of Sakuni, therefore, be acceptable to thee, and\nlet thy command be issued for the speedy construction of the assembly\nhouse. The door of heaven, leading us to such happiness, will be opened\nto us by gambling. Indeed, they that betake to gambling (with such aid)\ndeserve such good fortune. The Pandavas then will become thy equals\n(instead of, as now, superiors); therefore, gamble thou with the Pandavas.\n\n\"Dhritarashtra said.--'The words uttered by thee do not recommend\nthemselves to me. Do what may be agreeable to thee, O ruler of men. But\nthou shall have to repent for acting according to these words; for, words\nthat are fraught with such immorality can never bring prosperity in the\nfuture. Even this was foreseen by the learned Vidura ever treading the\npath of truth and wisdom. Even the great calamity, destructive of the\nlives of the Kshatriyas, cometh as destined by fate.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued--\"Having said this, the weak-minded Dhritarashtra\nregarded fate as supreme and unavoidable. And the king deprived of reason\nby Fate, and obedient to the counsels of his son, commanded his men in\nloud voice, saying--'Carefully construct, without loss of time, an\nassembly house of the most beautiful description, to be called the\ncrystal-arched palace with a thousand columns, decked with gold and lapis\nlazuli, furnished with a hundred gates, and full two miles in length and\nin breadth the same.' Hearing those words of his, thousands of artificers\nendued with intelligence and skill soon erected the palace with the\ngreatest alacrity, and having erected it brought thither every kind of\narticle. And soon after they cheerfully represented unto the king that\nthe palace had been finished, and that it as delightful and handsome and\nfurnished with every kind of gems and covered with many-coloured carpets\ninlaid with gold. Then king Dhritarashtra, possessed of learning,\nsummoning Vidura the chief of his ministers, said:--'Repairing, (to\nKhandavaprastha), bring prince Yudhishthira here without loss of time.\nLet him come hither with his brothers, and behold his handsome assembly\nhouse of mine, furnished with countless jewels and gems, and costly beds\nand carpets, and let a friendly match at dice commence here.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LVI\n\nVaisampayana said,--\"King Dhritarashtra, ascertaining the inclinations of\nhis son and knowing that Fate is inevitable, did what I have said.\nVidura, however, that foremost of intelligent men, approved not his\nbrother's words and spoke thus, 'I approve not, O king, of this command\nof thine. Do not act so. I fear, this will bring about the destruction of\nour race. When thy sons lose their unity, dissension will certainly ensue\namongst them. This I apprehend, O king, from this match at dice.'\n\n\"Dhritarashtra said,--'If Fate be not hostile, this quarrel will not\ncertainly grieve me. The whole universe moveth at the will of its\nCreator, under the controlling influence of Fate. It is not free.\nTherefore, O Vidura, going unto king Yudhishthira at my command, bring\nthou soon that invincible son of Kunti.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LVII\n\nVaisampayana said,--\"Vidura then, thus commanded against his will by king\nDhritarashtra, set out, with the help of horses of high mettle and endued\nwith great speed and strength, and quiet and patient, for the abode of\nthe wise sons of Pandu. Possessed of great intelligence, Vidura proceeded\nby the way leading to the capital of the Pandavas. And having arrived at\nthe city of king Yudhishthira, he entered it and proceeded towards the\npalace, worshipped by numberless Brahmanas. And coming to the palace\nwhich was even like unto the mansion of Kuvera himself, the virtuous\nVidura approached Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma. Then the illustrious\nAjamida devoted to truth and having no enemy on earth, reverentially\nsaluted Vidura, and asked him about Dhritarashtra and his sons. And\nYudhishthira said, \"O Kshatta, thy mind seemeth to be cheerless. Dost\nthou come here in happiness and peace? The sons of Dhritarashtra, I hope,\nare obedient to their old father. The people also, I hope, are obedient\nto Dhritarashtra's rule.'\n\n\"Vidura said,--'The illustrious king, with his sons, is well and happy,\nand surrounded by his relatives he reigneth even like Indra himself. The\nking is happy with his sons who are all obedient to him and hath no\ngrief. The illustrious monarch is bent on his own aggrandisement. The\nking of the Kurus hath commanded me to enquire after thy peace and\nprosperity, and to ask thee to repair to Hastinapore with thy brothers\nand to say, after beholding king Dhritarashtra's newly erected palace,\nwhether that one is equal to thy own. Repairing thither, O son of Pritha,\nwith thy brothers, enjoy ye in that mansion and sit to a friendly match\nat dice. We shall be glad if thou goest, as the Kurus have already\narrived there. And thou wilt see there those gamblers and cheats that the\nillustrious king Dhritarashtra hath already brought thither. It is for\nthis, O king, that I have come hither. Let the king's command be approved\nby thee.\n\n\"Yudhishthira said,--'O Kshatta, if we sit to a match at dice, we may\nquarrel. What man is there, who knowing all this, will consent to gamble?\nWhat dost thou think fit for us? We all are obedient to thy counsels.'\n\n\"Vidura said,--'I know that gambling is the root of misery, and I strove\nto dissuade the king from it. The king, however, hath sent me to thee.\nHaving known all this, O learned one, do what is beneficial.\n\n\"Yudhishthira said,--'Besides the sons of Dhritarashtra what other\ndishonest gamblers are there ready for play? Tell us, O Vidura, who they\nare and with whom we shall have to play, staking hundreds upon hundreds\nof our possessions.'\n\n\"Vidura said,--'O monarch, Sakuni, the king of Gandhara, an adept at\ndice, having great skill of hand and desperate in stakes, Vivingati, king\nChitrasena, Satyavrata, Purumitra and Jaya, these, O king, are there.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said,--'It would seem then that some of the most desperate\nand terrible gamblers always depending upon deceit are there. This whole\nuniverse, however, is at the will of its Maker, under the control of\nfate. It is not free. O learned one, I do not desire, at the command of\nking Dhritarashtra to engage myself in gambling. The father always\nwisheth to benefit his son. Thou art our master, O Vidura. Tell me what\nis proper for us. Unwilling as I am to gamble, I will not do so, if the\nwicked Sakuni doth not summon me to it in the Sabha? If, however, he\nchallengeth me, I will never refuse. For that, as settled, is my eternal\nvow.\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"King Yudhishthira the just having said this\nunto Vidura, commanded that preparations for his journey might be made\nwithout loss of time. And the next day, the king accompanied by his\nrelatives and attendants and taking with him also the women of the\nhousehold with Draupadi in their midst, set out for the capital of the\nKurus. 'Like some brilliant body falling before the eyes, Fate depriveth\nus of reason, and man, tied as it were with a cord, submitteth to the\nsway of Providence,' saying this, king Yudhishthira, that chastiser of\nthe foe, set out with Kshatta, without deliberating upon that summons\nfrom Dhritarashtra. And that slayer of hostile heroes, the son of Pandu\nand Pritha, riding upon the car that had been given him by the king of\nValhika, and attired also in royal robes, set out with his brothers. And\nthe king, blazing as it were with royal splendour, with Brahmanas walking\nbefore him, set out from his city, summoned by Dhritarashtra and impelled\nby what hath been ordained by Kala (Time). And arriving at Hastinapore he\nwent to the palace of Dhritarashtra. And going there, the son of Pandu\napproached the king. And the exalted one then approached Bhishma and\nDrona and Karna, and Kripa, and the son of Drona, and embraced and was\nembraced by them all. And the mighty-armed one, endued with great\nprowess, then approached Somadatta, and then Duryodhana and Salya, and\nthe son of Suvala, and those other kings also that had arrived there\nbefore him. The king then went to the brave Dusshasana and then to all\nhis (other) brothers and then to Jayadratha and next to all the Kurus one\nafter another. And the mighty-armed one, then surrounded by all his\nbrothers, entered the apartment of the wise king Dhritarashtra. And then\nYudhishthira beheld the reverend Gandhari, ever obedient to her lord, and\nsurrounded by her daughters-in-law like Rohini by the stars. And saluting\nGandhari and blessed by her in return, the king then beheld his old\nuncle, that illustrious monarch whose wisdom was his eye. King\nDhritarashtra then, O monarch, smelt his head as also the heads of those\nfour other princes of the Kuru race, viz., the sons of Pandu with\nBhimasena as their eldest. And, O king, beholding--the handsome Pandava\nthose tigers among men, all the Kurus became exceedingly glad. And\ncommanded by the king, the Pandavas then retired to the chambers allotted\nto them and which were all furnished with jewels and gems. And when they\nhad retired into the chambers, the women of Dhritarashtra's household\nwith Dussala taking the lead visited them. And the daughters-in-law of\nDhritarashtra beholding the blazing and splendid beauty and prosperity of\nYajnaseni, became cheerless and filled with jealousy. And those tigers\namong men, having conversed with the ladies went through their daily\nphysical exercises and then performed the religious rites of the day. And\nhaving finished their daily devotions, they decked their persons with\nsandal paste of the most fragrant kind. And desiring to secure good luck\nand prosperity they caused (by gifts) the Brahmanas to utter\nbenedictions. And then eating food that was of the best taste they\nretired to their chambers for the night. And those bulls among the Kurus\nthen were put to sleep with music by handsome females. And obtaining from\nthem what came in due succession, those subjugators of hostile towns\npassed with cheerful hearts that delightful night in pleasure and sport.\nAnd waked by the bards with sweet music, they rose from their beds, and\nhaving passed the night thus in happiness, they rose at dawn and having\ngone through the usual rites, they entered into the assembly house and\nwere saluted by those that were ready there for gambling.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LVIII\n\nVaisampayana said,--\"The sons of Pritha with Yudhishthira at their head,\nhaving entered that assembly house, approached all the kings that were\npresent there. And worshipping all those that deserved to be worshipped,\nand saluting others as each deserved according to age, they seated\nthemselves on seats that were clean and furnished with costly carpets.\nAfter they had taken their seats, as also all the kings, Sakuni the son\nof Suvala addressed Yudhishthira and said, 'O king, the assembly is full.\nAll had been waiting for thee. Let, therefore, the dice be cast and the\nrules of play be fixed, O Yudhishthira.'\n\n'Yudhishthira replied, 'Deceitful gambling is sinful. There is no\nKshatriya prowess in it. There is certainly no morality in it. Why, then,\nO king, dost thou praise gambling so? The wise applaud not the pride that\ngamesters feel in deceitful play. O Sakuni, vanquish us, not like a\nwretch, by deceitful means.'\n\nSakuni said,--'That high-souled player who knoweth the secrets of winning\nand losing, who is skilled in baffling the deceitful arts of his\nconfrere, who is united in all the diverse operations of which gambling\nconsisteth, truly knoweth the play, and he suffereth all in course of it.\nO son of Pritha, it is the staking at dice, which may be lost or won that\nmay injure us. And it is for that reason that gambling is regarded as a\nfault. Let us, therefore, O king, begin the play. Fear not. Let the\nstakes be fixed. Delay not!'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said,--'That best of Munis, Devala, the son of Asita, who\nalways instructeth us about all those acts that may lead to heaven, hell,\nor the other regions, hath said, that it is sinful to play deceitfully\nwith a gamester. To obtain victory in battle without cunning or stratagem\nis the best sport. Gambling, however, as a sport, is not so. Those that\nare respectable never use the language of the Mlechchas, nor do they\nadopt deceitfulness in their behaviour. War carried on without\ncrookedness and cunning, this is the act of men that are honest. Do not,\nO Sakuni, playing desperately, win of us that wealth with which according\nto our abilities, we strive to learn how to benefit the Brahmanas. Even\nenemies should not be vanquished by desperate stakes in deceitful play. I\ndo not desire either happiness or wealth by means of cunning. The conduct\nof one that is a gamester, even if it be without deceitfulness, should\nnot be applauded.'\n\n\"Sakuni said,--'O Yudhishthira, it is from a desire of winning, which is\nnot a very honest motive, that one high-born person approacheth another\n(in a contest of race superiority). So also it is from a desire of\ndefeating, which is not a very honest motive, that one learned person\napproacheth another (in a contest of learning). Such motives, however,\nare scarcely regarded as really dishonest. So also, O Yudhishthira, a\nperson skilled at dice approacheth one that is not so skilled from a\ndesire of vanquishing him. One also who is conversant with the truths of\nscience approacheth another that is not from desire of victory, which is\nscarcely an honest motive. But (as I have already said) such a motive is\nnot really dishonest. And, O Yudhishthira, so also one that is skilled in\nweapons approacheth one that is not so skilled; the strong approacheth\nthe weak. This is the practice in every contest. The motive is victory, O\nYudhishthira. If, therefore, thou, in approaching me, regardest me to be\nactuated by motives that are dishonest, if thou art under any fear,\ndesist then from play.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said,--'Summoned, I do not withdraw. This is my established\nvow. And, O king, Fate is all powerful. We all are under the control of\nDestiny. With whom in this assembly am I to play? Who is there that can\nstake equally with me? Let the play begin.'\n\n\"Duryodhana said,--'O monarch, I shall supply jewels and gems and every\nkind of wealth. And it is for me that this Sakuni, my uncle, will play.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said,--'Gambling for one's sake by the agency of another\nseemeth to me to be contrary to rule. Thou also, O learned one, will\nadmit this. If, however, thou art still bent on it, let the play begin.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LIX\n\nVaisampayana said,--\"When the play commenced, all those kings with\nDhritarashtra at their head took their seats in that assembly. And, O\nBharata, Bhishma and Drona and Kripa and the high-souled Vidura with\ncheerless hearts sat behind. And those kings with leonine necks and\nendued with great energy took their seats separately and in pairs upon\nmany elevated seats of beautiful make and colour. And, O king, that\nmansion looked resplendent with those assembled kings like heaven itself\nwith a conclave of the celestials of great good fortune. And they were\nall conversant with the Vedas and brave and of resplendent countenances.\nAnd, O great king, the friendly match at dice then commenced.\n\nYudhishthira said,--\"O king, this excellent wealth of pearls of great\nvalue, procured from the ocean by churning it (of old), so beautiful and\ndecked with pure gold, this, O king, is my stake. What is thy counter\nstake, O great king,--the wealth with which thou wishest to play with me?\"\n\n\"Duryodhana said,--'I have many jewels and much wealth. But I am not vain\nof them. Win thou this stake.'\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"Then Sakuni, well-skilled at dice, took up the\ndice and (casting them) said unto Yudhishthira, 'Lo, I have won!'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LX\n\nYudhishthira said,--\"Thou hast won this stake of me by unfair means. But\nbe not so proud, O Sakuni. Let us play staking thousands upon thousands.\nI have many beautiful jars each full of a thousand Nishkas in my\ntreasury, inexhaustible gold, and much silver and other minerals. This, O\nking, is the wealth with which I will stake with thee!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"Thus addressed, Sakuni said unto the chief of\nthe perpetuators of the Kuru race, the eldest of the sons of Pandu, king\nYudhishthira, of glory incapable of sustaining any diminution. 'Lo, I\nhave won!'\"\n\nYudhishthira said,--'This my sacred and victorious and royal car which\ngladdeneth the heart and hath carried us hither, which is equal unto a\nthousand cars, which is of symmetrical proportions and covered with\ntiger-skin, and furnished with excellent wheels and flag-staffs which is\nhandsome, and decked with strings of little bells, whose clatter is even\nlike the roar of the clouds or of the ocean, and which is drawn by eight\nnoble steeds known all over the kingdom and which are white as the\nmoon-beam and from whose hoofs no terrestrial creature can escape--this,\nO king, is my wealth with which I will stake with thee!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"Hearing these words, Sakuni ready with the\ndice, and adopting unfair means, said unto Yudhishthira, 'Lo, I have won!'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said,--'I have a hundred thousand serving-girls, all young,\nand decked with golden bracelets on their wrists and upper arms, and with\nnishkas round their necks and other ornaments, adorned with costly\ngarlands and attired in rich robes, daubed with the sandal paste, wearing\njewels and gold, and well-skilled in the four and sixty elegant arts,\nespecially versed in dancing and singing, and who wait upon and serve at\nmy command the celestials, the Snataka Brahmanas, and kings. With this\nwealth, O king, I will stake with thee!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--'Hearing these words, Sakuni ready with the\ndice, adopting unfair means, said unto Yudhishthira. 'Lo, I have won!'\n\nYudhishthira said,--\"I have thousands of serving-men, skilled in waiting\nupon guests, always attired in silken robes, endued with wisdom and\nintelligence, their senses under control though young, and decked with\near-rings, and who serve all guests night and day with plates and dishes\nin hand. With this wealth, O king, I will stake with thee!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"Hearing these words, Sakuni, ready with the\ndice, adopting unfair means said unto Yudhishthira, 'Lo, I have won!'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said,--'I have, O son of Suvala, one thousand musty\nelephants with golden girdles, decked with ornaments, with the mark of\nthe lotus on their temples and necks and other parts, adorned with golden\ngarlands, with fine white tusks long and thick as plough-shafts, worthy\nof carrying kings on their backs, capable of bearing every kind of noise\non the field of battle, with huge bodies, capable of battering down the\nwalls of hostile towns, of the colour of new-formed clouds, and each\npossessing eight she-elephants. With this wealth, O king, I will stake\nwith thee.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"Unto Yudhishthira who had said so, Sakuni, the\nson of Suvala, laughingly said, 'Lo, I have won it!'\n\nYudhishthira said,--'I have as many cars as elephants, all furnished with\ngolden poles and flag-staffs and well-trained horses and warriors that\nfight wonderfully and each of whom receiveth a thousand coins as his\nmonthly pay whether he fighteth or not. With this wealth, O king, I will\nstake with thee!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"When these words had been spoken, the wretch\nSakuni, pledged to enmity, said unto Yudhishthira, 'Lo, I have won it.'\n\nYudhishthira said.--'The steeds of the Tittiri, Kalmasha, and Gandharva\nbreeds, decked with ornaments, which Chitraratha having been vanquished\nin battle and subdued cheerfully gave unto Arjuna, the wielder of the\nGandiva. With this wealth, O king, I will stake with thee.\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Hearing this, Sakuni, ready at dice, adopting\nunfair means, said unto Yudhishthira: 'Lo, I have won!'\n\nYudhishthira said,--'I have ten thousand cars and vehicles unto which are\nyoked draught animals of the foremost breed. And I have also sixty\nthousand warriors picked from each order by thousands, who are all brave\nand endued with prowess like heroes, who drink milk and eat good rice,\nand all of whom have broad chests. With this wealth, O king, I will stake\nwith thee.'\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"Hearing this, Sakuni ready at dice, adopting\nunfair means said unto Yudhishthira, 'Lo, I have won!'\n\nYudhishthira said,--'I have four hundred Nidis (jewels of great value)\nencased in sheets of copper and iron. Each one of them is equal to five\ndraunikas of the costliest and purest leaf gold of the Jatarupa kind.\nWith this wealth, O king, I will stake with thee.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"Hearing this, Sakuni ready at dice, adopting\nfoul means, said unto Yudhishthira, 'Lo, I have won it!'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXI\n\nVaisampayana said,--\"During the course of this gambling, certain to bring\nabout utter ruin (on Yudhishthira), Vidura, that dispeller of all doubts,\n(addressing Dhritarashtra) said, 'O great king, O thou of the Bharata\nrace, attend to what I say, although my words may not be agreeable to\nthee, like medicine to one that is ill and about to breathe his last.\nWhen this Duryodhana of sinful mind had, immediately after his birth,\ncried discordantly like a jackal, it was well known that he had been\nordained to bring about the destruction of the Bharata race. Know, O\nking, that he will be the cause of death of ye all. A jackal is living in\nthy house, O king, in the form of Duryodhana. Thou knowest it not in\nconsequence of thy folly. Listen now to the words of the Poet (Sukra)\nwhich I will quote. They that collect honey (in mountains), having\nreceived what they seek, do not notice that they are about to fall.\nAscending dangerous heights, abstracted in the pursuit of what they seek,\nthey fall down and meet with destruction. This Duryodhana also, maddened\nwith the play at dice, like the collector of honey, abstracted in what he\nseeketh, marketh not the consequences. Making enemies of these great\nwarriors, he beholdeth not the fall that is before him. It is known to\nthee, O thou of great wisdom, that amongst the Bhojas, they abandoned,\nfor the good of the citizens a son that was unworthy of their race. The\nAndhakas, the Yadavas, and the Bhojas uniting together, abandoned Kansa.\nAnd afterwards, when at the command of the whole tribe, the same Kansa\nhad been slain by Krishna that slayer of foes, all the men of the tribe\nbecame exceedingly happy for a hundred years. So at thy command, let\nArjuna slay this Suyodhana. And in consequence of the slaying of this\nwretch, let the Kurus be glad and pass their days in happiness. In\nexchange of a crow, O great king, buy these peacocks--the Pandavas; and\nin exchange of a jackal, buy these tigers. For the sake of a family a\nmember may be sacrificed; for the sake of a village a family may be\nsacrificed, for the sake of a province a village may be sacrificed and\nfor the sake of one's own soul the whole earth may be sacrificed. Even\nthis was what the omniscient Kavya himself, acquainted with the thoughts\nof every creature, and a source of terror unto all foes, said unto the\ngreat Asuras to induce them to abandon Jambha at the moment of his birth.\nIt is said that a certain king, having caused a number of wild birds that\nvomited gold to take up their quarters in his own house, afterwards\nkilled them from temptation. O slayer of foes, blinded by temptation and\nthe desire of enjoyment, for the sake of gold, the king destroyed at the\nsame time both his present and future gains. Therefore, O king, prosecute\nnot the Pandavas from desire of profit, even like the king in story. For\nthen, blinded by folly thou wilt have to repent afterwards, even like the\nperson that killed the birds. Like a flower-seller that plucketh (many\nflowers) in the garden from trees that he cherisheth with affection from\nday to day, continue, O Bharata, to pluck flowers day by day from the\nPandavas. Do not scorch them to their roots like a fire-producing breeze\nthat reduceth everything to black charcoal. Go not, O king, unto the\nregion of Yama, with thy sons and troops, for who is there that is\ncapable of fighting with the sons of Pritha, together? Not to speak of\nothers, is the chief of the celestials at the head of the celestials\nthemselves, capable of doing so?\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXII\n\n\"Vidura said,--\"Gambling is the root of dissensions. It bringeth about\ndisunion. Its consequences are frightful. Yet having recourse to this,\nDhritarashtra's son Duryodhana createth for himself fierce enmity. The\ndescendants of Pratipa and Santanu, with their fierce troops and their\nallies the Vahlikas, will, for the sins of Duryodhana meet with\ndestruction. Duryodhana, in consequence of this intoxication, forcibly\ndriveth away luck and prosperity from his kingdom, even like an infuriate\nbull breaking his own horns himself. That brave and learned person who\ndisregarding his own foresight, followeth, O king, (the bent of) another\nman's heart, sinketh in terrible affliction even like one that goeth into\nthe sea in a boat guided by a child. Duryodhana is gambling with the son\nof Pandu, and thou art in raptures that he is winning. And it is such\nsuccess that begeteth war, which endeth in the destruction of men. This\nfascination (of gambling) that thou has well-devised only leadeth to dire\nresults. Thus hast thou simply brought on by these counsels great\naffliction to thy heart. And this thy quarrel with Yudhishthira, who is\nso closely related to thee, even if thou hadst not foreseen it, is still\napproved by thee. Listen, ye sons of Santanu, ye descendants of Pratipa,\nwho are now in this assembly of the Kauravas, to these words of wisdom.\nEnter ye not into the terrible fire that hath blazed forth following the\nwretch. When Ajatasatru, the son of Pandu, intoxicated with dice, giveth\nway to his wrath, and Vrikodara and Arjuna and the twins (do the same),\nwho, in that hour of confusion, will prove your refuge? O great king,\nthou art thyself a mine of wealth. Thou canst earn (by other means) as\nmuch wealth as thou seekest to earn by gambling. What dost thou gain by\nwinning from the Pandavas their vast wealth? Win the Pandavas themselves,\nwho will be to thee more than all the wealth they have. We all know the\nskill of Suvala in play. This hill-king knoweth many nefarious methods in\ngambling. Let Sakuni return whence he came. War not, O Bharata, with the\nsons of Pandu!'\n\n\n\nSECTION LXIII\n\nDuryodhana said,--'O Kshatta, thou art always boasting of the fame of our\nenemies, deprecating the sons of Dhritarashtra. We know, O Vidura, of\nwhom thou art really fond. Thou always disregardest us as children, That\nman standeth confest, who wisheth for success unto those that are near to\nhim and defeat unto those that are not his favourites. His praise and\nblame are applied accordingly. Thy tongue and mind betray thy heart. But\nthe hostility thou showeth in speech is even greater than what is in thy\nheart. Thou hast been cherished by us like a serpent on our lap. Like a\ncat thou wishest evil unto him that cherisheth thee. The wise have said\nthat there is no sin graver than that of injuring one's master. How is\nit, O Kshatta, that thou dost not fear this sin? Having vanquished our\nenemies we have obtained great advantages. Use not harsh words in respect\nof us. Thou art always willing to make peace with the foes. And it is for\nthis reason that thou hatest us always. A man becometh a foe by speaking\nwords that are unpardonable. Then again in praising the enemy, the\nsecrets of one's own party should not be divulged. (Thou however,\ntransgressest this rule). Therefore, O thou parasite, why dost thou\nobstruct us so? Thou sayest whatever thou wishest. Insult us not. We know\nthy mind. Go and learn sitting at the feet of the old. Keen up the\nreputation that thou hast won. Meddle not with the affairs of other men.\nDo not imagine that thou art our chief. Tell us not harsh words always, O\nVidura. We do not ask thee what is for our good. Cease, irritate not\nthose that have already borne too much at thy hands. There is only one\nController, no second. He controlleth even the child that is in the\nmother's womb. I am controlled by Him. Like water that always floweth in\na downward course, I am acting precisely in the way in which He is\ndirecting me. He that breaketh his head against a stone-wall, and he that\nfeedeth a serpent, are guided in those acts of theirs by their own\nintellect. (Therefore, in this matter I am guided by my own\nintelligence). He becometh a foe who seeketh to control others by force.\nWhen advice, however, is offered in a friendly spirit, the learned bear\nwith it. He again that hath set fire to such a highly inflammable object\nas camphor, beholdeth not its ashes. If he runneth immediately to\nextinguish it. One should not give shelter to another who is the friend\nof his foes, or to another who is ever jealous of his protector or to\nanother who is evil-minded. Therefore, O Vidura, go whither-so-ever thou\npleasest. A wife that is unchaste, however well-treated, forsaketh her\nhusband yet.'\n\n\"Vidura addressing Dhritarashtra, said, 'O monarch, tell us (impartially)\nlike a witness what thou thinkest of the conduct of those who abandon\ntheir serving-men thus for giving instruction to them. The hearts of\nkings are, indeed, very fickle. Granting protection at first, they strike\nwith clubs at last. O prince (Duryodhana), thou regardest thyself as\nmature in intellect, and, O thou of bad heart, thou regardest me as a\nchild. But consider that he is a child who having first accepted one for\na friend, subsequently findeth fault with him. An evil-hearted man can\nnever be brought to the path of rectitude, like an unchaste wife in the\nhouse of a well-born person. Assuredly, instruction is not agreeable to\nthis bull of the Bharata race like a husband of sixty years to a damsel\nthat is young. After this, O king, if thou wishest to hear words that are\nagreeable to thee, in respect of all acts good or bad, ask thou women and\nidiots and cripples or persons of that description. A sinful man speaking\nwords that are agreeable may be had in this world. But a speaker of words\nthat are disagreeable though sound as regimen, or a hearer of the same,\nis very rare. He indeed, is a king's true ally who disregarding what is\nagreeable or disagreeable to his master beareth himself virtuously and\nuttereth what may be disagreeable but necessary as regimen. O great king,\ndrink thou that which the honest drink and the dishonest shun, even\nhumility, which is like a medicine that is bitter, pungent, burning,\nunintoxicating, disagreeable, and revolting. And drinking it, O king,\nregain thou thy sobriety. I always wish Dhritarashtra and his sons\naffluence and fame. Happen what may unto thee, here I bow to thee (and\ntake my leave). Let the Brahmanas wish me well. O son of Kuru, this is\nthe lesson I carefully inculcate, that the wise should never enrage such\nas adders as have venom in their very glances!\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXIV\n\n\"Sakuni said,--'Thou hast, O Yudhishthira, lost much wealth of the\nPandavas. If thou hast still anything that thou hast not yet lost to us,\nO son of Kunti, tell us what it is!\"\n\n\"Yudhishthira said,--O son of Suvala, I know that I have untold wealth.\nBut why is it, O Sakuni, that thou askest me of my wealth? Let tens of\nthousands and millions and millions and tens of millions and hundreds of\nmillions and tens of billions and hundreds of billions and trillions and\ntens of trillions and hundreds of trillions and tens of quadrillions and\nhundreds of quadrillions and even more wealth be staked by thee. I have\nas much. With that wealth, O king, I will play with thee.\"\n\nVaisampayana said,--\"Hearing this, Sakuni, ready with the dice, adopting\nunfair means, said unto Yudhishthira, 'Lo, I have won!'\n\n'Yudhishthira said,--'I have, O son of Suvala, immeasurable kine and\nhorses and milch cows with calves and goats and sheep in the country\nextending from the Parnasa to the eastern bank of the Sindu. With this\nwealth, O king, I will play with thee.\n\nVaisampayana said,--\"Hearing this Sakuni, ready with the dice, adopting\nunfair means, said unto Yudhishthira, 'Lo, I have won!'\n\nYudhishthira said,--'I have my city, the country, land, the wealth of all\ndwelling therein except of the Brahmanas, and all those persons\nthemselves except Brahmanas still remaining to me. With this wealth, O\nking, I will play with thee.'\n\nVaisampayana said,--\"Hearing this, Sakuni, ready with the dice, adopting\nfoul means, said unto Yudhishthira, 'Lo! I have won.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said,--These princes here, O king, who look resplendent in\ntheir ornaments and their ear-rings and Nishkas and all the royal\nornaments on their persons are now my wealth. With this wealth, O king, I\nplay with thee.\n\nVaisampayana said,--\"Hearing this, Sakuni, ready with his dice, adopting\nfoul means, said unto Yudhishthira, 'Lo! I have won them.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said,--'This Nakula here, of mighty arms and leonine neck,\nof red eyes and endued with youth, is now my one stake. Know that he is\nmy wealth.'\n\nSakuni said,--'O king Yudhishthira, prince Nakula is dear to thee. He is\nalready under our subjection. With whom (as stake) wilt thou now play?\"\n\nVaisampayana said,--\"Saying this, Sakuni cast those dice, and said unto\nYudhishthira, 'Lo! He hath been won by us.'\n\nYudhishthira said,--\"This Sahadeva administereth justice. He hath also\nacquired a reputation for learning in this world. However undeserving he\nmay be to be staked in play, with him as stake I will play, with such a\ndear object as it, indeed, he were not so!\"\n\nVaisampayana said,--\"Hearing this, Sakuni, ready with the dice, adopting\nfoul means, said unto Yudhishthira, 'Lo! I have won.'\n\n\"Sakuni continued,--'O king, the sons of Madri, dear unto thee, have both\nbeen won by me. It would seem, however, that Bhimasena and Dhananjaya are\nregarded very much by thee.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said,--'Wretch! thou actest sinfully in thus seeking to\ncreate disunion amongst us who are all of one heart, disregarding\nmorality.'\n\n\"Sakuni said,--'One that is intoxicated falleth into a pit (hell) and\nstayeth there deprived of the power of motion. Thou art, O king, senior\nto us in age, and possessed of the highest accomplishments. O bull of the\nBharata race, I (beg my pardon and) bow to thee. Thou knowest, O\nYudhishthira, that gamesters, while excited with play, utter such ravings\nthat they never indulge in the like of them in their waking moments nor\neven in dream.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said,--He that taketh us like a boat to the other shore of\nthe sea of battle, he that is ever victorious over foes, the prince who\nis endued with great activity, he who is the one hero in this world, (is\nhere). With that Falguna as stake, however, undeserving of being made so,\nI will now play with thee.'\"\n\nVaisampayana said,--\"Hearing this, Sakuni, ready with the dice, adopting\nfoul means, said unto Yudhishthira, 'Lo! I have won.'\n\n\"Sakuni continued,--'This foremost of all wielders of the bow, this son\nof Pandu capable of using both his hands with equal activity hath now\nbeen won by me. O play now with the wealth that is still left unto thee,\neven with Bhima thy dear brother, as thy stake, O son of Pandu.\n\n\"Yudhishthira said,--'O king, however, undeserving he may be of being\nmade a stake, I will now play with thee by staking Bhimasena, that prince\nwho is our leader, who is the foremost in fight,--even like the wielder\nof the thunder-bolt--the one enemy of the Danavas,--the high-souled one\nwith leonine neck and arched eye-brows and eyes looking askance, who is\nincapable of putting up with an insult, who hath no equal in might in the\nworld, who is the foremost of all wielders of the mace, and who grindeth\nall foes,'\"\n\n\"Vaisampayana said,--\"Hearing this, Sakuni, ready with the dice adopting\nfoul means, said unto Yudhishthira. 'Lo! I have won.'\n\nSakuni continued,--Thou hast, O son of Kunti, lost much wealth, horses\nand elephants and thy brothers as well. Say, if thou hast anything which\nthou hast not lost.'\n\nYudhishthira, said--'I alone, the eldest of all my brothers and dear unto\nthem, am still unwon. Won by thee, I will do what he that is won will\nhave to do.'\"\n\nVaisampayana said,--\"Hearing this Sakuni, ready with the dice, adopting\nfoul means, said unto Yudhishthira, 'Lo! I have won.'\n\n'Sakuni continued,--'Thou hast permitted thyself to be won. This is very\nsinful. There is wealth still left to thee, O king. Therefore, thy having\nlost thyself is certainly sinful.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"Having said this, Sakuni, well-skilled at dice,\nspoke unto all the brave kings present there of his having won, one after\nanother, all the Pandavas. The son of Suvala then, addressing\nYudhishthira said,--'O king, there is still one stake dear to thee that\nis still unwon. Stake thou Krishna, the princess of Panchala. By her, win\nthyself back.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said,--'With Draupadi as stake, who is neither short nor\ntall, neither spare nor corpulent, and who is possessed of blue curly\nlocks, I will now play with thee. Possessed of eyes like the leaves of\nthe autumn lotus, and fragrant also as the autumn lotus, equal in beauty\nunto her (Lakshmi) who delighteth in autumn lotuses, and unto Sree\nherself in symmetry and every grace she is such a woman as a man may\ndesire for wife in respect of softness of heart, and wealth of beauty and\nof virtues. Possessed of every accomplishment and compassionate and\nsweet-speeched, she is such a woman as a man may desire for wife in\nrespect of her fitness for the acquisition of virtue and pleasure and\nwealth. Retiring to bed last and waking up first, she looketh after all\ndown to the cowherds and the shepherds. Her face too, when covered with\nsweat, looketh as the lotus or the jasmine. Of slender waist like that of\nthe wasp, of long flowing locks, of red lips, and body without down, is\nthe princess of Panchala. O king, making the slender-waisted Draupadi,\nwho is even such as my stake, I will play with thee, O son of Suvala.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--'When the intelligent king Yudhishthira the just\nhas spoken thus,--'Fie!' 'Fie!' were the words that were uttered by all\nthe aged persons that were in the assembly. And the whole conclave was\nagitated, and the kings who were present there all gave way to grief. And\nBhishma and Drona and Kripa were covered with perspiration. And Vidura\nholding his head between his hands sat like one that had lost his reason.\nHe sat with face downwards giving way to his reflections and sighing like\na snake. But Dhritarashtra glad, at heart, asked repeatedly, 'Hath the\nstake been won?' 'Hath the stake been won?' and could not conceal his\nemotions. Karna with Dussassana and others laughed aloud, while tears\nbegan to flow from the eyes of all other present in the assembly. And the\nson of Suvala, proud of success and flurried with excitement and\nrepeating. Thou hast one stake, dear to thee, etc. said,--'Lo! I have\nwon' and took up the dice that had been cast.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXV\n\nDuryodhana said,--'Come, Kshatta, bring hither Draupadi the dear and\nloved wife of the Pandavas. Let her sweep the chambers, force her\nthereto, and let the unfortunate one stay where our serving-women are.'\n\n\"Vidura said,--'Dost thou not know, O wretch, that by uttering such harsh\nwords thou art tying thyself with cords? Dost thou not understand that\nthou art hanging on the edge of a precipice? Dost thou not know that\nbeing a deer thou provokest so many tigers to rage? Snakes of deadly\nvenom, provoked to ire, are on thy head! Wretch, do not further provoke\nthem lest thou goest to the region of Yama. In my judgement, slavery does\nnot attach to Krishna, in as much as she was staked by the King after he\nhad lost himself and ceased to be his own master. Like the bamboo that\nbeareth fruit only when it is about to die, the son of Dhritarashtra\nwinneth this treasure at play. Intoxicated, he perceiveth nor in these\nhis last moments that dice bring about enmity and frightful terrors. No\nman should utter harsh speeches and pierce the hearts of the others. No\nman should subjugate his enemies by dice and such other foul means. No\none should utter such words as are disapproved by the Vedas and lead to\nhell and annoy others. Some one uttereth from his lips words that are\nharsh. Stung by them another burneth day and night. These words pierce\nthe very heart of another. The learned, therefore, should never utter\nthem, pointing them at others. A goat had once swallowed a hook, and when\nit was pierced with it, the hunter placing the head of the animal on the\nground tore its throat frightfully in drawing it out. Therefore, O\nDuryodhana, swallow not the wealth of the Pandavas. Make them not thy\nenemies. The sons of Pritha never use words such as these. It is only low\nmen that are like dogs who use harsh words towards all classes of people,\nviz., those that have retired to the woods, those leading domestic lives,\nthose employed in ascetic devotions and those that are of great learning.\nAlas! the son of Dhritarashtra knoweth not that dishonesty is one of the\nfrightful doors of hell. Alas! many of the Kurus with Dussasana amongst\nthem have followed him in the path of dishonesty in the matter of this\nplay at dice. Even gourds may sink and stones may float, and boats also\nmay always sink in water, still this foolish king, the son of\nDhritarashtra, listeneth not to my words that are even as regimen unto\nhim. Without doubt, he will be the cause of the destruction of the Kurus.\nWhen the words of wisdom spoken by friends and which are even as fit\nregimen are not listened to, but on the other hand temptation is on the\nincrease, a frightful and universal destruction is sure to overtake all\nthe Kurus.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXVI\n\nVaisampayana said,--\"Intoxicated with pride, the son of Dhritarashtra\nspake,--'Fie on Kshatta! and casting his eyes upon the Pratikamin in\nattendance, commanded him, in the midst of all those reverend seniors,\nsaying,--'Go Pratikamin, and bring thou Draupadi hither. Thou hast no\nfear from the sons of Pandu. It is Vidura alone that raveth in fear.\nBesides, he never wisheth our prosperity!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"Thus commanded, the Pratikamin, who was of the\nSuta caste, hearing the words of the king, proceeded with haste, and\nentering the abode of the Pandavas, like a dog in a lion's den,\napproached the queen of the sons of Pandu. And he said,--'Yudhishthira\nhaving been intoxicated with dice, Duryodhana, O Draupadi, hath won thee.\nCome now, therefore, to the abode of Dhritarashtra. I will take thee, O\nYajnaseni, and put thee in some menial work.'\n\nDraupadi said,--'Why, O Pratikamin, dost thou say so? What prince is\nthere who playeth staking his wife? The king was certainly intoxicated\nwith dice. Else, could he not find any other object to stake?'\n\n\"The Pratikamin said,--'When he had nothing else to stake, it was then\nthat Ajatasatru, the son of Pandu, staked thee. The king had first staked\nhis brothers, then himself, and then thee, O princess.'\n\n\"Draupadi said,--'O son of the Suta race, go, and ask that gambler\npresent in the assembly, whom he hath lost first, himself, or me.\nAscertaining this, come hither, and then take me with thee, O son of the\nSuta race.'\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"The messenger coming back to the assembly told\nall present the words of Draupadi. And he spoke unto Yudhishthira sitting\nin the midst of the kings, these words,--Draupadi hath asked thee, Whose\nlord wert thou at the time thou lost me in play? Didst thou lose thyself\nfirst or me? Yudhishthira, however sat there like one demented and\ndeprived of reason and gave no answer good or ill to the Suta.\n\n\"Duryodhana then said,--'Let the princess of Panchala come hither and put\nher question. Let every one hear in this assembly the words that pass\nbetween her and Yudhishthira.'\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"The messenger, obedient to the command of\nDuryodhana, going once again to the palace, himself much distressed, said\nunto Draupadi,--'O princess, they that are in the assembly are summoning\nthee. It seemeth that the end of the Kauravas is at hand. When\nDuryodhana, O princess, is for taking thee before the assembly, this\nweak-brained king will no longer be able to protect his prosperity.'\n\n\"Draupadi said,--'The great ordainer of the world hath, indeed, ordained\nso. Happiness and misery pay their court to both the wise and unwise.\nMorality, however, it hath been said, is the one highest object in the\nworld. If cherished, that will certainly dispense blessings to us. Let\nnot that morality now abandon the Kauravas. Going back to those that are\npresent in that assembly, repeat these my words consonant with morality.\nI am ready to do what those elderly and virtuous persons conversant with\nmorality will definitely tell me.\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"The Suta, hearing these words of Yajnaseni,\ncame back to the assembly and repeated the words of Draupadi. But all sat\nwith faces downwards, uttering not a word, knowing the eagerness and\nresolution of Dhritarashtra's son.\n\n\"Yudhishthira, however, O bull of the Bharata race, hearing of\nDuryodhana's intentions, sent a trusted messenger unto Draupadi,\ndirecting that although she was attired in one piece of cloth with her\nnavel itself exposed, in consequence of her season having come, she\nshould come before her father-in-law weeping bitterly. And that\nintelligent messenger, O king, having gone to Draupadi's abode with\nspeed, informed her of the intentions of Yudhishthira. The illustrious\nPandavas, meanwhile, distressed and sorrowful, and bound by promise,\ncould not settle what they should do. And casting his eyes upon them,\nking Duryodhana, glad at heart, addressed the Suta and said,--'O\nPratikamin, bring her hither. Let the Kauravas answer her question before\nher face. The Suta, then, obedient to his commands, but terrified at the\n(possible) wrath of the daughter of Drupada, disregarding his reputation\nfor intelligence, once again said to those that were in the\nassembly,--what shall I say unto Krishna?'\n\n\"Duryodhana, hearing this, said,--'O Dussasana, this son of my Suta, of\nlittle intelligence, feareth Vrikodara. Therefore, go thou thyself and\nforcibly bring hither the daughter of Yajnasena, Our enemies at present\nare dependent on our will. What can they do thee?' Hearing the command of\nhis brother, prince Dussasana rose with blood-red eyes, and entering the\nabode of those great warriors, spake these words unto the princess,\n'Come, come, O Krishna, princess of Panchala, thou hast been won by us.\nAnd O thou of eyes large as lotus leaves, come now and accept the Kurus\nfor thy lords. Thou hast been won virtuously, come to the assembly.' At\nthese words, Draupadi, rising up in great affliction, rubbed her pale\nface with her hands, and distressed she ran to the place where the ladies\nof Dhritarashtra's household were. At this, Dussasana roaring in anger,\nran after her and seized the queen by her locks, so long and blue and\nwavy. Alas! those locks that had been sprinkled with water sanctified\nwith mantras in the great Rajasuya sacrifice, were now forcibly seized by\nthe son of Dhritarashtra disregarding the prowess of the Pandavas. And\nDussasana dragging Krishna of long long locks unto the presence of the\nassembly--as if she were helpless though having powerful protectors--and\npulling at her, made her tremble like the banana plant in a storm. And\ndragged by him, with body bent, she faintly cried--'Wretch! it ill\nbehoveth thee to take me before the assembly. My season hath come, and I\nam now clad in one piece of attire. But Dussasana dragging Draupadi\nforcibly by her black locks while she was praying piteously unto Krishna\nand Vishnu who were Narayana and Nara (on earth), said unto her--'Whether\nthy season hath come or not, whether thou art attired in one piece of\ncloth or entirely naked, when thou hast been won at dice and made our\nslave, thou art to live amongst our serving-women as thou pleasest.\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"With hair dishevelled and half her attire\nloosened, all the while dragged by Dussasana, the modest Krishna consumed\nwith anger, faintly said--\"In this assembly are persons conversant with\nall the branches of learning devoted to the performance of sacrifices and\nother rites, and all equal unto Indra, persons some of whom are really my\nsuperiors and others who deserve to be respected as such. I can not stay\nbefore them in this state. O wretch! O thou of cruel deeds, drag me not\nso. Uncover me not so. The princes (my lords) will not pardon thee, even\nif thou hast the gods themselves with Indra as thy allies. The\nillustrious son of Dharma is now bound by the obligations of morality.\nMorality, however, is subtle. Those only that are possessed of great\nclearness of vision can ascertain it. In speech even I am unwilling to\nadmit an atom of fault in my lord forgetting his virtues. Thou draggest\nme who am in my season before these Kuru heroes. This is truly an\nunworthy act. But no one here rebuketh thee. Assuredly, all these are of\nthe same mind with thee. O fie! Truly hath the virtue of the Bharata\ngone! Truly also hath the usage of those acquainted with the Kshatriya\npractice disappeared! Else these Kurus in this assembly would never have\nlooked silently on this act that transgresseth the limits of their\npractices. Oh! both Drona and Bhishma have lost their energy, and so also\nhath the high-souled Kshatta, and so also this king. Else, why do these\nforemost of the Kuru elders look silently on this great crime?\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"Thus did Krishna of slender waist cry in\ndistress in that assembly. And casting a glance upon her enraged\nlords--the Pandavas--who were filled with terrible wrath, she inflamed\nthem further with that glance of hers. And they were not so distressed at\nhaving been robbed of their kingdom, of their wealth, of their costliest\ngems, as with that glance of Krishna moved by modesty and anger. And\nDussasana, beholding Krishna looking at her helpless lords, dragging her\nstill more forcibly, and addressed her, 'Slave, Slave' and laughed aloud.\nAnd at those words Karna became very glad and approved of them by\nlaughing aloud. And Sakuni, the son of Suvala, the Gandhara king,\nsimilarly applauded Dussasana. And amongst all those that were in the\nassembly except these three and Duryodhana, every one was filled with\nsorrow at beholding Krishna thus dragged in sight of that assembly. And\nbeholding it all, Bhishma said, 'O blessed one, morality is subtle. I\ntherefore am unable to duly decide this point that thou hast put,\nbeholding that on the one hand one that hath no wealth cannot stake the\nwealth belonging to others, while on the other hand wives are always\nunder the orders and at the disposal of their lords. Yudhishthira can\nabandon the whole world full of wealth, but he will never sacrifice\nmorality. The son of Pandu hath said--'I am won.' Therefore, I am unable\nto decide this matter. Sakuni hath not his equal among men at dice-play.\nThe son of Kunti still voluntarily staked with him. The illustrious\nYudhishthira doth not himself regard that Sakuni hath played with him\ndeceitfully. Therefore, I can not decide this point.\"\n\n\"Draupadi said,--\"The king was summoned to this assembly and though\npossessing no skill at dice, he was made to play with skilful, wicked,\ndeceitful and desperate gamblers. How can he be said then to have staked\nvoluntarily? The chief of the Pandavas was deprived of his senses by\nwretches of deceitful conduct and unholy instincts, acting together, and\nthen vanquished. He could not understand their tricks, but he hath now\ndone so. Here, in this assembly, there are Kurus who are the lords of\nboth their sons and their daughters-in-law! Let all of them, reflecting\nwell upon my words, duly decide the point that I have put.\n\nVaisampayana continued,--'Unto Krishna who was thus weeping and crying\npiteously, looking at times upon her helpless lord, Dussasana spake many\ndisagreeable and harsh words. And beholding her who was then in her\nseason thus dragged, and her upper garments loosened, beholding her in\nthat condition which she little deserved, Vrikodara afflicted beyond\nendurance, his eyes fixed upon Yudhishthira, gave way to wrath.\"\n\n\"Bhima said,--'O Yudhishthira, gamblers have in their houses many women\nof loose character. They do not yet stake those women having kindness for\nthem even. Whatever wealth and other excellent articles the king of Kasi\ngave, whatever, gems, animals, wealth, coats of mail and weapons that\nother kings of the earth gave, our kingdom, thyself and ourselves, have\nall been won by the foes. At all this my wrath was not excited for thou\nart our lord. This, however, I regard as a highly improper act--this act\nof staking Draupadi. This innocent girl deserveth not this treatment.\nHaving obtained the Pandavas as her lords, it is for thee alone that she\nis being thus persecuted by the low, despicable, cruel, and mean-minded\nKauravas. It is for her sake, O king, that my anger falleth on thee. I\nshall burn those hands of thine. Sahadeva, bring some fire.\"\n\n'Arjuna hearing this, said,--'Thou hast never, O Bhimasena, before this\nuttered such words as these. Assuredly thy high morality hath been\ndestroyed by these cruel foes. Thou shouldst not fulfil the wishes of the\nenemy. Practise thou the highest morality. Whom doth it behave to\ntransgress his virtuous eldest brother? The king was summoned by the foe,\nand remembering the usage of the Kshatriyas, he played at dice against\nhis will. That is certainly conducive to our great fame.\n\n'Bhima said,--'If I had not known, O Dhananjaya, that the king had acted\naccording to Kshatriya usage, then I would have, taking his hands\ntogether by sheer force, burnt them in a blazing fire.\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"Beholding the Pandavas thus distressed and the\nprincess of Panchala also thus afflicted, Vikarna the son of\nDhritarashtra said--'Ye kings, answer ye the question that hath been\nasked by Yajnaseni. If we do not judge a matter referred to us, all of us\nwill assuredly have to go to hell without delay. How is that Bhishma and\nDhritarashtra, both of whom are the oldest of the Kurus, as also the\nhigh-souled Vidura, do not say anything! The son of Bharadwaja who is the\npreceptor of us, as also Kripa, is here. Why do not these best of\nregenerate ones answer the question? Let also those other kings assembled\nhere from all directions answer according to their judgment this\nquestion, leaving aside all motives of gain and anger. Ye kings, answer\nye the question that hath been asked by this blessed daughter of king\nDrupada, and declare after reflection on which side each of ye is.' Thus\ndid Vikarna repeatedly appeal to those that were in that assembly. But\nthose kings answered him not one word, good or ill. And Vikarna having\nrepeatedly appealed to all the kings began to rub his hands and sigh like\na snake. And at last the prince said--'Ye kings of the earth, ye\nKauravas, whether ye answer this question or not, I will say what I\nregard as just and proper. Ye foremost of men, it hath been said that\nhunting, drinking, gambling, and too much enjoyment of women, are the\nfour vices of kings. The man, that is addicted to these, liveth forsaking\nvirtue. And people do not regard the acts done by a person who is thus\nimproperly engaged, as of any authority. This son of Pandu, while deeply\nengaged in one of these vicious acts, urged thereto by deceitful\ngamblers, made Draupadi a stake. The innocent Draupadi is, besides, the\ncommon wife of all the sons of Pandu. And the king, having first lost\nhimself offered her as a stake. And Suvala himself desirous of a stake,\nindeed prevailed upon the king to stake this Krishna. Reflecting upon all\nthese circumstances, I regard Draupadi as not won.\"\n\n\"Hearing these words, a loud uproar rose from among those present in that\nassembly. And they all applauded Vikarna and censured the son of Suvala.\nAnd at that sound, the son of Radha, deprived of his senses by anger,\nwaving his well-shaped arms, said these words,--'O Vikarna, many opposite\nand inconsistent conditions are noticeable in this assembly. Like fire\nproduced from a faggot, consuming the faggot itself, this thy ire will\nconsume thee. These personages here, though urged by Krishna, have not\nuttered a word. They all regard the daughter of Drupada to have been\nproperly won. Thou alone, O son of Dhritarashtra in consequence of thy\nimmature years, art bursting with wrath, for though but a boy thou\nspeakest in the assembly as if thou wert old. O younger brother of\nDuryodhana, thou dost not know what morality truly is, for thou sayest\nlike a fool that this Krishna who hath been (justly) won as not won at\nall. O son of Dhritarashtra, how dost thou regard Krishna as not won,\nwhen the eldest of the Pandavas before this assembly staked all his\npossessions? O bull of the Bharata race, Draupadi is included in all the\npossessions (of Yudhishthira). Therefore, why regardest thou Krishna who\nhath been justly won as not won? Draupadi had been mentioned (by Suvala)\nand approved of as a stake by the Pandavas. For what reason then dost\nthou yet regard her as not won? Or, if thou thinkest that bringing her\nhither attired in a single piece of cloth, is an action of impropriety,\nlisten to certain excellent reasons I will give. O son of the Kuru race,\nthe gods have ordained only one husband for one woman. This Draupadi,\nhowever, hath many husbands. Therefore, certain it is that she is an\nunchaste woman. To bring her, therefore, into this assembly attired\nthough she be in one piece of cloth--even to uncover her is not at all an\nact that may cause surprise. Whatever wealth the Pandavas had--she\nherself and these Pandavas themselves,--have all been justly won by the\nson of Suvala. O Dussasana, this Vikarna speaking words of (apparent)\nwisdom is but a boy. Take off the robes of the Pandavas as also the\nattire of Draupadi. Hearing these words the Pandavas, O Bharata, took of\ntheir upper garments and throwing them down sat in that assembly. Then\nDussasana, O king, forcibly seizing Draupadi's attire before the eyes of\nall, began to drag it off her person.\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"When the attire of Draupadi was being thus\ndragged, the thought of Hari, (And she herself cried aloud, saying), 'O\nGovinda, O thou who dwellest in Dwaraka, O Krishna, O thou who art fond\nof cow-herdesses (of Vrindavana). O Kesava, seest thou not that the\nKauravas are humiliating me. O Lord, O husband of Lakshmi, O Lord of\nVraja (Vrindavana), O destroyer of all afflictions, O Janarddana, rescue\nme who am sinking in the Kaurava Ocean. O Krishna, O Krishna, O thou\ngreat yogin, thou soul of the universe, Thou creator of all things, O\nGovinda, save me who am distressed,--who am losing my senses in the midst\nof the Kurus.' Thus did that afflicted lady resplendent still in her\nbeauty, O king covering her face cried aloud, thinking of Krishna, of\nHari, of the lord of the three worlds. Hearing the words of Draupadi,\nKrishna was deeply moved. And leaving his seat, the benevolent one from\ncompassion, arrived there on foot. And while Yajnaseni was crying aloud\nto Krishna, also called Vishnu and Hari and Nara for protection, the\nillustrious Dharma, remaining unseen, covered her with excellent clothes\nof many hues. And, O monarch as the attire of Draupadi was being dragged,\nafter one was taken off, another of the same kind, appeared covering her.\nAnd thus did it continue till many clothes were seen. And, O exalted on,\nowing to the protection of Dharma, hundreds upon hundreds of robes of\nmany hues came off Draupadi's person. And there arose then a deep uproar\nof many many voices. And the kings present in that assembly beholding\nthat most extraordinary of all sights in the world, began to applaud\nDraupadi and censure the son of Dhritarashtra. And Bhima then, squeezing\nhis hands, with lips quivering in rage, swore in the midst of all those\nkings a terrible oath in a loud voice.\n\n\"And Bhima said,--Hear these words of mine, ye Kshatriyas of the world.\nWords such as these were never before uttered by other men, nor will\nanybody in the future ever utter them. Ye lords of earth, if having\nspoken these words I do not accomplish them hereafter, let me not obtain\nthe region of my deceased ancestors. Tearing open in battle, by sheer\nforce, the breast of this wretch, this wicked-minded scoundrel of the\nBharata race, if I do not drink his life-blood, let me not obtain the\nregion of my ancestors.\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"Hearing these terrible words of Bhima that made\nthe down of the auditors to stand on end, everybody present there\napplauded him and censured the son of Dhritarashtra. And when a mass of\nclothes had been gathered in that assembly, all dragged from the person\nof Draupadi, Dussasana, tired and ashamed, sat down. And beholding the\nsons of Kunti in that state, the persons--those gods among men--that were\nin that assembly all uttered the word 'Fie!'(on the son of\nDhritarashtra). And the united voices of all became so loud that they\nmade the down of anybody who heard them stand on end. And all the honest\nmen that were in that assembly began to say,--'Alas! the Kauravas answer\nnot the question that hath been put to them by Draupadi. And all\ncensuring Dhritarashtra together, made a loud clamour. Then Vidura, that\nmaster of the science of morality, waving his hands and silencing every\none, spake these words;--'Ye that are in this assembly, Draupadi having\nput her question is weeping helplessly. Ye are not answering her. Virtue\nand morality are being persecuted by such conduct. An afflicted person\napproacheth an assembly of good men, like one that is being consumed by\nfire. They that are in the assembly quench that fire and cool him by\nmeans of truth and morality. The afflicted person asketh the assembly\nabout his rights, as sanctioned by morality. They that are in the\nassembly should, unmoved by interest and anger, answer the question. Ye\nkings, Vikarna hath answered the question, according to his own knowledge\nand judgment. Ye should also answer it as ye think proper. Knowing the\nrules of morality, and having attended an assembly, he that doth not\nanswer a query that is put, incurreth half the demerit that attacheth to\na lie. He, on the other hand, who, knowing the rules of morality and\nhaving joined an assembly answereth falsely, assuredly incurreth the sin\nof a lie. The learned quote as an example in this connection the old\nhistory of Prahlada and the son of Angirasa.\n\n\"There was of old a chief of the Daityas of the name Prahlada. He had a\nson named Virochana. And Virochana, for the sake of obtaining a bride,\nquarrelled with Sudhanwan, the son of Angiras. It hath been heard by us\nthat they mutually wagered their lives, saying--I am superior,--I am\nsuperior,--for the sake of obtaining a bride. And after they had thus\nquarrelled with each other, they both made Prahlada the arbitrator to\ndecide between them. And they asked him, saying;--Who amongst us is\nsuperior (to the other)? Answer this question. Speak not falsely.\nFrightened at this quarrel, Prahlada cast his eyes upon Sudhanwan. And\nSudhanwan in rage, burning like unto the mace of Yama, told him,--If thou\nanswerest falsely, or dost not answer at all thy head will then be split\ninto a hundred pieces by the wielder of the thunderbolt with that bolt of\nhis.--Thus addressed by Sudhanwan, the Daitya, trembling like a leaf of\nthe fig tree, went to Kasyapa of great energy, for taking counsel with\nhim. And Prahlada said,--'Thou art, O illustrious and exalted one, fully\nconversant with the rules of morality that should guide both the gods and\nthe Asuras and the Brahmanas as well. Here, however, is a situation of\ngreat difficulty in respect of duty. Tell me, I ask thee, what regions\nare obtainable by them who upon being asked a question, answer it not, or\nanswer it falsely. Kasyapa thus asked answered.--'He that knoweth, but\nanswereth not a question from temptation, anger or fear, casteth upon\nhimself a thousand nooses of Varuna. And the person who, cited as a\nwitness with respect to any matter of ocular or auricular knowledge,\nspeaketh carelessly, casteth a thousand nooses of Varuna upon his own\nperson. On the completion of one full year, one such noose is loosened.\nTherefore, he that knoweth, should speak the truth without concealment.\nIf virtue, pierced by sin, repaireth to an assembly (for aid), it is the\nduty of every body in the assembly to take off the dart, otherwise they\nthemselves would be pierced with it. In an assembly where a truly\ncensurable act is not rebuked, half the demerit of that act attacheth to\nthe head of that assembly, a fourth to the person acting censurably and a\nfourth unto those others that are there. In that assembly, on the other\nhand, when he that deserveth censure is rebuked, the head of the assembly\nbecometh freed from all sins, and the other members also incur none. It\nis only the perpetrator himself of the act that becometh responsible for\nit. O Prahlada, they who answer falsely those that ask them about\nmorality destroy the meritorious acts of their seven upper and seven\nlower generations. The grief of one who hath lost all his wealth, of one\nwho hath lost a son, of one who is in debt, of one who is separated from\nhis companions, of a woman who hath lost her husband, of one that hath\nlost his all in consequence of the king's demand, of a woman who is\nsterile, of one who hath been devoured by a tiger (during his last\nstruggles in the tiger's claws), of one who is a co-wife, and of one who\nhath been deprived of his property by false witnesses, have been said by\nthe gods to be uniform in degree. These different sorts of grief are his\nwho speaketh false. A person becometh a witness in consequence of his\nhaving seen, heard, and understood a thing. Therefore, a witness should\nalways tell the truth. A truth-telling witness never loseth his religious\nmerits and earthly possessions also.' Hearing these words of Kasyapa,\nPrahlada told his son, \"Sudhanwan is superior to thee, as indeed, (his\nfather) Angiras is superior to me. The mother also of Sudhanwan is\nsuperior to thy mother. Therefore, O Virochana, this Sudhanwan is now the\nlord of the life.\" At these words of Prahlada, Sudhanwan said, \"Since\nunmoved by affection for thy child, thou hast adhered to virtue, I\ncommand, let this son of thine live for a hundred years.\"\n\n\"Vidura continued,--Let all the persons, therefore, present in this\nassembly hearing these high truths of morality, reflect upon what should\nbe the answer to the question asked by Draupadi\".\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"The kings that were there hearing these words\nof Vidura, answered not a word, yet Karna alone spoke unto Dussasana,\ntelling him. Take away this serving-woman Krishna into the inner\napartments. And thereupon Dussasana began to drag before all the\nspectators the helpless and modest Draupadi, trembling and crying\npiteously unto the Pandavas her lords.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXVIII\n\nDraupadi said,--'Wait a little, thou worst of men, thou wicked-minded\nDussasana. I have an act to perform--a high duty that hath not been\nperformed by me yet. Dragged forcibly by this wretch's strong arms, I was\ndeprived of my senses. I salute these reverend seniors in this assembly\nof the Kurus. That I could not do this before cannot be my fault.'\"\n\nVaisampayana said,--\"Dragged with greater force than before, the\nafflicted and helpless Draupadi, undeserving of such treatment, falling\ndown upon the ground, thus wept in that assembly of the Kurus,--\n\n\"'Alas, only once before, on the occasion of the Swayamvara, I was beheld\nby the assembled kings in the amphitheatre, and never even once beheld\nafterwards. I am to-day brought before this assembly. She whom even the\nwinds and the sun had seen never before in her palace is to-day before\nthis assembly and exposed to the gaze of the crowd. Alas, she whom the\nsons of Pandu could not, while in her palace, suffer to be touched even\nby the wind, is to-day suffered by the Pandavas to be seized and dragged\nby this wretch. Alas, these Kauravas also suffer their daughter-in-law,\nso unworthy of such treatment, to be thus afflicted before them. It\nseemeth that the times are out of joint. What can be more distressing to\nme, than that though high-born and chaste, I should yet be compelled to\nenter this public court? Where is that virtue for which these kings were\nnoted? It hath been heard that the kings of ancient days never brought\ntheir wedded wives into the public court. Alas, that eternal usage hath\ndisappeared from among the Kauravas. Else, how is it that the chaste wife\nof the Pandavas, the sister of Prishata's son, the friend of Vasudeva, is\nbrought before this assembly? Ye Kauravas, I am the wedded wife of king\nYudhishthira the just, hailing from the same dynasty to which the King\nbelonged. Tell me now if I am a serving-maid or otherwise. I will\ncheerfully accept your answer. This mean wretch, this destroyer of the\nname of the Kurus, is afflicting me hard. Ye Kauravas, I cannot bear it\nany longer. Ye kings, I desire ye to answer whether ye regard me as won\nor unwon. I will accept your verdict whatever it be.'\n\n\"Hearing these words, Bhishma answered, I have already said, O blessed\none that the course of morality is subtle. Even the illustrious wise in\nthis world fail to understand it always. What in this world a strong man\ncalls morality is regarded as such by others, however otherwise it may\nreally be; but what a weak man calls morality is scarcely regarded as\nsuch even if it be the highest morality. From the importance of the issue\ninvolved, from its intricacy and subtlety, I am unable to answer with\ncertitude the question thou hast asked. However, it is certain that as\nall the Kurus have become the slaves of covetousness and folly, the\ndestruction of this our race will happen on no distant date. O blessed\none, the family into which thou hast been admitted as a daughter-in-law,\nis such that those who are born in it, however much they might be\nafflicted by calamities, never deviate from the paths of virtue and\nmorality. O Princess of Panchala, this conduct of thine also, viz. that\nthough sunk in distress, thou still easiest thy eyes on virtue and\nmorality, is assuredly worthy of thee. These persons, Drona and others,\nof mature years and conversant with morality, sit heads downwards like\nmen that are dead, with bodies from which life hath departed. It seemeth\nto me, however, that Yudhishthira is an authority on this question. It\nbehoveth him to declare whether thou art won or not won.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXIX\n\nVaisampayana said,--\"The kings present in that assembly, from tear of\nDuryodhana, uttered not a word, good or ill, although they beheld\nDraupadi crying piteously in affliction like a female osprey, and\nrepeatedly appealing to them. And the son of Dhritarashtra beholding\nthose kings and sons and grand sons of kings all remaining silent, smiled\na little, and addressing the daughter of the king of Panchala, said,--O\nYajnaseni, the question thou hast put dependeth on thy husbands--on Bhima\nof mighty strength, on Arjuna, on Nakula, on Sahadeva. Let them answer\nthy question. O Panchali, let them for thy sake declare in the midst of\nthese respectable men that Yudhishthira is not their lord, let them\nthereby make king Yudhishthira the just a liar. Thou shalt then be freed\nfrom the condition of slavery. Let the illustrious son of Dharma, always\nadhering to virtue, who is even like Indra, himself declare whether he is\nnot thy lord. At his words, accept thou the Pandavas or ourselves without\ndelay. Indeed, all the Kauravas present in this assembly are floating in\nthe ocean of thy distress. Endued with magnanimity, they are unable to\nanswer thy question, looking at thy unfortunate husbands.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"Hearing these words of the Kuru king, all who\nwere present in the assembly loudly applauded them. And shouting\napprovingly, they made signs unto one another by motions of their eyes\nand lips. And amongst some that were there, sounds of distress such as\n'O! and 'Alas!\" were heard. And at these words of Duryodhana, so\ndelightful (to his partisans), the Kauravas present in that assembly\nbecame exceedingly glad. And the kings, with faces turned sideways,\nlooked upon Yudhishthira conversant with the rules of morality, curious\nto hear what he would say. And every one present in that assembly became\ncurious to hear what Arjuna, the son of Pandu never defeated in battle,\nand what Bhimasena, and what the twins also would say. And when that busy\nhum of many voices became still, Bhimasena, waving his strong and\nwell-formed arms smeared with sandalpaste spake these words,--'If this\nhigh-souled king Yudhishthira the just, who is our eldest brother, had\nnot been our lord, we would never have forgiven the Kuru race (for all\nthis). He is the lord of all our religious and ascetic merits, the lord\nof even our lives. If he regardeth himself as won, we too have all been\nwon. If this were not so, who is there amongst creatures touching the\nearth with their feet and mortal, that would escape from me with his life\nafter having touched those locks of the princess of Panchala? Behold\nthese mighty, well-formed arms of mine, even like maces of iron. Having\nonce come within them, even he of a hundred sacrifices is incapable of\neffecting an escape. Bound by the ties of virtue and the reverence that\nis due to our eldest brother, and repeatedly urged by Arjuna to remain\nsilent, I am not doing anything terrible. If however, I am once commanded\nby king Yudhishthira the just, I would slay these wretched sons of\nDhritarashtra, making slaps do the work of swords, like a lion slaying a\nnumber of little animals.\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"Unto Bhima who had spoken these words Bhishma\nand Drona and Vidura said, 'Forbear, O Bhima. Everything is possible with\nthee.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXX\n\n\"Karna said,--'Of all the persons in the assembly, three, viz., Bhishma,\nVidura, and the preceptor of the Kurus (Drona) appear to be independent;\nfor they always speak of their master as wicked, always censure him, and\nnever wish for his prosperity. O excellent one, the slave, the son, and\nthe wife are always dependent. They cannot earn wealth, for whatever they\nearn belongeth to their master. Thou art the wife of a slave incapable of\npossessing anything on his own account. Repair now to the inner\napartments of king Dhritarashtra and serve the king's relatives. We\ndirect that that is now thy proper business. And, O princess, all the\nsons of Dhritarashtra and not the sons of Pritha are now thy masters. O\nhandsome one, select thou another husband now,--one who will not make\nthee a slave by gambling. It is well-known that women, especially that\nare slaves, are not censurable if they proceed with freedom in electing\nhusbands. Therefore let it be done by thee. Nakula hath been won, as also\nBhimasena, and Yudhishthira also, and Sahadeva, and Arjuna. And, O\nYajnaseni, thou art now a slave. Thy husbands that are slaves cannot\ncontinue to be thy lords any longer. Alas, doth not the son of Pritha\nregards life, prowess and manhood as of no use that he offereth this\ndaughter of Drupada, the king of Panchala, in the presence of all this\nassembly, as a stake at dice?'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"Hearing these words, the wrathful Bhima\nbreathed hard, a very picture of woe. Obedient to the king and bound by\nthe tie of virtue and duty, burning everything with his eyes inflamed by\nanger, he said,--'O king, I cannot be angry at these words of this son of\na Suta, for we have truly entered the state of servitude. But O king,\ncould our enemies have said so unto me, it thou hadst not played staking\nthis princess?'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"Hearing these words of Bhimasena king\nDuryodhana addressed Yudhishthira who was silent and deprived of his\nsenses, saying,--'O king, both Bhima and Arjuna, and the twins also, are\nunder thy sway. Answer thou the question (that hath been asked by\nDraupadi). Say, whether thou regardest Krishna as unwon.' And having\nspoken thus unto the son of Kunti, Duryodhana. desirous of encouraging\nthe son of Radha and insulting Bhima, quickly uncovered his left thigh\nthat was like unto the stem of a plantain tree or the trunk of an\nelephant and which was graced with every auspicious sign and endued with\nthe strength of thunder, and showed it to Draupadi in her very sight. And\nbeholding this, Bhimasena expanding his red eyes, said unto Duryodhana in\nthe midst of all those kings and as if piercing them (with his dart-like\nwords),--'Let not Vrikodara attain to the regions, obtained by his\nancestors, if he doth not break that thigh of thine in the great\nconflict. And sparkles of fire began to be emitted from every organ of\nsense of Bhima filled with wrath, like those that come out of every crack\nand orifice in the body of a blazing tree.\n\nVidura then, addressing everybody, said,--'Ye kings of Pratipa's race,\nbehold the great danger that ariseth from Bhimasena. Know ye for certain\nthat this great calamity that threatens to overtake the Bharatas hath\nbeen sent by Destiny itself. The sons of Dhritarashtra have, indeed,\ngambled disregarding every proper consideration. They are even now\ndisputing in this assembly about a lady (of the royal household). The\nprosperity of our kingdom is at an end. Alas, the Kauravas are even now\nengaged in sinful consultations. Ye Kauravas, take to your heart this\nhigh precept that I declare. If virtue is persecuted, the whole assembly\nbecometh polluted. If Yudhishthira had staked her before he was himself\nwon, he would certainly have been regarded as her master. If, however a\nperson staketh anything at a time when he himself is incapable of holding\nany wealth, to win it is very like obtaining wealth in a dream. Listening\nto the words of the king of Gandhara, fall ye not off from this undoubted\ntruth.'\n\n\"Duryodhana, hearing Vidura thus speak, said,--'I am willing to abide by\nthe words of Bhima, of Arjuna and of the twins. Let them say that\nYudhishthira is not their master. Yajnaseni will then be freed from her\nstate of bondage.\"\n\n\"Arjuna at this, said,--\"This illustrious son of Kunti, king Yudhishthira\nthe just, was certainly our master before he began to play. But having\nlost himself, let all the Kauravas judge whose master he could be after\nthat.\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"Just then, a jackal began to cry loudly in the\nhoma-chamber of king Dhritarashtra's palace. And, O king, unto the jackal\nthat howled so, the asses began to bray responsively. And terrible birds\nalso, from all sides, began to answer with their cries. And Vidura\nconversant with everything and the daughter of Suvala, both understood\nthe meaning of those terrible sounds. And Bhishma and Drona and the\nlearned Gautama loudly cried,--Swashti! Swashti![1] Then Gandhari and the\nlearned Vidura beholding that frightful omen, represented everything, in\ngreat affliction, unto the king. And the king (Dhritarashtra) thereupon\nsaid,--\n\n'Thou wicked-minded Duryodhana, thou wretch, destruction hath all ready\novertaken thee when thou insultest in language such as this the wife of\nthese bulls among the Kurus, especially their wedded wife Draupadi. And\nhaving spoken those words, the wise Dhritarashtra endued with knowledge,\nreflecting with the aid of his wisdom and desirous of saving his\nrelatives and friends from destruction, began to console Krishna, the\nprincess of Panchala, and addressing her, the monarch said,--'Ask of me\nany boon, O princess of Panchala, that thou desirest, Chaste and devoted\nto virtue, thou art the first of all my daughters-in-law.\n\n\"Draupadi said,--'O bull of the Bharata race, if thou will grant me a\nboon, I ask the handsome Yudhishthira, obedient to every duty, be freed\nfrom slavery. Let not unthinking children call my child Prativindhya\nendued with great energy of mind as the son of a slave. Having been a\nprince, so superior to all men, and nurtured by kings it is not proper\nthat he should be called the child of a slave.\n\n\"Dhritarashtra said unto her,--'O auspicious one, let it be as thou\nsayest. O excellent one, ask thou another boon, for I will give it. My\nheart inclineth to give thee a second boon. Thou dost not deserve only\none boon.\n\n\"Draupadi said,--'I ask, O king, that Bhimasena and Dhananjaya and the\ntwins also, with their cars and bows, freed from bondage, regain their\nliberty.'\n\n'Dhritarashtra said,--'O blessed daughter, let it be as thou desirest.\nAsk thou a third boon, for thou hast not been sufficiently honoured with\ntwo boons. Virtuous in thy behaviour, thou art the foremost of all my\ndaughters-in-law.\n\nDraupadi said,--'O best of kings, O illustrious one, covetousness always\nbringeth about loss of virtue. I do not deserve a third boon. Therefore I\ndare not ask any. O king of kings, it hath been said that a Vaisya may\nask one boon; a Kshatriya lady, two boons; a Kshatriya male, three, and a\nBrahmana, a hundred. O king, these my husbands freed from the wretched\nstate of bondage, will be able to achieve prosperity by their own\nvirtuous acts!'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXI\n\n\"Karna said,--'We have never heard of such an act (as this one of\nDraupadi), performed by any of the women noted in this world for their\nbeauty. When the sons of both Pandu and Dhritarashtra were excited with\nwrath, this Draupadi became unto the sons of Pandu as their salvation.\nIndeed the princess of Panchala, becoming as a boat unto the sons of\nPandu who were sinking in a boatless ocean of distress, hath brought them\nin safety to the shore.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"Hearing these words of Karna in the midst of\nthe Kurus,--viz., that the sons of Pandu were saved by their wife,--the\nangry Bhimasena in great affliction said (unto Arjuna),--'O Dhananjaya,\nit hath been said by Devala three lights reside in every person, viz.,\noffspring, acts and learning, for from these three hath sprung creation.\nWhen life becometh extinct and the body becometh impure and is cast off\nby relatives, these three become of service to every person. But the\nlight that is in us hath been dimmed by this act of insult to our wife.\nHow, O Arjuna, can a son born from this insulted wife of ours prove\nserviceable to us?\n\n\"Arjuna replied,--'Superior persons, O Bharata, never prate about the\nharsh words that may or may not be uttered by inferior men. Persons that\nhave earned respect for themselves, even if they are able to retaliate,\nremember not the acts of hostility done by their enemies, but, on the\nother hand, treasure up only their good deeds.'\n\n'Bhima said,--'Shall I, O king, slay, without loss of time all these foes\nassembled together, even here, or shall I destroy them, O Bharata, by the\nroots, outside this palace? Or, what need is there of words or of\ncommand? I shall slay all these even now, and rule thou the whole earth,\nO king, without a rival. And saying this, Bhima with his younger\nbrothers, like a lion in the midst of a herd of inferior animals,\nrepeatedly cast his angry glances around. But Arjuna, however, of white\ndeeds, with appealing looks began to pacify his elder brother. And the\nmighty-armed hero endued with great prowess began to burn with the fire\nof his wrath. And, O king, this fire began to issue out of Vrikodara's\nears and other senses with smoke and sparks and flames. And his face\nbecame terrible to behold in consequence of his furrowed brows like those\nof Yama himself at the time of the universal destruction. Then\nYudhishthira forbade the mighty hero, embracing him with his arms and\ntelling him 'Be not so. Stay in silence and peace.' And having pacified\nthe mighty-armed one with eyes red in wrath, the king approached his\nuncle Dhritarashtra, with hands joined in entreaty.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXII\n\n\"Yudhishthira said,--'O king, thou art our master. Command us as to what\nwe shall do. O Bharata, we desire to remain always in obedience to thee.\n\n\"Dhritarashtra replied.--'O Ajatasatru, blest be thou. Go thou in peace\nand safety. Commanded by me, go, rule thy own kingdom with thy wealth.\nAnd, O child, take to heart this command of an old man, this wholesome\nadvice that I give, and which is even a nutritive regimen. O\nYudhishthira, O child, thou knowest the subtle path of morality.\nPossessed of great wisdom, thou art also humble, and thou waitest also\nupon the old. Where there is intelligence, there is forbearance.\nTherefore, O Bharata, follow thou counsels of peace. The axe falleth upon\nwood, not upon stone. (Thou art open to advice, not Duryodhana). They are\nthe best of men that remember not the acts of hostility of their foes;\nthat behold only the merits, not the faults, of their enemies; and that\nnever enter into hostilities themselves. They that are good remember only\nthe good deeds of their foes and not the hostile acts their foes might\nhave done unto them. The good, besides, do good unto others without\nexpectation of any good, in return. O Yudhishthira, it is only the worst\nof men that utter harsh words in quarrelling; while they that are\nindifferent reply to such when spoken by others. But they that are good\nand wise never think of or recapitulate such harsh words, little caring\nwhether these may or may not have been uttered by their foes. They that\nare good, having regard to the state of their own feelings, can\nunderstand the feelings of others, and therefore remember only the good\ndeeds and not the acts of hostility of their foes. Thou hast acted even\nas good men of prepossessing countenance do, who transgress not the\nlimits of virtue, wealth, pleasure and salvation. O child, remember not\nthe harsh words of Duryodhana. Look at thy mother Gandhari and myself\nalso, if thou desirest to remember only what is good. O Bharata, look at\nme, who am thy father unto you and am old and blind, and still alive. It\nwas for seeing our friends and examining also the strength and weakness\nof my children, that I had, from motives of policy, suffered this match\nat dice to proceed. O king those amongst the Kurus that have thee for\ntheir ruler, and the intelligent Vidura conversant with every branch of\nlearning for their counsellor, have, indeed, nothing to grieve for. In\nthee is virtue, in Arjuna is patience, in Bhimasena is prowess, and the\ntwins, those foremost of men, is pure reverence for superiors. Blest be\nthou, O Ajatasatru. Return to Khandavaprastha, and let there be brotherly\nlove between thee and thy cousins. Let thy heart also be ever fixed on\nvirtue.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"That foremost of the Bharatas--king\nYudhishthira the just--then, thus addressed by his uncle, having gone\nthrough every ceremony of politeness, set out with his brothers for\nKhandavaprastha. And accompanied by Draupadi and ascending their cars\nwhich were all of the hue of the clouds, with cheerful hearts they all\nset out for that best of cities called Indraprastha.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXIII\n\nJanamejaya said,--\"How did the sons of Dhritarashtra feel, when they came\nto know that the Pandavas had, with Dhritarashtra's leave, left\nHastinapore with all their wealth and jewels?\"\n\nVaisampayana said,--\"O king, learning that the Pandavas had been\ncommanded by the wise Dhritarashtra to return to their capital, Dussasana\nwent without loss of time unto his brother. And, O bull of the Bharata\nrace, having arrived before Duryodhana with his counsellor, the prince,\nafflicted with grief, began to say,--'Ye mighty warriors, that which we\nhad won after so much trouble, the old man (our father) hath thrown away.\nKnow ye that he hath made over the whole of that wealth to the foes. At\nthese words, Duryodhana and Karna and Sakuni, the son of Suvala, all of\nwhom were guided by vanity, united together, and desirous of\ncounteracting the sons of Pandu, approaching in haste saw privately the\nwise king Dhritarashtra--the son of Vichitravirya and spake unto him\nthese pleasing and artful words. Duryodhana said,--\n\n'Hast thou not heard, O king, what the learned Vrihaspati the preceptor\nof the celestials, said in course of counselling Sakra about mortals and\npolitics? Even these, O slayer of foes, were the words of Vrihaspati,\n'Those enemies that always do wrong by stratagem or force, should be\nslain by every means.' If, therefore, with the wealth of the Pandavas, we\ngratify the kings of the earth and then fight with the sons of Pandu,\nwhat reverses can overtake us? When one hath placed on the neck and back\nof venomous snakes full of wrath for encompassing his destruction, is it\npossible for him to take them off? Equipped with weapon and seated on\ntheir cars, the angry sons of Pandu like wrathful and venomous snakes\nwill assuredly annihilate us, O father. Even now Arjuna proceedeth,\nencased in mail and furnished with his couple of quivers, frequently\ntaking up the Gandiva and breathing hard and casting angry glances\naround. It hath (also) been heard by us that Vrikodara, hastily ordering\nhis car to be made ready and riding on it, is proceeding along,\nfrequently whirling his heavy mace. Nakula also is going along, with the\nsword in his grasp and the semi-circular shield in his hand. And Sahadeva\nand the king (Yudhishthira) have made signs clearly testifying to their\nintentions. Having ascended their cars that are full of all kinds of\narms, they are whipping their horses (for going to Khandava soon) and\nassembling their forces. Persecuted thus by us they are incapable of\nforgiving us those injuries. Who is there among them that will forgive\nthat insult to Draupadi? Blest be thou. We will again gamble with the son\nof Pandu for sending them to exile. O bull among men, we are competent to\nbring them thus under our sway. Dressed in skins, either we or they\ndefeated at dice, shall repair to the woods for twelve years. The\nthirteenth year shall have to be spent in some inhabited country\nunrecognised; and, if recognised, an exile for another twelve years shall\nbe the consequence. Either we or they shall live so. Let the play begin,\ncasting the dice, let the sons of Pandu once more play. O bull of the\nBharata race, O king, even this is our highest duty. This Sakuni knoweth\nwell the whole science of dice. Even if they succeed in observing this\nvow for thirteen years, we shall be in the meantime firmly rooted in the\nkingdom and making alliances, assemble a vast invincible host and keep\nthem content, so that we shall, O king, defeat the sons of Pandu if they\nreappear. Let this plan recommend itself to thee, O slayer of foes.\n\n\"Dhritarashtra said,--Bring back the Pandavas then, indeed, even if they\nhave gone a great way. Let them come at once again to cast dice.\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"Then Drona, Somadatta and Valhika, Gautama,\nVidura, the son of Drona, and the mighty son of Dhritarashtra by his\nVaisya wife, Bhurisravas, and Bhishma, and that mighty warrior\nVikarna,--all said, 'Let not the play commence. Let there be peace. But\nDhritarashtra, partial to his sons, disregarding the counsels of all his\nwise friends and relatives, summoned the sons of Pandu.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXIV\n\nVaisampayana said,--'O monarch, it was then that the virtuous Gandhari,\nafflicted with grief on account of her affection for her sons, addressed\nking Dhritarashtra and said, \"When Duryodhana was born, Vidura of great\nintelligence had said, 'It is well to send this disgrace of the race to\nthe other world. He cried repeatedly and dissonantly like a jackal. It is\ncertain he will prove the destruction of our race. Take this to heart, O\nking of the Kurus. O Bharata, sink not, for thy own fault, into an ocean\nof calamity. O lord, accord not thy approbation to the counsels of the\nwicked ones of immature years. Be not thou the cause of the terrible\ndestruction of this race. Who is there that will break an embankment\nwhich hath been completed, or re-kindle a conflagration which hath been\nextinguished? O bull of the Bharata race, who is there that will provoke\nthe peaceful sons of Pritha? Thou rememberest, O Ajamida, everything, but\nstill I will call thy attention to this. The scriptures can never control\nthe wicked-minded for good or evil. And, O king, a person of immature\nunderstanding will never act as one of mature years. Let thy sons follow\nthee as their leader. Let them not be separated from thee for ever (by\nlosing their lives). Therefore, at my word, O king, abandon this wretch\nof our race. Thou couldst not, O king, from parental affection, do it\nbefore. Know that the time hath come for the destruction of race through\nhim. Err not, O king. Let thy mind, guided by counsels of peace, virtue,\nand true policy, be what it naturally is. That prosperity which is\nacquired by the aid of wicked acts, is soon destroyed; while that which\nis won by mild means taketh root and descendeth from generation to\ngeneration.\"\n\n\"The king, thus addressed by Gandhari who pointed out to him in such\nlanguage the path of virtue, replied unto her, saying,--'If the\ndestruction of our race is come, let it take place freely. I am ill able\nto prevent it. Let it be as they (these my sons) desire. Let the Pandavas\nreturn. And let my sons again gamble with the sons of Pandu.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXV\n\nVaisampayana said,--'The royal messenger, agreeably to the commands of\nthe intelligent king Dhritarashtra, coming upon Yudhishthira, the son of\nPritha who had by that time gone a great way, addressed the monarch and\nsaid,--'Even these are the words of thy father-like uncle, O Bharata,\nspoken unto thee, 'The assembly is ready. O son of Pandu, O king\nYudhisthira, come and cast the dice.'\n\nYudhishthira said,--'Creatures obtain fruits good and ill according to\nthe dispensation of the Ordainer of the creation. Those fruits are\ninevitable whether I play or not. This is a summons to dice; it is,\nbesides the command of the old king. Although I know that it will prove\ndestructive to me, yet I cannot refuse.'\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"Although (a living) animal made of gold was an\nimpossibility, yet Rama suffered himself to be tempted by a (golden)\ndeer. Indeed, the minds of men over whom calamities hang, became deranged\nand out of order. Yudhishthira, therefore, having said these words,\nretraced his steps along with his brothers. And knowing full well the\ndeception practised by Sakuni, the son of Pritha came back to sit at dice\nwith him again. These mighty warriors again entered that assembly,\nafflicting the hearts of all their friends. And compelled by Fate they\nonce more sat down at ease for gambling for the destruction of\nthemselves.\"\n\n\"Sakuni then said,--'The old king hath given ye back all your wealth.\nThat is well. But, O bull of the Bharata race, listen to me, there is a\nstake of great value. Either defeated by ye at dice, dressed in deer\nskins we shall enter the great forest and live there for twelve years\npassing the whole of the thirteenth year in some inhabited region,\nunrecognised, and if recognised return to an exile of another twelve\nyears; or vanquished by us, dressed in deer skins ye shall, with Krishna,\nlive for twelve years in the woods passing the whole of the thirteenth\nyear unrecognised, in some inhabited region. If recognised, an exile of\nanother twelve years is to be the consequence. On the expiry of the\nthirteenth year, each is to have his kingdom surrendered by the other. O\nYudhishthira, with this resolution, play with us, O Bharata, casting the\ndice.'\n\n\"At these words, they that were in that assembly, raising up their arms\nsaid in great anxiety of mind, and from the strength of their feelings\nthese words,--'Alas, fie on the friends of Duryodhana that they do not\napprise him of his great danger. Whether he, O bull among the Bharatas,\n(Dhritarashtra) understandeth or not, of his own sense, it is thy duty to\ntell him plainly.\"\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued,--King Yudhishthira, even hearing these various\nremarks, from shame and a sense of virtue again sat at dice. And though\npossessed of great intelligence and fully knowing the consequences, he\nagain began to play, as if knowing that the destruction of the Kurus was\nat hand.\n\n\"And Yudhishthira said,--'How can, O Sakuni, a king like me, always\nobservant of the uses of his own order, refuse, when summoned to dice?\nTherefore I play with thee.\"\n\n\"Sakuni answered,--'We have many kine and horses, and milch cows, and an\ninfinite number of goats and sheep; and elephants and treasures and gold\nand slaves both male and female. All these were staked by us before but\nnow let this be our one stake, viz., exile into the woods,--being\ndefeated either ye or we will dwell in the woods (for twelve years) and\nthe thirteenth year, unrecognised, in some inhabited place. Ye bulls\namong men, with this determination, will we play.\"\n\n\"O Bharata, this proposal about a stay in the woods was uttered but once.\nThe son of Pritha, however, accepted it and Sakuni took up the dice. And\ncasting them he said unto Yudhishthira,--'Lo, I have won.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXVI\n\nVaisampayana said,--\"Then the vanquished sons of Pritha prepared for\ntheir exile into the woods. And they, one after another, in due order,\ncasting off their royal robes, attired themselves in deer-skins. And\nDussasana, beholding those chastisers of foes, dressed in deer-skins and\ndeprived of their kingdom and ready to go into exile, exclaimed 'The\nabsolute sovereignty of the illustrious king Duryodhana hath commenced.\nThe sons of Pandu have been vanquished, and plunged into great\naffliction. Now have we attained the goal either by broad or narrow\npaths. For today becoming superior to our foes in point of prosperity as\nalso of duration of rule have we become praiseworthy of men. The sons of\nPritha have all been plunged by us into everlasting hell. They have been\ndeprived of happiness and kingdom for ever and ever. They who, proud of\ntheir wealth, laughed in derision at the son of Dhritarashtra, will now\nhave to go into the woods, defeated and deprived by us of all their\nwealth. Let them now put off their variegated coats of mail, their\nresplendent robes of celestial make, and let them all attire themselves\nin deer-skins according to the stake they had accepted of the son of\nSuvala. They who always used to boast that they had no equals in all the\nworld, will now know and regard themselves in this their calamity as\ngrains of sesame without the kernel. Although in this dress of theirs the\nPandavas seem like unto wise and powerful persons installed in a\nsacrifice, yet they look like persons not entitled to perform sacrifices,\nwearing such a guise. The wise Yajnasena of the Somake race, having\nbestowed his daughter--the princess of Panchala--on the sons of Pandu,\nacted most unfortunately for the husbands of Yajnaseni--these sons of\nPritha are as eunuchs. And O Yajnaseni, what joy will be thine upon\nbeholding in the woods these thy husbands dressed in skins and\nthread-bare rags, deprived of their wealth and possessions. Elect thou a\nhusband, whomsoever thou likest, from among all these present here. These\nKurus assembled here, are all forbearing and self-controlled, and\npossessed of great wealth. Elect thou one amongst these as thy lord, so\nthat these great calamity may not drag thee to wretchedness. 'The sons of\nPandu now are even like grains of sesame without the kernel, or like\nshow-animals encased in skins, or like grains of rice without the kernel.\nWhy shouldst thou then longer wait upon the fallen sons of Pandu? Vain is\nthe labour used upon pressing the sesame grain devoid of the kernel!'\n\n\"Thus did Dussasana, the son of Dhritarashtra, utter in the hearing of\nthe Pandavas, harsh words of the most cruel import. And hearing them, the\nunforbearing Bhima, in wrath suddenly approaching that prince like a\nHimalayan lion upon a jackal, loudly and chastisingly rebuked him in\nthese words,--Wicked-minded villain, ravest thou so in words that are\nuttered alone by the sinful? Boastest thou thus in the midst of the\nkings, advanced as thou art by the skill of the king of Gandhara. As thou\npiercest our hearts hear with these thy arrowy words, so shall I pierce\nthy heart in battle, recalling all this to thy mind. And they also who\nfrom anger or covetousness are walking behind thee as thy\nprotectors,--them also shall I send to the abode of Yama with their\ndescendants and relatives.\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--Unto Bhima dressed in deer-skins and uttering\nthese words of wrath without doing any thing, for he could not deviate\nfrom the path of virtue, Dussasana abandoning all sense of shame, dancing\naround the Kurus, loudly said, 'O cow! O cow!'\n\nBhima at this once more said,--Wretch darest thou, O Dussasana, use harsh\nwords as these? Whom doth it behove to boast, thus having won wealth by\nfoul means? I tell thee that if Vrikodara, the son of Pritha, drinketh\nnot thy life-blood, piercing open thy breast in battle, let him not\nattain to regions of blessedness, I tell thee truly that by slaying the\nsons of Dhritarashtra in battle, before the very eyes of all the\nwarriors, I shall pacify this wrath of mine soon enough.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"And as the Pandavas were going away from the\nassembly, the wicked king Duryodhana from excess of joy mimiced by his\nown steps the playful leonine trade of Bhima. Then Vrikodara, half\nturning towards the king said, Think not ye fool that by this thou\ngainest any ascendency over me slay thee shall I soon with all thy\nfollowers, and answer thee, recalling all this to thy mind. And beholding\nthis insult offered to him, the mighty and proud Bhima, suppressing his\nrising rage and following the steps of Yudhishthira, also spake these\nwords while going out of the Kaurava court, 'I will slay Duryodhana, and\nDhananjaya will slay Karna, and Sahadeva will slay Sakuni that gambler\nwith dice. I also repeat in this assembly these proud words which the\ngods will assuredly make good, if ever we engage in battle with the\nKurus, I will slay this wretched Duryodhana in battle with my mace, and\nprostrating him on the ground I will place my foot on his head. And as\nregards this (other) wicked person--Dussasana who is audacious in speech,\nI will drink his blood like a lion.\n\n\"And Arjuna said,--O Bhima, the resolutions of superior men are not known\nin words only. On the fourteenth year from this day, they shall see what\nhappeneth.\n\n\"And Bhima again said,--'The earth shall drink the blood of Duryodhana,\nand Karna, and the wicked Sakuni, and Dussasana that maketh the fourth.'\n\n\"And Arjuna said,--'O Bhima, I will, as thou directest, slay in battle\nthis Karna so malicious and jealous and harsh-speeched and vain. For\ndoing what is agreeable to Bhima, Arjuna voweth that he will slay in\nbattle with his arrows this Karna with all his followers. And I will send\nunto the regions of Yama also all those other kings that will from\nfoolishness fight against me. The mountains of Himavat might be removed\nfrom where they are, the maker of the day lose his brightness, the moon\nhis coldness, but this vow of mine will ever be cherished. And all this\nshall assuredly happen if on the fourteenth year from this, Duryodhana\ndoth not, with proper respect, return us our kingdom.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"After Arjuna had said this, Sahadeva the\nhandsome son of Madri, endued with great energy, desirous of slaying\nSakuni, waving his mighty arms and sighing like snake, exclaimed, with\neyes red with anger--'Thou disgrace of the Gandhara kings, those whom\nthou thinkest as defeated are not really so. Those are even sharp-pointed\narrows from whose wounds thou hast run the risk in battle. I shall\ncertainly accomplish all which Bhima hath said adverting to thee with all\nthy followers. If therefore thou hast anything to do, do it before that\nday cometh. I shall assuredly slay thee in battle with all thy followers\nsoon enough, it thou, O son of Suvala, stayest in the light pursuant to\nthe Kshatriya usage.'\n\n\"'Then, O monarch hearing these words of Sahadeva, Nakula the handsomest\nof men spake these words,--'I shall certainly send unto the abode of Yama\nall those wicked sons of Dhritarashtra, who desirous of death and\nimpelled by Fate, and moved also by the wish of doing what is agreeable\nto Duryodhana, have used harsh and insulting speeches towards this\ndaughter o Yajnasena at the gambling match. Soon enough shall I, at the\ncommand of Yudhishthira and remembering the wrongs to Draupadi, make the\nearth destitute of the sons of Dhritarashtra.'\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"And those tigers among men, all endued with\nlong arms, having thus pledged themselves to virtuous promises approached\nking Dhritarashtra.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXVII\n\nYudhishthira said,--'I bid farewell unto all the Bharatas, unto my old\ngrand-sire (Bhishma), king Somadatta, the great king Vahlika, Drona,\nKripa, all the other kings, Aswathaman, Vidura, Dhritarashtra, all the\nsons of Dhritarashtra, Yayutsu, Sanjaya, and all the courtiers, I bid\nfare well, all of ye and returning again I shall see you.\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"Overcome with shame none of those that were\npresent there, could tell Yudhishthira anything. Within their hearts,\nhowever, they prayed for the welfare of that intelligent prince.\n\nVidura then said,--The reverend Pritha is a princess by birth. It\nbehoveth her not to go into the woods. Delicate and old and ever known to\nhappiness the blessed one will live, respected by me, in my abode. Known\nthis, ye sons of Pandu. And let safety be always yours.'\n\nVaisampayana continued,--'The Pandavas thereupon said,--O sinless one,\nlet it be as thou sayest. Thou art our uncle, and, therefore like as our\nfather. We also are all obedient to thee. Thou art, O learned one, our\nmost respected superior. We should always obey what thou choosest to\ncommand. And, O high-souled one, order thou whatever else there is that\nremaineth to be done.\n\n\"Vidura replied,--'O Yudhishthira, O bull of the Bharata race, know this\nto be my opinion, that one that is vanquished by sinful means need not be\npained by such defeat. Thou knowest every rule of morality; Dhananjaya is\never victorious in battle; Bhimasena is the slayer of foes; Nakula is the\ngatherer of wealth; Sahadeva hath administrative talents, Dhaumya is the\nforemost of all conversant with the vedas; and the well-behaved Draupadi\nis conversant with virtue and economy. Ye are attached to one another and\nfeel delight at one another's sight and enemies can not separate you from\none another, and ye are contented. Therefore, who is there that will not\nenvy ye? O Bharata, this patient abstraction from the possession of the\nworld will be of great benefit to thee. No foe, even if he were equal to\nsakra himself, will be able to stand it. Formerly thou wert instructed on\nthe mountains of Himavat by Meru Savarni; in the town of Varanavata by\nKrishna Dwaipayana; on the cliff of Bhrigu by Rama; and on the banks of\nthe Dhrishadwati by Sambhu himself. Thou hast also listened to the\ninstruction of the great Rishi Asita on the hills of Anjana; and thou\nbecamest a disciple of Bhrigu on the banks of the Kalmashi. Narada and\nthis thy priest Dhaumya will now become thy instructors. In the matter of\nthe next world, abandon not these excellent lessons thou hast obtained\nfrom the Rishis. O son of Pandu. thou surpassest in intelligence even\nPururavas, the son of Ila; in strength, all other monarchs, and in\nvirtue, even the Rishis. Therefore, resolve thou earnestly to win\nvictory, which belongeth to Indra; to control thy wrath, which belongeth\nto Yama; to give in charity, which belongeth to Kuvera; and to control\nall passions, which belongeth to Varuna. And, O Bharata, obtain thou the\npower of gladdening from the moon, the power of sustaining all from\nwater; forbearance from the earth; energy from the entire solar disc;\nstrength from the winds, and affluence from the other elements. Welfare\nand immunity from ailment be thine; I hope to see thee return. And, O\nYudhishthira, act properly and duly in all seasons,--in those of\ndistress--in those of difficulty,--indeed, in respect of everything, O\nson of Kunti, with our leave go hence. O Bharata, blessing be thine. No\none can say that ye have done anything sinful before. We hope to see\nthee, therefore, return in safety and crowned with success.\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"Thus addressed by Vidura, Yudhishthira the son\nof Pandu, of prowess incapable of being baffled, saying, 'So be it,'\nbowing low unto Bhishma and Drona, went away.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXVIII\n\nVaisampayana said,--'Then when Draupadi was about to set out she went\nunto the illustrious Pritha and solicited her leave. And she also asked\nleave of the other ladies of the household who had all been plunged into\ngrief. And saluting and embracing every one of them as each deserved, she\ndesired to go away. Then there arose within the inner apartments of the\nPandavas a loud wail of woe. And Kunti, terribly afflicted upon beholding\nDraupadi on the eve of her journey, uttered these words in a voice choked\nwith grief,--\n\n'O child, grieve not that this great calamity hath overtaken thee. Thou\nart well conversant with the duties of the female sex, and thy behaviour\nand conduct also are as they should be. It behoveth me not, O thou of\nsweet smiles, to instruct thee as to thy duties towards thy lords. Thou\nart chaste and accomplished, and thy qualities have adorned the race of\nthy birth as also the race into which thou hast been admitted by\nmarriage. Fortunate are the Kauravas that they have not been burnt by thy\nwrath. O child, safely go thou blest by my prayers. Good women never\nsuffer their hearts to the unstung at what is inevitable. Protected by\nvirtue that is superior to everything, soon shalt thou obtain good\nfortune. While living in the woods, keep thy eye on my child Sahadeva.\nSee that his heart sinketh not under this great calamity.'\n\n\"Saying 'So be it!' the princess Draupadi bathed in tears, and clad in\none piece of cloth, stained with blood, and with hair dishevelled left\nher mother-in-law. And as she went away weeping and wailing Pritha\nherself in grief followed her. She had not gone far when she saw her sons\nshorn of their ornaments and robes, their bodies clad in deerskins, and\ntheir heads down with shame. And she beheld them surrounded by rejoicing\nfoes' and pitied by friends. Endued with excess of parental affection,\nKunti approached her sons in that state, and embracing them all, and in\naccents choked by woe, She said these words,--\n\n\"Ye are virtuous and good-mannered, and adorned with all excellent\nqualities and respectful behaviour. Ye are all high-minded, and engaged\nin the service of your superiors. And ye are also devoted to the gods and\nthe performance of sacrifices. Why, then, hath this calamity overtaken\nyou. Whence is this reverse of fortune? I do not see by whose wickedness\nthis sin hath overtaken you. Alas I have brought you forth. All this must\nbe due to my ill fortune. It is for this that ye have been overtaken by\nthis calamity, though ye all are endued with excellent virtues. In energy\nand prowess and strength and firmness and might, ye are not wanting. How\nshall ye now, losing your wealth and possessions, live poor in the\npathless woods? If I had known before that ye were destined to live in\nthe woods, I would not have on Pandit's death come from the mountains of\nSatasringa to Hastinapore. Fortunate was your father, as I now regard,\nfor he truly reaped the fruit of his asceticism, and he was gifted with\nforesight, as he entertained the wish of ascending heaven, without having\nto feel any pain on account of his sons. Fortunate also was the virtuous\nMadri, as I regard her today, who had, it seems, a fore-knowledge of what\nwould happen and who on that account, obtained the high path of\nemancipation and every blessing therewith. All, Madri looked upon me as\nher stay, and her mind and her affections were ever fixed on me. Oh, fie\non my desire of life, owing to which suffer all this woe. Ye children, ye\nare all excellent and dear unto me. I have obtained you alter much\nsuffering. I cannot leave you. Even I will go with you. Alas, O Krishna,\n(Draupadi), why dost thou leave me so? Everything endued with life is\nsure to perish. Hath Dhata (Brahma) himself forgotten to ordain my death?\nPerhaps, it is so, and, therefore, life doth not quit me. O Krishna, O\nthou who dwellest in Dwaraka, O younger brother of Sankarshana, where art\nthou? Why dost thou not deliver me and these best of men also from such\nwoe? They say that thou who art without beginning and without end\ndeliverest those that think of thee. Why doth this saying become untrue.\nThese my sons are ever attached to virtue and nobility and good fame and\nprowess. They deserve not to suffer affliction. Oh, show them mercy.\nAlas, when there are such elders amongst our race as Bhishma and Drona\nand Kripa, all conversant with morality and the science of worldly\nconcerns, how could such calamity at all come? O Pandu, O king, where art\nthou? Why sufferest thou quietly thy good children to be thus sent into\nexile, defeated at dice? O Sahadeva, desist from going. Thou art my\ndearest child, dearer, O son of Madri, than my body itself. Forsake me\nnot. It behoveth thee to have some kindness for me. Bound by the ties of\nvirtue, let these thy brothers go. But then, earn thou that virtue which\nspringeth from waiting upon me.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"The Pandavas then consoled their weeping mother\nand with hearts plunged in grief set out for the woods. And Vidura\nhimself also much afflicted, consoling the distressed Kunti with reasons,\nand led her slowly to his house. And the ladies of Dhritarashtra's house,\nhearing everything as it happened, viz., the exile (of the Pandavas) and\nthe dragging of Krishna into the assembly where the princes had gambled,\nloudly wept censuring the Kauravas. And the ladies of the royal household\nalso sat silent for a long time, covering their lotus-like faces with\ntheir fair hands. And king Dhritarashtra also thinking of the dangers\nthat threatened his sons, became a prey to anxiety and could not enjoy\npeace of mind. And anxiously meditating on everything, and with mind\ndeprived of its equanimity through grief, he sent a messenger unto\nVidura, saying, 'Let Kshatta come to me without a moment's delay.'\n\n\"At this summons, Vidura quickly came to Dhritarashtra's palace. And as\nsoon as he came, the monarch asked him with great anxiety how the\nPandavas had left Hastinapore.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXIX\n\nVaisampayana said,--\"As soon as Vidura endued with great foresight came\nunto him king Dhritarashtra, the son of Amvika, timidly asked his\nbrother,--'How doth Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma, proceed along? And\nhow Arjuna? And how the twin sons of Madri? And how, O Kshatta, doth\nDhaumya proceed along? And how the illustrious Draupadi? I desire to hear\neverything, O Kshatta; describe to me all their acts.'\n\nVidura replied,--'Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, hath gone away covering\nhis face with his cloth. And Bhima, O king, hath gone away looking at his\nown mighty arms. And Jishnu (Arjuna) hath gone away, following the king\nspreading sand-grains around. And Sahadeva, the son of Madri, hath gone\naway besmearing his face, and Nakula, the handsomest of men, O king, hath\ngone away, staining himself with dust and his heart in great affliction.\nAnd the large-eyed and beautiful Krishna hath gone away, covering her\nface with her dishevelled hair following in the wake of the king, weeping\nand in tears. And O monarch, Dhaumya goeth along the road, with kusa\ngrass in hand, and uttering the aweful mantras of Sama Veda that relate\nto Yama.'\n\nDhritarashtra asked,--\"Tell me, O Vidura, why is it that the Pandavas are\nleaving Hastinapore in such varied guise.\"\n\n\"Vidura replied,--'Though persecuted by thy sons and robbed of his\nkingdom and wealth the mind of the wise king Yudhishthira the just hath\nnot yet deviated from the path of virtue. King Yudhishthira is always\nkind, O Bharata, to thy children. Though deprived (of his kingdom and\npossessions) by foul means, filled with wrath as he is, he doth not open\neyes. 'I should not burn the people by looking at them with angry\neyes,'--thinking so, the royal son of Pandu goeth covering his face.\nListen to me as I tell thee, O bull of the Bharata race, why Bhima goeth\nso. 'There is none equal to me in strength of arms,' thinking so Bhima\ngoeth repeatedly stretching forth his mighty arms. And, O king, proud of\nthe strength of his arms, Vrikodara goeth, exhibiting them and desiring\nto do unto his enemies deeds worthy of those arms. And Arjuna the son of\nKunti, capable of using both his arms (in wielding the Gandiva) followeth\nthe footsteps of Yudhishthira, scattering sand-grains emblematical of the\narrows he would shower in battle. O Bharata, he indicateth that as the\nsand-grains are scattered by him with ease, so will he rain arrows with\nperfect ease on the foe (in time of battle). And Sahadeva goeth\nbesmearing his lace, thinking 'None may recognise me in this day of\ntrouble.' And, O exalted one, Nakula goeth staining himself with dust\nthinking, 'Lest otherwise I steal the hearts of the ladies that may look\nat me.' And Draupadi goeth, attired in one piece of stained cloth, her\nhair dishevelled, and weeping, signifying--'The wives of those for whom I\nhave been reduced to such a plight, shall on the fourteenth year hence be\ndeprived of husbands, sons and relatives and dear ones and smeared all\nover with blood, with hair dishevelled and all in their feminine seasons\nenter Hastinapore having offered oblations of water (unto the manes of\nthose they will have lost). And O Bharata, the learned Dhaumya with\npassions under full control, holding the kusa grass in his hand and\npointing the same towards the south-west, walketh before, singing the\nmantras of the Sama Veda that relate to Yama. And, O monarch, that\nlearned Brahamana goeth, also signifying, 'When the Bharatas shall be\nslain in battle, the priests of the Kurus will thus sing the Soma mantras\n(for the benefit of the deceased).' And the citizens, afflicted with\ngreat grief, are repeatedly crying out, 'Alas, alas, behold our masters\nare going away! O fie on the Kuru elders that have acted like foolish\nchildren in thus banishing heirs of Pandu from covetousness alone. Alas,\nseparated from the son of Pandu we all shall become masterless. What love\ncan we bear to the wicked and avaricious Kurus? Thus O king, have the\nsons of Kunti, endued with great energy of mind, gone away,--indicating,\nby manner and signs, the resolutions that are in their hearts. And as\nthose foremost of men had gone away from Hastinapore, flashes of\nlightning appeared in the sky though without clouds and the earth itself\nbegan to tremble. And Rahu came to devour the Sun, although it was not\nthe day of conjunction And meteors began to fall, keeping the city to\ntheir right. And jackals and vultures and ravens and other carnivorous\nbeasts and birds began to shriek and cry aloud from the temples of the\ngods and the tops of sacred trees and walls and house-tops. And these\nextraordinary calamitous portents, O king, were seen and heard,\nindicating the destruction of the Bharatas as the consequence of thy evil\ncounsels.\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"And, O monarch, while king Dhritarashtra and\nthe wise Vidura were thus talking with each other, there appeared in that\nassembly of the Kauravas and before the eyes of all, the best of the\ncelestial Rishis. And appealing before them all, he uttered these\nterrible words, On the fourteenth year hence, the Kauravas, in\nconsequence of Duryodhana's fault, will all be destroyed by the might of\nBhima and Arjuna'. And having said this, that best of celestial Rishis,\nadorned with surpassing Vedic grace, passing through the skies,\ndisappeared from the scene. Then Duryodhana and Karna and Sakuni, the son\nof Suvala regarding Drona as their sole refuge, offered the kingdom to\nhim. Drona then, addressing the envious and wrathful Duryodhana and\nDussasana and Karna and all the Bharata, said, 'The Brahamanas have said\nthat the Pandavas being of celestial origin are incapable of being slain.\nThe sons of Dhritarashtra, however, having, with all the kings, heartily\nand with reverence sought my protection, I shall look after them to the\nbest of my power. Destiny is supreme, I cannot abandon them. The sons of\nPandu, defeated at dice, are going into exile in pursuance of their\npromise. They will live in the woods for twelve years. Practising the\nBrahmacharyya mode of life for this period, they will return in anger and\nto our great grief take the amplest vengeance on their foes. I had\nformerly deprived Drupada of his kingdom in a friendly dispute. Robbed of\nhis kingdom by me, O Bharata, the king performed a sacrifice for\nobtaining a son (that should slay me). Aided by the ascetic power of Yaja\nand Upayaja, Drupada obtained from the (sacrificial) fire a son named\nDhrishtadyumna and a daughter, viz., the faultless Krishna, both risen\nfrom the sacrificial platform. That Dhrishtadyumna is the brother-in-law\nof the sons of Pandu by marriage, and dear unto them. It is for him,\ntherefore that I have much fear. Of celestial origin and resplendent as\nthe fire, he was born with bow, arrows, and encased in mail. I am a being\nthat is mortal. Therefore it is for him that I have great fear. That\nslayer of all foes, the son of Parshatta, hath taken the side of the\nPandavas. I shall have to lose my life, if he and I ever encounter each\nother in battle. What grief can be greater to me in this world than this,\nye Kauravas that Dhrishtadyumna is the destined slayer of Drona--this\nbelief is general. That he hath been born for slaying me hath been heard\nby me and is widely known also in the world. For thy sake, O Duryodhana,\nthat terrible season of destruction is almost come. Do without loss of\ntime, what may be beneficial unto thee. Think not that everything hath\nbeen accomplished by sending the Pandavas into exile. This thy happiness\nwill last for but a moment, even as in winter the shadow of the top of\nthe palm tree resteth (for a short time) at its base. Perform various\nkinds of sacrifices, and enjoy, and give O Bharata, everything thou\nlikest. On the fourteenth year hence, a great calamity will overwhelm\nthee.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"Hearing these words of Drona, Dhritarashtra\nsaid,--'O Kshatta, the preceptor hath uttered what is true. Go thou and\nbring back the Pandavas. If they do not come back, let them go treated\nwith respect and affection. Let those my sons go with weapons, and cars,\nand infantry, and enjoying every other good thing.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXX\n\nVaisampayana said,--\"defeated at dice, after the Pandavas had gone to the\nwoods, Dhritarashtra, O king, was overcome with anxiety. And while he was\nseated restless with anxiety and sighing in grief, Sanjaya approaching\nhim said, 'O lord of the earth having now obtained the whole earth with\nall its wealth and sent away the sons of Pandu into exile, why is it, O\nking, that thou grievest so?\"\n\nDhritarashtra said,--'What have they not to grieve for who will have to\nencounter in battle those bulls among warriors--the sons of\nPandu--fighting on great cars and aided by allies?'\n\n\"Sanjaya said,--\"O king, all this great hostility is inevitable on\naccount of thy mistaken action, and this will assuredly bring about the\nwholesale destruction of the whole world. Forbidden by Bhishma, by Drona,\nand by Vidura, thy wicked-minded and shameless son Duryodhana sent his\nSuta messenger commanding him to bring into court the beloved and\nvirtuous wife of the Pandavas. The gods first deprive that man of his\nreason unto whom they send defeat and disgrace. It is for this that such\na person seeth things in a strange light. When destruction is at hand,\nevil appeareth as good unto the understanding polluted by sin, and the\nman adhereth to it firmly. That which is improper appeareth as proper,\nand that which is proper appeareth as improper unto the man about to be\noverwhelmed by destruction, and evil and impropriety are what he liketh.\nThe time that bringeth on destruction doth not come with upraised club\nand smash one's head. On the other hand the peculiarity of such a time is\nthat it maketh a man behold evil in good and good in evil. The wretches\nhave brought on themselves this terrible, wholesale, and horrible\ndestruction by dragging the helpless princess of Panchala into the court.\nWho else than Duryodhana--that false player of dice could bring into the\nassembly, with insults, the daughter of Drupada, endued with beauty and\nintelligence, and conversant with every rule of morality and duty, and\nsprung not from any woman's womb but from the sacred fire? The handsome\nKrishna, then in her season, attired in one piece of stained cloth when\nbrought into the court cast her eyes upon the Pandavas. She beheld them,\nhowever, robbed of their wealth, of their kingdom, of even their attire,\nof their beauty, of every enjoyment, and plunged into a state of bondage.\nBound by the tie of virtue, they were then unable to exert their prowess.\nAnd before all the assembled kings Duryodhana and Karna spake cruel and\nharsh words unto the distressed and enraged Krishna undeserving of such\ntreatment. O monarch, all this appeareth to me as foreboding fearful\nconsequences.'\n\nDhritarashtra said,--'O Sanjaya, the glances of the distressed daughter\nof Drupada might consume the whole earth. Can it be possible that even a\nsingle son of mine will live? The wives of the Bharatas, uniting with\nGandhari upon beholding virtuous Krishna, the wedded wife of the\nPandavas, endued with beauty and youth, dragged into the court, set up\nfrightful wail. Even now, along with all my subjects, they weep every\nday. Enraged at the ill treatment of Draupadi, the Brahmanas in a body\ndid not perform that evening their Agnihotra ceremony. The winds blew\nmightily as they did at the time of the universal dissolution. There was\na terrible thunder-storm also. Meteors fell from the sky, and Rahu by\nswallowing the Sun unseasonably alarmed the people terribly. Our\nwar-chariots were suddenly ablaze, and all their flagstaffs fell down\nforeboding evil unto the Bharatas. Jackals began to cry frightfully from\nwithin the sacred fire-chamber of Duryodhana, and asses from all\ndirections began to bray in response. Then Bhishma and Drona, and Kripa,\nand Somadatta and the high-souled Vahlika, all left the assembly. It was\nthen that at the advice of Vidura I addressed Krishna and said, 'I will\ngrant thee boons, O Krishna, indeed, whatever thou wouldst ask? The\nprincess of the Panchala there begged of me the liberation of the\nPandavas. Out of my own motion I then set free the Pandavas, commanding\nthem to return (to their capital) on their cars and with their bows and\narrows. It was then that Vidura told me, 'Even this will prove the\ndestruction of the Bharata race, viz., this dragging of Krishna into the\ncourt. This daughter of the King of Panchala is the faultless Sree\nherself. Of celestial origin, she is the wedded wife of the Pandavas. The\nwrathful sons of Pandu will never forgive this insult offered unto her.\nNor will the mighty bowmen of the Vrishni race, nor the mighty warriors\namongst the Panchalas suffer this in silence. Supported by Vasudeva of\nunbaffled prowess, Arjuna will assuredly come back, surrounded by the\nPanchala host. And that mighty warrior amongst them, Bhimasena endued\nwith surpassing strength, will also come back, whirling his mace like\nYama himself with his club. These kings will scarcely be able to bear the\nforce of Bhima's mace. Therefore, O king, not hostility but peace for\never with the sons of Pandu is what seemeth to me to be the best. The\nsons of Pandu are always stronger than the Kurus. Thou knowest, O king,\nthat the illustrious and mighty king Jarasandha was slain in battle by\nBhima with his bare arms alone. Therefore, O bull of the Bharata race, it\nbehoveth thee to make peace with the sons of Pandu. Without scruples of\nany kind, unite the two parties, O king. And it thou actest in this way,\nthou art sure to obtain good luck, O king. It was thus, O son of\nGavalgani, that Vidura addressed me in words of both virtue and profit.\nAnd I did not accept this counsel, moved by affection for my son.\"\n\nThe End of Sabha Parva\n\nFOOTNOTES\n\n1. A word of benediction, similar to 'Amen.'\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Mahabharata\n\nof\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\nScanned at sacred-texts.com, 2003. Proofed at Distributed Proofing,\nJuliet Sutherland, Project Manager. Additional proofing and formatting at\nsacred-texts.com, by J. B. Hare.\n\n\n\nSECTION I\n\n(Aranyaka Parva)\n\nOm! Having bowed down to Narayana, and Nara the foremost of male beings,\nand the goddess Saraswati also, must the word Jaya be uttered.\n\n\"Janamejaya said, 'O thou foremost of regenerate ones, deceitfully\ndefeated at dice by the sons of Dhritarashtra and their counsellors,\nincensed by those wicked ones that thus brought about a fierce animosity,\nand addressed in language that was so cruel, what did the Kuru princes,\nmy ancestors--the sons of Pritha--(then) do? How also did the sons of\nPritha, equal unto Sakra in prowess, deprived of affluence and suddenly\nover whelmed with misery, pass their days in the forest? Who followed the\nsteps of those princes plunged in excess of affliction? And how did those\nhigh souled ones bear themselves and derive their sustenance, and where\ndid they put up? And, O illustrious ascetic and foremost of Brahmanas,\nhow did those twelve years (of exile) of those warriors who were slayers\nof foes, pass away in the forest? And undeserving of pain, how did that\nprincess, the best of her sex, devoted to her husbands, eminently\nvirtuous, and always speaking the truth, endure that painful exile in the\nforest? O thou of ascetic wealth tell me all this in detail, for, O\nBrahmana, I desire to hear thee narrate the history of those heroes\npossessed of abundant prowess and lustre. Truly my curiosity is great.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Thus defeated at dice and incensed by the wicked\nsons of Dhritarashtra and their counsellors, the sons of Pritha set out\nfrom Hastinapura. And issuing through Vardhamana gate of the city, the\nPandavas bearing their weapons and accompanied by Draupadi set out in a\nnorthernly direction. Indrasena and others, with servants numbering\naltogether fourteen, with their wives, followed them on swift cars. And\nthe citizens learning of their departure became overwhelmed with sorrow,\nand began to censure Bhishma and Vidura and Drona and Gautama. And having\nmet together they thus addressed one another fearlessly.\n\n'Alas, our families, we ourselves, and our homes are all gone, when the\nwicked Duryodhana, backed by the son of Suvala, by Karna and Dussasana,\naspireth to this kingdom. And, Oh, our families, our (ancestral) usages,\nour virtue and prosperity, are all doomed where this sinful wretch\nsupported by wretches as sinful aspireth to the kingdom! And, Oh, how can\nhappiness be there where these are not! Duryodhana beareth malice towards\nall superiors, hath taken leave of good conduct, and quarreleth with\nthose that are near to him in blood. Covetous and vain and mean, he is\ncruel by nature. The whole earth is doomed when Duryodhana becometh its\nruler. Thither, therefore, let us proceed whither the merciful and\nhigh-minded sons of Pandu with passions under control and victorious over\nfoes, and possessed of modesty and renown, and devoted to pious\npractices, repair!'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'And saying this, the citizens went after the\nPandavas, and having met them, they all, with joined hands, thus\naddressed the sons of Kunti and Madri.\n\n'Blest be ye! Where will ye go, leaving us in grief? We will follow you\nwhithersoever ye will go! Surely have we been distressed upon learning\nthat ye have been deceitfully vanquished by relentless enemies! It\nbehoveth you not to forsake us that are your loving subjects and devoted\nfriends always seeking your welfare and employed in doing what is\nagreeable to you! We desire not to be overwhelmed in certain destruction\nliving in the dominions of the Kuru king. Ye bulls among men, listen as\nwe indicate the merits and demerits springing respectively from\nassociation with what is good and bad! As cloth, water, the ground, and\nsesame seeds are perfumed by association with flowers, even so are\nqualities ever the product of association. Verily association with fools\nproduceth an illusion that entangleth the mind, as daily communion with\nthe good and the wise leadeth to the practice of virtue. Therefore, they\nthat desire emancipation should associate with those that are wise and\nold and honest and pure in conduct and possessed of ascetic merit. They\nshould be waited upon whose triple possessions, viz., knowledge (of the\nVedas), origin and acts, are all pure, and association with them is even\nsuperior to (the study of the) scriptures. Devoid of the religious acts\nas we are, we shall yet reap religious merit by association with the\nrighteous, as we should come by sin by waiting upon the sinful. The very\nsight and touch of the dishonest, and converse and association with them;\ncause diminution of virtue, and men (that are doomed to these), never\nattain purity of mind. Association with the base impaireth the\nunderstanding, as, indeed, with the indifferent maketh it indifferent,\nwhile communion with the good ever exalteth it. All those attributes\nwhich are spoken of in the world as the sources of religious merit, of\nworldly prosperity and sensual pleasures, which are regarded by the\npeople, extolled in the Vedas, and approved by the well-behaved, exist in\nyou, separately and jointly! Therefore, desirous of our own welfare, we\nwish to live amongst you who possess those attributes!\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'Blessed are we since the people with the Brahmanas\nat their head, moved by affection and compassion credit us with merits we\nhave not. I, however, with my brothers, would ask all of you to do one\nthing. Ye should not, through affection and pity for us, act otherwise!\nOur grandfather Bhishma, the king (Dhritarashtra), Vidura, my mother and\nmost of my well-wishers, are all in the city of Hastinapura. Therefore,\nif ye are minded to seek our welfare, cherish ye them with care, uniting\ntogether as they are overwhelmed with sorrow and afflictions. Grieved at\nour departure, ye have come far! Go ye back, and let your hearts be\ndirected with tenderness towards the relatives I entrust to you as\npledges! This, of all others, is the one act upon which my heart is set,\nand by doing this ye would give me great satisfaction and pay me your\nbest regards!\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus exhorted by Yudhishthira the just, the\npeople in a body set up a loud wail exclaiming,--Alas, O king! And\nafflicted and overwhelmed with sorrow on remembering the virtues of\nPritha's son, they unwillingly retraced their steps asking leave of the\nPandavas.\n\n'The citizens having ceased to follow, the Pandavas ascended their cars,\nand setting out reached (the site of) the mighty banian tree called\nPramana on the banks of the Ganges. And reaching the site of the banian\ntree about the close of the day, the heroic sons of Pandu purified\nthemselves by touching the sacred water, and passed the night there. And\nafflicted with woe they spent that night taking water alone as their sole\nsustenance. Certain Brahmanas belonging to both classes, viz., those that\nmaintained the sacrificial fire and those that maintained it not, who\nhad, with their disciples and relatives, out of affection followed the\nPandavas thither also passed the night with them. And surrounded by those\nutterers of Brahma, the king shone resplendent in their midst. And that\nevening, at once beautiful and terrible, those Brahmanas having lighted\ntheir (sacred) fires, began to chant the Vedas and hold mutual converse.\nAnd those foremost of Brahmanas, with swan-sweet voices spent the night,\ncomforting that best of Kurus--the king.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION II\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'When that night passed away and day broke in, those\nBrahmamas who supported themselves by mendicancy, stood before the\nPandavas of exalted deeds, who were about to enter the forest. Then king\nYudhishthira, the son of Kunti, addressed them, saying, \"Robbed of our\nprosperity and kingdom, robbed of everything, we are about to enter the\ndeep woods in sorrow, depending for our food on fruits and roots, and the\nproduce of the chase. The forest too is full of dangers, and abounds with\nreptiles and beasts of prey. It appeareth to me that ye will certainly\nhave to suffer much privation and misery there. The sufferings of the\nBrahmanas might overpower even the gods. That they would overwhelm me is\ntoo certain. Therefore, O Brahmana, go ye back whithersoever ye list!'\n\n\"The Brahmanas replied, 'O king, our path is even that on which ye are\nfor setting out! It behoveth thee not, therefore, to forsake us who are\nthy devoted admirers practising the true religion! The very gods have\ncompassion upon their worshippers,--specially upon Brahmanas of regulated\nlives!'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'We regenerate ones, I too am devoted to the\nBrahmanas! But this destitution that hath overtaken me overwhelmed me\nwith confusion! These my brothers that are to procure fruits and roots\nand the deer (of the forest) are stupefied with grief arising from their\nafflictions and on account of the distress of Draupadi and the loss of\nour kingdom! Alas, as they are distressed, I cannot employ them in\npainful tasks!'\n\n\"The Brahmanas said, 'Let no anxiety, O king, in respect of our\nmaintenance, find a place in thy heart! Ourselves providing our own food,\nwe shall follow thee, and by meditation and saying our prayers we shall\ncompass thy welfare while by pleasant converse we shall entertain thee\nand be cheered ourselves.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'Without doubt, it must be as ye say, for I am ever\npleased with the company of the regenerate ones! But my fallen condition\nmaketh me behold in myself an object of reproach! How shall I behold you\nall, that do not deserve to bear trouble, out of love for me painfully\nsubsisting upon food procured by your own toil? Oh, fie upon the wicked\nsons of Dhritarashtra!'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued. 'Saying this, the weeping king sat himself down\nupon the ground. Then a learned Brahmana, Saunaka by name versed in\nself-knowledge and skilled in the Sankhya system of yoga, addressed the\nking, saying, 'Causes of grief by thousands, and causes of fear by\nhundreds, day after day, overwhelm the ignorant but not the wise. Surely,\nsensible men like thee never suffer themselves to be deluded by acts that\nare opposed to true knowledge, fraught with every kind of evil, and\ndestructive of salvation. O king, in thee dwelleth that understanding\nfurnished with the eight attributes which is said to be capable of\nproviding against all evils and which resulteth from a study of the Sruti\n(Vedas) and scriptures! And men like unto thee are never stupefied, on\nthe accession of poverty or an affliction overtaking their friends,\nthrough bodily or mental uneasiness! Listen, I shall tell the slokas\nwhich were chanted of old by the illustrious Janaka touching the subject\nof controlling the self! This world is afflicted with both bodily and\nmental suffering. Listen now to the means of allaying it as I indicate\nthem both briefly and in detail. Disease, contact with painful things,\ntoil and want of objects desired.--these are the four causes that induce\nbodily suffering. And as regards disease, it may be allayed by the\napplication of medicine, while mental ailments are cured by seeking to\nforget them yoga-meditation. For this reason, sensible physicians first\nseek to allay the mental sufferings of their patients by agreeable\nconverse and the offer of desirable objects And as a hot iron bar thrust\ninto a jar maketh the water therein hot, even so doth mental grief bring\non bodily agony. And as water quencheth fire, so doth true knowledge\nallay mental disquietude. And the mind attaining ease, the body findeth\nease also. It seemeth that affection is the root of all mental sorrow. It\nis affection that maketh every creature miserable and bringeth on every\nkind of woe. Verily affection is the root of all misery and of all fear,\nof joy and grief of every kind of pain. From affection spring all\npurposes, and it is from affection that spring the love of worldly goods!\nBoth of these (latter) are sources of evil, though the first (our\npurposes) is worse than the second. And as (a small portion of) fire\nthrust into the hollow of a tree consumeth the tree itself to its roots,\neven so affection, ever so little, destroyeth both virtue and profit. He\ncannot be regarded to have renounced the world who hath merely withdrawn\nfrom worldly possessions. He, however, who though in actual contact with\nthe world regardeth its faults, may be said to have truly renounced the\nworld. Freed from every evil passion, soul dependent on nothing with such\na one hath truly renounced the world. Therefore, should no one seek to\nplace his affections on either friends or the wealth he hath earned. And\nso should affection for one's own person be extinguished by knowledge.\nLike the lotus-leaf that is never drenched by water, the souls of men\ncapable of distinguishing between the ephemeral and the everlasting, of\nmen devoted to the pursuit of the eternal, conversant with the scriptures\nand purified by knowledge, can never be moved by affection. The man that\nis influenced by affection is tortured by desire; and from the desire\nthat springeth up in his heart his thirst for worldly possessions\nincreaseth. Verily, this thirst is sinful and is regarded as the source\nof all anxieties. It is this terrible thirst, fraught with sin that\nleaneth unto unrighteous acts. Those find happiness that can renounce\nthis thirst, which can never be renounced by the wicked, which decayeth\nnot with the decay of the body, and which is truly a fatal disease! It\nhath neither beginning nor end. Dwelling within the heart, it destroyeth\ncreatures, like a fire of incorporeal origin. And as a faggot of wood is\nconsumed by the fire that is fed by itself, even so doth a person of\nimpure soul find destruction from the covetousness born of his heart. And\nas creatures endued with life have ever a dread of death, so men of\nwealth are in constant apprehension of the king and the thief, of water\nand fire and even of their relatives. And as a morsel of meat, if in air,\nmay be devoured by birds; if on ground by beasts of prey; and if in water\nby the fishes; even so is the man of wealth exposed to dangers wherever\nhe may be. To many the wealth they own is their bane, and he that\nbeholding happiness in wealth becometh wedded to it, knoweth not true\nhappiness. And hence accession of wealth is viewed as that which\nincreaseth covetousness and folly. Wealth alone is the root of\nniggardliness and boastfulness, pride and fear and anxiety! These are the\nmiseries of men that the wise see in riches! Men undergo infinite\nmiseries in the acquisition and retention of wealth. Its expenditure also\nis fraught with grief. Nay, sometimes, life itself is lost for the sake\nof wealth! The abandonment of wealth produces misery, and even they that\nare cherished by one's wealth become enemies for the sake of that wealth!\nWhen, therefore, the possession of wealth is fraught with such misery,\none should not mind its loss. It is the ignorant alone who are\ndiscontented. The wise, however, are always content. The thirst of wealth\ncan never be assuaged. Contentment is the highest happiness; therefore,\nit is, that the wise regard contentment as the highest object of pursuit.\nThe wise knowing the instability of youth and beauty, of life and\ntreasure-hoards, of prosperity and the company of the loved ones, never\ncovet them. Therefore, one should refrain from the acquisition of wealth,\nbearing the pain incident to it. None that is rich free from trouble, and\nit is for this that the virtuous applaud them that are free from the\ndesire of wealth. And as regards those that pursue wealth for purposes of\nvirtue, it is better for them to refrain altogether from such pursuit,\nfor, surely, it is better not to touch mire at all than to wash it off\nafter having been besmeared with it. And, O Yudhishthira, it behoveth\nthee not to covet anything! And if thou wouldst have virtue, emancipate\nthyself from desire of worldly possessions!'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'O Brahmana, this my desire of wealth is not for\nenjoying it when obtained. It is only for the support of the Brahmanas\nthat I desire it and not because I am actuated by avarice! For what\npurpose, O Brahmana, doth one like us lead a domestic life, if he cannot\ncherish and support those that follow him? All creatures are seen to\ndivide the food (they procure) amongst those that depend on them.[1] So\nshould a person leading a domestic life give a share of his food to Yatis\nand Brahmacharins that have renounced cooking for themselves. The houses\nof the good men can never be in want of grass (for seat), space (for\nrest), water (to wash and assuage thirst), and fourthly, sweet words. To\nthe weary a bed,--to one fatigued with standing, a seat,--to the thirsty,\nwater,--and to the hungry, food should ever be given. To a guest are due\npleasant looks and a cheerful heart and sweet words. The host, rising up,\nshould advance towards the guest, offer him a seat, and duly worship him.\nEven this is eternal morality. They that perform not the Agnihotra[2] not\nwait upon bulls, nor cherish their kinsmen and guests and friends and\nsons and wives and servants, are consumed with sin for such neglect. None\nshould cook his food for himself alone and none should slay an animal\nwithout dedicating it to the gods, the pitris, and guests. Nor should one\neat of that food which hath not been duly dedicated to the gods and\npitris. By scattering food on the earth, morning and evening, for (the\nbehoof of) dogs and Chandalas and birds, should a person perform the\nViswedeva sacrifice.[3] He that eateth the Vighasa, is regarded as eating\nambrosia. What remaineth in a sacrifice after dedication to the gods and\nthe pitris is regarded as ambrosia; and what remaineth after feeding the\nguest is called Vighasa and is equivalent to ambrosia itself. Feeding a\nguest is equivalent to a sacrifice, and the pleasant looks the host\ncasteth upon the guest, the attention he devoteth to him, the sweet words\nin which he addresseth him, the respect he payeth by following him, and\nthe food and drink with which he treateth him, are the five Dakshinas[4]\nin that sacrifice. He who giveth without stint food to a fatigued\nwayfarer never seen before, obtaineth merit that is great, and he who\nleading a domestic life, followeth such practices, acquireth religious\nmerit that is said to be very great. O Brahmana, what is thy opinion on\nthis?\"\n\n\"Saunaka said, 'Alas, this world is full of contradictions! That which\nshameth the good, gratifieth the wicked! Alas, moved by ignorance and\npassion and slaves of their own senses, even fools perform many acts of\n(apparent merit) to gratify in after-life their appetites! With eyes open\nare these men led astray by their seducing senses, even as a charioteer,\nwho hath lost his senses, by restive and wicked steeds! When any of the\nsix senses findeth its particular object, the desire springeth up in the\nheart to enjoy that particular object. And thus when one's heart\nproceedeth to enjoy the objects of any particular sense a wish is\nentertained which in its turn giveth birth to a resolve. And finally,\nlike unto an insect falling into a flame from love of light, the man\nfalleth into the fire of temptation, pierced by the shafts of the object\nof enjoyment discharged by the desire constituting the seed of the\nresolve! And thenceforth blinded by sensual pleasure which he seeketh\nwithout stint, and steeped in dark ignorance and folly which he mistaketh\nfor a state of happiness, he knoweth not himself! And like unto a wheel\nthat is incessantly rolling, every creature, from ignorance and deed and\ndesire, falleth into various states in this world, wandering from one\nbirth to another, and rangeth the entire circle of existences from a\nBrahma to the point of a blade of grass, now in water, now on land, and\nnow against in the air!\n\n'This then is the career of those that are without knowledge. Listen now\nto the course of the wise they that are intent on profitable virtue, and\nare desirous of emancipation! The Vedas enjoin act but renounce (interest\nin) action. Therefore, shouldst thou act, renouncing Abhimana,[5]\nperformance of sacrifices, study (of the Vedas), gifts, penance, truth\n(in both speech and act), forgiveness, subduing the senses, and\nrenunciation of desire,--these have been declared to be the eight\n(cardinal) duties constituting the true path. Of these, the four first\npave the way to the world of the pitris. And these should be practised\nwithout Abhimana. The four last are always observed by the pious, to\nattain the heaven of the gods. And the pure in spirit should ever follow\nthese eight paths. Those who wish to subdue the world for purpose of\nsalvation, should ever act fully renouncing motives, effectually subduing\ntheir senses, rigidly observing particular vows, devotedly serving their\npreceptors, austerely regulating their fare, diligently studying the\nVedas, renouncing action as mean and restraining their hearts. By\nrenouncing desire and aversion the gods have attained prosperity. It is\nby virtue of their wealth of yoga[6] that the Rudras, and the Sadhyas,\nand the Adityas and the Vasus, and the twin Aswins, rule the creatures.\nTherefore, O son of Kunti, like unto them, do thou, O Bharata, entirely\nrefraining from action with motive, strive to attain success in yoga and\nby ascetic austerities. Thou hast already achieved such success so far as\nthy debts to thy ancestors, both male and female concerned, and that\nsuccess also which is derived from action (sacrifices). Do thou, for\nserving the regenerate ones endeavour to attain success in penances.\nThose that are crowned with ascetic success, can, by virtue of that\nsuccess, do whatever they list; do thou, therefore, practising asceticism\nrealise all thy wishes.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION III\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Yudhishthira the son of Kunti, thus addressed by\nSaunaka, approached his priest and in the midst of his brothers said,\n'The Brahmanas versed in the Vedas are following me who am departing for\nthe forest. Afflicted with many calamities I am unable to support them. I\ncannot abandon them, nor have I the power to offer them sustenance: Tell\nme, O holy one, what should be done by me in such a pass.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'After reflecting for a moment seeking to find out\nthe (proper) course by his yoga powers, Dhaumya, that foremost of all\nvirtuous men, addressed Yudhishthira, in these words, 'In days of old,\nall living beings that had been created were sorely afflicted with\nhunger. And like a father (unto all of them), Savita (the sun) took\ncompassion upon them. And going first into the northern declension, the\nsun drew up water by his rays, and coming back to the southern\ndeclension, stayed over the earth, with his heat centered in himself. And\nwhile the sun so stayed over the earth, the lord of the vegetable world\n(the moon), converting the effects of the solar heat (vapours) into\nclouds and pouring them down in the shape of water, caused plants to\nspring up. Thus it is the sun himself, who, drenched by the lunar\ninfluence, is transformed, upon the sprouting of seeds, into holy\nvegetable furnished with the six tastes. And it is these which constitute\nthe food of all creatures upon the earth. Thus the food that supporteth\nthe lives of creatures is instinct with solar energy, and the sun is,\ntherefore, the father of all creatures. Do thou, hence, O Yudhishthira,\ntake refuge even in him. All illustrious monarchs of pure descent and\ndeeds are known to have delivered their people by practising high\nasceticism. The great Karttavirya, and Vainya and Nahusha, had all, by\nvirtue of ascetic meditation preceded by vows, delivered their people\nfrom heavy afflictions. Therefore, O virtuous one, as thou art purified\nby the acts do thou likewise, entering upon a file of austerities. O\nBharata, virtuously support the regenerate ones.'\n\n\"Janamejaya said, 'How did that bull among the Kurus, king Yudhishthira,\nfor the sake of the Brahmanas adore the sun of wonderful appearance?\"\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Listen attentively, O king, purifying thyself and\nwithdrawing thy mind from every other thing. And, O king of kings,\nappoint thou a time. I will tell thee everything in detail, And, O\nillustrious one, listen to the one hundred and eight names (of the sun)\nas they were disclosed of old by Dhaumya to the high-souled son of\nPritha. Dhaumya said, 'Surya, Aryaman, Bhaga, Twastri, Pusha, Arka,\nSavitri. Ravi,\n\nGabhastimat, Aja, Kala, Mrityu, Dhatri, Prabhakara, Prithibi, Apa, Teja,\nKha, Vayu, the sole stay, Soma, Vrihaspati, Sukra, Budha, Angaraka,\nIndra, Vivaswat, Diptanshu, Suchi, Sauri, Sanaichara, Brahma, Vishnu,\nRudra, Skanda, Vaisravana, Yama, Vaidyutagni, Jatharagni, Aindhna,\nTejasampati, Dharmadhwaja, Veda-karttri, Vedanga, Vedavahana, Krita,\nTreta, Dwapara, Kali, full of every impurity, Kala, Kastha, Muhurtta,\nKshapa, Yama, and Kshana; Samvatsara-kara, Aswattha, Kalachakra,\nBibhavasu, Purusha, Saswata, Yogin, Vyaktavyakta, Sanatana, Kaladhyaksha,\nPrajadhyaksha, Viswakarma, Tamounda, Varuna, Sagara, Ansu, Jimuta,\nJivana, Arihan, Bhutasraya, Bhutapati, Srastri, Samvartaka, Vanhi,\nSarvadi, Alolupa, Ananta, Kapila, Bhanu, Kamada, Sarvatomukha, Jaya,\nVisala, Varada, Manas, Suparna, Bhutadi, Sighraga, Prandharana,\nDhanwantari, Dhumaketu, Adideva, Aditisuta, Dwadasatman, Aravindaksha,\nPitri, Matri, Pitamaha, Swarga-dwara, Prajadwara, Mokshadwara,\nTripistapa, Dehakarti, Prasantatman, Viswatman, Viswatomukha,\nCharacharatman, Sukhsmatman, the merciful Maitreya. These are the hundred\nand eight names of Surya of immeasurable energy, as told by the\nself-create (Brahma). For the acquisition of prosperity, I bow down to\nthee, O Bhaskara, blazing like unto gold or fire, who is worshipped of\nthe gods and the Pitris and the Yakshas, and who is adored by Asuras,\nNisacharas, and Siddhas. He that with fixed attention reciteth this hymn\nat sunrise, obtaineth wife and offspring and riches and the memory of his\nformer existence, and by reciting this hymn a person attaineth patience\nand memory. Let a man concentrating his mind, recite this hymn. By doing\nso, he shall be proof against grief and forest-fire and ocean and every\nobject of desire shall be his.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Having heard from Dhaumya these words suitable\nto the occasion, Yudhishthira the just, with heart concentrated within\nitself and purifying it duly, became engaged in austere meditation, moved\nby the desire of supporting the Brahmanas. And worshipping the maker of\nday with offerings of flowers and other articles, the king performed his\nablutions. And standing in the stream, he turned his face towards the god\nof day. And touching the water of the Ganges the virtuous Yudhishthira\nwith senses under complete control and depending upon air alone for his\nsustenance, stood there with rapt soul engaged in pranayama.[7] And\nhaving purified himself and restrained his speech, he began to sing the\nhymn of praise (to the sun).'\n\n'Yudhishthira said, \"Thou art, O sun, the eye of the universe. Thou art\nthe soul of all corporeal existences. Thou art the origin of all things.\nThou art the embodiment of the acts of all religious men. Thou art the\nrefuge of those versed in the Sankhya philosophy (the mysteries of the\nsoul), and thou art the support of the Yogins. Thou art a door unfastened\nwith bolts. Thou art the refuge of those wishing for emancipation. Thou\nsustainest and discoverest the world, and sanctifiest and supportest it\nfrom pure compassion. Brahmanas versed in the Vedas appearing before\nthee, adore thee in due time, reciting the hymns from the respective\nbranches (of the Vedas) they refer. Thou art the adored of the Rishis.\nThe Siddhas, and the Charanas and the Gandharvas and the Yakshas, and the\nGuhyakas, and the Nagas, desirous of obtaining boons follow thy car\ncoursing through the skies. The thirty-three gods[8] with Upendra\n(Vishnu) and Mahendra, and the order of Vaimanikas[9] have attained\nsuccess by worshipping thee. By offering thee garlands of the celestial\nMandaras[10] the best of the Vidyadharas have obtained all their desires.\nThe Guhyas and the seven orders of the Pitris--both divine and\nhuman--have attained superiority by adoring thee alone. The Vasus, the\nManilas, and the Rudras, the Sadhyas, the Marichipas, the Valikhilyas,\nand the Siddhas, have attained pre-eminence by bowing down unto thee.\nThere is nothing that I know in the entire seven worlds, including that\nof Brahma which is beyond thee. There are other beings both great and\nendued with energy; but none of them hath thy lustre and energy. All\nlight is in thee, indeed, thou art the lord of all light. In thee are the\n(five) elements and all intelligence, and knowledge and asceticism and\nthe ascetic properties.[11] The discus by which the wielder of the\nSaranga[12] humbleth the pride of Asuras and which is furnished with a\nbeautiful nave, was forged by Viswakarman with thy energy. In summer thou\ndrawest, by thy rays, moisture from all corporeal existences and plants\nand liquid substances, and pourest it down in the rainy season. Thy rays\nwarm and scorch, and becoming as clouds roar and flash with lightning and\npour down showers when the season cometh. Neither fire nor shelter, nor\nwoolen cloths give greater comfort to one suffering from chilling blasts\nthan thy rays. Thou illuminest by thy rays the whole Earth with her\nthirteen islands. Thou alone are engaged in the welfare of the three\nworlds. If thou dost not rise, the universe becometh blind and the\nlearned cannot employ themselves in the attainment of virtue, wealth and\nprofit. It is through thy grace that the (three) orders of Brahmanas,\nKshatriyas and Vaisyas are able to perform their various duties and\nsacrifices.[13] Those versed in chronology say that thou art the\nbeginning and thou the end of a day of Brahma, which consisteth of a full\nthousand Yugas. Thou art the lord of Manus and of the sons of the Manus,\nof the universe and of man, of the Manwantaras, and their lords. When the\ntime of universal dissolution cometh, the fire Samvartaka born of thy\nwrath consumeth the three worlds and existeth alone And clouds of various\nhues begotten of thy rays, accompanied by the elephant Airavata and the\nthunderbolt, bring about the appointed deluges. And dividing thyself into\ntwelve parts and becoming as many suns, thou drinkest up the ocean once\nmore with thy rays. Thou art called Indra, thou art Vishnu, thou art\nBrahma, thou art Prajapati. Thou art fire and thou art the subtle mind.\nAnd thou art lord and the eternal Brahma. Thou art Hansa, thou art\nSavitri, thou art Bhanu, Ansumalin, and Vrishakapi. Thou art Vivaswan,\nMihira, Pusha, Mitra, and Dharma. Thou art thousand-rayed, thou art\nAditya, and Tapana, and the lord of rays. Thou art Martanda, and Arka,\nand Ravi, and Surya and Saranya and maker of day, and Divakara and\nSuptasaspti, and Dhumakeshin and Virochana. Thou art spoken of as swift\nof speed and the destroyer of darkness, and the possessor of yellow\nsteeds. He that reverentially adoreth thee on the sixth or the seventh\nlunar day with humility and tranquillity of mind, obtaineth the grace of\nLakshmi. They that with undivided attention adore and worship thee, are\ndelivered from all dangers, agonies, and afflictions. And they that hold\nthat thou art everywhere (being the soul of all things) living long,\nfreed from sin and enjoying an immunity from all diseases. O lord of all\nfood, it behoveth thee to grant food in abundance unto me who am desirous\nof food even for entertaining all my guests with reverence. I bow also to\nall those followers of thine that have taken refuge at thy feet--Mathara\nand Aruna and Danda and others, including Asani and Kshuva and the\nothers. And I bow also to the celestial mothers of all creatures, viz.,\nKshuva and Maitri and the others of the class. O, let them deliver me\ntheir supplient.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Thus, O great king, was the sun that purifier of the\nworld, adored (by Yudhishthira). And pleased with the hymn, the maker of\nday, self-luminous, and blazing like fire showed himself to the son of\nPandu. And Vivaswan said, 'Thou shall obtain all that thou desirest. I\nshall provide thee with food for five and seven years together. And, O\nking, accept this copper-vessel which I give unto thee. And, O thou of\nexcellent vows, as long as Panchali will hold this vessel, without\npartaking of its contents fruits and roots and meat and vegetables cooked\nin thy kitchen, these four kinds of food shall from this day be\ninexhaustible. And, on the fourteenth year from this, thou shall regain\nthy kingdom.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Having said this, the god vanished away. He\nthat, with the desire of obtaining a boon, reciteth this hymn\nconcentrating his mind with ascetic abstraction, obtaineth it from the\nsun, however difficult of acquisition it may be that he asketh for. And\nthe person, male or female, that reciteth or heareth this hymn day after\nday, if he or she desireth for a son, obtaineth one, and if riches,\nobtaineth them, and if learning acquireth that too. And the person male\nor female, that reciteth this hymn every day in the two twilights, if\novertaken by danger, is delivered from it, and if bound, is freed from\nthe bonds. Brahma himself had communicated this hymn to the illustrious\nSakra, and from Sakra was it obtained by Narada and from Narada, by\nDhaumya. And Yudhishthira, obtaining it from Dhaumya, attained all his\nwishes. And it is by virtue of this hymn that one may always obtain\nvictory in war, and acquire immense wealth also. And it leadeth the\nreciter from all sins, to the solar region.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Having obtained the boon, the virtuous son of\nKunti, rising from the water, took hold of Dhaumya's feet and then\nembraced his brother's. And, O exalted one, wending then with Draupadi to\nthe kitchen, and adored by her duly, the son of Pandu set himself to cook\n(their day's) food. And the clean food, however little, that was dressed,\nfurnished with the four tastes, increased and became inexhaustible. And\nwith it Yudhishthira began to feed the regenerate ones. And after the\nBrahmanas had been fed, and his younger brothers also, Yudhishthira\nhimself ate of the food that remained, and which is called Vighasa. And\nafter Yudhishthira had eaten, the daughter of Prishata took what\nremained. And after she had taken her meal, the day's food became\nexhausted.\n\n'And having thus obtained the boon from the maker of day, the son of\nPandu, himself as resplendent as that celestial, began to entertain the\nBrahmanas agreeably to their wishes. And obedient to their priest, the\nsons of Pritha, on auspicious lunar days and constellations and\nconjunctions, performed sacrifices according to the ordinance, the\nscriptures, and the Mantras. After the sacrifices, the sons of Pandu,\nblessed by the auspicious rites performed by Dhaumya and accompanied by\nhim, and surrounded also by the Brahmanas set out for the woods of\nKamyaka.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION IV\n\n\"Vaisampayana said,--\"After the Pandavas had gone to the forest,\nDhritarashtra the son of Amvika, whose knowledge was his eye,[14] became\nexceedingly sorrowful. And seated at his ease the king addressed these\nwords to the virtuous Vidura of profound intelligence, 'Thy understanding\nis as clear as that of Bhargava.[15] Thou knowest also all the subtleties\nor morality, and thou lookest on all the Kauravas with an equal eye. O,\ntell me what is proper for me and them. O Vidura, things having thus\ntaken their course, what should we do now? How may I secure the goodwill\nof the citizens so that they may not destroy us to the roots? O, tell us\nall, since thou art conversant with every excellent expedient.'\n\n\"Vidura said, 'The three-fold purposes, O king (viz., profit, pleasure,\nand salvation), have their foundations in virtue, and the sages say that\na kingdom also standeth on virtue as its basis. Therefore, O monarch,\naccording to the best of thy power, cherish thou virtuously thy own sons\nand those of Pandu. That virtue had been beguiled by wicked souls with\nSuvala's son at their head, when thy sons invited the righteous\nYudhishthira and defeated him in the match at dice. O king, of this deed\nof utter iniquity I behold this expiation whereby, O chief of the Kurus,\nthy son, freed from sin, may win back his position among good men. Let\nthe sons of Pandu, obtain that which was given unto them by thee. For,\nverily, even this is the highest morality that a king should remain\ncontent with his own, and never covet another's possessions. Thy good\nname then would not suffer nor would family dissensions ensue, nor\nunrighteousness be thine. This then is thy prime duty now,--to gratify\nthe Pandavas and disgrace Sakuni. If thou wishest to restore to thy sons\nthe good fortune they have lost, then, O king, do thou speedily adopt\nthis line of conduct. If thou dost not act so, the Kurus will surely meet\nwith destruction, for neither Bhimasena nor Arjuna, if angry, will leave\nany of their foes unslain. What is there in the world which is\nunattainable to those who cannot among their warriors Savyasachin skilled\nin arms; who have the Gandiva, the most powerful of all weapons in the\nworld, for their bow; and who have amongst them the mighty Bhima also as\na warrior? Formerly, as soon as thy son was born, I told thee,--Forsake\nthou this inauspicious child of thine. Herein lieth the good of thy\nrace.--But thou didst not then act accordingly. Nor also, O king, have I\npointed out to thee the way of thy welfare. If thou doest as I have\ncounselled, thou shalt not have to repent afterwards. If thy son consent\nto reign in peace jointly with the sons of Pandu, passing thy days in joy\nthou shalt not have to repent. Should it be otherwise, abandon thou thy\nchild for thy own happiness. Putting Duryodhana aside, do thou install\nthe son of Pandu in the sovereignty, and let, O king, Ajatasatru, free\nfrom passion, rule the earth virtuously. All the kings of the earth,\nthen, like Vaisyas, will, without delay, pay homage unto us. And, O king,\nlet Duryodhana and Sakuni and Karna with alacrity wait upon the Pandavas.\nAnd let Dussasana, in open court, ask forgiveness of Bhimasena and of the\ndaughter of Drupada also. And do thou pacify Yudhishthira by placing him\non the throne with every mark of respect. Asked by thee, what else can I\ncounsel thee to do? By doing this, O monarch, thou wouldst do what was\nproper.'\n\n'Dhritarashtra said, 'These words, O Vidura, then thou hast spoken in\nthis assembly, with reference to the Pandavas and myself, are for their\ngood but not for ours. My mind doth not approve them. How hast thou\nsettled all this in thy mind now? When thou hast spoken all this on\nbehalf of the Pandavas, I perceive that thou art not friendly to me. How\ncan I abandon my son for the sake of the sons of Pandu? Doubtless they\nare my sons, but Duryodhana is sprung from my body. Who then, speaking\nwith impartiality, will ever counsel me to renounce my own body for the\nsake of others? O Vidura, all that thou sayest is crooked, although I\nhold thee in high esteem. Stay or go as thou likest. However much may she\nbe humoured, an unchaste will forsaketh her husband.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, O king, saying this Dhritarashtra rose suddenly and\nwent into the inner apartments. And Vidura, saying 'This race is doomed'\nwent away to where the sons of Pritha were.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION V\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Desirous of living in the forest, those bulls of the\nBharata race, the Pandavas, with their followers, setting out from the\nbanks of the Ganges went to the field of Kurukshetra. And performing\ntheir ablutions in the Saraswati, the Drisadwati and the Yamuna, they\nwent from one forest to another, travelling in an westernly direction.\nAnd at length they saw before them the woods, Kamyaka, the favourite\nhaunt of Munis, situated by a level and wild plain on the banks of the\nSaraswati. And in those woods, O Bharata, abounding in birds and deer,\nthose heroes began to dwell, entertained and comforted by the Munis. And\nVidura always longing to see the Pandavas, went in a single car to the\nKamyaka woods abounding in every good thing. And arriving at Kamyaka on a\ncar drawn by swift steeds, he saw Yudhishthira the just, sitting with\nDraupadi at a retired spot, surrounded by his brothers and the Brahmanas.\nAnd seeing Vidura approach from a distance with swift steps, the virtuous\nking addressed brother, Bhimasena, saying, 'With what message doth\nKshatta come to us? Doth he come hither, despatched by Sakuni, to invite\nus again to a game of dice? Doth the little-minded Sakuni intend to win\nagain our weapons at dice? O Bhimasena, challenged by any one addressing\nme,--Come, I am unable to stay. And if our possession of the Gandiva\nbecomes doubtful, will not the acquisition of our kingdom also be so.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'O king, the Pandavas then rose up and welcomed\nVidura. And received by them, that descendant of the Ajamida line\n(Vidura) sat in their midst and made the usual enquiries. And after\nVidura had rested awhile, those bulls among men asked him the reason of\nhis coming. And Vidura began to relate unto them in detail everything\nconnected with the bearing of Dhritarashtra the son of Amvika.'\n\n\"Vidura said, 'O Ajatasatru, Dhritarashtra called me, his dependant,\nbefore him and honouring me duly said, 'Things have fared thus. Now, do\nthou tell me what is good for the Pandavas as well as for me. I pointed\nout what was beneficial to both the Kauravas and Dhritarashtra. But what\nI said was not relished by him, nor could I hit upon any other course.\nWhat I advised was, O Pandavas, highly beneficial, but the son of Amvika\nheeded me not. Even as medicine recommendeth itself not to one that is\nill, so my words failed to please the king. And, O thou without a foe, as\nall unchaste wile in the family of a man of pure descent cannot be\nbrought back to the path of virtue, so I failed to bring Dhritarashtra\nback. Indeed, as a young damsel doth not like a husband of three score,\neven so Dhritarashtra did not like my words. Surely, destruction will\novertake the Kuru race, surely Dhritarashtra will never acquire good\nfortune. For, as water dropped on a lotus-leaf doth not remain there, my\ncounsels will fail to produce any effect to Dhritarashtra. The incensed\nDhritarashtra told me, O Bharata, go thou thither where thou likest Never\nmore shall I seek thy aid in ruling the earth or my capital,--O best of\nmonarchs, forsaken by king Dhritarashtra, I come to thee for tendering\ngood counsel. What I had said in the open court, I will now repeat unto\nthee. Listen, and bear my words in mind,--that wise man who bearing all\nthe gross wrong heaped upon him by his enemies, patiently bideth his\ntime, and multiplieth his resources \"even as men by degrees turn a small\nfire: into a large one, ruleth alone this entire earth. He that (in\nprosperity) enjoyeth his substance with his adherents findeth in them\nsharers of his adversity,--this is the best means of securing adherents,\nand it is said that he that hath adherents, winneth the sovereignty of\nthe world! And, O Pandava, divided thy prosperity with thy adherents,\nbehave truthfully towards them, and converse with them agreeably! Share\nalso your food with them! And never boast thyself in their presence! This\nbehaviour increaseth the prosperity of kings!'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'Having recourse to such high intelligence,\nundisturbed by passion, I will do as thou counsellest! And whatever else\nthou mayst counsel in respect of time and place, I will carefully follow\nentirely.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION VI\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'O king, after Vidura had gone to the abode of the\nPandavas, Dhritarashtra, O Bharata, of profound wisdom, repented of his\naction. And thinking of the great intelligence of Vidura in matters\nconnected with both war and peace, and also of the aggrandisement of the\nPandavas in the future, Dhritarashtra, pained at the recollection of\nVidura, having approached the door of the hall of state fell down\nsenseless in the presence of the monarchs (in waiting) And regaining\nconsciousness, the king rose from the ground and thus addressed Sanjaya\nstanding by, 'My brother and friend is even like the god of justice\nhimself! Recollecting him today, my heart burneth in grief! Go, bring\nunto me without delay my brother well-versed in morality!' Saying this,\nthe monarch wept bitterly. And burning in repentance, and overwhelmed\nwith sorrow at the recollection of Vidura, the king, from brotherly\naffection, again addressed Sanjaya saying, 'O Sanjaya, go thou and\nascertain whether my brother, expelled by my wretched self through anger,\nliveth still! That wise brother of mine of immeasurable intelligence hath\nnever been guilty of even the slightest transgression, but, on the other\nhand, he it is who hath come by grievous wrong at my hands! Seek him, O\nwise one, and bring him hither; else, O Sanjaya, I will lay down my life!\"\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these words of the king, Sanjaya\nexpressed his approbation, and saying 'So be it,' went in the direction\nof the Kamyaka woods. And arriving without loss of time at the forest\nwhere the sons of Pandu dwelt, he beheld Yudhishthira clad in deer-skin,\nseated with Vidura, in the midst of Brahmanas by thousands and guarded by\nhis brothers, even like Purandara in the midst of the celestials! And\napproaching Yudhishthira, Sanjaya worshipped him duly and was received\nwith due respect by Bhima and Arjuna and the twins. And Yudhishthira made\nthe usual enquiries about his welfare and when he had been seated at his\nease, he disclosed the reason of his visit, in these words, 'King\nDhritarashtra, the son of Amvika, hath, O Kshatta! remembered thee!\nReturning unto him without loss of time, do thou revive the king! And, O\nthou best of men, with the permission of these Kuru princes--these\nforemost of men--it behoveth thee, at the command of that lion among\nkings, to return unto him!\n\nVaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed by Sanjaya, the intelligent\nVidura, ever attached to his relatives, with the permission of\nYudhishthira returned to the city named after the elephant. And after he\nhad approached the king, Dhritarashtra of great energy, the son of\nAmvika, addressed him, saying, 'From my good luck alone, O Vidura, thou,\nO sinless one, of conversant with morality, hast come here remembering\nme! And, O thou bull of the Bharata race, in thy absence I was beholding\nmyself, sleepless through the day and the night, as one that hath been\nlost on earth!' And the king then took Vidura on his lap and smelt his\nhead, and said, 'Forgive me, O sinless one, the words in which thou wert\naddressed by me!' And Vidura said, 'O king, I have forgiven thee. Thou\nart my superior, worthy of the highest reverence! Here am I, having come\nback, eagerly wishing to behold thee! All virtuous men, O tiger among\nmen, are (instinctively) partial towards those that are distressed! This,\nO king, is scarcely the result of deliberation! (My partiality to the\nPandavas proceedeth from this cause)! O Bharata, thy sons are as dear to\nme as the sons of Pandu, but as the latter are now in distress, my heart\nyearneth after them!\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'And addressing each other thus in apologetic\nspeeches, the two illustrious brothers, Vidura and Dhritarashtra, felt\nthemselves greatly happy!'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION VII\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Hearing that Vidura had returned, and that the king\nhad consoled him, the evil-minded son of Dhritarashtra began to burn in\ngrief. His understanding clouded by ignorance, he summoned the son of\nSuvala, and Karna and Dussasana, and addressed them saying, 'The learned\nVidura, the minister of the wise Dhritarashtra, hath returned! The friend\nof the sons of Pandu, he is ever engaged in doing what is beneficial to\nthem. So long as this Vidura doth not succeed in inducing the king to\nbring them back, do ye all think of what may benefit me! If ever I behold\nthe sons of Pritha return to the city, I shall again be emaciated by\nrenouncing food and drink, even though there be no obstacle in my path!\nAnd I shall either take poison or hang myself, either enter the pyre or\nkill myself with my own weapons. But I shall never be able to behold the\nsons of Pandu in prosperity!\n\n\"Sakuni said, 'O king, O lord of the earth, what folly hath taken\npossession of thee! The Pandavas have gone to the forest, having given a\nparticular pledge, so that what thou apprehendest can never take place! O\nbull of the Bharata race, the Pandavas ever abide by the truth. They will\nnever, therefore, accept the words of thy father! If however, accepting\nthe commands of the king, they come back to the capital, violating their\nvow, even this would be our conduct, viz., assuming, an aspect of\nneutrality, and in apparent obedience to the will of the monarch, we will\nclosely watch the Pandavas, keeping our counsels!'\n\n\"Dussasana said, 'O uncle of great intelligence, it is even as thou\nsayest! The words of wisdom thou utterest always recommend themselves to\nme!'\"Karna said, 'O Duryodhana, all of us seek to accomplish thy will\nand, O king, I see that unanimity at present prevaileth among us! The\nsons of Pandu, with passions under complete control, will never return\nwithout passing away the promised period. If, however, they do return\nfrom failing sense, do thou defeat them again at dice.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Thus addressed by Karna, king Duryodhana with\ncheerless heart, averted his face from his counsellors. Marking all this,\nKarna expanding his beautiful eyes, and vehemently gesticulating in\nanger, haughtily addressed Duryodhana and Dussasana and Suvala's son\nsaying, 'Ye princes, know ye my opinion! We are all servants of the king\n(Duryodhana) waiting upon him with joined palms! We should, therefore, do\nwhat is agreeable to him! But we are not always able to seek his welfare\nwith promptness and activity (owing to our dependence on Dhritarashtra)!\nBut let us now, encased in mail and armed with our weapons, mount our\ncars and go in a body to slay the Pandavas now living in the forest!\nAfter the Pandavas have been quieted and after they have gone on the\nunknown journey, both ourselves and the sons of Dhritarashtra will find\npeace! As long as they are in distress, as long as they are in sorrow, as\nlong as they are destitute of help, so long are we a match for them! This\nis my mind!'\n\n'Hearing those words of the charioteer's son, they repeatedly applauded\nhim, and at last exclaimed, 'Very well!' And saying this each of them\nmounted his car, and sanguine of success, they rushed in a body to slay\nthe sons of Pandu. And knowing by his spiritual vision that they had gone\nout, the master Krishna-Dwaipayana of pure soul came upon them, and\ncommanded them to desist. And sending them away, the holy one, worshipped\nby all the worlds, quickly appeared before the king whose intelligence\nserved the purposes of eye-sight, and who was then seated (at his ease).\nAnd the holy one addressed the monarch thus.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION VIII\n\n\"Vyasa said, 'O wise Dhritarashtra, hear what I say! I will tell thee\nthat which is for the great good of all the Kauravas! O thou of mighty\narms, it hath not pleased me that the Pandavas have gone to the forest\ndishonestly defeated (at dice) by Duryodhana and others! O Bharata, on\nthe expiration of the thirteenth year, recollecting all their woes, they\nmay shower death-dealing weapons, even like virulent poison, upon the\nKauravas! Why doth thy sinful son of wicked heart, ever inflamed with\nire, seek to slay the sons of Pandu for the sake of their kingdom? Let\nthe fool be restrained; let thy son remain quiet! In attempting to slay\nthe Pandavas in exile, he will only lose his own life. Thou art as honest\nas the wise Vidura, or Bhishma, or ourselves, or Kripa, or Drona, O thou\nof great wisdom, dissension with one's own kin are forbidden, sinful and\nreprehensible! Therefore, O king, it behoveth thee to desist from such\nacts! And, O Bharata, Duryodhana looketh with such jealousy towards the\nPandavas that great harm would be the consequence, if thou didst not\ninterfere. Or let this wicked son of thine, O monarch, along and\nunaccompanied, himself go to the forest and live with the sons of Pandu.\nFor then, if the Pandavas, from association, feel an attachment for\nDuryodhana, then, O king of men, good fortune may be thine. (This,\nhowever, may not be)! For it hath been heard that one's congenital nature\nleaveth him not till death. But what do Bhishma and Drona and Vidura\nthink? What also dost thou think? That which is beneficial should be done\nwhile there is time, else thy purposes will be unrealised.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION IX\n\n\"Dhritarashtra said, 'O holy one, I did not like this business of\ngambling, but, O Muni, I think, I was made to consent to it drawn by\nfate! Neither Bhishma, nor Drona, nor Vidura, nor Gandhari liked this\ngame at dice. No doubt, it was begot of folly. And, O thou who delightest\nin the observance of vows, O illustrious one, knowing everything yet\ninfluenced by paternal affection, I am unable to cast off my senseless\nson, Duryodhana!'\n\n\"Vyasa said, 'O king, O son of Vichitravirya, what thou sayest is true!\nWe know it well that a son is the best of all things and that there is\nnothing that is so good as a son. Instructed by the tears of Suravi,\nIndra came to know that the son surpasseth in worth other valuable\npossessions. O monarch, I will, in this connection, relate to thee that\nexcellent and best of stories, the conversation between Indra and Suravi.\nIn days of yore, Suravi, the mother of cows was once weeping in the\ncelestial regions. O child, Indra took compassion upon her, and asked\nher, saying, 'O auspicious one! why dost thou weep? Is everything well\nwith the celestials? Hath any misfortune, ever so little, befallen the\nworld of men or serpents?' Suravi replied, 'No evil hath befallen thee\nthat I perceive. But I am aggrieved on account of my son, and it is\ntherefore, O Kausika, that I weep! See, O chief of the celestials, yonder\ncruel husbandman is belabouring my weak son with the wooden stick, and\noppressing him with the (weight of the) plough, in consequence of which\nmy child agitated with agony is falling upon the ground and is at the\npoint of death. At sight of this, O lord of the celestials, I am filled\nwith compassion, and my mind is agitated! The one that is the stronger of\nthe pair is bearing his burthen of greater weight (with ease), but, O\nVasava, the other is lean, and weak and is a mass of veins and arteries!\nHe beareth his burthen with difficulty! And it is for him that I grieve.\nSee, O Vasava, sore inflicted with the whip, and harassed exceedingly, he\nis unable to bear his burthen. And it is for him that, moved by grief, I\nweep in heaviness of heart and these tears of compassion trickle down my\neyes!'\n\n\"Sakra said, 'O fair one, when thousands of thy son are (daily)\noppressed, why dost thou grieve for one under infliction?' Suravi\nreplied. 'Although I have a thousand offspring, yet my affections flow\nequally towards all! But, O Sakra, I feel greater compassion for one that\nis weak and innocent!'\n\n\"Vyasa continued, 'Then Indra having heard these words of Suravi, was\nmuch surprised, and O thou of the Kuru race, he became convinced that a\nson is dearer than one's life! And the illustrious chastiser of Paka\nthereupon suddenly poured there a thick shower and caused obstruction to\nthe husbandman's work. And as Suravi said, thy affections, O king,\nequally flow towards all thy sons. Let them be greater towards those that\nare weak! And as my son Pandu is to me, so art thou, O son, and so also\nVidura of profound wisdom! It is out of affection that I tell you all\nthis! O Bharata, thou art possessed of a hundred and one sons, but Pandu\nhath only five. And they are in a bad plight and passing their days in\nsorrow. How may they save their lives, how may they thrive such thoughts\nregarding the distressed sons of Pritha continually agitate my soul! O\nking of the earth, if thou desirest all the Kauravas to live, let thy son\nDuryodhana make peace with the Pandavas!'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION X\n\n\"Dhritarashtra said, 'O Muni of profound wisdom, it is even as thou\nsayest! I know it well as do all these kings! Indeed, what thou\nconsiderest to be beneficial for the Kurus was pointed out to me, O Muni,\nby Vidura and Bhishma and Drona. And, if I deserve thy favour, and if\nthou hast kindness for the Kurus, do thou exhort my wicked son\nDuryodhana!'\n\n\"Vyasa said, 'O king, after having seen the Pandava brothers, here cometh\nthe holy Rishi Maitreya, with the desire of seeing us. That mighty Rishi,\nO king, will admonish thy son for the welfare of this race. And, O\nKauravya, what he adviseth must be followed undoubtingly, for if what he\nrecommendeth is not done, the sage will curse thy son in anger.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Saying this, Vyasa departed, and Maitreya made\nhis appearance. And the king with his son respectfully received that\nway-worn chief of Munis, with offerings of the Arghya and other rites.\nAnd king Dhritarashtra, the son of Amvika, in words of respect thus\naddressed the sage, 'O holy one, hath journey from the Kuru-jangala been\na pleasant one? Are those heroes, the five Pandavas living happily? Do\nthose bulls of the Kuru race intend to stay out their time? Will the\nbrotherly affection of the Kauravas ever be impaired?'\n\n\"Maitreya said, 'Setting out on a pilgrimage to the different shrines, I\narrived at Kuru-jangala, and there I unexpectedly saw Yudhishthira the\njust in the woods of Kamyaka. And, O exalted one, many Munis had come\nthere to behold the high-souled Yudhishthira, dwelling in an ascetic\nasylum, clad in deer-skin and wearing matted locks. It was there, O king\nof kings, that I heard of the grave error committed by thy sons and the\ncalamity and terrible danger arisen from dice that had overtaken them.\nTherefore, it is that I have come to thee, for the good of the Kauravas,\nsince, O exalted one, my affection is great for thee and I am delighted\nwith thee! O king, it is not fit that thy sons should on any account\nquarrel with one another, thyself and Bhishma living. Thou art, O king,\nthe stake at which bulls are tied (in treading cord), and thou art\ncompetent to punish and reward! Why dost thou overlook then this great\nevil that is about to overtake all? And, O descendant of the Kurus, for\nthose wrongs that have been perpetrated in thy court, which are even like\nthe acts of wretched outcasts, thou art not well-thought amongst the\nascetics!'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then turning to the wrathful prince Duryodhana,\nthe illustrious Rishi Maitreya addressed him in these soft words, 'O\nmighty-armed Duryodhana, O best of all eloquent men, O illustrious one,\ngive heed unto the words I utter for my good! O king, seek not to quarrel\nwith the Pandavas! And, O bull among men, compass thou thy own good as\nalso of the Pandavas, of the Kurus and of the world! All those tigers\namong men are heroes of high prowess in war, gifted with the strength of\nten thousand elephants, with bodies hard as the thunderbolt, holding fast\nby their promises, and proud of their manliness! they have slain the\nenemies of the celestials--those Rakshasas capable of assuming any form\nat will, such as were headed by Hidimva and Kirmira! When those\nhigh-souled ones went from hence that Rakshasa of fierce soul obstructed\ntheir nocturnal path even like an immoveable hill. And even as a tiger\nslayeth a little deer, Bhima, that foremost of all endued with strength,\nand ever delighted in fight, slew that monster. Consider also, O king,\nhow while out on his campaign of conquest, Bhima slew in battle that\nmighty warrior, Jarasandha, possessing the strength of ten thousand\nelephants. Related to Vasudeva and having the sons of king Drupada as\ntheir brothers-in-law, who that is subject to decrepitude and death would\nundertake to cope with them in battle? O bull of the Bharata race, let\nthere be peace between thee and Pandavas! Follow thou my counsels and\nsurrender not thyself to anger!\n\n'O king, thus admonished by Maitreya, Duryodhana began to slap his thigh\nresembling the trunk of the elephant, and smilingly began to scratch the\nground with his foot. And the wicked wretch spake not a word, but hung\ndown his head. And, O monarch, beholding Duryodhana thus offer him a\nslight by scratching the earth silently, Maitreya became angry. And, as\nif commissioned by fate, Maitreya, the best of Munis, overwhelmed by\nwrath, set his mind upon cursing Duryodhana! And then, with eyes red in\nanger, Maitreya, touching water, caused the evil-minded son of\nDhritarashtra, saying, 'Since, slighting me thou declinest to act\naccording to my words, thou shalt speedily reap the fruit of this thy\ninsolence! In the great war which shall spring out of the wrongs\nperpetrated by thee, the mighty Bhima shall smash that thigh of thine\nwith a stroke of his mace!\n\n'When the Muni had spoken so, king Dhritarashtra began to pacify the\nsage, in order that what he had said might not happen. But Maitreya said,\n'O king, if thy son concludeth peace with the Pandavas, this curse of\nmine, O child, will not take effect, otherwise it must be as I have said!'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Desirous of ascertaining the might of Bhima, that\nforemost of kings, the father of Duryodhana, then asked Maitreya, saying,\n'How was Kirmira slain by Bhima?'\n\n\"Maitreya said, 'I shall not speak again unto thee, O king, for my words\nare not regarded by thy son. After I have gone away, Vidura will relate\neverything unto thee!' And saying this, Maitreya went away to the place\nwhence he had come. And Duryodhana also went out perturbed at the tidings\nof Kirmira's death (at the hand of Bhima).'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XI\n\n(Kirmirabadha Parva)\n\n\"Dhritarashtra said, 'O Kshatta, I am desirous to hear of the destruction\nof Kirmira! Do thou tell me how the encounter took place between the\nRakshasa and Bhimasena!'\n\n\"Vidura said, 'Listen to the story of that feat of Bhimasena of super\nhuman achievements! I have often heard of it in course of my conversation\nwith the Pandavas (while I was with them)\n\n'O foremost of kings, defeated at dice the Pandavas departed from hence\nand travelling for three days and nights they at length reached those\nwoods that go by the name of Kamyaka. O king, just after the dreadful\nhour of midnight when all nature is asleep, when man-eating Rakshasas of\nterrible deeds begin to wander, the ascetics and the cowherds and other\nrangers of the forest used to shun the woods of Kamyaka and fly to a\ndistance from fear of cannibals. And, O Bharata, as the Pandavas were at\nthis hour entering those woods a fearful Rakshasa of flaming eyes\nappeared before them with a lighted brand, obstructing their path. And\nwith outstretched arms and terrible face, he stood obstructing the way on\nwhich those perpetuators of the Kuru race were proceeding. With eight\nteeth standing out, with eyes of coppery hue, and with the hair of his\nhead blazing and standing erect, the fiend looked like a mass of clouds\nreflecting the rays of the sun or mingled with lightning flashes and\ngraced with flocks of cranes underneath on their wings. And uttering\nfrightful yells and roaring like a mass of clouds charged with rain, the\nfiend began to spread the illusion proper to his species. Hearing that\nterrible roar, birds along with other creatures that live on land or in\nwater, began to drop down in all directions, uttering cries of fear. And\nin consequence of the deer and the leopards and the buffaloes and the\nbears flying about in all directions, it seemed as if the forest itself\nwas in motion. And swayed by the wind raised by the sighs of the\nRakshasa, creepers growing at a great distance seemed to embrace the\ntrees with their arms of coppery leaves. And at that moment, a violent\nwind began to blow, and the sky became darkened with the dust that\ncovered it. And as grief is the greatest enemy of the object of the five\nsenses, even so appeared before the Pandavas that unknown foe of theirs.\nAnd beholding the Pandavas from a distance clad in black deer-skins, the\nRakshasa obstructed their passage through the forest even like the\nMainaka mountain. And at the sight of him never seen before the\nlotus-eyed Krishna, agitated with fear, closed her eyes. And she whose\nbraids had been dishevelled by the hand of Dussasana, stationed in the\nmidst of the five Pandavas, looked like a stream chafing amid five hills.\nAnd seeing her overwhelmed with fear the five Pandavas supported her as\nthe five senses influenced by desire adhere to the pleasures relating to\ntheir objects. And Dhaumya of great (ascetic) energy, in the presence of\nthe sons of Pandu, destroyed the fearful illusion that had been spread by\nthe Rakshasa, by applying various mantras, calculated to destroy the\nRakshasa. And beholding his illusion dispelled, the mighty Rakshasa of\ncrooked ways, capable of assuming any form at will, expanded his eyes in\nwrath and seemed like death himself. Then king Yudhishthira, endued with\ngreat wisdom, addressed him saying, 'Who art thou, and whose (son)? Tell\nus what we should do for thee.' The Rakshasa thus addressed, answered\nYudhishthira the just, saying, 'I am the brother of Vaka, the celebrated\nKirmira. I live at ease in these deserted woods of Kamyaka, daily\nprocuring my food by vanquishing men in fight. Who are ye that have come\nnear me in the shape of my food? Defeating ye all in fight, I will eat ye\nwith pleasure.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'O Bharata, hearing these words of the wretch,\nYudhishthira announced his own name and lineage, saying, 'I am king\nYudhishthira the just, the son of Pandu, of whom thou mayst have heard.\nDeprived of my kingdom, I have with my brothers Bhimasena and Arjuna and\nthe others, in course of my wanderings, come into this terrible forest\nwhich is thy dominion, desirous of passing my period of exile here!'\n\n\"Vidura continued, 'Kirmira said unto Yudhishthira, 'By good luck it is\nthat fate hath accomplished today my long-accomplished desire! With\nweapons upraised have I been continually ranging the entire earth with\nthe object of slaying Bhima. But Bhima I had found not. By good luck it\nis that slayer of my brother, whom I had been seeking so long, hath come\nbefore me! It was he who in the disguise of a Brahmana slew my dear\nbrother Vaka in the Vetrakiya forest by virtue of his science. He hath\ntruly no strength of arms! It is also this one of wicked soul who\nformerly slew my dear friend Hidimva, living in this forest and ravished\nhis sister! And that fool hath now come into this deep forest of mine,\nwhen the night is half spent, even at the time when we wander about!\nToday I will wreak my long-cherished vengeance upon him, and I will today\ngratify (the manes of) Vaka with his blood in plenty! By slaying this\nenemy of the Rakshasas, I shall today be freed from the debt I owe to my\nfriend and my brother, and thereby attain supreme happiness! If Bhimasena\nwas let free formerly by Vaka, today, I will devour him in thy sight, O\nYudhishthira! And even as Agastya ate up and digested the mighty Asura\n(Vatapi) I will eat up and digest this Bhima!'\n\n\"Vidura continued, 'Thus addressed by the Rakshasa, the virtuous\nYudhishthira, steadfast in his pledges, said, 'It can never be so,--and\nin anger rebuked the Rakshasa.' The mighty-armed Bhima then tore up in\nhaste a tree of the length of ten Vyasas and stripped it of its leaves.\nAnd in the space of a moment the ever-victorious Arjuna stringed his bow\nGandiva possessing the force of the thunderbolt. And, O Bharata, making\nJishnu desist, Bhima approached that Rakshasa still roaring like the\nclouds and said unto him, 'Stay! Stay!' And thus addressing the cannibal,\nand tightening the cloth around his waist, and rubbing his palms, and\nbiting his nether lip with his teeth, and armed with the tree, the\npowerful Bhima rushed towards the foe. And like unto Maghavat hurling his\nthunderbolt, Bhima made that tree, resembling the mace of Yama himself\ndescend with force on the head of the cannibal. The Rakshasa, however,\nwas seen to remain unmoved at that blow, and wavered not in the conflict.\nOn the other hand, he hurled his lighted brand, flaming like lightning,\nat Bhima. But that foremost of warriors turned it off with his left foot\nin such a way that it went back towards the Rakshasa. Then the fierce\nKirmira on his part, all on a sudden uprooting a tree darted to the\nencounter like unto the mace bearing Yama himself. And that fight, so\ndestructive of the trees, looked like the encounter in days of yore\nbetween the brothers Vali and Sugriva for the possession of the same\nwoman. And the trees struck at the heads of the combatants, were broken\ninto shivers, like lotus-stalks thrown on the temples of infuriate\nelephants. And in that great forest, innumerable trees, crushed like unto\nreeds, lay scattered as rags. That encounter with trees between that\nforemost of Rakshasas and that best of men, O thou bull of the Bharata\nrace, lasted but for a moment. Then taking up a crag, the angry Rakshasa\nhurled it at Bhima standing before him, but the latter wavered not. Then\nlike unto Rahu going to devour the sun dispersing his rays with extended\narms, the Rakshasa with out-stretched arms darted towards Bhima, who had\nremained firm under the blow inflicted with the crag. And tugging at and\ngrappling with each other in diverse ways they appeared like two\ninfuriate bulls struggling with each other. Or like unto two mighty\ntigers armed with teeth and claws, the encounter between them waxed\nfierce and hard. And remembering their (late) disgrace at the hands of\nDuryodhana, and proud of the strength of his arms, and conscious also of\nKrishna looking at him, Vrikodara began to swell in vigour. And fried\nwith anger, Bhima seized the Rakshasa with his arms, as one elephant in\nrut seizeth another. And the powerful Rakshasa also in his turn seized\nhis adversary, but Bhimasena that foremost of all men endued with\nstrength, threw the cannibal down with violence. The sounds that in\nconsequence of those mighty combatants pressing each other's hands, were\nfrightful and resembled the sounds of splintering bamboos. And hurling\nthe Rakshasa down, seized him by the waist, and began to whirl him about,\neven as fierce hurricane shaketh a tree. And thus seized by the mighty\nBhima, the fatigued Rakshasa, became faint, and trembling all over, he\nstill pressed the (Pandava) with all his strength. And finding him\nfatigued, Vrikodara, twined his own arms round the foe, even as one\nbindeth a beast with cord. And the monster thereupon began to roar\nfrightfully, as a trumpet out of order. And the mighty Vrikodara for a\nlong while whirled the Rakshasa till the latter appeared to be\ninsensible, and began to move convulsively. And finding the Rakshasa\nexhausted, the son of Pandu without loss of time took him up in his arms,\nand slew him like a beast. And placing his knee on the waist of that\nwretch of Rakshasa, Vrikodara began to press the neck of the foe with his\nhands. Then Bhima, dragging along the earth the bruised body of the\nRakshasa with the eye-lids about to close, said, 'O sinful wretch, thou\nwilt no more have to wipe away the tears of Hidimva or Vaka, for thou too\nart about to go to the mansions of Yama!' And saying this, that foremost\nof men, his heart filled with wrath, beholding the Rakshasa destitute of\nclothing and ornaments, and insensible, and undergoing convulsions, let\nhim dead. And after that Rakshasa of hue like the clouds had been slain,\nthe son of that best of kings (Pandu) praised Bhima for his many\nqualities, and placing Krishna in their front, set out for the Dwaita\nwoods.\"\n\nVidura said, 'It was thus, O lord of men, that Kirmira was slain in\ncombat by Bhima, in obedience, O Kaurava, to the commands of Yudhishthira\nthe just! And having rid the forest of its pest, the victorious\nYudhishthira the just, began to live in that dwelling of theirs, with\nDraupadi. And those bulls of the Bharata race comforting Draupadi began\nto cheerfully extol Bhima with glad hearts. And after the Rakshasa had\nbeen slain, borne down by the might of Bhima's arms, those heroes entered\ninto the peaceful forest freed from its annoyance. Passing through the\ngreat forest I saw lying the body of the wicked and fearless Rakshasa\nslain by Bhima's might. And, O Bharata, there I heard of this achievement\nof Bhima from those Brahmanas who have assembled round the Pandavas.'\n\nVaisampayana continued, 'Hearing the account of the slaughter in combat\nof Kirmira, that foremost of Rakshasas, the king sighed in sorrow and\nbecame absorbed in thought.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XII\n\n(Arjunabhigamana Parva)\n\nVaisampayana said, 'Hearing that the Pandavas had been banished, the\nBhojas, the Vrishnis, and the Andhakas went to those heroes residing in\naffliction in the great forest. And the consanguineous relatives of\nPanchala, and Dhrishtaketu the king of Chedi, and those celebrated and\npowerful brothers--the Kaikeyas, their hearts fired with wrath, went to\nthe forest to see the sons of Pritha. And reproaching the sons of\nDhritarashtra, they said, 'What should we do?' And those bulls of the\nKshatriya race, with Vasudeva at their head, sat themselves down round\nYudhishthira the just. And respectfully saluting that foremost of the\nKurus, Kesava mournfully said, 'The earth shall drink the blood of\nDuryodhana and Karna, of Dussasana and the wicked Sakuni! Slaying these\nin battle and defeating their followers along with their royal allies,\nwill we all install Yudhishthira the just on the throne! The wicked\ndeserve to be slain! Verily, this is eternal morality.'\n\nVaisampayana continued, 'And when on account of the wrongs of Pritha's\nsons, Janardana had thus got into a passion, and seemed bent upon\nconsuming all created things, Arjuna exerted himself to pacify him. And\nbeholding Kesava angry, Falguna began to recite the feats achieved in his\nformer lives by that soul of all things, himself immeasurable, the\neternal one, of infinite energy, the lord of Prajapati himself, the\nsupreme ruler of the worlds, Vishnu of profound wisdom!'\n\n\"Arjuna said, 'In days of old, thou, O Krishna, hadst wandered on the\nGandhamadana mountains for ten thousand years as a Muni having his home\nwhere evening fell! Living upon water alone, thou hadst, in days of old,\nO Krishna, also dwelt for full eleven thousand years by the lake of\nPushkara! And, O slayer of Madhu, with arms upraised and standing on one\nleg, thou hadst passed a hundred years on the high hills of Vadari,[16]\nliving all the while upon air! And leaving aside thy upper garment, with\nbody emaciated and looking like a bundle of veins, thou hadst lived on\nthe banks of the Saraswati, employed in thy sacrifice extending for\ntwelve years! And, O Krishna of mighty energy, in observance of thy vow\nthou hadst stood on one leg for the length of a thousand years of the\ncelestials, on the plains of Prabhasa which it behoveth the virtuous to\nvisit! Vyasa hath told me that thou art the cause of the creation and its\ncourse! And, O Kesava, the lord of Kshetra,[17] thou art the mover of all\nminds, and the beginning and end of all things! All asceticism resteth in\nthee, and thou too art the embodiment of all sacrifices, and the eternal\none! Slaying the Asura Naraka, offspring of the Earth-first begotten,\nthou hadst obtained his ear-rings, and performed, O Krishna, the first\nhorse-sacrifice (offering up that Asura as the sacrificial horse)! And, O\nbull of all the worlds, having performed that feat, thou hast become\nvictorious over all! Thou hadst slain all the Daityas and Danavas\nmustered in battle, and giving the lord of Sachi (Indra) the sovereignty\nof the universe, thou hast, O Kesava of mighty arms, taken thy birth\namong men! O slayer of all foes, having floated on the primordial waters,\nthou subsequently becamest Hari,[18] and Brahma and Surya and Dharma, and\nDhatri and Yama and Anala and Vasu, and Vaisravana, and Rudra, and Kala\nand the firmament the earth, and the ten directions! Thyself increate,\nthou art the lord of the mobile and the immobile universe, the Creator of\nall, O thou foremost of all existences! And, O slayer of Madhu, O thou of\nabundant energy, in the forest of Chitraratha thou didst, O Krishna,\ngratify with thy sacrifice the chief of all the gods, the highest of the\nhigh! O Janardana, at each sacrifice thou didst offer, according to\nshares, gold by hundreds and thousands. And, O son of the Yadava race,\nbecoming the son of Aditi, O exalted one of the supreme attributes, thou\nhast been known as the younger brother of Indra! And, O thou chastiser of\nfoes, even while a child thou didst, O Krishna, in consequence of thy\nenergy, fill by three steps only the heaven, the firmament, and the\nearth! And, O thou soul of all covering the heaven and the firmament\n(while thou wert thus transformed), thou didst dwell in the body of the\nsun and afflict him with thy own splendour! And, O exalted one, in thy\nincarnations on those thousand occasions, thou hadst slain, O Krishna,\nsinful Asuras by hundreds! By destroying the Mauravas and the Pashas, and\nslaying Nisunda and Naraka. Thou hast again rendered safe the road to\nPragjyotisha! Thou hast slain Ahvriti at Jaruthi, and Kratha and Sisupala\nwith his adherents, and Jarasandha and Saivya and Satadhanwan! And on thy\ncar roaring like unto clouds and effulgent like the sun, thou didst\nobtain for thy queen the daughter of Bhoja, defeating Rukmi in battle!\nThou didst in fury slay Indradyumna and the Yavana called Kaseruman! And\nslaying Salwa the lord of Saubha, thou didst destroy that city of Saubha\nitself! These have all been slain in battle; listen to me as I speak of\nothers (also slain by thee)! At Iravati thou hast slain king Bhoja equal\nunto Karttavirya in battle, and both Gopati and Talaketu also have been\nslain by thee! And, O Janardana, thou hast also appropriate unto thyself\nthe sacred city of Dwarka, abounding in wealth and agreeable unto the\nRishi themselves, and thou wilt submerge it at the end within the ocean!\nO slayer of Madhu, how can crookedness be in thee, devoid as thou art, O\nthou of the Dasarha race, of anger and envy and untruth and cruelty? O\nthou who knowest no deterioration, all the Rishis, coming unto thee\nseated in thy glory on the sacrificial ground, seek protection of thee!\nAnd, O slayer of Madhu, thou stayest at the end of the Yuga, contracting\nall things and withdrawing this universe into thy own self, thou\nrepressor of all foes! O thou of the Vrishni race, at the beginning of\nthe Yuga, there sprang from thy lotus-like navel, Brahma himself, and\nlord of all mobile and immobile things, and whose is this entire\nuniverse! When the dreadful Danavas Madhu and Kaitava were bent on\nslaying Brahma, beholding their impious endeavour thou wert angry, and\nfrom thy forehead, O Hari, sprang Sambhu, the holder of the trident. Thus\nthese two foremost of the deities have sprung from thy body in order to\ndo thy work! Even Narada it was who hath told me this! O Narayana, thou\ndidst, in the forest of Chaitraratha, celebrate with plentiful gifts a\ngrand sacrifice consisting of a multitude of rites! O God, O thou of eyes\nlike lotus leaves, the deeds thou hast performed while still a boy,\nhaving recourse to thy might and aided by Baladeva, have never been done\nby others, nor are they capable of being achieved by others in the\nfuture! Thou didst even dwell in Kailasa, accompanied by Brahmanas!'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Having addressed Krishna thus, the illustrious\nPandava, who was the soul of Krishna, became dumb, when Janardana (in\nreply addressed that son of Pritha) saying, 'Thou art mine and I am\nthine, while all that is mine is thine also! He that hateth thee hateth\nme as well, and he that followeth thee followeth me! O thou irrepressible\none, thou art Nara and I am Narayana or Hari! We are the Rishis Nara and\nNarayana born in the world of men for a special purpose. O Partha, thou\nart from me and I am from thee! O bull of the Bharata race, no one can\nunderstand the difference that is between us!'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'When the illustrious Kesava had said so in the\nmidst of that assembly of brave kings, all excited with anger, Panchali\nsurrounded by Dhrishtadyumna and her other heroic brothers, approached\nhim of eyes like lotus leaves seated with his cousins, and, desirous of\nprotection, addressed in angry accents that refuge of all, saying, 'Asita\nand Devala have said that in the matter of the creation of all things,\nthou hast been indicated (by the sages) as the only Prajapati and the\nCreator of all the worlds! And, O irrepressible one, Jamadagnya sayeth\nthat thou art Vishnu, and, O slayer of Madhu, that thou art (embodiment\nof) Sacrifice, Sacrificer and he for whom the sacrifice is performed!\nAnd, O best of male beings, the Rishis indicate thee as Forgiveness and\nTruth! Kasyapa hath said that thou art Sacrifice sprung from Truth! O\nexalted one, Narada calleth thee the god of the Sadhyas, and of the\nSivas, as alone the Creator and the Lord of all things. And, O tiger\namong men, thou repeatedly sportest with the gods including, Brahma and\nSankara and Sakra even as children sporting with their toys! And, O\nexalted one, the firmament is covered by thy head, and the earth by thy\nfeet; these worlds are as thy womb and thou art the Eternal one! With\nRishis sanctified by Vedic lore and asceticism, and whose souls have been\npurified by penance, and who are contented with soul-vision, thou art the\nbest of all objects! And, O chief of all male beings; thou art the refuge\nof all royal sages devoted to virtuous acts, never turning their backs on\nthe field of the battle, and possessed of every accomplishment! Thou art\nthe Lord of all, thou art Omnipresent, thou art the Soul of all things,\nand thou art the active power pervading everything! The rulers of the\nseveral worlds, those worlds themselves, the stellar conjunctions, the\nten points of the horizon, the firmament, the moon, and the sun, are all\nestablished in thee! And, O mighty-armed one, the morality of (earthly)\ncreatures, the immortality of the universe, are established in thee! Thou\nart the Supreme lord of all creatures, celestial or human! Therefore it\nis, O slayer of Madhu, that impelled by the affection thou bearest me\nthat I will relate to thee my griefs! O Krishna, how could one like me,\nthe wife of Pritha's sons, the sister of Dhrishtadyumna, and the friend\nof thee, be dragged to the assembly! Alas, during my season, stained with\nblood, with but a single cloth on, trembling all over, and weeping, I was\ndragged to the court of the Kurus! Beholding me, stained with blood in\nthe presence of those kings in the assembly, the wicked sons of\nDhritarashtra laughed at me! O slayer of Madhu, while the sons of Pandu\nand the Panchalas and the Vrishnis lived, they dared express the desire\nof using me as their slave! O Krishna, I am according to the ordinance,\nthe daughter in-law of both Dhritarashtra and Bhishma! Yet, O slayer of\nMadhu, they wished to make of me a slave by force! I blame the Pandavas\nwho are mighty and foremost in battle, for they saw (without stirring)\ntheir own wedded wife known over all the world, treated with such\ncruelty! Oh, fie on the might of Bhimasena, fie on the Gandiva of Arjuna,\nfor they, O Janardana, both suffered me to be thus disgraced by little\nmen! This eternal course of morality is ever followed by the\nvirtuous--viz., that the husband, however weak, protecteth his wedded\nwife! By protecting the wife one protecteth his offspring and by\nprotecting the offspring one protecteth his own self! One's own self is\nbegotten on one's wife, and therefore it is that the wife is called Jaya.\nA wife also should protect her lord, remembering that he is to take his\nbirth in her womb! The Pandavas never forsake the person that soliciteth\ntheir protection, and yet they abandoned me who solicited it! By my five\nhusbands five sons of exceeding energy have been born of me: Prativindhya\nby Yudhishthira, Sutasoma by Vrikodara, Srutakirti by Arjuna, Satanika by\nNakula and Srutakarman by the youngest, all of them of energy that cannot\nbe baffled. For their sake, O Janardana, it was necessary to protect me!\nEven as (thy son) Pradyumna, they are, O Krishna, mighty warriors all!\nThey are foremost of bowmen, and invincible in battle by any foe! Why do\nthey bear the wrongs inflicted (on me) by the sons of Dhritarashtra of\nsuch contemptible strength? Deprived of their kingdom by deception, the\nPandavas were made bondsmen and I myself was dragged to the assembly\nwhile in my season, and having only a single cloth on! Fie on that\nGandiva which none else can string save Arjuna and Bhima and thyself, O\nslayer of Madhu! Fie on the strength of Bhima, and fie on the prowess of\nArjuna, since, O Krishna, Duryodhana (after what he had done) hath drawn\nbreath even for a moment! He it is, O slayer of Madhu, who formerly drove\nthe guileless Pandavas with their mother from the kingdom, while they\nwere children still engaged in study and the observance of their vows. It\nis that sinful wretch, who, horrible to relate, mixed in Bhima's food\nfresh and virulent poison in full dose. But, O Janardana, Bhima digested\nthat poison with the food, without sustaining any injury, for, O best of\nmen and mighty-armed one, Bhima's days had not been ended! O Krishna, it\nis Duryodhana who at the house standing by the banyan called Pramana\nbound Bhima sleeping unsuspectingly, and casting him into the Ganges\nreturned to the city. But the powerful Bhimasena the son of Kunti,\npossessed of mighty arms, on waking from sleep, tore his bonds and rose\nfrom the water. It is Duryodhana, who caused venomous black-cobras to\nbite all over the body of Bhimasena, but that slayer of foes died not.\nAwaking, the son of Kunti smashed all the serpents and with his left hand\nkilled (the agent, viz.) the favourite charioteer of Duryodhana. Again,\nwhile the children were asleep at Varanavata with their mother, it is he\nwho set fire to the house intending to burn them to death. Who is there\ncapable of doing such an act? It was then that the illustrious Kunti,\novertaken by this calamity, and surrounded by the flames, began to cry\nout in terror, speaking to the children, 'Alas, I am undone! How shall we\nescape from this fire today! Alas, I shall meet with destruction with my\nlittle children!' Then Bhima, possessed of mighty arms, and prowess like\nunto the force of the wind, comforted his illustrious mother as also his\nbrothers, saying, 'Like that king of birds, Garuda, the son of Vinata, I\nwill spring up into the air. We have no fear from this fire'. And then\ntaking his mother on his left flank, and the king in his right, and the\ntwins on each shoulder, and Vivatsu on his back, the mighty Vrikodara,\nthus taking all of them, at one leap cleared the fire and delivered his\nmother and brother from the conflagration. Setting out that night with\ntheir renowned mother, they came near the forest of Hidimva. And while\nfatigued and distressed, they were sleeping fast with her, a Rakshasa\nwoman called Hidimva approached them. Beholding the Pandavas with their\nmother asleep on the ground, influenced by desire she sought to have\nBhimasena for her lord. The weak one then took up Bhima's feet on her lap\nto press them with her soft hands. The mighty Bhima of immeasurable\nenergy, of prowess that could not be baffled, then woke from sleep, and\nasked her, saying, 'O thou of faultless features, what dost thou wish\nhere?' Thus asked by him, the Rakshasa lady of faultless features,\ncapable, besides, of assuming any form at will, replied unto the\nhigh-souled Bhima, saying, 'Do ye speedily fly from this place! My\nbrother gifted with strength will come to slay ye! Therefore speed and\ntarry not!' But Bhima haughtily said, 'I do not fear him! If he cometh\nhere, I will slay him!' Hearing their converse, that vilest of cannibals\ncame to the spot. Of frightful form and dreadful to behold, uttering loud\ncries as he came, the Rakshasa said, 'O Hidimva, with whom dost thou\nconverse? Bring him unto me, I will eat him up. It behoveth thee to tarry\nnot.' But moved by compassion, the Rakshasa lady of faultless features\nand pure heart said nothing out of pity. Then the man-eating monster,\nuttering dreadful cries, rushed at Bhima with great force. And\napproaching him furiously, the mighty cannibal, possessed with rage,\ncaught hold of Bhima's hand with his own and clenching fast his other\nhand and making it hard as the thunder-bolt of Indra, suddenly struck\nBhima a blow that descended with the force of lightning. His hand having\nbeen seized by the Rakshasa, Vrikodara, without being able to brook it,\nflew into a rage. Then a dreadful combat took place between Bhimasena and\nHidimva, both skilled in all weapons and which was like unto the\nencounter of Vasava with Vritra. And, O sinless one, after sporting with\nthe Rakshasa for a long while the powerful Bhima of mighty energy slew\nthe cannibal when the latter had become weak with exertion. Then having\nslain Hidimva, and taking (his sister) Hidimva at their head, of whom was\n(subsequently) born Ghatotkacha, Bhima and his brothers went away. Then\nall those repressors of their foes, accompanied by their mother and\nsurrounded by many Brahmanas proceeded towards Ekachakra. In the matter\nof this their journey, Vyasa ever engaged in their welfare had become\ntheir counsellor. Then arriving at Ekachakra, the Pandavas of rigid vows\nthere also slew a mighty cannibal, Vaka by name, terrible as Hidimva\nhimself. And having slain that fierce cannibal, Bhima that foremost of\nsmiters, went with all his brothers to the capital of Drupada. And, O\nKrishna, as thou hadst acquired Rukmini, the daughter of Bhishmaka, even\nso Savyasachin, while residing there, obtained me! O slayer of Madhu,\nArjuna won me in the Swayamvara, having performed a feat difficult of\nachievement by others and having fought also with the assembled kings!\n\n'Thus, O Krishna, afflicted with numerous griefs, and in great distress,\nam I living, with Dhaumya at our head, but deprived of the company of the\nadorable Kunti! Why do these that are gifted with strength and possessed\nof the prowess of the lion, sit indifferently, beholding me thus\nafflicted by enemies so despicable? Suffering such wrongs at the hands of\nwicked and evil-doing foes of small strength, am I to burn in grief so\nlong? Born I was in a great race, coming into the world in an\nextraordinary way! I am also the beloved wife of the Pandavas, and the\ndaughter-in-law of the illustrious Pandu! The foremost of women and\ndevoted to my husbands, even I, O Krishna, was seized by hair, O slayer\nof Madhu, in the sight of the Pandavas, each of whom is like an Indra\nhimself!\n\n'Saying this the mild-speeched Krishna hid her face with her soft hands\nlike the buds of lotus, and began to weep. And the tears of Panchali\nbegot of grief washed her deep, plump and graceful breasts crowned with\nauspicious marks. And wiping her eyes and sighing frequently she said\nthese words angrily and in a choked voice, 'Husbands, or sons, or\nfriends, or brothers, or father, have I none! Nor have I thee, O thou\nslayer of Madhu, for ye all, beholding me treated so cruelly by inferior\nfoes, sit still unmoved! My grief at Karna's ridicule is incapable of\nbeing assuaged! On these grounds I deserve to be ever protected by thee,\nO Kesava, viz., our relationship, thy respect (for me), our friendship,\nand thy lordship (over me)\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'In that assembly of heroes Vasudeva then spake\nunto the weeping Draupadi as follows, 'O fair lady, the wives of those\nwith whom thou art angry, shall weep even like thee, beholding their\nhusbands dead on the ground, weltering in blood and their bodies covered\nwith the arrows of Vivatsu! Weep not, lady, for I will exert to the\nutmost of my powers for the sons of Pandu! I promise thou shalt (once\nmore) be the queen of kings! The heavens might fall, or the Himavat might\nsplit, the earth might be rent, or the waters of the ocean might dry up,\nbut my words shall never be futile!' Hearing those words of Achyuta in\nreply, Draupadi looked obliquely at her third husband (Arjuna). And, O\nmighty king, Arjuna said unto Draupadi, 'O thou of beautiful coppery\neyes, grieve not! O illustrious one, it shall be even as the slayer of\nMadhu hath said! It can never be otherwise, O beautiful one!'\n\n\"Dhrishtadyumna said, 'I will slay Drona, Sikhandin will slay the\ngrandfather. And Bhimasena will slay Duryodhana, and Dhananjaya will slay\nKarna. And, O sister, assisted by Rama and Krishna, we are invincible in\nbattle by even the slayer himself of Vritra--what are the sons of\nDhritarashtra?'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'After these words had been spoken, all the\nheroes there turned their faces towards Vasudeva, who then in their midst\nbegan to speak as follows.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XIII\n\n\"Vasudeva said, O lord of earth, if I had been present at Dwaraka, then,\nO king, this evil would not have befallen thee! And, O irrepressible one,\ncoming unto the gambling-match, even if uninvited by the son of Amvika\n(Dhritarashtra), or Duryodhana, or by the other Kauravas, I would have\nprevented the game from taking place, by showing its many evils,\nsummoning to my aid Bhishma and Drona and Kripa, and Vahlika! O exalted\none, for thy sake I would have told the son of Vichitravirya--O foremost\nof monarchs, let thy sons have nothing to do with dice!--I would have\nshown the many evils (of dice) through which thou hast fallen into such\ndistress and the son of Virasena was formerly deprived of his kingdom! O\nking, unthought of evils, befall a man from dice! I would have described\nhow a man once engaged in the game continueth to play (from desire of\nvictory). Women, dice, hunting and drinking to which people become\naddicted in consequence of temptation, have been regarded as the four\nevils that deprive a man of prosperity. And those versed in the Sastras\nare of opinion that evils attend upon all these. They also that are\naddicted to dice know all its evils. O thou of mighty arms, appearing\nbefore the son of Amvika, I would have pointed out that through dice men\nin a day lose their possessions, and fall into distress, and are deprived\nof their untasted wealth, and exchange harsh words! O perpetuator of the\nKuru race, I would have pointed out these and other attendant evils! If\nhe had accepted my words thus addressed, the welfare of the Kurus as also\nvirtue itself would both have been secured! And, O foremost of kings, if\nhe had rejected my gentle counsels offered as medicine, then, O best of\nthe Bharata race, I would have compelled him by force! And, if those who\nwait at his court, professing to be his friends but in reality his foes,\nhad supported him, then I would have slain them all, along with those\ngamblers, there present! O Kauravya, it is owing to my absence from the\nAnartta country at that time that thou hast fallen into such distress\nbegot of dice! O thou best of Kurus, O son of Pandu, on arriving at\nDwarka I learnt from Yuyudhana all about thy calamity! And, O foremost of\nkings, directly I heard it with a heart sore agitated by grief, have I\nspeedily come here wishing to see thee, O king! Alas! O bull of the\nBharata race, ye have all fallen into dire distress! I see thee with thy\nbrothers plunged in misfortune!\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XIV\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'O Krishna, why wert thou absent (from the Anartta\ncountry)? And, O descendant of the Vrishni race, while thou wert away,\nwhere didst thou dwell? And what didst thou do while out of thy kingdom?'\n\n\"Krishna said, 'O bull of the Bharata race, I had gone for the purpose of\ndestroying the (arranging) city Salwa. And, O foremost of the Kauravas,\nlisten to the reasons I had for so doing! The heroic son of Damaghosha,\nthe well-known king Sisupala of mighty arms and great energy, was slain\nby me, O best of Bharatas, at thy Rajasuya sacrifice, because that wicked\none could not from anger bear to see the first worship offered to me!\nHearing that he had been slain, Salwa, burning with fierce anger, came to\nDwaraka, while, O Bharata, it was empty, myself being away, residing with\nyou here. And having arrived there on a car made of precious metals and\nhence called the Souva, he had an encounter with the youthful princes of\nthe Vrishni race--those bulls of that line--and fought With them\nmercilessly. And slaughtering many youthful Vrishnis of heroic valour,\nthe wicked one devastated all the gardens of the city. And, O thou of\nmighty arms, he said, 'Where is that wretch of the Vrishni race,\nVasudeva, the evil-souled son of Vasudeva? I will humble in battle the\npride of that person so eager for fight! Tell me truly, O Anarttas! I\nwill go there where he is. And after killing that slayer of Kansa and\nKesi, will I return! By my weapon I swear that I will not return with out\nslaying him!' And exclaiming repeatedly--Where is he? Where is he? the\nlord of Saubha rusheth to this place and that, desirous of encountering\nme in battle? And Salwa also said, 'Impelled by wrath for the destruction\nof Sisupala I shall today send to the mansion of Yama that treacherous\nmiscreant of mean mind?' And, O king, he further said, 'That Janardana\nshall I slay, who, wretch that he is, hath killed my brother who was but\na boy of tender years, and who was slain not on the field of battle,\nunprepared as he was!' Having, O great king, wailed thus, and having, O\nson of the Kuru race, abused me thus, he rose into the sky on his car of\nprecious metals capable of going anywhere at will! On returning (to my\nkingdom) I heard what, O Kaurava, the evil-minded and wicked king of\nMaticka had said regarding myself! And, O descendant of the Kuru race, I\nwas agitated with wrath, and, O king, having reflected upon everything, I\nset my heart upon slaying him! And, learning, O Kauravya, of his\noppression of the Anarttas, of his abuse of myself, and of his excessive\narrogance, I resolved upon the destruction of that wretch! And, O lord of\nearth, I accordingly set out (from my city), for slaying the (lord of)\nthe Saubha. And searching him here and there, I found him in an island in\nthe midst of the ocean! Then, O king, blowing my conch called the\nPanchajanya obtained from the sea, and challenging Salwa to combat, I\nstood for the fight! At that instant, I had an encounter with numerous\nDanavas, all of whom, however, I subdued and prostrated on the ground. O\nmighty-armed one, it was owing to this affair that I could not then come\n(unto thee)! As soon as I heard of the unfair game of dice at Hastinapur,\nI have come here desirous of seeing ye who have been plunged in\ndistress.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XV\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'O illustrious Vasudeva of mighty arms, tell thou in\ndetail of the death of the lord of Saubha. My curiosity hath not been\nappeased by the narration.'\n\n\"Vasudeva said, 'O mighty-armed king, hearing that the son of Srutasravas\n(Sisupala) had been slain by me, Salwa, O best of the Bharata race, came\nto the city of Dwaravati! And, O son of Pandu, the wicked king,\nstationing his forces in array, besieged that city around and above. And\nstationing himself in the upper regions, the king began his fight with\nthe city. And that encounter commenced with a thick shower of weapons\nfrom all sides. And, O bull of the Bharata race, the city at that time\nwas well-fortified on all sides, according to the science (of\nfortification), with pennons, and arches, and combatants, and walls and\nturrets, and engines, and miners, and streets barricaded with spiked\nwood-works and towers and edifices with gate-ways well-filled with\nprovisions, and engines for hurling burning brands and fires, and\nvessels, of deer-skins (for carrying water), and trumpets, tabors, and\ndrums, lances and forks, and Sataghnis, and plough-shares, rockets, balls\nof stone and battle-axes and other weapons and shield embossed with iron,\nand engines for hurling balls and bullets and hot liquids! And the city\nwas also well-defended by numerous cars, and, O tiger among Kurus, by\nGada and Shamva and Uddhava and others, and by warriors of prowess tried\nin battle, all well-born and capable of encountering any foe! And these\nall placing themselves on commanding posts, aided by cavalry and\nstandard-bearers, began to defend the town. And Ugrasena and Uddhava and\nothers, to prevent carelessness, Proclaimed throughout the city that\nnobody should drink. And all the Vrishnis and the Andhakas, well-knowing\nthat they would be slain by Salwa if they behaved carelessly, remained\nsober and watchful. And the police soon drove out of the city all mimes\nand dancers and singers of the Anartta country. And all the bridges over\nrivers were destroyed, and boats forbidden to ply, and the trenches\n(around the city) were spiked with poles at the bottom. And the land\naround the city for full two miles was rendered uneven, and holes and\npits were dug thereon, and combustibles were secreted below the surface.\nOur fort, O sinless one, is naturally strong and always well-defended and\nfilled with all kinds of weapons! And in consequence of the preparations\nmade, our city was more prepared than ever to meet the foe. And, O chief\nof the Bharatas, in consequence of all this, the city looked like that of\nIndra himself. And, O king, at the time of Salwa's approach, nobody could\neither enter or leave the town of the Vrishnis and the Andhakas without\npresenting the sign that had been agreed upon. And all the streets of the\ntown and the open spaces were filled with numerous elephants and horses!\nAnd, O thou of mighty arms, the combatants were all specially gratified\nwith allowances and wages, and rations, and weapons, and dresses! And\namongst the combatants there was none who was not paid in gold, and none\nwho was not paid at all, and none who was not somehow obliged, and none\nwho was not of tried valour! And, O thou of eyes like lotus-leaves, it\nwas thus Dwaraka, abounding in well-ordered arrangements, was defended by\nAhuka (Ugrasena)!'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XVI\n\n\"Vasudeva continued, 'O king of kings, Salwa, the lord of Saubha, came\ntowards our city with an immense force consisting of infantry, cavalry\nand elephants! And the army headed by king Salwa, consisting of four\nkings of forces, occupied a level ground commanding a copious\nwater-supply. And forsaking cemeteries and temples dedicated to the gods,\nand sacred trees, and grounds covered by ant-hills, that host occupied\nevery other place. And the roads (leading to the city) were blocked up by\nthe divisions of the army, and the secret entrances also were all blocked\nup by the enemy's camp. And, O Kauravya, like unto the lord of birds\n(Garuda), the ruler of Saubha rushed towards Dwaraka, bringing with him,\nO bull among men, his host equipped with all kinds of arms, skilled in\nall weapons, consisting of a dense display of cars and elephants and\ncavalry abounding in banners, and well-paid and well-fed foot-soldiers\npossessed of great strength and bearing every mark of heroism and\nfurnished with wonderful chariots and bows. And beholding the army of\nSalwa, the youthful princess of the Vrishni race resolved to encounter it\nsallying out of the city. And, O king, Charudeshna, Samva, and the mighty\nwarrior Pradyumna, O descendant of the Kuru race, sailed out, ascending\non their chariots, and clad in mail, and decked with ornaments, with\ncolours flying, resolved to encounter the mighty and countless host of\nSalwa! And Samva taking up his bows eagerly attacked on the field of\nbattle Kshemavriddhi, the commander of Salwa's forces and his chief\ncounsellor also! And, O thou foremost of Bharatas, the son of Jambavati\nthen began to shower arrows in a continuous stream even as Indra\nshowereth down rain! And, O mighty king, then Kshemavriddhi, the\ncommander of Salwa's forces, bore that shower of arrows, immovable as the\nHimavat! And, O foremost of kings, Kshemavriddhi on his part, discharged\nat Samva mightier volley of shafts, aided by his powers of illusion! And\ndispersing by counter illusion that discharge inspired by illusion, Samva\nshowered on his (adversary's) car a thousand arrows! Then pierced by the\nshafts on Samva and overwhelmed there with Kshemavriddhi, the commander\nof the hostile host, left the field by the help of his fleet-steed! And\nwhen the wicked general of Salwa had left the field, a mighty Daitya\ncalled Vegavat rushed at my son! And, O best of monarchs, thus attacked,\nthe heroic Samva, the perpetuator of the Vrishni race, bore that onset of\nVegavat, keeping his ground. And, O son of Kunti, the heroic Samva, of\nprowess incapable of being baffled, whirling a quickly-going mace, hurled\nit speedily at Vegavat! And, O king, struck with that mace, Vegavat fell\ndown on the ground, like a weather-beaten and faded lord of the forest of\ndecayed roots! And on that heroic Asura of mighty energy, being slain\nwith the mace, my son entered within that mighty host and began to fight\nwith all. And, O great king, a well-known Danava named Vivindhya, a\nmighty warrior wielding a large and powerful bow, encountered\nCharudeshna! And, O monarch, the encounter between Charudeshna and\nVivindhya was as fierce as that in days of yore between Vritra and\nVasava! And enraged with each other the combatants pierced each other\nwith their arrows, uttering loud roars like unto two powerful lions! Then\nthe son of Rukmini fixed on his bow-string a mighty weapon possessing the\nsplendour of fire or the sun, and capable of destroying all foes, having\nfirst vivified it with incantations! Then, O monarch, that mighty warrior\nmy son, fired with wrath, challenged Vivindhya and discharged the weapon\nat him. And the Danava struck with that weapon, fell down on the ground a\nlifeless corpse! And beholding Vivindhya slain, and the whole host waver,\nSalwa advanced again on his beautiful car capable of going everywhere.\nAnd, O king of mighty arms, beholding Salwa on that beautiful car of his,\nthe combatants of Dwaraka wavered with fear! But, O thou of the Kuru\nrace, Pradyumna sailed out, and, O great king, bidding the Anarttas be of\ngood cheer, said, 'Waver ye not, and staying behold me fight I Even I\nshall, by force, repell that car with Salwa on it! Ye Yadavas, this day,\nI shall, with my weapons like unto serpents discharged from my bow with\nmy hand, destroy this host of the lord of Saubha! Be of good cheer, ye\nall! Fear not! The lord of Saubha will be slain today! Attached by me,\nthe wretch will meet with destruction together with his car!' O son of\nPandu, upon Pradyumna speaking thus with cheerful heart, the Yadava host,\nO hero, remained on the field, and began to fight cheerfully!'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XVII\n\n\"Vasudeva continued, 'O bull of the Bharata race, having spoken thus unto\nthe Yadavas, the son of Rukmini (Pradyumna) ascended his golden car. And\nthe car he rode was drawn by excellent steeds in mail. And over it stood\na standard bearing the figure of a Makara with gaping mouth and fierce as\nYama. And with his steeds, more flying than running on the ground, he\nrushed against the foe And the hero equipped with quiver and sword, with\nfingers cased in leather, twanged his bow possessed of the splendour of\nthe lightning, with great strength, and transferring it from hand to\nhand, as if in contempt of the enemy, spread confusion among the Danavas\nand other warriors of the city of Saubha. And as hot in contempt of the,\nfoe, and continuously slew the Danavas in battle, no one could mark the\nslightest interval between his successive shafts. And the colour of his\nface changed not, and his limbs trembled not. And people only heard his\nloud leonine roars indicative of wonderful valour. And the aquatic\nmonster with mouth wide open, that devourer of all fishes, placed on\ngolden flag-staff of that best of cars, struck terror into the hearts of\nSalwa's warriors. And, O king, Pradyumna, the mower of foes rushed with\nspeed against Salwa himself so desirous of an encounter! And, O\nperpetuator of the Kuru race, braved by the heroic Pradyumna in that\nmighty battle, the angry Salwa could ill bear the challenge! And that\nconqueror of hostile cities, Salwa, maddened by anger, descended from his\nbeautiful car of unchecked speed, resolved to encounter Pradyumna. And\nthe people beheld the fight between Salwa and the foremost of Vrishni\nheroes, which was even like unto the encounter between Vasava with Vali.\nAnd, O hero, mounting on his beautiful car decked with gold and furnished\nwith flags and flag-staffs and quivers, the illustrious and mighty Salwa\nbegan to discharge his arrows at Pradyumna! Pradyumna also by the energy\nof his arms, overwhelmed Salwa in the combat by a thick shower of arrows.\nThe king of Saubha, however, thus attacked in battle by Pradyumna,\nendured him not, but discharged at my son arrows that were like blazing\nfire. But the mighty Pradyumna parried off that arrowy shower. Beholding\nthis, Salwa rained on my son other weapons of blazing splendour. Then, O\nforemost of monarchs, pierced by the shafts of Salwa, the son of Rukmini\ndischarged without loss of time an arrow that was capable of entering the\nvitals of a foe in fight. And that winged shaft shot by my son, piercing\nSalwa's mail, entered his heart--whereupon he fell down, in a swoon. And\nbeholding the heroic king Salwa fallen down deprived of sense, the\nforemost of the Danavas fled away rending the ground beneath their feet.\nAnd, O lord of the earth, the army of Salwa sent up exclamations of Oh!\nand Alas! seeing their king, the lord of Saubha, drop down bereft of\nsense! And O son of the Kuru race, regaining his senses, the mighty Salwa\nrose and all of a sudden discharged his arrows on Pradyumna. Then the\nheroic and mighty armed Pradyumna, sorely pierced by his adversary about\nhis throat, was enfeebled on his car. And, O mighty king, wounding the\nson of Rukmini, Salwa sent up a shout like unto the roar of a lion, and\nfilling the entire earth with it! And, O Bharata, when my son became\nsenseless, Salwa, without losing a moment, again discharged at him other\nshafts difficult to bear. And pierced with numberless arrows and deprived\nof his senses, Pradyumna, O chief of the Kuru race, became motionless on\nthe field of battle!'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XVIII\n\n\"Vasudeva continued, 'O king, afflicted with the arrows of Salwa, when\nPradyumna became senseless the Vrishnis who had come to the fight were\nall disheartened and filled with grief! And the combatants of the Vrishni\nand Andhaka races burst into exclamations of Oh! and Alas! while great\njoy was felt by the enemy and beholding him thus deprived of sense, his\ntrained charioteer, the son of Daruka, soon carried him off the field by\nthe help of his steeds. The car had not gone far when that best of\nwarriors regained his senses, and taking up his bow addressed his\ncharioteer, saying, 'O son of the Suta tribe, what hast thou done? Why\ndost thou go leaving the field of battle? This is not the custom of the\nVrishni heroes in battle! O son of a Suta, hast thou been bewildered at\nthe sight of a Salwa in that fierce encounter? Or hast thou been\ndisheartened, beholding the fight? O! tell me truly thy mind!' The\ncharioteer answered. 'O son of Janardana, I have not been confounded, nor\nhath fear taken possession of me. On the other hand, O son of Kesava, the\ntask, I ween, of vanquishing Salwa is difficult for thee! Therefore, O\nhero, I am slowly retiring from the field. This wretch is stronger than\nthou art! It behoveth a charioteer to protect the warrior on the car,\nhowever, when he is deprived of his senses! O thou gifted with length of\ndays, thou shouldst always be protected by me, even as it behoveth thee\nto protect me! Thinking that the warrior on the car should always be\nprotected (by his charioteer), I am carrying thee away! Further, O thou\nof mighty arms, thou art alone, while the Danavas are many. Thinking, O\nson of Rukmini, that thou art not equal to them in the encounter, I am\ngoing away!'\n\n\"Vasudeva continued, 'When the charioteer had spoken thus, he, O\nKauravya, who hath the makara for his mark replied unto him, saying,\n'Turn the car! O son of Daruka, never do so again; never, O Suta, turn\nthou from the fight, while I am alive! He is no son of the Vrishni race\nwho forsaketh the field or slayeth the foe fallen at his feet and crying\nI am thine! or killeth a woman, a boy, or an old man, or a warrior in\ndistress, deprived of his car or with his weapons broken! Thou art born\nin the race of charioteers and trained to thy craft! And, O son of\nDaruka, thou art acquainted with the customs of the Vrishnis in battle!\nVersed as thou art with all the customs of the Vrishnis in battle, do\nthou, O Suta, never again fly from the field as thou hast done! What will\nthe irrepressible Madhava, the elder brother of Gada, say to me when he\nheareth that I have left the field of battle in bewilderment or that I\nhave been struck on the back--a run-away from the combat! What will the\nelder brother of Kesava, the mighty-armed Baladeva, clad in blue and\ninebriate with wine, say, when he returneth? What also, O Suta, will that\nlion among men, the grand-son of Sini (Satyaki), that great warrior, say\non hearing that I have forsaken the fight? And, O charioteer, what will\nthe ever-victorious Shamva, the irrepressible Charudeshna. and Gada, and\nSarana, and Akrura also of mighty arms, say unto me! What also will the\nwives of the Vrishni heroes when they meet together, say of me who had\nhitherto been considered as brave and well-conducted, respectable and\npossessed of manly pride? They will even say This Pradyumna is a coward\nwho cometh here, leaving the battle! Fie on him! They will never say,\nWell done! Ridicule, with exclamation of Fie, is to me or a person like\nme O Suta, more than death! Therefore, do thou never again leave the\nfield of battle! Reposing the charge on me, Hari the slayer of Madhu,\nhath gone to the sacrifice of the Bharata lion (Yudhishthira)! Therefore,\nI cannot bear to be quiet now! O Suta, when the brave Kritavarman was\nsallying out to encounter Salwa, I prevented him, saying I will resist\nSalwa. Do thou stay! For honouring me the son of Hridika desisted! Having\nleft the field of battle, what shall I say unto that mighty warrior when\nI meet him? When that irrepressible one of mighty arms--the holder of the\nconch, the discus, and the mace--returneth, what shall I say unto him of\neyes like lotus leaves? Satyaki, and Valadeva, and others of the Vrishni\nand Andhaka races always boast of me! What shall I say unto them? O Suta,\nhaving left the field of battle and with wounds of arrows on my back\nwhile being carried away by thee, I shall, by no means, be able to live!\nTherefore, O son of Daruka, turn that car speedily, and never do so again\neven in times of greatest danger! I do not, O Suta, think life worth\nmuch, having fled from the field like a coward, and my back pierced, with\nthe arrows (of the enemy)! Hast thou ever seen me. O son of Suta, fly in\nfear from the field of battle like coward? O son of Daruka, it behoved\nthee not to forsake the battle, while my desire of fight was not yet\ngratified! Do thou, therefore, go back to the field.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XIX\n\nVasudeva continued, Thus addressed, the son of Suta race replied in haste\nunto Pradyumna, that foremost of all endued with strength, in these sweet\nwords, 'O son of Rukmini, I fear not to guide the horses on the field of\nbattle, and I am acquainted also with the customs of the Vrishnis in war!\nIt is not otherwise in the least! But, O thou blest with length of days,\nthose that guide the car are taught that the warrior on the car is, by\nall means, to be protected by his charioteer! Thou wert also much\nafflicted! Thou wert much wounded by the arrows shot by Salwa. Thou wert\nalso deprived of thy senses, O hero! Therefore is it that I retired from\nthe field.' But, O chief of the Satwatas, now that thou hast regained thy\nsenses without much ado, do thou, O son of Kesava, witness my skill in\nguiding the horses! I have been begotten by Daruka, and I have been duly\ntrained! I will now penetrate into the celebrated array of Salwa without\nfear!\n\n\"Vasudeva continued, 'Saying this, O hero, the charioteer, pulling the\nreins, began to lead the horses with speed towards the field of battle.\nAnd, O king, struck with the whip and pulled by the reins those excellent\nsteeds seemed to be flying in the air, performing various beautiful\nmotion, now circular, now similar, now dissimilar, now to the right, now\nto the left. And, O king, those steeds understanding as it were the\nintention of Daruka's son endued with such lightness of hand, burned with\nenergy, and seemed to go without touching the ground with their feet!\nThat bull among men wheeled round Salwa's host so easily that they who\nwitnessed it wondered exceedingly. And the lord of Saubha, unable to bear\nthat manoeuvre of Pradyumna, instantly sent three shafts at the\ncharioteer of his antagonist! The charioteer, however, without taking any\nnote of the force of those arrows, continued to go along the right. Then\nthe lord of Saubha, O hero, again discharged at my son by Rukmini, a\nshower of various kinds of weapons! But that slayer of hostile heroes,\nthe son of Rukmini, showing with a smile his lightness of hand, cut all\nthose weapons off as they reached him. Finding his arrows cut by\nPradyumna, the lord of Saubha, having recourse to the dreadful illusion\nnatural to Asuras began to pour a thick shower of arrows. But cutting\ninto pieces those powerful Daitya weapons shot at him in mid-career by\nmeans of his Brahma weapon, Pradyumna discharged winged shafts of other\nkings. And these delighting in blood, warding off the shafts of Daitya,\npierced his head, bosom and face. And at those wounds Salwa fell down\nsenseless. And on the mean-minded Salwa falling down, afflicted with\nPradyumna's arrows, the son of Rukmini aimed another arrow at him,\ncapable of destroying every foe. And beholding that arrow worshipped by\nall the Dasarhas, and flaming like fire and fatal as a venomous snake,\nfixed on the bow-string, the firmament was filled with exclamations of\nOh! and Alas! Then all the celestials with Indra and the lord of\ntreasures (Kubera) at their head sent Narada and the god of wind endued\nwith the speed of the mind. And these two approaching the son of Rukmini\ndelivered unto him the message of the celestial, saying, O hero, king\nSalwa is nor to be slain by thee! Do thou draw back the arrow. He is\nunslayable by thee in fight! There breatheth not a person who cannot be\nkilled by that arrow! O thou of mighty arms, the Creator hath ordained\nhis death at the hands of Krishna, the son of Devaki! Let this be not\nfalsified!--Thereupon with a glad heart, Pradyumna withdrew that best of\narrows from his excellent bow and deposited it back in his quiver. And\nthen, O foremost of kings, the mighty Salwa, afflicted with the arrows of\nPradyumna, rose disheartened, and speedily went away. Then O king, the\nwicked Salwa, thus afflicted by the Vrishnis, mounted on his car of\nprecious metals, and leaving Dwaraka scudded through the skies!'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XX\n\n\"Vasudeva said, 'When Salwa had left the city of the Anarttas, I returned\nto it, O king, on the completion of thy great Rajasuya sacrifice! On my\narrival I found Dwaraka shorn of its splendour, and, O great monarch,\nthere were not sounds of Vedic recitation or sacrificial offering, And\nthe excellent damsels were all destitute of ornaments, and the gardens\nwere devoid of beauty. And alarmed by the aspect, I asked the son of\nHridika saying, 'Why is it that the men and women of the city of the\nVrishnis are so woe-begone, O tiger among men?' O thou best of kings thus\nasked the son of Hridika (Kritavarman) relate to me in detail the\ninvasion of the city by Salwa, and his subsequent departure from it. And,\nO thou foremost of Bharatas, hearing all, even then I made up my mind to\nslay Salwa. And encouraging the citizens, O best of Bharatas, I\ncheerfully addressed king Ahuka, and Anakdundhuvi, and the chief heroes\nof the Vrishni race, saying, 'Do ye, O bulls among the Yadavas, stay in\nthe city, taking every care, and know that I go to slay Salwa! I return\nnot to the city of Dwaravati without slaying him. I will again come to ye\nhaving compassed the destruction of Salwa together with his car of\nprecious metals. Do ye strike up the sharp and middle and flat notes of\nthe Dundhuvi so dreadful to foes!' And O thou bull of the Bharata race,\nthus adequately encouraged by me, those heroes cheerfully said unto me,\n'Go and slay the enemies!' And thus receiving the benedictions of those\nwarriors with glad hearts, and causing the Brahmanas to utter auspicious\nwords and bowing down to the best of the regenerate ones, and to Siva\nalso, I set out on my car unto which were yoked the horses Saivya, and\nSugriva, filling all sides with the clatter (of my wheels) and blowing\nthat best of conchs, the Panchajanya! And, O king, O tiger among men,\naccompanied by my redoubted and victorious army consisting of the four\nkinds of the forces so persevering in battle, I set out. And leaving many\ncountries, and mountains, crowned with trees, and pieces of water, and\nstreams, I at last arrived at the country of Matrikavarta. It is there, O\nthou tiger among men, that I heard that Salwa was coursing on his car of\nprecious metals near the ocean, and I followed in his pursuit. And, O\nthou slayer of thy foes, having reached the main, Salwa on his car of\ncostly metals was in the midst of the deep heaving with billows! And on\nseeing me from a distance, O Yudhishthira, that one of wicked soul\nhimself challenged me repeatedly to the fight. And many arrows capable of\npiercing to the quick, discharged from my bow reached not his car. And at\nthis I was wroth! And, O king, that essentially sinful wretch of a\nDaitya's son of irrepressible energy, on his part began to shoot thousand\nupon thousands of arrows in torrents! And, O Bharata, he rained shafts\nupon my soldiers and upon my charioteer and upon my steeds! But without\nthinking of the shafts, we continued the conflict. Then the warriors\nfollowing Salwa poured on me straight arrows by thousands. And the Asuras\ncovered my horses and my car and Daruka with arrows capable of piercing\nthe very vitals. And, O hero, I could not at that time see either my\nhorses, or my car, or my charioteer Daruka! And I with my army was\ncovered with weapons. And, O son of Kunti, superhumanly skilled in\nweapons, I also let fly from my bow arrows by tens of thousands,\ninspiring them with mantras! But as that car of costly metals was in the\nsky, full two miles off, it could not, O Bharata, be seen by my troops.\nThey could therefore only remaining on the field of battle look on like\nspectators in a place of amusement, cheering me on by shouts loud as the\nroar of the lion, and also by the sound of their clapping. And the tinted\narrows shot by the fore-part of hand penetrated into the bodies of the\nDanavas like biting insects. And then arose cries in the car of precious\nmetals from those that were dying of wounds by those sharp arrows and\nfalling into the waters of the mighty ocean. And the Danavas deprived of\ntheir arms, necks, and wearing the form of Kavandhas,--fell, sending up\ntremendous roars. And as they fell they were devoured by animals living\nin the waters of the ocean. And then I powerfully blew the Panchajanya\nobtained from the waters and graceful as the lotus-stalk and white as\nmilk or the Kunda flower or the moon or silver. And seeing his soldiers\nfall, Salwa the possessor of the car of precious metals, began to fight\nwith the help of illusion. And then he began to ceaselessly hurl at me\nmaces, and ploughshares, and winged darts and lances, and javelins, and\nbattle-axes, and swords and arrows blazing like javelins and\nthunderbolts, and nooses, and broad swords, and bullets from barrels, and\nshafts, and axes, and rockets. And permitting them to come towards me, I\nsoon destroyed them all by counter-illusion. And on this illusion being\nrendered ineffectual, he began the contest with mountain peaks. And, O\nBharata, then there was darkness and light alternately, and the day was\nnow fair, and now gloomy, and now hot, and now cold. And there was a\nperfect shower of coals, and ashes, and weapons. And creating such\nillusion the enemy fought with me. And ascertaining it I destroyed his\nillusion by counter-illusion. And in the due time I showered arrows all\nround. And then, O mighty king, the dome of heaven blazed as with a\nhundred suns, and, O son of Kunti with one hundred moons, and thousands\nand ten thousands of stars! And then none could ascertain whether it was\nday or night, or distinguish the points of the horizon. And, becoming\nbewildered, I fixed on my bowstring the weapon called Pragnastra. And, O\nson of Kunti, the weapon went like unto flakes of pure cotton blown away\nby the winds! And a great fight took place, calculated to make the down\non one's body stand on end. And O best of monarchs, having regained,\nlight, I again fought with the enemy!'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXI\n\n\"Vasudeva said, 'O thou tiger among men, my great enemy king Salwa, thus\nencountered by me in battle, again ascended the sky. And O mighty\nmonarch, inspired with the desire of victory, that wicked one hurled at\nme Sataghnis, and mighty maces, and flaming lances, and stout clubs, and\nas the weapons came along the sky, I speedily resisted them with my swift\narrows, and cut them in two or three pieces before they came at me. And\nthere was a great noise in the welkins. And Salwa covered Daruka, and my\nsteeds, and my car also with hundreds of straight shafts. Then, O hero,\nDaruka, evidently about to faint, said unto me, 'Afflicted with the\nshafts of Salwa I stay in the field, because it is my duty to do so. But\nI am incapable of doing so (any longer). My body hath become weak!'\nHearing these piteous words of my charioteer, I looked at him, and found\nthe driver wounded with arrows. Nor was there a spot on his breasts or\nthe crown of his head, or body or his arms which was not, O thou foremost\nof sons of Pandu, covered with shafts! And blood flowed profusely from\nhis wounds inflicted by arrows, and he looked like unto a mountain of red\nchalk after a heavy shower. And, O thou of mighty arms, seeing the\ncharioteer with the reins in his hands thus pierced and enfeebled by the\nshafts of Salwa in the field of battle, I cheered him up!\n\n\"'And, O Bharata, about this time, a certain person, having his home in\nDwaraka quickly coming to my car, addressed me like a friend, delivering\nto me, O hero, a message from Ahuka! He seemed to be one of Ahuka's\nfollowers. And sadly and in a voice choked in sorrow, know, O\nYudhishthira, he said words'--O warrior, Ahuka, the lord of Dwaraka, hath\nsaid these words unto thee! O Kesava, hear what thy father's friend\nsayeth: O son of the Vrishni race, O thou irrepressible one, in thy\nabsence today Salwa, coming to Dwaraka, hath by main force killed\nVasudeva! Therefore, no need of battle any more. Cease, O Janardana! Do\nthou defend Dwaraka! This is thy principal duty!--Hearing these words of\nhis, my heart became heavy, and I could not ascertain what I should do\nand what I should not. And, O hero, hearing of that great misfortune, I\nmentally censured Satyaki, and Baladeva, and also that mighty pradyumna.\nHaving reposed on them the duty of protecting Dwaraka and Vasudeva, I had\ngone, O son of the Kuru race, to effect the destruction of Salwa's city.\nAnd in a sorrowful heart, I asked myself,--Doth that destroyer of foes,\nthe mighty-armed Baladeva, live, and Satyaki, and the son of Rukmini and\nCharudeshna possessed of prowess, and Shamva and others? For, O thou\ntiger among men, these living, even the bearer himself of the thunderbolt\ncould by no means destroy Suta's son (Vasudeva)! And thought, I, It is\nplain that Vasudeva is dead and equally plain that the others with\nBaladeva at their head have been deprived of life--This was my certain\nconclusion. And, O mighty king, thinking of the destruction of those all,\nI was overwhelmed with grief! And it was in this state of mind that I\nencountered Salwa afresh. And now I saw, O great monarch, Vasudeva\nhimself falling from the car of precious metals! And, O warrior I swooned\naway, and, O king of men, my sire seemed like unto Yayati after the loss\nof his merit, falling towards the earth from heaven! And like unto a\nluminary whose merit hath been lost saw my father falling, his head-gear\nfoul and flowing loosely, and his hair and dress disordered. And then the\nbow Sharanga dropped from my hand, and, O son of Kunti I swooned away! I\nsat down on the side of the car. And, O thou descendant of the Bharata\nrace, seeing me deprived of consciousness on the car, and as if dead, my\nentire host exclaimed Oh! and Alas! And my prone father with\nout-stretched arms and lower limbs, appeared like a dropping bird. And\nhim thus falling, O thou of mighty arms, O hero, the hostile warriors\nbearing in their hands lances and axes struck grievously! And (beholding\nthis) my heart trembled! and soon regaining my consciousness, O warrior,\nI could not see in that mighty contest either the car of costly metals,\nor the enemy Salwa, or my old father! Then I concluded in my mind that it\nwas certainly illusion. And recovering my senses, I again began to\ndischarge arrows by hundreds.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXII\n\n\"Vasudeva continued, 'Then O thou foremost of the Bharata race, taking up\nmy beautiful bow, I began to cut off with my arrows the heads of the\nenemies of the celestials, from off that car of costly metals! And I\nbegan to discharge from the Sharanga many well-looking arrows of the\nforms of snakes, capable of going at a great height and possessing\nintense energy. And, O perpetuator of the Kuru race, I could not then see\nthe car of costly metals, for it had vanished, through illusion! I was\nthen filled with wonder! That host of Danvas then, O Bharata, of\nfrightful visages and hair, set up a loud howl while I was waiting for\nit. In that fierce battle. I then, with the object of destroying them,\nfixed on my bow-string the weapon capable of piercing the foes if but his\nsound was inaudible. Upon this, their shouts ceased. But those Danavas\nthat had sent up that shout were all slain by those shafts of mine\nblazing as the Sun himself, and capable of striking at the perception of\nsound alone. And after the shout had ceased at one place, O mighty king,\nanother yell proceeded from another quarter. Thitherto also I sent my\nshafts. In this way, O Bharata, the Asuras began to send up yells in all\nthe ten quarters above and across. These were all slain by me, viz.,\nthose that were in the skies and that were invisible, with arrows of\ndiverse forms, and celestial weapons inspired with mantras. Then, O hero,\nthat car of precious metals capable of going anywhere at will,\nbewildering my eyes, reappeared at Pragjyotisha! And then the destroying\nDanavas of fierce forms suddenly drowned me with a mighty shower of\nrocks. And, O thou foremost of monarchs, torrents of rocks falling upon\nme covered me up, and I began to grow like an ant-hill (with its summits\nand peaks)! And covered along with my horses and charioteer and\nflagstaffs, with crags on all sides, I disappeared from sight altogether.\nThen those foremost of heroes of the Vrishni race who were of my army\nwere, struck with panic, and all on a sudden began to fly in all\ndirections. And beholding me in that plight, O king, the heaven, the\nfirmament, and the earth were filled with exclamation of Oh! and Alas!\nAnd then, O monarch, my friends filled with sorrow and grief began to\nweep and wail with heavy hearts! And delight filled the hearts of the\nenemies. And O thou who never waverest, I heard of this after I had\ndefeated the foe! And then wielding the thunderbolt, that favourite\n(weapon) of Indra, capable of riving stones, I destroyed that entire mass\nof crags! But my steeds, afflicted with the weight of the stones and\nalmost on the point of death began to tremble. And beholding me, all my\nfriends rejoiced again even as men rejoice on seeing the sun rise in the\nsky, dispersing the clouds. And seeing my horses almost in their last\ngasp for breath, afflicted with that load of stones, my charioteer said\nunto me in words suitable to the occasion, 'O thou of the Vrishni race,\nbehold Salwa the owner of the car of precious metals sitting (yonder). Do\nnot disregard him! Do thou exert thyself! Do thou abandon thy mildness\nand consideration for Salwa. Slay Salwa, O thou of mighty arms! O Kesava,\ndo not let him live! O hero, O thou destroyer of those that are not thy\nfriends (enemies), an enemy should be slain with every exertion! Even a\nweak enemy who is under the feet of a man endued with strength, should\nnot be disregarded by the latter: that (shall I say) of one that dareth\nus to the fight? Therefore, O thou tiger among men, putting forth every\nexertion, slay him, O lord, O thou foremost of the Vrishni race! Do thou\nnot delay again! This one is not capable of being vanquished by milder\nmeasures. And he cannot in my opinion be thy friend who is fighting thee\nand who devastated Dwaraka!' O Kaunteya, hearing such words of my\ncharioteer, and knowing that what he said was true, I directed my\nattention to the fight (afresh), with the view of slaying Salwa and\ndestroying the car of costly metals! And, O hero, saying unto Daruka,\n'Stay a moment' I fixed on my bow-string my favourite weapon of fire,\nblazing and of celestial origin, of irresistible force, and incapable of\nbeing baffled, bursting with energy, capable of penetrating into\neverything, and of great splendour! And saying, 'Destroy the car of\nprecious metals together with all those enemies that are in it.' I\nlaunched with the might of my arms and in wrath with mantras, the great\npowerful discus Sudarsana which reduceth to ashes in battle Yakshas and\nRakshasas and Danavas and kings born in impure tribes, sharp-edged like\nthe razor, and without stain, like unto Yama the destroyer, and\nincomparable, and which killeth enemies. And rising into the sky, it\nseemed like a second sun of exceeding effulgence at the end of the Yuga.\nAnd approaching the town of Saubha whose splendour had disappeared, the\ndiscus went right through it, even as a saw divideth a tall tree. And cut\nin twain by the energy of the Sudarsana it fell like the city of Tripura\nshaken by the shafts of Maheswara. And after the town of Saubha had\nfallen, the discus came back into my hands, And taking it up I once more\nhurled it with force saying, 'Go thou unto Salwa.' The discus then cleft\nSalwa in twain who in that fierce conflict was at the point of hurling a\nheavy mace. And with its energy it set the foe ablaze. And after that\nbrave warrior was slain, the disheartened Danava women fled in all\ndirections, exclaiming Oh! and Alas! And taking my chariot in front of\nthe town of Saubha I cheerfully blew my conch and gladdened the hearts of\nmy friends. And beholding their town, high as the peak of the Meru, with\nits palaces and gate-ways utterly destroyed, and all ablaze, the Danavas\nfled in fear. And having thus destroyed the town of Saubha and slain\nSalwa, I returned to the Anarttas and delighted my friends. And, O king,\nit is for this reason that I could not come to the city named after the\nelephant (Hastinapura), O destroyer of hostile heroes! O warrior, if I\nhad come, Suyodhana would not have been alive or the match at dice would\nnot have taken place. What can I do now? It is difficult to confine the\nwaters after the dam is broken!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Having addressed the Kaurava thus, that foremost\nof male persons, of mighty arms, the slayer of Madhu, possessed of every\ngrace, saluting the Pandavas, prepared for departure. And the\nmighty-armed hero reverentially saluted Yudhishthira the just, and the\nking in return and Bhima also smelt the crown of his head. And he was\nembraced by Arjuna, and the twins saluted him with reverence. And he was\nduly honoured by Dhaumya, and worshipped with tears by Draupadi. And\ncausing Subhadra and Abhimanyu to ascend his golden car, Krishna, mounted\nit himself, worshipped by the Pandavas. And consoling Yudhishthira,\nKrishna set out for Dwaraka on his car resplendent as the sun and unto\nwhich were yoked the horses Saivya and Sugriva. And after he of the\nDasharha race had departed, Dhristadyumna, the son of Prishata, also set\nout for his own city, taking with him the sons of Draupadi. And the king\nof Chedi, Dhrishtaketu also, taking his sister with him set out for his\nbeautiful city of Suktimati, after bidding farewell to the Pandavas. And,\nO Bharata, the Kaikeyas also, with the permission of Kunti's son\npossessed of immeasurable energy, having reverentially saluted all the\nPandavas, went away. But Brahmanas and the Vaisyas and the dwellers of\nYudhishthira's kingdom though repeatedly requested to go, did not leave\nthe Pandavas. O foremost of king, O bull of the Bharata race, the\nmultitude that surrounded those high-souled ones in the forest of Kamyaka\nlooked extraordinary. And Yudhishthira, honouring those high-minded\nBrahmanas, in due time ordered his men, saying 'Make ready the car.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXIII\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"After the chief of the Dasharhas had departed,\nthe heroic Yudhishthira, and Bhima, and Arjuna, and the twins, each\nlooking like unto Shiva, and Krishna, and their priest, ascending costly\ncars unto which were yoked excellent steeds, together went into the\nforest. And at time of going they distributed Nishkas of gold and clothes\nand kine unto Brahmanas versed in Siksha and Akshara and mantras. And\ntwenty attendants followed them equipped with bows, and bowstrings, and\nblazing weapons, and shafts and arrows and engines of destruction. And\ntaking the princess's clothes and the ornaments, and the nurses and the\nmaid-servants, Indrasena speedily followed the princes on a car. And then\napproaching the best of Kurus, the high-minded citizens walked round him.\nAnd the principal Brahmanas of Kurujangala cheerfully saluted him. And\ntogether with his brothers, Yudhishthira the just, on his part saluted\nthem cheerfully. And the illustrious king stopped there a little,\nbeholding the concourse of the inhabitants of Kurujangala. And the\nillustrious bull among the Kurus felt for them as a father feeleth for\nhis sons, and they too felt for the Kuru chief even as sons feel for\ntheir father! And that mighty concourse, approaching the Kuru hero, stood\naround him. And, O king, affected, with bashfulness, and with tears in\ntheir eyes, they all exclaimed, 'Alas, O lord! O Dharma!' And they said,\n'Thou art the chief of the Kurus, and the king of us, thy subjects! Where\ndost thou go, O just monarch, leaving all these citizens and the\ninhabitants of the country, like a father leaving his sons? Fie on the\ncruel-hearted son of Dhritarashtra! Fie on the evil-minded son of Suvala!\nFie on Karna! For, O foremost of monarchs, those wretches ever wish unto\nthee who art firm in virtue! Having thyself established the unrivalled\ncity of Indraprastha of the splendour of Kailasa itself, where dost thou\ngo, leaving it, O illustrious and just king, O achiever of extraordinary\ndeeds! O illustrious one, leaving that peerless palace built by Maya,\nwhich possesseth the splendour of the palace of the celestials\nthemselves, and is like unto a celestial illusion, ever guarded by the\ngods, where dost thou go, O son of Dharma?' And Vibhatsu knowing the ways\nof virtue, pleasure, and profit said unto them in a loud voice, 'Living\nin the forest, the king intendeth to take away the good name of his\nenemies! O we with the regenerate ones at your head, versed in virtue and\nprofit, do you approaching the ascetics separately and inclining them to\ngrace, represent unto them what may be for our supreme good!' Upon\nhearing these words of Arjuna, the Brahmanas and the other orders, O\nking, saluting him cheerfully walked round the foremost of virtuous men!\nAnd bidding farewell unto the son of Pritha, and Vrikodara, and\nDhananjaya and Yajnaseni, and the twins, and commanded by Yudhishthira,\nthey returned to their respective abodes in the kingdom with heavy\nhearts.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXIV\n\nVaisampayana said, \"After they had departed, Yudhishthira the virtuous\nson of Kunti, unwavering in his promises, addressed all his brothers,\nsaying, 'We shall have to dwell in the solitary forest for these twelve\nyears. Search ye, therefore, in this mighty forest for some spot\nabounding in birds and deer and flowers and fruits, beautiful to behold,\nand auspicious, and inhabited by virtuous persons and where we may dwell\npleasantly for all these years!' Thus addressed by Yudhishthira,\nDhananjaya replied unto the son of Dharma, after reverencing the\nillustrious king as if he were his spiritual preceptor. And Arjuna said,\n'Thou hast respectfully waited upon all the great and old Rishis. There\nis nothing unknown to thee in the world of men. And O bull of the Bharata\nrace, thou hast always waited with reverence upon Brahmanas including\nDwaipayana and others, and Narada of great ascetic merit, who with senses\nunder control, ever goeth to the gates of all the world from the world of\nthe gods unto that of Brahma, including that of the Gandharvas and\nApsaras! And thou knowest, without doubt, the opinions of the Brahmanas,\nand, O king, their prowess also! And O monarch, thou knowest what is\ncalculated to do us good! And O great king, we will live wherever thou\nlikest! Here is this lake, full of sacred water, called Dwaitavana,\nabounding with flowers, and delightful to look at, and inhabited by many\nspecies of birds. If, O king, it pleaseth thee, here should we like to\ndwell these twelve years! Thinkest thou otherwise?' Yudhishthira replied,\n'O Partha, what thou hast said recommendeth itself to me! Let us go that\nsacred and celebrated and large lake called Dwaitavana!\"\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, \"Then the virtuous son of Pandu, accompanied by\nnumerous Brahmanas, all went to the sacred lake called Dwaitavana. And\nYudhishthira was surrounded by numerous Brahmanas some of whom sacrificed\nwith fire and some without it and some of whom, devoted to the study of\nthe Vedas, lived upon alms or were of the class called Vanaprasthas. And\nthe king was also surrounded by hundreds of Mahatmas crowned with ascetic\nsuccess and of rigid vows. And those bulls of the Bharata race, the sons\nof Pandu setting out with those numerous Brahmanas, entered the sacred\nand delightful woods of Dwaita. And the king saw that mighty forest\ncovered on the close of summer with Salas, and palms, and mangoes, and\nMadhukas, and Nipas and Kadamvas and Sarjjas and Arjunas, and Karnikars,\nmany of them covered with flowers. And flocks of peacocks and Datyuhas\nand Chakoras and Varhins and Kokilas, seated on the tops of the tallest\ntrees of that forest were pouring forth their mellifluous notes. And the\nking also saw in that forest mighty herds of gigantic elephants huge as\nthe hills, with temporal juice trickling down in the season of rut,\naccompanied by herds of she-elephants. And approaching the beautiful\nBhogavati (Saraswati), the king saw many ascetics crowned with success in\nthe habitations in that forest, and virtuous men of sanctified souls clad\nin barks of trees and bearing matted locks on their heads. And descending\nfrom their cars, the king that foremost of virtuous men with his brothers\nand followers entered that forest like Indra of immeasurable energy\nentering heaven. And crowds of Charanas and Siddhas, desirous of\nbeholding the monarch devoted to truth, came towards him. And the\ndwellers of that forest stood surrounding that lion among king possessed\nof great intelligence. And saluting all the Siddhas, and saluted by them\nin return as a king or a god should be, that foremost of virtuous men\nentered the forest with joined hands accompanied by all those foremost of\nregenerate ones. And the illustrious and virtuous king, saluted in return\nby those virtuous ascetics that had approached him, sat down in their\nmidst at the foot of a mighty tree decked with flowers, like his father\n(Pandu) in days before. And those chiefs of the Bharata race viz., Bhima\nand Dhananjaya and the twins and Krishna and their followers, all\nfatigued, leaving their vehicles, sat themselves down around that best of\nkings. And that mighty tree bent down with the weight of creepers, with\nthose five illustrious bowmen who had come there for rest sitting under\nit, looked like a mountain with (five) huge elephants resting on its\nside.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXV\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Having fallen into distress, those princes thus\nobtained at last a pleasant habitation in that forest. And there in those\nwoods abounding with Sala trees and washed by the Saraswati, they who\nwere like so many Indras, began to sport themselves. And the illustrious\nking, that bull of the Kuru race, set himself to please all the Yatis and\nMunis and the principal Brahmanas in that forest, by offerings of\nexcellent fruits and roots. And their priest, Dhaumya endued with great\nenergy, like unto a father to those princes, began to perform the\nsacrificial rites of Ishti and Paitreya for the Pandavas residing in that\ngreat forest. And there came, as a guest, unto the abode of the\naccomplished Pandavas living in the wood after loss of their kingdom, the\nold Rishi Markandeya, possessed of intense and abundant energy. And that\nbull of the Kuru race, the high-souled Yudhishthira, possessed of\nunrivalled strength and prowess, paid his homage unto that great Muni,\nreverenced by celestials and Rishis of men, and possessed of the\nsplendour of blazing fire. And that illustrious and all-knowing Muni, of\nunrivalled energy, beholding Draupadi and Yudhishthira and Bhima and\nArjuna, in the midst of the ascetics, smiled, recollecting Rama in his\nmind. And Yudhishthira the just, apparently grieved at this, asked him,\nsaying, 'All these ascetics are sorry for seeing me here. Why is it that\nthou alone smilest, as if an glee, in the presence of these?' Markandeya\nreplied, 'O child', I too am sorry and do not smile in glee! Nor doth\npride born of joy possess my heart! Beholding to-day the calamity, I\nrecollect Rama, the son of Dasaratha, devoted to truth! Even that Rama,\naccompanied by Lakshman, dwelt in the woods at the command of his father.\nO son of Pritha, I beheld him in days of old ranging with his bow on the\ntop of the Rishyamuka hills! The illustrious Rama was like unto Indra,\nthe lord of Yama himself, and the slayer of Namuchi! Yet that sinless one\nhad to dwell in the forest at the command of his father, accepting it as\nhis duty. The illustrious Rama was equal unto Sakra in prowess, and\ninvincible in battle. And yet he had to range the forest renouncing all\npleasures! Therefore should no one act unrighteously, saying,--I am\nmighty! Kings Nabhaga and Bhagiratha and others, having subjugated by\ntruth this world bounded by the seas, (finally) obtained, O child, all\nthe region hereafter. Therefore, should no one act unrighteously,\nsaying,--I am mighty! And, O exalted of men, the virtuous and truthful\nking of Kasi and Karusha was called a mad dog for having renounced his\nterritories and riches! Therefore, should no one act unrighteously,\nsaying,--I am mighty! O best of men, O son of Pritha, the seven righteous\nRishis, for having observed the ordinance prescribed by the Creator\nhimself in the Vedas, blaze in the firmament. Therefore, should no one\nact unrighteously, saying,--I am mighty! Behold, O king, the mighty\nelephants, huge as mountain cliffs and furnished with tusks, transgress\nnot, O exalted of men, the laws of the Creator! Therefore, should none\nact unrighteously saying, Might is mine! And, O foremost of monarchs,\nbehold all the creatures acting according to their species, as ordained\nby the Creator. Therefore, should none act unrighteously, saying, Might\nis mine. O son of Pritha, in truth, and virtue, and proper behaviour, and\nmodesty, thou hast surpassed all creatures, and thy fame and energy are\nas bright as fire or the Sun! Firm in thy promises, O illustrious one,\nhaving passed in the woods thy painful exile, thou wilt again, O king,\nsnatch from the Kauravas thy blazing prosperity with the help of thy own\nenergy!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Having spoken these words unto Yudhishthira\n(seated) in the midst of the ascetics with friends, the great Rishi\nhaving also saluted Dhaumya and all the Pandavas set out in a northerly\ndirection!\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXVI\n\nVaisampayana said, \"While the illustrious son of Pandu continued to dwell\nin the Dwaita woods, that great forest became filled with Brahmanas. And\nthe lake within that forest, ever resounding with Vedic recitations,\nbecame sacred like a second region of Brahma. And the sounds of the\nYajus, the Riks, the Samas, and other words uttered by the Brahmanas,\nwere exceedingly delightful to hear. And the Vedic recitations of the\nBrahmanas mingling with the twang of bows of the sons of Pritha, produced\na union of the Brahmana and Kshatriya customs that was highly beautiful.\nAnd one evening the Rishi Vaka of the Dalvya family addressed\nYudhishthira, the son of Kunti seated in the midst of the Rishis, saying,\n'Behold, O chief of the Kurus, O son of Pritha, the homa time is come of\nthese Brahmanas devoted to ascetic austerities, the time when the\n(sacred) fires have all been lit up! These all, of rigid vows, protected\nby thee, are performing the rites of religion in this sacred region! The\ndescendants of Bhrigu and Angiras, along with those of Vasishta and\nKasyapa, the illustrious sons of Agastya, the offspring of Atri all of\nexcellent vows, in fact, all the foremost Brahmanas of the whole, are now\nunited with thee! Listen, O son of the Kuru race born of Kunti, thyself\nwith thy brothers, to the words I speak to thee! As are aided by the wind\nconsumeth the forest, so Brahma energy mingling with Kshatriya energy,\nand Kshatriya might mingling with Brahma power, might, when they gathered\nforce, consume all enemies! O child, he should never desire to be without\nBrahmanas who wisheth to subdue this and the other world for length of\ndays! Indeed, a king slayeth his enemies having obtained a Brahmana\nconversant, with religion and worldly affairs and freed from passion and\nfolly. King Vali cherishing his subjects practised those duties that lead\nto salvation, and knew not of any other means in this world than\nBrahmanas. It was for this that all the desires of Virochana's son, the\nAsura (Vali), were ever gratified, and his wealth was ever inexhaustible.\nHaving obtained the whole earth through the aid of the Brahmanas, he met\nwith destruction when he began to practise wrong on them! This earth with\nher wealth never adoreth long as her lord a Kshatriya living without a\nBrahmana! The earth, however, girt by the sea, boweth unto him who is\nruled by a Brahmana and taught his duties by him! Like an elephant in\nbattle without his driver, a Kshatriya destitute of Brahmanas decreaseth\nin strength! The Brahmana's sight is without compare, and the Kshatriya's\nmight also is unparalleled. When these combine, the whole earth itself\ncheerfully yieldeth to such a combination. As fire becoming mightier with\nthe wind consumeth straw and wood, so kings with Brahmanas consume all\nfoes! An intelligent Kshatriya, in order to gain what he hath not, and\nincrease what he hath, should take counsel of Brahmanas! Therefore, O son\nof Kunti, for obtaining what thou hast not and increasing what thou hast,\nand spending what thou hast on proper objects and persons, keep thou with\nthee a Brahmana of reputation, of a knowledge of the Vedas, of wisdom and\nexperience! O Yudhishthira. Thou hast ever highly regarded the Brahmanas.\nIt is for this that thy fame is great and blazeth in the three worlds!\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Then all those Brahmanas who were with\nYudhishthira worshipped Vaka of the Dalvya race, and having heard him\npraise Yudhishthira became highly pleased. And Dwaipayana and Narada and\nJamadagnya and Prithusravas; and Indradyumna and Bhalaki and Kritachetas\nand Sahasrapat; and Karnasravas and Munja and Lavanaswa and Kasyapa; and\nHarita and Sthulakarana and Agnivesya and Saunaka; and Kritavak and\nSuvakana Vrihadaswa and Vibhavasu; and Urdharetas and Vrishamitra and\nSuhotra and Hotravahana; these and many other Brahmanas of rigid vows\nthen adored Yudhishthira like Rishis adoring Purandara in heaven!\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXVII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Exiled to the woods the sons of Pritha with Krishna\nseated in the evening, conversed with one another afflicted with sorrow\nand grief. And the handsome and well informed Krishna dear unto her lords\nand devoted to them, thus spake unto Yudhishthira, Then sinful, cruel,\nand wicked-minded son of Dhritarashtra certainly feeleth no sorrow for\nus, when, O king, that evil-hearted wretch having sent thee with myself\ninto the woods dressed in deer-skin feeleth no regret! The heart of that\nwretch of evil deeds must surely be made of steel when he could at that\ntime address thee, his virtuous eldest brother, in words so harsh! Having\nbrought thee who deservest to enjoy every happiness and never such woe,\ninto such distress, alas, that wicked-minded and sinful wretch joyeth\nwith his friends! O Bharata, when dressed in deer-skin thou hast set out\nfor the woods, only four persons, O monarch, viz., Duryodhana, Karna, the\nevil-minded Sakuni, and Dussasana that bad and fierce brother of\nDuryodhana, did not shed tears! With the exception of these, O thou best\nof the Kurus, all other Kurus filled with sorrow shed tears from their\neyes! Beholding this thy bed and recollecting what thou hadst before, I\ngrieve, O king, for thee who deservest not woe and hast been brought up\nin every luxury! Remembering that seat of ivory in thy court, decked with\njewels and beholding this seat of kusa grass, grief consumeth me, O king!\nI saw thee, O king, surrounded in thy court by kings! What peace can my\nheart know in not beholding thee such now? I beheld thy body, effulgent\nas the sun, decked with sandal paste! Alas, grief depriveth me of my\nsenses in beholding thee now besmeared with mud and dirt! I saw thee\nbefore, O king, dressed in silken clothes of pure white! But I now behold\nthee dressed in rags? Formerly, O king, pure food of every kind was\ncarried from thy house on plates of gold for Brahmanas by thousands! And,\nO king, food also of the best kind was formerly given by thee unto\nascetics both houseless and living in domesticity! Formerly, living in\ndry mansion thou hadst ever filled with food of every kind plates by\nthousands, and worshipped the Brahmanas gratifying every wish of theirs!\nWhat peace, O king, can my heart know in not beholding all this now? And,\nO great king, these thy brothers, endued with youth and decked with\near-rings, were formerly fed by cook with food of the sweet flavour and\ndressed with skill! Alas, O king, I now behold them all, so undeserving\nof woe, living in the woods and upon what the wood may yield! My heart, O\nKing knoweth no peace! Thinking of this Bhimasena living in sorrow in the\nwoods, doth not thy anger blaze up, even though it is time? Why doth not\nthy anger, O king, blaze up upon beholding the illustrious Bhimasena who\never performeth everything unaided, so fallen into distress, though\ndeserving of every happiness? Why, O king, doth not thy anger blaze up on\nbeholding that Bhima living in the woods who was formerly surrounded with\nnumerous vehicles and dressed in costly apparel? This exalted personage\nis ready to slay all the Kurus in battle. He beareth, however, all this\nsorrow, only because he waiteth for the fufilment of thy promise! This\nArjuna, O king, though possessed of two hands, is equal, for the\nlightness of his hand in discharging shafts, to (Kartavirya) Arjuna of a\nthousand arms! He Is even (to foes), like unto Yama himself at the end of\nthe Yuga! It was by the prowess of his weapons that all the kings of the\nearth were made to wait upon the Brahmanas at thy sacrifice? Beholding\nthat Arjuna that tiger among men worshipped by both the celestials and\nthe Danavas so anxious, why, O king, dost thou not feel indignant? I\ngrieve, O Bharata, that thy wrath doth not blaze up at sight of that son\nof Pritha in exile, that prince who deserveth not such distress and who\nhath been brought up in every luxury! Why doth not thy wrath blaze up at\nsight of that Arjuna in exile, who, on a single car, hath vanquished\ncelestials and men and serpents? Why, O king, doth not thy wrath blaze up\nat sight of that Arjuna in exile who, honoured with offerings of cars and\nvehicles of various forms and horses and elephants, forcibly took from\nthe kings of the earth their treasures, who is the chastiser of all foes,\nand who at one impetus can throw full five hundred arrows? Why, O king,\ndoth not thy wrath blaze up at sight of Nakula, in exile, who so fair and\nable-bodied and young, is the foremost of all swordsmen? Why, O king,\ndost thou pardon the foe. O Yudhishthira, at sight of Madri's son, the\nhandsome and brave Sahadeva in exile? Why doth not thy anger blaze up, O\nking, it sight of both Nakula and Sahadeva overwhelmed with grief, though\nso undeserving of distress? Why also, O king, dost thou pardon the foe at\nsight of myself in exile who, born in the race of Drupada and, therefore,\nthe sister of Dhrishtadyumna, am the daughter-in-law of the illustrious\nPandu and the devoted wife of heroes? Truly, O thou best of the Bharatas,\nthou hast no anger, else why is it that thy mind is not moved at sight of\nthy brothers and myself (in such distress)? It is said that there is no\nKshatriya in the world who is bereft of anger. I now behold in thee,\nhowever, a refutation of the proverb! That Kshatriya, O son of Pritha,\nwho discovereth not his energy when the opportunity cometh, is ever\ndisregarded by all creatures! Therefore, O king, thou shouldst not extend\nthy forgiveness to the foe. Indeed, with thy energy, without doubt, thou,\nmayst slay them all! So also, O king, that Kshatriya who is not appeased\nwhen the time for forgiveness cometh, becometh unpopular with every\ncreature and meeteth with destruction both in this and the other world!'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXVIII\n\n\"Draupadi continued, 'On this subject, the ancient story of the\nconversation between Prahlada and Vali, the son of Virochana, is quoted\nas an example. One day Vali asked his grand-father Prahlada, the chief of\nthe Asuras and the Danavas, possessed of great wisdom and well-versed in\nthe mysteries of the science of duty, saying, 'O sire, is forgiveness\nmeritorious or might and energy such? I am puzzled as regards this; O\nsire, enlighten me who ask thee this! O thou conversant with all duties,\ntell me truly which of these is meritorious? I will strictly obey\nwhatever thy command may be! Thus asked (by Vali), his wise grandfather,\nconversant with every conclusion, replied upon the whole subject unto his\ngrand-son who had sought at his hands the resolution of his doubts. And\nPrahlada said, 'Know, O child, these two truths with certainty, viz.,\nthat might is not always meritorious and forgiveness also is not always\nmeritorious! He that forgiveth always suffereth many evils. Servants and\nstrangers and enemies always disregard him. No creature ever bendeth down\nunto him. Therefore it is, O child, that the learned applaud not a\nconstant habit of forgiveness! The servants of an ever-forgiving person\nalways disregard him, and contract numerous faults. These mean-minded men\nalso seek to deprive him of his wealth. Vile souled servants also\nappropriate to themselves his vehicles and clothes and ornaments and\napparel and beds and seats and food and drink and other articles of use.\nThey do not also at the command of their master, give unto others the\nthings they are directed to give Nor do they even worship their master\nwith that respect which is their master's due. Disregard in this world is\nworse than death. O child, sons and servants and attendants and even\nstrangers speak harsh words unto the man who always forgiveth. Persons,\ndisregarding the man of an ever-forgiving temper, even desire his wife,\nand his wife also, becometh ready to act as she willeth. And servants\nalso that are ever fond of pleasure, if they do not receive even slight\npunishments from their master, contract all sorts of vices, and the\nwicked ever injure such a master. These and many other demerits attach to\nthose that are ever-forgiving!\n\n\"Listen now, O son of Virochana, to the demerits of those that are never\nforgiving! The man of wrath who, surrounded by darkness, always\ninflicteth, by help of his own energy, various kinds of punishment on\npersons whether they deserve them or not, is necessarily separated from\nhis friends in consequence of that energy of his. Such a man is hated by\nboth relatives and strangers. Such a man, because he insulteth others,\nsuffereth loss of wealth and reapeth disregard and sorrow and hatred and\nconfusion and enemies. The man of wrath, in consequence of his ire,\ninflicteth punishments on men and obtaineth (in return) harsh words. He\nis divested of his prosperity soon and even of life, not to say, of\nfriends and relatives. He that putteth forth his might both upon his\nbenefactor and his foe, is an object of alarm to the world, like a snake\nthat hath taken shelter in a house, to the inmates thereof. What\nprosperity can he have who is an object of alarm to the world? People\nalways do him an injury when they find a hole. Therefore, should men\nnever exhibit might in excess nor forgiveness on all occasions. One\nshould put forth his might and show his forgiveness on proper occasions.\nHe that becometh forgiving at the proper time and harsh and mighty also\nat the proper time, obtaineth happiness both in this world and the other.\n\n\"'I shall now indicate the occasions in detail of forgiveness, as laid\ndown by the learned, and which should ever be observed by all. Hearken\nunto me as I speak! He that hath done thee a service, even if he is\nguilty of a grave wrong unto thee, recollecting his former service,\nshouldst thou forgive that offender. Those also that have become\noffenders from ignorance and folly should be forgiven for learning and\nwisdom are not always easily attainable by man. They that having offended\nthee knowingly, plead ignorance should be punished, even if their\noffences be trivial. Such crooked men should never be pardoned. The first\noffence of every creature should be forgiven. The second offence,\nhowever, should be punished, even if it be trivial. If, however, a person\ncommiteth an offence unwillingly, it hath been said that examining his\nplea well by a judicious enquiry, he should be pardoned. Humility may\nvanquish might, humility may vanquish weakness. There is nothing that\nhumility may not accomplish. Therefore, humility is truly fiercer (than\nit seemeth)! One should act with reference to place and time, taking note\nof his own might or weakness. Nothing can succeed that hath been\nundertaken without reference to place and time. Therefore, do thou ever\nwait for place and time! Sometimes offenders should be forgiven from fear\nof the people. These have been declared to be times of forgiveness. And\nit hath been said that on occasions besides these, might should be put\nforth against transgressors.'\n\n\"Draupadi continued, 'I, therefore, regard, O king, that the time hath\ncome for thee to put forth thy might! Unto those Kurus the covetous sons\nof Dhritarashtra who injure us always, the present is not the time for\nforgiveness! It behoveth thee to put forth thy might. The humble and\nforgiving person is disregarded; while those that are fierce persecute\nothers. He, indeed, is a king who hath recourse to both, each according\nto its time!'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXIX\n\nYudhishthira said, 'Anger is the slayer of men and is again their\nprosperor. Know this, O thou possessed of great wisdom, that anger is the\nroot of all prosperity and all adversity. O thou beautiful one, he that\nsuppresseth his anger earneth prosperity. That man, again, who always\ngiveth way to anger, reapeth adversity from his fierce anger. It is seen\nin this world that anger is the cause of destruction of every creature.\nHow then can one like me indulge his anger which is so destructive of the\nworld? The angry man commiteth sin. The angry man killeth even his\npreceptors. The angry man insulteth even his superiors in harsh words.\nThe man that is angry faileth to distinguish between what should be said\nand what should not. There is no act that an angry man may not do, no\nword that an angry man may not utter. From anger a man may slay one that\ndeserveth not to be slain, and may worship one that deserveth to be\nslain. The angry man may even send his own soul to the regions of Yama.\nBeholding all these faults, the wise control their anger, desirous of\nobtaining high prosperity both in this and the other world. It is for\nthis that they of tranquil souls have banished wrath. How can one like us\nindulge in it then? O daughter of Drupada, reflecting upon all this, my\nanger is not excited One that acteth not against a man whose wrath hath\nbeen up, rescueth himself as also others from great fear. In fact, he may\nbe regarded to be the physician of the two (viz., himself and angry man).\nIf a weak man, persecuted by others, foolishly becometh angry towards men\nthat are mightier than he, he then becometh himself the cause of his own\ndestruction. And in respect of one who thus deliberately throweth away\nhis life, there are no regions hereafter to gain. Therefore, O daughter\nof Drupada, it hath been said that a weak man should always suppress his\nwrath. And the wise man also who though presecuted, suffereth not his\nwrath to be roused, joyeth in the other world--having passed his\npersecutor over in indifference. It is for this reason hath it been said\nthat a wise man, whether strong or weak, should ever forgive his\npersecutor even when the latter is in the straits. It is for this, O\nKrishna, that the virtuous applaud them that have conquered their wrath.\nIndeed, it is the opinion of the virtuous that the honest and forgiving\nman is ever victorious. Truth is more beneficial than untruth; and\ngentleness than cruel behaviour. How can one like me, therefore, even for\nthe purpose of slaying Duryodhana, exhibit anger which hath so many\nfaults and which the virtuous banish from their souls? They that are\nregarded by the learned of foresight, as possessed of (true) force of\ncharacter, are certainly those who are wrathful in outward show only. Men\nof learning and of true insight call him to be possessed of force of\ncharacter who by his wisdom can suppress his risen wrath. O thou of fair\nhips, the angry man seeth not things in their true light. The man that is\nangry seeth not his way, nor respecteth persons. The angry man killeth\neven those that deserve not to be killed. The man of wrath slayeth even\nhis preceptors. Therefore, the man possessing force of character should\never banish wrath to a distance. The man that is overwhelmed with wrath\nacquireth not with ease generosity, dignity, courage, skill, and other\nattributes belonging to real force of character. A man by forsaking anger\ncan exhibit proper energy, whereas, O wise one, it is highly difficult\nfor the angry man to exhibit his energy at the proper time! The ignorant\nalways regard anger as equivalent to energy. Wrath, however hath been\ngiven to man for the destruction of the world. The man, therefore, who\nwisheth to behave properly, must ever forsake anger. Even one who hath\nabandoned the excellent virtues of his own order, it is certain,\nindulgeth in wrath (if behaveth properly). If fools, of mind without\nlight, transgress in every respect, how, O faultless one, can one like me\ntransgress (like them)? If amongst men there were not persons equal unto\nthe earth in forgiveness, there would be no peace among men but continued\nstrife caused by wrath. If the injured return their injuries, if one\nchastised by his superior were to chastise his superior in return, the\nconsequence would be the destruction of every creature, and sin also\nwould prevail in the world. If the man who hath ill speeches from\nanother, returneth those speeches afterwards; if the injured man\nreturneth his injuries: if the chastised person chastiseth in return; if\nfathers slay sons, and sons fathers and if husbands slay wives, and wives\nhusbands; then, O Krishna, how can birth take place in a world where\nanger prevaileth so! For, O thou of handsome face, know that the birth of\ncreatures is due to peace! If the kings also, O Draupadi, giveth way to\nwrath, his subjects soon meet with destruction. Wrath, therefore, hath\nfor its consequence the destruction and the distress of the people. And\nbecause it is seen that there are in the world men who are forgiving like\nthe Earth, it is therefore that creatures derive their life and\nprosperity. O beautiful one, one should forgive under every injury. It\nhath been said that the continuation of species is due to man being\nforgiving. He, indeed, is a wise and excellent person who hath conquered\nhis wrath and who showeth forgiveness even when insulted, oppressed, and\nangered by a strong person. The man of power who controleth his wrath,\nhath (for his enjoyment) numerous everlasting regions; while he that is\nangry, is called foolish, and meeteth with destruction both in this and\nthe other world. O Krishna, the illustrious and forgiving Kashyapa hath,\nin this respect, sung the following verses in honour of men that are ever\nforgiving, 'Forgiveness is virtue; forgiveness is sacrifice, forgiveness\nis the Vedas, forgiveness is the Shruti. He that knoweth this is capable\nof forgiving everything. Forgiveness is Brahma; forgiveness is truth;\nforgiveness is stored ascetic merit; forgiveness protecteth the ascetic\nmerit of the future; forgiveness is asceticism; forgiveness is holiness;\nand by forgiveness is it that the universe is held together. Persons that\nare forgiving attain to the regions obtainable by those that have\npreformed meritorious sacrifices, or those that are well-conversant with\nthe Vedas, or those that have high ascetic merit. Those that perform\nVedic sacrifices as also those that perform the meritorious rites of\nreligion obtain other regions. Men of forgiveness, however, obtain those\nmuch-adored regions that are in the world of Brahma. Forgiveness is the\nmight of the mighty; forgiveness is sacrifice; forgiveness is quiet of\nmind. How, O Krishna, can one like us abandon forgiveness, which is such,\nand in which are established Brahma, and truth, and wisdom and the\nworlds? The man of wisdom should ever forgive, for when he is capable of\nforgiving everything, he attaineth to Brahma. The world belongeth to\nthose that are forgiving; the other world is also theirs. The forgiving\nacquire honours here, and a state of blessedness hereafter. Those men\nthat ever conquer their wrath by forgiveness, obtain the higher regions.\nTherefore hath it been said that forgiveness is the highest virtue.'\nThose are the verses sung by Kashyapa in respect of those that are\neverforgiving. Having listened, O Draupadi, to these verses in respect of\nforgiveness, content thyself! Give not way to thy wrath! Our grandsire,\nthe son of Santanu, will worship peace; Krishna, the son of Devaki, will\nworship peace; the preceptor (Drona) and Vidura called Kshatri will both\nspeak of peace; Kripa and Sanjaya also will preach peace. And Somadatta\nand Yuyutshu and Drona's son and our grandsire Vyasa, every one of them\nspeaketh always of peace. Ever urged by these towards peace, the king\n(Dhritarashtra) will, I think, return us our kingdom. If however, he\nyieldeth to temptation, he will meet with destruction. O lady, a crisis\nhath come in the history of Bharatas for plunging them into calamity!\nThis hath been my certain conclusion from some time before! Suyodhana\ndeserveth not the kingdom. Therefore hath he been unable to acquire\nforgiveness. I, however, deserve the sovereignty and therefore is it that\nforgiveness hath taken possession of me. Forgiveness and gentleness are\nthe qualities of the self-possessed. They represent eternal virtue. I\nshall, therefore, truly adopt those qualities.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXX\n\n\"Draupadi said, 'I bow down unto Dhatri and Vidhatri who have thus\nclouded thy sense! Regarding the burden (thou art to bear) thou thinkest\ndifferently from the ways of thy fathers and grand-fathers! Influenced by\nacts men are placed in different situations of life. Acts, therefore,\nproduce consequences that are inevitable; emancipation is desired from\nmere folly. It seemeth that man can never attain prosperity in this world\nby virtue, gentleness, forgiveness, straight-forwardness and fear of\ncensure! If this were not so, O Bharata, this insufferable calamity would\nnever have overtaken thee who art so undeserving of it, and these thy\nbrothers of great energy! Neither in those days of prosperity nor in\nthese days of thy adversity, thou, O Bharata, hath ever known anything so\ndear to thee as virtue, which thou hast even regarded as dearer to thee\nthan life? That thy kingdom is for virtue alone, that thy life also is\nfor virtue alone, is known to Brahmanas and thy superiors and even the\ncelestials! I think thou canst abandon Bhimasena and Arjuna and these\ntwin sons of Madri along with myself but thou canst not abandon virtue! I\nhave heard that the king protecteth virtue; and virtue, protected by him,\nprotecteth him (in return)! I see, however, that virtue protecteth thee\nnot! Like the shadow pursuing a man, thy heart, O tiger among men, with\nsingleness of purpose, ever seeketh virtue. Thou hast never disregarded\nthy equals, and inferiors and superiors. Obtaining even the entire world,\nthy pride never increased! O son of Pritha, thou ever worshippest\nBrahmanas, and gods, and the Pitris, with Swadhas, and other forms of\nworship! O son of Pritha, thou hast ever gratified the Brahmanas by\nfulfilling every wish of theirs! Yatis and Sannyasins and mendicants of\ndomestic lives have always been fed in thy house from off plates of gold\nwhere I have distributed (food) amongst them. Unto the Vanaprasthas thou\nalways givest gold and food. There is nothing in thy house thou mayest\nnot give unto the Brahmanas! In the Viswadeva sacrifice, that is, for thy\npeace, performed in thy house, the things consecrated are first offered\nunto guests and all creatures while thou livest thyself with what\nremaineth (after distribution)! Ishtis Pashubandhas, sacrifices for\nobtaining fruition of desire, the religions rites of (ordinary)\ndomesticity, Paka sacrifices, and sacrifices of other kinds, are ever\nperformed in thy house. Even in this great forest, so solitary and\nhaunted by robbers, living in exile, divested of thy kingdom, thy virtue\nhath sustained no diminution! The Aswamedha, the Rajasuya, the Pundarika,\nand Gosava, these grand sacrifices requiring large gifts have all been\nperformed by thee! O monarch, impelled by a perverse sense during that\ndire hour of a losing match at dice, thou didst yet stake and loss thy\nkingdom, thy wealth, thy weapons, thy brothers, and myself! Simple,\ngentle, liberal, modest, truthful, how, O king could thy mind be\nattracted to the vice of gambling? I am almost deprived of my sense, O\nking, and my heart is overwhelmed with grief, beholding this thy\ndistress, and this thy calamity! An old history is cited as an\nillustration for the truth that men are subjects to the will of God and\nnever to their own wishes! The Supreme Lord and Ordainer of all ordaineth\neverything in respect of the weal and woe, the happiness and misery, of\nall creatures, even prior to their births guided by the acts of each,\nwhich are even like a seed (destined to sprout forth into the tree of\nlife). O hero amongst men, as a wooden doll is made to move its limbs by\nthe wire-puller, so are creatures made to work by the Lord of all. O\nBharata, like space that covereth every object, God, pervading every\ncreature, ordaineth its weal or woe. Like a bird tied with a string,\nevery creature is dependent on God. Every one is subject to God and none\nelse. No one can be his own ordainer. Like a pearl on its string, or a\nbull held fast by the cord passing through its nose, or a tree fallen\nfrom the bank into the middle of the stream, every creature followeth the\ncommand of the Creator, because imbued with His Spirit and because\nestablished in Him. And man himself, dependent on the Universal Soul,\ncannot pass a moment independently. Enveloped in darkness, creatures are\nnot masters of their own weal or woe. They go to heaven or hell urged by\nGod Himself. Like light straws dependent on strong winds, all creatures,\nO Bharatas, are dependent on God! And God himself, pervading all\ncreatures and engaged in acts right and wrong, moveth in the universe,\nthough none can say This is God! This body with its physical attributes\nis only the means by which God--the Supreme Lord of all maketh (every\ncreature) to reap fruits that are good or bad. Behold the power of\nillusion that hath been spread by God, who confounding with his illusion,\nmaketh creatures slay their fellows! Truth-knowing Munis behold those\ndifferently. They appear to them in a different light, even like the rays\nof the Sun (which to ordinary eyes are only a pencil of light, while to\neyes more penetrating seem fraught with the germs of food and drink).\nOrdinary men behold the things of the earth otherwise. It is God who\nmaketh them all, adopting different processes in their creation and\ndestruction. And, O Yudhishthira, the Self-create Grandsire, Almighty\nGod, spreading illusion, slayeth his creatures by the instrumentality of\nhis creatures, as one may break a piece of inert and senseless wood with\nwood, or stone with stone, or iron with iron. And the Supreme Lord,\naccording to his pleasure, sporteth with His creatures, creating and\ndestroying them, like a child with his toy (of soft earth). O king, it\ndoth seem to me that God behaveth towards his creatures like a father or\nmother unto them. Like a vicious person, He seemeth to bear himself\ntowards them in anger! Beholding superior and well-behaved and modest\npersons persecuted, while the sinful are happy, I am sorely troubled.\nBeholding this thy distress and the prosperity of Suyodhana, I do not\nspeak highly of the Great Ordainer who suffereth such inequality! O sir,\nwhat fruits doth the Great Ordainer reap by granting prosperity to\nDhritarashtra's son who transgresseth the ordinances, who is crooked and\ncovetous, and who injureth virtue and religion! If the act done pursueth\nthe doer and none else, then certainly it is God himself who is stained\nwith the sin of every act. If however, the sin of an act done doth not\nattach to the doer, then (individual) might (and not God) is the true\ncause of acts, and I grieve for those that have no might!'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXI\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'Thy speech, O Yajnaseni, is delightful, smooth and\nfull of excellent phrases. We have listened to it (carefully). Thou\nspeakest, however, the language of atheism. O princess, I never act,\nsolicitous of the fruits of my actions. I give away, because it is my\nduty to give; I sacrifice because it is my duty to sacrifice! O Krishna,\nI accomplish to the best of my power whatever a person living in\ndomesticity should do, regardless of the fact whether those acts have\nfruits or not. O thou of fair hips, I act virtuously, not from the desire\nof reaping the fruits of virtue, but of not transgressing the ordinances\nof the Veda, and beholding also the conduct of the good and wise! My\nheart, O Krishna, is naturally attracted towards virtue. The man who\nwisheth to reap the fruits of virtue is a trader in virtue. His nature is\nmean and he should never be counted amongst the virtuous. Nor doth he\never obtain the fruits of his virtues! Nor doth he of sinful heart, who\nhaving accomplished a virtuous act doubteth in his mind, obtain the\nfruits of his act, in consequence of that scepticism of his! I speak unto\nthee, under the authority of the Vedas, which constitute the highest\nproof in such matters, that never shouldst thou doubt virtue! The man\nthat doubteth virtue is destined to take his birth in the brute species.\nThe man of weak understanding who doubteth religion, virtue or the words\nof the Rishis, is precluded from regions of immortality and bliss, like\nSudras from the Vedas! O intelligent one, if a child born of a good race\nstudieth the Vedas and beareth himself virtuously, royal sages of\nvirtuous behaviour regard him as an aged sage (not withstanding his\nyears)! The sinful wretch, however, who doubteth religion and\ntransgresseth the scriptures, is regarded as lower even than Sudras and\nrobbers! Thou hast seen with thy own eyes the great ascetic Markandeya of\nimmeasurable soul come to us! It is by virtue alone that he hath acquired\nimmortality in the flesh. Vyasa, and Vasistha and Maitreya, and Narada\nand Lomasa, and Suka, and other Rishis have all, by virtue alone, become\nof pure soul! Thou beholdest them with thy own eyes as furnished with\nprowess of celestial asceticism, competent to curse or bless (with\neffect), and superior to the very gods! O sinless one, these all, equal\nto the celestials themselves, behold with their eyes what Is written in\nthe Vedas, and describe virtue as the foremost duty! It behoveth thee\nnot, therefore, O amiable Queen, to either doubt or censure God or act,\nwith a foolish heart. The fool that doubteth religion and disregardeth\nvirtue, proud of the proof derived from his own reasoning, regardeth not\nother proofs and holdeth the Rishis, who are capable of knowing the\nfuture as present as mad men. The fool regardeth only the external world\ncapable of gratifying his senses, and is blind to everything else. He\nthat doubteth religion hath no expiation for his offence. That miserable\nwretch is full of anxiety and acquireth not regions of bliss hereafter. A\nrejector of proofs, a slanderer of the interpretation of the Vedic\nscriptures, a transgressor urged by lust and covetousness, that fool\ngoeth to hell. O amiable one, he on the other hand, who ever cherisheth\nreligion with faith, obtaineth eternal bliss in the other world. The fool\nwho cherisheth not religion, transgressing the proofs offered by the\nRishis, never obtaineth prosperity in any life, for such transgression of\nthe scriptures. It is certain, O handsome one, that with respect to him\nwho regardeth not the words of the Rishis or the conduct of the virtuous\nas proof, neither this nor the other world existeth. Doubt not, O\nKrishna, the ancient religion that is practised by the good and framed by\nRishis of universal knowledge and capable of seeing all things! O\ndaughter of Drupada, religion is the only raft for those desirous of\ngoing to heaven, like a ship to merchants desirous of crossing the ocean.\nO thou faultless one, if the virtues that are practised by the virtuous\nhad no fruits, this universe then would be enveloped in infamous\ndarkness. No one then would pursue salvation, no one would seek to\nacquire knowledge not even wealth, but men would live like beasts. If\nasceticism, the austerities of celibate life, sacrifices, study of the\nVedas, charity, honesty,--these all were fruitless, men would not have\npractised virtue generation after generation. If acts were all fruitless,\na dire confusion would ensue. For what then do Rishis and gods and\nGandharvas and Rakshasas who are all independent of human conditions,\ncherish virtue with such affection? Knowing it for certain that God is\nthe giver of fruits in respect of virtue, they practise virtue in this\nworld. This, O Krishna, is the eternal (source of) prosperity. When the\nfruits of both knowledge and asceticism are seen, virtue and vice cannot\nbe fruitless. Call to thy mind, O Krishna, the circumstances of thy own\nbirth as thou that heard of them, and recall also the manner in which\nDhrishtadyumna of great prowess was born! These, O thou of sweet smiles,\nare the best proofs (of the fruits of virtue)! They that have their minds\nunder control, reap the fruits of their acts and are content with little.\nIgnorant fools are not content with even that much they get (here),\nbecause they have no happiness born of virtue to acquire to in the world\nhereafter. The fruitlessness of virtuous acts ordained in the Vedas, as\nalso of all transgressions, the origin and destruction of acts are, O\nbeautiful one, mysterious even to the gods. These are not known to any\nbody and everybody. Ordinary men are ignorant in respect of these. The\ngods keep up the mystery, for the illusion covering the conduct of the\ngods is unintelligible. Those regenerate ones that have destroyed all\naspirations, that have built all their hopes on vows and asceticism, that\nhave burnt all their sins and have acquired minds where quest and peace\nand holiness dwell, understand all these. Therefore, though you mayst not\nsee the fruits of virtue, thou shouldst not yet doubt religion or gods.\nThou must perform sacrifices with a will, and practise charity without\ninsolence. Acts in this world have their fruits, and virtue also is\neternal. Brahma himself told this unto his (spiritual) sons, as testified\nto by Kashyapa. Let thy doubt, therefore, O Krishna, be dispelled like\nmist. Reflecting upon all this, let thy scepticism give way to faith.\nSlander not God, who is the lord of all creatures. Learn how to know him.\nBow down unto him. Let not thy mind be such. And, O Krishna, never\ndisregard that Supreme Being through whose grace mortal man, by piety,\nacquireth immortality!'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXII\n\n\"Draupadi said, 'I do not ever disregard or slander religion, O son of\nPritha! Why should I disregard God, the lord of all creatures? Afflicted\nwith woe, know me, O Bharata, to be only raving I will once more indulge\nin lamentations; listen to me with attention O persecutor of all enemies,\nevery conscious creature should certainly act in this world. It is only\nthe immobile, and not other creatures, that may live without acting. The\ncalf, immediately after its birth, sucketh the mothers' teat. Persons\nfeel pain in consequence of incantations performed with their statues. It\nseemeth, therefore, O Yudhishthira, that creatures derive the character\nof their lives from their acts of former lives. Amongst mobile creatures\nman differeth in this respect that he aspireth, O bull of the Bharata\nrace, to affect his course of life in this and the other world by means\nof his acts. Impelled by the inspiration of a former life, all creatures\nvisibly (reap) in this world the fruits of their acts. Indeed, all\ncreatures live according to the inspiration of a former life, even the\nCreator and the Ordainer of the universe, like a crane that liveth on the\nwater (untaught by any one.) If a creature acteth not, its course of life\nis impossible. In the case of a creature, therefore, there must be action\nand not inaction. Thou also shouldest act, and not incur censure by\nabandoning action. Cover thyself up, as with an armour, with action.\nThere may or may not be even one in a thousand who truly knoweth the\nutility of acts or work. One must act for protecting as also increasing\nhis wealth; for if without seeking to earn, one continueth to only spend,\nhis wealth, even if it were a hoard huge as Himavat, would soon be\nexhausted. All the creatures in the world would have been exterminated,\nif there were no action. If also acts bore no fruits, creatures would\nnever have multiplied. It is even seen that creatures sometimes perform\nacts that have no fruits, for without acts the course of life itself\nwould be impossible. Those persons in the world who believe in destiny,\nand those again who believe in chance, are both the worst among men.\nThose only that believe in the efficacy of acts are laudable. He that\nlieth at ease, without activity, believing in destiny alone, is soon\ndestroyed like an unburnt earthen pot in water. So also he that believeth\nin chance, i.e., sitteth inactive though capable of activity liveth not\nlong, for his life is one of weakness and helplessness. If any person\naccidentally acquireth any wealth, it is said he deriveth it from chance,\nfor no one's effort hath brought about the result. And, O son of Pritha,\nwhatever of good fortune a person obtaineth in consequence of religious\nrites, that is called providential. The fruit, however that a person\nobtaineth by acting himself, and which is the direct result of those acts\nof his, is regarded as proof of personal ability. And, O best of men,\nknow that the wealth one obtaineth spontaneously and without cause is\nsaid to be a spontaneous acquisition. Whatever is thus obtained by\nchance, by providential dispensation, spontaneously, of as the result of\none's acts is, however, the consequence of the acts of a former life. And\nGod, the Ordainer of the universe, judging according to the acts of\nformer lives, distributeth among men their portions in this world.\nWhatever acts, good or bad, a person performeth, know that they are the\nresult of God's, arrangements agreeably to the acts of a former life.\nThis body is only the instruments in the hands of God, for doing the acts\nthat are done. Itself, inert, it doth as God urgeth it to do. O son of\nKunti, it is the Supreme Lord of all who maketh all creatures do what\nthey do. The creatures themselves are inert. O hero, man, having first\nsettled some purpose in his mind, accomplisheth it, himself working with\nthe aid of his intelligence. We, therefore, say that man is himself the\ncause (of what he doeth). O bull among men, it is impossible to number\nthe acts of men, for mansions and towns are the result of man's acts.\nIntelligent men know, by help of their intellect, that oil may be had\nfrom sesame, curds from milk, and that food may be cooked by means of\nigniting fuel. They know also the means for accomplishing all these. And\nknowing them, they afterwards set themselves, with proper appliances, to\naccomplish them. And creatures support their lives by the results\nachieved in these directions by their own acts. If a work is executed by\na skilled workman, it is executed well. From differences (in\ncharacteristics), another work may be said to be that of an unskilful\nhand. If a person were not, in the matter of his acts, himself the cause\nthereof, then sacrifices would not bear any fruits in his case nor would\nany body be a disciple or a master. It is because a person is himself the\ncause of his work that he is applauded when he achieved success. So the\ndoer is censured if he faileth. If a man were not himself the cause of\nhis acts, how would all this be justified? Some say that everything is\nthe result of Providential dispensation; others again, that this is not\nso, but that everything which is supposed to be the result of destiny or\nchance is the result of the good or the bad acts of former lives. It is\nseen, possessions are obtained from chance, as also from destiny\nSomething being from destiny and something from chance, something is\nobtained by exertion. In the acquisition of his objects, there is no\nfourth cause in the case of man. Thus say those that are acquainted with\ntruth and skilled in knowledge. If, however, God himself were not the\ngiver of good and bad fruits, then amongst creatures there would not be\nany that was miserable. If the effect of former acts be a myth, then all\npurposes for which man would work should be successful. They, therefore,\nthat regard the three alone (mentioned above) as the doors of all success\nand failure in the world, (without regarding the acts of former life),\nare dull and inert like the body itself. For all this, however, a person\nshould act. This is the conclusion of Manu himself. The person that doth\nnot act, certainly succumbeth, O Yudhishthira. The man of action in this\nworld generally meeteth with success. The idle, however, never achieveth\nsuccess. If success, becometh impossible, then should one seek to remove\nthe difficulties that bar his way to success. And, O king, if a person\nworketh (hard), his debt (to the gods) is cancelled (whether he achieveth\nsuccess or not). The person that is idle and lieth at his length, is\novercome by adversity; while he that is active and skillful is sure to\nreap success and enjoy prosperity. Intelligent persons engaged in acts\nwith confidence in themselves regard all who are diffident as doubting\nand unsuccessful. The confident and faithful, however, are regarded by\nthem as successful. And this moment misery hath overtaken us. If,\nhowever, thou betakest to action, that misery will certainly be removed.\nIf thou meetest failure, then that will furnish a proof unto thee and\nVrikodara and Vivatsu and the twins (that ye are unable to snatch the\nkingdom from the foe). The acts of others, it is seen, are crowned with\nsuccess. It is probable that ours also will be successful. How can one\nknow beforehand what the consequence will be? Having exerted thyself thou\nwilt know what the fruit of thy exertion will be. The tiller tilleth with\nthe plough the soil and soweth the seeds thereon. He then sitteth silent,\nfor the clouds (after that) are the cause that would help the seeds to\ngrow into plants. If however, the clouds favour him not, the tiller is\nabsolved from all blame. He sayeth unto himself, 'What others do, I have\ndone. If, notwithstanding this, I meet with failure, no blame can attach\nto me.' Thinking so, he containeth himself and never indulgeth in\nself-reproach. O Bharata, no one should despair saying, 'Oh, I am acting,\nyet success is not mine! For there are two other causes, besides\nexertion, towards success. Whether there be success or failure, there\nshould be no despair, for success in acts dependeth upon the union; of\nmany circumstances. If one important element is wanting, success doth not\nbecome commensurate, or doth not come at all. If however, no exertion is\nmade, there can be no success. Nor is there anything to applaud in the\nabsence of all exertion. The intelligent, aided by their intelligence,\nand according to their full might bring place, time, means, auspicious\nrites, for the acquisition of prosperity. With carefulness and vigilance\nshould one set himself to work, his chief guide being his prowess. In the\nunion of qualities necessary for success in work, prowess seemeth to be\nthe chief. When the man of intelligence seeth his enemy superior to him\nin many qualities, he should seek the accomplishment of his purposes by\nmeans, of the arts of conciliation and proper appliances. He should also\nwish evil unto his foe and his banishment. Without speaking of mortal\nman, if his foe were even the ocean or the hills, he should be guided by\nsuch motives. A person by his activity in searching for the holes of his\nenemies, dischargeth his debt to himself as also to his friends. No man\nshould ever disparage himself for the man that disparageth himself never\nearneth high prosperity. O Bharata, success in this world is attainable\non such conditions! In fact, success in the World is said to depend on\nacting according to time and circumstances. My father formerly kept a\nlearned Brahmana with him. O bull of the Bharata race, he said all this\nunto my father. Indeed, these instructions as to duty, uttered by\nVrihaspati himself, were first taught to my brothers. It was from them\nthat I heard these afterwards while in my father's house. And, O\nYudhishthira, while at intervals of business, I went out (of the inner\napartments) and sat on the lap of my father, that learned Brahmana used\nto recite unto me these truths, sweetly consoling me therewith!\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXIII\n\n'Vaisampayana said, \"Hearing these words of Yajnaseni, Bhimasena, sighing\nin wrath, approached the king and addressed him, saying, 'Walk, O\nmonarch, in the customary path trodden by good men, (before thee) in\nrespect of kingdoms. What do we gain by living in the asylum of ascetics,\nthus deprived of virtue, pleasure, and profit? It is not by virtue, nor\nby honesty, nor by might, but by unfair dice, that our kingdom hath been\nsnatched by Duryodhana. Like a weak offal-eating jackal snatching the\nprey from mighty lions, he hath snatched away our kingdom. Why, O\nmonarch, in obedience to the trite merit of sticking to a promise, dost\nthou suffer such distress, abandoning that wealth which is the source of\nboth virtue and enjoyments? It was for thy carelessness, O king, that our\nkingdom protected by the wielder of the Gandiva and therefore, incapable\nof being wrested by Indra himself, was snatched from us in our very\nsight. It was for thee, O monarch, that, ourselves living, our prosperity\nwas snatched away from us like a fruit from one unable to use his arms,\nor like kine from one incapable of using his legs. Thou art faithful in\nthe acquisition of virtue. It was to please thee, O Bharata, that we have\nsuffered ourselves to be overwhelmed with such dire calamity. O bull of\nthe Bharata race, it was because we were subject to thy control that we\nare thus tearing the hearts of our friends and gratifying our foes. That\nwe did not, in obedience to thee, even then slay the sons of\nDhritarashtra, is an act of folly on our part that grieveth me sorely.\nThis thy abode, O king, in the woods, like that of any wild animal, is\nwhat a man of weakness alone would submit to. Surely, no man of might\nwould ever lead such a life. This thy course of life is approved neither\nby Krishna, nor Vibhatsu, nor by Abhimanyu, nor by the Srinjayas, nor by\nmyself, nor by the sons of Madri. Afflicted with the vows, thy cry is\nReligion! Religion! Hast thou from despair been deprived of thy\nmanliness? Cowards alone, unable to win back their prosperity, cherish\ndespair, which is fruitless and destructive of one's purposes. Thou hast\nability and eyes. Thou seest that manliness dwelleth in us. It is because\nthou hast adopted a life of peace that thou feelest not this distress.\nThese Dhritarashtras regard us who are forgiving, as really incompetent.\nThis, O king, grieveth me more than death in battle. If we all die in\nfair fight without turning our backs on the foe, even that would be\nbetter than this exile, for then we should obtain regions of bliss in the\nother world. Or, if, O bull of the Bharata race, having slain them all,\nwe acquire the entire earth, that would be prosperity worth the trial. We\nwho ever adhere to the customs of our order, who ever desire grand\nachievements, who wish to avenge our wrongs, have this for our bounden\nduty. Our kingdom wrested from us, if we engage in battle, our deeds when\nknown to the world will procure for us fame and not slander. And that\nvirtue, O king, which tortureth one's own self and friends, is really no\nvirtue. It is rather vice, producing calamities. Virtue is sometimes also\nthe weakness of men. And though such a man might ever be engaged in the\npractice of virtue, yet both virtue and profit forsake him, like pleasure\nand pain forsaking a person that is dead. He that practiseth virtue for\nvirtue's sake always suffereth. He can scarcely be called a wise man, for\nhe knoweth not the purposes of virtue like a blind man incapable of\nperceiving the solar light. He that regardeth his wealth to exist for\nhimself alone, scarcely understandeth the purposes of wealth. He is\nreally like a servant that tendeth kine in a forest. He again that\npursueth wealth too much without pursuing virtue and enjoyments,\ndeserveth to be censured and slain by all men. He also that ever pursueth\nenjoyments without pursuing virtue and wealth, loseth his friends and\nvirtue and wealth also. Destitute of virtue and wealth such a man,\nindulging in pleasure at will, at the expiration of his period of\nindulgence, meeteth with certain death, like a fish when the water in\nwhich it liveth hath been dried up. It is for these reasons that they\nthat are wise are ever careful of both virtue and wealth, for a union of\nvirtue and wealth is the essential requisite of pleasure, as fuel is the\nessential requisite of fire. Pleasure hath always virtue for its root,\nand virtue also is united with pleasure. Know, O monarch, that both are\ndependent on each other like the ocean and the clouds, the ocean causing\nthe clouds and the clouds filling the ocean. The joy that one feeleth in\nconsequence of contact with objects of touch or of possession of wealth,\nis what is called pleasure. It existeth in the mind, having no corporeal\nexistence that one can see. He that wisheth (to obtain) wealth, seeketh\nfor a large share of virtue to crown his wish with success. He that\nwisheth for pleasure, seeketh wealth, (so that his wish may be realised).\nPleasure however, yieldeth nothing in its turn. One pleasure cannot lead\nto another, being its own fruit, as ashes may be had from wood, but\nnothing from those ashes in their turn. And, O king, as a fowler killeth\nthe birds we see, so doth sin slay the creatures of the world. He,\ntherefore, who misled by pleasure or covetousness, beholdeth not the\nnature of virtue, deserveth to be slain by all, and becometh wretched\nboth here and here-after. It is evident, O king, that thou knowest that\npleasure may be derived from the possession of various objects of\nenjoyment. Thou also well knowest their ordinary states, as well as the\ngreat changes they undergo. At their loss or disappearance occasioned by\ndecrepitude or death, ariseth what is called distress. That distress, O\nking, hath now overtaken us. The joy that ariseth from the five senses,\nthe intellect and the heart, being directed to the objects proper to\neach, is called pleasure. That pleasure, O king, is, as I think, one of\nthe best fruits of our actions.\n\n\"Thus, O monarch, one should regard virtue, wealth and pleasure one after\nanother. One should not devote one self to virtue alone, nor regard\nwealth as the highest object of one's wishes, nor pleasure, but should\never pursue all three. The scriptures ordain that one should seek virtue\nin the morning, wealth at noon, and pleasure in the evening. The\nscriptures also ordain that one should seek pleasure in the first portion\nof life, wealth in the second, and virtue in the last. And, O thou\nforemost of speakers, they that are wise and fully conversant with proper\ndivision of time, pursue all three, virtue, wealth, and pleasure,\ndividing their time duly. O son of the Kuru race, whether independence of\nthese (three), or their possession is the better for those that desire\nhappiness, should be settled by thee after careful thought. And thou\nshouldst then, O king, unhesitatingly act either for acquiring them, or\nabandoning them all. For he who liveth wavering between the two\ndoubtingly, leadeth a wretched life. It is well known that thy behaviour\nis ever regulated by virtue. Knowing this thy friends counsel thee to\nact. Gift, sacrifice, respect for the wise, study of the Vedas, and\nhonesty, these, O king, constitute the highest virtue and are efficacious\nboth here and hereafter. These virtues, however, cannot be attained by\none that hath no wealth, even if, O tiger among men, he may have infinite\nother accomplishments. The whole universe, O king, dependeth upon virtue.\nThere is nothing higher than virtue. And virtue, O king, is attainable by\none that hath plenty of wealth. Wealth cannot be earned by leading a\nmendicant life, nor by a life of feebleness. Wealth, however, can be\nearned by intelligence directed by virtue. In thy case, O king, begging,\nwhich is successful with Brahmanas, hath been forbidden. Therefore, O\nbull amongst men, strive for the acquisition of wealth by exerting thy\nmight and energy. Neither mendicancy, nor the life of a Sudra is what is\nproper for thee. Might and energy constitute the virtue of the Kshatriya\nin especial. Adopt thou, therefore, the virtue of thy order and slay the\nenemies. Destroy the might of Dhritarashtra's sons, O son of Pritha, with\nmy and Arjuna's aid. They that are learned and wise say that sovereignty\nis virtue. Acquire sovereignty, therefore, for it behoveth thee not to\nlive in a state of inferiority. Awake, O king, and understand the eternal\nvirtues (of the order). By birth thou belongest to an order whose deeds\nare cruel and are a source of pain to man. Cherish thy subjects and reap\nthe fruit thereof. That can never be a reproach. Even this, O king, is\nthe virtue ordained by God himself for the order to which thou belongest!\nIf thou tallest away therefrom, thou wilt make thyself ridiculous.\nDeviation from the virtues of one's own order is never applauded.\nTherefore, O thou of the Kuru race, making thy heart what it ought to be,\nagreeably to the order to which thou belongest, and casting away this\ncourse of feebleness, summon thy energy and bear thy weight like one that\nbeareth it manfully. No king, O monarch, could ever acquire the\nsovereignty of the earth or prosperity or affluence by means of virtue\nalone. Like a fowler earning his food in the shape of swarms of little\neasily-tempted game, by offering them some attractive food, doth one that\nis intelligent acquire a kingdom, by offering bribes unto low and\ncovetous enemies. Behold, O bull among kings, the Asuras, though elder\nbrothers in possession of power and affluence, were all vanquished by the\ngods through stratagem. Thus, O king, everything belongeth to those that\nare mighty. And, O mighty-armed one, slay thy foes, having recourse to\nstratagem. There is none equal unto Arjuna in wielding the bow in battle.\nNor is there anybody that may be equal unto me in wielding the mace.\nStrong men, O monarch, engage in battle depending on their might, and not\non the force of numbers nor on information of the enemy's plans procured\nthrough spies. Therefore, O son of Pandu exert thy might. Might is the\nroot of wealth. Whatever else is said to be its root is really not such.\nAs the shade of the tree in winter goeth for nothing, so without might\neverything else becometh fruitless. Wealth should be spent by one who\nwisheth to increase his wealth, after the manner, O son of Kunti, of\nscattering seeds on the ground. Let there be no doubt then in thy mind.\nWhere, however, wealth that is more or even equal is not to be gained,\nthere should be no expenditure of wealth. For investment of wealth are\nlike the ass, scratching, pleasurable at first but painful afterwards.\nThus, O king of men, the person who throweth away like seeds a little of\nhis virtue in order to gain a larger measure of virtue, is regarded as\nwise. Beyond doubt, it is as I say. They that are wise alienate the\nfriends of the foe that owneth such, and having weakened him by causing\nthose friends to abandon him thus, they then reduce him to subjection.\nEven they that are strong, engage in battle depending on their courage.\nOne cannot by even continued efforts (uninspired by courage) or by the\narts of conciliation, always conquer a kingdom. Sometimes, O king, men\nthat are weak, uniting in large numbers, slay even a powerful foe, like\nbees killing the despoiler of the honey by force of numbers alone. (As\nregards thyself), O king, like the sun that sustaineth as well as slayeth\ncreatures by his rays, adopt thou the ways of the sun. To protect one's\nkingdom and cherish the people duly, as done by our ancestors, O king,\nis, it hath been heard by us, a kind of asceticism mentioned even in the\nVedas. By ascetism, O king, a Kshatriya cannot acquire such regions of\nblessedness as he can by fair fight whether ending in victory or defeat.\nBeholding, O king, this thy distress, the world hath come to the\nconclusion that light may forsake the Sun and grace the Moon. And, O\nking, good men separately as well as assembling together, converse with\none another, applauding thee and blaming the other. There is this,\nmoreover, O monarch, viz., that both the Kurus and the Brahmanas,\nassembling together, gladly speak of thy firm adherence to truth, in that\nthou hast never, from ignorance, from meanness, from covetousness, or\nfrom fear, uttered an untruth. Whatever sin, O monarch, a king committeth\nin acquiring dominion, he consumeth it all afterwards by means of\nsacrifices distinguished by large gifts. Like the Moon emerging from the\nclouds, the king is purified from all sins by bestowing villages on\nBrahmanas and kine by thousands. Almost all the citizens as well as the\ninhabitants of the country, young or old, O son of the Kuru race, praise\nthee, O Yudhishthira! This also, O Bharata, the people are saying amongst\nthemselves, viz., that as milk in a bag of dog's hide, as the Vedas in a\nSudra, as truth in a robber, as strength in a woman, so is sovereignty in\nDuryodhana. Even women and children are repeating this, as if it were a\nlesson they seek to commit to memory. O represser of foes, thou hast\nfallen into this state along with ourselves. Alas, we also are lost with\nthee for this calamity of thine. Therefore, ascending in thy car\nfurnished with every implement, and making the superior Brahmanas utter\nbenedictions on thee, march thou with speed, even this very day, upon\nHastinapura, in order that thou mayst be able to give unto Brahmanas the\nspoils of victory. Surrounded by thy brothers, who are firm wielders of\nthe bow, and by heroes skilled in weapons and like unto snakes of\nvirulent poison, set thou out even like the slayer Vritra surounded by\nthe Marutas. And, O son of Kunti, as thou art powerful, grind thou with\nthy might thy weak enemies, like Indra grinding the Asuras; and snatch\nthou from Dhritarashtra's son the prosperity he enjoyeth. There is no\nmortal that can bear the touch of the shafts furnished with the feathers\nof the vulture and resembling snakes of virulent poison, that would be\nshot from the Gandiva. And, O Bharata, there is not a warrior, nor an\nelephant, nor a horse, that is able to bear the impetus of my mace when I\nam angry in battle. Why, O son of Kunti, should we not wrest our kingdom\nfrom the foe, fighting with the aid of the Srinjayas and Kaikeyas, and\nthe bull of the Vrishni race? Why, O king, should we not succeed in\nwresting the (sovereignty of the) earth that is now in the hands of the\nfoe, if, aided by a large force, we do but strive?\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXIV\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Thus addressed by Bhimasena, the high-souled king\nAjatasatru firmly devoted to truth, mustering his patience, after a few\nmoments said these words, 'No doubt, O Bharata, all this is true. I\ncannot reproach thee for thy torturing me thus by piercing me with thy\narrowy words. From my folly alone hath this calamity come against you. I\nsought to cast the dice desiring to snatch from Dhritarashtra's son his\nkingdom with the sovereignty. It was therefore that, that cunning\ngambler--Suvala's son--played against me on behalf of Suyodhana. Sakuni,\na native of the hilly country, is exceedingly artful. Casting the dice in\nthe presence of the assembly, unacquainted as I am with artifices of any\nkind, he vanquished me artfully. It is, therefore, O Bhimasena, that we\nhave been overwhelmed with this calamity. Beholding the dice favourable\nto the wishes of Sakuni in odds and evens, I could have controlled my\nmind. Anger, however, driveth off a person's patience. O child, the mind\ncannot be kept under control when it is influenced by hauteur, vanity, or\npride. I do not reproach thee, O Bhimasena, for the words thou usest. I\nonly regard that what hath befallen us was pre-ordained. When king\nDuryodhana, the son of Dhritarashtra, coveting our kingdom, plunged us\ninto misery and even slavery, then, O Bhima, it was Draupadi that rescued\nus. When summoned again to the assembly for playing once more, thou\nknowest as well as Arjuna what Dhritarashtra's son told me, in the\npresence of all the Bharatas, regarding the stake for which we were to\nplay. His words were, O prince Ajatsatru, (if vanquished), thou shalt\nhave with all thy brothers, to dwell, to the knowledge of all men, for\ntwelve years in the forest of thy choice, passing the thirteenth year in\nsecrecy. If during the latter period, the spies of the Bharatas, hearing\nof thee, succeed in discovering thee, thou shalt have again to live in\nthe forest for the same period, passing once more the last year in\nsecrecy. Reflecting upon this, pledge thyself to it. As regards myself, I\npromise truly in this assembly of the Kurus, that if thou canst pass this\ntime confounding my spies and undiscovered by them, then, O Bharata, this\nkingdom of the five rivers is once more thine. We also, O Bharata, if\nvanquished by thee, shall, all of us, abandoning all our wealth, pass the\nsame period, according to the same rules. Thus addressed by the prince, I\nreplied unto him in the midst of all the Kurus, 'So be it!' The wretched\ngame then commenced. We were vanquished and have been exiled. It is for\nthis that we are wandering miserably over different woody regions\nabounding with discomfort. Suyodhana, however, still dissatisfied, gave\nhimself up to anger, and urged the Kurus as also all those under his sway\nto express their joy at our calamity. Having entered into such an\nagreement in the presence of all good men, who dareth break it for the\nsake of a kingdom on earth? For a respectable person, I think, even death\nitself is lighter than the acquisition of sovereignty by an act of\ntransgression. At the time of the play, thou hadst desired to burn my\nhands. Thou wert prevented by Arjuna, and accordingly didst only squeeze\nthy own hands. If thou couldst do what thou hadst desired, could this\ncalamity befall us? Conscious of thy prowess, why didst thou not, O\nBhima, say so before we entered into such an agreement? Overwhelmed with\nthe consequence of our pledge, and the time itself having passed, what is\nthe use of thy addressing me these harsh words? O Bhima, this is my great\ngrief that we could not do anything even beholding Draupadi persecuted in\nthat way. My heart burneth as if I have drunk some poisonous liquid.\nHaving, however, given that pledge in the midst of the Kuru heroes, I am\nunable to violate it now. Wait, O Bhima, for the return of our better\ndays, like the scatterer of seeds waiting for the harvest. When one that\nhath been first injured, succeedeth in revenging himself upon his foe at\na time when the latter's enmity hath borne fruit and flowers, he is\nregarded to have accomplished a great thing by his prowess. Such a brave\nperson earneth undying fame. Such a man obtaineth great prosperity. His\nenemies bow down unto him, and his friends gather round him, like the\ncelestials clustering round Indra for protection. But know, O Bhima, my\npromise can never be untrue. I regard virtue as superior to life itself\nand a blessed state of celestial existence. Kingdom, sons, fame,\nwealth,--all these do not come up to even a sixteenth part of truth.'\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXV\n\nBhima said, 'O king, unsubstantial as thou art like froth, unstable like\na fruit (falling when ripe), dependent on time, and mortal, having\nentered into an agreement in respect of time, which is infinite and\nimmeasurable, quick like a shaft or flowing like a stream, and carrying\neverything before it like death itself, how canst regard it as available\nby thee? How can he, O son of Kunti, wait whose life is shortened every\nmoment, even like a quantity of collyrium that is lessened each time a\ngrain is taken up by the needle? He only whose life is unlimited or who\nknoweth with certitude what the period of his life is, and who knoweth\nthe future as if it were before his eyes, can indeed wait for the arrival\nof (an expected) time. If we wait, O king, for thirteen years, that\nperiod, shortening our lives, will bring us nearer to death. Death is\nsure to overtake every creature having a corporeal existence. Therefore,\nwe should strive for the possession of our kingdom before we die. He that\nfaileth to achieve fame, by failing to chastise his foes, is like an\nunclean thing. He is a useless burden on the earth like an incapacitated\nbull and perisheth ingloriously. The man who, destitute of strength, and\ncourage, chastiseth not his foes, liveth in vain, I regard such a one as\nlow-born. Thy hand can rain gold; thy fame spreadeth over the whole\nearth; slaying thy foes, therefore, in battle, enjoy thou the wealth\nacquired by the might of thy arms. O repressor of all foes, O king, if a\nman slaying his injurer, goeth the very day into hell, that hell becometh\nheaven to him. O king, the pain one feeleth in having to suppress one's\nwrath is more burning than fire itself. Even now I burn with it and\ncannot sleep in the day or the night. This son of Pritha, called\nVibhatsu, is foremost in drawing the bow-string. He certainly burneth\nwith grief, though he liveth here like a lion in his den. This one that\ndesireth to slay without aid all wielders of the bow on earth, represseth\nthe wrath that riseth in his breast, like a mighty elephant. Nakula,\nSahadeva, and old Kunti--that mother of heroes, are all dumb, desiring to\nplease thee. And all our friends along with the Srinjayas equally desire\nto please thee. I alone, and Prativindhya's mother speak unto thee\nburning with grief. Whatever I speak unto thee is agreeable to all of\nthem, for all of them plunged in distress, eagerly wish for battle. Then,\nO monarch, what more wretched a calamity can overtake us that our kingdom\nshould be wrested from us by weak and contemptible foes and enjoyed by\nthem? O king, from the weakness of thy disposition thou feelest shame in\nviolating thy pledge. But, O slayer of foes, no one applaudeth thee for\nthus suffering such pain in consequence of the kindliness of thy\ndisposition. Thy intellect, O king, seeth not the truth, like that of a\nfoolish and ignorant person of high birth who hath committed the words of\nthe Vedas to memory without understanding their sense. Thou art kind like\na Brahmana. How hast thou been born in the Kshatriya order? They that are\nborn in the Kshatriya order are generally of crooked hearts. Thou hast\nheard (recited) the duties of kings, as promulgated by Manu, fraught with\ncrookedness and unfairness and precepts opposed to tranquillity and\nvirtue. Why dost thou then, O king, forgive the wicked sons of\nDhritarashtra? Thou hast intelligence, prowess, learning and high birth.\nWhy dost thou then, O tiger among men, act in respect of thy duties, like\na huge snake that is destitute of motion? O son of Kunti, he that\ndesireth to conceal us, only wisheth to conceal the mountains of Himavat\nby means of a handful of grass. O son of Pritha, known as thou art over\nwhole earth, thou wilt not be able to live unknown, like the sun that can\nnever course through the sky unknown to men. Like a large tree in a\nwell-watered region with spreading branches and flowers and leaves, or\nlike Indra's elephant, how will Jishnu live unknown? How also will these\nchildren, the brothers, Nakula and Sahadeva, equal unto a couple of young\nlions, both live in secret? How, O son of Pritha, will Krishna--the\ndaughter of Drupada--a princess and mother of heroes, of virtuous deeds\nand known over all the world, live unknown? Me also, everybody knoweth\nfrom my boyhood. I do not see how I can live unknown. As well mighty\nmountains of Meru be sought to be concealed. Then, again, many kings had\nbeen expelled by us from their kingdom. These kings and princes will all\nfollow the bad son of Dhritarashtra, for robbed and exiled by us, they\nhave not still become friendly. Desiring to do good unto Dhritarashtra,\nthey will certainly seek to injure us. They will certainly set against us\nnumerous spies in disguise. If these discover us and report their\ndiscovery, a great danger will overtake us. We have already lived in the\nwoods full thirteen months. Regard them, O king, for their length as\nthirteen years. The wise have said that a month is a substitute for a\nyear, like the pot-herb that is regarded as a substitute for the Soma.\nOr, (if thou breakest thy pledge), O king, thou mayst free thyself from\nthis sin by offering good savoury food to a quiet bull carrying sacred\nburdens. Therefore, O king resolve thou to slay thy enemies. There is no\nvirtue higher than fighting, for every Kshatriya!\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXVI\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Hearing those words of Bhima, Yudhishthira. the son\nof Kunti--tiger among men and slayer of all foes--began to sigh heavily,\nand reflect in silence. And he thought within himself, 'I have heard\nrecited the duties of kings, also all truths about the duties of the\ndifferent orders. He is said to observe those duties truly who keepeth\nthem before his eyes, so as to regulate his conduct both in the present\nand the future. Knowing as I do the true course of virtue, which, however\nis so very difficult of being known, how can I forcibly grind virtue down\nlike grinding the mountains of Meru? Having reflected so for a moment,\nand settled what he should do, he replied unto Bhima as follows without\nallowing him another word:\n\n\"O thou of mighty arms, it is even so as thou hast said. But, O thou\nforemost of speakers, listen now to another word I say. Whatever sinful\ndeeds, O Bhima, one seeketh to achieve, depending on his courage alone,\nbecome always a source of pain. But, O thou of mighty arms, whatever is\nbegun with deliberation, with well-directed prowess, with all appliances,\nand much previous thought, is seen to succeed. The gods themselves favour\nsuch designs. Hear from me something about what, proud of thy might, O\nBhima, and led away by thy restlessness, thou thinkest should be\nimmediately begun. Bhurisravas, Sala, the mighty Jarasandha, Bhishma,\nDrona, Karna, the mighty son of Drona, Dhritarashtra's sons--Duryodhana\nand others--so difficult of being vanquished, are all accomplished in\narms and ever ready for battle with us. Those kings and chiefs of the\nearth also who have been injured by us, have all adopted the side of the\nKauravas, and are bound by ties of affection to them. O Bharata, they are\nengaged in seeking the good of Duryodhana and not of us. With full\ntreasures and aided by large forces, they will certainly strive their\nbest in battle. All the officers also of the Kuru army together with\ntheir sons and relatives, have been honoured by Duryodhana with wealth\nand luxuries. Those heroes are also much regarded by Duryodhana. This is\nmy certain conclusion that they will sacrifice their lives for Duryodhana\nin battle. Although the behaviour of Bhishma, Drona, and the illustrious\nKripa, is the same towards us as towards them, yet, O thou of mighty\narms, this is my certain conclusion that in order to pay off the royal\nfavours they enjoy, they will throw their very lives, than which there is\nnothing dearer, in battle. All of them are masters of celestial weapons,\nand devoted to the practice of virtue. I think they are incapable of\nbeing vanquished even by gods led by Vasava himself. There is again\namongst them that mighty warrior--Karna--impetuous, and ever wrathful,\nmaster of all weapons, and invincible, and encased in impenetrable mail.\nWithout first vanquishing in battle all those foremost of men, unaided as\nthou art, how canst thou slay Duryodhana? O Vrikodara, I cannot sleep\nthinking of the lightness of hand of that Suta's son, who, I regard, is\nthe foremost of all wielders of the bow!\"\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, \"Hearing these words of Yudhishthira, the\nimpetuous Bhima became alarmed, and forbore from speaking anything. And\nwhile the sons of Pandu were thus conversing with each other, there came\nto that spot the great ascetic Vyasa, the son of Satyavati. And as he\ncame, the sons of Pandu worshipped him duly. Then that foremost of all\nspeakers, addressing Yudhishthira, said, O, Yudhishthira, O thou of\nmighty arms, knowing by spiritual insight what is passing in thy heart, I\nhave come to thee, O thou bull among men! The fear that is in thy heart,\narising from Bhishma, and Drona, and Kripa, and Karna, and Drona's son,\nand prince Duryodhana, and Dussasana, I will dispell, O slayer of all\nfoes, by means of an act enjoined by the ordinance. Hearing it from me,\naccomplish it thou with patience, and having accomplished it, O king,\nquell this fever of thine soon.'\"\n\nThat foremost of speakers then, the son of Parasara, taking Yudhishthira\nto a corner, began to address him in words of deep import, saying, 'O\nbest of the Bharatas, the time is come for thy prosperity, when, indeed\nDhananjaya--that son of Pritha--will slay all thy foes in battle. Uttered\nby me and like unto success personified, accept from me this knowledge\ncalled Pratismriti that I impart to thee, knowing thou art capable of\nreceiving it. Receiving it (from thee), Arjuna will be able to accomplish\nhis desire. And let Arjuna, O son of Pandu, go unto Mahendra and Rudra,\nand Varuna, and Kuvera, and Yama, for receiving weapon from them. He is\ncompetent to behold the gods for his asceticism and prowess. He is even a\nRishi of great energy, the friend of Narayana; ancient, eternal a god\nhimself, invincible, ever successful, and knowing no deterioration. Of\nmighty arms, he will achieve mighty deeds, having obtained weapons from\nIndra, and Rudra, and the Lokapalas, O son of Kunti, think also of going\nfrom this to some other forest that may, O king, be fit for thy abode. To\nreside in one place for any length of time is scarcely pleasant. In thy\ncase, it might also be productive of anxiety to the ascetics. And as thou\nmaintainest numerous Brahmanas versed in the Vedas and the several\nbranches thereof, continued residence here might exhaust the deer of this\nforest, and be destructive of the creepers and plants.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Having addressed him thus, that illustrious and\nexalted ascetic Vyasa, of great wisdom, acquired with the mysteries of\nthe world, then imparted unto the willing Yudhishthira the just, who had\nmeanwhile purified himself, that foremost of sciences. And bidding\nfarewell unto the son of Kunti, Vyasa disappeared then and there. The\nvirtuous and intelligent Yudhishthira, however, having obtained that\nknowledge carefully retained it in his mind and always recited it on\nproper occasions. Glad of the advice given him by Vyasa, the son of Kunti\nthen, leaving the wood Dwaitavana went to the forest of Kamyaka on the\nbanks of the Saraswati. And, O king, numerous Brahmanas of ascetic merit\nand versed in the science of orthoepy and orthography, followed him like\nthe Rishis following the chief of the celestials. Arrived at Kamyaka,\nthose illustrious bulls amongst the Bharata took up their residence there\nalong with their friends and attendants. And possessed of energy, those\nheroes, O king, lived there for some time, devoted to the exercise of the\nbow and hearing all the while the chanting of the Vedas. And they went\nabout those woods every day in search of deer, armed with pure arrows.\nAnd they duly performed all the rites in honour of the Pitris, the\ncelestials and the Brahmanas.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXVII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"After some time, Yudhishthira the just, remembering\nthe command of the Muni (Vyasa) and calling unto himself that bull among\nmen--Arjuna--possessed of great wisdom, addressed him in private. Taking\nhold of Arjuna's hands, with a smiling face and in gentle accents, that\nchastiser of foes--the virtuous Yudhishthira--apparently after reflecting\nfor a moment, spake these words in private unto Dhananjaya, 'O Bharata,\nthe whole science of arms dwelleth in Bhishma, and Drona, and Kripa, and\nKarna, and Drona's son. They fully know all sorts of Brahma and celestial\nand human and Vayavya weapons, together with the modes of using and\nwarding them off. All of them are conciliated and honoured and gratified\nby Dhritarashtra's son who behaveth unto them as one should behave unto\nhis preceptor. Towards all his warriors Dhritarashtra's son behaveth with\ngreat affection; and all the chiefs honoured and gratified by him, seek\nhis good in return. Thus honoured by him, they will not fail to put forth\ntheir might. The whole earth, besides, is now under Duryodhana's sway,\nwith all the villages and towns, O son of Pritha, and all the seas and\nwoods and mines! Thou alone art our sole refuge. On thee resteth a great\nburden. I shall, therefore, O chastiser of all foes, tell thee what thou\nart to do now. I have obtained a science from Krishna Dwaipayana. Used by\nthee, that science will expose the whole universe to thee. O child,\nattentively receive thou that science from me, and in due time (by its\naid) attain thou the grace of the celestials. And, O bull of the Bharata\nrace, devote thyself to fierce asceticism. Armed with the bow and sword,\nand cased in mail, betake thyself to austerities and good vows, and go\nthou northwards, O child, without giving way to anybody. O Dhananjaya,\nall celestial weapons are with Indra. The celestials, from fear of\nVritra, imparted at the time all their might to Sakra. Gathered together\nin one place, thou wilt obtain all weapons. Go thou unto Sakra, he will\ngive thee all his weapons. Taking the bow set thou out this very day in\norder to behold Purandara.\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Having said this, the exalted Yudhishthira the\njust, imparted that science unto Arjuna. And the elder brother having\ncommunicated with due rites the knowledge unto his heroic brother, with\nspeech and body and mind under perfect control, commanded him to depart.\nAnd at the command of Yudhishthira, the strong-armed Arjuna, taking up\nthe Gandiva as also his inexhaustible quivers, and accoutred in mail and\ngauntlets and finger-protectors made of the skin of the guana, and having\npoured oblations into the fire and made the Brahmanas to utter\nbenedictions after gifts, set out (from Kamyaka) with the objects of\nbeholding Indra. And armed with the bow, the hero, at the time of setting\nout heaved a sigh and cast a look upwards for achieving the death of\nDhritarashtra's sons. And beholding Kunti's son thus armed and about to\nset out, the Brahmanas and Siddhas and invisible spirits addressed him,\nsaying, 'O son of Kunti, obtain thou soon what thou wishest.' And the\nBrahmanas, also uttering benedictions said, 'Achieve thou the object thou\nhast in view. Let victory be truly thine.' And beholding the heroic\nArjuna, of thighs stout as the trunks of the Sala, about to set out\ntaking away with him the hearts of all, Krishna addressed him saying, 'O\nthou strong-armed one, let all that Kunti had desired at thy birth, and\nlet all that thou desirest, be accomplished, O Dhananjaya! Let no one\namongst us be ever again born in the order of Kshatriyas. I always bow\ndown unto the Brahmanas whose mode of living is mendicancy. This is my\ngreat grief that the wretch Duryodhana beholding me in the assembly of\nprinces mockingly called me a cow! Besides this he told me in the midst\nof that assembly many other hard things. But the grief I experience at\nparting with thee is far greater than any I felt at those insults.\nCertainly, in thy absence, thy brothers will while away their waking\nhours in repeatedly talking of thy heroic deeds! If, however, O son of\nPritha, thou stayest away for any length of time, we shall derive no\npleasure from our enjoyments or from wealth. Nay, life itself will be\ndistasteful to us. O son of Pritha, our weal, and woe, life and death,\nour kingdom and prosperity, are all dependent on thee. O Bharata, I bless\nthee, let success be thine. O sinless one, thy (present) task thou wilt\nbe able to achieve even against powerful enemies. O thou of great\nstrength, go thou to win success with speed. Let dangers be not thine. I\nbow to Dhatri and Vidhatri! I bless thee. Let prosperity be thine. And, O\nDhananjaya, let Hri, Sree, Kirti, Dhriti, Pushti, Uma, Lakshmi,\nSaraswati, all protect thee on thy way, for thou ever worshippest thy\nelder brother and ever obeyest his commands. And, O bull of the Bharata\nrace, I bow to the Vasus, the Rudras and Adityas, the Manilas, the\nViswadevas, and the Sadhyas, for procuring thy welfare. And, O Bharata,\nbe thou safe from all spirits of mischief belonging to the sky, the\nearth, and the heaven, and from such other spirits generally.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Krishna, the daughter of Yajnasena, having\nuttered these benedictions, ceased. The strong-armed son of Pandu then,\nhaving walked round his brothers and round Dhaumya also, and taking up\nhis handsome bow, set out. And all creatures began to leave the way that\nArjuna of great energy and prowess, urged by the desire of beholding\nIndra, took. And that slayer of foes passed over many mountains inhabited\nby ascetics, and then reached the sacred Himavat, the resort of the\ncelestials. And the high-souled one reached the sacred mountain in one\nday, for like the winds he was gifted with the speed of the mind, in\nconsequence of his ascetic austerities. And having crossed the Himavat,\nas also the Gandhamadana, he passed over many uneven and dangerous spots,\nwalking night and day without fatigue. And having reached Indrakila,\nDhananjaya stopped for a moment. And then he heard a voice in the skies,\nsaying, 'Stop!' And hearing that voice, the son of Pandu cast his glances\nall around. And Arjuna, capable of using his left hand with skill equal\nto that of his right hand, then beheld before him an ascetic under the\nshade of a tree, blazing with Brahma brilliancy, of a tawny colour, with\nmatted locks, and thin. And the mighty ascetic, beholding Arjuna stop at\nt at place, addressed him, saying, 'Who art thou, O child, arrived hither\nwith bow and arrows, and cased in mail and accoutred in scabbard and\ngauntlet, and (evidently) wedded to the customs of the Kshatriya? There\nis no need of weapons here. This is the abode of peaceful Brahmanas\ndevoted to ascetic austerities without anger or joy. There is no use for\nthe bow here, for there is no dispute in this place of any kind.\nTherefore throw away, O child, this bow of thine. Thou hast obtained a\npure state of life by coming here. O hero, there is no man who is like\nthee in energy and prowess.' That Brahmana thus addressed Arjuna, with a\nsmiling face, repeatedly. But he succeeded not in moving Arjuna, firmly\ndevoted to his purpose. The regenerate one, glad at heart, smilingly\naddressed Arjuna once more, saying, 'O slayer of foes, blest be thou! I\nam Sakra: ask thou the boon thou desirest.' Thus addressed, that\nperpetuator of the Kuru race, the heroic Dhananjaya bending his head and\njoining his hands, replied unto him of a thousand eyes, saying, 'Even\nthis is the object of my wishes; grant me this boon, O illustrious one. I\ndesire to learn from thee all the weapons.' The chief of the celestials\nthen, smiling, replied unto him cheerfully, saying, 'O Dhananjaya, when\nthou hast reached this region, what need is there of weapons? Thou hast\nalready obtained a pure state of life. Ask thou for the regions of bliss\nthat thou desirest.' Thus addressed, Dhananjaya replied unto him o a\nthousand eyes, saying, 'I desire not regions of bliss, nor objects of\nenjoyment, nor the state of a celestial; what is this talk about\nhappiness? O chief of the celestials, I do not desire the prosperity of\nall the gods. Having left my brothers behind me in the forest, and\nwithout avenging myself on the foe, shall I incur the opprobrium for all\nages of all the world.\" Thus addressed, the slayer of Vritra, worshipped\nof the worlds, consoling him with gentle words, spare unto the son of\nPandu, saying, 'When thou art able to behold the three-eyed\ntrident-bearing Siva, the lord of all creatures, it is then, O child,\nthat I will give thee all the celestial weapons. Therefore, strive thou\nto obtain the sight of the highest of the gods; for it is only after thou\nhast seen him. O son of Kunti, that thou will obtain all thy wishes.'\nHaving spoken thus unto Phalguna, Sakra disappeared then and there, and\nArjuna, devoting himself to asceticism, remained at that spot.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXVIII\n\n(Kairata Parva)\n\nJanemejaya said, \"O illustrious one, I desire to hear in detail the\nhistory of the acquisition of weapons by Arjuna of spotless deeds. O tell\nme how that tiger among men, Dhananjaya, of mighty arms and possessed of\ngreat energy, entered that solitary forest without fear. And, O thou\nforemost of those acquainted with the Veda, what also did Arjuna do while\ndwelling there? How also were the illustrious Sthanu and the chief of the\ncelestials gratified by him? O thou best of regenerate ones, I desire to\nhear all this under thy favour. Thou art omniscient; thou knowest all\nabout the gods and all about men. O Brahmana, the battle that took place\nof old between Arjuna--that foremost of smiters never defeated in\nbattle--and Bhava was highly extraordinary and without parallel. It\nmaketh one's hair stand on end to hear of it. Even the hearts of those\nlions among men--the brave sons of Pritha--trembled in consequence of\nwonder and joy and a sense of their own inferiority. O tell me in full\nwhat else Arjuna, did I do not see even the most trivial thing to Jishnu\nthat is censurable. Therefore, recite to me in full the history of that\nhero.\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"O tiger among Kurus, I shall recite to thee that\nnarration, excellent and extensive and unrivalled, in connection with the\nillustrious hero. O sinless one, hear in detail the particulars about\nArjuna's meeting with the three-eyed god of gods, and his contact with\nthe illustrious god's person!\n\n\"At Yudhishthira's command, Dhananjaya of immeasurable prowess set out\n(from Kamyaka) to obtain a sight of Sakra, the chief of the celestials\nand of Sankara, the god of gods. And the strong-armed Arjuna of great\nmight set out armed with his celestial bow and a sword with golden hilt,\nfor the success of the object he had in view, northwards, towards the\nsummit of the Himavat. And, O king, that first of all warriors in the\nthree worlds, the son of Indra, with a calm mind, and firmly adhering to\nhis purpose, then devoted himself, without the loss of any time, to\nascetic austerities. And he entered, all alone, that terrible forest\nabounding with thorny plants and trees and flowers and fruits of various\nkinds, and inhabited by winged creatures of various species, and swarming\nwith animals of diverse kinds, and resorted to by Siddhas and Charanas.\nAnd when the son of Kunti entered that forest destitute of human beings,\nsounds of conchs and drums began to be heard in the heavens. And a thick\nshower of flowers fell upon the earth, and the clouds spreading over the\nfirmament caused a thick shade. Passing over those difficult and woody\nregions at the foot of the great mountains, Arjuna soon reached the\nbreast of the Himavat; and staying there for sometime began to shine in\nhis brilliancy. And he beheld there numerous trees with expanding\nverdure, resounding with the melodious notes of winged warblers. And he\nsaw there rivers with currents of the lapis lazuli, broken by the fierce\neddies here and there, and echoing with the notes of swans and ducks and\ncranes. And the banks of those rivers resounded with the mellifluous\nstrains of the male Kokilas and the notes of peacocks and cranes. And the\nmighty warrior, beholding those rivers of sacred and pure and delicious\nwater and their charming banks, became highly delighted. And the\ndelighted Arjuna of fierce energy and high soul then devoted himself to\nrigid austerities in that delightful and woody region. Clad in rags made\nof grass and furnished with a black deerskin and a stick, he commenced to\neat withered leaves fallen upon the ground. And he passed the first\nmonth, by eating fruits at the interval of three nights; and the second\nby eating at the interval of the six nights; and the third by eating at\nthe interval of a fortnight. When the fourth month came, that best of the\nBharatas--the strong-armed son of Pandu--began to subsist on air alone.\nWith arms upraised and leaning upon nothing and standing on the tips of\nhis toes, he continued his austerities. And the illustrious hero's locks,\nin consequence of frequent bathing took the hue of lightning or the\nlotus. Then all the great Rishis went together unto the god of the Pinaka\nfor representing unto him about the fierce asceticism of Pritha's son.\nAnd bowing unto that god of gods, they informed him of Arjuna's\nausterities saying, 'This son of pritha possessed of great energy is\nengaged in the most difficult of ascetic austerities on the breast of the\nHimavat. Heated with his asceticism, the earth is smoking all round, O\ngod of gods. We do not know what his object is for which he is engaged in\nthese austerities. He, however, is causing us pain. It behoveth thee to\nprevent him!' Hearing these words of those munis with souls under perfect\ncontrol, the lord of all creatures--the husband of Uma said, 'It behoveth\nyou not to indulge in any grief on account of Phalguna! Return ye all\ncheerfully and with alacrity to the places whence ye have come. I know\nthe desire that is in Arjuna's heart. His wish is not for heaven, nor for\nprosperity, nor for long life. And I will accomplish, even, this day, all\nthat is desired by him.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"The truth-speaking Rishis, having heard these\nwords of Mahadeva, became delighted, and returned to their respective\nabodes.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXIX\n\nVaisampayana said, \"After all those illustrious ascetics had gone away,\nthat wielder of the Pinaka and cleanser of all sins--the illustrious\nHara--assuming the form of a Kirata resplendent as a golden tree, and\nwith a huge and stalwart form like a second Meru, and taking up a hand\nsome bow and a number of arrows resembling snakes of virulent poison, and\nlooking like an embodiment of fire, came quickly down on the breast of\nHimavat. And the handsome god of gods was accompanied by Uma in the guise\nof a Kirata woman, and also by a swarm of merry spirits of various forms\nand attire, and by thousands of women in the form and attire of Kiratas.\nAnd, O king, that region suddenly blazed up in beauty, in consequence of\nthe arrival of the god of gods in such company. And soon enough a solemn\nstillness pervaded the place. The sounds of springs, and water-courses,\nand of birds suddenly ceased. And as the god of gods approached Pritha's\nson of blameless deeds, he beheld a wonderful sight, even that of a\nDanava named Muka, seeking, in the form of a boar, to slay Arjuna.\nPhalguna, at the sight of the enemy seeking to slay him, took up the\nGandiva and a number of arrows resembling snakes of virulent poison. And\nstringing his bow and filling the air with its twang, he addressed the\nboar and said, 'I have come here but done thee no injury. As thou seekest\nto slay me, I shall certainly send thee to the abode of Yama.' And\nbeholding that firm wielder of the bow--Phalguna--about to slay the boar,\nSankara in the guise of a Kirata suddenly bade him stop saying, 'The boar\nlike the mountain of Indrakila in hue hath been aimed at by me first';\nPhalguna, however, disregarding these words, struck the boar. The Kirata\nalso blazing splendour, let fly an arrow like flaming fire and resembling\nthe thunderbolt at the same object. And the arrows thus shot by both fell\nat the same instant of time upon the wide body of Muka, hard as adamant.\nAnd the two shafts fell upon the boar with a loud sound, even like that\nof Indra's thunderbolt and the thunder of the clouds falling together\nupon the breast of a mountain. And Muka, thus struck by two shafts which\nproduced numerous arrows resembling snakes of blazing mouths, yielded up\nhis life, assuming once more his terrible Rakshasa form. Jishnu--that\nslayer of foes--then beheld before him that person, of form blazing as\ngod, and attired in the dress of a Kirata and accompanied by many women.\nAnd beholding him, the son of Kunti with a joyous heart addressed him\nsmilingly and said, 'Who art thou that thus wanderest in these solitary\nwoods, surrounded by women? thou of the splendour of gold, art thou not\nafraid of this terrible forest? Why, again, didst thou shoot the boar\nthat was first aimed at by me? This Rakshasa that came hither, listlessly\nor with the object, of slaying me, had been first aimed at by me. Thou\nshalt not, therefore, escape from me with life. Thy behaviour towards me\nis not consistent with the customs of the chase. Therefore, O\nmountaineer, I will take thy life.' Thus addressed by the son of Pandu,\nthe Kirata, smiling replied unto his capable of wielding the bow with his\nleft hand, in soft words, saying, 'O hero, thou needst not be anxious on\nmy account. This forest land is proper abode for us who always dwell in\nthe woods. Respecting thyself, however, I may inquire, why thou hast\nselected thy abode here amid such difficulties. We, O ascetic, have our\nhabitation in these woods abounding in animals of all kinds. Why dost\nthou, so delicate and brought up in luxury and possessed of the splendour\nof fire, dwell alone in such a solitary region?' Arjuna said, 'Depending\non the Gandiva and arrows blazing like fire, I live in this great forest,\nlike a second Pavaki. Thou hast seen how this monster--this terrible\nRakshasa--that came hither in the form of an animal, hath been slain by\nme.' The Kirata replied, 'This Rakshasa, first struck with the shot from\nmy bow, was killed and sent to the regions of Yama by me. He was first\naimed at by me. And it is with my shot that he has been deprived of life.\nProud of thy strength, it behoveth thee not to impute thy own fault to\nothers. Thou art thyself in fault, O wretch, and, therefore, shalt not\nescape from me with life. Stay thou: I will shoot at thee shafts like\nthunderbolts. Strive thou also and shoot, to the best of thy power, thy\narrows at me.' Hearing these words of the Kirata, Arjuna became angry,\nand attacked him with arrows. The Kirata, however, with a glad heart\nreceived all those shafts upon himself, repeatedly saying, 'Wretch,\nwretch, shoot thou best arrows capable of piercing into the very vitals.'\nThus addressed, Arjuna, began to shower his arrows on him. Both of them\nthen became angry and, engaging in fierce conflict, began to shoot at\neach other showers of arrows, each resembling a snake of virulent poison.\nAnd Arjuna rained a perfect shower of arrows on the Kirata, Sankara,\nhowever, bore that downpour on him with a cheerful heart. But the wielder\nof the Pinaka, having borne that shower of arrows for a moment, stood\nunwounded, immovable like a hill. Dhananjaya, beholding his arrowy shower\nbecome futile, wondered exceedingly, repeatedly saying, 'Excellent!\nExcellent! Alas, this mountaineer of delicate limbs, dwelling on the\nheights of the Himavat, beareth, without wavering, the shafts shot from\nthe Gandiva! Who is he? Is he Rudra himself, or some other god, or a\nYaksha, or an Asura? The gods sometimes do descend on the heights of the\nHimavat. Except the god who wieldeth the Pinaka, there is none rise that\ncan bear the impetuosity of the thousands of arrows shot by me from the\nGandiva. Whether he is a god or a Yaksha, in fact, anybody except Rudra,\nI shall soon send him, with my shafts, to the regions of Yama.' Thus\nthinking, Arjuna, with a cheerful heart, began, O king, to shoot arrows\nby hundreds, resembling in splendour the rays of the sun. That downpour\nof shafts, however, the illustrious Creator of the worlds--the wielder of\nthe trident--bore with a glad heart, like a mountain bearing a shower of\nrocks. Soon, however, the arrows of Phalguna were exhausted. And noticing\nthis fact, Arjuna became greatly alarmed. And the son of Pandu then began\nto think of the illustrious god Agni who had before, during the burning\nof the Khandava, given him a couple of inexhaustible quivers. And he\nbegan to think, 'Alas, my arrows are all exhausted. What shall I shoot\nnow from my bow? Who is this person that swalloweth my arrows? Slaying\nhim with the end of my bow, as elephants are killed with lances, I shall\nsend him to the domains of the mace-bearing Yama.' The illustrious Arjuna\nthen, taking up his bow and dragging the Kirata with his bow-string,\nstruck him some fierce blows that descended like thunderbolts. When,\nhowever, that slayer of hostile heroes--the son of Kunti--commenced the\nconflict with the end of the bow, the mountaineer snatched from his hands\nthat celestial bow. And beholding his bow snatched from him, Arjuna took\nup his sword, and wishing to end the conflict, rushed at his foe. And\nthen the Kuru prince, with the whole might of his arms, struck that sharp\nweapon upon the head of the Kirata, a weapon that was incapable of being\nresisted even by solid rocks. But that first of swords, at touch of the\nKirata's crown, broke into pieces. Phalguna then commenced the conflict\nwith trees and stones. The illustrious god in the form of the huge-bodied\nKirata, however, bore that shower of trees and rocks with patience. The\nmighty son of Pritha then, his mouth smoking with wrath, struck the\ninvincible god in the form of a Kirata, with hi clenched fists, blows\nthat descended like thunderbolts. The god in the Kirata form returned\nPhalguna's blows with fierce blows resembling the thunderbolts of Indra.\nAnd in consequence of that conflict of blows between the son of Pandu and\nthe Kirata, there arose in that place loud and frightful sounds. That\nterrible conflict of blows, resembling the conflict of yore between\nVritra and Vasava, lasted but for a moment. The mighty Jishnu clasping\nthe Kirata began to press him with his breast, but the Kirata, possessed\nof great strength pressed the insensible son of Pandu with force. And in\nconsequence of the pressure of their arms and of their breasts, their\nbodies began to emit smoke like charcoal in fire. The great god then,\nsmiting the already smitten son of Pandu, and attacking him in anger with\nhis full might, deprived him of his senses. Then, O Bharata, Phalguna,\nthus pressed by the god of the gods, with limbs, besides, bruised and\nmangled, became incapable of motion and was almost reduced to a ball of\nflesh. And struck by the illustrious god, he became breathless and,\nfalling down on earth without power of moving, looked like one that was\ndead. Soon, however, he regained consciousness, and, rising from his\nprostrate position, with body covered with blood, became filled with\ngrief. Mentally prostrating himself before the gracious god of gods, and\nmaking a clay image of that deity, he worshipped it, with offerings of\nfloral garlands. Beholding, however, the garland that he had offered to\nthe clay image of Bhava, decking the crown of the Kirata, that best of\nPandu's sons became filled with joy and regained his ease. And he\nprostrated himself thereupon at the feet of Bhava, and the god also was\npleased with him. And Hara, beholding the wonder of Arjuna and seeing\nthat his body had been emaciated with ascetic austerities, spake unto him\nin a voice deep as the roaring of the clouds, saying, 'O Phalguna, I have\nbeen pleased with thee for thy act is without a parallel. There is no\nKshatriya who is equal to thee in courage, and patience. And, O sinless\none, thy strength and prowess are almost equal to mine. O mighty-armed\none, I have been pleased with thee. Behold me, O bull of the Bharata\nrace! O large-eyed one! I will grant thee eyes (to see me in my true\nform). Thou wert a Rishi before. Thou wilt vanquish all thy foes, even\nthe dwellers of heaven; I will as I have been pleased with thee, grant\nthee an irresistible weapon. Soon shall thou be able to wield that weapon\nof mine.\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Phalguna then beheld him--Mahadeva--that god of\nblazing splendour-that wielder of the Pinaka-that one who had his abode\non the mountains (of Kailasa)--accompanied by Uma. Bending down on his\nknee and bowing with his head, that conqueror of hostile cities-the son\nof Pritha-worshipped Hara and inclined him to grace. And Arjuna said, 'O\nKapardin, O chief of all gods, O destroyer of the eyes of Bhaga, O god of\ngods, O Mahadeva, O thou of blue throat, O thou of matted locks, I know\nthee as the Cause of all causes. O thou of three eyes, O lord of all!\nThou art the refuge of all the gods! This universe hath sprung from thee.\nThou art incapable of being vanquished by the three worlds of the\ncelestials, the Asuras, and men. Thou art Siva in the form of Vishnu, and\nVishnu in the form of Siva. Thou destroyedest of old the great sacrifice\nof Daksha. O Hari, O Rudra, I bow to thee. Thou hast an eye on thy\nforehead. O Sarva, O thou that rainest objects of desire, O bearer of the\ntrident, O wielder of the Pinaka, O Surya, O thou of pure body, O Creator\nof all, I bow to thee. O lord of all created things, I worship thee to\nobtain thy grace. Thou art the lord of the Ganas, the source of universal\nblessing, the Cause of the causes of the universe. Thou art beyond the\nforemost of male beings, thou art the highest, thou art the subtlest, O\nHara! O illustrious Sankara, it behoveth thee to pardon my fault. It was\neven to obtain a sight of thyself that I came to this great mountain,\nwhich is dear to thee and which is the excellent abode of ascetics. Thou\nart worshipped of all worlds. O lord, I worship thee to obtain thy grace.\nLet not this rashness of mine be regarded as a fault--this combat in\nwhich I was engaged with thee from ignorance. O Sankara, I seek thy\nprotection. Pardon me all I have done.\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Endued with great might, the god whose sign was\nthe bull, taking into his the handsome hands of Arjuna, smilingly replied\nunto him, saying, 'I have pardoned thee. And the illustrious Hara,\ncheerfully clasping Arjuna with his arms, once more consoling Arjuna said\nas follows.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XL\n\n\"Mahadeva said, 'Thou wert in thy former life Nara, the friend of\nNarayana. In Vadari wert thou engaged in fierce ascetic austerities for\nseveral thousands of years. In thee as well as in Vishnu--that first of\nmale beings--dwelleth great might. Ye both, by your might, hold the\nuniverse; O lord, taking up that fierce bow whose twang resembled the\ndeep roar of the clouds, thou, as well as Krishna, chastisedest the\nDanavas during the coronation of Indra. Even this Gandiva is that bow, O\nson of Pritha, fit for thy hands. O foremost of male beings, I snatched\nit from thee, helped by my powers of illusion. This couple of quivers,\nfit for thee, will again be inexhaustible, O son of Pritha! And, O son of\nthe Kuru race, thy body will be free from pain and disease. Thy prowess\nis incapable of being baffled. I have been pleased with thee. And, O\nfirst of male beings, ask thou of me the boon that thou desirest. O\nchastiser of all foes, O giver of proper respect, (to those deserving it)\nnot even in heaven is there any male being who is equal to thee, nor any\nKshatriya who is thy superior.'\n\n\"Arjuna said, 'O illustrious god having the bull for thy sign, if thou\nwilt grant me my desire, I ask of thee, O lord that fierce celestial\nweapon wielded by thee and called Brahmasira--that weapon of terrific\nprowess which destroyeth, at the end of the Yuga the entire\nuniverse--that weapon by the help of which, O god of gods, I may under\nthy grace, obtain victory in the terrible conflict which shall take place\nbetween myself (on one side), and Karna and Bhishma and Kripa and Drona\n(on the other)--that weapon by which I may consume in battle Danavas and\nRakshasas and evil spirits and Pisachas and Gandharvas and Nagas--that\nweapon which when hurled with Mantras produceth darts by thousands and\nfierce-looking maces and arrows like snakes of virulent poison, and by\nmeans of which I may fight with Bhishma and Drona and Kripa and Karna of\never abusive tongue, O illustrious destroyer of the eyes of Bhaga, even\nthis is my foremost desire, viz., that I may be able to fight with them\nand obtain success.'\n\nBhava replied, 'O powerful one. I will give to thee that favourite weapon\nof mine called the Pasuputa. O son of Pandu, thou art capable of holding,\nhurling, and withdrawing it. Neither the chief himself of the gods, nor\nYama, nor the king of the Yakshas, nor Varuna, nor Vayu, knoweth it. How\ncould men know anything of it? But, O son of Pritha, this weapon should\nnot be hurled without adequate cause; for if hurled at any foe of little\nmight it may destroy the whole universe. In the three worlds with all\ntheir mobile and immobile creatures, there is none who is incapable of\nbeing slain by this weapon. And it may be hurled by the mind, by the eye,\nby words, and by the bow.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Hearing these words, the son of Pritha purified\nhimself. And approaching the lord of the universe with rapt attention, he\nsaid, 'Instruct me!' Mahadeva then imparted unto that best of Pandu's son\nthe knowledge of that weapon looking like the embodiment of Yama,\ntogether with all the mysteries about hurling and withdrawing it. And\nthat weapon thence began to wait upon Arjuna as it did upon Sankara, the\nlord of Uma. And Arjuna also gladly accepted it. And at the moment the\nwhole earth, with its mountains and woods and trees and seas and forests\nand villages and towns and mines, trembled. And the sounds of conchs and\ndrums and trumpets by thousands began to be heard. And at that moment\nhurricanes and whirlwinds began to blow. And the gods and the Danavas\nbeheld that terrible weapon in its embodied form stay by the side of\nArjuna of immeasurable energy. And whatever of evil there had been in the\nbody of Phalguna of immeasurable energy was all dispelled by the touch of\nthe three-eyed deity. And the three eyed god then commanded Arjuna,\nsaying, 'Go thou into heaven.' Arjuna then, O king, worshipping the god\nwith bent head, gazed at him, with joined hands. Then the lord of all the\ndwellers of heaven, the deity of blazing splendour having his abode on\nmountain-breasts, the husband of Uma, the god of passions under complete\ncontrol, the source of all blessings, Bhava gave unto Arjuna, that\nforemost of men, the great bow called Gandiva, destructive of Danavas and\nPisachas. And the god of gods, then leaving that blessed mountain with\nsnowy plateaus and vales and caves, favourite resort of sky-ranging great\nRishis, went up, accompanied by Uma into the skies, in the sight of that\nforemost of men.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XLI\n\nVaisampayana said, \"The wielder of the Pinaka, having the bull for his\nsign, thus disappeared in the very sight of the gazing son of Pandu, like\nthe sun setting in the sight of the world. Arjuna, that slayer of hostile\nheroes, wondered much at this, saying, 'O, I have seen the great god of\ngods. 'Fortunate, indeed I am, and much favoured, for I have both beheld\nand touched with my hand the three-eyed Hara the wielder of the Pinaka,\nin his boon-giving form. I shall win success. I am already great. My\nenemies have already been vanquished by me. My purposes have been already\nachieved.' And while the son of Pritha, endued with immeasurable energy,\nwas thinking thus, there came to that place Varuna the god of waters,\nhandsome and of the splendour of the lapis lazuli accompanied by all\nkinds of aquatic creatures, and filling all the points of the horizon\nwith a blazing effulgence. And accompanied by Rivers both male and\nfemale, and Nagas, and Daityas and Sadhyas and inferior deities, Varuna,\nthe controller and lord of all aquatic creatures, arrived at that spot.\nThere came also the lord Kuvera of body resembling pure gold, seated on\nhis car of great splendour, and accompanied by numerous Yakshas. And the\nlord of treasures, possessed of great beauty, came there to see Arjuna,\nilluminating the firmament with his effulgence. And there came also Yama\nhimself, of great beauty, the powerful destroyer of all the worlds,\naccompanied by those lords of the creation--the Pitris--both embodied and\ndisembodied. And the god of justice, of inconceivable soul, the son of\nSurya, the destroyer of all creatures, with the mace in hand, came there\non his car, illuminating the three worlds with regions of the Guhyakas,\nthe Gandharvas and the Nagas, like a second Surya as he riseth at the end\nof the Yuga. Having arrived there, they beheld, from the effulgent and\nvariegated summits of the great mountain, Arjuna engaged in ascetic\nausterities. And there came in a moment the illustrious Sakra also,\naccompanied by his queen, seated on the back of (the celestial elephant)\nAiravata, and surrounded also by all the deities. And in consequence of\nthe white umbrella being held over his head, he looked like the moon amid\nfleecy clouds. And eulogised by Gandharvas, and Rishis endued with wealth\nof asceticism, the chief of the celestials alighted on a particular\nsummit of the mountain, like a second sun. Then Yama possessed of great\nintelligence, and fully conversant with virtue, who had occupied a summit\non the south, in a voice deep as that of the clouds, said these\nauspicious words, 'Arjuna, behold us, the protectors of the worlds,\narrive here! We will grant thee (spiritual) vision, for thou deservest to\nbehold us. Thou wert in thy former life a Rishi of immeasurable soul,\nknown as Nara of great might At the command, O child, of Brahma, thou\nhast been born among men! O sinless one, by thee shall be vanquished in\nbattle the highly virtuous grandsire of the Kurus--Bhishma of great\nenergy--who is born of the Vasus. Thou shalt also defeat all the\nKshatriyas of fiery energy commanded by the son of Bharadwaja in battle.\nThou shalt also defeat those Danavas of fierce prowess that have been\nborn amongst men, and those Danavas also that are called Nivatakavachas.\nAnd, O son of the Kuru race, O Dhananjaya, thou shalt also slay Karna of\nfierce prowess, who is even a portion of my father Surya, of energy\ncelebrated throughout the worlds. And, O son of Kunti, smiter of all\nfoes, thou shalt also slay all the portions of celestials and Danavas and\nthe Rakshasas that have been incarnate on earth. And slain by thee, these\nshall attain to the regions earned by them according to their acts. And,\nO Phalguna, the fame of thy achievements will last for ever in the world:\nthou hast gratified Mahadeva himself in conflict. Thou shalt, with Vishnu\nhimself, lighten the burden of the earth. O accept this weapon of\nmine--the mace I wield incapable of being baffled by any body. With this\nweapon thou wilt achieve great deeds.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"O Janamejaya, the son of Pritha then received\nfrom Yama that weapon duly, along with the Mantras and rite, and the\nmysteries of hurling and withdrawing it. Then Varuna, the lord of all\naquatic creatures, blue as the clouds, from a summit he had occupied on\nthe west, uttered these words, 'O son of Pritha, thou art the foremost of\nKshatriyas, and engaged in Kshatriya practices. O thou of large coppery\neyes, behold me! I am Varuna, the lord of waters. Hurled by me, my nooses\nare incapable of being resisted. O son of Kunti, accept of me these\nVaruna weapons along with the mysteries of hurling and withdrawing them.\nWith these, O hero, in the battle that ensued of your on account of\nTaraka (the wife of Vrihaspati), thousands of mighty Daityas were seized\nand tied. Accept them of me. Even if Yama himself by thy foe, with these\nin thy hands, he will not be able to escape from thee. When thou wilt\narmed with these, range over the field of battle, the land, beyond doubt,\nwill be destitute of Kshatriyas.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"After both Varuna and Yama had given away their\ncelestial weapons, the lord of treasures having his home on the heights\nof Kailasa, then spake, 'O son of Pandu, O thou of great might and\nwisdom, I too have been pleased with thee. And this meeting with thee\ngiveth me as much pleasure as a meeting with Krishna. O wielder of the\nbow with the left hand, O thou of mighty arms, thou wert a god before,\neternal (as other gods). In ancient Kalpas, thou hadst every day gone\nthrough ascetic austerities along with us. O best of men, I grant thee\ncelestial vision. O thou of mighty arms, thou wilt defeat even invincible\nDaityas and Danavas. Accept of me also without loss of time, an excellent\nweapon. With this thou wilt be able to consume the ranks of\nDhritarashtra. Take then this favourite weapon of mine called\nAntarddhana. Endued with energy and prowess and splendour, it is capable\nof sending the foe to sleep. When the illustrious Sankara slew Tripura,\neven this was the weapon which he shot and by which many mighty Asuras\nwere consumed. O thou of invincible prowess I take it up for giving it to\nthee. Endued with the dignity of the Meru, thou art competent to hold\nthis weapon.'\"\n\n\"After these words had been spoken, the Kuru prince Arjuna endued with\ngreat strength, duly received from Kuvera that celestial weapon. Then the\nchief of the celestials addressing Pritha's son of ceaseless deeds in\nsweet words, said, in a voice deep as that the clouds or the kettle-drum,\n'O thou mighty-armed son of Kunti, thou art an ancient god. Thou hast\nalready achieved the highest success, and acquired the statue of a god.\nBut, O represser of foes, thou hast yet to accomplish the purposes of the\ngods. Thou must ascend to heaven. Therefore prepare thou O hero of great\nsplendour! My own car with Matali as charioteer, will soon descend on the\nearth. Taking thee, O Kaurava, to heaven, I will grant thee there all my\ncelestial weapons.'\"\n\n\"Beholding those protectors of the worlds assembled together on the\nheights of Himavat, Dhananjaya, the son of Kunti, wondered much, Endued\nwith great energy, he then duly worshipped the assembled Lokapalas, with\nwords, water, and fruits. The celestials then returning that worship,\nwent away. And the gods capable of going everywhere at will, and endued\nwith the speed of the mind, returned to the places whence they had come.\"\n\n\"That bull among men--Arjuna--having obtained weapons thus, was filled\nwith pleasure. And he regarded himself as one whose desires had been\nfulfilled and who was crowned with success.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XLII\n\n(Indralokagamana Parva)\n\nVaisampayana said, \"After the Lokapalas had gone away, Arjuna--that\nslayer of all foes--began to think, O monarch, of the car of Indra! And\nas Gudakesa gifted with great intelligence was thinking of it, the car\nendued with great effulgence and guided by Matali, came dividing the\nclouds and illuminating the firmament and filling the entire welkin with\nits rattle deep as the roar of mighty masses of clouds. Swords, and\nmissiles of terrible forms and maces of frightful description, and winged\ndarts of celestials splendour and lightnings of the brightest effulgence,\nand thunderbolts, and propellors furnished with wheels and worked with\natmosphere expansion and producing sounds loud as the roar of great\nmasses of clouds, were on that car. And there were also on that car\nfierce and huge-bodied Nagas with fiery mouths, and heaps of stones white\nas the fleecy clouds. And the car was drawn by ten thousands of horses of\ngolden hue, endued with the speed of the wind. And furnished with prowess\nof illusion, the car was drawn with such speed that the eye could hardly\nmark its progress. And Arjuna saw on that car the flag-staff called\nVaijayanta, of blazing effulgence, resembling in hue the emerald or the\ndark-blue lotus, and decked with golden ornaments and straight as the\nbamboo. And beholding a charioteer decked in gold seated on that car, the\nmighty-armed son of Pritha regarded it as belonging to the celestials.\nAnd while Arjuna was occupied with his thoughts regarding the car, the\ncharioteer Matali, bending himself after descending from the car,\naddressed him, saying, 'O lucky son of Sakra! Sakra himself wisheth to\nsee thee. Ascend thou without loss of time this car that hath been sent\nby Indra. The chief of the immortals, thy father--that god of a hundred\nsacrifices--hath commanded me, saying, 'Bring the son of Kunti hither.\nLet the gods behold him.' And Sankara himself, surrounded by the\ncelestials and Rishis and Gandharvas and Apsaras, waiteth to behold thee.\nAt the command of the chastiser of Paka, therefore, ascend thou with me\nfrom this to the region of the celestials. Thou wilt return after\nobtaining weapons.'\"\n\n\"Arjuna replied, 'O Matali, mount thou without loss of time this\nexcellent car, a car that cannot be attained even by hundreds of Rajasuya\nand horse sacrifices. Even kings of great prosperity who have performed\ngreat sacrifices distinguished by large gifts (to Brahmanas), even gods\nand Danavas are not competent to ride this car. He that hath not ascetic\nmerit is not competent to even see or touch this car, far less to ride on\nit. O blessed one, after thou hast ascended, it, and after the horses\nhave become still, I will ascend it, like a virtuous man stepping into\nthe high-road of honesty.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Matali, the charioteer of Sakra, hearing these\nwords of Arjuna, soon mounted the car and controlled the horses. Arjuna\nthen, with a cheerful heart, purified himself by a bath in the Ganges.\nAnd the son of Kunti then duly repeated (inaudibly) his customary\nprayers. He then, duly and according to the ordinance, gratified the\nPitris with oblations of water. And, lastly, he commenced to invoke the\nMandara--that king of mountains--saying, 'O mountain, thou art ever the\nrefuge of holy, heaven-seeking Munis of virtuous conduct and behaviour.\nIt is through thy grace, O mountain, that Brahmanas and Kshatriyas and\nVaisyas attain heaven, and their anxieties gone, sport with the\ncelestials. O king of mountains, O mountain, thou art the asylum of\nMunis, and thou holdest on thy breast numerous sacred shrines. Happily\nhave I dwelt on thy heights. I leave thee now, bidding thee farewell. Oft\nhave I seen thy tablelands and bowers, thy springs and brooks, and the\nsacred shrines on thy breast. I have also eaten the savoury fruits\ngrowing on thee, and have slated my thirst with draughts of perfumed\nwater oozing from the body. I have also drunk the water of thy springs,\nsweet as amrita itself. O mountain, as a child sleepeth happily on the\nlap of his father, so have I, O king of mountains, O excellent one,\nsported on thy breast, echoing with the notes of Apsaras and the chanting\nof the Vedas. O mountain, every day have I lived happily on thy\ntablelands.' Thus having bidden farewell to the mountain, that slayer of\nhostile heroes--Arjuna--blazing like the Sun himself, ascended the\ncelestial car. And the Kuru prince gifted with great intelligence, with a\nglad heart, coursed through the firmament on that celestial car effulgent\nas the sun and of extra-ordinary achievements. And after he had become\ninvisible to the mortals of the earth, he beheld thousands of cars of\nextra-ordinary beauty. And in that region there was no sun or moon or\nfire to give light, but it blazed in light of its own, generated by\nvirtue of ascetic merit. And those brilliant regions that are seen from\nthe earth in the form of stars, like lamps (in the sky)--so small in\nconsequence of their distance, though very large--were beheld by the son\nof Pandu, stationed in their respective places, full of beauty and\neffulgence and blazing with splendour all their own. And there he beheld\nroyal sages crowned with ascetic success, and heroes who had yielded up\ntheir lives in battle, and those that had acquired heaven by their\nascetic austerities, by hundreds upon hundreds. And there were also\nGandharvas, of bodies blazing like the sun, by thousands upon thousands,\nas also Guhyakas and Rishis and numerous tribes of Apsaras. And beholding\nthose self-effulgent regions, Phalguna became filled with wonder, and\nmade enquiries of Matali. And Matali also gladly replied unto him,\nsaying, 'These, O son of Pritha, are virtuous persons stationed in their\nrespective places. It is these whom thou hast seen, O exalted one, as\nstars, from the earth.' Then Arjuna saw standing at the gates (Indra's\nregion) the handsome and ever victorious elephant--Airavata--furnished\nwith four tusks, and resembling the mountain of Kailasa with its summits.\nAnd coursing along that path of the Siddhas, that foremost of the Kurus\nand the son of Pandu, sat in beauty like Mandhata--that best of kings.\nEndued with eyes like lotus leaves, he passed through the region set\napart for virtuous kings. And the celebrated Arjuna having thus passed\nthrough successive regions of heaven at last beheld Amaravati, the city\nof Indra.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XLIII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"And the city of Indra which Arjuna saw was delightful\nand was the resort of Siddhas and Charanas. And it was adorned with the\nflowers of every season, and with sacred trees of all kinds. And he\nbeheld also celestial gardens called Nandana--the favourite resort of\nApsaras. And fanned by the fragrant breezes charged with the farina of\nsweet-scented flowers, the trees with their lord of celestial blossoms\nseemed to welcome him amongst them. And the region was such that none\ncould behold it who had not gone through ascetic austerities, or who had\nnot poured libations on fire. It was a region for the virtuous alone, and\nnot for those who had turned their back on the field of battle. And none\nwere competent to see it who had not performed sacrifices or observed\nrigid vows, or who were without a knowledge of the Vedas, or who had not\nbathed in sacred waters, or who were not distinguished for sacrifices and\ngifts. And none were competent to see it who were disturbers of\nsacrifices, or who were low, or who drank intoxicating liquors, or who\nwere violators of their preceptors' bed, or who were eaters of\n(unsanctified) meat, or who were wicked. And having beheld those\ncelestial gardens resounding with celestial music, the strong-armed son\nof Pandu entered the favourite city of Indra. And he beheld there\ncelestial cars by thousands, capable of going everywhere at will,\nstationed in proper places. And he saw tens of thousands of such cars\nmoving in every direction. And fanned by pleasant breezes charged with\nthe perfumes of flowers, the son of Pandu was praised by Apsaras and\nGandharvas. And the celestials then, accompanied by the Gandharvas and\nSiddhas and great Rishis, cheerfully reverenced Pritha's son of white\ndeeds. Benedictions were poured upon him, accompanied by the sounds of\ncelestial music. The strong-armed son of Pritha then heard around him the\nmusic of conchs and drums. And praised all around, the son of Pritha then\nwent, at the command of Indra, to that large and extensive starry way\ncalled by the name of Suravithi. There he met with the Sadhyas, the\nViswas, the Marutas, the twin Aswins, the Adityas, the Vasus, the Rudras,\nthe Brahmarshis of the great splendour, and numerous royal sages with\nDilipa at their head, and Tumvura and Narada, and that couple of\nGandharvas known by the names of Haha and Huhu. And the Kuru prince--that\nchastiser of foes--having met and duly saluted them, last of all beheld\nthe chief of the celestials--the god of a hundred sacrifices. Then the\nstrong-armed son of Pritha, alighting from the car approached the lord\nhimself of the gods--his father--that chastiser of Paka. And a beautiful\nwhite umbrella furnished with a golden staff was held over the chief of\nthe celestials. And he was fanned with a Chamara perfumed with celestial\nscents. And he was eulogised by many Gandharvas headed by Viswavasu and\nothers, by bards and singers, and by foremost Brahmanas chanting Rik and\nYajus hymns. And the mighty son of Kunti, approaching Indra, saluted him\nby bending his head to the ground. And Indra thereupon embraced him with\nhis round and plump arms. And taking his hand, Sakra made him sit by him\non a portion of his own seat, that sacred seat which was worshipped by\ngods and Rishis. And the lord of the celestials-that slayer of hostile\nheroes--smelt the head of Arjuna bending in humility, and even took him\nupon his lap. Seated on Sakra's seat at the command of that god of a\nthousand eyes, Pritha's son of immeasurable energy began to blaze in\nsplendour like a second Indra. And moved by affection, the slayer of\nVritra, consoling Arjuna, touched his beautiful face with his own\nperfumed hands. And the wielder of the thunderbolt, patting and rubbing\ngently again and again with his own hands which bore the marks of the\nthunderbolt the handsome and huge arms of Arjuna which resembled a couple\nof golden columns and which were hard in consequence of drawing the\nbowstring and son enhanced the beauty of the assembly, like the sun and\nmoon god of a thousand eyes--eyeing his son of curly locks smilingly and\nwith eyes expanded with delight, seemed scarcely to be gratified. The\nmore he gazed, the more he liked to gaze on. And seated on one seat, the\nfather and son enhanced the beauty of the assembly, like the sun and moon\nbeautifying the firmament together on the fourteenth day of the dark\nfortnight. And a band of Gandharvas headed by Tumvuru skilled in music\nsacred and profane, sang many verses in melodious notes. And Ghritachi\nand Menaka and Rambha and Purvachitti and Swayamprabha and Urvasi and\nMisrakesi and Dandagauri and Varuthini and Gopali and Sahajanya and\nKumbhayoni and Prajagara and Chitrasena and Chitralekha and Saha and\nMadhuraswana, these and others by thousands, possessed of eyes like lotus\nleaves, who were employed in enticing the hearts of persons practising\nrigid austerities, danced there. And possessing slim waists and fair\nlarge hips, they began to perform various evolutions, shaking their deep\nbosoms, and casting their glances around, and exhibiting other attractive\nattitude capable of stealing the hearts and resolutions and minds of the\nspectators.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XLIV\n\nVaisampayana said, \"The gods and the Gandharvas then, understanding the\nwishes of India, procured an excellent Arghya and reverenced the son of\nPritha in a hurry. And giving water to wash both his feet and face, they\ncaused the prince to enter the palace of Indra. And thus worshipped,\nJishnu continued to live in the abode of his father. And the son of Pandu\ncontinued all the while to acquire celestial weapons, together with the\nmeans of withdrawing them. And he received from the hands of Sakra his\nfavourite weapon of irresistible force, viz., the thunder-bolt and those\nother weapons also, of tremendous roar, viz., the lightnings of heaven,\nwhose flashes are inferable from the appearance of clouds and (the\ndancing of) peacocks. And the son of Pandu, after he had obtained those\nweapons, recollected his brothers. And at the command of Indra, however,\nhe lived for full five years in heaven, surrounded by every comfort and\nluxury.\n\n\"After some time, when Arjuna had obtained all the weapons. Indra\naddressed him in due time, saying, 'O son of Kunti, learn thou music and\ndancing from Chitrasena. Learn the instrumental music that is current\namong the celestials and which existeth not in the world of men, for, O\nson of Kunti, it will be to thy benefit. And Purandara gave Chitrasena as\na friend unto Arjuna. And the son of Pritha lived happily in peace with\nChitrasena. And Chitrasena instructed Arjuna all the while in music;\nvocal and instrumental and in dancing. But the active Arjuna obtained no\npeace of mind, remembering the unfair play at dice of Sakuni, the son of\nSuvala, and thinking with rage of Dussasana and his death. When however,\nhis friendship with Chitrasena had ripened fully, he at times learned the\nunrivalled dance and music practised among the Gandharvas. And at last\nhaving learnt various kinds of dance and diverse species of music, both\nvocal and instrumental, that slayer of hostile heroes obtained no peace\nof mind remembering his brothers and mother Kunti.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XLV\n\nVaisampayana said, \"One day, knowing that Arjuna's glances were cast upon\nUrvasi, Vasava, calling Chitrasena to himself, addressed him in private\nsaying, 'O king of Gandharvas, I am pleased; go thou as my messenger to\nthat foremost of Apsaras, Urvasi, and let her wait upon that tiger among\nmen, Phalguna. Tell her, saying these words of mine, 'As through my\ninstrumentality Arjuna hath learnt all the weapons and other arts,\nworshipped by all, so shouldst thou make him conversant with the arts of\nacquitting one's self in female company.' Thus addressed by Indra, the\nchief of the Gandharvas in obedience to that command of Vasava, soon went\nto Urvasi that foremost of Apsaras. And as he saw her, she recognised him\nand delighted him by the welcome she offered and the salutation she gave.\nAnd seated at ease he then smilingly addressed Urvasi, who also was\nseated at ease, saying, 'Let it be known, O thou of fair hips, that I\ncome hither despatched by the one sole lord of heaven who asketh of thee\na favour. He who is known amongst gods and men for his many inborn\nvirtues, for his grace, behaviour, beauty of person, vows and\nself-control; who is noted for might and prowess, and respected by the\nvirtuous, and ready-witted; who is endued with genius and splendid\nenergy, is of a forgiving temper and without malice of any kind; who hath\nstudied the four Vedas with their branches, and the Upanishads, and the\nPuranas also; who is endued with devotion to his preceptors and with\nintellect possessed of the eight attributes, who by his abstinence,\nability, origin and age, is alone capable of protecting the celestial\nregions like Mahavat himself; who is never boastful; who showeth proper\nrespect to all; who beholdeth the minutest things as clearly as if those\nwere gross and large; who is sweet-speeched; who showereth diverse kinds\nof food and drink on his friends and dependents; who is truthful,\nworshipped of all, eloquent, handsome, and without pride; who is kind to\nthose devoted to him, and universally pleasing and dear to all; who is\nfirm in promise; who is equal to even Mahendra and Varuna in respect of\nevery desirable attribute, viz., Arjuna, is known to thee. O Urvasi, know\nthou that hero is to be made to taste the joys of heaven. Commanded by\nIndra, let him today obtain thy feet. Do this, O amiable one, for\nDhananjaya is inclined to thee.'\n\n\"Thus addressed, Urvasi of faultless features assumed a smiling face, and\nreceiving the words of the Gandharva with high respect, answered with a\nglad heart, saying, 'Hearing of the virtues that should adorn men, as\nunfolded by thee, I would bestow my favours upon any one who happened to\npossess them. Why should I not then, choose Arjuna for a lover? At the\ncommand of Indra, and for my friendship for thee, and moved also by the\nnumerous virtues of Phalguna, I am already under the influence of the god\nof love. Go thou, therefore, to the place thou desirest. I shall gladly\ngo to Arjuna.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XLVI\n\nVaisampayana said, 'Having thus sent away the Gandharva successful in his\nmission, Urvasi of luminous smiles, moved by the desire of possessing\nPhalguna, took a bath. And having performed her ablutions, she decked\nherself in charming ornaments and splendid garlands of celestial odour.\nAnd inflamed by the god of love, and her heart pierced through and\nthrough by the shafts shot by Manmatha keeping in view the beauty of\nArjuna, and her imagination wholly taken up by the thoughts of Arjuna,\nshe mentally sported with him on a wide and excellent bed laid over with\ncelestial sheets. And when the twilight had deepened and the moon was up,\nthat Apsara of high hips sent out for the mansions of Arjuna. And in that\nmood and with her crisp, soft and long braids decked with bunches of\nflowers, she looked extremely beautiful. With her beauty and grace, and\nthe charm of the motions of her eye-brows and of her soft accents, and\nher own moon like face, she seemed to tread, challenging the moon\nhimself. And as she proceeded, her deep, finely tapering bosoms, decked\nwith a chain of gold and adorned with celestial unguents and smeared with\nfragrant sandal paste, began to tremble. And in consequence of the weight\nof her bosoms, she was forced to slightly stoop forward at every step,\nbending her waist exceedingly beautiful with three folds. And her loins\nof faultless shape, the elegant abode of the god of love, furnished with\nfair and high and round hips and wide at their lower part as a hill, and\ndecked with chains of gold, and capable of shaking the saintship of\nanchorites, being decked with thin attire, appeared highly graceful. And\nher feet with fair suppressed ankles, and possessing flat soles and\nstraight toes of the colour of burnished copper and dorsum high and\ncurved like tortoise back and marked by the wearing of ornaments\nfurnished with rows of little bells, looked exceedingly handsome. And\nexhilarated with a little liquor which she had taken, and excited by\ndesire, and moving in diverse attitudes and expressing a sensation of\ndelight, she looked more handsome than usual. And though heaven abounded\nwith many wonderful objects, yet when Urvasi proceeded in this manner,\nthe Siddhas and Charanas and Gandharvas regarded her to be the handsomest\nobject they had cast their eyes upon. And the upper half of her body clad\nin an attire of fine texture and cloudy hues, she looked resplendent like\na digit of the moon in the firmament shrouded by fleecy clouds. And\nendued with the speed of the winds or the mind, she of luminous smiles\nsoon reached the mansion of Phalguna, the son of Pandu. And, O best of\nmen, Urvasi of beautiful eyes, having arrived at the gate of Arjuna's\nabode, sent word through the keeper in attendance. And (on receiving\npermission), she soon entered that brilliant and charming palace. But, O\nmonarch, upon beholding her at night in his mansion, Arjuna, with a\nfearstricken heart, stepped up to receive her with respect and as soon as\nhe saw her, the son of Pritha, from modesty, closed his eyes. And\nsaluting her, he offered the Apsara such worship as is offered unto a\nsuperior. And Arjuna said, 'O thou foremost of the Apsaras, I reverence\nthee by bending my head down. O lady, let me know thy commands. I wait\nupon thee as thy servant.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these words of Phalguna, Urvasi became\ndeprived of her senses. And she soon represented unto Arjuna all that had\npassed between her and the Gandharva, Chitrasena. And she said, 'O best\nof men, I shall tell thee all that hath passed between me and Chitrasena,\nand why I have come hither. On account of thy coming here, O Arjuna,\nMahendra had convened a large and charming assembly, in which celestial\nfestivities were held. Unto that assembly came, O best of men, the Rudras\nand the Adityas and the Aswins and the Vasus. And there came also numbers\nof great Rishis and royal sages and Siddhas and Charanas and Yakshas and\ngreat Nagas. And, O thou of expansive eyes, the members of the assembly\nresplendent as fire or the sun or the moon, having taken their seats\naccording to rank, honour, and prowess, O son of Sakra, the Gandharvas\nbegan to strike the Vinas and sing charming songs of celestial melody.\nAnd, O perpetuator of the Kuru race, the principal Apsaras also commenced\nto dance. Then, O son of Pritha, thou hadst looked on me only with a\nsteadfast gaze. When that assembly of the celestials broke, commanded by\nthy father, the gods went away to their respective places. And the\nprincipal Apsaras also went away to their abodes, and others also, O\nslayer of foes, commanded by thy father and obtaining his leave. It was\nthen that Chitrasena sent to me by Sakra, and arriving at my abode. O\nthou of eyes like lotus leaves, he addressed me, saying, 'O thou of the\nfairest complexion, I have been sent unto thee by the chief of the\ncelestials. Do thou something that would be agreeable to Mahendra and\nmyself and to thyself also. O thou of fair hips, seek thou to please\nArjuna, who is brave in battle even like Sakra himself, and who is always\npossessed of magnanimity.' Even these, O son of Pritha, were his words.\nThus, O sinless one, commanded by him and thy father also, I come to thee\nin order to wait upon thee, O slayer of foes. My heart hath been\nattracted by thy virtues, and am already under the influence of the god\nof love. And, O hero, even this is my wish, and I have cherished it for\never!\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"While in heaven, hearing her speak in this\nstrain, Arjuna was overcome with bashfulness. And shutting his ears with\nhis hands, he said, 'O blessed lady, fie on my sense of hearing, when\nthou speakest thus to me. For, O thou of beautiful face, thou art\ncertainly equal in my estimation unto the wife of a superior. Even as\nKunti here even this is my wish, and I have cherished it for ever!\"\n\n[Some text is obviously missing here--JBH] of high fortune or Sachi the\nqueen of Indra, art thou to me, O auspicious one, of this there is no\ndoubt! That I had gazed particularly at thee, O blessed one, is true.\nThere was a reason for it. I shall truly tell it to thee, O thou of\nluminous smiles! In the assembly I gazed at thee with eyes expanded in\ndelight, thinking, 'Even this blooming lady is the mother of the Kaurava\nrace.' O blessed Apsara, it behoveth thee not to entertain other feelings\ntowards me, for thou art superior to my superiors, being the parent of my\nrace.'\"\n\n\"Hearing these words of Arjuna, Urvasi answered, saying, 'O son of The\nchief of the celestials, we Apsaras are free and unconfined in our\nchoice. It behoveth thee not, therefore, to esteem me as thy superior.\nThe sons and grandsons of Puru's race, that have come hither in\nconsequence of ascetic merit do all sport with us, without incurring any\nsin. Relent, therefore, O hero, it behoveth thee not to send me away. I\nam burning with desire. I am devoted to thee. Accept me, O thou giver of\nproper respect.'\"\n\n\"Arjuna replied, 'O beautiful lady of features perfectly faultless,\nlisten. I truly tell thee. Let the four directions and the transverse\ndirections, let also the gods listen. O sinless one, as Kunti, or Madri,\nor Sachi, is to me, so art thou, the parent of my race, an object of\nreverence to me. Return, O thou of the fairest complexion: I bend my head\nunto thee, and prostrate myself at thy feet. Thou deservest my worship as\nmy own mother; and it behoveth thee to protect me as a son.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thus addressed by Partha, Urvasi was deprived of\nher senses by wrath. Trembling with rage, and contracting her brows, she\ncursed Arjuna, saying, 'Since thou disregardest a woman come to thy\nmansion at the command of thy father and of her own motion--a woman,\nbesides, who is pierced by the shafts of Kama, therefore, O Partha, thou\nshalt have to pass thy time among females unregarded, and as a dancer,\nand destitute of manhood and scorned as a eunuch.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Having cursed Arjuna thus, Urvasi's lips still\nquivered in anger, herself breathing heavily all the while. And she soon\nreturned to her own abode. And that slayer of foes, Arjuna also sought\nChitrasena without loss of time. And having found him, he told him all\nthat had passed between him and Urvasi in the night. And he told\nChitrasena everything as it had happened, repeatedly referring to the\ncurse pronounced upon him. And Chitrasena also represented everything\nunto Sakra. And Harivahana, calling his son unto himself in private, and\nconsoling him in sweet words, smilingly said, 'O thou best of beings,\nhaving obtained thee, O child, Pritha hath to-day become a truly blessed\nmother. O mighty-armed one, thou hast now vanquished even Rishis by the\npatience and self-control. But, O giver of proper respect, the curse that\nUrvasi hath denounced on thee will be to thy benefit,\n\nO child, and stand thee in good stead. O sinless one, ye will have on\nearth to pass the thirteenth year (of your exile), unknown to all. It is\nthen that thou shalt suffer the curse of Urvasi. And having passed one\nyear as a dancer without manhood, thou shalt regain thy power on the\nexpiration of the term.'\"\n\n\"Thus addressed by Sakra, that slayer of hostile heroes, Phalguna,\nexperienced great delight and ceased to think of the curse. And\nDhananjaya, the son of Pandu, sported in regions of heaven with the\nGandharva Chitrasena of great celebrity.\"\n\n\"The desires of the man that listeneth to this history of the son of\nPandu never run after lustful ends. The foremost of men, by listening to\nthis account of the awfully pure conduct of Phalguna, the son of the lord\nof the celestials, become void of pride and arrogance and wrath and other\nfaults, and ascending to heaven, sport there in bliss.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XLVII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"One day, the great Rishi Lomasa in course of his\nwanderings, went to the abode of Indra, desirous of beholding the lord of\nthe celestials. And the great Muni, having approached the chief of the\ngods, bowed to him respectfully. And he beheld the son of Pandu occupying\nhalf of the seat of Vasava. And worshipped by the great Rishis, that\nforemost of Brahmanas sat on an excellent seat at the desire of Sakra.\nAnd beholding Arjuna seated on Indra's seat, the Rishi began to think as\nto how Arjuna who was a Kshatriya had attained to the seat of Sakra\nhimself. What acts of merit had been performed by him and what regions,\nhad been conquered by him (by ascetic merit), that he had obtained a seat\nthat was worshipped by the gods themselves? And as the Rishi was employed\nwith these thoughts, Sakra, the slayer of Vritra, came to know of them.\nAnd having known them, the lord of Sachi addressed Lomasa with a smile\nand said, 'Listen, O Brahmarshi, about what is now passing in thy mind.\nThis one is no mortal though he hath taken his birth among men. O great\nRishi, the mighty-armed hero is even my son born of Kunti. He hath come\nhither, in order to acquire weapons for some purpose. Alas! dost thou not\nrecognise him as an ancient Rishi of the highest merit? Listen to me, O\nBrahamana, as I tell thee who is and why he hath come to me. Those\nancient and excellent Rishis who were known by the names of Nara and\nNarayana are, know, O Brahmana, none else than Hrishikesa and Dhananjaya.\nAnd those Rishis, celebrated throughout the three worlds, and known by\nthe names of Nara and Narayana have, for the accomplishment of a certain\npurpose, been born on earth--for the acquisition of virtue. That sacred\nasylum which even gods and illustrious Rishis are not competent to\nbehold, and which is known throughout the world by the name of Vadari,\nand situate by the source of the Ganga, which is worshipped by the\nSiddhas and the Charanas, was the abode, O Brahmana, of Vishnu and\nJishnu. Those Rishis of blazing splendour have, O Brahmarshi, at my\ndesire, been born on earth, and endued with mighty energy, will lighten\nthe burden thereof. Besides this, there are certain Asuras known as\nNivatakavachas, who, proud of the boon they have acquired, are employed\nin doing us injuries. Boastful of their strength, they are even now\nplanning the destruction of the gods, for, having received a boon, they\nno longer regard the gods. Those fierce and mighty Danavas live in the\nnether regions. Even all the celestials together are incapable of\nfighting with them. The blessed Vishnu--the slayer of Madhu--he, indeed\nwho is known on earth as Kapila, and whose glance alone, O exalted one,\ndestroyed the illustrious sons of Sagara, when they approached him with\nloud sounds in the bowels of the earth,--that illustrious and invincible\nHari is capable, O Brahmana of doing us a great service. Either he or\nPartha or both may do us that great service, without doubt. Verily as the\nillustrious Hari had slain the Nagas in the great lake, he, by sight\nalone, is capable of slaying those Asuras called the Nivatakavachas,\nalong with their followers. But the slayer of Madhu should not be urged\nwhen the task is insignificant. A mighty mass of energy that he is. It\nswelleth to increasing proportions, it may consume the whole universe.\nThis Arjuna also is competent to encounter them all, and the hero having\nslain them in battle, will go back to the world of men. Go thou at my\nrequest to earth. Thou wilt behold the brave Yudhishthira living in the\nwoods of Kamyaka. And for me tell thou the virtuous Yudhishthira of\nunbaffled prowess in battle, that he should not be anxious on account of\nPhalguna, for that hero will return to earth a thorough master of\nweapons, for without sanctified prowess of arms, and without skill in\nweapons, he would not be able to encounter Bhishma and Drona and others\nin battle. Thou wilt also represent unto Yudhishthira that the\nillustrious and mighty-armed Gudakesa, having obtained weapons, hath also\nmastered the science of celestial dancing and music both instrumental and\nvocal. And thou wilt also tell him, O king of men, O slayer of foes,\nthyself also, accompanied by all thy brothers, should see the various\nsacred shrines. For having bathed in different sacred waters, thou wilt\nbe cleansed from thy sins, and the fever of thy heart will abate. And\nthen thou wilt be able to enjoy thy kingdom, happy in the thought that\nthy sins have been washed off. And, O foremost of Brahmanas, endued with\nascetic power, it behoveth thee also to protect Yudhishthira during his\nwandering over the earth. Fierce Rakshasas ever live in mountain\nfastnesses and rugged steppes. Protect thou the king from those\ncannibals.'\n\n\"After Mahendra had spoken thus unto Lomasa, Vibhatsu also reverently\naddressed that Rishi, saying, 'Protect thou ever the son of Pandu. O best\nof men, let the king, O great Rishi, protected by thee, visit the various\nplaces of pilgrimage and give away unto Brahmanas in charity.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"The mighty ascetic Lomasa, having answered both\nsaying, 'So be it,' set out for the earth, desirous of arriving at\nKamvaka. And having arrived at those woods, he beheld the slayer of foes\nand son of Kunti, king Yudhishthira the just, surrounded by ascetics and\nhis younger brothers.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XLVIII\n\nJanamejaya said, \"These feats of Pritha's son endued with immeasurable\nenergy, were certainly marvellous. O Brahmana, what did Dhritarashtra of\ngreat wisdom say, when he heard of them?\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Amvika's son, king Dhritarashtra, having heard of\nArjuna's arrival and stay at Indra's abode, from Dwaipayana, that\nforemost of Rishis, spake unto Sanjaya, saying, 'O charioteer, dost thou\nknow in detail the acts of the intelligent Arjuna, of which I have heard\nfrom beginning to end? O charioteer, my wretched and sinful son is even\nnow engaged in a policy of the most vulgar kind. Of wicked soul, he will\ncertainly depopulate the earth. The illustrious person whose words even\nin jest are true, and who hath Dhananjaya to fight for him, is sure to\nwin the three worlds. Who that is even beyond the influence of Death and\nDecay will be able to stay before Arjuna, when he will scatter his barbed\nand sharp-pointed arrows whetted on stone? My wretched sons, who have to\nfight with the invincible Pandavas are indeed, all doomed. Reflecting day\nand night, I see not the warrior amongst us that is able to stay in\nbattle before the wielder of the Gandiva. If Drona, or Karna, or even\nBhishma advance against him in battle, a great calamity is likely to\nbefall the earth. But even in that case, I see not the way to our success\nKarna is kind and forgetful. The preceptor Drona is old, and the teacher\n(of Arjuna) Arjuna, however, is wrathful, and strong, and proud, and of\nfirm and steady prowess. As all these warriors are invincible, a terrible\nfight will take place between them. All of them are heroes skilled in\nweapons and of great reputation. They would not wish for the sovereignty\nof the world, if it was to be purchased by defeat. Indeed, peace will be\nrestored only on the death of these or of Phalguna. The slayer of Arjuna,\nhowever, existeth not, nor doth one that can vanquish him. Oh, how shall\nthat wrath of his which hath myself for its object be pacified. Equal\nunto the chief of the celestials, that hero gratified Agni at Khandava\nand vanquished all the monarchs of the earth on the occasion of the great\nRajasuya. O Sanjaya, the thunder-bolt falling on the mountain top,\nleaveth a portion unconsumed; but the shafts, O child, that are shot by\nKiriti leave not a rack behind. As the rays of the sun heat this mobile\nand immobile universe, so will the shafts shot by Arjuna's hands scorch\nmy sons. It seemeth to me that the Chamus of the Bharatas, terrified at\nthe clatter of Arjuna's chariot-wheels, are already broken through in all\ndirections. Vidhatri hath created Arjuna as an all-consuming Destroyer.\nHe stayeth in battle as a foe, vomitting and scattering swarms of arrows.\nWho is there that will defeat him?\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XLIX\n\n\"Sanjaya said, 'That which hath been uttered by thee, O king, with\nrespect to Duryodhana is all true. Nothing that thou hast said, O lord of\nthe earth, is untrue. The Pandavas of immeasurable energy have been\nfilled with rage at the sight of Krishna their wedded wife of pure\nfame--brought in the midst of the assembly. Hearing also those cruel\nwords of Dussasana and Karna, they have been so incensed, O king, that\nthey will not, I ween, forgive (the Kurus) on my account. I have heard, O\nking, how Arjuna hath gratified in battle by means of his bow the god of\ngods--Sthanu of eleven forms. The illustrious lord of all the\ngods--Kapardin himself--desirous of testing Phalguna, fought with him,\nhaving assumed the guise of a Kirata. And there it was that the Lokapala,\nin order to give away their weapons unto that bull of the Kuru race,\nshowed themselves unto him of undeteriorating prowess. What other man on\nearth, except Phalguna, would strive to have a sight of these gods in\ntheir own forms? And, O king, who is there that will weaken in battle\nArjuna, who could not be weakened by Maheswara himself possessed of eight\nforms? Thy sons, having dragged Draupadi, and thereby incensed the sons\nof Pandu, have brought this frightful and horrifying calamity upon\nthemselves. Beholding Duryodhana showing both his thighs unto Draupadi,\nBhima said with quivering lips, 'wretch! those thighs of thine will I\nsmash with my fierce descending mace, on the expiration of thirteen\nyears.' All the sons of Pandu are the foremost of smiters; all of them\nare of immeasurable energy; all of them are well-versed in every kind of\nweapons. For these, they are incapable of being vanquished even by the\ngods. Incensed at the insult offered to their wedded wife, Pritha's sons,\nurged by wrath, will, I ween, slay all thy sons in battle.'\n\n\"Dhritarashtra said, 'O charioteer, what mischief hath been done by Karna\nuttering those cruel words, to the sons of Pandu! Was not the enmity\nsufficient that was provoked by bringing Krishna into the assembly? How\ncan my wicked sons live, whose eldest brother and preceptor walketh not\nin the path of righteousness? Seeing me void of eye-sight, and incapable\nof exerting myself actively, my wretched son, O charioteer, believeth me\nto be a fool, and listeneth not to my words. Those wretches also that are\nhis counsellors, viz., Karna and Suvala, and others, always pander to his\nvices, as he is incapable of understanding things rightly. The shafts\nthat Arjuna of immeasurable prowess may lightly shoot, are capable of\nconsuming all my sons, leave alone those shafts that he will shoot,\nimpelled by anger. The arrows urged by the might of Arjuna's arms and\nshot from his large bow, and inspired with mantras capable of converting\nthem into celestial weapons can chastise the celestials themselves. He\nwho hath for his counsellor and protector and friend that smiter of\nsinful men--the lord of the three worlds--Hari himself--encountereth\nnothing that he cannot conquer. This, O Sanjaya, is most marvellous in\nArjuna that, as we have heard, he hath been clasped by Mahadeva in his\narms. That also which Phalguna, assisted by Damodara did of old towards\nhelping Agni in the conflagration of Khandava, hath been witnessed by all\nthe world. When, therefore, Bhima and Partha and Vasudeva of the Satwata\nrace become enraged, surely my sons along with their friends and the\nSuvalas are all unequal to fight with them.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION L\n\nJanamejaya said, \"Having sent the heroic sons of Pandu into exile, these\nlamentations, O Muni, of Dhritarashtra were perfectly futile. Why did the\nking permit his foolish son Duryodhana to thus incense those mighty\nwarriors, the sons of Pandu? Tell us now, O Brahmana, what was the food\nof the sons of Pandu, while they lived in the woods? Was it of the\nwilderness, or was it the produce of cultivation?\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Those bulls among men, collecting the produce of the\nwilderness and killing the deer with pure arrows, first dedicated a\nportion of the food to the Brahmanas, and themselves are the rest. For, O\nking, while those heroes wielding large bows lived in the woods, they\nwere followed by Brahmanas of both classes, viz., those worshipping with\nfire and those worshipping without it. And there were ten thousand\nillustrious Snataka Brahmanas, all conversant with the means of\nsalvation, whom Yudhishthira supported in the woods. And killing with\narrows Rurus and the black deer and other kinds of clean animals of the\nwilderness, he gave them unto those Brahmanas. And no one that lived with\nYudhishthira looked pale or ill, or was lean or weak, or was melancholy\nor terrified. And the chief of the Kurus--the virtuous king\nYudhishthira--maintained his brothers as if they were his sons, and his\nrelatives as if they were his uterine brothers. And Draupadi of pure fame\nfed her husbands and the Brahmanas, as if she was their mother; and last\nof all took her food herself. And the king himself wending towards the\neast, and Bhima, towards the south, and the twins, towards the west and\nthe north, daily killed with bow in hand the deer of the forest, for the\nsake of meat. And it was that the Pandavas lived for five years in the\nwoods of Kamyaka, in anxiety at the absence of Arjuna, and engaged all\nthe while in study and prayers and sacrifices.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LI\n\nVaisampayana said, \"That bull among men--Dhritarashtra--the son of\nAmvika, having heard of this wonderful way of life--so above that of\nmen--of the sons of Pandu, was filled with anxiety and grief. And\noverwhelmed with melancholy and sighing heavily and hot, that monarch,\naddressing his charioteer Sanjaya, said, 'O charioteer, a moment's peace\nI have not, either during the day or the night, thinking of the terrible\nmisbehaviour of my sons arising out of their past gambling, and thinking\nalso of the heroism, the patience, the high intelligence, the unbearable\nprowess, and the extraordinary love unto one another of the sons of\nPandu. Amongst the Pandavas, the illustrious Nakula and Sahadeva, of\ncelestial origin and equal unto the chief himself of the celestials in\nsplendour, are invincible in battle. They are firm in the wielding of\nweapons, capable of shooting at a long distance, resolute in battle, of\nremarkable lightness of hand, of wrath that is not easily quelled,\npossessed of great steadiness, and endued with activity. Possessed of the\nprowess of lions and unbearable as the Aswins themselves, when they will\ncome to the field of battle with Bhima and Arjuna in front, I see, O\nSanjaya, that my soldiers will all be slain without a remnant. Those\nmighty warriors of celestial origin, unrivalled in battle by anybody,\nfilled with rage at the remembrance of that insult to Draupadi, will show\nno forgiveness. The mighty warriors of the Vrishnis also, and the\nPanchalas of great energy, and the sons of Pritha themselves, led by\nVasudeva of unbaffled prowess, will blast my legions. O charioteer, all\nthe warriors on my side assembled together, are not competent to bear the\nimpetus of the Vrishnis alone when commanded by Rama and Krishna. And\namongst them will move that great warrior Bhima of terrible prowess,\narmed with his iron mace held on high and capable of slaying every hero.\nAnd high above the din will be heard the twang of the Gandiva loud as the\nthunder of heaven. The impetus of Bhima's mace and the loud twang of the\nGandiva are incapable of being stood against by any of the kings on my\nside. It is then, O Sanjaya, that obedient as I have been to the voice of\nDuryodhana, I shall have to call back the rejected counsels of my\nfriends--counsels that I should have attended to in time.'\"\n\nSanjaya said, \"This hath been thy great fault, O king, viz., that though\ncapable, thou didst not, from affection prevent thy son from doing what\nhe hath done. The slayer of Madhu, that hero of unfading glory, hearing\nthat the Pandavas had been defeated at dice, soon went to the woods of\nKamyaka and consoled them there. And Draupadi's sons also headed by\nDhrishtadyumna, and Virata, and Dhrishtaketu, and those mighty warriors,\nthe Kekayas, all went there. All that was said by these warriors at the\nsight of Pandu's son defeated at dice, was learnt by me through our\nspies. I have also told thee all, O king. When the slayer of Madhu met\nthe Pandavas, they requested him to become the charioteer of Phalguna in\nbattle. Hari himself, thus requested, answered them, saying, 'so be it.'\nAnd even Krishna himself beholding the sons of Pritha dressed in deer\nskins, became filled with rage, and addressing Yudhishthira, said, 'That\nprosperity which the sons of Pritha had acquired at Indraprastha, and\nwhich, unobtainable by other kings, was beheld by me at the Rajasuya\nsacrifice, at which, besides, I saw all kings, even those of the Vangas\nand Angas and Paundras and Odras and Cholas and Dravidas and Andhakas,\nand the chiefs of many islands and countries on the sea-board as also of\nfrontier states, including the rulers of the Sinhalas, the barbarous\nmlecchas, the natives of Lanka, and all the kings of the West by\nhundreds, and all the chiefs of the sea-coast, and the kings of the\nPahlavas and the Daradas and the various tribes of the Kiratas and\nYavanas and Sakras and the Harahunas and Chinas and Tukharas and the\nSindhavas and the Jagudas and the Ramathas and the Mundas and the\ninhabitants of the kingdom of women and the Tanganas and the Kekayas and\nthe Malavas and the inhabitants of Kasmira, afraid of the prowess of your\nweapons, present in obedience to your invitation, performing various\noffices,--that prosperity, O king, so unstable and waiting at present on\nthe foe, I shall restore to thee, depriving thy foe of his very life. I\nshall, O chief of the Kurus, assisted by Rama and Bhima and Arjuna and\nthe twins and Akrura and Gada and Shamva and Pradyumna and Ahuka and the\nheroic Dhrishtadyumna and the son of Sisupala, slay in battle in course\nof a day Duryodhana and Karna and Dussasana and Suvala's son and all\nothers who may fight against us. And thou shalt, O Bharata, living at\nHastinapura along with thy brothers, and snatching from Dhritarashtra's\nparty the prosperity they are enjoying, rule this earth.' Even these, O\nking, were Krishna's words unto Yudhishthira, who, on the conclusion of\nKrishna's speech, addressed him in that meeting of heroes and in the\nhearing of all those brave warriors headed by Dhrishtadyumna, saying, 'O\nJanardana, I accept these words of thine as truth. O thou of mighty arms,\ndo thou, however, slay my enemies along with all their followers on the\nexpiry of thirteen years. O Kesava, promise this truly unto me. I\npromised in the presence of the king to live in the forest as I am now\nliving.' Consenting to these words of king Yudhishthira the just, his\ncounsellors headed by Dhrishtadyumna soon pacified the incensed Kesava\nwith sweet words and expressions suitable to the occasion. And they also\nsaid unto Draupadi of pure deeds in the hearing of Vasudeva himself,\nthese words, 'O lady, in consequence of thy anger, Duryodhana shall lay\ndown his life. We promise it, O thou of the fairest complexion.\nTherefore, grieve no more. O Krishna, those that mocked thee, beholding\nthee won at dice, shall reap the fruit of their act. Beasts of prey and\nbirds shall eat their flesh, and mock them thus. Jackals and vultures\nwill drink their blood. And, O Krishna, thou shalt behold the bodies of\nthose wretches that dragged thee by the hair prostrate on the earth,\ndragged and eaten by carnivorous animals. They also that gave thee pain\nand disregarded thee shall lie on the earth destitute of their heads, and\nthe earth herself shall drink their blood.' These and other speeches of\nvarious kinds were uttered there, O king, by those bulls of the Bharata\nrace. All of them are endued with energy and bravery, and marked with the\nmarks of battle. On the expiration of the thirteenth year, those mighty\nwarriors, chosen by Yudhishthira and headed by Vasudeva, will come (to\nthe field of battle). Rama and Krishna and Dhananjaya and Pradyumna and\nShamva and Yuyudhana and Bhima and the sons of Madri and the Kekaya\nprinces and the Panchala princes, accompanied by the king of Matsya,\nthese all, illustrious and celebrated and invincible heroes, with their\nfollowers and troops, will come. Who is there that, desiring to live,\nwill encounter these in battle, resembling angry lions of erect manes?'\n\n\"Dhritarashtra said, \"What Vidura told me at the time of the game at\ndice, 'If thou seekest, O king, to vanquish the Pandavas (at dice), then\ncertainly a terrible blood-shed ending in the destruction of all the\nKurus will be the result,' I think it is about to be realised. As Vidura\ntold me of old, without doubt a terrible battle will take place, as soon\nas the pledged period of the Pandavas expireth.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LII\n\n(Nalopakhyana Parva)\n\nJanamejaya said, \"When the high-souled Partha went to Indra's region for\nobtaining weapons, what did Yudhishthira and the other sons of Pandu do?\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"When the high-souled Partha went to Indra's region\nfor obtaining weapons, those bulls of the Bharata race continued to dwell\nwith Krishna in (the woods of) Kamyaka. One day, those foremost of the\nBharatas, afflicted with grief, were seated with Krishna on a clean and\nsolitary sward. Grieving for Dhananjaya, overwhelmed with sorrow, their\nvoices were choked with weeping. Tortured by Dhananjaya's absence, grief\nafflicted them equally. And filled with sorrow at their separation from\nArjuna and at the loss of their kingdom, the mighty-armed Bhima among\nthem addressed Yudhishthira, saying, \"That Bull of the Bharata race,\nArjuna, O great king, on whom depend the lives of Pandu's sons, and on\nwhose death the Panchalas as also ourselves with our sons and Satyaki and\nVasudeva are sure to die, hath gone away at thy behest. What can be\nsadder than this that the virtuous Vibhatsu hath gone away at thy\ncommand, thinking of his many griefs? Depending upon the might of that\nillustrious hero's arms, regard our foes as already vanquished in battle,\nand the whole earth itself as already acquired by us. It was for the sake\nof that mighty warrior that I refrained from sending to the other world\nall the Dhartarashtras along with the Suvalas, in the midst of the\nassembly. Gifted with might of arms, and supported by Vasudeva, we have\nto suppress the wrath that hath been roused in us, because thou art the\nroot of that wrath. Indeed, with Krishna's help, slaying our foes headed\nby Karna, we are able to rule the entire earth (thus) conquered by our\nown arms. Endued with manliness, we are yet overwhelmed with calamities,\nin consequence of thy gambling vice, while the foolish null of\nDhritarashtra are growing stronger with the tributes (gathered from\ndependent kings). O mighty monarch, it behoveth thee to keep in view the\nduties of the Kshatriya. O great king, it is not the duty of a Khsatriya\nto live in the woods. The wise are of the opinion that to rule is the\nforemost duty of a Kshatriya. O king, thou art conversant with Kshatriya\nmorality. Do not, therefore, deviate from the path of duty. Turning away\nfrom the woods, let us, summoning Partha and Janardana, slay, O king, the\nsons of Dhritarashtra, even before the twelve years are complete. O\nillustrious monarch O king of kings, even if these Dhartarashtras be\nsurrounded by soldiers in array of battle, I shall send them to the other\nworld by dint of might alone. I shall slay all the sons of Dhritarashtra\nalong with the Sauvalas, indeed, Duryodhana, Karna, and any one else that\nwill fight with me. And after I shall have slain all our foes, thou mayst\ncome back unto the woods. By acting thus, O king, no fault will be thine.\n(Or if any sin be thine), O represser of foes, O mighty monarch, washing\nit off, O sire, by various sacrifices, we may ascend to a superior\nheaven. Such a consummation may come to pass, if our king proveth not\nunwise or procrastinating. Thou art, however, virtuous. Verily the\ndeceitful should be destroyed by deceit. To slay the deceitful by deceit,\nis not regarded as sinful. O Bharata, it is, also said by those versed in\nmorality that one day and night is, O great prince, equal unto a full\nyear. The Veda text also, exalted one, is often heard, signifying that a\nyear is equivalent to a day when passed in the observance of certain\ndifficult vows. O thou of unfading glory, if the Vedas are an authority\nwith thee, regard thou the period of a day and something more as the\nequivalent of thirteen years. O represser of foes, this is the time to\nslay Duryodhana with his adherents. Else, O king, he will beforehand\nbring the whole earth obedient to his will. O foremost of monarchs, all\nthis is the result of thy addiction to gambling. We are on the verge of\ndestruction already, in consequence of thy promise of living one year\nundiscovered. I do not find the country where, if we live, the\nwicked-minded Suyodhana may not be able to trace us by his spies. And\nfinding us out, that wretch will again deceitfully send us into such\nexile in the woods. Or if that sinful one beholdeth us emerge, after the\nexpiry of the pledged period of non-discovery, he will again invite thee,\nO great king, to dice, and the play will once more begin. Summoned once\nmore, thou wilt again efface thyself at dice. Thou art not skilled at\ndice, and when summoned at play, thou wilt be deprived of thy senses.\nTherefore, O mighty monarch thou wilt have to lead a life in the woods\nagain. If, O mighty king, it behoveth thee not to make us wretched for\nlife, observe thou fully the ordinance of the Vedas, (which inculcateth\nthat) verily the deceitful ought to be slain by deceit. If I but have thy\ncommand I would go (to Hastinapura) and, even as fire falling upon a heap\nof grass consumeth it, would slay Duryodhana, putting forth my utmost\nmight. It behoveth thee, therefore, to grant me the permission.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thus addressed by Bhima, king Yudhishthira the\njust, smelt the crown of that son of Pandu, and pacifying him said, 'O\nmighty-armed one, without doubt, thou wilt, assisted by the wielder of\nthe Gandiva, slay Suyodhana at the expiry of the thirteenth year. But, O\nson of Pritha, as for thy assertion, 'O Lord, the time is complete', I\ncannot dare tell an untruth, for untruth is not in me. O son of Kunti,\nwithout the help of fraud, wilt thou kill the wicked and irrepressible\nDuryodhana, with his allies.'\n\n\"While Yudhishthira the just, was speaking unto Bhima thus, there came\nthe great and illustrious Rishi Vrihadaswa before them. And beholding\nthat virtuous ascetic before him, the righteous king worshipped him\naccording to the ordinance, with the offering of Madhuparka. And when the\nascetic was seated and refreshed, the mighty-armed Yudhishthira sat by\nhim, and looking up at the former, addressed him thus in exceedingly\npiteous accents:\n\n'O holy one, summoned by cunning gamblers skilled at dice, I have been\ndeprived of wealth and kingdom through gambling. I am not an adept at\ndice, and am unacquainted with deceit. Sinful men, by unfair means,\nvanquished me at play. They even brought into the public assembly my wife\ndearer unto me than life itself. And defeating me a second time, they\nhave sent me to distressful exile in this great forest, clad in deer\nskins. At present I am leading a distressful life in the woods in grief\nof heart. Those harsh and cruel speeches they addressed me on the\noccasion of that gambling match, and the words of my afflicted friends\nrelating to the match at dice and other subjects, are all stored up in my\nremembrance. Recollecting them I pass the whole night in (sleepless)\nanxiety. Deprived also (of the company) of the illustrious wielder of the\nGandiva, on whom depend the lives of us all, I am almost deprived of\nlife. Oh, when shall I see the sweet-speeched and large-hearted Vibhatsu\nso full of kindness and activity, return to us, having obtained all\nweapons? Is there a king on this earth who is more unfortunate than\nmyself? Hast thou ever seen or heard of any such before? To my thinking,\nthere is no man more wretched than I am.'\n\n\"Vrihadaswa said, 'O great king, O son of Pandu, thou sayest, 'There is\nno person more miserable than I am' O sinless monarch, if thou wilt\nlisten, I will relate unto thee the history of a king more wretched than\nthyself?\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"And thereupon the king said unto the ascetic, 'O\nillustrious one, tell me, I desire to hear the history of the king who\nhad fallen into such a condition.'\n\n\"Vrihadaswa said, 'O king, O thou that never fallest off, listen\nattentively with thy brothers, I will narrate the history of a prince\nmore miserable than thyself. There was a celebrated king among the\nNishadhas, named Virasena. He had a son named Nala, versed in (the\nknowledge of) virtue and wealth. It hath been heard by us that, that king\nwas deceitfully defeated by Pushkara, and afflicted with calamity, he\ndwelt in the woods with his spouse. And, O king, while he was living in\nthe forest, he had neither slaves nor cars, neither brother nor friends\nwith him. But thou art surrounded by thy heroic brothers like unto the\ncelestials, and also by foremost regenerate ones like unto Brahma\nhimself. Therefore, it behoveth thee not to grieve.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'I am anxious to hear in detail, O thou foremost of\neloquent men, the history of the illustrious Nala. It behoveth thee\ntherefore to relate it unto me.'\n\n\n\nSECTION LIII\n\nVrihadaswa said, \"There was a king named Nala, the son of Virasena. And\nhe was strong, and handsome, and well-versed in (the knowledge of)\nhorses, and possessed of every desirable accomplishment. And he was at\nthe head of all the kings, even like the lord of the celestials. And\nexalted over all, he resembled the sun in glory. And he was the king of\nthe Nishadhas, intent on the welfare of the Brahmanas, versed in the\nVedas, and possessed of heroism. And he was truth-telling, fond of dice,\nand the master of a mighty army. And he was the beloved of men and women,\nand of great soul and subdued passions. And he was the protector (of\nall), and the foremost of bowmen, and like unto Manu himself. And like\nhim, there was among the Vidarbhas (a king named) Bhima, of terrible\nprowess, heroic and well-disposed towards his subjects and possessed of\nevery virtue. (But withal) he was childless. And with a fixed mind, he\ntried his utmost for obtaining issue. And. O Bharata there came unto him\n(once) a Brahmarshi named Damana. And, O king of kings, desirous of\nhaving offspring, Bhima, versed in morality, with his queen gratified\nthat illustrious Rishi by a respectful reception. And Damana,\nwell-pleased, granted unto the king and his consort a boon in the form of\na jewel of a daughter, and three sons possessed of lofty souls and great\nfame. (And they were called respectively) Damayanti, and Dama and Danta,\nand illustrious Damana. And the three sons were possessed of every\naccomplishment and terrible mien and fierce prowess. And the\nslender-waisted Damayanti, in beauty and brightness, in good name and\ngrace and luck, became celebrated all over the world. And on her\nattaining to age, hundreds of hand-maids, and female slaves, decked in\nornaments, waited upon her like Sachi herself. And Bhima's daughter of\nfaultless features, decked in every ornament, shone in the midst of her\nhand-maids, like the luminous lightning of the clouds. And the large-eyed\ndamsel was possessed of great beauty like that of Sree herself. And\nneither among celestials, nor among Yakshas, nor among men was anybody\npossessed of such beauty, seen or heard of before. And the beautiful\nmaiden filled with gladness the hearts of even the gods. And that tiger\namong men, Nala also had not his peer in the (three) worlds: for in\nbeauty he was like Kandarpa himself in his embodied form. And moved by\nadmiration, the heralds again and again celebrated the praises of Nala\nbefore Damayanti and those of Damayanti before the ruler of the\nNishadhas. And repeatedly hearing of each other's virtues they conceived\nan attachment towards each other not begot of sight, and that attachment,\nO son of Kunti began to grow in strength. And then Nala was unable to\ncontrol the love that was in his bosom. And he began to pass much of his\ntime in solitude in the gardens adjoining the inner apartment (of his\npalace). And there he saw a number of swans furnished with golden wings,\nwandering in those woods. And from among them he caught one with his\nhands. And thereupon the sky-ranging one said unto Nala. 'Deserve I not\nto be slain by thee. O king. I will do something that is agreeable to\nthee. O king of the Nishadhas. I will speak of thee before Damayanti in\nsuch a way that she will not ever desire to have any other person (for\nher lord).' Thus addressed, the king liberated that swan. And those swans\nthen rose on their wings and went to the country of the Vidarbhas. And on\narriving at the city of the Vidarbhas the birds alighted before\nDamayanti, who beheld them all. And Damayanti in the midst of her maids,\nbeholding those birds of extraordinary appearance was filled with\ndelight, and strove without loss of time to catch those coursers of the\nskies. And the swans at this, before that bevy of beauties, fled in all\ndirections. And those maidens there pursued the birds, each (running)\nafter one. And the swan after which Damayanti ran, having led her to a\nsecluded spot, addressed her in human speech, saying, O Damayanti, there\nis a king amongst the Nishadhas named Nala. He is equal unto the Aswins\nin beauty, not having his peer among men. Indeed, in comeliness, he is\nlike Kandarpa himself in his embodied form. O fair-complexioned one, O\nthou of slender waist, if thou becomest his wife, thy existence and this\nthy beauty may be of purpose. We have, indeed, beheld celestials and\nGandharvas, and Nagas, and Rakshasas, and men, but never saw we before\nany one like Nala. Thou also art a jewel among thy sex, as Nala is the\nprime among men. The union of the best with the best is happy.' Thus\naddressed by the swan. Damayanti, O monarch, replied unto him there,\nsaying, 'Do thou speak thus unto Nala also, 'Saying So be it, to the\ndaughter of Vidarbha, the oviparous one, O king, returned to the country\nof the Nishadhas, and related everything unto Nala.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LIV\n\n\"Vrihadaswa said, 'O Bharata, hearing those words of the swan, Damayanti\nthenceforth lost all peace of mind on account of Nala. And heaving\nfrequent sighs she was filled with anxiety, and became melancholy and\npale-faced and lean. And with her heart possessed by the god of love, she\nsoon lost colour, and with her upturned gaze and modes of abstraction,\nlooked like one demented. And she lost all inclination for beds and seats\nand object of enjoyment. And she ceased to lie down by day or night,\nalways weeping with exclamation of Oh! and Alas! And beholding her uneasy\nand fallen into that condition, her hand-maids represented, O king, the\nmatter of her illness unto the ruler of Vidarbha by indirect hints. And\nking Bhima, hearing of this from the handmaids of Damayanti, regarded the\naffair of his daughter to be serious. And he asked himself, 'Why is it\nthat my daughter seemeth to be so ill now?' And the king, reflecting by\nhimself that his daughter had attained to puberty, concluded that\nDamayanti's Swayamvara should take place. And the monarch, O exalted one,\n(invited) all the rulers of the earth, saying, Ye heroes, know that\nDamayanti's Swayamvara is at hand, And all the kings, hearing of\nDamayanti's Swayamvara, came unto Bhima, agreeable to his message,\nfilling the earth with the clatter of their cars, the roar of their\nelephants, and the neighing of their horses, and accompanied with their\nfine-looking battalions decked in ornaments and graceful garlands. And\nthe mighty-armed Bhima paid due reverence unto those illustrious\nmonarchs. And duly honoured by him they took up their quarters there.'\n\n\"And at the juncture, those foremost of celestial Rishis possessed of\ngreat splendour, of great wisdom and great vows--namely, Narada and\nParvata--having arrived in course of their wandering at the regions of\nIndra entered the mansion of the lord of the immortals, receiving proper\nworship. And Maghavat having worshipped them reverentially, inquired\nafter their undisturbed peace and welfare as regards all respects. And\nNarada said, 'O lord, O divine one, peace attendeth us in every respect.\nAnd, O Maghavat, peace attendeth also O exalted one, the kings of the\nwhole world.'\n\n\"Vrihadaswa continued. 'Hearing the words of Narada the slaver of Vala\nand Vritra said, 'Those righteous rulers of the earth who fight\nrenouncing all desire of life, and who meet death when their time is come\nby means of weapons, without flying from the field,--theirs is this\nregion, everlasting unto them and granting all desires, even as it is to\nme. Where be those Kshatriya heroes? I do not see those kings approach\n(now) Where are my favourite guests?' Thus addressed by Sakra, Narada\nreplied, 'Listen, O Mahavat, why seest not thou the kings (now)? The\nruler of the Vidarbhas hath a daughter--the celebrated Damayanti. In\nbeauty she transcendeth all the women of the earth. Her Swayamvara, O\nSakra, will take place shortly. Thither are going all the kings and\nPrinces from all directions. And all the lords of the earth desire to\nhave that pearl of the earth,--desire to have her eagerly, O slaver of\nVala and Vritra.' And while they were talking thus, those foremost of the\nimmortals, the Lokapalas with Agni among them, appeared before the lord\nof the celestials. And all of them heard the words of Narada fraught with\ngrave import. And as soon as they heard them, they exclaimed in rapture,\nWe also will go there. And, O mighty monarch, accompanied by their\nattendants and mounted on their (respective) vehicles, they set out for\nthe country of Vidarbhas, whither (had gone) all the kings. And, O son of\nKunti, the high-souled king Nala also hearing of that concourse of kings,\nset out with a cheerful heart, full of Damayanti's love. And (it came to\npass) that the gods saw Nala on the way treading on the earth. And his\nform owing to its beauty was like that of the god of love himself. And\nbeholding him resplendent as the sun, the Lokapalas were filled with\nastonishment at his wealth of beauty, and abandoned their intention. And,\nO king, leaving their cars in the sky the dwellers of heaven alighted\nfrom the welkin and spake unto the ruler of the Nishadhas, saying, 'O\nforemost of monarchs ruling the Nishadhas, O Nala, thou art devoted to\ntruth. Do thou help us. O best of men, be thou our messenger.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LV\n\n\"Vrihadaswa continued, 'O Bharata, Nala pledged his word to the\ncelestials saying, 'I will do it.' And then approaching these, he asked\nwith folded hands. 'Who are ye? And who also is he that desireth me to be\nhis messenger? And what, further, shall I have to do for you? O tell me\ntruly!'--When the king of the Nishadhas spoke thus, Maghavat replied,\nsaying, 'Know us as the immortals come hither for Damayanti's sake. I am\nIndra, this one is Agni, this the lord of waters, and this, O king, is\neven Yama the destroyer of the bodies of men. Do thou inform Damayanti of\nour arrival, saying, 'The guardians of the world, (consisting of) the\ngreat Indra and the others, are coming to the assembly, desirous of\nbeholding (the Swayamvara). The gods, Sakra and Agni and Varuna and Yama,\ndesire to obtain thee. Do thou, therefore, choose one of them for thy\nlord.' Thus addressed by Sakra, Nala said with joined hands, 'I have come\nhere with the self same object. It behoveth thee not to send me (on this\nerrand). How can a person who is himself under the influence of love\nbring himself to speak thus unto a lady on behalf of others? Therefore,\nspare me, ye gods' The gods, however, said, 'O ruler of the Nishadhas,\nhaving promised first, saying, 'I will! why wilt thou not act accordingly\nnow? O ruler of the Nishadhas, tell us this without delay.'\n\n\"Vrihadaswa continued, 'Thus addressed by those celestials, the ruler of\nNishadhas spake again, saying, 'Those mansions are well-guarded. How can\nI hope to enter them?' Indra replied, 'Thou shalt be able to enter.' And,\nsaying, So be it.' Nala thereupon went to the palace of Damayanti. And\nhaving arrived there, he beheld the daughter of the king of Vidarbha\nsurrounded by her hand-maids, blazing in beauty and excelling in symmetry\nof form, of limbs exceedingly delicate, of slender waist and fair eyes.\nAnd she seemed to rebuke the light of the moon by her own splendour. And\nas he gazed on that lady of sweet smiles. Nala's love increased, but\ndesirous of keeping his truth, he suppressed his passion. And at the\nsight of Naishadha, overpowered by his effulgence, those first of women\nsprang up from their seats in amazement. And filled with wonder (at his\nsight), they praised Nala in gladness of heart. And without saying\nanything, they mentally paid him homage, 'Oh, what comeliness! Oh, what\ngentleness belongeth to this high-souled one! Who is he? Is he some god\nor Yaksha or Gandharva?' And those foremost of women, confounded by\nNala's splendour and bashfulness would not accost him at all in speech.\nAnd Damayanti although herself struck with amazement, smilingly addressed\nthe warlike Nala who also gently smiled at her, saying, 'What art thou, O\nthou of faultless features, that hast come here awakening my love? O\nsinless one, O hero of celestial form, I am anxious to know who thou art\nthat hast come hither. And why hast thou come hither? And how is it that\nthou hast not been discovered by any one, considering that my apartments\nare well-guarded and the king's mandates are stern.' Thus addressed by\nthe daughter of the king of the Vidarbhas, Nala replied, 'O beauteous\nlady, know that my name is Nala. I come here as the messenger of the\ngods. The celestials, Sakra, Agni, Varuna and Yama, desire to have thee.\nO beautiful lady, do thou choose one of them for thy lord. It is through\ntheir power that I have entered here unperceived, and it is for this\nreason that none saw me on my way or obstructed my entrance. O gentle\none, I have been sent by the foremost of the celestials even for this\nobject. Hearing this, O fortunate one, do what thou pleasest.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LVI\n\n\"Vrihadaswa said, 'Damayanti, having bowed down unto the gods, thus\naddressed Nala with a smile, 'O king, love me with proper regard, and\ncommand me what I shall do for thee. Myself and what else of wealth is\nmine are thine. Grant me, O exalted one, thy love in full trust. O king,\nthe language of the swans in burning me. It is for thy sake, O hero, that\nI have caused the kings to meet. O giver of proper honour, if thou\nforsake me who adore thee, for thy sake will I resort to poison, or fire,\nor water or the rope.' Thus addressed by the daughter of the king of the\nVidarbhas, Nala answered her saying, 'With the Lokapalas present,\nchoosest thou a man? Do thou turn thy heart to those high-souled lords,\nthe creators of the worlds, unto the dust of whose feet I am not equal.\nDispleasing the gods, a mortal cometh by death. Save me, O thou of\nfaultless limbs! Choose thou the all-excelling celestials. By accepting\nthe gods, do thou enjoy spotless robes, and celestial garlands of\nvariegated hues, and excellent ornaments. What woman would not choose as\nher lord Hutasana--the chief of the celestials, who compassing the earth\nswalloweth it? What woman would not choose him as her lord the dread of\nwhose mace induceth all creatures to tread the path of virtue? And what\nwoman would not choose as her lord the virtuous and high-souled Mahendra,\nthe lord of the celestials, the chastiser of Daityas and Danavas? Or, if\nthou couldst choose in thy heart Varuna amongst the Lokapalas, do so\nunhesitatingly. O accept this friendly advice.' Thus addressed by\nNaishadha, Damayanti, with eyes bathed in tears of grief spake thus unto\nNala, 'O lord of the earth, bowing to all the gods, I choose thee for my\nlord. Truly do I tell thee this.' The king, who had come as the messenger\nof the gods, replied unto the trembling Damayanti standing with folded\nhands, 'O amiable one, do as thou pleasest. Having given my pledge, O\nblessed one, unto the gods in especial, how can I, having come on other's\nmission, dare seek my own interest? If seeking my own interest consists\nwith virtue, I will seek it, and do thou also, O beauteous one, act\naccordingly.' Then Damayanti of luminous smiles slowly spake unto king\nNala, in words choked with tears, 'O lord of men I see a blameless way,\nby which no sin whatever will attach unto thee. O king, do thou, O\nforemost of men, come to the Swayamvara in company with all the gods\nheaded by Indra. There, O Monarch, in the presence of the Lokapalas I\nwill, O tiger among men, choose thee--at which no blame will be thine.'\nThus addressed, O monarch, by the daughter of Vidarbha, king Nala\nreturned to where the gods were staying together. And beholding him\napproach those great gods, the Lokapalas, eagerly asked him about all\nthat had happened saying, 'Hast thou, O king, seen Damayanti of sweet\nsmiles? What hath she said unto us all? O sinless monarch, tell us\neverything.' Nala answered, 'Commanded by you I entered Damayanti's\npalace furnished with lofty portals guarded by veteran warders bearing\nwands. And as I entered, no one perceived me, by virtue of your power,\nexcept the princess. And I saw her hand-maids, and they also saw me. And,\nO exalted celestials, seeing me, they were filled with wonder. And as I\nspake unto her of you, the fair-faced maiden, her will fixed on me, O ye\nbest of the gods, chose me (for her spouse).' And the maiden said, 'Let\nthe gods, O tiger among men, come with thee to the Swayamvara, I will in\ntheir presence, choose thee. At this, O thou of mighty arms, no blame\nwill attach to thee.' 'This is all, ye gods, that took place, as I have\nsaid. Finally, everything rests with you, ye foremost of celestials.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LVII\n\n\"Vrihadaswa continued, 'Then at the sacred hour of the holy lunar day of\nthe auspicious season, king Bhima summoned the kings to the Swayamvara.\nAnd hearing of it, all the lords of earth smit with love speedily came\nthither, desirous of (possessing) Damayanti. And the monarchs entered the\namphitheatre decorated with golden pillars and a lofty portal arch, like\nmighty lions entering the mountain wilds. And those lords of earth decked\nwith fragrant garlands and polished ear-rings hung with jewels seated\nthemselves on their several seats. And that sacred assembly of Kings,\ngraced by those tigers among men, resembled the Bhogavati swarming with\nthe Nagas, or a mountain cavern with tigers. And their arms were robust,\nand resembling iron maces, and well-shaped, and graceful, and looking\nlike five-headed snakes. And graced with beautiful locks and fine noses\nand eyes and brows, the countenance of the kings shone like stars in the\nfirmament. And (when the time came), Damayanti of beauteous face,\nstealing the eyes and hearts of the princes by her dazzling light,\nentered the hall. And the glances of those illustrious kings were\nrivetted to those parts of her person where they had chanced to fall\nfirst, without moving at all. And when, O Bharata, the names of the\nmonarchs were proclaimed, the daughter of Bhima saw five persons all\nalike in appearance. And beholding them seated there, without difference\nof any kind in form, doubt filled her mind, and she could not ascertain\nwhich of them was king Nala. And at whomsoever (among them) she looked,\nshe regarded him to be the king of the Nishadhas. And filled with\nanxiety, the beauteous one thought within herself, 'Oh, how shall I\ndistinguish the celestials, and how discern the royal Nala?' And thinking\nthus, the daughter of Vidarbha became filled with grief. And, O Bharata,\nrecollecting the marks belonging to the celestials, of which she had\nheard, she thought, 'Those attributes of the celestials, of which I have\nheard from the aged, do not pertain to any of these deities present here\nupon the earth.' And revolving the matter long in her mind, and\nreflecting upon it repeatedly, she decided upon seeking the protection of\nthe gods themselves. And bowing down unto them with mind and speech, with\nfolded hands, she addressed them trembling, 'Since I heard the speech of\nthe swans, I chose the king of the Nishadhas as my lord. For the sake of\ntruth, O, let the gods reveal him to me. And as in thought or word I have\nnever swerved from him, O, let the gods, for the sake of that truth,\nreveal him to me. And as the gods themselves have destined the ruler of\nthe Nishadhas to be my lord, O, let them, for the sake of that truth,\nreveal him to me. And as it is for paying homage unto Nala that I have\nadopted this vow, for the sake of that truth, O, let the gods reveal him\nunto me, O, let the exalted guardians of the worlds assume their own\nproper forms, so that I may know the righteous king.' Hearing these\npiteous words of Damayanti, and ascertaining her fixed resolve, and\nfervent love for the king of Nishadhas, the purity of her heart and her\ninclination and regard and affection for Nala, the gods did as they had\nbeen adjured, and assumed their respective attributes as best they could.\nAnd thereupon she beheld the celestials unmoistened with perspiration,\nwith winkless eyes, and unfading garlands, unstained with dust, and\nstaying without touching the ground. And Naishadha stood revealed to his\nshadow, his fading garlands, himself stained with dust and sweat, resting\non the ground with winking eyes. And, O Bharata, discerning the gods and\nthe virtuous Nala the daughter of Bhima chose Naishadha according to her\ntruth. And the large-eyed damsel then bashfully caught the hem of his\ngarment and placed round his neck a floral wreath of exceeding grace. And\nwhen that fair-complexioned maiden had thus chosen Nala for her husband,\nthe kings suddenly broke out into exclamations of Oh! and Alas! And, O\nBharata, the gods and the great Rishis in wonder cried Excellent!\nExcellent!, applauding the king the while. And, O Kauravya, the royal son\nof Virasena, with heart filled with gladness, comforted the beauteous\nDamayanti, saying, 'Since thou, O blessed one, hast chosen a mortal in\nthe presence of the celestials, know me for a husband even obedient to\nthy command. And, O thou of sweet smiles, truly do I tell thee this that\nas long as life continueth in this body of mine, I will remain thine and\nthine alone. Damayanti also, with folded hands paid homage unto Nala in\nwords of like import. And the happy pair beholding Agni and the other\ngods mentally sought their protection. And after the daughter of Bhima\nhad chosen Naishadha as her husband, the Lokapalas of exceeding\neffulgence with pleased hearts, bestowed on Nala eight boons. And Sakra,\nthe lord of Sachi, bestowed on Nala the boon that he should be able to\nbehold his godship in sacrifices and that he should attain to blessed\nlegions thereafter, and Hutasana bestowed on him the boon of his own\npresence whenever Naishadha wished, and regions also bright as himself.\nAnd Yama granted him subtle taste in food as well as pre-eminence in\nvirtue. And the lord of waters granted Nala his own presence whenever he\ndesired, and also garlands of celestial fragrance. And thus each of them\nbestowed upon him a couple of boons. And having bestowed these the gods\nwent to heaven. And the kings also, having witnessed with wonder\nDamayanti's selection of Nala, returned delighted whence they had come.\nAnd on the departure of those mighty monarchs, the high-souled Bhima,\nwell pleased, celebrated the wedding of Nala and Damayanti. And having\nstayed there for a time according to his desire, Naishadha, the best of\nmen, returned to his own city with the permission of Bhima. And having\nattained that pearl of a woman, the virtuous king, O monarch, began to\npass his days in joy, like the slayer of Vala and Vritra in the company\nof Sachi. And resembling the sun in glory, the king, full of gladness,\nbegan to rule his subjects righteously, and give them great satisfaction.\nAnd like unto Yayati, the son of Nahusha, that intelligent monarch\ncelebrated the horse sacrifice and many other sacrifices with abundant\ngifts to Brahmanas. And like unto a very god, Nala sported with Damayanti\nin romantic woods and groves. And the high-minded king begat upon\nDamayanti a son named Indrasena, and a daughter named Indrasena. And\ncelebrating sacrifice, and sporting (with Damayanti) thus, the king ruled\nthe earth abounding in wealth.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LVIII\n\n\"Vrihadaswa said, 'When the blazing guardians of the worlds were\nreturning after the daughter of Bhima had chosen Naishadha, on their way\nthey met Dwapara with Kali approaching towards them. And seeing Kali,\nSakra the slayer of Vala and Vritra, said, 'O Kali, say whither thou art\ngoing with Dwapara.' And thereupon Kali replied unto Sakra, 'Going to\nDamayanti's Swayamvara, will I obtain her (for my wife), as my heart is\nfixed upon that damsel.' Hearing this, Indra said with a smile, 'That\nSwayamvara is already ended. In our sight she hath chosen Nala for her\nhusband.' Thus answered by Sakra, Kali, that vilest of the celestials,\nfilled with wrath, addressing all those gods spake, 'Since in the\npresence of the celestials she hath chosen a mortal for her lord, it is\nmeet that she should undergo a heavy doom.' Upon hearing these words of\nKali, the celestials answered, 'It is with our sanction that Damayanti\nhath chosen Nala. What damsel is there that would not choose king Nala\nendued with every virtue? Well-versed in all duties, always conducting\nhimself with rectitude, he hath studied the four Vedas together with the\nPuranas that are regarded as the fifth. Leading a life of harmlessness\nunto all creatures, he is truth-telling and firm in his vows, and in his\nhouse the gods are ever gratified by sacrifices held according to the\nordinance. In that tiger among men--that king resembling a Lokapala, is\ntruth, and forbearance, and knowledge, and asceticism, and purity and\nself-control, and perfect tranquillity of soul. O Kali, the fool that\nwisheth to curse Nala bearing such a character, curseth himself, and\ndestroyeth himself by his own act. And, O Kali, he that seeketh to curse\nNala crowned with such virtues, sinketh into the wide bottomless pit of\nhell rife with torments.' Having said this to Kali and Dwapara, the gods\nwent to heaven. And when the gods had gone away, Kali said unto Dwapara,\n'I am ill able, O Dwapara, to suppress my anger. I shall possess Nala,\ndeprive him of his kingdom, and he shall no more sport with Bhima's\ndaughter. Entering the dice, it behoveth thee to help me.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LIX\n\n\"Vrihadaswa said, 'Having made this compact with Dwapara, Kali came to\nthe place where the king of the Nishadhas was. And always watching for a\nhole, he continued to dwell in the country of the Nishadhas for a long\ntime. And it was in the twelfth year that Kali saw a hole. For one day\nafter answering the call of nature, Naishadha touching water said his\ntwilight prayers, without having previously washed his feet. And it was\nthrough this (omission) that Kali entered his person. And having\npossessed Nala, he appeared before Pushkara, and addressed him, saying,\n'Come and play at dice with Nala. Through my assistance thou wilt surely\nwin at the play. And defeating king Nala and acquiring his kingdom, do\nthou rule the Nishadhas.' Thus exhorted by Kali, Pushkara went to Nala.\nAnd Dwapara also approached Pushkara, becoming the principal die called\nVrisha. And appearing before the warlike Nala, that slayer of hostile\nheroes, Pushkara, repeatedly said, 'Let us play together with dice.' Thus\nchallenged in the presence of Damayanti, the lofty-minded king could not\nlong decline it. And he accordingly fixed the time for the play. And\npossessed by Kali, Nala began to lose, in the game, his stakes in gold,\nand silver, and cars with the teams thereof, and robes. And maddened at\ndice, no one amongst his friends could succeed in dissuading that\nrepresser of foes from the play that went on. And thereupon, O Bharata,\nthe citizens in a body, with the chief councillors, came thither to\nbehold the distressed monarch and make him desist. And the charioteer\ncoming to Damayanti spake to her of this, saying, 'O lady, the citizens\nand officers of the state wait at the gate. Do thou inform the king of\nthe Nishadhas that the citizens have come here, unable to bear the\ncalamity that hath befallen their king conversant with virtue and\nwealth.' Thereupon Bhima's daughter, overwhelmed with grief and almost\ndeprived of reason by it, spake unto Nala in choked accents, 'O king, the\ncitizens with the councillors of state, urged by loyalty, stay at the\ngate desirous of beholding thee. It behoveth thee to grant them an\ninterview.' But the king, possessed by Kali, uttered not a word in reply\nunto his queen of graceful glances, uttering thus her lamentations. And\nat this, those councillors of state as also the citizens, afflicted with\ngrief and shame, returned to their homes, saying, 'He liveth not.' And, O\nYudhishthira, it was thus that Nala and Pushkara gambled together for\nmany months, the virtuous Nala being always worsted.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LX\n\nVrihadaswa said. \"Bhima's daughter, the cool-headed Damayanti, seeing the\nrighteous king maddened and deprived of his senses at dice, was filled, O\nking, with alarm and grief. And she thought the affair to be a serious\none with the king. And apprehensive of the calamity that threatened Nala,\nyet seeking his welfare and at last understanding that her lord had lost\neverything, she said unto her nurse and maid-servant Vrihatsena of high\nfame, intent upon her good, dexterous in all duties, faithful and\nsweet-speeched, these words, 'O Vrihatsena, go thou and summon the\ncouncillors in the name of Nala, and tell them also what of wealth and\nother things hath been lost and what remaineth.' The councillors then,\nhearing of Nala's summons, said, 'This is fortunate for us' and\napproached the king. And when the subjects in a body had (thus) come a\nsecond time, the daughter of Bhima informed Nala of it. But the king\nregarded her not. Finding her husband disregarding her words, Damayanti,\nfilled with shame, returned to her apartments. And hearing that the dice\nwere uniformly unfavourable to the virtuous Nala, and that he had lost\neverything, she again spake unto her nurse, saying, 'O Vrihatsena, go\nthou again in Nala's name to bring hither, O blessed one, the charioteer,\nVarshneya. The matter at hand is very serious.' And Vrihatsena, hearing\nthose words of Damayanti caused Varshneya to be summoned by trusty\nservants. And the blameless daughter of Bhima, acquainted with conduct\nsuitable to time and place, addressing soft words said according to the\noccasion, 'Thou knowest how the king hath always behaved towards thee. He\nis now in difficulty, and it behoveth thee to assist him. The more the\nking loseth to Pushkara, the greater becometh his ardour for the play.\nAnd as the dice fall obedient to Pushkara, it is seen that they are\nadverse to Nala in the matter of the play. And absorbed in the play, he\nheedeth not the words of his friends and relatives, nor even those of\nmine. I do not think, however, that in this the high-souled Naishadha is\nto blame, in as much as the king regarded not my words, being absorbed in\nplay. O Charioteer, I seek thy protection. Do my behest. My mind\nmisgiveth me. The king may come to grief. Yoking Nala's favourite horses\nendued with the fleetness of the mind, do thou take these twins (my son\nand daughter) on the car and hie thou to Kundina. Leaving the children\nthere with my kindred as also the car and the horses, either stay thou\nthere, or go to any other place as it listeth thee.' Varshneya, the\ncharioteer of Nala, then reported in detail these words of Damayanti unto\nthe chief officers of the king. And having settled (the matter) in\nconsultation with them, and obtaining their assent, O mighty monarch, the\ncharioteer started for Vidarbha, taking the children on that car. And\nleaving there the boy Indrasena and the girl Indrasena, as also that best\nof cars and those steeds, the charioteer, with a sad heart grieving for\nNala, bade farewell unto Bhima. And wandering for some time, he arrived\nat the city of Ayodhya. And there he appeared with a sorrowful heart\nbefore king Rituparna, and entered the service of that monarch as\ncharioteer.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXI\n\n\"Vrihadaswa said, 'After Varshneya had gone away, Pushkara won from the\nrighteous Nala that latter's kingdom and what else of wealth he had. And\nunto Nala, O king, who had lost his kingdom, Pushkara laughingly said,\n'Let the play go on. But what stake hast thou now? Damayanti only\nremaineth; all else of thine hath been won by me. Well, if thou likest,\nthat Damayanti be our stake now.' Hearing these words of Pushkara the\nvirtuous king felt as if his heart would burst in rage, but he spake not\na word. And gazing at Pushkara in anguish, king Nala of great fame took\nall the ornaments off every part of his body. And attired in a single\npiece of cloth, his body uncovered, renouncing all his wealth, and\nenhancing the grief of friends, the king set out. And Damayanti, clad in\none piece of cloth, followed him behind as he was leaving the city. And\ncoming to the outskirts of the city, Nala stayed there for three nights\nwith his wife. But Pushkara, O king, proclaimed through the city that he\nthat should show any attention to Nala, would be doomed to death. And on\naccount of these words of Pushkara and knowing his malice towards Nala,\nthe citizens, O Yudhishthira, no longer showed him hospitable regards.\nAnd unregarded though deserving of hospitable regards, Nala passed three\nnights in the outskirts of the city, living on water alone. And afflicted\nwith hunger, the king went away in search of fruit and roots, Damayanti\nfollowing him behind. And in agony of famine, after many days, Nala saw\nsome birds with plumage of golden hue. And thereupon the mighty lord of\nthe Nishadhas thought within himself, 'These will be my banquet today and\nalso my wealth.' And then he covered them with the cloth he had on--when\nbearing up that garment of his, the birds rose up to the sky. And\nbeholding Nala nude and melancholy, and standing with face turned towards\nthe ground, those rangers of the sky addressed him, saying, 'O thou of\nsmall sense, we are even those dice. We had come hither wishing to take\naway thy cloth, for it pleased us not that thou shouldst depart even with\nthy cloth on.' And finding himself deprived of his attire, and knowing\nalso that the dice were departing (with it), the virtuous Nala, O king,\nthus spake unto Damayanti, 'O faultless one, they through whose anger I\nhave been despoiled of my kingdom, they through whose influence\ndistressed and afflicted with hunger, I am unable to procure sustenance,\nthey for whom the Nishadhas offered me not any hospitality, they, O timid\none, are carrying off my cloth, assuming the form of birds. Fallen into\nthis dire disaster, I am afflicted with grief and deprived of my senses,\nI am thy lord, do thou, therefore, listen to the words I speak for thy\ngood. These many roads lead to the southern country, passing by (the city\nof) Avanti and the Rikshavat mountains. This is that mighty mountain\ncalled Vindhya; yon, the river Payasvini running sea-wards, and yonder\nare the asylums of the ascetics, furnished with various fruit and roots.\nThis road leadeth to the country of the Vidarbhas--and that, to the\ncountry of the Kosalas. Beyond these roads to the south is the southern\ncountry.' Addressing Bhima's daughter, O Bharata, he distressed king Nala\nspake those words unto Damayanti over and over again. Thereupon afflicted\nwith grief, in a voice choked with tears, Damayanti spake unto Naishadha\nthese piteous words, 'O king, thinking of thy purpose, my heart\ntrembleth, and all my limbs become faint. How can I go, leaving thee in\nthe lone woods despoiled of thy kingdom and deprived of thy wealth,\nthyself without a garment on, and worn with hunger and toil? When in the\ndeep woods, fatigued and afflicted with hunger, thou thinkest of thy\nformer bliss, I will, O great monarch, soothe thy weariness. In every\nsorrow there is no physic equal unto the wife, say the physicians. It is\nthe truth, O Nala, that I speak unto thee.' Hearing those words of his\nqueen, Nala replied, 'O slender-waisted Damayanti, it is even as thou\nhast said. To a man in distress, there is no friend or medicine that is\nequal unto a wife. But I do not seek to renounce thee, wherefore, O timid\none, dost thou dread this? O faultless one, I can forsake myself but thee\nI cannot forsake.' Damayanti then said, 'If thou dost not, O mighty king,\nintend to forsake me, why then dost thou point out to me the way to the\ncountry of the Vidarbhas? I know, O king, that thou wouldst not desert\nme. But, O lord of the earth, considering that thy mind is distracted,\nthou mayst desert me. O best of men, thou repeatedly pointest out to me\nthe way and it is by this, O god-like one, that thou enhancest my grief.\nIf it is thy intention that I should go to my relatives, then if it\npleaseth thee, both of us will wend to the country of the Vidarbhas. O\ngiver of honours, there the king of the Vidarbhas will receive thee with\nrespect. And honoured by him, O king, thou shall live happily in our\nhome.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXII\n\n\"Nala said, 'Surely, thy father's kingdom is as my own. But thither I\nwill not, by any means, repair in this extremity. Once I appeared there\nin glory, increasing thy joy. How can I go there now in misery,\naugmenting thy grief?'\n\n\"Vrihadaswa continued, 'Saying this again and again unto Damayanti, king\nNala, wrapped in half a garment, comforted his blessed wife. And both\nattired in one cloth and wearied with hunger and thirst, in course of\ntheir wanderings, at last they came to a sheltered shed for travellers.\nAnd arrived at this place, the king of the Nishadhas sat down on the bare\nearth with the princes of Vidarbha. And wearing the same piece of cloth\n(with Damayanti), and dirty, and haggard, and stained with dust, he fell\nasleep with Damayanti on the ground in weariness. And suddenly plunged in\ndistress, the innocent and delicate Damayanti with every mark of good\nfortune, fell into a profound slumber. And, O monarch, while she slept,\nNala, with heart and mind distraught, could not slumber calmly as before.\nAnd reflecting on the loss of his kingdom, the desertion of his friends,\nand his distress in the woods, he thought with himself, 'What availeth my\nacting thus? And what if I act not thus? Is death the better for me now?\nOr should I desert my wife? She is truly devoted to me and suffereth this\ndistress for my sake. Separated from me, she may perchance wander to her\nrelatives. Devoted as she is to me, if she stayeth with me, distress will\nsurely be hers; while it is doubtful, if I desert her. On the other hand,\nit is not unlikely that she may even have happiness some time.'\nReflecting upon this repeatedly, and thinking of it again and again, he\nconcluded, O monarch, that the desertion of Damayanti was the best course\nfor him. And he also thought, 'Of high fame and auspicious fortune, and\ndevoted to me, her husband, she is incapable of being injured by any one\non the way on account of her energy.' Thus his mind that was influenced\nby the wicked Kali, dwelling upon Damayanti, was made up for deserting\nher. And then thinking of his own want of clothing, and of her being clad\nin a single garment, he intended to cut off for himself one half of\nDamayanti's attire. And he thought, 'How shall I divide this garment, so\nthat my beloved one may not perceive?' And thinking of this, the royal\nNala began to walk up and down that shed. And, O Bharata, pacing thus to\nand fro, he found a handsome sword lying near the shed, unsheathed. And\nthat repressor of foes, having, with that sword cut off one half of the\ncloth, and throwing the instrument away, left the daughter of Vidharbha\ninsensible in her sleep and went away. But his heart failing him, the\nking of the Nishadhas returned to the shed, and seeing Damayanti (again),\nburst into tears. And he said, 'Alas! that beloved one of mine whom\nneither the god of wind nor the sun had seen before, even she sleepeth\nto-day on the bare earth, like one forlorn. Clad in this severed piece of\ncloth, and lying like one distracted, how will the beauteous one of\nluminous smiles behave when she awaketh? How will the beautiful daughter\nof Bhima, devoted to her lord, all alone and separated from me, wander\nthrough these deep woods inhabited by beasts and serpents? O blessed one,\nmay the Adityas and the Vasus, and the twin Aswins together with the\nMarutas protect thee, thy virtue being thy best guard.' And addressing\nthus his dear wife peerless on earth in beauty, Nala strove to go, reft\nof reason by Kali. Departing and still departing, king Nala returned\nagain and again to that shed, dragged away by Kali but drawn back by\nlove. And it seemed as though the heart of the wretched king was rent in\ntwain, and like a swing, he kept going out from cabin and coming back\ninto it. At length after lamenting long and piteously, Nala stupefied and\nbereft of sense by Kali went away, forsaking that sleeping wife of his.\nReft of reason through Kali's touch, and thinking of his conduct, the\nking departed in sorrow, leaving his, wife alone in that solitary\nforest.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXIII\n\nVrihadaswa said, \"O king, after Nala had gone away, the beauteous\nDamayanti, now refreshed, timorously awoke in that lonely forest. And O\nmighty monarch, not finding her lord Naishadha, afflicted with grief and\npain, she shrieked aloud in fright, saying, 'O lord? O mighty monarch! O\nhusband, dost thou desert me? Oh, I am lost and undone, frightened in\nthis desolate place. O illustrious prince, thou art truthful in speech,\nand conversant with morality. How hast thou then, having pledged thy\nword, deserted me asleep in the woods? Oh, why hast thou deserted thy\naccomplished wife, even devoted to thee, particularly one that hath not\nwronged thee, though wronged thou hast been by others? O king of men, it\nbehoveth thee to act faithfull, according to those words thou hadst\nspoken unto me before in the presence of the guardians of the worlds. O\nbull among men, that thy wife liveth even a moment after thy desertion of\nher, is only because mortals are decreed to die at the appointed time. O\nbull among men, enough of this joke! O irrepressible one, I am terribly\nfrightened. O lord, show thyself. I see thee! I see thee, o king! Thou\nart seen, O Naishadha, Hiding thyself behind those shrubs, why dost thou\nnot reply unto me? It is cruel of thee, O great king, that seeing me in\nthis plight and so lamenting, thou dost not, O king, approach and comfort\nme. I grieve not for myself, nor for anything else. I only grieve to\nthink how thou wilt pass thy days alone, O king. In the evening oppressed\nwith hunger and thirst and fatigue, underneath the trees, how wilt it\ntake with thee when thou seest me not?' And then Damayanti, afflicted\nwith anguish and burning with grief, began to rush hither and thither,\nweeping in woe. And now the helpless princess sprang up, and now she sank\ndown in stupor; and now she shrank in terror, and now she wept and wailed\naloud. And Bhima's daughter devoted to her husband, burning in anguish\nand sighing ever more, and faint and weeping exclaimed, 'That being\nthrough whose imprecation the afflicted Naishadha suffereth this woe,\nshall bear grief that is greater than ours. May that wicked being who\nhath brought Nala of sinless heart this, lead a more miserable life\nbearing greater ills.'\n\n\"Thus lamenting, the crowned consort of the illustrious (king) began to\nseek her lord in those woods, inhabited by beasts of prey. And the\ndaughter of Bhima, wailing bitterly, wandered hither and thither like a\nmaniac, exclaiming, 'Alas! Alas! Oh king!' And as she was wailing loudly\nlike a female osprey, and grieving and indulging in piteous lamentations\nunceasingly, she came near a gigantic serpent. And that huge and hungry\nserpent thereupon suddenly seized Bhima's daughter, who had come near and\nwas moving about within its range. And folded within serpent's coils and\nfilled with grief, she still wept, not for herself but for Naishadha. And\nshe said 'O lord, why dost thou not rush towards me, now that I am\nseized, without anybody to protect me, by this serpent in these desert\nwilds? And, O Naishadha, how will it fare with thee when thou rememberest\nme? O lord, why hast thou gone away, deserting me today in the forest?\nFree from thy course, when thou wilt have regained thy mind and senses\nand wealth, how will it be with thee when thou thinkest of me? O\nNaishadha, O sinless one, who will soothe thee when thou art weary, and\nhungry, and fainting, O tiger among kings?' And while she was wailing\nthus, a certain huntsman ranging the deep woods, hearing her\nlamentations, swiftly came to the spot. And beholding the large-eyed one\nin the coils of the serpent, he rushed towards it and cut off its head\nwith his sharp weapon. And having struck the reptile dead, the huntsman\nset Damayanti free. And having sprinkled her body with water and fed and\ncomforted her. O Bharata, he addressed her saying, 'O thou with eyes like\nthose of a young gazelle, who art thou? And why also hast thou come into\nthe woods? And, O beauteous one, how hast thou fallen into this extreme\nmisery' And thus accosted, O monarch, by that man, Damayanti, O Bharata,\nrelated unto him all that had happened. And beholding that beautiful\nwoman clad in half a garment, with deep bosom and round hips, and limbs\ndelicate and faultless, and face resembling the full moon, and eyes\ngraced with curved eye-lashes, and speech sweet as honey, the hunter\nbecame inflamed with desire. And afflicted by the god of love, the\nhuntsman began to soothe her in winning voice and soft words. And as soon\nas the chaste and beauteous Damayanti, beholding him understood his\nintentions, she was filled with fierce wrath and seemed to blaze up in\nanger. But the wicked-minded wretch, burning with desire became wroth,\nattempted to employ force upon her, who was unconquerable as a flame of\nblazing fire. And Damayanti already distressed upon being deprived of\nhusband and kingdom, in that hour of grief beyond utterance, cursed him\nin anger, saying, 'I have never even thought of any other person than\nNaishadha, therefore let this mean-minded wrath subsisting on chase, fall\ndown lifeless.' And as soon as she said this, the hunter fell down\nlifeless upon the ground, like a tree consumed by fire.\" 131\n\n\n\nSECTION LXIV\n\n\"Vrihadaswa continued, 'Having destroyed that hunter Damayanti of eyes\nlike lotus leaves, went onwards through that fearful and solitary forest\nringing with the chirp of crickets. And it abounded with lions, and\nleopards, and Rurus and tigers, and buffaloes, and bears and deer. And it\nswarmed with birds of various species, and was infested by thieves and\nmlechchha tribes. And it contained Salas, and bamboos and Dhavas, and\nAswatthas, and Tindukas and Ingudas, and Kinsukas, and Arjunas, and\nNimvas, and Tinisas and Salmalas, and Jamvus, and mango trees, and\nLodhras, and the catechu, and the cane, and Padmakas, and Amalahas, and\nPlakshas, and Kadamvas, and Udumvaras and Vadaris, and Vilwas, and\nbanians, and Piyalas, and palms, and date-trees, and Haritakas and\nVibhitakas. And the princess of Vidarbha saw many mountains containing\nores of various kinds, and groves resounding with the notes of winged\nchoirs, and many glens of wondrous sight, and many rivers and lakes and\ntanks and various kinds of birds and beasts. And she saw numberless\nsnakes and goblins and Rakshasas of grim visage, and pools and tanks and\nhillocks, and brooks and fountains of wonderful appearance. And the\nprincess of Vidarbha saw there herds of buffaloes. And boars, and bears\nas well as serpents of the wilderness. And safe in virtue and glory and\ngood fortune and patience, Damayanti wandered through those woods alone,\nin search of Nala. And the royal daughter of Bhima, distressed only at\nher separation from her lord, was not terrified at aught in that fearful\nforest. And, O king, seating herself down upon a stone and filled with\ngrief, and every limb of hers trembling with sorrow on account of her\nhusband, she began to lament thus: 'O king of the Nishadhas, O thou of\nbroad chest and mighty arms, whither hast thou gone, O king, leaving me\nin this lone forest? O hero, having performed the Aswamedha and other\nsacrifices, with gifts in profusion (unto the Brahmanas), why hast thou,\nO tiger among men, played false with me alone? O best of men, O thou of\ngreat splendour, it behoveth thee. O auspicious one, to remember what\nthou didst declare before me, O bull among kings! And, O monarch, it\nbehoveth thee also to call to mind what the sky-ranging swans spake in\nthy presence and in mine. O tiger among men, the four Vedas in all their\nextent, with the Angas and the Upangas, well-studied, on one side, and\none single truth on the other, (are equal). Therefore, O slayer of foes,\nit behoveth thee, O lord of men, to make good what thou didst formerly\ndeclare before me. Alas, O hero! warrior! O Nala! O sinless one being\nthine, I am about to perish in this dreadful forest. Oh! wherefore dost\nthou not answer me? This terrible lord of the forest, of grim visage and\ngaping jaws, and famishing with hunger, filleth me with fright. Doth it\nnot behove thee to deliver me? Thou wert wont to say always, 'Save thee\nthere existeth not one dear unto me.' O blessed one, O king, do thou now\nmake good thy words so spoken before. And, O king, why dost thou not\nreturn an answer to thy beloved wife bewailing and bereft of sense,\nalthough thou lovest her, being loved in return? O king of the earth, O\nrespected one, O represser of foes, O thou of large eyes, why dost thou\nnot regard me, emaciated, and distressed and pale, and discoloured, and\nclad in a half piece of cloth, and alone, and weeping, and lamenting like\none forlorn, and like unto a solitary doe separated from the herd? O\nillustrious sovereign, it is, I, Damayanti, devoted to thee, who, alone\nin this great forest, address thee. Wherefore, then, dost thou not reply\nunto me? Oh, I do not behold thee today on this mountain, O chief of men,\nO thou of noble birth and character with every limb possesed of grace! In\nthis terrible forest, haunted by lions and tigers, O king of the\nNishadhas, O foremost of men, O enhancer of my sorrows, (Wishing to know)\nwhether thou art lying down, or sitting, or standing, or gone, whom shall\nI ask, distressed and woe-stricken on thy account, saying, 'Hast thou\nseen in this woods the royal Nala?' Of whom shall I in this forest\nenquire alter the departed Nala, handsome and of high soul, and the\ndestroyer of hostile arrays? From whom shall I today hear the sweet\nwords, viz., 'That royal Nala, of eyes like lotus-leaves, whom thou\nseekest, is even here?' Yonder cometh the forest-king, that tiger of\ngraceful mien, furnished with four teeth and prominent cheeks. Even him\nwill I accost fearlessly: Thou art the lord of all animals, and of this\nforest the king. Know me for Damayanti, the daughter of the king of the\nVidarbhas, and the wife of Nala, destroyer of foes, and the king of the\nNishadhas. Distressed and woe-stricken, I am seeking my husband alone in\nthese woods. Do thou, O king of beasts, comfort me (with news of Nala) if\nthou hast seen him. Or, O lord of the forest, if thou cannot speak of\nNala, do thou, then, O best of beasts, devour me, and free me from this\nmisery. Alas! hearing my plaintive appeal in the wilderness, this king of\nmountains, this high and sacred hill, crested with innumerable [...?-JBH]\nrolleth towards the sea. Let me, then, for tidings of the king, ask this\nking of mountains, this high and sacred hill, crested with innumerable\nheaven-kissing and many-hued and beauteous peaks, and abounding in\nvarious ores, and decked with gems of diverse kings, and rising like a\nbanner over this broad forest, and ranged by lions and tigers and\nelephants and boars and bears and stags, and echoing all around with (the\nnotes of) winged creatures of various species, and adorned with kinsukas\nand Asokas and Vakulas and Punnagas, with blossoming Karnikaras, and\nDhavas and Plakshas, and with streams haunted by waterfowls of every\nkind, and abounding in crested summits, O sacred one! O best of\nmountains! O thou of wondrous sight! O celebrated hill! O refuge (of the\ndistressed)! O highly auspicious one! I bow to thee, O pillar of the\nearth! Approaching, I bow to thee. Know me for a king's daughter, and a\nking's daughter-in-law, and king's consort, Damayanti by name that lord\nof earth who ruleth the Vidarbhas, that mighty warrior-king Bhima by\nname, who protecteth the four orders, is my sire. That best of kings\ncelebrated the Rajasuya and Aswamedha sacrifices, with profuse gifts to\nthe Brahmanas. Possessed of beautiful and large eyes, distinguished for\ndevotion to the Vedas, of unblemished character, truth-telling, devoid of\nguile, gentle, endued with prowess, lord of immense wealth, versed in\nmorality, and pure, he having vanquished all his foes, effectually\nprotecteth the inhabitants of Vidarbha. Know me, O holy one, for his\ndaughter, thus come to thee. That best of men--the celebrated ruler of\nthe Nishadha--known by the name of Virasena of high fame, was my\nfather-in-law. The son of that king, heroic and handsome and possessed of\nenergy incapable of being baffled, who ruleth well the kingdom which hath\ndescended to him from his father, is named Nala. Know, O mountain, that\nof that slayer of foes, called also Punyasloka, possessed of the\ncomplexion of gold, and devoted to the Brahmanas, and versed in the\nVedas, and gifted with eloquence,--of that righteous and Soma-quaffing\nand fire-adoring king, who celebrateth sacrifices and is liberal and\nwarlike and who adequately chastiseth (criminals), I am the innocent\nspouse--the chief of his queens--standing before thee. Despoiled of\nprosperity and deprived of (the company of my) husband without a\nprotector, and afflicted with calamity, hither have I come, O best of\nmountains, seeking my husband. Hast thou, O foremost of mountains, with\nthy hundreds of peaks towering (into the sky) seen king Nala in this\nfrightful forest? Hast thou seen my husband, that ruler of the Nishadhas,\nthe illustrious Nala, with the tread of a mighty elephant, endued with\nintelligence, long-armed, and of fiery energy, possessed of prowess and\npatience and courage and high fame? Seeing me bewailing alone,\noverwhelmed with sorrow, wherefore, O best of mountains, dost thou not\ntoday soothe me with thy voice, as thy own daughter in distress? O hero,\nO warrior of prowess, O thou versed in every duty, O thou adhering to\ntruth--O lord of the earth, if thou art in this forest, then, O king,\nreveal thyself unto me. Oh, when shall I again hear the voice of Nala,\ngentle and deep as that of the clouds, that voice, sweet as Amrita, of\nthe illustrious king, calling me Vidharva's daughter, with accents\ndistinct, and holy, and musical as the chanting of the Vedas and rich,\nand soothing all my sorrows. O king, I am frightened. Do thou, O virtuous\none, comfort me.'\n\n\"Having addressed that foremost of mountain thus, Damayanti then went in\na northerly direction. And having proceeded three days and nights, that\nbest of women came to an incomparable penance grove of ascetics,\nresembling in beauty a celestial grove. And the charming asylum she\nbeheld was inhabited and adorned by ascetics like Vasishtha and Bhrigu\nand Atri, self-denying and strict in diet, with minds under control,\nendued with holiness, some living on water, some on air, and some on\n(fallen) leaves, with passions in check, eminently blessed, seeking the\nway to heaven, clad in barks of trees and deer-skins, and with senses\nsubdued. And beholding that hermitage inhabited by ascetics, and\nabounding in herds of deer and monkeys, Damayanti was cheered. And that\nbest of women, the innocent and blessed Damayanti, with graceful\neye-brows, and long tresses, with lovely hips and deep bosom, and face\ngraced with fine teeth and with fine black and large eyes, in her\nbrightness and glory entered that asylum. And saluting those ascetics\ngrown old in practising austerities, she stood in an attitude of\nhumility. And the ascetics living in that forest, said, 'Welcome!' And\nthose men of ascetic wealth, paying her due homage, said, 'Sit ye down,\nand tell us what we may do for thee.' That best of women replied unto\nthem, saying, 'Ye sinless and eminently blessed ascetics, is it well with\nyour austerities, and sacrificial fire, and religious observances, and\nthe duties of your own order? And is it well with the beasts and birds of\nthis asylum? And they answered, 'O beauteous and illustrious lady,\nprosperity attendeth us in every respect. But, O thou of faultless limbs,\ntell us who thou art, and what thou seekest. Beholding thy beauteous form\nand thy bright splendour, we have been amazed. Cheer up and mourn not.\nTell us, O blameless and blessed one, art thou the presiding deity of\nthis forest, or of this mountain, or of this river?' Damayanti replied\nunto those ascetics, saying, 'O Brahmanas, I am not the goddess of this\nforest, or of this mountain, or of this stream. O Rishis of ascetic\nwealth, know that I am a human being. I will relate my history in detail.\nDo ye listen to me. There is a king--the mighty ruler of the\nVidarbhas--Bhima by name. O foremost of regenerate ones, know me to be\nhis daughter. The wise ruler of the Nishadhas, Nala by name, of great\ncelebrity, heroic, and ever victorious in battle, and learned, is my\nhusband. Engaged in the worship of the gods, devoted to the twice-born\nones, the guardian of the line of the Nishadhas, of mighty energy,\npossessed of great strength, truthful, conversant with all duties, wise,\nunwavering in promise, the crusher of foes, devout, serving the gods,\ngraceful, the conqueror of hostile towns, that foremost of kings, Nala by\nname, equal in splendour unto the lord of celestials, the slayer of foes,\npossessed of large eyes, and a hue resembling the full moon, is my\nhusband. The celebrator of great sacrifices, versed in the Vedas and\ntheir branches, the destroyer of enemies in battle, and like unto the sun\nand the moon in splendour, is he. That king devoted to truth and religion\nwas summoned to dice by certain deceitful persons of mean mind and\nuncultured soul and of crooked ways, and skilful in gambling, and was\ndeprived of wealth and kingdom. Know that I am the wife of that bull\namong kings, known to all by the name of Damayanti, anxious to find out\nmy (missing) lord. In sadness of heart am I wandering among woods, and\nmountains, and lakes, and rivers, and tanks and forests, in search of\nthat husband of mine--Nala, skilled in battle, high-souled, and\nwell-versed in the use of weapons, O hath king Nala, the lord of the\nNishadhas, come to this delightful asylum of your holy selves? It is for\nhim, O Brahmanas, that I have come to this dreary forest full of terrors\nand haunted by tigers and other beasts. If I do not see king Nala within\na few days and nights, I shall seek my good by renouncing this body. Of\nwhat use is my life without that bull among men? How shall I live\nafflicted with grief on account of my husband?'\n\nUnto Bhima's daughter, Damayanti, lamenting forlorn in that forest, the\ntruth-telling ascetics replied, saying, 'O blessed and beauteous one, we\nsee by ascetic power that the future will bring happiness to thee, and\nthat thou wilt soon behold Naishadha. O daughter of Bhima, thou wilt\nbehold Nala, the lord of the Nishadhas, the slayer of foes, and the\nforemost of the virtuous freed from distress. And O blessed lady, thou\nwilt behold the king--thy lord--freed from all sins and decked with all\nkinds of gems, and ruling the selfsame city, and chasting his enemies,\nand striking terror into the hearts of foes, and gladdening the hearts of\nfriends, and crowned with every blessing.'\n\n\"'Having spoken unto that princess--the beloved queen of Nala--the\nascetics with their sacred fires and asylum vanished from sight. And\nbeholding that mighty wonder, the daughter-in-law of king Virasena,\nDamayanti of faultless limbs, was struck with amazement. And she asked\nherself, 'Was it a dream that I saw? What an occurrence hath taken place!\nWhere are all those ascetics? And where is that asylum? Where, further,\nis that delightful river of sacred waters--the resort of diverse kinds of\nfowls? And where, again, are those charming trees decked with fruits and\nflowers?' And after thinking so for some time, Bhima's daughter,\nDamayanti of sweet smiles melancholy and afflicted with grief on account\nof her lord, lost the colour of her face (again). And going to another\npart of the wood, she saw an Asoka tree. And approaching that first of\ntrees in the forest, so charming with blossoms and its load of foliage,\nand resounding with the notes of birds, Damayanti, with tears in her eyes\nand accents choked in grief, began to lament, saying, 'Oh, this graceful\ntree in the heart of the forest, decked in flowers, looketh beautiful,\nlike a charming king of hills. O beauteous Asoka, do thou speedily free\nme from grief. Hast thou seen king Nala, the slayer of foes and the\nbeloved husband of Damayanti,--freed from fear and grief and obstacles?\nHast thou seen my beloved husband, the ruler of the Nishadhas, clad in\nhalf a piece of cloth, with delicate skin, that hero afflicted with woe\nand who hath come into this wilderness? O Asoka tree, do thou free me\nfrom grief! O Asoka, vindicate thy name, for Asoka meaneth destroyer of\ngrief. And going round that tree thrice, with an afflicted heart, that\nbest of women, Bhima's daughter, entered a more terrible part of the\nforest. And wandering in quest of her lord, Bhima's daughter beheld many\ntrees and streams and delightful mountains, and many beasts and birds,\nand caves, and precipices, and many rivers of wonderful appearance. And\nas she proceeded she came upon a broad way where she saw with wonder a\nbody of merchants, with their horses and elephants, landing on the banks\nof a river, full of clear and cool water, and lovely and charming to\nbehold, and broad, and covered with bushes of canes, and echoing with the\ncries of cranes and ospreys and Chakravakas, and abounding in tortoises\nand alligators and fishes, and studded with innumerable islets. And as\nsoon as as she saw that caravan, the beauteous and celebrated wife of\nNala, wild like a maniac, oppressed with grief, clad in half a garment,\nlean and pale and smutted, and with hair covered with dust, drew near and\nentered into its midst. And beholding her, some fled in fear, and some\nbecame extremely anxious, and some cried aloud, and some laughed at her,\nand some hated her. And some, O Bharata, felt pity for, and even\naddressed, her, saying, 'O blessed one, who art thou, and whose? What\nseekest thou in woods? Seeing thee here we have been terrified. Art thou\nhuman? Tell us truly, O blessed one if thou art the goddess of this wood\nor of this mountain or of the points of the heaven. We seek thy\nprotection. Art thou a female Yaksha, or a female Rakshasa, or a\ncelestial damsel? O thou of faultless features, do thou bless us wholly\nand protect us. And, O blessed one, do thou so act that his caravan may\nsoon go hence in prosperity and that the welfare of all of us may be\nsecured.' Thus addressed by that caravan, the princess Damayanti, devoted\nto her husband and oppressed by the calamity that had befallen her,\nanswered, saying, 'O leader of the caravan, ye merchants, ye youths, old\nmen, and children, and ye that compose this caravan, know me for a human\nbeing. I am the daughter of a king, and the daughter in-law of a king,\nand the consort also of a king, eager for the sight of my lord. The ruler\nof the Vidarbhas is my father, and my husband is the lord of the\nNishadhas, named Nala. Even now I am seeking that unvanquished and\nblessed one. If ye have chanced to see my beloved one, king Nala, that\ntiger among men, that destroyer of hostile hosts, O tell me quick.'\nThereupon the leader of that great caravan, named Suchi, replied unto\nDamayanti of faultless limbs, saying, 'O blessed one, listen to my words.\nO thou of sweet smiles, I am a merchant and the leader of this caravan. O\nillustrious lady, I have not seen any man of the name of Nala. In this\nextensive forest uninhabited by men, there are only elephants and\nleopards and buffaloes, and tigers and bears and other animals. Except\nthee, I have not met with any man or woman here, so help us now\nManibhadra, the king of Yakshas!' Thus addressed by them she asked those\nmerchants as well as the leader of the host saying, 'It behoveth you to\ntell me whither this caravan is bound.' The leader of the band said, 'O\ndaughter of a great king, for the purpose of profit this caravan is bound\ndirect for the city of Suvahu, the truth-telling ruler of the Chedis.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXV\n\n\"Vrihadaswa said, 'Having heard the words of the leader of that caravan,\nDamayanti of faultless limbs proceeded with that caravan itself anxious\nto behold her lord. And after having proceeded for many days the\nmerchants saw a large lake fragrant with lotuses in the midst of that\ndense and terrible forest. And it was beautiful all over, and exceedingly\ndelightful, (with banks) abounding in grass and fuel and fruits and\nflowers. And it was inhabited by various kinds of fowls and birds, and\nfall of water that was pure and sweet. And it was cool and capable of\ncaptivating the heart. And the caravan, worn out with toil, resolved to\nhalt there. And with the permission of their leader, they spread\nthemselves around those beautiful woods. And that mighty caravan finding\nit was evening halted at that place. And (it came to pass that) at the\nhour of midnight when everything was hushed and still and the tired\ncaravan had fallen asleep, a herd of elephants in going towards a\nmountain stream to drink of its water befouled by their temporal juice,\nsaw that caravan as also the numerous elephants belonging to it. And\nseeing their domesticated fellows the wild elephants infuriated and with\nthe temporal juice trickling down rushed impetuously on the former, with\nthe intention of killing them. And the force of the rush of those\nelephants was hard to bear, like the impetuosity of peaks lessened from\nmountain summits rolling towards the plain. The rushing elephants found\nthe forest paths to be all blocked up, for the goodly caravan was\nsleeping obstructing the paths around that lake of lotuses. And the\nelephants all of a sudden, began to crush the men lying insensible on the\nground. And uttering cries of 'Oh!' and 'Alas!' the merchants, blinded by\nsleep, fled, in order to escape that danger, to copses and woods for\nrefuge. And some were slain by the tusks, and some by the trunks, and\nsome by the legs of those elephants. And innumerable camels and horses\nwere killed, and crowds of men on foot, running in fright, killed one\nanother. And uttering loud cries some fell down on the ground, and some\nin fear climbed on trees, and some dropped down on uneven ground. And, O\nking, thus accidentally attacked by that large herd of elephants, that\ngoodly caravan suffered a great loss. And there arose a tremendous uproar\ncalculated to frighten the three worlds, 'Lo! a great fire hath broken\nout. Rescue us.\n\nDo ye speedily fly away. Why do ye fly? Take the heaps of jewels\nscattered around. All this wealth is a trifle. I do not speak falsely, 'I\ntell you again, (exclaimed some one) think on my words, O ye distracted\none!' With such exclamation they ran about in fright. And Damayanti awoke\nin fear and anxiety, while that terrible slaughter was raging there. And\nbeholding slaughter capable of awaking the fear of all the worlds, and\nwhich was so unforeseen, the damsel of eyes like lotus leaves rose up,\nwild with fright, and almost out of breath. And those of the caravan that\nhad escaped unhurt, met together, and asked one another, 'Of what deed of\nours is this the consequence? Surely, we have failed to worship the\nillustrious Manibhadras, and likewise the exalted and graceful\nVaisravana, the king of the Yaksha. Perhaps, we have not worshipped the\ndeities that cause calamities, or perhaps, we have not paid them the\nfirst homage. Or, perhaps, this evil is the certain consequence of the\nbirds (we saw). Our stars are not unpropitious. From what other cause,\nthen hath this disaster come?' Others, distressed and bereft of wealth\nand relatives, said, 'That maniac-like woman who came amongst this mighty\ncaravan in guise that was strange and scarcely human, alas, it is by her\nthat this dreadful illusion had been pre-arranged. Of a certainty, she is\na terrible Rakshasa or a Yaksha or a Pisacha woman. All this evil is her\nwork, what need of doubts? If we again see that wicked destroyer of\nmerchants, that giver of innumerable woes, we shall certainly slay that\ninjurer of ours, with stones, and dust, and grass, and wood, and cuffs.'\nAnd hearing these dreadful words of the merchants, Damayanti, in terror\nand shame and anxiety, fled into the woods apprehensive of evil. And\nreproaching herself she said, 'Alas! fierce and great is the wrath of God\non me. Peace followeth not in my track. Of what misdeed is this the\nconsequence? I do not remember that I did ever so little a wrong to any\none in thought, word, or deed. Of what deed, then, is this the\nconsequence? Certainly, it is on account of the great sins I had\ncommitted in a former life that such calamity hath befallen me, viz., the\nloss of my husband's kingdom, his defeat at the hands of his own kinsmen,\nthis separation from my lord and my son and daughter, this my unprotected\nstate, and my presence in this forest abounding in innumerable beasts of\nprey!'\"\n\n\"The next day, O king, the remnant of that caravan left the place\nbewailing the destruction that had overtaken them and lamenting for their\ndead brothers and fathers and sons and friends. And the princess of\nVidarbha began to lament, saying, 'Alas! What misdeed have I perpetrated!\nThe crowd of men that I obtained in this lone forest, hath been destroyed\nby a herd of elephants, surely as a consequence of my ill luck. Without\ndoubt, I shall have to suffer misery for a long time. I have heard from\nold men that no person dieth ere his time; it is for this that my\nmiserable self hath not been trodden to death by that herd of elephants.\nNothing that befalleth men is due to anything else than Destiny, for even\nin my childhood I did not commit any such sin in thought, word, or deed,\nwhence might come this calamity. Methinks, I suffer this severance from\nmy husband through the potency of those celestial Lokapalas, who had come\nto the Swayamvara but whom I disregarded for the sake of Nala.' Bewailing\nthus, O tiger among kings, that excellent lady, Damayanti, devoted to her\nhusband, went, oppressed with grief and (pale) as the autumnal moon, with\nthose Brahmanas versed in the Vedas that had survived the slaughter of\nthe caravan. And departing speedily, towards evening, the damsel came to\nthe mighty city of the truth-telling Suvahu, the king of the Chedis. And\nshe entered that excellent city clad in half a garment. And the citizens\nsaw her as she went, overcome with fear, and lean, melancholy, her hair\ndishevelled and soiled with dust, and maniac-like. And beholding her\nenter the city of the king of the Chedis, the boys of the city, from\ncuriosity, began to follow her. And surrounded by them, she came before\nthe palace of the king. And from the terrace the queen-mother saw her\nsurrounded by the crowd. And she said to her nurse, 'Go and bring that\nwoman before me. She is forlorn and is being vexed by the crowd. She hath\nfallen into distress and standeth in need of succour. I find her beauty\nto be such that it illumineth my house. The fair one, though looking like\na maniac, seemeth a very Sree with her large eyes.' Thus commanded, the\nnurse went out and dispersing the crowd brought Damayanti to that\ngraceful terrace. And struck with wonder, O king, she asked Damayanti,\nsaying, 'Afflicted though thou art with such distress, thou ownest a\nbeautiful form. Thou shinest like lightning in the midst of the clouds.\nTell me who thou art, and whose. O thou possessed of celestial splendour,\nsurely, thy beauty is not human, bereft though thou art of ornaments. And\nalthough thou art helpless, yet thou art unmoved under the outrage of\nthese men.' Hearing these words of the nurse, the daughter of Bhima said,\nKnow that I am a female belonging to the human species and devoted to my\nhusband. I am a serving woman of good lineage. I live wherever I like,\nsubsisting on fruit and roots, and whom a companion, and stay where\nevening overtaketh me. My husband is the owner of countless virtues and\nwas ever devoted to me. And I also, on my part, was deeply attached to\nhim, following him like his shadow. It chanced that once he became\ndesperately engaged at dice. Defeated at dice, he came along into the\nforest. I accompanied my husband into the woods, comforting the hero clad\nin a single piece of cloth and maniac-like and overwhelmed with calamity.\nOnce on a time for some cause, that hero, afflicted with hunger and\nthirst and grief, was forced to abandon that sole piece of covering in\nthe forest. Destitute of garment and maniac-like and deprived of his\nsenses as he was, I followed him, myself in a single garment. Following\nhim, I did not sleep for nights together. Thus passed many days, until at\nlast while I was sleeping, he cut off half of my cloth, and forsook me\nwho had done him no wrong. I am seeking my husband but unable to find him\nwho is of hue like the filaments of the lotus, without being able to cast\nmy eyes on that delight of my heart, that dear lord who owneth my heart\nand resembleth the celestials in mien, day and night do I burn in grief.\"\n\n\"Unto Bhima's daughter thus lamenting with tearful eyes, and afflicted\nand speaking in accents choked in grief, the queen-mother herself said,\n'O blessed damsel, do thou stay with me. I am well pleased with thee. O\nfair lady, my men shall search for thy husband. Or, perhaps he may come\nhere of his own accord in course of his wanderings. And, O beautiful\nlady, residing here thou wilt regain thy (lost) lord.' Hearing these\nwords of the queen mother, Damayanti replied, 'O mother of heroes, I may\nstay with thee on certain conditions. I shall not eat the leavings on any\ndish, nor shall I wash anybody's feet, nor shall I have to speak with\nother men. And if anybody shall seek me (as a wife or mistress) he should\nbe liable to punishment at thy hands. And, further, should he solicit me\nover and over again, that wicked one should be punished with death. This\nis the vow I have made. I intend to have an interview with those\nBrahmanas that will set out to search for my husband. If thou canst do\nall this, I shall certainly live with thee. If it is otherwise, I cannot\nfind it in my heart to reside with thee.' The queen-mother answered her\nwith a glad heart, saying, 'I will do all this. Thou hast done well in\nadopting such a vow!'\"\n\n\"Vrihadaswa continued, 'O king, having spoken so unto the daughter of\nBhima, the queen-mother, O Bharata, said to her daughter named Sunanda,\n'O Sunanda, accept this lady like a goddess as thy Sairindhri! Let her be\nthy companion, as she is of the same age with thee. Do thou, with heart\nfree from care, always sport with her in joy.' And Sunanda cheerfully\naccepted Damayanti and led her to her own apartment accompanied by her\nassociates. And treated with respect, Damayanti was satisfied, and she\ncontinued to reside there without anxiety of any kind, for all her wishes\nwere duly gratified.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXVI\n\n\"Vrihadaswa said, 'O monarch, having deserted Damayanti, king Nala saw a\nmighty conflagration that was raging in that dense forest. And in the\nmidst of that conflagration, he heard the voice of some creature,\nrepeatedly crying aloud, 'O righteous Nala, come hither.' And answering,\n'Fear not,' he entered into the midst of the fire and beheld a mighty\nNaga lying in coils. And the Naga with joined hands, and trembling, spake\nunto Nala, saying, 'O king, that I am a snake, Karkotaka by name. I had\ndeceived the great Rishi Narada of high ascetic merit, and by him have I\nbeen cursed in wrath, O king of men, even in words such as these: 'Stay\nthou here like an immobile thing, until one Nala taketh thee hence. And,\nindeed, on the spot to which he will carry thee, there shalt thou he\nfreed from my curse. It is for that curse of his that I am unable to stir\none step. I will instruct thee in respect of thy welfare. It behoveth\nthee to deliver me. I will be thy friend. There is no snake equal to me.\nI will be light in thy hands. Taking me up, do thou speedily go hence.'\nHaving said this, that prince of snakes became as small as the thumb. And\ntaking him up, Nala went to a spot free from fire. Having reached an open\nspot where there was no fire, Nala intended to drop the serpent, upon\nwhich Karkotaka again addressed him, saying, 'O king of the Nishadhas,\nproceed thou yet, counting a few steps of thine; meanwhile, O\nmighty-armed one, I will do thee great good.' And as Nala began to count\nhis steps, the snake bit him at the tenth step. And, lo! As he was bit,\nhis form speedily underwent a change. And beholding his change of form,\nNala was amazed. And the king saw the snake also assume his own form. And\nthe snake Karkotaka, comforting Nala, spake unto him, 'I have deprived\nthee of thy beauty, so that people may not recognise thee. And, O Nala,\nhe by whom thou hast been deceived and cast into distress, shall dwell in\nthee tortured by my venom. And, O monarch, as long as he doth not leave\nthee, he will have to dwell in pain in thy body with thee every limb\nfilled with my venom. And, O ruler of men I have saved from the hands of\nhim who from anger and hate deceived thee, perfectly innocent though thou\nart and undeserving of wrong. And, O tiger among men, through my grace,\nthou shalt have (no longer) any fear from animals with fangs from\nenemies, and from Brahmanas also versed in the Vedas, O king! Nor shalt\nthou, O monarch, feel pain on account of my poison. And, O foremost of\nkings, thou shalt be ever victorious in battle. This very day, O prince,\nO lord of Nishadhas, go to the delightful city of Ayodhya, and present\nthyself before Rituparna skilled in gambling, saying, 'I am a charioteer,\nVahuka by name.' And that king will give thee his skill in dice for thy\nknowledge of horses. Sprung from the line of Ikswaku, and possessed of\nprosperity, he will be thy friend. When thou wilt be an adept at dice,\nthou shalt then have prosperity. Thou wilt also meet with thy wife and\nthy children, and regain thy kingdom. I tell thee this truly. Therefore,\nlet not thy mind be occupied by sorrow. And, O lord of men, when thou\nshouldst desire to behold thy proper form, thou shouldst remember me, and\nwear this garment. Upon wearing this, thou shalt get back thy own form.'\nAnd saying this, that Naga then gave unto Nala two pieces of celestial\ncloth. And, O son of the Kuru race, having thus instructed Nala, and\npresented him with the attire, the king of snakes, O monarch, made\nhimself invisible there and then!'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXVII\n\n\"Vrihadaswa said, 'After the snake had vanquished, Nala, the ruler of the\nNishadhas, proceeded, and on the tenth day entered the city of Rituparna.\nAnd he approached the king, saying, 'My name is Vahuka. There is no one\nin this world equal to me in managing steeds. My counsel also should be\nsought in matters of difficulty and in all affairs of skill. I also\nsurpass others in the art of cooking. In all those arts that exists in\nthis world, and also in every thing difficult of accomplishment, I will\nstrive to attain success, O Rituparna, do thou maintain me.' And\nRituparna replied, 'O Vahuka, stay with me! May good happen to thee. Thou\nwilt even perform all this. I have always particularly desired to be\ndriven fast. Do thou concert such measures that my steeds may become\nfleet. I appoint thee the superintendent of my stables. Thy pay shall be\nten thousand (coins). Both Varshneya and Jivala shall always be under thy\ndirection. Thou wilt live pleasantly in their company. Therefore, O\nVahuka, stay thou with me.'\"\n\n\"Vrihadaswa continued, 'Thus addressed by the king, Nala began to dwell\nin the city of Rituparna, treated with respect and with Varshneya and\nJivala as his companions. And residing there, the king (Nala),\nremembering the princess of Vidarbha, recited every evening the following\nsloka: 'Where lieth that helpless one afflicted with hunger and thirst\nand worn with toil, thinking of that wretch? And upon whom also doth she\nnow wait?' And once as the king was reciting this in the night, Jivala\nasked him saying, 'O Vahuka, whom dost thou lament thus daily? I am\ncurious to hear it. O thou blest with length of days, whose spouse is she\nwhom thus lamentest?' Thus questioned, king Nala answered him, saying, 'A\ncertain person devoid of sense had a wife well-known to many. That wretch\nwas false in his promises. For some reason that wicked person was\nseparated from her. Separated from her, that wretch wandered about\noppressed with woe, and burning with grief he resteth not by day or\nnight. And at night, remembering her, he singeth this sloka. Having\nwandered over the entire world, he hath at last found a refuge, and\nundeserving of the distress that hath befallen him, passeth his days,\nthus remembering his wife. When calamity had overtaken this man, his wife\nfollowed him into the woods. Deserted by that man of little virtue, her\nlife itself is in danger. Alone, without knowledge of ways, ill able to\nbear distress, and fainting with hunger and thirst, the girl can hardly\nprotect her life. And, O friend, she hath been deserted by that man of\nsmall fortune and having little sense, with the wide and terrible forest,\never abounding in beasts of prey'--\n\n\"Thus remembering Damayanti, the king of the Nishadhas continued to live\nunknown in the abode of that monarch!\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXVIII\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'After Nala, despoiled of his kingdom, had, with his\nwife, become a bondsman, Bhima with the desire of seeing Nala sent out\nBrahmanas to search for him. And giving them profuse wealth, Bhima\nenjoined on them, saying, 'Do ye search for Nala, and also for my\ndaughter Damayanti. He who achieveth this task, viz., ascertaining where\nthe ruler of the Nishadhas is, bringeth him and my daughter hither, will\nobtain from me a thousand kine, and fields, and a village resembling a\ntown. Even if failing to bring Damayanti and Nala here, he that succeeds\nlearning their whereabouts, will get from me the wealth represented by a\nthousand kine.' Thus addressed, the Brahmanas cheerfully went out in all\ndirections seeking Nala and his wife in cities and provinces. But Nala or\nhis spouse they found not anywhere. Until at length searching in the\nbeautiful city of the Chedis, a Brahmana named Sudeva, during the time of\nthe king's prayers, saw the princess of Vidarbha in the palace of the\nking, seated with Sunanda. And her incomparable beauty was slightly\nperceptible, like the brightness of a fire enveloped in curls of smoke.\nAnd beholding that lady of large eyes, soiled and emaciated he decided\nher to be Damayanti, coming to that conclusion from various reasons. And\nSudeva said, 'As I saw her before, this damsel is even so at present. O,\nI am blest, by casting my eyes on this fair one, like Sree herself\ndelighting the worlds! Resembling the full moon, of unchanging youth, of\nwell-rounded breasts, illumining all sides by her splendour, possessed of\nlarge eyes like beautiful lotuses, like unto Kama's Rati herself the\ndelight of all the worlds like the rays of the full moon, O, she looketh\nlike a lotus-stalk transplanted by adverse fortune from the Vidarbha lake\nand covered with mire in the process. And oppressed with grief on account\nof her husband, and melancholy, she looketh like the night of the full\nmoon when Rahu hath swallowed that luminary, or like a stream whose\ncurrent hath dried up. Her plight is very much like that of a ravaged\nlake with the leaves of its lotuses crushed by the trunks of elephants,\nand with its birds and fowls affrighted by the invasion. Indeed, this\ngirl, of a delicate frame and of lovely limbs, and deserving to dwell in\na mansion decked with gems, is (now) like an uprooted lotus-stalk\nscorched by the sun. Endued with beauty and generosity of nature, and\ndestitute of ornaments, though deserving of them, she looketh like the\nmoon 'new bent in haven' but covered with black clouds. Destitute of\ncomforts and luxuries, separated from loved ones and friends, she liveth\nin distress, supported by the hope of beholding her lord. Verily, the\nhusband is the best ornament of a woman, however destitute of ornaments.\nWithout her husband beside her, this lady, though beautiful, shineth not.\nIt is a hard feat achieved by Nala in that he liveth without succumbing\nto grief, though separated from such a wife. Beholding this damsel\npossessed of black hair and of eyes like lotus-leaves, in woe though\ndeserving of bliss, even my heart is pained. Alas! when shall this girl\ngraced with auspicious marks and devoted to her husband, crossing this\nocean of woe, regain the company of her lord, like Rohini regaining the\nMoon's? Surely, the king of the Nishadhas will experience in regaining\nher the delight that a king deprived of his kingdom experienceth in\nregaining his kingdom. Equal to her in nature and age and extraction,\nNala deserveth the daughter of Vidarbha, and this damsel of black eyes\nalso deserveth him. It behoveth me to comfort the queen of that hero of\nimmeasurable prowess and endued with energy and might, (since) she is so\neager to meet her husband. I will console this afflicted girl of face\nlike the full moon, and suffering distress that she had never before\nendured, and ever meditating on her lord.'\n\n\"Vrihadaswa continued, 'Having thus reflected on these various\ncircumstances and signs, the Brahmana, Sudeva, approached Damayanti, and\naddressed her, saying, 'O princess of Vidarbha, I am Sudeva, the dear\nfriend of thy brother. I have come here, seeking thee, at the desire of\nking Bhima. Thy father is well, and also thy mother, and thy brothers.\nAnd thy son and daughter, blessed with length of days, are living in\npeace. Thy relatives, though alive, are almost dead on thy account, and\nhundreds of Brahmanas are ranging the world in search of thee.\"\n\n\"Vrihadaswa continued, 'O Yudhishthira, Damayanti recognising Sudeva,\nasked him respecting all her relatives and kinsmen one after another.\nAnd, O monarch, oppressed with grief, the princess of Vidarbha began to\nweep bitterly, at the unexpected sight of Sudeva, that foremost of\nBrahmanas and the friend of her brother. And, O Bharata, beholding\nDamayanti weeping, and conversing in private with Sudeva, Sunanda was\ndistressed, and going to her mother informed her, saying, 'Sairindhri is\nweeping bitterly in the presence of a Brahmana. If thou likest, satisfy\nthyself.' And thereupon the mother of the king of the Chedis, issuing\nfrom the inner apartments of the palace, came to the place where the girl\n(Damayanti) was with that Brahmana. Then calling Sudeva, O king, the\nqueen-mother asked him, 'Whose wife is this fair one, and whose daughter?\nHow hath this lady of beautiful eyes been deprived of the company of her\nrelatives and of her husband as well? And how also hast thou come to know\nthis lady fallen into such a plight? I wish to hear all this in detail\nfrom thee. Do truly relate unto me who am asking thee about this damsel\nof celestial beauty.' Then, O king, thus addressed by the queen-mother,\nSudeva, that best of Brahmanas, sat at his ease, and began to relate the\ntrue history of Damayanti.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXIX\n\n\"Sudeva said, 'There is a virtuous and illustrious ruler of the\nVidarbhas, Bhima by name. This blessed lady is his daughter, and widely\nknown by the name of Damayanti. And there is a king ruling the Nishadhas,\nnamed Nala, the son of Virasena. This blessed lady is the wife of that\nwise and righteous monarch. Defeated at dice by his brother, and\ndespoiled of his kingdom, that king, accompanied by Damayanti, went away\nwithout the knowledge of any one. We have been wandering over the whole\nearth in search of Damayanti. And that girl is at last found in the house\nof thy son. No woman existeth that is her rival in beauty. Between the\neye-brows of this ever-youthful damsel, there is an excellent mole from\nbirth, resembling a lotus. Noticed by us (before) it seems to have\ndisappeared, covered, (as her forehead is) with (a coat of) dust even\nlike the moon hid in clouds. Placed there by the Creator himself as an\nindication of prosperity and wealth, that mole is visible faintly, like\nthe cloud-covered lunar crescent of the first day of the lighted\nfortnight. And covered as her body is with dust, her beauty hath not\ndisappeared. Though careless of her person, it is still manifest, and\nshineth like gold. And this girl--goddess-like--capable of being\nidentified by this form of hers and that mole, hath been discovered by me\nas one discovereth a fire that is covered, by its heat!'\n\n\"O king, hearing these words of Sudeva, Sunanda washed the dust that\ncovered the mole between Damayanti's eye-brows. And thereupon it became\nvisible like the moon in the sky, just emerged from the clouds. And\nseeing that mole, O Bharata, Sunanda and the queen-mother began to weep,\nand embracing Damayanti stood silent for a while. And the queen-mother,\nshedding tears as she spoke, said in gentle accents, 'By this thy mole, I\nfind that thou art the daughter of my sister. O beauteous girl, thy\nmother and I are both daughters of the high-souled Sudaman, the ruler of\nthe Dasarnas. She was bestowed upon king Bhima, and I on Viravahu. I\nwitnessed thy birth at our father's palace in the country of the\nDasarnas. O beautiful one, my house is to thee even as thy father's. And\nthis wealth, O Damayanti, is thine as much as mine.' As this, O king,\nDamayanti bowing down to her mother's sister with a glad heart, spake\nunto her these words, 'Unrecognised, I have still lived happily with\nthee, every want of mine satisfied and myself cared for by thee. And\nhappy as my stay hath been, it would, without doubt, be happier still.\nBut, mother, I have long been an exile. It behoveth thee, therefore, to\ngrant me permission (to depart). My son and daughter, sent to my father's\npalace, are living there. Deprived of their father, and of their mother\nalso, how are they passing their days stricken with sorrow. If thou\nwishest to do what is agreeable to me, do thou without loss of time,\norder a vehicle, for I wish to go to the Vidarbhas.' At this, O king, the\nsister to (Damayanti's) mother, with a glad heart, said, 'So be it'. And\nthe queen-mother with her son's permission, O chief of the Bharatas, sent\nDamayanti in handsome litter carried by men, protected by a large escort\nand provided with food and drink and garments of the first quality. And\nsoon enough she reached the country of the Vidarbhas. And all her\nrelatives, rejoicing (in her arrival) received her with respect. And\nseeing her relatives, her children, both her parents, and all her maids,\nto be well, the illustrious Damayanti, O king, worshipped the gods and\nBrahmanas according to the superior method. And the king rejoiced at\nbeholding his daughter gave unto Sudeva a thousand kine and much wealth\nand a village. And, O king, having spent that night at her father's\nmansion and recovered from fatigue, Damayanti addressed her mother,\nsaying, 'O mother, if thou wishest me to live, I tell thee truly, do thou\nendeavour to bring Nala, that hero among men.' Thus addressed by\nDamayanti, the venerable queen became filled with sorrow. And bathed in\ntears, she was unable to give any answer. And beholding her in that\nplight, all the inmates of the inner apartments broke out into\nexclamation of 'Oh!' And 'Alas'! and began to cry bitterly. And then the\nqueen addressed the mighty monarch Bhima, saying, 'Thy daughter Damayanti\nmourneth on account of her husband. Nay, banishing away all bashfulness,\nshe hath herself, O king, declared her mind to me. Let thy men strive to\nfind out (Nala) the righteous.' Thus informed by her the king sent the\nBrahmanas under him in all directions, saying, 'Exert ye to discover\nNala.' And those Brahmanas, commanded by the ruler of the Vidarbhas (to\nseek Nala) appeared before Damayanti and told her of the journey they\nwere about to undertake. And Bhima's daughter spake unto them saying, 'Do\nye cry in every realm and in every assembly, 'O beloved gambler, where\nhast thou gone cutting off half of my garment, and deserting the dear and\ndevoted wife asleep in the forest? And that girl, as commanded by thee\nstayeth expecting thee, clad in half a piece of cloth and burning with\ngrief! O king, O hero, relent towards, and answer, her who incessantly\nweepeth for that grief. This and more ye will say, so that he may be\ninclined to pity me. Assisted by the wind, fire consumeth the forest.\n(Further, ye will say that) the wife is always to be protected and\nmaintained by the husband. Why then, good as thou art and acquainted with\nevery duty, hast thou neglected both the duties? Possessed of fame and\nwisdom, and lineage, and kindness, why hast thou be unkind? I fear, this\nis owing to the loss of my good luck! Therefore, O tiger among men, have\npity on me. O bull among men! I have heard it from thee that kindness is\nthe highest virtue. Speaking so, if anybody answereth you, that person\nshould by all means, be known, and ye should learn who he is, and where\nhe dwelleth. And ye foremost of regenerate ones, do ye bring me the words\nof him who hearing this your speech will chance to answer. Ye should also\nact with such care that no one may know the words ye utter to be at my\ncommand, nor that ye will come back to me. And ye should also learn\nwhether that answers is wealthy, or poor, or destitute of power, in fact\nall about him.'\n\n\"Thus instructed by Damayanti, O king, the Brahmanas set out in all\ndirections in search of Nala overtaken with such disaster. And the\nBrahmanas, O king, searched for him in cities and kingdoms and villages,\nand retreats of ascetics, and places inhabited by cow-herds. And, O\nmonarch, wherever they went they recited the speeches that Damayanti had\ndirected them to do.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXX\n\n\"Vrihadaswa said, 'After a long time had passed away, a Brahmana named\nParnada returned to the city (of the Vidarbhas), and said unto the\ndaughter of Bhima, 'O Damayanti, seeking Nala, the king of Nishadhas, I\ncame to the city of Ayodhya, and appeared before the son of Bhangasura.\nAnd, O best of women, I repeated those words of thine in the presence of\nthe blessed Rituparna. But hearing them neither that ruler of men, nor\nhis courtiers, answered anything, although I uttered them repeatedly.\nThen, after I had been dismissed by the monarch, I was accosted by a\nperson in the service of Rituparna, named Vahuka. And Vahuka is the\ncharioteer of that king, of unsightly appearance and possessed of short\narms. And he is skillful in driving with speed, and well acquainted with\nthe culinary art. And sighing frequently, and weeping again and again, he\ninquired about my welfare and afterwards said these words, 'Chaste women,\nalthough fallen into distress, yet protect themselves and thus certainly\nsecure heaven. Although they may be deserted by their lords, they do not\nyet become angry on that account, for women that are chaste lead their\nlives, encased in the armour of virtuous behaviour. It behoveth her not\nto be angry, since he that deserted her was overwhelmed with calamity,\nand deprived of every bliss. A beauteous and virtuous woman should not be\nangry with one that was deprived by birds of his garment while striving\nto procure sustenance and who is being consumed with grief. Whether\ntreated well or ill, such a wife should never indulge in ire, beholding\nher husband in that plight, despoiled of kingdom and destitute of\nprosperity, oppressed with hunger and overwhelmed with calamity.' Hearing\nthese words of his, I have speedily come here. Thou hast now heard all.\nDo what thou thinkest proper, and inform the king of it.'\n\n\"O king, having heard these words of Parnada, Damayanti with tearful eyes\ncame to her mother, and spake unto her in private, 'O mother, king Bhima\nshould not, by any means, be made acquainted with my purpose. In thy\npresence will I employ that best of Brahmanas, Sudeva! If thou desirest\nmy welfare, act in such a way that king Bhima may not know my purpose.\nLet Sudeva without delay go hence to the city of Ayodhya, for the purpose\nof bringing Nala, O mother, having performed the same auspicious rites by\nvirtue of which he had speedily brought me into the midst of friends.'\nWith these words, after Parnada had recovered from fatigue, the princess\nof Vidarbha worshipped him with profuse wealth and also said, 'When Nala\nwill come here, O Brahmana, I will bestow on thee wealth in abundance\nagain. Thou hast done me the immense service which none else, indeed, can\ndo me, for, (owing to that service of thine), O thou best of the\nregenerate ones, I shall speedily regain my (lost) lord.' And thus\naddressed by Damayanti, that high-minded Brahmana comforted her, uttering\nbenedictory words of auspicious import, and then went home, regarding his\nmission to have been successful. And after he had gone away, Damayanti\noppressed with grief and distress, calling Sudeva, addressed him, O\nYudhishthira, in the presence of her mother, saying, 'O Sudeva, go thou\nto the city of Ayodhya, straight as a bird, and tell king Rituparna\nliving there, these words: 'Bhima's daughter, Damayanti will hold another\nSwayamvara. All the kings and princes are going thither. Calculating the\ntime, I find that the ceremony will take place tomorrow. O represser of\nfoes, if it is possible for thee, go thither without delay. Tomorrow,\nafter the sun hath risen, she will choose a second husband, as she doth\nnot know whether the heroic Nala liveth or not. And addressed by her, O\nmonarch thus, Sudeva set out. And he said unto Rituparna, all that he had\nbeen directed to say.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXI\n\n\"Vrihadaswa continued, 'Having heard the words of Sudeva king Rituparna,\nsoothing Vahuka with gentle words, said, 'O Vahuka, thou art well-skilled\nin training and guiding horses. If it pleases thee, I intend to go to\nDamayanti's Swayamvara in course of a single day.' Thus addressed, O son\nof Kunti, by that king, Nala felt his heart to be bursting in grief. And\nthe high-souled king seemed to burn in sorrow. And he thought within\nhimself, 'Perhaps Damayanti in doing this is blinded by sorrow. Or,\nperhaps, she hath conceived this magnificent scheme for my sake. Alas,\ncruel is the deed that the innocent princess of Vidarbha intends to do,\nhaving been deceived by my sinful and low self of little sense. It is\nseen in the world that the nature of woman is inconstant. My offence also\nhath been great; perhaps she is acting so, because she hath no longer any\nlove for me owing to my separation from her. Indeed, that girl of slender\nwaist, afflicted with grief on my account and with despair, will not\ncertainly do anything of the kind, when especially, she is the mother of\noffspring (by me). However whether this is true or false, I shall\nascertain with certitude by going thither. I will, therefore, accomplish\nRituparna's and my own purpose also.' Having resolved thus in his mind,\nVahuka, with his heart in sorrow, spake unto king Rituparna, with joined\nhands, saying, 'O monarch, I bow to thy behest, and, O tiger among men, I\nwill go to the city of the Vidarbhas in a single day. O king!' Then, O\nmonarch, at the command of the royal son of Bhangasura, Vahuka went to\nthe stables and began to examine the horses. And repeatedly urged by\nRituparna to make haste, Vahuka after much scrutiny and careful\ndeliberation, selected some steeds that were lean-fleshed, yet strong and\ncapable of a long journey and endued with energy and strength of high\nbreed and docility, free from inauspicious marks, with wide nostrils and\nswelling cheeks, free from faults as regards the ten hairy curls, born in\n(the country of) Sindhu, and fleet as the winds. And seeing those horses,\nthe king said somewhat angrily, 'What is this, that thou wishest to do?\nThou shouldst not jest with us. How can these horses of mine, weak in\nstrength and breath, carry us? And how shall we be able to go this long\nway by help of these?' Vahuka replied, 'Each of these horses bears one\ncurl on his forehead, two on his temples, four on his sides, four on his\nchest, and one on his back. Without doubt, these steeds will be able to\ngo to the country of the Vidarbhas. If, O king, thou thinkest of choosing\nothers, point them out and I shall yoke them for thee.' Rituparna\nrejoined, 'O Vahuka, thou art versed in the science of horses and art\nalso skillful (in guiding them). Do thou speedily yoke those that thou\nthinkest to be able.' Thereupon the skillful Nala yoked upon the car four\nexcellent steeds of good breed that were, besides, docile and fleet. And\nafter the steeds had been yoked, the king without loss of time mounted\nupon the car, when those best of horses fell down upon the ground on\ntheir knees. Then, O king, that foremost of men, the blessed king Nala\nbegan to soothe horses endued with energy and strength. And raising them\nup with the reins and making the charioteer Varshneya sit on the car, he\nprepared to set out with great speed. And those best of steeds, duly\nurged by Vahuka, rose to the sky, confounding the occupant of the\nvehicle. And beholding those steeds gifted with the speed of the wind\nthus drawing the car, the blessed king of Ayodhaya was exceedingly\namazed. And noticing the rattle of the car and also the management of the\nsteeds, Varshneya reflected upon Vahuka's skill in guiding horses. And he\nthought, 'Is he Matali, the charioteer of the king of the celestials? I\nfind the same magnificent indications in the heroic Vahuka. Or, hath\nSalihotra versed in the science of horses taken this human shape so\nbeautiful? Or, is it king Nala the reducer of hostile towns that hath\ncome here? Or, it may be that this Vahuka knoweth the science that Nala\nknoweth, for I perceive that the knowledge of Vahuka is equal to that of\nNala. Further, Vahuka and Nala are of the same age. This one, again, may\nnot be Nala of high prowess, but somebody of equal knowledge. Illustrious\npersons, however, walk this earth in disguise in consequence of\nmisfortune, or agreeably to the ordinance of the scriptures. That this\nperson is of unsightly appearance need not change my opinion; for Nala, I\nthink, may even be despoiled of his personal features. In respect of age\nthis one equals Nala. There is difference, however, in personal\nappearance. Vahuka, again is endued with every accomplishment. I think,\ntherefore, he is Nala.' Having thus reasoned long in his mind, O mighty\nmonarch, Varshneya, the (former) charioteer of the righteous Nala, became\nabsorbed in thought. And that foremost of kings Rituparna, also,\nbeholding the skill of Vahuka in equestrian science experienced great\ndelight, along with his charioteer Varshneya. And thinking of Vahuka's\napplication and ardour and the manner of his holding the reins, the king\nfelt exceedingly glad.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXII\n\n\"Vrihadaswa said, 'Like a bird coursing through the sky, Nala soon\ncrossed rivers and mountains, and woods and lakes. And while the car was\ncoursing thus, that conqueror of hostile cities, the royal son of\nBhangasura, saw his upper garment drop down on the ground. And at soon as\nhis garment had dropped down the high-minded monarch, without loss of\ntime, told Nala, 'I intend to recover it. O thou of profound\nintelligence, retain these steeds endued with exceeding swiftness until\nVarshneya bringeth back my garment.' Thereupon Nala replied unto him,\n'The sheet is dropped down far away. We have travelled one yojana thence.\nTherefore, it is incapable of being recovered.' After Nala had addressed\nhim thus, O king, the royal son of Bhangasura came upon a Vibhitaka tree\nwith fruits in a forest. And seeing that tree, the king hastily said to\nVahuka, 'O charioteer, do thou also behold my high proficiency in\ncalculation. All men do not know everything. There is no one that is\nversed in every science of art. Knowledge in its entirety is not found in\nany one person, O Vahuka, the leaves and fruits of this tree that are\nlying on the ground respectively exceed those that are on it by one\nhundred and one. The two branches of the tree have fifty millions of\nleaves, and two thousand and ninety five fruits. Do thou examine these\ntwo branches and all their boughs.' Thereupon staying the car Vahuka\naddressed the king, saying, 'O crusher of foes, thou takest credit to\nthyself in a matter which is beyond my perception. But, O monarch, I will\nascertain it by the direct evidence of my senses, by cutting down the\nVibhitaka. O king, when I actually count, it will no longer be matter of\nspeculation. Therefore, in thy presence, O monarch, I will hew down this\nVibhitaka. I do not know whether it be not (as thou hast said). In thy\npresence, O ruler of men, I will count the fruits and leaves. Let\nVarshneya hold the reins of the horses for a while.' Unto the charioteer\nthe king replied, 'There is no time to lose.' But Vahuka answered with\nhumility, 'Stay thou a short space, or, if thou art in a hurry, go then,\nmaking Varshneya thy charioteer. The road lies direct and even.' And at\nthis, O son of the Kuru race, soothing Vahuka, Rituparna said, 'O Vahuka,\nthou art the only charioteer, there is none other in this world. And, O\nthou versed in horse lore, it is through thy help that I expect to go to\nthe Vidarbhas. I place myself in thy hands. It behoveth thee not to cause\nany obstacle. And, O Vahuka, whatever thy wish. I will grant it if taking\nme to the country of the Vidarbhas to-day, thou makest me see the sun\nrise.' At this, Vahuka answered him, saying, 'After having counted (the\nleaves and fruits of the) Vibhitaka, I shall proceed to Vidarbha, do thou\nagree to my words. Then the king reluctantly told him, 'Count. And on\ncounting the leaves and fruits of a portion of this branch, thou wilt be\nsatisfied of the truth of my assertion.' And thereupon Vahuka speedily\nalighted from the car, and felled that tree. And struck with amazement\nupon finding the fruits, after calculation, to be what the king had said,\nhe addressed the king, saying, 'O monarch, this thy power is wonderful. I\ndesire, O prince, to know the art by which thou hast ascertained all\nthis.' And at this king, intent upon proceeding speedily, said unto\nVahuka. 'Know that I am proficient at dice besides being versed in\nnumbers. And Vahuka said unto him, 'Impart unto me this knowledge and, O\nbull among men, take from me my knowledge of horses.' And king Rituparna,\nhaving regard to the importance of the act that depended upon Vahuka's\ngood-will, and tempted also by the horse-lore (that his charioteer\npossessed), said, 'So be it.' As solicited by thee, receive this science\nof dice from me, and, O Vahuka, let my equine science remain with thee in\ntrust.' And saying this, Rituparna imparted unto Nala the science (he\ndesired). And Nala upon becoming acquainted with the science of dice,\nKali came out of his body, incessantly vomiting from his mouth the\nvirulent poison of Karkotaka.\n\nAnd when Kali, afflicted (by Damayanti's curse) came out (of Nala's\nbody), the fire of that curse also left Kali. Indeed, long had been the\ntime for which the king had been afflicted by Kali, as if he were of\nunregenerate soul. And Kala the ruler of the Nishadhas, in wrath, was\nbent upon cursing Kali, when the latter, frightened, and trembling, said\nwith joined hands, 'Control thy wrath, O king! I will render thee\nillustrious. Indrasena's mother had formerly cursed me in anger when she\nhad been deserted by thee. Ever since that time undergoing sore\naffliction I resided in thee, O mighty monarch, O unconquered one,\nmiserably and burning night and day with the venom of the prince of\nsnakes. I seek thy protection. If thou dost not curse me who am\naffrighted and seek thy protection, then those men that will attentively\nrecite thy history, shall be even free from fear on my account.' And thus\naddressed by Kali, king Nala controlled his wrath. And thereupon the\nfrightened Kali speedily entered into the Vibhitaka tree. And while the\nKali was conversing with Naishadha, he was invisible to others. And\ndelivered from his afflictions, and having counted the fruits of that\ntree, the king, filled with great joy and of high energy, mounted on the\ncar and proceeded with energy, urging those fleet horses. And from the\ntouch of Kali the Vibhitaka tree from that hour fell into disrepute. And\nNala, with a glad heart, began to urge those foremost of steeds which\nsprang into the air once and again like creatures endued with wings. And\nthe illustrious monarch drove (the car) in the direction of the\nVidarbhas. And after Nala had gone far away, Kali also returned to his\nabode. And abandoned by Kali, O king, that lord of earth, the royal Nala,\nbecame freed from calamity though he did not assume his native form.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXIII\n\n\"Vrihadaswa said, 'After Rituparna of prowess incapable of being baffled\nhad, in the evening, arrived at the city of the Vidarbhas, the people\nbrought unto king Bhima the tidings (of his arrival). And at the\ninvitation of Bhima, the king (of Ayodhya) entered the city of Kundina,\nfilling with the rattle of his car all the ten points, direct and\ntransverse, of the horizon. And the steeds of Nala that were in that city\nheard that sound, and hearing it they became delighted as they used to be\nin the presence of Nala himself. And Damayanti also heard the sound of\nthat car driven by Nala, like the deep roar of the clouds in the rainy\nseason. And Bhima and the steeds (of Nala) regarded the clatter of that\ncar to be like that which they used to hear in days of yore when king\nNala himself urged his own steeds. And the peacocks on the terraces, and\nthe elephants in the stables, and the horses also, all heard the rattle\nof Rituparna's car. And hearing the sound, so like the roar of the\nclouds, the elephants and the peacocks, O king, began to utter their\ncries, facing that direction, and filled with delight such as they\nexperience when they hear the actual roar of the clouds. And Damayanti\nsaid, 'Because the rattle of his car filling the whole earth, gladdens my\nheart, it must be King Nala (that has come). If I do not see Nala, of\nface bright as the moon, that hero with countless virtues, I shall\ncertainly die. If I am not clasped today in that hero's thrilling\nembrace, I shall certainly cease to be. If Naishadha with voice deep as\nthat of the clouds doth not come to me today, I shall enter into a pyre\nof golden brilliance. If that foremost of kings, powerful as a lion and\ngifted with the strength of an infuriated elephant, doth not present\nhimself before me, I shall certainly cease to live. I do not remember a\nsingle untruth in him, or a single wrong done by him to others. Never\nhath he spoken an untruth even in jest. Oh, my Nala is exalted and\nforgiving and heroic and magnificent and superior to all other kings, and\nfaithful to his marriage vow and like unto a eunuch in respect of other\nfemales. Night and day dwelling upon his perceptions, my heart, in\nabsence of that dear one, is about to burst in grief.'\n\n\"Thus bewailing as if devoid of sense, Damayanti, O Bharata, ascended the\nterrace (of her mansion) with the desire of seeing the righteous Nala.\nAnd in the yard of the central mansion she beheld king Rituparna on the\ncar with Varshneya and Vahuka. And Varshneya and Vahuka, descending for\nthat excellent vehicle, unyoked the steeds, and kept the vehicle itself\nin a proper place. And king Rituparna also, descending from the car,\npresented himself before king Bhima possessed of terrible prowess. And\nBhima received him with great respect, for in the absence of a proper\noccasion, a great person cannot be had (as a guest). And honoured by\nBhima, king Rituparna looked about him again and again, but saw no traces\nof the Swayamvara. And the ruler of the Vidarbhas, O Bharata, approaching\nRituparna, said, 'Welcome! What is the occasion of this thy visit?' And\nking Bhima asked this without knowing that Rituparna had come to obtain\nthe hand of his daughter. And king Rituparna, of unbaffled prowess and\ngifted with intelligence, saw that there were no other kings or princes.\nNor did he hear any talk relating to the Swayamvara, nor saw any\nconcourse of Brahmanas. And at this, the king of Kosala reflected a while\nand at length said, 'I have come here to pay my respects to thee.' And\nthe king Bhima was struck with astonishment, and reflected upon the\n(probable) cause of Rituparna's coming, having passed over a hundred\nyojanas. And he reflected, 'That passing by other sovereigns, and leaving\nbehind him innumerable countries, he should come simply to pay his\nrespect to me is scarcely the reason of his arrival. What he assigneth to\nbe the cause of his coming appeareth to be a trifle. However, I shall\nlearn the true reason in the future.' And although king Bhima thought so,\nhe did not dismiss Rituparna summarily, but said unto him again and\nagain, 'Rest, thou art weary.' And honoured thus by the pleased Bhima,\nking Rituparna was satisfied, and with a delighted heart, he went to his\nappointed quarters followed by the servants of the royal household.\"\n\n\"Vrihadaswa continued, 'And, O king, after Rituparna had gone away with\nVarshneya, Vahuka took the car to the stables. And there freeing the\nsteeds, and tending them according to rule, and soothing them himself,\nsat down on a side of the car. Meanwhile, the princess of Vidharva,\nDamayanti, afflicted with grief, having beheld the royal son of\nBhangasura, and Varshneya of the Suta race, and also Vahuka in that\nguise, asked herself, 'Whose is this car-rattle? It was loud as that of\nNala, but I do not see the ruler of the Nishadhas. Certainly, Varshneya\nhath learnt the art from Nala, and it is for this the rattle of the car\ndriven by him hath been even like that of Nala. Or, is Rituparna equally\nskilled with Nala so that the rattle of his car seemeth to be like that\nof Nala?' And reflecting thus, O monarch, the blessed and beauteous girl\nsent a female messenger in search of Nishada.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXIV\n\n\"Damayanti said, 'O Kesini, go thou and learn who that charioteer is that\nsitteth by the car, unsightly and possessed of short arms. O blessed one,\nO faultless one, approaching him, cautiously and with suit words, make\nthou the usual inquiries of courtesy and learn all particulars truly.\nHaving regard to the feeling of satisfaction my mind experienceth, and\nthe delight my heart feeleth, I am greatly afraid this one is king Nala\nhimself. And, O faultless one, having inquired after his welfare, thou\nshalt speak unto him the words of Parnada. And, O beauteous one,\nunderstand the reply he may make thereto.' Thus instructed, that female\nmessenger, going cautiously, while the blessed Damayanti watched from the\nterrace, addressed Vahuka in these words, 'O foremost of men, thou art\nwelcome. I wish thee happiness. O bull among men, hear now the words of\nDamayanti. When did ye all set out, and with what object have ye come\nhither. Tell us truly, for the princess of Vidarbha wisheth to hear it.'\nThus addressed, Vahuka answered, the illustrious king of Kosala had heard\nfrom a Brahmana that a second Swayamvara of Damayanti would take place.\nAnd hearing it, he hath come here, by the help of excellent steeds fleet\nas the wind and capable of going a hundred yojanas. I am his charioteer.\nKesini then asked, 'Whence doth the third among you come, and whose (son)\nis he? And whose son art thou, and how hast thou come to do this work?'\nThus questioned, Vahuka replied, 'He (of whom thou inquirest) was the\ncharioteer of the virtuous Nala, and known to all by the name of\nVarshneya. After Nala had, O beauteous one, left his kingdom, he came to\nthe son of Bhangasura. I am skilled in horse-lore, and have, therefore,\nbeen appointed as charioteer. Indeed, king Rituparna hath himself chosen\nme as his charioteer and cook.' At this Kesini rejoined, 'Perhaps\nVarshneya knoweth where king Nala hath gone, and O Vahuka, he may also\nhave spoken to thee (about his master).' Vahuka then said, 'Having\nbrought hither the children of Nala of excellent deeds, Varshneya went\naway whither he listed: He doth not know where Naishadha is. Nor, O\nillustrious one, doth anybody else know of Nala's whereabouts; for the\nking (in calamity) wandereth over the world in disguise and despoiled of\n(his native) beauty. Nala's self only knoweth Nala. Nala never\ndiscovereth his marks of identity anywhere.' Thus addressed, Kesini\nreturned, 'The Brahmana that had before this gone to Ayodhya, had\nrepeatedly said these words suitable to female lips, 'O beloved gambler,\nwhere hast thou gone cutting off half my piece of cloth, and deserting\nme, his dear and devoted wife asleep in the woods? And she herself, as\ncommanded by him, waiteth expecting him clad in half a garment and\nburning day and night in grief. O king, O hero, do thou relent towards\nher that weepeth ceaselessly for that calamity and do thou give her an\nanswer. O illustrious one, do thou speak the words agreeable to her for\nthe blameless one panteth to hear them. Hearing these words of the\nBrahmana thou didst formerly give a reply! The princess of Vidarbha again\nwisheth to hear the words thou didst then say.'\"\n\n\"Vrihadaswa continued, 'O son of the Kuru race, hearing these words of\nKesini, Nala's heart was pained, and his eyes filled with tears. And\nrepressing his sorrow, the king who was burning in grief, said again\nthese words, in accents choked with tears: 'Chaste women, though\novertaken by calamity, yet protect themselves, and thereby secure heaven.\nWomen that are chaste, deserted by their lords, never become angry, but\ncontinue to live, cased in virtue's mail. Deserted by one fallen into\ncalamity, bereft of sense, and despoiled of bliss, it behoveth her not to\nbe angry. A virtuous lady should not be angry with one that was deprived\nby birds of his garment while striving to procure sustenance and who is\nburning in misery. Whether treated well or ill she would never be angry,\nseeing her husband in that plight, despoiled of his kingdom, bereft of\nprosperity, oppressed with hunger, and overwhelmed with calamity.' And, O\nBharata, while speaking thus, Nala oppressed with grief, could not\nrestrain his tears, but began to weep. And thereupon Kesini went back to\nDamayanti, and acquainted her with everything about that conversation as\nwell as that outburst of grief.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXV\n\n\"Vrihadaswa said, 'Hearing everything, Damayanti became oppressed with\ngrief, and suspecting the person to be Nala, said unto Kesini, 'O Kesini,\ngo thou again, and examine Vahuka, and staying in silence at his side\nmark thou his conduct. And, O beauteous one, whenever he happens to do\nanything skilful, do thou observe well his act while accomplishing it.\nAnd, O Kesini, whenever he may ask water or fire, with the view of\noffering him obstruction, thou shalt be in no hurry to give it. And\nmarking everything about his behaviour, come thou and tell me. And\nwhatever human or super-human thou seest in Vahuka, together with\nanything else, should all be reported unto me.' And thus addressed by\nDamayanti, Kesini went away, and having marked the conduct of that person\nversed in horse-lore, she came back. And she related unto Damayanti all\nthat had happened, indeed, everything of human and superhuman that she\nhad witnessed in Vahuka. And Kesini said, 'O Damayanti, a person of such\ncontrol over the elements I have never before seen or heard of. Whenever\nhe cometh to low passage, he never stoopeth down, but seeing him, the\npassage itself groweth in height so that he may pass through it easily.\nAnd at his approach, impassable narrow holes open wide. King Bhima had\nsent various kinds of meat--of diverse animals, for Rituparna's food. And\nmany vessels had been placed there for washing the meat. And as he looked\nupon them, those vessels became filled (with water). And having washed\nthe meat, as he set himself to cook, he took up a handful of grass and\nheld it in the sun, when fire blazed up all on a sudden. Beholding this\nmarvel, I have come hither amazed. Further, I have witnessed in him\nanother great wonder. O beauteous one, he touched fire and was not burnt.\nAnd at his will, water falling floweth in a stream. And, I have witnessed\nanother greater wonder still. He took up some flowers, began to press\nthem slowly with his hands. And pressed by his hand, the flowers did not\nlose their original forms, but, on the contrary, became gayer and more\nodorous than before. Having beheld wonderful things I have come hither\nwith speed.'\"\n\n\"Vrihadaswa continued, 'Hearing of these acts of the virtuous Nala, and\ndiscovering him from his behaviour, Damayanti considered him as already\nrecovered. And from these indications suspecting that Vahuka was her\nhusband, Damayanti once more weepingly addressed Kesini in soft words,\nsaying, 'O beauteous one, go thou once more, and bring from the kitchen\nwithout Vahuka's knowledge some meat that hath been boiled and dressed\n(by him).' Thus commanded, Kesini, ever bent on doing what was agreeable\nto Damayanti, went to Vahuka, and taking some hot meat came back without\nloss of time. And Kesini gave that meat, O son of the Kuru race, unto\nDamayanti. And Damayanti who had formerly often partaken of meat dressed\nby Nala, tasted the meat that was brought by her hand-maid. And she\nthereupon decided Vahuka to be Nala and wept aloud in grief of heart.\nAnd, O Bharata, overwhelmed with grief, and washing her face, she sent\nher two children with Kesini. And Vahuka, who was the king in disguise,\nrecognising Indrasena with her brother, advanced hastily, and embracing\nthem, took them up on his lap. And taking up his children like unto the\nchildren of the celestials, he began to weep aloud in sonorous accents,\nhis heart oppressed with great sorrow. And after having repeatedly\nbetrayed his agitation, Naishadha suddenly left children, and addressed\nKesini, saying, 'O fair damsel, these twins are very like my own\nchildren. Beholding them unexpectedly, I shed tears. If thou comest to me\nfrequently people may think evil, for we are guests from another land.\nTherefore. O blessed one, go at thy ease.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXVI\n\n\"Vrihadaswa said, 'Beholding the agitation of the virtuous and wise Nala,\nKesini returned unto Damayanti and related everything unto her. And\nthereupon Damayanti with a sorrowful heart and eager to behold Nala,\nagain despatched Kesini to her mother, asking her to say on her behalf:\nSuspecting Vahuka to be Nala, I have tried him in various ways. My doubt\nnow only relates to his appearance. I intend to examine him myself. O\nmother, either let him enter the palace, or give me permission to go to\nhim. And arrange this with the knowledge of my father or without it. And\nthus addressed to Damayanti, that lady communicated unto Bhima the\nintention of his daughter, and upon learning it the king gave his\nconsent. And, O bull of the Bharata race, having obtained the consent\nboth of her father and mother, Damayanti caused Nala to be brought to her\napartments. And as soon as he saw Damayanti unexpectedly, king Nala was\noverwhelmed with grief and sorrow, and bathed in tears. And that best of\nwomen, Damayanti, also, upon beholding king Nala in that condition, was\nsorely afflicted with grief. And, O monarch, herself clad in a piece of\nred cloth, and wearing matted locks, and covered with dirt and dust,\nDamayanti then addressed Vahuka, saying, 'O Vahuka, hast thou ever seen\nany person acquainted with duty, who hath gone away, deserting his\nsleeping wife in the forest? Who, except the virtuous Nala, could go\naway, deserting in the woods, his dear and unoffending wife overcome with\nfatigue? Of what offence was I guilty in the eyes of that monarch since\nmy early youth that he should go away deserting me in the woods while\nasleep overcome with fatigue? Why should he whom I formerly chose in\npreference to the gods themselves abandon his ever-devoted and loving\nwife who had become the mother also of his children? Before the fire, and\nin presence also of the celestials, he had taken my hand, vowing, 'Verily\nI will be thine.' Oh, where was that vow when he deserted me. O represser\nof foes.' While Damayanti was saying all this, tears of sorrow began to\nflow plentifully from her eyes. And beholding her thus afflicted with\ngrief, Nala also, shedding tears, black of those of the gazelle with\nextremities of reddish hue, said, 'O timid one, neither the loss of my\nkingdom nor my desertion of thee was my act. Both were due to Kali. And,\nO foremost of virtuous women, lamenting for me day and night, and\novercome with sorrow, thou hadst in the woods cursed Kali, and so he\nbegan to dwell in my body, burning in consequence of thy curse. Indeed\nburning with thy curse, he lived within me like fire within fire. O\nblessed girl, that our sorrows might terminate, that wretch have I\novercome by my observances and austerities. The sinful wretch hath\nalready left me, and it is for this that I have come hither. My presence\nhere, O fair lady, is for thy sake. I have no other object. But, O timid\none, can any other woman, forsaking her loving and devoted husband, ever\nchoose a second lord like thee? At the command of the king, messengers\nare ranging this entire earth, saying, 'Bhima's daughter will, of her own\naccord, choose a second husband worthy of her.' Immediately on hearing\nthis, the son of Bhangasura hath arrived here.' Hearing these\nlamentations of Nala, Damayanti, frightened and trembling, said with\njoined hand, 'It behoveth thee not, O blessed one, to suspect any fault\nin me. O ruler of the Nishadhas, passing over the celestials themselves,\nI choose thee as my lord. It was to bring thee hither that the Brahmanas\nhad gone out in all directions, even to all the sides of the horizon,\nsinging my words, in the form of ballads. At last, O king, a learned\nBrahmana named Parnada had found thee in Kosala in the palace of\nRituparna. When thou hadst returned a fit answer to those words of his,\nit was then, O Naishadha, that I devised this scheme to recover thee.\nExcept thee, O lord of earth, there is no one in this world, who in one\nday can clear, O King, a hundred yojanas with horses. O monarch, touching\nthy feet I can swear truly that I have not, even in thought, committed\nany sin. May the all-witnessing Air that courseth through this world,\ntake my life, if I have committed any sin. May the Sun that ever courseth\nthrough the sky take my life, if I have committed any sin. May the Moon,\nthat dwelleth within every creature as a witness, take my life, if I have\ncommitted any sin. Let the three gods that sustain the triple worlds in\ntheir entirety, declare truly, or let them forsake me today.' And thus\naddressed by her, the Wind-god said from the sky, 'O Nala, I tell thee\ntruly that she hath done no wrong. O king, Damayanti, well guarding the\nhonour of thy family, hath enhanced it. Of this we are the witnesses, as\nwe have been her protectors for these three years. It is for thy sky that\nshe hath devised this unrivalled scheme, for, except thee, none on earth\nis capable of travelling in a single day a hundred yojanas. O monarch,\nthou hast obtained Bhima's daughter, and she hath also obtained thee.\nThou needst not entertain any suspicion but be united with thy partner.'\nAnd after the Wind-god had said this, a floral shower fell there and the\ncelestial kettle-drum began to play, and auspicious breezes began to\nblow. And beholding those wonders, O Bharata, king Nala, the represser of\nfoes, cast away all his doubts in respect of Damayanti. And then that\nlord of earth, remembering the king of serpents, wore that pure garment\nand regained his native form. And beholding her righteous lord in his own\nform, Bhima's daughter of faultless limbs embraced him, and began to weep\naloud. And king Nala also embraced Bhima's daughter devoted to him, as\nbefore, and also his children, and experienced great delight. And burying\nher face in his bosom, the beauteous Damayanti of large eyes began to\nsigh heavily, remembering her griefs. And overwhelmed with sorrow, that\ntiger among men stood for some time, clasping the dust-covered Damayanti\nof sweet smiles. And, O king, the queen-mother then, with a glad heart,\ntold Bhima all that had passed between Nala and Damayanti. And the mighty\nmonarch answered, 'Let Nala pass this day in peace, to-morrow I shall see\nhim after his bath and prayers, with Damayanti by his side.' And, O king,\nthey passed that night pleasantly, in relating to each other the past\nincidents of their life in the forest. And with hearts filled with joy,\nthe princess of Vidarbha and Nala began to pass their days in the palace\nof king Bhima, intent upon making each other happy. And it was in the\nfourth year (after the loss of his kingdom) that Nala was re-united with\nhis wife, and all his desires gratified, once more experienced the\nhighest bliss. And Damayanti rejoiced exceedingly in having recovered her\nlord even as fields of tender plants on receiving a shower. And Bhima's\ndaughter, thus recovering her lord, obtained her wish, and blazed forth\nin beauty, her weariness gone, her anxieties dispelled and herself\nswelling with joy, ever like a night that is lit by the bright disc of\nthe moon!\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXVII\n\n\"Vrihadaswa said, 'Having passed that night, king Nala decked in\nornaments and with Damayanti by his side, presented himself in due time\nbefore the king. And Nala saluted his father-in-law with becoming\nhumility and after him the fair Damayanti paid her respects to her\nfather. And the exalted Bhima, with great joy, received him as a son, and\nhonouring him duly along with his devoted wife, comforted them in proper\nwords. And duly accepting the homage rendered unto him, king Nala offered\nhis father-in-law his services as became him. And seeing Nala arrived,\nthe citizens were in great joy. And there arose in the city a loud uproar\nof delight. And the citizens decorated the city with flags and standards\nand garlands of flowers. And the streets were watered and decked in\nfloral wreaths and other ornaments. And at their gates citizens piled\nflowers, and their temples and shrines were all adorned with flowers. And\nRituparna heard that Vahuka had already been united with Damayanti. And\nthe king was glad to hear of all this. And calling unto him king Nala, he\nasked his forgiveness. And the intelligent Nala also asked Rituparna's\nforgiveness, showing diverse reasons. And that foremost of speakers\nversed in the truth, king Rituparna, after being thus honoured by Nala,\nsaid, with a countenance expressive of wonder, these words unto the ruler\nof the Nishadhas. 'By good fortune it is that regaining the company of\nthy own wife, thou hast obtained happiness. O Naishadha, while dwelling\nin disguise at my house, I hope I did not wrong thee in any way, O lord\nof the earth! If knowingly I have done thee any wrong, it behoveth thee\nto forgive me.' Hearing this, Nala replied, 'Thou hast not, O monarch,\ndone me ever so little an injury. And if thou hast, it hath not awakened\nmy ire, for surely thou shouldst be forgiven by me. Thou wert formerly my\nfriend, and, O ruler of men, thou art also related to me. Henceforth I\nshall find greater delight in thee. O king, with all my desires\ngratified, I lived happily in thy abode, in fact more happily there than\nin my own house. This thy horse-lore is in my keeping. If thou wishest, O\nking, I will make it over to thee.' Saying this, Naishadha gave unto\nRituparna that science and the latter took it with the ordained rites.\nAnd, O monarch, the royal son of Bhangasura, having obtained the\nmysteries of equestrian science and having given unto the ruler of the\nNaishadhas the mysteries of dice, went to his own city, employing another\nperson for his charioteer. And, O king, after Rituparna had gone, king\nNala did not stay long in the city of Kundina!'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXVIII\n\n\"Vrihadaswa said, 'O son of Kunti, the ruler of the Nishadhas having\ndwelt there for a month, set out from that city with Bhima's permission\nand accompanied by only a few (followers) for the country of the\nNishadhas. With a single car white in hue, sixteen elephants, fifty\nhorses, and six hundred infantry, that illustrious king, causing the\nearth itself to tremble, entered (the country of the Nishadhas) without\nloss of a moment and swelling with rage. And the mighty son of Virasena,\napproaching his brothers Pushkara said unto him, 'We will play again, for\nI have earned vast wealth. Let Damayanti and all else that I have be my\nstake, let, O Pushkara, thy kingdom be thy stake. Let the play begin\nagain. This is my certain determination. Blessed be thou, let us stake\nall we have along with our lives. Having won over and acquired another's\nwealth or kingdom, it is a high duty, says the ordinance, to stake it\nwhen the owner demands. Or, if thou dost not relish play with dice, let\nthe play with weapons begin. O king, let me or thyself have peace by a\nsingle combat. That this ancestral kingdom should, under all\ncircumstances and by any means, be recovered, there is the authority of\nsages for holding. And, O Pushkara, choose thou one of these two\nthings--gambling with dice or bending the bow in battle!' Thus addressed\nby Nishadha, Pushkara, sure of his own success, laughingly answered that\nmonarch, saying, 'O Naishadha, it is by good fortune that thou hast\nearned wealth again to stake. It is by good fortune also that Damayanti's\nill-luck hath at last come to an end. And O king, it is by good fortune\nthat thou art still alive with thy wife, O thou of mighty arms! It is\nevident that Damayanti, adorned with this wealth of thine that I will\nwin, will wait upon me like an Apsara in heaven upon Indra. O Naishadha,\nI daily recollect thee and am even waiting for thee, since I derive no\npleasure from gambling with those that are not connected with me by\nblood. Winning over to-day the beauteous Damayanti of faultless features,\nI shall regard myself fortunate, indeed, since she it is that hath ever\ndwelt in my heart.' Hearing these words of that incoherent braggart, Nala\nin anger desired to cut off his head with a scimitar. With a smile,\nhowever, though his eyes were red in anger, king Nala said, 'Let us play.\nWhy do you speak so now? Having vanquished me, you can say anything you\nlike.' Then the play commenced between Pushkara and Nala. And blessed be\nNala who at a single throw won his wealth and treasures back along with\nthe life of his brother that also had been staked. And the king, having\nwon, smilingly said unto Pushkara, 'This whole kingdom without a thorn in\nits side is now undisturbedly mine. And, O worst of kings, thou canst not\nnow even look at the princess of Vidarbha. With all thy family, thou art\nnow, O fool, reduced to the position of her slave. But my former defeat\nat thy hands was not due to any act of thine. Thou knowest it not, O\nfool, that it was Kali who did it all. I shall not, therefore, impute to\nthee the faults of others. Live happily as thou choosest, I grant thee\nthy life. I also grant thee thy portion (in the paternal kingdom) along\nwith all necessaries. And, O hero, without doubt, my affection towards\nthee is now the same as before. My fraternal love also for thee will\nnever know any diminution. O Pushkara, thou art my brother, live thou for\na hundred years!'\"\n\n\"And Nala of unbaffled prowess, having comforted his brother thus gave\nhim permission to go to his own town, having embraced him repeatedly. And\nPushkara himself, thus comforted by the ruler of the Nishadhas saluted\nthat righteous king, and addressed him, O monarch, saying these words\nwith joined hands, 'Let thy fame be immortal and live thou happily for\nten thousand years, thou who grantest me, O king, both life and refuge.\nAnd entertained by the king, Pushkara dwelt there for a month and then\nwent to his own town accompanied by large force and many obedient\nservants and his own kindred, his heart filled with joy. And that bull\namong men all the while blazed forth in beauty of person like a second\nSun. And the blessed ruler of the Nishadhas, having established Pushkara\nand made him wealthy and freed him from troubles, entered his richly\ndecorated palace. And the ruler of the Nishadhas, having entered his\npalace, comforted the citizens. And all the citizens and the subjects\nfrom the country horripilated in joy. And the people headed by the\nofficers of state said with joined hands, 'O king, we are truly glad\nto-day throughout the city and the country. We have obtained to-day our\nruler, like the gods their chief of a hundred sacrifice!'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXIX\n\n\"Vrihadaswa said, 'After the festivities had commenced in the city that\nwas full of joy and without anxiety of any kind, the king with a large\nforce brought Damayanti (from her father's home). And her father, too,\nthat slayer of hostile heroes, Bhima of terrible prowess and immeasurable\nsoul, sent his daughter, having honoured her duly. And upon the arrival\nof the princess of Vidarbha accompanied by her son and daughter, king\nNala began to pass his days in joy like the chief of the celestials in\nthe gardens of Nandana. And the king of undying fame, having regained his\nkingdom and becoming illustrious among monarchs of the island of Jamvu,\nbegan once more to rule it. And he duly performed numerous sacrifices\nwith abundant gifts to Brahmanas. O great king, thou also wilt with thy\nkindred and relatives, so blaze forth in effulgence soon. For, O foremost\nof men, it was thus that subjugator of hostile cities, king Nala, had\nfallen into distress along with his wife, in consequence, O bull of\nBharata race of dice. And, O lord of the earth, Nala suffered such dire\nwoe all alone and recovered his prosperity, whereas thou, O son of Pandu,\nwith heart fixed on virtue, art sporting in joy in this great forest,\naccompanied by thy brothers and Krishna. When thou art also, O monarch,\nmixing daily with blessed Brahmanas versed in the Vedas and their\nbranches, thou hast little cause for sorrow. This history, besides, of\nthe Naga Karkotaka, of Damayanti, of Nala and of that royal sage\nRituparna, is destructive of evil. And, O thou of unfading glory, this\nhistory, destructive of the influence of Kali, is capable, O king, of\ncomforting persons like thee when they listen to it. And reflecting upon\nthe uncertainty (of success) of human exertion, it behoveth thee not to\njoy or grieve at prosperity or adversity. Having listened to this\nhistory, be comforted, O king, and yield not to grief. It behoveth thee\nnot, O great king, to pine under calamity. Indeed, men of\nself-possession, reflecting upon the caprice of destiny and the\nfruitlessness of exertion, never suffer themselves to be depressed. They\nthat will repeatedly recite this noble history of Nala, and that will\nhear it recited, will never be touched by adversity. He that listeneth to\nthis old and excellent history hath all his purposes crowned with success\nand, without doubt, obtaineth fame, besides sons and grandsons and\nanimals, a high position among men, and health, and joy. And, O king, the\nfear also that thou entertainest, viz., (Some one skilled in dice will\nsummon me), I will for once dispel. O thou of invincible prowess, I know\nthe science of dice in its entirety. I am gratified with thee; take this\nlore, O son of Kunti, I will tell unto thee.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"King Yudhishthira then, with a glad heart, said\nunto Vrihadaswa, 'O illustrious one, I desire to learn the science of\ndice from thee.' The Rishi then gave his dice-lore unto the high-souled\nson of Pandu, and having given it unto him, that great ascetic went to\nthe sacred waters of Hayasirsha for a bath.\n\n\"And after Vrihadaswa had gone away, Yudhishthira of firm vows heard from\nBrahmanas and ascetics that came to him from various directions and from\nplaces of pilgrimage and mountains and forests that Arjuna of high\nintelligence and capable of drawing the bow with his left hand, was still\nengaged in the austerest of ascetic penances, living upon air alone. And\nhe heard that the mighty-armed Partha was engaged in such fierce\nasceticism that none else before him had ever been engaged in such\npenances. And Dhananjaya, the son of Pritha, engaged in ascetic\nausterities with regulated vows and fixed mind and observing the vow of\nperfect silence, was, he heard, like the blazing god of justice himself\nin his embodied form. And, O king, (Yudhishthira) the son of Pandu\nhearing that his dear brother Jaya, the son of Kunti, was engaged in such\nasceticism in the great forest, began to grieve for him. And with a heart\nburning in grief, the eldest son of Pandu, seeking consolation in that\nmighty forest held converse with the Brahmanas possessed of various\nknowledge who were living with him there.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXX\n\n(Tirtha-yatra Parva)\n\nJanamejaya said, \"O holy one, after my great-grandfather Partha had gone\naway from the woods of Kamyaka, what did the sons of Pandu do in the\nabsence of that hero capable of drawing the bow with his left hand? It\nseemeth to me that mighty bowman and vanquisher of armies was their\nrefuge, as Vishnu of the celestials. How did my heroic grandsires pass\ntheir time in the forest, deprived of the company of that hero, who\nresembled Indra himself in prowess and never turned his back in battle?\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"After Arjuna of unbaffled prowess had gone away from\nKamyaka, the sons of Pandu, O son, were filled with sorrow and grief. And\nthe Pandavas with cheerless hearts very much resembled pearls unstrung\nfrom a wreath, or birds shorn of their wings. And without that hero of\nwhite steeds that forest looked like the Chaitraratha woods when deprived\nof the presence of Kuvera. And, O Janamejaya, those tigers among men--the\nsons of Pandu--deprived of the company of Arjuna, continued to live in\nKamyaka in perfect cheerlessness. And, O chief of the Bharata race, those\nmighty warriors endowed with great prowess slew with pure arrows various\nkinds of sacrificial animals for the Brahmanas. And those tigers among\nmen and repressors of foes, daily slaying those wild animals and\nsanctifying them properly, offered them unto the Brahmanas. And it was\nthus, O king, that those bulls among men afflicted with sorrow lived\nthere with cheerless hearts after Dhananjaya's departure. The princess of\nPanchala in particular, remembering her third lord, addressed the anxious\nYudhishthira and said, 'That Arjuna who with two hands rivals the\nthousand-armed Arjuna (of old), alas, without that foremost of the sons\nof Pandu, this forest doth not seem at all beautiful in my eyes. Without\nhim, whenever I cast my eyes, this earth seems to be forlorn. Even this\nforest with its blossoming trees and so full of wonders, without Arjuna\nseems not so delightful as before. Without him who is like a mass of blue\nclouds (in hue), who hath the prowess of an infuriated elephant, and\nwhose eyes are like the leaves of the lotus, this Kamyaka forest doth not\nseem beautiful to me. Remembering that hero capable of drawing the bow\nwith his left hand, and the twang of whose bow sounds like the roar of\nthunder, I cannot feel any happiness, O king!' And, O monarch, hearing\nher lament in this strain, that slayer of hostile heroes, Bhimasena,\naddressed Draupadi in these words, 'O blessed lady of slender waist, the\nagreeable words thou utterest delight my heart like the quaffing of\nnectar. Without him whose arms are long and symmetrical, and stout and\nlike unto a couple of iron maces and round and marked by the scars of the\nbow-strings and graced with the bow and sword and other weapons and\nencircled with golden bracelets and like unto a couple of five-headed\nsnakes, without that tiger among men the sky itself seemeth to be without\nthe sun. Without that mighty-armed one relying upon whom the Panchalas\nand the Kauravas fear not the sternly-exerting ranks of the celestials\nthemselves, without that illustrious hero relying upon whose arms we all\nregard our foes as already vanquished and the earth itself as already\nconquered, without that Phalguna I cannot obtain any peace in the woods\nof Kamyaka. The different directions also, wherever I cast my eyes,\nappear to be empty!'\n\n\"After Bhima had concluded, Nakula the son of Pandu, with voice choked\nwith tears, said, 'Without him whose extraordinary deeds on the field of\nbattle constitute the talk of even the gods, without that foremost of\nwarriors, what pleasure can we have in the woods? Without him who having\ngone towards the north had vanquished mighty Gandharva chiefs by\nhundreds, and who having obtained numberless handsome horses of the\nTittiri and Kalmasha species all endowed with the speed of the wind,\npresented them from affection unto his brother the king, on the occasion\nof the great Rajasuya sacrifice, without that dear and illustrious one,\nwithout that terrible warrior born after Bhima, without that hero equal\nunto a god I do not desire to live in the Kamyaka woods any longer.'\n\n\"After Nakula's lamentations, Sahadeva said, 'He who having vanquished\nmighty warriors in battle won wealth and virgins and brought them unto\nthe king on the occasion of the great Rajasuya sacrifice, that hero of\nimmeasurable splendour who having vanquished single-handed the assembled\nYadavas in battle, ravished Subhadra with the consent of Vasudeva, he,\nwho having invaded the dominion of the illustrious Drupada gave, O\nBharata, unto the preceptor Drona his tuition fee--beholding, O king,\nthat Jishnu's bed of grass empty in our asylum, my heart refuses\nconsolation. A migration from this forest is what, O represser of foes, I\nwould prefer for without that hero this forest cannot be delightful.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXXI\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Hearing these words of his brothers as also of\nKrishna, all of whom were anxious on account of Dhananjaya, king\nYudhishthira, the just, became melancholy. And at that time he saw\n(before him) the celestial Rishi Narada blazing with Brahmi beauty and\nlike unto a fire flaming up in consequence of sacrificial libation. And\nbeholding him come, king Yudhishthira with his brothers stood up and duly\nworshipped the illustrious one. And endued with blazing energy, the\nhandsome chief of the Kuru race, surrounded by his brothers, shone like\nthe god of a hundred sacrifices encircled by the celestials. And\nYajnaseni in obedience to the dictates of morality adhered to her lords,\nthe sons of Pritha, like Savitri to the Vedas or the rays of the Sun to\nthe peak of Meru. And the illustrious Rishi Narada, accepting that\nworship, comforted the son of Dharma in proper terms. And, O sinless one,\naddressing the high-souled king Yudhishthira, the just, the Rishi said,\n'Tell me, O foremost of virtuous men, what it is that thou seekest and\nwhat I can do for thee. At this, the royal son of Dharma bowing with his\nbrothers unto Narada, who was the revered of the celestials, told him\nwith joined hands, 'O thou that art highly blessed and worshipped by all\nthe worlds when thou art gratified with me, I regard all my wishes in\nconsequence of thy grace, as already fulfilled, O thou of excellent vows!\nIf, O sinless one, I with my brothers deserve thy favour, it behoveth\nthee, O best of Munis, to dispel the doubt that is in my mind. It\nbehoveth thee to tell me in detail what merit is his that goeth round the\nworlds, desirous of beholding the sacred waters and shrines that are on\nit.'\"\n\n\"Narada said, 'Listen, O king, with attention, to what the intelligent\nBhishma had heard before from Pulastya! Once, O blessed one, that\nforemost of virtuous men, Bhishma, while in the observance of the Pitrya\nvow, lived, O king, in the company of Munis in a delightful and sacred\nregion, near the source of the Ganga, that is resorted to by the\ncelestial Rishis and Gandharvas and the celestials themselves. And while\nliving there, the resplendent one gratified with his oblations the\nPitris, the gods and the Rishis, according to the rites inculcated in the\nscriptures. And once on a time while the illustrious one was engaged in\nhis silent recitations, he beheld Pulastya--that best of Rishis, of\nwonderful appearance. And beholding that austere ascetic blazing with\nbeauty, he was filled with great delight and exceeding wonder. And, O\nBharata, that foremost of virtuous men, Bhishma, then worshipped that\nblessed Rishi according to the rites of the ordinance. And purifying\nhimself and with rapt attention, he approached that best of Brahmarshis,\nwith the Arghya on his head. And uttering aloud his name, he said, 'O\nthou of excellent vow, blessed be thou, I am Bhishma, thy slave. At sight\nof thee, I am freed from all my sins.' And saying this, that foremost of\nvirtuous men, Bhishma, restraining speeches stood, O Yudhishthira, in\nsilence and with joined hands. And beholding Bhishma that foremost of the\nKurus, reduced and emaciated by the observance of vows and the study of\nthe Vedas, the Muni became filled with joy.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXXII\n\n\"Pulastya said, 'O thou of excellent vows, I have been much gratified\nwith thy humility, thy self-control, and thy truth, thou blessed one\nversed in morality! O sinless one, it is for this virtue of thine which\nthou hast acquired from regard to thy ancestors, that I have been\ngratified with thee and thou hast, O son, obtained a sight of my person.\nO Bhishma. my eyes can penetrate into everything. Tell me what I may do\nfor thee. O sinless one, O thou foremost of the Kuru race, I will grant\nthee whatever thou mayst ask me.'\n\n\"Bhishma said, 'O highly blessed one, when thou who art worshipped by the\nthree worlds hast been gratified with me and when I have obtained a sight\nof thy exalted self, I regard myself as already crowned with success.\nBut, O thou foremost of virtuous persons, if I have deserved thy favour,\nI will tell thee my doubts and it behoveth thee to dispel them, O holy\none, I have some religious doubts in respect of tirthas. Speak of those\nto me in detail, I desire to hear thee. O thou that resemblest a\ncelestial himself, what is his merit, O regenerate Rishi, who goeth round\nthe whole earth (visiting shrines). O tell me this with certainty.\"\n\n\"Pulastya said, 'O son, listen with attention. I will tell thee of the\nmerit which attacheth to tirthas and which constituth the refuge of the\nRishis. He whose hands and feet and mind and knowledge and asceticism and\nacts are under wholesome control, enjoyeth the fruits of tirthas. He who\nhas ceased to accept gifts, he that is contented, he that is free from\npride enjoys the fruits of tirthas. He that is without sin, he that acts\nwithout purpose, he that eats light, he that has his senses under\ncontrol, he that is free from every sin, enjoys the fruits of tirthas. O\nking, he that is free from anger, he that adhereth to truth, he that is\nfirm in vows, he that regardeth all creatures as his own self, enjoyeth\nthe fruits of tirthas. In the Vedas the Rishis have declared in due order\nthe sacrifices and also their fruits here and hereafter truly. O lord of\nearth, those sacrifices cannot be accomplished by him that is poor, for\nthose sacrifices require various materials and diverse things in large\nmeasures. These, therefore can be performed by kings or sometimes by\nother men of prosperity and wealth. O lord of men, that rite, however,\nwhich men without wealth, without allies, singly, without wife and\nchildren, and destitute of means, are capable of accomplishing and the\nmerit of which is equal unto the sacred fruits of sacrifices, I will now\ndeclare unto thee, thou best of warriors! O thou best of the Bharata\nrace, sojourns in tirthas which are meritorious and which constitute one\nof the high mysteries of the Rishis, are even superior to sacrifices. He\nis a poor man who having gone to a tirtha hath not fasted for three\nnights, who hath not given away gold, and who hath not distributed kine.\nIndeed, one acquireth not, by the performance of the Agnishtoma and other\nsacrifices distinguished by large gifts, that merit which one requireth\nby a sojourn to a tirtha. In the world of men, there is that tirtha of\nthe God of gods, celebrated over the three worlds by the name of\nPushkara. One that sojourneth there becometh equal unto that deity. O\nhigh-souled son of the Kuru race, during the two twilights and mid-day\nthere is the presence of hundred thousand millions of tirthas in\nPushkara. The Adityas, the Vasus, the Rudras, the Sadhyas, the Maruts,\nthe Gandharvas, and the Apsaras are ever present, O exalted one, in\nPushkara. It was there, O king, that the gods, the Daityas and\nBrahmarshis, having performed ascetic devotions there, obtained great\nmerit and finally attained to god-hood.'\"\n\n\"Men of self-control, by even thinking mentally of Pushkara, are cleansed\nfrom their sins, and regarded in heaven. O king, the illustrious\ngrand-sire having the lotus for his seat, had dwelt with great pleasure\nin this tirtha. O blessed one, it was in Pushkara that the gods with the\nRishis having acquired of old great merit, finally obtained the highest\nsuccess. The person who, devoted to the worship of the gods and the\nPitris, batheth in this tirtha, obtaineth, it hath been said by the wise,\nmerit that is equal to ten times that of the horse-sacrifice. Having gone\nto the Pushkara woods, he that feedeth even one Brahmana, becometh happy\nhere and hereafter, O Bhishma, for that act. He that supporteth himself\non vegetables and roots and fruits, may with pious regard and without\ndisrespect, give even such fare to a Brahmana. And, O best of kings, the\nman of wisdom, even by such a gift, will acquire the merit of a\nhorse-sacrifice. Those illustrious persons among Brahmanas or Kshatriyas\nor Vaisyas or Sudras that bathe in Pushkara are freed from the obligation\nof rebirth. That man in special who visits Pushkara on the full moon of\nthe month of Karttika, acquireth ever-lasting regions in the abode of\nBrahma. He that thinketh with joined hands morning and evening, of the\nPushkara, practically batheth, O Bharata, in every tirtha. Whether a male\nor a female, whatever sins one may commit since birth, are all destroyed\nas soon as one batheth in Pushkara. As the slayer of Madhu is the\nforemost of all the celestials, so is Pushkara, O king, the foremost of\nall tirthas. A man by residing with purity and regulated vows for twelve\nyears in Pushkara, acquireth the merit of all the sacrifices, and goeth\nto the abode of Brahma. The merit of one who performeth the Agni-hotra\nfor full one hundred years, is equal to that of him who resideth for the\nsingle month of Karttika in Pushkara. There are three white hillocks and\nthree springs known from the remotest times, we do not know why, by the\nname of the Pushkara. It is difficult to go to Pushkara; it is difficult\nto undergo ascetic austerities at Pushkara; it is difficult to give away\nat Pushkara; and it is difficult to live at Pushkara.\"\n\n\"Having dwelt for twelve nights at Pushkara with regulated diet and vows,\nand having walked round (the place), one must go to Jamvu-marga. One that\ngoeth to Jamvu-marga which is resorted to by the celestials, the Rishis,\nand the Pitris, acquireth the merit of the horse-sacrifice and the\nfruition of all his wishes. The man that resideth there for five nights,\nhath his soul cleansed from all sins. He never sinketh into hell, but\nacquireth high success. Leaving Jamvu-marga one must go to\nTandulikasrama. He that goeth there never sinketh into hell but ascendeth\nto the abode of Brahma. He that goeth to the lake of Agastya and\noccupieth himself with the worship of the Pitris and celestials, fasting\nfor three nights, acquireth, O king, the fruit of the Agnishtoma. Going\nthither, he that liveth on vegetables or fruits acquireth the status\ncalled Kaumara. One should next proceed to the beautiful asylum of Kanwa,\nwhich is worshipped by the whole world. That sacred wood characterised by\nholiness, existeth, O bull of the Bharata race, from very remote times.\nAs soon as one entereth it, he is freed from all his sins. He who with\nregulated diet and vows worshippeth the Pitris and the gods there,\nobtaineth the fruit of a sacrifice that is capable of bestowing the\nfruition of all one's desires. Having walked round this asylum one must\nthen go to the spot where Yayati fell (from heaven). He that goeth\nthither, acquireth the merit of a horse-sacrifice. One must then go to\nMahakala with regulated diet and senses subdued. And having bathed in the\ntirtha called Koti, one obtaineth the merit of a horse-sacrifice. A\nvirtuous man should next proceed to the tirtha of Sthanu, the husband of\nUma, known over the three worlds by the name of Bhadravata. That best of\nmen who goeth to Bhadravata, beholdeth Isana and obtaineth the fruit of a\ngift of a thousand kine. And through the grace of Mahadeva, he acquireth\nthe status of Ganapatya blessed with prosperity and peace and high grace.\nHaving arrived then at the Narmada, that river celebrated over the three\nworlds, and given oblations of water to the Pitris and the gods, one\nacquireth the fruit of the horse-sacrifice. He that goeth into the\nSouthern ocean, practising the Brahmacharya mode of life, and with senses\nsubdued, acquireth the fruit of the Agnishtoma sacrifice and ascendeth to\nheaven. Having arrived at Charmanwati, with regulated diet and senses\nsubdued, one acquireth, at the command of Rantideva, the merit of the\nAgnishtoma sacrifice. One must then go, O virtuous chief of warriors, to\nArvuda, the son of Himavat, where there was a hole through the earth in\ndays of yore. There is the asylum of Vasistha, celebrated over the three\nworlds. Having resided for one night, one obtaineth the merit of the gift\nof a thousand kine. He that, leading a Brahmacharya mode of life batheth\nin the tirtha called Pinga, obtaineth, O tiger among kings, the merit of\nthe gift of a hundred Kapila kine. One must next go, O king, to that\nexcellent tirtha called Prabhasa. There Hutasana is always present in his\nown person. He, the friend of Pavana, O hero, is the mouth of all the\ngods. The man that with subdued and sanctified soul batheth in that\ntirtha, obtaineth merit greater than that of the Agnishtoma or Atiratra\nsacrifices. Proceeding next to the spot where the Saraswati mingleth with\nthe sea, one obtaineth the fruit of the gift of a thousand kine and\nheaven also besides, O bull of the Bharata race, blazing forth for all\ntime like Agni himself. He that with subdued soul batheth in the tirtha\nof the king of waters, and giveth oblations of water unto the Pitris and\nthe gods, living there for three nights, blazeth forth like the Moon, and\nobtaineth also the fruit of the horse-sacrifice. One should next proceed,\nO best of the Bharata, unto the tirtha known by the name of Varadana,\nwhere (the Rishi) Durvasa had given a boon unto Vishnu. A man by bathing\nin Varadana obtaineth the fruit of the gift of a thousand kine. One\nshould next proceed with subdued senses and regulated diet to Dwaravati,\nwhere by bathing in Pindaraka, one obtaineth the fruit of the gift of\ngold in abundance. O blessed one, it is wonderful to relate that in that\ntirtha, to this day, coins with the mark of the lotus and lotuses also\nwith the mark of the trident, are seen. O represser of heroes! And O bull\namong men, the presence of Mahadeva is there. Arriving then, O Bharata,\nat the spot where the Sindhu mingleth with the sea, one should with\nsubdued soul bathe in that tirtha of Varuna. And bathing there and giving\noblations of water to the Pitris, the Rishis, and the gods one acquireth,\nO bull of the Bharata race, the region of Varuna, and blazeth forth in\neffulgence of his own. Men of wisdom say that, by worshipping the god\nknown by the name of Shankukarneswara, one acquireth ten times the merit\nof the horse-sacrifice. O bull of the Bharata race, having walked round\nthat tirtha, one should, O thou foremost of the Kurus, go to that tirtha\ncelebrated over the three worlds and known by the name of Drimi. That\ntirtha cleanseth from every sin, and it is there that the gods including\nBrahma worship Maheswara. Having bathed there and worshipped Rudra\nsurrounded by the other gods, one is freed from all sins since birth. It\nwas there, O best of men, that Drimi was adored by all the gods. Bathing\nthere, O best of men, one obtaineth the fruit of the horse-sacrifice. O\nthou of great intelligence, Vishnu the creator of the universe, after\nslaying the Daityas and Danavas, went thither to purify himself. O\nvirtuous one, one should next proceed to Vasudhara adored by all. The\nmoment one arrives at that tirtha, one acquireth the fruit of the\nhorse-sacrifice. And, O thou best of the Kurus, by bathing there with\nsubdued soul and rapt attention, and giving oblations of water unto the\ngods and the Pitris one ascendeth unto the region of Vishnu and is adored\nthere. In that tirtha, O bull of the Bharata race, there is a sacred lake\nof the Vasus. By bathing there and drinking of its water, one becometh\nregarded of the Vasus. There is a celebrated tirtha of the name of\nSindhuttama, which destroyeth every sin. O best of men, by bathing there,\none acquireth the fruit of the gift of gold in abundance. By arriving at\nBhadratunga with sanctified soul and purity of conduct, one acquireth the\nregion of Brahma and a high state of blessedness. There is then the\ntirtha of the Kumarikas of Indra, that is much resorted to by the\nSiddhas. O best of men, by bathing there, one obtaineth the region of\nIndra. In Kumarika there is another tirtha called Renuka, which is also\nresorted to by the Siddhas. A Brahmana by bathing there would become as\nbright as the Moon. Proceeding next to the tirtha called the Panchananda,\nwith subdued sense and regulated diet, one obtaineth the fruit of the\nfive sacrifices that have been mentioned one after another in the\nscriptures. Then, O king, one should go to the excellent region of Bhima.\nO best of the Bharatas by bathing in the tirtha there, that is called\nYoni, a man (in his next birth) becometh, O king, the son of a goddess,\nbearing ear-rings decked with pearls, and obtaineth also the merit of the\ngift of a hundred thousand kine. Proceeding next to Srikunda, celebrated\nover the three worlds and worshipping the grandsire, one obtaineth the\nfruit of the gift of a thousand kine. O virtuous one, one should then go\nto the excellent tirtha called Vimala, where to this day may be seen\nfishes of golden and silver hues. By bathing there, one soon acquireth\nthe region of Vasava, and his soul being cleansed from every sin, he\nattaineth to a high state of blessedness. Proceeding next to Vitasta and\ngiving oblations of water unto the Pitris and the gods, a man, O Bharata,\nobtaineth the fruit of the Vajapeya sacrifice. That sin-destroying tirtha\nknown by the name of Vitasta, is situate in the country of the Kasmiras\nand is the abode of the Naga Takshaka. Bathing there, a man certainly\nobtaineth the fruit of the Vajapeya sacrifice, and his soul cleansed from\nevery sin, he attaineth to a high state of blessedness. One should next\nproceed to Vadava celebrated over the three worlds. Bathing there with\ndue rites in the evening, one should offer rice boiled in butter and\nmilk, according to the best of his might, unto the deity of seven flames.\nMen of wisdom say that a gift made here in honour of the Pitris, becometh\ninexhaustible. The Rishis, the Pitris, the gods, the Gandharvas, several\ntribes of Apsaras, the Guhyakas, the Kinnaras, the Yakshas, the Siddhas,\nthe Vidhyadharas, the Rakshasas, Daityas, Rudras, and Brahma himself, O\nking, having with subdued senses, accepted a course of austerities for a\nthousand years in order to move Vishnu to grace, cooked rice in milk and\nbutter and gratified Kesava with oblations, each offered with seven Riks.\nAnd, O king, the gratified Kesava thereupon conferred on them the\neight-fold attributes called Aiswarya and other objects that they\ndesired. And having bestowed upon them these, that god disappeared in\ntheir sight like lightning in the clouds. And it is for this, O Bharata,\nthat that tirtha became known by the name of Saptacharu, and if one\noffereth Charu there to the seven flamed deity, he obtaineth merit\nsuperior to that of the gift of a hundred thousand kine, to that of a\nhundred Rajasuya sacrifices, as also of a hundred horse-sacrifices.\nLeaving Vadava, O king, one should then proceed to Raudrapada, and\nbeholding Mahadeva there one obtaineth the merit of the horse-sacrifice.\nProceeding then, with subdued soul and leading a Brahmacharya mode of\nlife, to Manimat, and residing there for one night, one acquireth, O\nking, the merit of the Agnishtoma sacrifice. One should then go, O king,\nto Devika celebrated over the whole world. It was there, O bull of\nBharata race, that, as heard by us, the Brahmanas first sprang into\nexistence. There also is the region of the holder of the trident--a\nregion that is celebrated over the world. Having bathed in Devika and\nworshipped Maheswara by offering him, to the best of one's might, rice\nboiled in milk and butter, a man obtaineth, O bull of the Bharata race,\nthe merit of a sacrifice that is capable of filling every desire. There\nalso is another tirtha of Rudra called Kamakhya, which is much resorted\nto by the gods. Bathing there, a man speedily obtaineth success. By\ntouching also the water of Yajana. Brahmavaluka, and Pushpamva, one\nbecometh free from sorrow in after life. The learned have said that the\nsacred tirtha of Devika, the resort of the gods and the Rishis, is five\nYojanas in length and half a Yojana in breadth. One should then, in due\norder, proceed, O king, to Dirghasatra. There the gods with Brahma at\ntheir head, the Siddhas, and the greatest Rishis, with regulated vows and\nthe recitation and acceptance of the preliminary pledge, perform the\nlong-extending sacrifice. O king, by going only to Dirghasatra, O\nrepresser of foes, one obtaineth merit that is superior, O Bharata, to\nthat of the Rajasuya or the horse-sacrifice. One should next proceed with\nsubdued senses and regulated diet to Vinasana, where Saraswati\ndisappearing on the breast of Meru, re-appeareth at Chamasa, Shivodbheda\nand Nagadbheda. Bathing in Chamasadbheda, one obtaineth the merit of the\nAgnishtoma sacrifice. Bathing in Shivodbheda, one acquireth the merit of\nthe gift of a thousand kine. And bathing in Nagodbheda, one obtaineth the\nregion of the Nagas. One should proceed, next, to the inaccessible tirtha\nof Shasayana, where the cranes, O Bharata, disappearing in the form of\nsasas, re-appear every year in the month of Karttika, and bathe, O\nblessed chief of the Bharata race, in the Sarsawati. Bathing there, O\ntiger among men, one blazeth forth like the Moon, and obtaineth, O bull\nof the Bharata race, the merit of the gift of a thousand kine. One should\nnext proceed, O thou of the Kuru race, to Kumarakoti, with subdued\nsenses, and bathing there, worship the gods and the Puris. By doing this,\none obtaineth the merit of the gift of ten thousand kine, and raiseth all\nhis ancestors to higher regions. One should next, O virtuous one, proceed\nwith subdued soul to Rudrakoti, where in olden days, O king, ten millions\nof Munis had assembled. And, O king, filled with great joy at the\nprospect of beholding Mahadeva, the Rishis assembled there, each saying,\n'I will first behold the god! I will first behold the god!' And, O king,\nin order to prevent disputes amongst those Rishis of subdued souls, the\nLord of Yoga, by the help of his Yoga power, multiplied himself into ten\nmillion forms, and stood before every one of them. And every one of these\nRishis said, 'I have seen him first!' And gratified, O king, with the\ndeep devotion of those Munis of subdued souls, Mahadeva granted them a\nboon, saying, 'From this day your righteousness shall grow!' And, O tiger\namong men, one that bathes, with a pure mind, in Rudrakoti obtaineth the\nmerit of the horse-sacrifice and delivereth his ancestors. One should\nnext proceed, O king, to that highly sacred and celebrated region where\nthe Saraswati mingles with the sea. Thither, O king, the gods with Brahma\nat their head and Rishis with wealth of asceticism repair for adoring\nKesava on the fourteenth day of the lighted fortnight of the month of\nChaitra. Bathing there, O tiger among men, one obtaineth the merit of\ngiving away gold in abundance, and his soul being cleansed from every\nsin, he ascendeth to the region of Brahma. It is there, O king, that the\nRishis have completed many a sacrifice. By a trip to that spot one\nobtaineth the merit of the gifts of a thousand kine.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXXIII\n\n\"Pulastya said, 'One should next proceed, O king, to the adored\nKurukshetra at sight of which all creatures are freed from their sins. He\nis freed from all sins who constantly sayeth, 'I will live in\nKurukshetra.' The very dust of Kurukshetra, conveyed by the wind, leadeth\na sinful man to a blessed course (in after-life). They that dwell in\nKurukshetra which lieth to the south of the Saraswati and the north of\nthe Drishadwati, are said to dwell in heaven. O hero, one should reside\nthere, O thou foremost of warriors, for a month. There, O lord of earth,\nthe gods with Brahma at their head, the Rishis, the Siddhas, the\nCharanas, the Gandharvas, the Apsaras, the Yakshas and the Nagas, often\nrepair, O Bharata, to the highly sacred Brahmakshetra. O foremost of\nwarriors, the sins of one that desireth to repair to Kurukshetra even\nmentally are all destroyed, and he finally goeth into the region of\nBrahma. O son of the Kuru race, by repairing to Kurukshetra in a pious\nframe of mind, one obtaineth the fruit of the Rajasuya and horse\nsacrifices. By saluting next the Yaksha called Mankanaka, that mighty\ngate-keeper (of Kuvera), cue obtaineth the fruit of giving away a\nthousand kine. O virtuous king, one should next repair to the excellent\nregion of Vishnu, where Hari is always present. Bathing there and bowing\ndown unto Hari, the Creator of the three worlds, one obtaineth the fruit\nof the horse-sacrifice and repaireth to the abode of Vishnu. One should\nnext repair to Pariplava, that tirtha celebrated over the three worlds,\nand (bathing there), O Bharata, one obtaineth merit that is greater than\nthat of the Agnishtoma and the Atiratra sacrifices. Repairing next to the\ntirtha called Prithivi, one obtaineth the fruit of the gift of a thousand\nkine. The pilgrim should next, O king, proceed to Shalukini and bathing\nthere in the Dasaswamedha one obtaineth the merit of ten\nhorse-sacrifices. Proceeding next to Sarpadevi, that excellent tirtha of\nthe Nagas, one obtaineth the merit of the Agnishtoma sacrifice and\nattaineth to the region of the Nagas. O virtuous one, one should next\nproceed to Tarantuka, the gatekeeper, and residing there for one night\none obtaineth the merit of giving away a thousand kine. Proceeding next\nwith subdued senses and regulated diet to Panchananda and bathing in the\ntirtha there, called Koti, one obtaineth the fruit of the\nhorse-sacrifice. Proceeding then to the tirtha of the twin Aswins one\nobtaineth personal beauty. O virtuous one, one should next proceed to the\nexcellent tirtha called Varaha, where Vishnu formerly stood in the form\nof a boar. Bathing there one obtaineth, O foremost of men, the merit of\nthe horse-sacrifice. One should next, O king, repair to the tirtha called\nSama in Jayanti. Bathing there one obtaineth the merit of Rajasuya\nsacrifice. By bathing in Ekahansa, a man obtaineth the merit of giving\naway a thousand kine. O king, a pilgrim repairing to Kritasaucha\nobtaineth the lotus-eyed deity (Vishnu) and perfect purity of soul. One\nshould next proceed to Munjavata, that spot sacred to the illustrious\nSthanu. Residing there without food for one night, one obtaineth the\nstatus called Ganapatya. There, O king, is the celebrated tirtha called\nYakshini. O king, repairing to that tirtha and bathing there, one\nobtaineth fruition of all his desires. O bull of the Bharata race, that\ntirtha is regarded as the gate of Kurukshetra. The pilgrim should with\nconcentrated soul, walk round it. Equal unto the Pushkaras, it was\ncreated by the high-souled Rama, the son of Jamadagni. Bathing there and\nworshipping the Pitris and the gods, one obtaineth, O king, the merit of\nthe horse-sacrifice and becometh successful in everything. The pilgrim\nshould next repair with concentrated soul to the Rama-hrada. There, O\nking, the heroic Rama of resplendent energy, exterminating the Kshatriyas\nby his might, dug five lakes and filled them, O tiger among men, with the\nblood of his victims, as heard by us. And having filled those lakes with\nKshatriya blood, Rama offered oblations of blood to his sires and\ngrandsires. Gratified (with the oblations) those Rishis then addressed\nRama and said, 'O Rama, O Rama, O thou of great good fortune, we have\nbeen gratified with thee, O thou of the Bhrigu race, for this thy regard\nfor the Pitris, and thy prowess, O exalted one! Blessed be thou and ask\nthou the boon thou choosest. What is that thou desirest, O thou of great\nsplendour!' Thus addressed (by them), Rama, that foremost of smiters,\nsaid with joined hands these words unto the Pitris, stationed in the\nfirmament, 'If ye have been gratified with me, if I have deserved your\nfavour, I desire this favour of the Pitris, viz., that I may have\npleasure again in ascetic austerities. Let me also, through your power,\nbe freed from the sin I have committed by exterminating, from wrath, the\nKshatriya race. Let also my lakes become tirthas celebrated over the\nworld. The Pitris, hearing these blessed words of Rama, were highly\ngratified, and filled with joy they answered him saying, 'Let thy\nasceticism increase in consequence of thy regard for the Pitris. Thou\nhast exterminated the Kshatriyas from wrath. Freed art thou already from\nthat sin, for they have perished as a consequence of their own misdeeds.\nWithout doubt, these lakes of thine will become tirthas. And if one,\nbathing in these lakes, offereth oblations of the water thereof to the\nPitris, the latter gratified with him will grant him desire, difficult of\nfulfilment in the world as also eternal heaven.' O king, having granted\nhim these boons, the Pitris joyfully saluted Rama of the Bhrigu race and\ndisappeared there and then. It was thus that the lakes of the illustrious\nRama of the Bhrigu race became sacred. Leading a Brahmacharya mode of\nlife and observing sacred vows, one should bathe in the lakes of Rama.\nBathing therein and worshipping Rama, one obtaineth, O king, the merit of\ngift of gold in abundance. Proceeding next, O son of the Kuru race, to\nVansamulaka, a pilgrim by bathing there, raiseth, O king, his own race. O\nbest of the Bharatas, arriving next at the tirtha called Kayasodhana, and\nbathing there, one purifieth, without doubt, his body, and proceeded with\npurified body to the blessed region of unrivalled excellence. One should\nnext repair, O virtuous one, to that tirtha, celebrated over the three\nworlds, called Lokoddara, where formerly Vishnu of great prowess had\ncreated the worlds. Arriving at that tirtha which is adored by the three\nworlds one earneth, O king, by bathing there, numerous worlds for\nhimself. Repairing next with subdued soul to the tirtha called Sree, one\nacquires, by bathing there and worshipping the Pitris and the gods, high\nprosperity. Leading a Brahmacharya mode of life and with concentrated\nsoul, one should proceed next to the tirtha called Kapila. Bathing there\nand worshipping one's own Pitris and the gods, a man earneth the fruit of\nthe gift of a thousand Kapila kine. Repairing next to the tirtha called\nSurya and bathing there with subdued soul and worshipping the Pitris and\nthe gods, fasting all the while, one obtaineth the fruit of the\nAgnishtoma sacrifice and goeth (finally) to the region of the Sun. The\npilgrim by proceeding next to Gobhavana and bathing there obtaineth the\nmerit of the gift of a thousand kine. O son of the Kuru race, a pilgrim\nby repairing then to the tirtha called Shankhini and bathing in the\nDevi-tirtha that is there, obtaineth high prowess. O king, one should\nthen proceed to the tirtha called Tarandaka situated in the Saraswati and\nbelonging to the illustrious chief of the Yakshas who is one of the\ngate-keepers (of Kuvera). O king, bathing there one obtaineth the fruit\nof the Agnishtoma sacrifice. O virtuous king, one should next repair to\nthe tirtha called Brahmavarta. Bathing in Brahmavarta, one ascendeth to\nthe abode of Brahma. O king, one should then repair to the excellent\ntirtha called Sutirtha. There the Pitris are ever present along with the\ngods. One should bathe there and worship the Pitris and the gods. By so\ndoing, one obtaineth the merit of the horse-sacrifice and goeth (finally)\ninto the region of the Pitris. It is for this, O virtuous one, that\nSutirtha situate in Amvumati is regarded as so excellent. And, O thou\nbest of the Bharata race, having bathed in the tirtha of Kasiswara, one\nbecometh freed from all diseases and is adored in the abode of Brahma.\nThere, in that tirtha, is another called Matri. One that bathes in Matri\ntirtha hath a large progeny and obtaineth, O king, great prosperity. One\nshould next proceed with subdued sense and regulated diet to the tirtha\ncalled Shitavana. And, O great king, it hath been seen that one merit of\nthat tirtha which rarely belongs to any other, is that one only going\nthither obtaineth holiness. By casting off his hair in that tirtha one\nacquireth, O Bharata, great sanctity. There, in that tirtha, is another\ncalled Shwavillomapaha, where, O tiger among men, and chief of the\nBharata race, learned Brahmanas that go to tirthas obtain great\nsatisfaction by a dip into its waters. Good Brahmanas, O king, by casting\noff their hair in that tirtha acquire holiness by Pranayama and finally\nattain to a high state. There, O king, in that tirtha is also another\ncalled Dasaswamedhika. Bathing there, O tiger among men, one attains to a\nhigh state. One should next proceed, O king, to the celebrated tirtha\ncalled Manusha where, O king, a number of black antelopes afflicted by\nthe hunter's arrows, plunging into its waters, were transformed into\nhuman beings. Bathing in that tirtha, leading a Brahmacharya mode of life\nand with concentrated soul, a man becomes freed from all his sins and is\nadored in heaven. Distant by a krosa, O king, to the east of Manusha\nthere is a river celebrated by the name of Apaga that is restored to by\nthe Siddhas. The man that offereth there the syamaka grain in honour of\nthe gods and the Pitris acquireth great religious merit. And if one\nBrahmana is fed there, it becomes equivalent to feeding ten millions of\nBrahmanas. Having bathed in that tirtha and worshipped the gods and the\nPitris and resided there for one night, a man obtaineth the merit of the\nAgnishtoma sacrifice. One should then repair, O king, to that excellent\nregion of Brahma which, O Bharata, is known on earth by the name of\nBrahmodumvara. Bathing in the tank of the seven Rishis that is there, O\nbull among men, with pure mind and subdued soul, as also in the tirtha\ncalled Kedara of the high-souled Kapila, and beholding Brahma who is\nthere, one's soul being purified from all sins, one goeth to the abode of\nBrahma. Proceeding next to the inaccessible tirtha called Kedara of\nKapila, and burning one's sins there by ascetic penances, one acquireth\nthe power of disappearance at will. One should next proceed, O king, to\nthe celebrated tirtha called Saraka, and beholding Mahadeva there on the\nfourteenth day of the dark fortnight, one obtaineth all his wishes and\ngoeth also into heaven. O son of the Kuru race, in Saraka and Rudrakoti\nas also in the well and the lakes that are there, thirty millions of\ntirthas are present. There in that tirtha, O chief of the Bharatas, is\nanother called Ilaspada. Bathing there and worshipping the gods and the\nPitris, one never sinketh into hell but obtaineth the fruit of the\nVajapeya sacrifice. Repairing next to Kindana and Kinjapya, one\nacquireth, O Bharata, the merit of giving away in measureless abundance\nand the infinite recitation of prayers. Repairing next to the tirtha\ncalled Kalasi and bathing there devoutly and with the senses under\ncontrol, a man obtaineth the fruit of the Agnishtoma sacrifice. To the\neast of Saraka, O chief of the Kurus, there is an auspicious tirtha known\nby the name of Anajanma, of the high-souled Narada. He that bathes there,\nO Bharata, obtaineth, after death, at the command of Narada various\nunrivalled regions. One should next proceed, on the tenth day of the\nlighted fortnight, to the tirtha called Pundarika. Bathing there, O king,\none obtaineth the merit of the Pundarika sacrifice. One should next\nproceed to the tirtha called Tripishtapa that is known over the three\nworlds. There in that tirtha is the sacred and sin-destroying river\ncalled Vaitarani. Bathing there and adoring the god known by the mark of\nthe bull and holding the trident in his hand, one's soul being purified\nfrom every sin one attaineth to the highest state. One should next\nproceed, O king, to the excellent tirtha called Phalakivana. There in\nthat tirtha the gods, O monarch, having been present, performed their\nascetic austerities extending for many thousand years. One should then\nproceed to the Dhrishadwati. Bathing there and worshipping the gods, one\nobtaineth, O Bharata, merit that is superior to that of both the\nAgnishtoma and the Atiratra sacrifices. O chief of the Bharatas, bathing\nin that tirtha called Sarvadeva, a man obtaineth, O king, the merit of\ngiving away a thousand kine. Bathing next in the tirtha called Panikhata\nand worshipping all the gods, a man obtaineth merit that is superior to\nthat of both the Agnishtoma and the Atiratra sacrifices, besides\nacquiring that of the Rajasuya sacrifice and finally going into the\nregion of the Rishis. One should next proceed, O virtuous one, to that\nexcellent tirtha called Misraka. There, O tiger among kings, it hath been\nheard by us that the high-souled Vyasa, for the sake of the Brahmanas,\nhath mixed all the tirthas. He, therefore, that bathes in Misraka really\nbathes in all the tirtha. One should next proceed with subdued senses and\nregulated diet, to the tirtha called Vyasavana. Bathing in the tirtha\ncalled Manojava that is there, one obtaineth the merit of the gift of a\nthousand kine. Proceeding next to the Devi tirtha that is in Madhuvati,\none that bathes there and worships the gods and the Pitris obtains at the\ncommand of the Goddess the merit of the gift of a thousand kine.\nProceeding with regulated diet, he that bathes in the confluence of the\nKausiki and the Drishadwati, becometh free from all his sins. One should\nnext proceed to Vyasasthali where Vyasa of great intelligence, burning\nwith grief for his son had resolved to cast off his body but was cheered\nagain by the gods. Proceeding to that spot of Vyasa, one obtaineth the\nmerit of a thousand kine. O son of the Kuru race, proceeding next to the\nwell called Kindatta, he that throweth into it a measure of sesame, is\nfreed from all his debts and obtaineth his success. Bathing in the tirtha\ncalled Vedi, one obtaineth the merit of the gift of a thousand kine.\nThere are two other celebrated tirthas called Ahas and Sudina. Bathing\nthere, O tiger among men, one goeth to the region of the Sun. One should\nnext proceed to the tirtha called Mrigadhuma that is celebrated\nthroughout the three worlds. One should bathe there, O king, in Ganga.\nBathing there and worshipping Mahadeva, one obtaineth the merit of the\nhorse-sacrifice. Bathing next in the Devi tirtha one obtaineth the merit\nof the gift of a thousand kine. One should then proceed to Vamanaka\ncelebrated over the three worlds. Bathing there in Vishnupada and\nworshipping Vamana one's soul being purified from every sin, one goeth to\nthe abode of Vishnu. Bathing next in Kulampuna, one sanctifieth his own\nrace. Proceeding then to the Pavana-hrada, that excellent tirtha of the\nMarutas, and bathing there, O king and tiger among men, one becometh\nadored in the region of the Wind-god. Bathing in the Amara-hrada and\nworshipping with devotion the chief of the celestials, one becometh\nadored in heaven and courseth, seated on an excellent car, in the company\nof the immortals. O best of great men, bathing next with due rites in the\ntirtha called Sali surya, of Salihotra, one obtaineth the merit of the\ngift of a thousand kine. O best of the Bharatas, there is a tirtha called\nSreekunja in the Saraswati. Bathing there, O best of men, one obtaineth\nthe merit of the Agnishtoma sacrifice. O son of the Kuru race, one should\nnext repair to Naimishakunja. O king, the Rishis engaged in ascetic\nausterities in the woods of Naimisha had, in days of old, taking the vow\nof pilgrimage, gone to Kurukshetra. There, on the banks of the Saraswati,\nO chief of the Bharatas, a grove was made, which might serve for a\nresting spot for themselves, and which was highly gratifying to them.\nBathing in the Saraswati there, one obtaineth the merit of the Agnishtoma\nsacrifice. One should next proceed, O virtuous one, to the excellent\ntirtha called Kanya. Bathing there one obtaineth the merit of the gift of\na thousand kine. One should next proceed to the excellent tirtha of\nBrahma. Bathing there, a person, of the (three) inferior orders,\nobtaineth the status of a Brahmana, and if one be a Brahmana, his soul\nbeing purified from every sin, he attaineth to the highest state. One\nshould then, O best of men, proceed to the excellent tirtha called Soma.\nBathing there, O king, one obtaineth the region of Soma. One should next\nproceed, O king, to the tirtha called Saptasaraswata, where the\ncelebrated Rishi, Mankanaka, had obtained ascetic success. O king, it\nhath been heard by us that in days of old Mankanaka having cut his hand\nwith the pointed blade of the Kusa grass, there flowed from his wound\nvegetable juice (instead of blood). And beholding vegetable juice flow\nfrom his wound, the Rishi began to dance with wonder-expanded eyes. And\nas the Rishi danced, all the mobile and immobile creatures also,\noverwhelmed with his prowess, began to dance with him. Then, O king, the\ngods with Brahma at their head and Rishis endued with the wealth of\nasceticism moved by the act of Mankanaka, represented the matter to\nMahadeva, saying, 'It behoveth thee, O god, to act in such a way that\nthis Rishi may not dance.' Thus addressed, Mahadeva, with heart filled\nwith joy, approached the dancing Rishi, and moved by the desire of doing\ngood to the gods, said, 'O great Rishi, O virtuous one, why dost thou\ndance? O bull among Munis, what can be the reason of this thy present\njoy?' The Rishi answered, 'O best of Brahmanas, I am an ascetic that\ntread the path of virtue. Dost thou not behold, O Brahmana, that\nvegetable juice floweth from the wound in my hand? Filled with great joy\nat sight of this, I am dancing.' Addressing the Rishi blinded by emotion,\nthe god laughingly said, 'O Brahmana, I do not wonder at this. Behold\nme.' Having said this, O best of men, Mahadeva, O sinless king, pressed\nhis thumb by the tip of his own finger. And, lo, from the wound thus\ninflicted, there came out ashes white as snow. And beholding this, O\nking, that Muni became ashamed and fell at the feet of the god. And\nbelieving that there was nothing better and greater than the god Rudra,\nhe began to adore him in these words:\n\n\"O holder of the trident, thou art the refuge of the celestials and the\nAsuras, of, indeed, the universe. By thee have been created the three\nworlds with their mobile and immobile beings. It is thou again that\nswallowest everything at the end of the Yuga. Thou art incapable of being\nknown by the gods themselves, far less by me. O sinless one, the gods\nwith Brahma at their heads are all displayed in thee. Thou art all, the\nCreator himself and the Ordainer of the worlds. It is by thy grace that\nall the gods sport without anxiety or fear. And adoring Mahadeva thus the\nRishi also said, 'O god of gods, grant me thy grace, so that my\nasceticism may not diminish.' Then that god of cheerful soul answered the\nregenerate Rishi,--saying, 'Let thy asceticism, O Brahmana, increase a\nthousandfold through my grace. And, O great Muni, I shall dwell with thee\nin this thy asylum. Bathing in Saptasaraswata, they that will worship me,\nshall be able to attain everything here and hereafter. And, without\ndoubt, they shall all attain to the Saraswata region in the end.' Having\nsaid this, Mahadeva disappeared then and there.\n\n\"After visiting Saraswata, one should proceed to Ausanasa celebrated over\nthe three worlds. There, O Bharata, the gods with Brahma at their head,\nand Rishis endued with wealth of asceticism, and the illustrious\nKartikeya, were ever present during two twilights and the mid-day,\nimpelled by the desire of doing good to Bhargava. There in that tirtha is\nanother called Kapalamochana, which cleanseth from every sin. O tiger\namong men, bathing there one is cleansed from every sin. One should then\nproceed to the tirtha called Agni. Bathing there, O bull among men, one\nobtaineth the regions of agni and raiseth his own race (from lower\nregions). There in that tirtha is another, O chief of the Bharatas, that\nbelongeth to Viswamitra. Bathing there, O best of men, one obtaineth the\nstatus of a Brahmana. Proceeding next to Brahmayoni in purity of body and\nwith subdued soul, one obtaineth, O tiger among men, by bathing there,\nthe abode of Brahma, and sanctifieth, without doubt, his own race to the\nseventh generation up and down. One should next proceed, O king, to the\ntirtha celebrated over the three worlds, which is called Prithudaka,\nbelonging to Kartikeya. One should bathe there and occupy oneself in the\nworship of the Pitris and the gods. Whatever evil hath been committed,\nknowingly or unknowingly, by man or woman, impelled by human motives, is\nall destroyed, O Bharata, by a bath in that tirtha. Bathing there one\nobtaineth, too, the merit of the horse-sacrifice and heaven also. The\nlearned have said that Kurukshetra is holy; that holier than Kurukshetra\nis the Saraswati; that holier than the Saraswati are all the tirthas\ntogether, and that holier than all the tirthas together is Prithudaka. He\nthat engaged in the recitation of prayers casteth off his body at\nPrithudaka, which is the best of all tirthas, becometh an immortal. It\nhath been sung by Sanatkumara and by the high-souled Vyasa, and it is in\nthe Vedas also, that one should, O king, go to Prithudaka, with subdued\nsoul. O son of Kuru race, there is no tirtha which is superior to\nPrithudaka. Without doubt, that tirtha is purifying, holy and\nsin-destroying. O best of men, it hath been said by learned persons that\nmen, however sinful, by bathing in Prithudaka, go to heaven. O best of\nthe Bharatas, there in that tirtha is another called Madhusrava. Bathing\nthere, O king, one obtaineth the merit of giving away a thousand kine.\nOne should then proceed, O king, to that celebrated and sacred tirtha\nwhere the Saraswati uniteth with the Aruna. One that batheth there,\nhaving fasted for three nights, is cleansed of even the sin of slaying a\nBrahmana, and obtaineth also merit that is superior to that of either the\nAgnishtoma or Atiratra sacrifice, and rescueth his race to the seventh\ngeneration up and down. There in that tirtha is another, O perpetuator of\nthe Kuru race, that is called Ardhakila. From compassion for the\nBrahmanas, that tirtha was made by Darbhi in days of old. Without doubt,\nby vows, by investiture of the sacred, by fasts, by rites and by Mantras,\none becometh a Brahmana. O bull among men, it hath been seen, however, by\nlearned persons of old that even one destitute of rites and Mantras, by\nonly bathing in that tirtha becometh learned and endued with the merit of\nvows. Darbhi had also brought hither the four oceans. O best of men, one\nthat batheth here, never meeteth with distress hereafter and obtaineth\nalso the merit of giving away four thousand kine. One should next repair,\nO virtuous one, to the tirtha called Satasahasraka. Near to this is\nanother called Sahasraka. Both are celebrated, and one that batheth in\nthem, obtaineth the merit of giving away a thousand kine. Fasts and gifts\nthere multiply a thousandfold. One should next proceed, O king, to the\nexcellent tirtha called Renuka. One should bathe there and worship the\nPitris and the gods. By this, cleansed from every sin, he obtaineth the\nmerit of the Agnishtoma sacrifice. Bathing next in the tirtha called\nVimochana with passions and senses under control, one is cleansed from\nall the sins generated by the acceptance of gifts. With senses under\ncontrol and practising the Brahmacharya mode of life, one should next\nrepair to the woods of Panchavati. By a sojourn thither, one earneth much\nvirtue and becometh adored in the regions of the virtuous. One should\nnext go to the tirtha of Varuna called Taijasa, blazing in effulgence of\nits own. There in that tirtha is the lord of Yoga, Sthanu himself, having\nfor his vehicle the bull. He that sojourneth there, obtaineth success by\nworshipping the god of gods. It was there that the gods with Brahma at\ntheir head and Rishis endued with wealth of asceticism, installed Guha as\nthe generalissimo of the celestials. To the east of that tirtha is\nanother, O perpetuator of Kuru race, that is called Kuru tirtha. With\nsenses under control and leading a Brahmacharya mode of life, he that\nbathes in Kuru-tirtha, becometh cleansed of all his sins and obtaineth\nthe region of Brahma. With subdued senses and regulated diet one should\nnext proceed to Svargadwara. Sojourning thither, one obtaineth the merit\nof the Agnishtoma sacrifice and goeth to the abode of Brahma. The pilgrim\nshould then, O king, proceed to the tirtha called Anaraka. Bathing there,\nO king, one never meeteth with distress hereafter. There, O king, Brahma\nhimself with the other gods having Narayana at their head, is ever\npresent, O tiger among men! And, O royal son of the Kuru race, the wife\nalso of Rudra is present there. Beholding the goddess, one never meeteth\nwith distress hereafter. There in that tirtha O king, is also (an image\nof) Visweswara, the lord of Uma. Beholding the god of gods there, one is\ncleansed of all his sins. Beholding also (the image of) Narayana from\nwhose navel had sprung the lotus, one blazeth forth, O royal represser of\nall foes, and goeth to the abode of Vishnu. O bull among men, he that\nbatheth in the tirthas of all the gods, is exempted from every sorrow and\nblazeth forth like the Moon. The pilgrim should next proceed, O king, to\nSwastipura. By walking around that place, one obtaineth the merit of\ngiving away a thousand kine. Arriving next at the tirtha called Pavana,\none should offer oblations to the Pitris and the gods. By this, he\nobtaineth, O Bharata, the merit of the Agnishtoma sacrifice. Near to that\nis Ganga-hrada, and another, O Bharata, called Kupa. Thirty millions of\ntirthas, O king, are present in that Kupa. Bathing there, O king, a\nperson obtaineth heaven. Bathing also in the Ganga-hrada and adoring\nMaheswara, one obtaineth the status of Ganapatya and rescueth his own\nrace. One should next proceed to Sthanuvata, celebrated over the three\nworlds. Bathing there, O king, one obtaineth heaven. One should then\nproceed to Vadaripachana, the asylum of Vasishtha. Having tasted there\nfor three nights, one should eat jujubes. He that liveth on jujubes for\ntwelve years, and he that fasteth at the tirtha for three nights,\nacquireth merit that is eternal. Arriving then at Indramarga, O king, and\nfasting there for a day and night the pilgrim becometh adored in the\nabode of Indra. Arriving next at the tirtha called Ekaratra, a person\nthat stayeth there for one night, with regulated vows and refraining from\nuntruth, becometh adored in the abode of Brahma. One should next go, O\nking, to the asylum of Aditya--that illustrious god who is a mass of\neffulgence. Bathing in that tirtha celebrated over three worlds, and\nworshipping the god of light, one goeth to the region of Aditya and\nrescueth his own race. The pilgrim then, O king, bathing in the tirtha of\nSoma, obtaineth, without doubt, the region of Soma. One should next\nproceed, O virtuous one, to the most sacred tirtha of the illustrious\nDadhicha, that sanctifying tirtha which is celebrated over the whole\nworld. It was here that Angiras, that ocean of ascetic austerities\nbelonging to the Saraswata race, was born, Bathing in that tirtha, one\nobtaineth the merit of the horse-sacrifice, and without doubt, gaineth\nalso residence in the legion of Saraswati. With subdued senses and\nleading a Brahmacharya mode of life, one should next proceed to\nKanyasrama. Residing there for three nights, O king, with subdued senses\nand regulated diet, one obtaineth a hundred celestial damsels and goeth\nalso to the abode of Brahma. One should next, O virtuous one, proceed to\nthe tirtha called Sannihati. Sojourning thither the gods with Brahma at\ntheir head and Rishis endued with wealth of asceticism earn much virtue.\nBathing in the Saraswati during a solar eclipse, one obtaineth the merit\nof a hundred horse-sacrifices, and any sacrifice that one may perform\nthere produceth merit that is eternal. Whatever tirthas exist on earth or\nin the firmament, all the rivers, lakes, smaller lakes, springs, tanks,\nlarge and small, and spots sacred to particular gods, without doubt, all\ncome, O tiger among men, month after month, and mingle with Sannihati, O\nking of men! And it is because that all other tirthas are united together\nhere, that this tirtha is so called. Bathing there and drinking of its\nwater, one becometh adored in heaven. Listen now, O king, to the merit\nacquired by that mortal who performeth a Sraddha on the day of the new\nmoon during a solar eclipse. The person that performeth a Sraddha there,\nafter having bathed in that tirtha, obtaineth the merit that one earneth\nby properly celebrating a thousand horse-sacrifices. Whatever sins a man\nor woman committeth, are, without doubt, all destroyed as soon as one\nbatheth in that tirtha. Bathing there one also ascendeth to the abode of\nBrahma on the lotus-coloured tar. Bathing next in Koti-tirtha, after\nhaving worshipped the Yaksha doorkeeper, Machakruka, one obtaineth the\nmerit of giving away gold in abundance. Near to this, O best of the\nBharatas, is a tirtha called Gangahrada. One should bathe there, O\nvirtuous one, with subdued soul and leading a Brahmacharya mode of life.\nBy this, one obtaineth merit that is greater than that of a Rajasuya and\nhorse-sacrifices. The tirtha called Naimisha is productive of good on\nearth. Pushkara is productive of good in the regions of the firmament;\nKurukshetra, however, is productive of good in respect of all the three\nworlds. Even the dust of Kurukshetra, carried by the wind, leadeth sinful\nmen to a highly blessed state. They that reside in Kurukshetra, which\nlieth to the north of the Drishadwati and the south of the Saraswati,\nreally reside in heaven. 'I will go to Kurukshetra,' 'I will dwell in\nKurukshetra,' he that uttereth those words even once, becometh cleansed\nof all sins. The sacred Kurukshetra which is worshipped by Brahmarshis,\nis regarded as the sacrificial altar of the celestials. Those mortals\nthat dwell there, have nothing to grieve for at any time. That which\nlieth between Tarantuka and Arantuka and the lakes of Rama and Machakruka\nis Kurukshetra. It is also called Samantapanchaka and is said to be the\nnorthern sacrificial altar of the Grandsire.'\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXXIV\n\n\"Pulastya said, 'Then, O great king, one should proceed to the excellent\ntirtha of Dharma, where the illustrious god of justice had practised\nhighly meritorious austerities. And it is for this that he made the spot\na sacred tirtha and rendered it celebrated by his own name. Bathing\nthere, O king, a virtuous man with concentrated soul certainly\nsanctifieth his family to the seventh generation. One should then repair,\nO king, to the excellent Jnanapavana. Sojourning thither, one obtaineth\nthe merit of the Agnishtoma sacrifice, and goeth to the region of the\nMunis. Then, O monarch, a man should repair to the Saugandhika-vana.\nThere dwell the celestials with Brahma at their head, Rishis endued with\nwealth of asceticism, the Siddhas, the Charanas, the Gandharvas, the\nKinnaras and the serpents. As soon as one entereth these woods, he is\ncleansed of all his sins. Then, O king, should one repair to the sacred\ngoddess Saraswati, known there as the goddess Plaksha, that best of\nstreams and foremost of rivers. There should one bathe in the water\nissuing from an ant-hill. (Bathing there and) worshipping the Pitris and\nthe gods, one obtaineth the merit of the horse-sacrifice. There existeth\na rare tirtha called Isanadhyushita, lying from the ant-hill at the\ndistance of six throws of a heavy stick. As seen in the Puranas, O tiger\namong men, bathing there a man obtaineth the merit of giving away a\nthousand Kapila kine and of the horse-sacrifice. Journeying next, O\nforemost of men, to Sugandha, and Satakumbha and Panchayaksha, a man\nbecometh adored in heaven. Repairing to another tirtha there called\nTrisulakhata, one should bathe and set himself to worship the Pitris and\nthe gods. Doing so, without doubt, one obtaineth, after death, the status\nof Ganapatya. One should next proceed, O king, to the excellent spot of\nthe Goddess celebrated over the three worlds by the name of Sakamvari.\nThere, for the space of a thousand celestial years, she of excellent\nvows, month after month, had subsisted upon herbs, O king of men! And\nattracted by their reverence for the Goddess, many Rishis with wealth of\nasceticism, came thither, O Bharata. and were entertained by her with\nherbs. And it is for this that they bestowed on her the name of\nSakamvari. O Bharata, the man who arriveth at Sakamvari, with rapt\nattention and leading a Brahmacharya mode of life and passeth three\nnights there in purity and subsisting on herbs alone, obtaineth, at the\nwill of the goddess, the merit of him that liveth upon herbs for twelve\nyears. Then should one proceed to the tirtha called Suvarna, famed\nthrough the three worlds. There in days of old, Vishnu had paid his\nadorations to Rudra, for his grace, and obtaineth also many boons\ndifficult of acquisition even by the gods. And, O Bharata, the gratified\ndestroyer of Tripura said, 'O Krishna, thou shalt, without doubt, be much\nbeloved in the world, and the foremost of everything in the universe.'\nRepairing thither, O king, and worshipping the deity having the bull for\nhis mark, one obtaineth the merit of the horse-sacrifice as also the\nstatus of Ganapatya. One should next proceed to the tirtha of Dhumavati.\nFasting there for three nights, one obtaineth, without doubt, all the\nwishes cherished by him. To the southern half of this spot of the\nGoddess, there is, O king, a tirtha called Rathavarta. One should, O\nvirtuous one, go up to that place, with devout heart, and having his\nsenses under control. By this, through the grace of Mahadeva, one\nattaineth to an exalted state. After walking round the place, one should,\nO bull of the Bharata race, proceed to the tirtha named Dhara, which, O\nthou of great wisdom, washeth off all sins. Bathing there, O tiger among\nmen, a man is freed from every sorrow. One should then repair, O virtuous\none, after bowing to the great mountain (Himavat), to the source of the\nGanges, which is, without doubt, like the gate of heaven. There should\none, with concentrated soul, bathe in the tirtha called Koti. By this,\none obtaineth the merit of the Pundarika sacrifice, and delivereth his\nrace. Residing one night there, one acquireth the merit of giving away a\nthousand kine. By offering oblations of water duly to the gods and the\nPitris, at Saptaganga, Triganga and Sakravarta, (which are all there),\nbecometh adored in the regions of the virtuous. Bathing next at\nKanakhala, and fasting there for three nights, a person reapeth the merit\nof the horse-sacrifice and goeth to heaven. Then O lord of men, the\npilgrim should repair to Kapilavata. Fasting for one night there, he\nobtaineth the merit of giving away a thousand kine. O king, there is a\ntirtha of the illustrious Kapila, king of the Nagas, that is celebrated,\nO thou best of Kurus, over all the worlds. Bathing there at the\nNagatirtha one obtaineth, O king, the merit of giving away a thousand\nKapila kine. One should next repair to the excellent tirtha of Santanu,\ncalled Lalitika. Bathing there, O king, one never sinketh into distress\n(hereafter). The man that bathes at the confluence of the Ganga and the\nYamuna, obtains the merit of ten horse-sacrifices, and also rescues his\nrace. One should next, O king, go to Sugandha, celebrated over the world.\nBy this, cleansed of every sin, he becometh adored in the abode of\nBrahma. Then, O lord of men, the pilgrim should repair to Rudravarta.\nBathing there, one ascendeth to heaven. Bathing at the confluence of the\nGanga and the Saraswati, a person obtaineth the merit of the\nhorse-sacrifice and also ascendeth to heaven. Proceeding next to\nBhadrakarneswara and worshipping the gods duly, one, without sinking into\ndistress, becometh adored in heaven. Then, O lord of men, the pilgrim\nshould proceed to the tirtha called Kuvjamraka. By this he obtaineth the\nmerit of giving away a thousand kine, and heaven also. Then, O king, the\npilgrim should go to the Arundhativata. Proceeding thither with\nconcentrated soul and practising the Brahmacharya vows, one that batheth\nin Samudraka and fasteth for three nights, obtaineth the merit of the\nhorse-sacrifice and of giving away a thousand kine, and also rescueth his\nrace. One should next proceed to Brahmavarta, with concentrated soul and\npractising the Brahmacharya vows. By this, one obtaineth the merit of the\nhorse-sacrifice, and goeth to the region of Soma. The man that proceedeth\nto the Yamuna-prabhava, (the source of the Yamuna) and batheth there,\nobtaineth the merit of the horse-sacrifice and is worshipped in heaven.\nArriving at Darvisankramana, that tirtha which is worshipped of the three\nworlds, a person obtaineth the merit of the horse-sacrifice and goeth to\nheaven. Repairing next to Sindhu-prabhava (the source of the Indus) which\nis worshipped by Siddhas and Gandharvas, and staying there for five\nnights, one obtaineth the merit of giving away gold in abundance.\nProceeding next to the inaccessible tirtha called Vedi, one obtaineth the\nmerit of the horse-sacrifice and ascendeth to heaven. Then, O Bharata,\nshould one proceed to Rishikulya and Vasishtha. By visiting the latter,\nall orders attain to Brahmanhood. Repairing to Rishikulya and bathing\nthere, and living a month upon herbs, and worshipping the gods and\nPitris, one is cleansed of all his sins, and obtaineth the region of the\nRishis. Proceeding next to Bhrigutunga a person acquireth the merit of\nthe horse-sacrifice. Repairing then to Vipramoksha, one is freed from\nevery sin. Proceeding then to the tirtha of Krittika and Magha, one, O\nBharata, obtaineth the merit superior to that of the Agnishtoma and\nAtiratha sacrifices. The man who, repairing to the excellent tirtha\ncalled Vidya, batheth there in the evening, obtaineth proficiency in\nevery kind of knowledge. One should next reside for one night at\nMahasrama capable of destroying every sin, taking a single meal. By this,\none obtains many auspicious regions, and delivers ten preceding and ten\nsucceeding generations of his race. Dwelling next for a month of\nMahalaya, and fasting there for three nights, one's soul is cleansed of\nall sins and one acquires the merit of giving away gold in abundance.\nProceeding next to Vetasika worshipped by the Grandsire, one obtaineth\nthe merit of the horse-sacrifice and the state of Usanas. Going next to\nthe tirtha called Sundarika, worshipped by the Siddhas, one obtaineth\npersonal beauty as witnessed by the ancients. Proceeding next to Brahmani\nwith subdued senses and observing the Brahmacharya vow, a person\nascendeth to the region of Brahma on a lotus-hued car. One should repair\nnext to the sacred Naimisha, worshipped by the Siddhas. There dwelleth\nfor aye Brahma with the gods. By only purposing to go to Naimisha, half\none's sins are destroyed; by entering it, one is cleansed of all his\nsins. The pilgrim of subdued senses should stay at Naimisha for a month;\nfor, O Bharata, all the tirthas of the earth are at Naimisha. Bathing\nthere, with restrained senses and regulated fare, one obtains, O Bharata,\nthe merit of the cow-sacrifice, and also sanctifies, O best of the\nBharatas, his race for seven generations both upwards and downwards. He\nwho renounceth his life at Naimisha by fasting, enjoyeth happiness in the\nheavenly regions. Even this is the opinion of the wise. O foremost of\nkings, Naimisha is ever sacred and holy. Proceeding next to Gangodbheda\nand fasting there for three nights, a man obtaineth the merit of the\nVajapeya sacrifice, and becometh like unto Brahma himself. Journeying to\nthe Saraswati, one should offer oblations unto the gods and the Pitris.\nBy this, one certainly enjoyeth bliss in the regions called Saraswata.\nThen should one wend to Vahuda, with subdued soul and observing the\nBrahmacharya vow. Residing there for one night, one becometh adored in\nheaven, and obtaineth also, O Kaurava, the merit of the Devasatra\nsacrifice. Then should one repair to the holy Kshiravati, frequented by\nholier men. By worshipping the gods and the Pitris there, one obtains the\nmerit of the Vajapeya sacrifice. Proceeding next to Vimalasoka, with\nsubdued soul and observing the Brahmacharya vow, and residing there for\none night, one is adored in heaven. One should next proceed to the\nexcellent Gopratra in the Sarayu, whence Rama, O king, with all his\nattendants and animals, renouncing his body, ascended to heaven in\nconsequence of the efficacy of the tirtha alone. Bathing in that tirtha,\nO Bharata, one's soul, through Rama's grace, and by virtue of his own\ndeeds, being cleansed of all sins, one becometh adored in heaven. O\nBharata! Proceeding next, O son of the Kuru race, to the Rama-tirtha on\nthe Gomati, and bathing there, one obtaineth the merit of the\nhorse-sacrifice, and sanctifieth also his own race. There, O bull of the\nBharata race, is another tirtha called Satasahasrika. Bathing there, with\nrestrained senses and regulated diet, a person reapeth, O bull of Bharata\nrace, the merit of giving away a thousand kine. Then should one, O king,\ngo to the unrivalled tirtha called Bhartristhana. By this, a person\nobtaineth the merit of the horse-sacrifice. Bathing next in the tirtha\ncalled Koti, and worshipping Kartikeya, a man reapeth, O king, the merit\nof giving away a thousand kine, and acquireth great energy. Proceeding\nnext to Varanasi, and worshipping the god having the bull for his mark,\nafter a bath in the Kapilahrada, one obtaineth the merit of the Rajasuya\nsacrifice. Repairing then, O perpetuator of the Kuru race, to the tirtha\ncalled Avimukta, and beholding there the god of gods, the pilgrim, from\nsuch sight alone, is immediately cleansed of even the sin of slaying a\nBrahmana. By renouncing one's life there, one obtaineth deliverance.\nArriving next, O king, at the rare tirtha called Markandeya celebrated\nover the world and situated at the confluence of the Ganges, a person\nobtaineth the merit of Agnishtoma sacrifice, and delivereth his race.\nSojourning next to Gaya, with subdued senses and observing the\nBrahmacharya vow, one obtaineth the merit of the horse-sacrifice and also\nrescueth his race. There in that tirtha is the Akshaya-vata, celebrated\nover the three worlds. Whatever is offered there to the Pitris is said to\nbecome inexhaustible. Bathing there at the Mahanadi, and offering\noblations to the gods and the Pitris, a man acquireth eternal regions,\nand also rescueth his race. Proceeding then to Brahma-sara that is\nadorned by the woods of Dharma, and passing one night there, a man\nattaineth to the region of Brahma. In that lake, Brahma had raised a\nsacrificial pillar. By walking round this pillar, a person acquireth the\nmerit of the Vajapeya sacrifice. One should next, O mighty monarch, go to\nDenuka celebrated over the world. Staying there for one night and giving\naway sesame and kine, one's soul being cleansed from every sin, one\nascendeth, without doubt to the region of Soma. There, O king, on the\nmountains, the cow called Kapila used to range with her calf. There is\nlittle doubt, of this, O Bharata, the hoof-marks, of that cow and her\ncalf are seen there to this day. By bathing in those hoof-prints, O\nforemost of monarchs, whatever sin a man may have incurred is, O Bharata,\nwashed away. Then should one go to Gridhravata, the spot consecrated to\nthe trident-bearing god. Approaching the deity having the bull for his\nmark one should rub himself with ashes. If a Brahmana, he obtains the\nmerit of observing the twelve year's vow and if belonging to any of the\nother orders, he is freed from all his sins. One should next proceed to\nthe Udyanta mountains, resounding with melodious notes. There, O bull of\nthe Bharata race, is still seen the foot-print of Savitri. The Brahmana\nof rigid vows, who sayeth his morning, noon and evening prayers there,\nobtaineth the merit of performing that service for twelve years. There, O\nbull of the Bharata race, is the famous Yonidwara. Repairing thither, a\nperson becometh exempted from the pain of rebirth. The person that\nstayeth at Gaya during both the dark and lighted fortnights, certainly\nsanctifieth, O king, his own race up and down to the seventh generation.\nOne should wish for many sons so that even one may go to Gaya, or\ncelebrate the horse-sacrifice, or offer a nila bull. Then, O king, the\npilgrim should proceed to Phalgu. By this, he obtains the merit of\nhorse-sacrifice, and acquires great success. O king, one should repair\nthen, with subdued soul, to Dharmaprishta. There, O foremost of warriors,\ndwelleth Dharma for aye. Drinking of the water of a well which is there,\nand purifying one's self by a bath, he that offereth oblations to the\ngods and the Pitris is cleansed of all his sins and ascendeth to heaven.\nThere in that tirtha is the hermitage of the great Rishi Matanga of soul\nunder complete control. By entering that beautiful asylum capable of\nsoothing fatigue and sorrow, one earneth the merit of the Gavayana\nsacrifice, and by touching (the image of) Dharma which is there, one\nobtaineth the fruit of the horse-sacrifice. One should next go, O king,\nto the excellent tirtha called Brahmasthana. Approaching Brahma, that\nbull among male beings, who is there, one acquireth, O mighty monarch,\nthe merit of the Rajasuya and horse-sacrifices. The pilgrim should then\nrepair to Rajasuya, O king of men! Bathing there, one liveth (in heaven)\nas happily as (the Rishi) Kakshiyan. After purifying himself, one should\npartake there of the offerings daily made unto the Yakshini. By this, one\nis freed from the sin of even slaying a Brahmana, through the Yakshini's\ngrace. Proceeding next to Maninaga, one obtains the merit of giving away\na thousand kine. O Bharata, he that eateth anything relating to the\ntirtha of Maninaga, if bitten by a venomous snake, doth not succumb to\nits poison. Residing there for one night, one is cleansed of one's sins.\nThen should one proceed to the favourite wood of the Brahmarshi Gautama.\nThere bathing in the lake of Ahalya, one attaineth to an exalted state.\nBeholding next the image of Sree, one acquireth great prosperity. There\nin that tirtha is a well celebrated over the three worlds. Bathing in it,\none obtaineth the merit of the horse-sacrifice. There also existeth a\nwell sacred to the royal Rishi Janaka, which is worshipped by the gods.\nBathing in the well, one ascendeth to the region of Vishnu. Then should\none repair to Vinasana that destroys every sin. By a sojourn thither, one\nobtaineth the merit of the Vajapeya sacrifice, and goeth also to the\nregion of Soma. Proceeding next to Gandaki which is produced by the\nwaters of every tirtha, a person acquireth the merit of the Vajapeya\nsacrifice, and ascendeth also to the solar region. Proceeding next to the\nVisala, that river celebrated over the three worlds, one obtaineth the\nmerit of the Agnishtoma sacrifice and ascendeth also to heaven. Repairing\nthen, O virtuous one, to the woody seat of ascetics that is called\nAdhivanga, one obtains, without doubt, great happiness amongst the\nGuhyakas. Proceeding next to the river Kampana, visited by the Siddhas,\none obtaineth the merit of the Pundarika sacrifice, and ascendeth also to\nheaven. Arriving then, O lord of earth, at the stream called Maheswari,\none obtaineth the merit of the horse-sacrifice and also rescueth his own\nrace. Repairing next to the tank of the celestials, one earneth immunity\nfrom misfortune, and also the merit of the horse-sacrifice. One should\nnext go to Somapada, with subdued soul and leading a Brahmacharya mode of\nlife. Bathing in Maheswarapada that is there, one reapeth the merit of\nthe horse-sacrifice. There in that tirtha, O bull of the Bharata race, it\nis well known that ten millions of tirthas exist together. A wicked Asura\nin the shape of a tortoise had, O foremost of monarchs, been carrying it\naway when the powerful Vishnu recovered it from him. There in that tirtha\nshould one perform his ablutions, for by this he acquireth the merit of\nthe Pundarika sacrifice and ascendeth also to the region of Vishnu. Then,\nO best of kings, should one proceed to the place of Narayana, where, O\nBharata, Narayana is ever present and dwelleth for aye. There the gods\nwith Brahma at their head, Rishis endued with wealth of asceticism, the\nAdityas, the Vasus, and the Rudras, all adore Janardana, in that tirtha,\nand Vishnu of wonderful deeds hath become known as Salagrama. Approaching\nthe eternal Vishnu, that lord of the three worlds, that giver of boons,\none obtaineth the merit of the horse-sacrifice, and goeth to the region\nof Vishnu. There in that place, O virtuous one, is a well, capable of\ndestroying every sin. The four seas are ever present in that well. He\nthat bathes in it, O king, will have immunity from misfortune. Beholding\n(the image of) the boon-giving, eternal, and fierce Mahadeva who is\nthere, one shineth, O king, like the moon emerged from the cloud. Bathing\nthen in Jatismara, with pure mind and subdued senses, one acquireth,\nwithout doubt, the recollections of his former life. Proceeding then to\nMaheswarapura, and worshipping the god having the bull for his mark,\nfasting the while, one obtaineth, without doubt, the fruition of all his\ndesires. Repairing then to Vamana that destroys every sin, and beholding\nthe god Hari, one acquireth exemption from every misfortune. One should\nnext go to the asylum of Kusika that is capable of removing every sin.\nRepairing then to the river Kausika that cleanseth from even great sins,\none should bathe in it. By this one obtaineth the merit of Rajasuya\nsacrifice. One should next, O foremost of kings, proceed to the excellent\nwoods of Champaka. By spending there one night, one acquireth the merit\nof giving away a thousand kine. Arriving next at Jyeshthila, that tirtha\nof rare worth, and passing one night there, one reapeth the fruit of the\ngift of a thousand kine. Beholding there (the image of) Visweswara of\ngreat splendour, with his consort the goddess, a person obtaineth, O bull\namong men, the region of Mitra-Varuna. By fasting there for three nights,\na man acquireth the merit of the Agnishtoma sacrifice. By visiting\nKanya-samvedya, with senses restrained and regulated fare, one acquireth,\nO bull among men, the region of Manu, the lord of creation. Rishis of\nrigid vows have said that he that giveth away rice or maketh any gift at\nthe tirtha called Kanya, rendereth such gift eternal. Arriving next at\nNischira celebrated over the three worlds, one obtaineth the merit of the\nhorse-sacrifice and goeth to the legion of Vishnu. O king, those that\ngive away at the confluence of the Nischira, ascend to the blessed region\nof Brahma. There in that tirtha is the asylum of Vasishtha that is known\nover the three worlds. Bathing there, one obtaineth the merit of the\nVajapeya sacrifice. Proceeding next to Devakuta that is resorted to by\ncelestial Rishis, one acquireth the merit of the horse-sacrifice, and\nalso delivereth his race. Then should one, O king, go to the lake of the\nMuni Kausika, where Kusika's son, Viswamitra, obtained high success.\nBathing there, a person acquireth the merit of the Vajapeya sacrifice.\nThere, O hero, at Kausika, should one reside for a month, O bull of the\nBharata race! By a month's residence there, one reapeth the merit of the\nhorse-sacrifice. He that resideth at the best of tirthas called\nMaha-hrada, enjoys immunity from misfortune, and also obtains the merit\nof giving away gold in abundance. Beholding next Kartikeya who dwelleth\nat Virasrama, a man certainly reapeth the fruit of the horse-sacrifice.\nProceeding then to Agnidhara celebrated over the three worlds, and\nbeholding there after a bath the eternal and boon-giving Vishnu, that god\nof gods, one obtaineth the merit of the Agnishtoma sacrifice. Proceeding\nnext to the Grandsire's tank near the snowcapped of mountains, and\nbathing in it, a man obtains the merit of the Agnishtoma sacrifice.\nFalling from the Grandsire's tank, is that world-sanctifying (stream),\ncelebrated over the three worlds, called Kumara-Dhara. Bathing there, one\nregardeth himself as having all his purposes fulfilled. Fasting in that\ntirtha for three days, one is even cleansed from the sin of slaying a\nBrahmana. The pilgrim should next, O virtuous one, proceed to the peak of\nthe great goddess Gauri, famed over the three worlds. Ascending it, O\nbest of men, one should approach Stana-Kunda. By touching the waters of\nStana-Kunda, a person obtaineth the merit of the Vajapeya sacrifice.\nBathing in that tirtha and worshipping the gods and Pitris, one acquireth\nthe merit of the horse-sacrifice and also ascendeth to the region of\nIndra. Arriving next at the well of Tamraruna, that is frequented by the\ngods, one acquireth, O lord of men, the merit that attaches to human\nsacrifice. Bathing next at the confluence of the Kirtika with the Kausiki\nand the Aruna, and fasting there for three nights a man of learning is\ncleansed of all his sins. Proceeding next to the tirtha called Urvasi,\nand then to Somasrama, a wise man by bathing next at Kumbhakarnasrama\nbecometh adored in the world. The ancients knew that by touching the\nwaters of Kokamukha, with steady vows and leading Brahmacharya mode of\nlife, the memory of one's former life is revived. Arriving next with\nspeed to the river called Nanda a regenerate one becometh freed from all\nhis sins and ascendeth with soul under control to Indra's region.\nProceeding next to the island called Rishabha, that is destructive of\ncranes, and bathing in the Saraswati, an individual blazeth forth in\nheaven. Proceeding next to the tirtha called Auddalaka frequented by\nMunis, and bathing there one is cleansed of all his sins. Repairing next\nto the sacred tirtha called Dharma that is visited by Brahmarshis, one\nacquireth the merit of the Vajapeya sacrifice and becometh respected in\nheaven. Proceeding next to Champa and bathing in the Bhagirathi he that\nsojourneth to Dandaparna, acquireth the merit of giving away a thousand\nkine. Then should one proceed to the sacred Lalitika that is graced by\nthe presence of the virtuous. By this one acquireth the merit of the\nRajasuya sacrifice and is regarded in heaven.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXXV\n\n\"Pulastya said, 'Arriving next at the excellent tirtha called Samvedya in\nthe evening, and touching its waters, one surely obtaineth knowledge.\nCreated a tirtha in days of yore by Rama's energy, he that proceedeth to\nLauhitya obtaineth the merit of giving away gold in abundance. Proceeding\nnext to the river Karatoya, and fasting there for three nights, a man\nacquireth the merit of the horse-sacrifice. Even this is the injunction\nof the Creator himself. It hath been said by the wise, O king, that if a\nperson goeth to the spot where the Ganga mingleth with the sea, he\nreapeth merit which is ten times that of the horse-sacrifice. Crossing\nover to the opposite bank of the Ganga, he that batheth there having\nresided for three nights is, O king, cleansed from all his sins. One\nshould next proceed to the Vaitarani capable of destroying every sin.\nArriving next at the tirtha named Viraja one shineth like the moon, and\nsanctifying his race rescueth it and is himself cleansed of all his sins.\nHe that bathes in Viraja further reapeth the merit of giving away a\nthousand kine besides sanctifying his line. Residing with purity at the\nconfluence of the Sona and the Jyotirathi, and offering oblations of\nwater to the gods and the Pitris, a man reapeth the merit of the\nAgnishtoma sacrifice. Touching next the waters of the Vansagulma\nconstituting the sources of both the Sona and the Narmada, one obtaineth\nthe merit of the horse-sacrifice. Sojourning next to the tirtha called\nRishabha in Kosala, O lord of men, and fasting there for three nights one\nearneth the merit of the Vajapeya sacrifice, and of the gift of a\nthousand kine, and also delivereth his race. Arriving at Kosala, a man\nshould bathe in the tirtha named Kala. By this one surely obtaineth the\nmerit of giving away one and ten bulls. By bathing in Pushpavati and\nfasting there, O king, for three nights one sanctifieth his own race,\nbesides earning the merit of the gift of a thousand kine. Then, O\nforemost of the Bharata race, by bathing in the tirtha called Vadarika,\none obtaineth long life, and also goeth to heaven. Arriving next at\nChampa, and bathing in the Bhagirathi, and seeing Danda one earneth the\nmerit of giving away a thousand kine. Then should one go to the sacred\nLapetika, graced by the presence of the pious. By so doing one reapeth\nthe merit of the Vajapeya sacrifice and also becometh regarded by the\ngods. Proceeding next to the mountain called Mahendra, inhabited (of\nyore) by Jamadagnya, and bathing in Rama's tirtha, a person acquireth the\nmerit of the horse-sacrifice. Here is Matanga's tirtha called Kedara, O\nson of the Kuru race! Bathing in it, O foremost of the Kurus, a man\nobtaineth the merit of giving away a thousand kine. Going to the mountain\nSree, one who toucheth the waters of the stream that is there by\nworshipping there the god having the bull for his mark obtaineth the\nmerit of the horse-sacrifice. On the mountain Sree dwelleth happily, the\neffulgent Mahadeva with the goddess, as also Brahma with the other gods.\nBy bathing in the lake of Deva, with purity and restrained mind, one\nobtaineth the merit of the-horse-sacrifice, and also attaineth to the\nhighest success.\"'\n\nProceeding next to the mountain Rishabha in Pandya, worshipped by the\ngods, one obtains the merit of the Vajapeya sacrifice and rejoices in\nheaven. One should next proceed to the river Kaveri, frequented by\nApsaras. Bathing there, O monarch, one obtaineth, the merit of giving\naway a thousand kine. Touching next the waters of the tirtha called Kanya\non the shores of the sea one is cleansed from every sin. Proceeding next\nto Gokarna celebrated over the three worlds, and which is situate, O best\nof kings, in the midst of the deep, and is reverenced by all the worlds,\nand where the gods headed by Brahma, and Rishis endued with wealth of\nasceticism, and spirits and Yakshas and Pisachas, and Kinnaras and the\ngreat Nagas, and Siddhas and Charanas and Gandharvas, and men and\nPannagas, and rivers, Seas and Mountains, worship the lord of Uma, one\nshould worship Isana, fasting there for three nights. By this, one\nacquireth the merit of the horse-sacrifice, and the status of Ganapatya.\nBy staying there for twelve nights, one's soul is cleansed of all sins.\nOne should next proceed to the tirtha known as Gayatri celebrated over\nthe three worlds. Staying there for three nights, one acquireth the merit\nof giving away a thousand kine. A strange phenomenon is seen to occur\nthere in respect to Brahmanas, O Lord of men! If a Brahmana, whether born\nof a Brahmani or any other woman, reciteth the Gayatri there, the\nrecitation becomes rhythmic and musical, while, O king, a person who is\nnot a Brahmana cannot adequately hymn it at all. Proceeding next to the\ninaccessible tank of the Brahmana Rishi Samvarta, one acquireth personal\nbeauty and prosperity. Repairing next to Vena, he that offers oblations\nof water to the gods and the Pitris, obtains a car drawn by peacocks and\ncranes. Going next to the Godavari, ever frequented by the Siddhas, one\nearneth the merit of the cow-sacrifice, and goeth to the excellent region\nof Vasuki. Bathing next at the confluence of the Venna, one obtains the\nmerit of the Vajapeya sacrifice. By a dip next at the confluence of\nVarada, one acquireth the merit of giving away a thousand kine. Arriving\nnext at Brahmasthuna, one that stayeth there for three nights acquireth\nthe merit of giving away a thousand kine, and also ascendeth to heaven.\nComing next to Kusaplavana, with subdued soul and leading a Brahmacharya\nmode of life, and staying there for three nights he that bathes in it\nobtains the merit of the horse-sacrifice. Bathing next at the romantic\nDeva-hrada that is supplied by the waters of the Krishna-Venna, and also\nin the Jatismara-hrada, one acquireth the memory of one's former life. It\nwas there that the chief of the celestials celebrated a hundred\nsacrifices and ascended to heaven. By a visit only to that spot, one\nacquireth the merit of the Agnishtoma sacrifice. Bathing next in the\nSarvadeva-hrada, a person obtaineth the merit of giving away a thousand\nkine. Proceeding next to the highly sacred tank called Payoshni, that\nbest of waters, he that offers oblations of water to the gods and the\nPitris acquires the merit of the gift of a thousand kine. Arriving next\nat the sacred forest of Dandaka, a person should bathe (in the waters)\nthere. By this, O king, one at once obtains, O Bharata, the merit of\ngiving away a thousand kine. Proceeding next to the asylum of Sarabhanga\nand that of the illustrious Suka, one acquireth immunity from misfortune,\nbesides sanctifying his race. Then should one proceed to Surparaka, where\nJamadagni's son had formerly dwelt. Bathing in that tirtha of Rama, one\nacquireth the merit of giving away gold in abundance. Bathing next in the\nSaptagadavara, with the subdued sense and regulated diet, one earneth\ngreat merit, and goeth also to the region of the celestials. Proceeding\nnext to Deva-hrada, with subdued sense and regulated diet, a man\nobtaineth the merit of the Devasatra sacrifice. One should proceed next\nto the forest of Tungaka, with subdued senses and leading a Brahmacharya\nmode of life It was here that in olden days Muni Saraswata taught the\nVedas to the ascetics. When the Vedas had been lost (in consequence of\nthe Munis having forgotten them), Angirasa's son, seated at ease on the\nupper garments of the Munis (duly spread out), pronounced distinctly and\nwith emphasis the syllable Om. And at this, the ascetics again\nrecollected all that they had learnt before. It was there that the Rishis\nand the gods Varuna, Agni, Prajapati, Narayana also called Hari, Mahadeva\nand the illustrious Grandsire of great splendour, appointed the\nresplendent Bhrigu to officiate at a sacrifice. Gratifying Agni by\nlibations of clarified butter poured according to the ordinance, the\nillustrious Bhrigu once performed the Agnyadhana sacrifice for all those\nRishis, after which both they and the gods went away to their respective\nhomes one after another. One who enters the forest of Tungaka, is, O best\nof kings, male or female, cleansed of every sin. There in that tirtha, O\nhero, one should reside for a month, with subdued senses and regulated\ndiet. By this, O king, one ascendeth to the region of Brahma, and\ndelivereth also his race. Arriving next at Medhavika, one should offer\noblations of water to the gods and the Pitris. By this, one acquires the\nmerit of the Agnishtoma sacrifice, and also memory and intellect. There\nin that tirtha is the mountain known over the whole world and called\nKalanjara. Bathing in the celestial lake that is there, one acquires the\nmerit of giving away a thousand kine. He that, O king, after a bath,\noffereth oblations (to the gods and the Pitris) on the Kalanjara\nmountain, is, without doubt, regarded in heaven. Proceeding next, O\nmonarch, to the river Mandakini capable of destroying all sins and which\nis on that best of mountains called Chitrakuta, he that bathes there and\nworships the gods and the Pitris, obtains the merit of the\nhorse-sacrifice and attains to an exalted state. One should next, O\nvirtuous one, proceed to the excellent tirtha called Bhartristhana,\nwhere, O king, ever dwells the celestial generalissimo Kartikeya. By a\njourney only to that spot, a person, O foremost of kings, attaineth to\nsuccess. Bathing next at the tirtha called Koti, one earneth the merit of\ngiving away a thousand kine. Having walked round Koti, one should proceed\nnext to Jyeshthasthana. Beholding Mahadeva who is there, one shineth like\nthe moon. There, O mighty monarch, is a celebrated well. O bull of the\nBharata race! There in that well, O foremost of warriors, are the four\nseas. He that bathes there, O foremost of kings, and with subdued soul\nworships the gods and the Pitris, is cleansed of all his sins and\nattaineth to an exalted state. Then, O mighty king, should one proceed to\nthe great Sringaverapura, where, O foremost of kings, formerly Rama,\nDasharatha's son, had crossed (the Ganga). Bathing in that tirtha, one, O\nmighty-armed one, is cleansed of all his sins. Bathing with subdued\nsenses and leading a Brahmacharya mode of life, in the Ganga, one is\ncleansed of every sin, and obtains also the merit of the Vajapeya\nsacrifice. One should next proceed to the place called Mayuravata,\nconsecrated to Mahadeva of high intelligence. Beholding there the god,\nbowing down to him and walking round the spot, one acquireth, O Bharata,\nthe Ganapatya status. Bathing in Ganga at that tirtha, one is cleansed of\nall his sins. Then, O king, should one proceed to Prayaga, whose praises\nhave been sung by Rishis and where dwell the gods with Brahma at their\nhead, the Directions with their presiding deities, the Lokapalas, the\nSiddhas, the Pitris adored by the worlds, the great Rishis-Sanatkumara\nand others, stainless Brahmarshis--Angiras and others,--the Nagas, the\nSuparnas, the Siddhas, the Snakes, the Rivers, the Seas, the Gandharvas,\nthe Apsaras, and the Lord Hari with Prajapati. There in that tirtha are\nthree fiery caverns between which the Ganga, that foremost of tirthas,\nrolleth rapidly. There in that region also the world-purifying daughter\nof the sun, Yamuna, celebrated over the three worlds, uniteth with the\nGanga. The country between the Ganga and the Yamuna is regarded as the\nmons veneris of the world, and Prayaga as the foremost point of that\nregion. The tirthas Prayaga, Pratisthana, Kamvala, Aswatara and Bhogavati\nare the sacrificial platforms of the Creator. There in those places, O\nforemost of warriors, the Vedas and the Sacrifices, in embodied forms,\nand the Rishis endued with wealth of asceticism, adore Brahma, and there\nthe gods and rulers of territories also celebrate their sacrifices. The\nlearned, however, say that of all these tirthas, O exalted one, Prayaga\nis the most sacred, in fact, the foremost of all tirthas in the three\nworlds. By going to that tirtha, by singing its praises, or by taking a\nlittle earth from it, one is cleansed from every sin. He that bathes in\nthat confluence celebrated over the world, acquires all the merits of the\nRajasuya and the horse-sacrifices. This sacrificial place is worshipped\nby the gods themselves. If a man giveth there ever so little, it\nincreaseth, O Bharata, a thousandfold. O child, let not the texts of the\nVeda, nor the opinions of men dissuade thy mind from the desire of dying\nat Prayaga. O son of the Kuru race, the wise say that six hundred million\nand ten thousand tirthas exist at Prayaga. Bathing in the confluence of\nGanga and Yamuna, one obtains the merit that attaches to the four kinds\nof knowledge and the merits also of those that are truthful. There at\nPrayaga is the excellent tirtha of Vasuki called Bhogavati. He that\nbatheth in it, obtaineth the merit of the horse-sacrifice. There also in\nthe Ganga is the tirtha famed over the three worlds, called\nRamaprapatana, which conferreth the merit of ten horse-sacrifices. O son\nof the Kuru race! Wherever may a person bathe in the Ganga, he earneth\nmerit equal to that of a trip to Kurukshetra. An exception, however, is\nmade in favour of Kanakhala, while the merit attaching to Prayaga is the\ngreatest. Having committed a hundred sins, he that bathes in the Ganga,\nhath all his sins washed off by the waters thereof, even as fuel is\nconsumed by fire. It hath been said that in the Satyayuga all the tirthas\nwere sacred; in the Treta, Pushkara alone was such; in Dwapara,\nKurukshetra; and in the Kali-yuga, the Ganga alone is sacred. In\nPushkara, one should practise austerities; in Mahalaya, one should give\naway; in the Malaya mountains, one should ascend the funeral pyre; and in\nBhrigutunga, one should renounce one's body by forgoing food. Bathing in\nPushkara, in Kurukshetra, in the Ganga and in the confluence (of the\nGanga and the Yamuna), one sanctifieth seven generations of one's race up\nand down. He that reciteth the name of the Ganga is purified; while he\nthat beholdeth her, receiveth prosperity; while he that bathes in her and\ndrinks of her waters sanctifieth seven generations of his race up and\ndown. As long, O king, as one's bones lie in contact with the waters of\nthe Ganga, so long doth he live regarded in heaven, even as one liveth in\nheaven in consequence of the merit he earneth by pious pilgrimages to\nsacred tirthas and holy spots. There is no tirtha that is like unto the\nGanga, there is no god like unto Kesava, and there is none superior to\nBrahmanas,--this hath been said even by the Grandsire. O great king, the\nregion through which the Ganga flows should be regarded as a sacred\nasylum, and a spot of land that is on the Ganga's banks, should be\nregarded as one favourable to the attainment of ascetic success.\n\nThis truthful description (of the tirthas) one should recite only unto\nthe regenerate ones, unto those that are pious, unto one's son and\nfriends and disciples and dependents. This narrative, without a rival, is\nblessed and holy and leadeth to heaven. Holy and entertaining and\nsanctifying, it is productive of merit and high worth. Destructive of\nevery sin, it is a mystery that the great Rishis cherish with care. By\nreciting it in the midst of Brahmanas, one is cleansed of every sin, and\nascends to heaven. This description of tirthas is auspicious and\nheaven-giving and sacred; ever blessed as it is, it destroys one's\nenemies; foremost of all accounts, it sharpens the intellect. By reading\nthis narrative the sonless obtains sons, the destitute obtains riches, a\nperson of the royal order conquereth the whole earth, the Vaisya cometh\nby wealth, the Sudra obtaineth all his desires, and the Brahmana crosseth\nthe ocean (of the world). Purifying himself, he that listens daily to the\nmerits of the different tirthas, recollects the incidents of many\nprevious births and rejoices in heaven. Of the tirthas that have been\nrecited here, some are easily accessible, while others are difficult of\naccess. But he that is inspired with the desire of beholding all tirthas,\nshould visit them even in imagination. Desirous of obtaining merit, the\nVasus, and the Sadhyas, the Adityas, the Maruts, the Aswins, and the\nRishis equal unto celestials, all bathed in these tirthas. Do thou also,\nO thou of the Kuru race, observing the ordinance as explained by me,\nvisit, with subdued senses, these tirthas, increasing thy merit, O thou\nof excellent vows. Men of piety and learning are able to visit these\ntirthas, by reason of their purified senses, their belief in Godhead, and\ntheir acquaintance with the Vedas. He that doth not observe vows, he that\nhath not his soul under control, he that is impure, he that is a thief,\nand he that is of crooked mind, doth not, O Kauravya, bathe in tirthas.\nThou art ever observant of virtue, and art of pure character. By thy\nvirtue, O virtuous one, thou hast always gratified thy father and thy\ngrand-father, and great-grand-fathers, and the gods with Brahma at their\nhead, and the Rishis also, O thou versed in virtue! Thou who resemblest\nVasava, thou wilt, O Bhishma, attain to the region of the Vasus, and also\neternal fame on earth!'\n\n\"Narada continued, 'Having cheerfully spoken thus, the illustrious Rishi\nPulastya, well-pleased, bidding Bhishma farewell, disappeared there and\nthen. And Bhishma also, O tiger among men, well understanding the true\nimport of the Shastras, wandered over the world at the command of\nPulastya. Thus, O thou blessed one, did Bhishma end at Prayaga his highly\nmeritorious journey to the tirthas capable of destroying all sins. The\nman that ranges the earth in accordance with these injunctions, obtains\nthe highest fruit of a hundred horse-sacrifices and earns salvation\nhereafter. Thou wilt, O son of Pritha, obtain merit consisting of the\neight attributes, even like that which Bhishma, the foremost of the\nKurus, had obtained of yore. And as thou wilt lead these ascetics to\nthose tirthas, thy merit will be much greater. Those tirthas are infested\nby Rakshasas, and no one, save thyself, O son of Kuru race, can go there.\nRising early he that reciteth this narrative by the celestial Rishis on\nthe subject of the tirthas, becometh free from all sins. Those foremost\nof Rishis, Valmiki, and Kasyapa, and Atreya, and Kundajathara, and\nViswamitra, and Gautama, and Asita, and Devala, and Markandeya, and\nGalava, and Bharadwaja, and Vasishtha, and the Muni Uddalaka, and Saunaka\nwith his son, and Vyasa, that best of ascetics, and Durvasas, that\nforemost of Munis, and Javali of great austerities--all these illustrious\nRishis endued with wealth of asceticism, are staying in expectation of\nthee. With these, O mighty king, do thou meet by visiting these tirthas.\nAnd, O illustrious monarch, a great Rishi of immeasurable energy, Lomasa\nby name, will come to thee. Do thou follow him, and me, and by turns\nvisit these tirthas, O thou virtuous one! By this, thou wilt acquire\ngreat fame, like king Mahabhisha! O tiger among kings, even as the\nvirtuous Yayati and king Pururavas, dost thou blaze forth with thy own\nvirtue. Like king Bhagiratha and the illustrious Rama, dost thou shine\namong kings even as the Sun himself. And thou art, O great king,\ncelebrated (in the world) even as Muni or Ikshwaku, or the highly famous\nPuru or Vainya! And as in days of yore the slayer of Vritra, after\nburning all his foes, ruled the three worlds, his mind freed from\nanxiety, so wilt thou rule thy subjects, after slaying all thy enemies.\nAnd, O thou of eyes like lotus leaves, having conquered the earth\naccording to the customs of thy order, thou wilt obtain renown by thy\nvirtue, even like Kartaviryaryuna.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"O great king, having comforted the monarch thus,\nthe illustrious Rishi Narada, bidding farewell to the king, disappeared\nthere and then. And the virtuous Yudhishthira, reflecting upon the\nsubject, began to recite unto the ascetics the merit attaching to\ntirthas!\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXXVI\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Having ascertained the opinion of his brothers,\nand of the intelligent Narada, king Yudhishthira, addressing Dhaumya, who\nwas like unto the Grandsire himself, said, 'I have for the acquisition of\narms, sent away that tiger among men, Jishnu, whose prowess is incapable\nof being baffled, and who is possessed of long arms and immeasurable\nintelligence. O thou of ascetic wealth, that hero is devoted to me,\nendued with ability, and well-skilled in weapons, and like unto the\nexalted Vasudeva himself. I know them both, Krishna and Arjuna, those\ndestroyers of enemies, O Brahmana, endued with prowess, even as the\npuissant Vyasa knoweth them. I know Vasudeva and Dhananjaya to be none\nelse than Vishnu himself, possessed of the six attributes. And this is\nalso what Narada knoweth, for he hath always spoken so unto me. I also\nknow them to be Rishis, Nara and Narayana. Knowing him to possess the\nability, I have sent him (on the mission). Not inferior unto Indra and\nfully competent (for the task), I have sent that son of a god to see the\nlord of the celestials and obtain weapons from him. Bhishma and Drona are\nAtirathas. Kripa and the son of Drona are invincible; these mighty\nwarriors have been installed by Dhritarashtra's son in the command of his\narmy. All these are versed in the Vedas, are heroic, and possessed of the\nknowledge of every weapon. Endued with great strength, these always\ndesire to encounter Arjuna in fight. And Karna also of the Suta caste is\na mighty warrior versed in celestial weapons. In respect of the impetus\nof his weapons, he is endued with the strength of the Wind-god. Himself\nlike a flame of fire, the arrows (proceeding from him) constitute its\ntongues. The slaps of his left hand cased in leathern fence constitute\nthe crackling of that flame. The dust of the battle-field is its smoke.\nUrged by the sons of Dhritarashtra even as the wind urgeth the fire,\nKarna like unto the all-consuming fire at the end of the Yuga that is\nsent by Death himself, will, without doubt, consume my troops like unto a\nheap of straw. Only that mighty mass of clouds called Arjuna, aided by\nKrishna like unto a powerful wind, with celestial weapon representing its\nfierce lightning, the white steeds, the rows of white cranes coursing\nunderneath and the unbearable Gandiva, the rainbow ahead, is capable of\nextinguishing the blazing flame represented by Karna by means of its\narrowy showers let off with unflagging steadiness. That conqueror of\nhostile cities, Vibhatsu, will, without doubt, succeed in obtaining from\nIndra himself all the celestial weapons with their fullness and life.\nAlone he is equal, I think, unto them all. Otherwise it is impossible\n(for us) to vanquish in fight all those foes, who have attained to\neminent success in all their purposes. We shall behold Arjuna, that\nrepressor of foes, fully equipped with celestial weapons, for Vibhatsu\nhaving once undertaken a task, never, droopeth under its weight. Without\nthat hero, however, that best of men, ourselves, with Krishna, cannot be\nat rest in Kamyaka. Therefore, do thou mention some other wood that is\nsacred and delightful, and abounds in food and fruits, and that is\ninhabited by men of pious practices:--where we may pass some time,\nexpecting the warlike Arjuna of unbaffled prowess, like the Chataka in\nexpectation of gathering clouds. Do thou tell us of some asylums open to\nthe regenerate ones, and lakes and streams and beautiful mountains. O\nBrahmana, deprived of Arjuna, I do not like to stay in this wood of\nKamyaka. We wish to go somewhere else.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXXVII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Beholding the Pandavas afflicted with anxiety and\ndepressed in spirits, Dhaumya, who resembled Vrihaspati, spake thus,\ncomforting them, 'O bull of the Bharata race, O sinless one, listen to me\nas I mention certain sacred asylums and regions and tirthas and mountains\nthat are approved of by Brahmanas. O king, listen to me as I speak,\nthyself with the daughter of Drupada and thy brothers, wilt, O lord of\nmen, be relieved from grief. And, O son of Pandu, by hearing only of\nthese places, thou wilt acquire merit. And by visiting them thou wilt\nobtain merit a hundred times greater, O best of men! First, O king, I\nwill, so far as I recollect, speak of the beautiful eastern country, much\nregarded, O Yudhishthira, by royal Rishis. In that direction, O Bharata\nis a place called Naimisha which is regarded by the celestials. There in\nthat region are several sacred tirthas belonging to the gods. There also\nis the sacred and beautiful Gomati which is adored by celestial Rishis\nand there also in [possibly 'is'?--JBH] the sacrificial region of the\ngods and the sacrificial stake of Surya. In that quarter also is that\nbest of hills called Gaya, which is sacred and much regarded by royal\nascetics. There on that hill, is the auspicious lake called Brahmasara\nwhich is adored by celestial Rishis. It is for this that the ancients say\nthat one should wish for many sons, so that even one among them may visit\nGaya, celebrate the horse-sacrifice or give away a nila bull, and thereby\ndeliver ten generations of his race up and down. There, O monarch, is a\ngreat river, and spot called Gayasira. In Gayasira is a banian, which is\ncalled by the Brahmanas the Eternal banian, for the food that is offered\nthere to the Pitris becometh eternal, O exalted one! The great river that\nfloweth by the place is known by the name of Phalgu, and its waters are\nall sacred. And, O bull among the Bharatas, there also, in that place, is\nthe Kausiki, whose basin abounds in various fruit and roots, and where\nViswamitra endued with wealth of asceticism acquired Brahmanahood.\nTowards that direction also is the sacred Ganga, on whose banks\nBhagiratha celebrated many sacrifices with profuse gifts (to Brahmanas).\nThey say that in the country of Panchala, there is a wood called Utpala,\nwhere Viswamitra of Kusika's race had performed sacrifices with his son,\nand where beholding the relics of Viswamitra's superhuman power, Rama,\nthe son of Jamadagni, recited the praises of his ancestry. At Kamyaka,\nKusika's son had quaffed the Soma juice with Indra. Then abandoning the\nKshatriya order, he began to say, I am a Brahmana.' In that quarter, O\nhero is the sacred confluence of Ganga and Yamuna which is celebrated\nover the world. Holy and sin-destroying, that tirtha is much regarded by\nthe Rishis. It is there that the soul of all things, the Grandsire, had,\nin olden days, performed his sacrifice, and it is for this, O chief of\nthe Bharata race, that the place hath come to be called Prayaga. In this\ndirection, O foremost of kings, lieth the excellent asylum of Agastya, O\nmonarch, and the forest called Tapasa, decked by many ascetics. And there\nalso is the great tirtha called Hiranyavinda on the Kalanjara hills, and\nthat best of mountains called Agastya, which is beautiful, sacred and\nauspicious. In that quarter, O descendant of the Kuru race, is the\nmountain called Mahendra, sacred to the illustrious Rama of the Bhrigu\nrace. There, O son of Kunti, the Grandsire performed sacrifices of yore.\nThere, O Yudhishthira, the sacred Bhagiratha entereth a lake and there\nalso, O king, is that sacred river known by the name of the\nmerit-bestowing Brahmasara, whose banks are inhabited by persons whose\nsins have been washed away, and whose sight alone produceth merit. In\nthat direction also lieth the high-souled Matanga's excellent asylum,\ncalled Kedara which is sacred and auspicious and celebrated over the\nworld. And there also is the mountain called Kundoda, which is so\ndelightful and abounding in fruits and roots and waters, and where the\nking of the Nishadhas (Nala) had slaked his thirst and rested for a\nwhile. In that quarter also is the delightful Deva-vana which is graced\nby ascetics. There also are the rivers Vahuda and Nanda on the mountain's\ncrest. O mighty king, I have described unto thee all the tirthas and\nsacred spots in the Eastern quarter. Do thou now hear of the sacred\ntirthas, and rivers and mountains and holy spots in the other three\nquarters!'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXXVIII\n\n\"Dhaumya continued, 'Listen, O Bharata, I shall now narrate to thee in\ndetail according to my knowledge, the sacred tirthas of the south. In\nthat quarter lieth the sacred and auspicious river Godavari, full of\nwater abounding in groves and frequented by ascetics. In that direction\nalso are the rivers Venna and Bhimarathi, both capable of destroying sin\nand fear, and abounding in birds and deer, and graced with abodes of\nascetics. In that region also, O bull of the Bharata race, is the tirtha\nof the royal ascetic, Nriga viz., the river Payoshni, which is delightful\nand full of waters and visited by Brahmanas. There the illustrious\nMarkandeya, of high ascetic merit sang the praises in verse of king\nNriga's line! We have heard respecting the sacrificing king Nriga that\nwhich really took place while he was performing a sacrifice in the\nexcellent tirtha called Varaha on the Payoshni. In that sacrifice Indra\nbecame intoxicated with quaffing the Soma, and the Brahmanas, with the\ngifts they received. The water of the Payoshni, taken up (in vessel), or\nflowing along the ground, or conveyed by the wind, can cleanse a person\nfrom whatever sins he may commit till the day of his death. Higher than\nheaven itself, and pure, and created and bestowed by the trident-bearing\ngod, there in that tirtha is an image of Mahadeva beholding which a\nmortal goeth to the region of Siva. Placing on one scale Ganga and the\nother rivers with their waters, and on the other, the Payoshni, the\nlatter, in my opinion would be superior to all the tirthas, together, in\npoint of merit! Then, O foremost of the Bharata race, on the mountain\ncalled Varunasrotasa is the sacred and auspicious wood of Mathara\nabounding in fruits and roots, and containing a sacrificial stake. Then,\nO king, it is said that in the region on the north of the Praveni, and\nabout the sacred asylum of Kanwa, are many woody retreats of ascetics.\nAnd, O child, in the tirtha called Surparaka are two sacrificial\nplatforms of the illustrious Jamadagni, called Pashana and Punaschandra,\nO Bharata! And, O son of Kunti, in that spot is the tirtha called Asoka\nabounding in woody retreats of ascetics. And, O Yudhishthira, in the\ncountry of the Pandyas are the tirthas named Agastya and Varuna! And, O\nbull among men, there, amongst the Pandavas, is the tirtha called the\nKumaris. Listen, O son of Kunti, I shall now describe Tamraparni. In that\nasylum the gods had undergone penances impelled by the desire of\nobtaining salvation. In that region also is the lake of Gokarna which is\ncelebrated over the three worlds, hath an abundance of cool waters, and\nis sacred, auspicious, and capable, O child, of producing great merit.\nThat lake is extremely difficult of access to men of unpurified souls.\nNear to that tirtha is the sacred asylum of Agastya's disciple, the\nmountain Devasabha, which abounds in trees and grass, and fruits and\nroots. And there also is the Vaiduryya mountain, which is delightful\nabounding in gems and capable of bestowing great merit. There on that\nmountain is the asylum of Agastya abounding in fruits and roots and\nwater.'\"\n\n\"I shall now, O lord of men, describe the sacred spots, and asylums, and\nrivers and lakes belonging to the Surashtra country! O Yudhishthira, the\nBrahmanas say that on the sea-coast is the Chamasodbheda, and also\nPrabhasa, that tirtha which is much regarded by the gods. There also is\nthe tirtha called Pindaraka, frequented by ascetics and capable of\nproducing great merit. In that region is a mighty hill named Ujjayanta\nwhich conduceth to speedy success. Regarding it the celestial Rishi\nNarada of great intelligence hath recited an ancient sloka. Do thou\nlisten to it, O Yudhishthira! By performing austerities on the sacred\nhill of Ujjayanta in Surashtra, that abounds in birds and animals, a\nperson becometh regarded in heaven. There also is Dwaravati, producing\ngreat merit, where dwelleth the slayer of Madhu, who is the Ancient one\nin embodied form, and eternal virtue. Brahmanas versed in the Vedas, and\npersons acquainted with the philosophy of the soul say that the\nillustrious Krishna is eternal Virtue. Govinda is said to be the purest\nof all pure things, the righteous of the righteous and the auspicious of\nthe auspicious. In all the three worlds, He of eyes like lotus-leaves is\nthe God of gods, and is eternal. He is the pure soul and the active\nprinciple of life, is the Supreme Brahma and is the lord of all. That\nslayer of Madhu, Hari of inconceivable soul, dwelleth there!\"\n\n\n\nSECTION LXXXIX\n\n\"Dhaumya continued, 'I shall describe to thee those sacred spots capable\nof producing merit that lie on the west, in the country of the Anarttas,\nO Bharata, there, flows in a westward course the sacred river Narmada,\ngraced by Priyangu and mango trees, and engarlanded with thickest of\ncanes. All the tirthas and sacred spots, and rivers and woods and\nforemost of mountains that are in the three worlds, all the gods with the\nGrandsire, along with the Siddhas, the Rishis and the Charanas, O best of\nthe Kurus, always come, O Bharata, to bathe in the sacred waters of the\nNarmada. And it hath been heard by us that the sacred asylum of the Muni\nVisravas, had stood there, and that there was born the lord of treasures,\nKuvera, having men for his vehicles. There also is that foremost of\nhills, the sacred and auspicious Vaidurya peak abounding with trees that\nare green and which are always graced with fruit and flowers. O lord of\nthe earth, on the top of that mountain is a sacred tank decked with\nfull-blown lotus and resorted to by the gods and the Gandharvas. Many are\nthe wonders, O mighty monarch, that may be seen on that sacred mountain\nwhich is like unto heaven itself and which is visited by celestial\nRishis. There, O subjugator of hostile cities, is the sacred river called\nViswamitra belonging to the royal sage of that name and which abounds, O\nking, in many sacred tirthas. It was on the banks of this river, that\nYayati, the son of Nahusha, (fell from heaven) among the virtuous, and\nobtained once more the eternal regions of the righteous. Here also are\nthe well-known lake called Punya, the mountain called Mainaka, and that\nother mountain called Asita abounding in fruits and roots. And here also\nis the sacred asylum of Kakshasena, and O Yudhishthira, the asylum of\nChyavana also, which is famed over every country, O son of Pandu! In that\nspot, O exalted one, men attain to (ascetic) success without severe\nausterities. Here also, O mighty king, is the region called Jamvumarga,\ninhabited by birds and deer, and which constitutes the retreat of\nascetics with souls under control, O thou foremost of those that have\nsubdued their senses! Next lie the exceedingly sacred Ketumala, and\nMedhya ever graced with ascetics, and, O lord of earth, Gangadwara, and\nthe well-known woods of Saindhava which are sacred and inhabited by the\nregenerate ones. There also is the celebrated tank of the Grandsire,\ncalled Pushkara, the favourite abode of the Vaikanasas, and Siddhas and\nRishis. Moved by the desire of obtaining its protection, the Creator sang\nthis verse at Pushkara, O chief of the Kurus and foremost of virtuous\nmen! If a person of pure soul purposes a pilgrimage to the Pushkaras in\nimagination even, he becometh purged from all his sins and rejoiceth in\nheaven!'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XC\n\n\"Dhaumya continued, 'O tiger among kings, I shall now describe those\ntirthas and sacred spots that lie to the north. Do thou, O exalted one,\nlisten to me attentively. By hearing this narration, O hero, one\nacquireth a reverential frame of mind, which conduceth to much good. In\nthat region is the highly sacred Saraswati abounding in tirthas and with\nbanks easy of descent. There also, O son of Pandu, is the ocean-going and\nimpetuous Yamuna, and the tirtha called Plakshavatarana, productive of\nhigh merit and prosperity. It was there that the regenerate ones having\nperformed the Saraswata sacrifice, bathed on the completion there of. O\nsinless one, is the well-known celestial tirtha called Agnisiras, which\nis productive of great merit. There king Sahadeva had celebrated a\nsacrifice measuring out the ground by a throw of the Samya. It is for\nthis reason, O Yudhishthira, that Indra sang the praises of Sahadeva in\nverse. Those verses are still current in this world, being recited by the\nregenerate ones, e. g., on the Yamuna Sahadeva worshipped the sacrificial\nfire, with gifts in a hundred thousands to Brahmanas. There the\nillustrious king, the imperial Bharata, performed five and thirty\nhorse-sacrifices. O child, we have heard that Sarabhanga of yore used to\nfully gratify the desires of the regenerate ones. There in this region is\nhis celebrated asylum productive of great merit. In that region also, O\nson of Pritha, is the river Saraswati, which is ever worshipped by the\ngod, where, in days of yore, the Valikhilyas, O great king, performed\nsacrifices. In that region also, O Yudhishthira, is the well-known river\nDrisadwati, which is productive of great merit. Then, O chief of men, are\nNyagrodhakhya, and Panchalya, and Punyaka and Dalbhyaghosha, and Dalbhya,\nwhich are, O son of Kunti, the sacred asylum in the world of illustrious\nAnandayasas of excellent vows and great energy, and which are celebrated\nover the three worlds. Here also, O lord of men, the illustrious Etavarna\nand Avavarana versed in the Vedas, learned in Vedic lore, and proficient\nin the knowledge of Vedic rites, performed meritorious sacrifices, O\nchief of the Bharata race! There also is Visakhayupa to which, in days of\nyore, came the gods with Varuna and Indra, and practised ascetic\nausterities. And therefore is that spot so eminently sacred. Here also is\nPalasaka, where the great and illustrious and highly blessed Rishi\nJamadagni performed sacrifices. There all the principal rivers in their\nembodied forms taking their respective waters stood surrounding that best\nof sages. And there also, O monarch, Vibhavasu (fire) himself, beholding\nthat high-souled one's initiation, sang the following sloka: 'The river\ncoming to the illustrious Jamadagni while sacrificing unto the gods\ngratified the Brahmanas with offerings of honey.' O Yudhishthira, the\nspot where Ganga rusheth past, cleaving the foremost of mountains which\nis frequented by Gandharvas and Yakshas and Rakshasas and Apsaras, and\ninhabited by hunters, and Kinnaras, is called Gangadwara. O king,\nSanatkumara regardeth that spot visited by Brahmarshis, as also the\ntirtha Kanakhala (that is near to it), as sacred. There also is the\nmountain named Puru which is resorted to by great Rishis and where\nPururavas was born, and Bhrigu practised ascetic austerities. For this it\nis, O king, that asylum hath become known as the great peak of\nBhrigutunga. Near that peak is the sacred and extensive Vadari, that\nhighly meritorious asylum, famed over the three worlds, of him, O bull of\nthe Bharata race, who is the Present, the Past and the Future, who is\ncalled Narayana and the lord Vishnu, who is eternal and the best of male\nbeings, and who is pre-eminently illustrious. Near Vadari, the cool\ncurrent of Ganga was formerly warm, and the banks there were overspread\nwith golden sands. There the gods and Rishis of high fortune and\nexceeding effulgence, approaching the divine lord Narayana, always\nworship him. The entire universe with all its tirthas and holy spots is\nthere where dwelleth the divine and eternal Narayana, the Supreme soul,\nfor he is Merit, he is the Supreme Brahma, he is tirtha, he is the\nascetic retreat, he is the First, he is the foremost of gods, and he is\nthe great Lord of all creatures. He is eternal, he is the great Creator,\nand he is the highest state of blessedness. Learned persons versed in the\nscriptures attain to great happiness by knowing him. In that spot are the\ncelestial Rishis, the Siddhas, and, indeed, all the Rishis,--where\ndwelleth the slayer of Madhu, that primeval Deity and mighty Yogin! Let\nno doubt enter thy heart that that spot is the foremost of all holy\nspots. These, O lord of earth, are the tirthas and sacred spots on earth,\nthat I have recited, O best of men! These all are visited by the Vasus,\nthe Sadhyas, the Adityas, the Marutas, the Aswins and the illustrious\nRishis resembling the celestials themselves. By journeying, O son of\nKunti, to those places, with the Brahmanas and ascetics that are with\nthee and with thy blessed brothers, thou wilt be freed from anxiety!\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XCI\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"O son of the Kuru race, while Dhaumya was\nspeaking thus, there arrived at the spot the Rishi Lomasa of great\nenergy. And the king, who was the eldest of Pandu's sons, with his\nfollowers and those Brahmanas sat round the highly righteous one, like\ncelestials in heaven sitting round Sakra. And having received him duly,\nYudhishthira the just enquired after the reason of his arrival, and the\nobject also of his wanderings. Thus asked by Pandu's son, the illustrious\nascetic, well-pleased, replied in sweet words delighting the Pandavas,\n'Travelling at will, O Kaunteya, over all the regions, I came to Sakra's\nabode, and saw there the lord of the celestials. There, I saw thy heroic\nbrother capable of wielding the bow with his left hand, seated on the\nsame seat with Sakra. And beholding Partha on that seat I was greatly\nastonished, O tiger among men! And the lord of the celestials then said\nunto me, 'Go thou unto the sons of Pandu.' At the request, therefore, of\nIndra as also of the high-souled son of Pritha have I come hither with\nspeed, desiring to see thee with thy younger brothers. O child, I will\nrelate what will please thee highly, O son of Pandu! Do thou listen to\nit, O king, with Krishna and the Rishis that are with thee. O bull of the\nBharata race, Partha hath obtained from Rudra that incomparable weapon\nfor the acquisition of which thou hadst sent him to heaven. That fierce\nweapon, known by the name of Brahma-sira which arose after Amrita, and\nwhich Rudra had obtained by means of ascetic austerities, hath been\nacquired by Arjuna together with the Mantras for hurling and withdrawing\nit, and the rites of expiation and revival. And, O Yudhishthira, Arjuna\nof immeasurable prowess hath also acquired Vajras and Dandas and other\ncelestial weapons from Yama and Kuvera and Varuna and Indra, O son of the\nKuru race! And he hath also thoroughly learnt music, both vocal and\ninstrumental, and dancing and proper recitation of the Saman (Veda) from\nVishwavasu's son. And having thus acquired weapons and mastered the\nGandharva Veda, thy third brother Vibhatsu liveth happily (in heaven).\nListen to me, O Yudhishthira, for I shall now deliver to thee the message\nof that foremost of celestials. He hath commanded me saying, \"Thou wilt,\nno doubt, go to the world of men. O best of Brahmanas, tell thou\nYudhishthira these words of mine. Soon will thy brother Arjuna come to\nthee, having acquired arms and accomplished a great deed for the\ncelestials that is incapable of being accomplished by themselves. Do thou\nmeanwhile devote thyself to ascetic austerities, with thy brothers. There\nis nothing superior to asceticism, and it is by asceticism that a person\nachieveth great results. And, O bull of the Bharata race, well do I know\nthat Karna is endued with great ardour and energy and strength and\nprowess that is incapable of being baffled. Well do I know that, skilled\nin fierce conflict, he hath not his rival in battle; that he is a mighty\nbowman, a hero deft in the use of fierce weapons and cased in the best of\nmail. Well do I know that that exalted son of Aditya resembleth the son\nof Maheswara himself. Well do I also know the high natural prowess of the\nbroad-shouldered Arjuna. In battle Karna is not equal unto even a\nsixteenth part of Pritha's son. And as for the fear of Karna which is in\nthy heart, O repressor of foes, I shall dispel when Savyasachin will have\nleft heaven. And as regards thy purpose, O hero, to set out on a\npilgrimage to tirthas, the great Rishi Lomasa will, without doubt, speak\nunto thee. And whatever that regenerate Rishi will relate unto thee\ntouching the merits of asceticism and tirthas, thou shouldst receive with\nrespect and not otherwise!'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XCII\n\n\"Lomasa continued, 'Listen now, O Yudhishthira, to what Dhananjaya hath\nsaid: 'Cause my brother Yudhishthira to attend to the practice of virtue\nwhich leadeth to prosperity. Endued with wealth of asceticism, thou art\nconversant with the highest morality, with ascetic austerities of every\nkind, with the eternal duties of kings blessed with prosperity, and the\nhigh and sanctifying merit that men obtain from tirthas. Persuade thou\nthe sons of Pandu to acquire the merit attaching to tirthas. Do thou with\nthy whole soul persuade the king to visit the tirthas and give away\nkine.' This is what Arjuna said unto me. Indeed he also said, 'Let him\nvisit all the tirthas protected by thee. Thou wilt also protect him from\nRakshasas, and watch over him in inaccessible regions and rugged mountain\nbreasts. And as Dadhichi had protected Indra, and Angiras had protected\nthe Sun, so do thou, O best of regenerate ones, protect the sons of Kunti\nfrom Rakshasas. Along the way are many Rakshasas, huge as\nmountain-cliffs. But protected by thee these will not be able to approach\nthe sons of Kunti. Obedient to the words of Indra and at the request of\nArjuna also protecting thee from dangers, I shall wander with thee.\nBefore this, O son of the Kuru race, I have twice visited the tirthas.\nWith thee I shall repair to them for the third time. O Yudhishthira, Manu\nand other royal Rishis of meritorious deeds had undertaken journeys to\ntirthas. Indeed, a trip to them is capable of dispelling all fear, O\nking! They that are crooked-minded, they that have not their souls under\ncontrol, they that are illiterate and perverse, do not, O Kauravya, bathe\nin tirthas. But thou art ever of a virtuous disposition and conversant\nwith morality and firm in thy promises. Thou wilt surely be able to free\nthyself from the world. For, O son of Pandu, thou art even as king\nBhagiratha, or Gaya, or Yayati, or any one, O son of Kunti, that is like\nthem.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira answered, 'I am so overwhelmed with delight, O Brahmana,\nthat I cannot find words to answer thee. Who can be more fortunate than\nhe who is remembered even by the lord of the celestials? Who can be more\nfortunate than he who hath been favoured with thy company, who hath\nDhananjaya for a brother, and who is thought of by Vasava himself? As to\nthy words, O illustrious one, in respect of a trip to the tirthas, my\nmind had already been made up at the words of Dhaumya. O Brahmana, I\nshall start, at whatever hour thou mayst be pleased to appoint, on the\nproposed journey to tirthas. Even this is my firm resolve!'\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Lomasa then said unto Yudhishthira, who had made\nup his mind to start on the proposed journey, 'O mighty king, be thou\nlight as regards thy retinue, for by this thou wilt be able to go more\neasily!'\n\n\"Yudhishthira then said, 'Let those mendicants and Brahmanas and Yogis\nthat are incapable of bearing hunger and thirst, the fatigues of travel\nand toil, and the severity of winter, desist. Let those Brahmanas also\ndesist that live on sweetmeats, and they also that desire cooked viands\nand food that is sucked or drunk as well as meat. And let those also\nremain behind that are dependent on cooks. Let those citizens that have\nfollowed me from motives of loyalty, and whom I have hitherto kept on\nproper stipends, repair to king Dhritarashtra. He will give them their\nallowances in due time. If, however, that king refuses to grant them\nproper allowances, the king of the Panchalas will, for our satisfaction\nand welfare, give them these.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"And thereupon oppressed with grief, the citizens\nand the principal Brahmanas and Yatis set out for Hastinapura. And out of\naffection for Yudhishthira the just, the royal son of Amvika received\nthem properly, and gratified them with proper allowances. And the royal\nson of Kunti, with only a small number of Brahmanas, abode for three\nnights at Kamyaka, cheered by Lomasa.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XCIII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Those Brahmanas then, that had been dwelling (with\nhim) in the woods, beholding the son of Kunti about to set out (on the\npious pilgrimage), approached him, O king, and said, 'Thou art about to\nset out, O king, on thy journey to the sacred tirthas, along with thy\nbrothers and accompanied by the illustrious Rishi Lomasa. O king, it\nbehoveth thee, O son of Pandu, to take us with thee. Without thee, we\nshall not be able, O son of the Kuru race, to visit them at any time.\nSurrounded by dangers and difficult of access, they are infested by\nbeasts of prey. Those tirthas, O lord of men, are inaccessible to persons\nin small parties. Foremost of all wielders of the bow, thy brothers are\never brave. Protected by your heroic selves, we also would proceed to\nthem. Permit us to acquire, O lord of earth, through thy grace the\nblessed fruit of tirthas. Protected by thy energy, let us, O king, be\ncleansed of all our sins by visiting those tirthas and purified by baths\ntherein. Bathing in those tirthas, thou also, O Bharata, wilt acquire\nwithout doubt the regions difficult of acquisition that Kartavirya and\nAshtaka, the royal sage Lomapada and the imperial and heroic Bharata only\nhad earned. In thy company, O king, we desire to behold Prabhasa and\nother tirthas, Mahendra and other hills, Ganga and other rivers, and\nPlaksha and other gigantic trees. If, O lord of men, thou hast any regard\nfor the Brahmanas, do thou our bidding. Thou wilt surely have prosperity\nfrom this. O thou of mighty arms, the tirthas are infested by Rakshasas\nthat ever obstruct ascetic penances. It behoveth thee to protect us from\nthem. Protected by Lomasa and taking us with thee, go thou to all the\ntirthas spoken of by Dhaumya and the intelligent Narada, as also all\nthose that have been spoken of by the celestial Rishi Lomasa, endued with\ngreat ascetic wealth, and be thou, by this, cleansed of all thy sins.\"\n\n\"Thus addressed respectfully by them, the king--that bull amongst the\nsons of Pandu--surrounded by his heroic brothers headed by Bhima, with\ntears of joy in his eyes, said unto all those ascetics, 'Let it be so.'\nWith the permission then of Lomasa, as also of his priest Dhaumya, that\nforemost of Pandu's sons with soul under complete control, resolved,\nalong with his brothers and Drupada's daughter of faultless features, to\nset out. Just at this time, the blessed Vyasa, as also Parvata and\nNarada, all endued with high intelligence, came to Kamyaka for seeing the\nson of Pandu. Beholding them, king Yudhishthira worshipped them with due\nrites. And worshipped by the monarch thus, those blessed ones, addressing\nYudhishthira, said, 'O Yudhishthira, O Bhima, and ye twins, banish all\nevil thoughts from your minds. Purify your hearts and then set out for\nthe tirthas. The Brahmanas have said that the observance of regulations\nin respect of the body are called earthly vows, while efforts to purify\nthe heart, so that it may be free from evil thoughts, are called\nspiritual vows. O king, the mind that is free from all evil thoughts is\nhighly pure. Purifying yourselves, therefore, harbouring only friendly\nfeelings for all, behold ye the tirthas. Observing earthly vows in\nrespect of your bodies and purifying your minds by spiritual vows, obtain\nye the fruits as recited, of pilgrimages.\"\n\n\"Saying, 'So be it,' the Pandavas with Krishna, caused those celestial\nand human Rishis to perform the usual propitiatory ceremonies. And those\nheroes, having worshipped the feet of Lomasa and Dwaipayana and Narada\nand the celestial Rishi Parvata, O king, and accompanied by Dhaumya as\nalso the ascetics that had been residing with them in the woods, set out\non the day following the full moon of Agrahayana in which the\nconstellation Pushya was ascendant. Dressed in barks and hides, and with\nmatted lock on head, they were all cased in impenetrable mail and armed\nwith swords. And O Janamejaya, the heroic sons of Pandu with quivers and\narrows and scimitars and other weapons, and accompanied by Indrasena and\nother attendants with fourteen and one cars, a number of cooks and\nservants of other classes, set out with faces turned towards the east!\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XCIV\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'O best of celestial Rishis, I do not think that I am\nwithout merits. Yet am I afflicted with so much sorrow that there never\nwas a king like me. I think, however, that my enemies are destitute of\ngood qualities and even destitute of morality. Yet why, O Lomasa, do they\nprosper in this world?\"\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'Grieve not ever, O king, O son of Pritha, that sinful men\nshould often prosper in consequence of the sins they commit. A man may be\nseen to prosper by his sins, obtain good therefrom and vanquish his foes.\nDestruction, however, overtakes him to the roots. O king, I have seen\nmany Daityas and Danavas prosper by sin but I have also seen destruction\novertake them. O exalted one, I have seen all this in the righteous age\nof yore. The gods practised virtue, while the Asuras abandoned it. The\ngods visited the tirthas, while the Asuras did not visit them. And at\nfirst the sinful Asuras were possessed with pride. And pride begat vanity\nand vanity begat wrath. And from wrath arose every kind of evil\npropensities, and from these latter sprang shamelessness. And in\nconsequence of shamelessness, good behaviour disappeared from among them.\nAnd because they had become shameless and destitute of virtuous\npropensities and good conduct and virtuous vows, forgiveness and\nprosperity and morality forsook them in no time. And prosperity then, O\nking, sought the gods, while adversity sought the Asuras. And when the\nDaityas and the Danavas, deprived of sense by pride, were possessed by\nadversity. Kali also sought to possess them. And, O son of Kunti,\noverwhelmed with pride, and destitute of rites and sacrifices, and devoid\nof reason and feeling, and their hearts full of vanity, destruction\novertook them soon. And covered with infamy, the Daityas were soon\nexterminated. The gods, however, who were virtuous in their practices,\ngoing to the seas, the rivers, the lakes and the holy spots, cleansed\nthemselves of all sins, O son of Pandu, by means of ascetic penances and\nsacrifices and gifts and blessings, and obtained prosperity and the\nconsequence. And because the gods always performed sacrifices and holy\ndeeds abandoning every practice that was evil, and visited the tirthas,\nas the consequence thereof they acquired great good fortune. Guided by\nthis, O king, do thou also, with thy brothers, bathe in tirthas, for then\nthou wilt obtain prosperity once more. Even this is the eternal road.\nAnd, O monarch, as king Nriga and Shivi and Ausinara and Bhagiratha and\nVasumanas and Gaya and Puru and Pururavas, by practising ascetic penances\nand visiting tirthas and touching sacred waters and beholding illustrious\nascetics, obtained fame and sanctity and merit and wealth, so wilt thou\nalso obtain prosperity that is great. And as Ikshwaku with his sons,\nfriends and followers, as Muchukunda and Mandhatri and king Marutta, as\nthe gods through power of asceticism and the celestial Rishis also, had\nall obtained fame, so wilt thou also obtain great celebrity. The sons of\nDhritarashtra, on the other hand, enslaved by sinfulness and ignorance,\nwill, without doubt, be soon exterminated like the Daityas.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XCV\n\nVaisampayana said, \"The heroic sons of Pandu, accompanied by their\nfollowers, proceeding from place to place, at last arrived at Naimisha. O\nking, reaching the Gomati, the Pandavas bathed in the sacred tirtha of\nthat stream, and having performed their ablutions there, they gave away,\nO Bharata, both kine and wealth! And repeatedly offering oblations of\nwater, O Bharata, to the gods, the pitris, and the Brahmanas, in the\ntirthas called Kanya, Aswa, and Go and staying (as directed) in Kalakoti\nand the Vishaprastha hills, the Kauravas then, O king, reached Vahuda and\nperformed their ablution in that stream. Proceeding next, O lord of\nearth, to the sacrificial region of the gods known by the name Prayaga,\nthey bathed in the confluence of Ganga and Yamuna and residing there\npractised ascetic penances of great merit. And the Pandavas, of truthful\npromises, bathing in the tirtha, cleansed themselves of every sin. The\nsons of Pandu then, O king of the Bharata race, accompanied by those\nBrahmanas, proceeded to the tirtha called Vedi, sacred to the Creator and\nadored by the ascetics. Residing there for some time and gratifying the\nBrahmanas with the fruit and roots of the wilderness and clarified\nbutter, those heroes began to practise ascetic penances of great merit.\nThey then proceeded to Mahidhara consecrated by that virtuous royal sage\nGaya of unrivalled splendour. In that region is the hill called Gayasira,\nas well as the delightful river called Mahanadi, with fine banks graced\nby bushes of canes. On that celestial hill of holy peaks is a sacred\ntirtha called Brahmasara  which is much adored by ascetics. There on the\nbanks of that lake had dwelt of yore the eternal god himself of justice,\nand it was thither that the illustrious Rishi Agastya had repaired to\nbehold that deity. It is from that lake that all the rivers take their\nrise and there in that tirtha, Mahadeva the wielder of the Pinaka, is\npresent for aye. Arriving at that spot, the heroic sons of Pandu\npractised the vow that is known by the name of the Chaturmasya according\nto all the rites and ordinances of the great sacrifice called Rishiyajna.\nIt is there that that mighty tree called the Eternal banian stands. Any\nsacrifice performed there produces merit that is eternal. In that\nsacrificial platform of the gods producing eternal merit, the Pandavas\nbegan to fast with concentrated souls. And there came unto them Brahmanas\nby hundreds endued with wealth of asceticism. And those Brahmanas also\nall performed the Chaturmasya sacrifice according to the rites inculcated\nby the Rishis. And there in that tirtha, those Brahmanas old in knowledge\nand ascetic merit and fully versed in the Vedas, that constituted the\ncourt of the illustrious sons of Pandu, talked in their presence upon\nvarious subject of sacred import. And it was in that place that the\nlearned vow-observing, and sacred Shamatha, leading, besides, a life of\ncelibacy, spake unto them, O king, of Gaya, the son of Amurttaraya. And\nShamatha said, 'Gaya, the son of Amurttaraya, was one of the foremost of\nroyal sages. Listen to me, O Bharata, as I recite his meritorious deeds.\nIt was here, O king, that Gaya had performed many sacrifices\ndistinguished by the enormous quantities of food (that were distributed)\nand the profuse gifts that were given away (unto Brahmanas). Those\nsacrifices, O king, were distinguished by mountains in hundreds and\nthousands of cooked rice, lakes of clarified butter and rivers of curds\nin many hundreds, and streams of richly-dressed curries in thousands. Day\nafter day were these got ready and distributed amongst all comers, while,\nover and above this, Brahmanas and others, O king, received food that was\nclean and pure. During the conclusion also (of every sacrifice) when\ngifts were dedicated to the Brahmanas, the chanting of the Vedas reached\nthe heavens. And so loud, indeed, was the sound of the Vedic Mantras that\nnothing else, O Bharata, could be heard there. Thus sacred sounds, O\nking, filled the earth, the points of the horizon, the sky and heaven\nitself. Even these were the wonders that persons noticed on those\noccasions. And gratified with the excellent viands and drinks that the\nillustrious Gaya provided, men, O bull of the Bharata race, went about\nsinging these verses. In Gaya's great sacrifice, who is there today,\namongst creatures, that still desireth to eat? There are yet twenty-five\nmountains of food there after all have been fed! What the royal sage Gaya\nof immense splendour hath achieved in his sacrifice was never achieved by\nmen before, nor will be by any in future. The gods have been so surfeited\nby Gaya with clarified butter that they are not able to take anything\nthat anybody else may offer. As sand grains on earth, as stars in the\nfirmament, as drops showered by rain-charged clouds, cannot ever be\ncounted by anybody, so can none count the gifts in Gaya's sacrifice!\"\n\n\"O son of the Kuru race, many times did king Gaya perform sacrifices of\nthis description, here, by the side of this Brahmasara!\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XCVI\n\nVaisampayana said, \"After this the royal son of Kunti who was ever\ndistinguished for his profuse gifts unto Brahmanas, proceeded to the\nasylum of Agastya and took up his abode in Durjaya. It was here that that\nforemost of speakers, king Yudhishthira asked Lomasa as to why Agastya\nhad slain Vatapi there. And the king also enquired after the extent of\nthat man-destroying Daitya's prowess, and the reason also of the\nillustrious Agastya's wrath being excited against that Asura.\n\n\"Thus questioned, Lomasa said, 'O son of Kuru race, there was in the city\ncalled Manimati, in days of yore, a Daitya named Ilwala, whose younger\nbrother was Vatapi. One day that son of Diti addressed the Brahmana\nendued with ascetic merit, saying, 'O holy one, grant me a son equal unto\nIndra.' The Brahmana, however, did not grant the Asura a son like Indra.\nAnd at this, the Asura was inflamed with wrath against the Brahmana. And\nfrom that day, O king, the Asura Ilwala became a destroyer of Brahmanas.\nAnd endued with power of illusion the angry Asura transformed his brother\ninto a ram. And Vatapi also capable of assuming any form at will, would\nimmediately assume the shape of a ram. And the flesh of that ram, after\nbeing properly dressed, was offered to Brahmanas as food. And after they\nhad eaten of it, they were slain. For whomsoever Ilwala summoned with his\nvoice, he would come back to Ilwala even if he had gone to the abode of\nYama, in re-embodied form endued with life, and show himself to Ilwala.\nAnd so having transformed the Asura Vatapi into a ram and properly cooked\nhis flesh and feeding Brahmanas therewith, he would summon Vatapi. And\nthe mighty Asura Vatapi, that foe of Brahmanas, endued with great\nstrength and power of illusion, hearing, O king, those sounds uttered\nwith a loud voice by Ilwala, and ripping open the flanks of the Brahmana\nwould come laughingly out, O lord of earth! And it was thus, O monarch,\nthat the wicked-hearted Daitya Ilwala, having fed Brahmanas, frequently\ntook away their lives.\n\n\"Meanwhile, the illustrious Agastya beheld his deceased ancestors hanging\nin a pit with heads downwards. And he asked those personages thus\nsuspended in that hole, saying, 'What is the matter with you? Thus\nquestioned those utterers of Brahma replied, 'It is even for offspring.'\nAnd they also told him, 'We are your ancestors. It is even for offspring\nthat we stay suspended in this pit. If O Agastya, thou canst beget us a\ngood son, we may then be saved from this hell and thou also wilt obtain\nthy blessed state of those having offspring.' Endued with great energy\nand observant of truth and morality Agastya replied, saying, 'Ye Pitris,\nI will accomplish your desire. Let this anxiety of yours be dispelled.'\nAnd the illustrious Rishi then began to think of perpetuating his race.\nBut he saw not a wife worthy of him on whom he himself could take his\nbirth in the form of a son. The Rishi accordingly, taking those parts\nthat were regarded as highly beautiful, from creatures possessing them,\ncreated therewith an excellent woman. And the Muni, endued with great\nascetic merit, thereupon gave that girl created for himself to the king\nof the Vidharbhas who was then undergoing ascetic penances for obtaining\noffspring. And that blessed girl of sweet face (thus disposed of) then\ntook her birth (in Vidarbha's royal line) and, beautiful as the effulgent\nlightning, her limbs began to grow day by day. And as soon as that lord\nof earth--the ruler of the Vidarbhas--saw her ushered into life, he\njoyfully communicated the intelligence, O Bharata, unto the Brahmanas.\nAnd the Brahmanas thereupon, O lord of earth, blessed the girl and they\nbestowed upon her the name Lopamudra. And possessed of great beauty, she\nbegan, O monarch, to grow quickly like unto a lotus in the midst of water\nor the effulgent flame of a fire. And when the girl grew and attained to\npuberty, a hundred virgins decked in ornaments and a hundred maids waited\nin obedience upon her blessed self. And surrounded by those hundred maids\nand virgins, she shone in their midst, endued as she was with bright\neffulgence, like Rohini in the firmament amid an inferior multitude of\nstars. And possessed as she was of good behaviour and excellent manners,\nnone dared ask for her hand even when she attained to puberty, through\nfear of her father, the king of the Vidharbhas. And Lopamudra, devoted to\ntruth, surpassing the Apsaras even in beauty, gratified her father and\nrelatives by means of her conduct. And her father, beholding his\ndaughter-the princess of Vidharbha-attain to puberty, began to reflect in\nhis mind, saying, 'To whom should I give this daughter of mine?'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XCVII\n\n\"Lomasa continued, 'When Agastya thought that girl to be competent for\nthe duties of domesticity, he approached that lord of earth-the ruler of\nVidharbhas-and addressing him, said, 'I solicit thee, O king, to bestow\nthy daughter Lopamudra on me.' Thus addressed by the Muni, the king of\nthe Vidharbhas swooned away. And though unwilling to give the Muni his\ndaughter, he dared not refuse. And that lord of earth then, approaching\nhis queen, said, 'This Rishi is endued with great energy. If angry, he\nmay consume me with the fire of his curse. O thou of sweet face, tell me\nwhat is thy wish.\" Hearing these words of the king, she uttered not a\nword. And beholding the king along with the queen afflicted with sorrow,\nLopamudra approached them in due time and said, O monarch, it behoveth\nthee not to grieve on my account. Bestow me on Agastya, and, O father,\nsave thyself, by giving me away.' And at these words of his daughter, O\nmonarch, the king gave away Lopamudra unto the illustrious Agastya with\ndue rites. And obtaining her as wife, Agastya addressed Lopamudra,\nsaying, 'Cast thou away these costly robes and ornaments.' And at these\nwords of her lord, that large-eyed damsel of thighs tapering as the stem\nof the plantain tree cast away her handsome and costly robes of fine\ntexture. And casting them away she dressed herself in rags and barks and\ndeerskins, and became her husband's equal in vows and acts. And\nproceeding then to Gangadwara that illustrious and best of Rishis began\nto practise the severest penances along with his helpful wife. And\nLopamudra herself, well pleased, began to serve her lord from the deep\nrespect that she bore him. And the exalted Agastya also began to manifest\ngreat love for his wife.\n\n\"After a considerable time, O king, the illustrious Rishi one day beheld\nLopamudra, blazing in ascetic splendour come up after the bath in her\nseason. And pleased with the girl, for her services, her purity, and self\ncontrol, as also with her grace and beauty, he summoned her for marital\nintercourse. The girl, however, joining her hands, bashfully but lovingly\naddressed the Rishi, saying, 'The husband, without doubt, weddeth the\nwife for offspring. But it behoveth thee, O Rishi, to show that love to\nme which I have for thee. And it behoveth thee, O regenerate one, to\napproach me on a bed like to that which I had in the palace of my father.\nI also desire that thou shouldst be decked in garlands of flowers and\nother ornaments, and that I should approach thee adorned in those\ncelestial ornaments that I like. Otherwise, I cannot approach thee,\ndressed in these rags dyed in red. Nor, O regenerate Rishi, it is sinful\nto wear ornaments (on such an occasion).' Hearing these words of his\nwife, Agastya replied, 'O blessed girl, O thou of slender waist, I have\nnot wealth like what thy father hath, O Lopamudra!' She answered saying,\n'Thou who art endued with wealth of asceticism, art certainly able to\nbring hither within a moment, by ascetic power, everything that exists in\nthe world of men.' Agastya said, 'It is even so as thou hast said. That,\nhowever, would waste my ascetic merit. O bid me do that which may not\nloosen my ascetic merit.' Lopamudra then said, 'O thou endued with wealth\nof asceticism, my season will not last long, I do not desire, however, to\napproach thee otherwise. Nor do I desire to diminish thy (ascetic) merit\nin any way. It behoveth thee, however, to do as I desire, without\ninjuring thy virtue.'\n\n\"'Agastya then said, 'O blessed girl, if this be the resolve that thou\nhast settled in thy heart, I will go out in quest of wealth. Meanwhile,\nstay thou here as it pleaseth thee.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XCVIII\n\n\"Lomasa continued, 'Agastya then, O son of the Kuru race, went to king\nSrutarvan who was regarded as richer than other kings, to beg for wealth.\nAnd that monarch, learning of the arrival of the pot-born Rishi on the\nfrontiers of his kingdoms, went out with his ministers and received the\nholy man with respect. And the king duly offering the Arghya in the first\ninstance, submissively and with joined hands enquired then after the\nreason of the Rishi's arrival. And Agastya answered saying, O lord of the\nearth, know that I have come to thee, desirous of wealth. Give me a\nportion according to thy ability and without doing injury to others.'\n\n\"Lomasa continued, 'The king, then, representing unto the Rishi the\nequality of his expenditure and income, said, 'O learned one, take thou\nfrom my possessions the wealth thou pleasest.' Beholding, however, the\nequality of that monarch's expenditure with income, the Rishi who always\nsaw both sides with equal eyes, thought that if he took anything under\nthe circumstances, his act would result in injury to creatures. Taking,\ntherefore, Srutarvan with him, the Rishi went to Vradhnaswa. The latter,\nhearing of their arrival on his frontiers, received them duly. And\nVradhnaswa also offered them the Arghyas and water to wash their feet.\nAnd the monarch, with their permission, then enquired after the reason of\ntheir coming. And Agastya said, 'O lord of earth, know that we have come\nto thee desirous of wealth. Give us what thou canst, without doing injury\nto others.'\"\n\n\"Lomasa continued, 'That monarch then represented unto them the equality\nof his expenditure and income, and said, 'Knowing this, take ye what ye\ndesire.' The Rishi, however, who saw both sides with equal eyes,\nbeholding the equality of that monarch's income with expenditure, thought\nthat if he took anything under the circumstances, his act would result in\ninjury to all creatures. Agastya and Srutarvan, with king Vradhnaswa then\nwent to Purokutsa's son, Trasadasyu, of enormous wealth. The high-souled\nTrasadasyu, learning of their arrival on the confines of his kingdom went\nout, O king, and received them well. And that best of monarchs in\nIkshvaku's line, having worshipped all of them duly, enquired after the\nreason of their arrival. And Agastya answered, 'O lord of earth, know\nthat we have all come to thee, desirous of wealth. Give us what you can,\nwithout injuring others.'\"\n\n\"Lomasa continued, 'That monarch then, represented unto them the equality\nof his income with expenditure, and said, 'Knowing this, take ye what ye\ndesire.' Beholding, however, the equality of that monarch's expenditure\nwith income, the Rishi who saw both sides with equal eyes, thought that\nif he took anything under the circumstances, his act would result in\ninjury to all creatures. Then, O monarch, all those kings looking at one\nanother, together spoke unto the Rishis saying, 'O Brahmana, there is a\nDanava of the name Ilwala who of all persons on earth, is possessed of\nenormous wealth. Let us all approach him to-day and beg wealth of him.'\"\n\n\"Lomasa continued, 'This suggestion, O king, of begging wealth of Ilwala\nappeared to them to be proper. And, O monarch, all of them went together\nto Ilwala after this!'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION XCIX\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'When Ilwala learnt that those kings along with the great\nRishi had arrived on the confines of his domain, he went out with his\nministers and worshipped them duly. And that prince of Asuras received\nthem hospitably, entertaining them, O son of the Kuru race, with well\ndressed meat supplied by his brother Vatapi (transformed into a ram).\nThen all those royal sages, beholding the mighty Asura Vatapi, who had\nbeen transformed into a ram thus cooked for them, became sad and\ncheerless and were nearly deprived of themselves. But that best of\nRishis--Agastya--addressing those royal sages, said, 'Yield ye not to\ngrief, I will eat up the great Asura.' And the mighty Rishi then sat\nhimself down on an excellent seat, and the prince of Asuras, Ilwala,\nbegan to distribute the food smilingly. And Agastya ate up the whole of\nthe meat supplied by Vatapi (transformed into a ram). And after the\ndinner was over, Ilwala began to summon his brother. But thereupon a\nquantity of air alone came out of the illustrious Rishi's stomach, with a\nsound that was as loud, O child, as the roar of the clouds. And Ilwala\nrepeatedly said, 'Come out, O Vatapi!' Then that best of\nMunis--Agastya--bursting out in laughter, said, 'How can he come out? I\nhave already digested that great Asura.' And beholding his brother\nalready digested, Ilwala became sad and cheerless and joining his hands,\nalong with his ministers, addressing the Rishi (and his companions),\nsaid, 'What for have ye come hither, and what can I do for you?' And\nAgastya smilingly answered Ilwala, saying, 'We know thee, O Asura, to be\npossessed of great power and also enormous wealth. These kings are not\nvery wealthy while my need also of wealth is great. Give us what thou\ncanst, without injuring others.' Thus addressed Ilwala saluted the Rishi\nand said, 'If thou say what it is that I mean to give, then will I give\nyou wealth.' Hearing this Agastya said, 'O great Asura, thou hast even\npurposed to give unto each of these kings ten thousand kine and as many\ngold coins. And unto me thou hast purposed to give twice as much, as also\na car of gold and a couple of horses fleet as thought. If thou enquirest\nnow, thou wilt soon learn that your car is made of gold.' Thereupon, O\nson of Kunti, Ilwala made enquiries and learnt that the car he had\nintended to give away was really a golden one. And the Daitya then with a\nsad heart, gave away much wealth and that car, unto which were yoked two\nsteeds called Virava and Surava. And those steeds, O Bharata, took those\nkings and Agastya and all that wealth to the asylum of Agastya within the\ntwinkling of an eye. And those royal sages then obtaining Agastya's\npermission, went away to their respective cities. And Agastya also (with\nthat wealth) did all that his wife Lopamudra had desired. And Lopamudra\nthen said, 'O illustrious one, thou hast now accomplished all my wishes.\nBeget thou a child on me that shall be possessed of great energy.' And\nAgastya replied unto her, saying, 'O blessed and beauteous one, I have\nbeen much gratified with thy conduct. Listen thou unto me as regards the\nproposal I make in respect of thy offspring. Wouldst thou have a thousand\nsons, or a century of sons each equal to ten, or ten sons equal each to\nan hundred, or only one son who may vanquish a thousand?' Lopamudra\nanswered, 'Let me have one son equal unto a thousand, O thou endued with\nwealth of asceticism! One good and learned son is preferable to many evil\nones.'\"\n\n\"Lomasa continued, 'Saying, 'So be it,' that pious Muni thereupon knew\nhis devout wife of equal behaviour. And after she had conceived, he\nretired into the forest. And after the Muni had gone away, the foetus\nbegan to grow for seven years. And after the seventh year had expired,\nthere came out of the womb, the highly learned Dridhasyu, blazing, O\nBharata, in his own splendour. And the great Brahmana and illustrious\nascetic, endued with mighty energy, took his birth as the Rishi's son,\ncoming out of the womb, as if repeating the Vedas with the Upanishads and\nthe Angas. Endued with great energy while yet a child, he used to carry\nloads of sacrificial fuel into the asylum of his father, and was thence\ncalled Idhmavaha (carrier of sacrificial wood). And the Muni, beholding\nhis son possessed of such virtues, became highly glad.\n\n\"And it was thus, O Bharata, that Agastya begat an excellent son in\nconsequence of which his ancestors, O king, obtained the regions they\ndesired. And it is from that time that this spot hath become known on the\nearth as the asylum of Agastya. Indeed, O king, this is the asylum graced\nwith numerous beauties, of that Agastya who had slain Vatapi of\nPrahrada's race. The sacred Bhagirathi, adored by gods and Gandharvas\ngently runneth by, like a breeze-shaken pennon in the welkin. Yonder also\nshe floweth over craggy crests descending lower and lower, and looketh\nlike an affrighted she-snake lying along the hilly slopes. Issuing out of\nthe matted locks of Mahadeva, she passeth along, flooding the southern\ncountry and benefiting it like a mother, and ultimately mingleth with the\nocean as if she were his favourite bride. Bathe ye as ye like in this\nsacred river, ye son of Pandu! And behold there, O Yudhisthira, the\ntirtha of Bhrigu that is celebrated over the three worlds and adored, O\nking, by great Rishis. Bathing here, Rama (of Bhrigu's race) regained his\nmight, which had been taken away from him (by Dasaratha's son). Bathing\nhere, O son of Pandu, with thy brothers and Krishna, thou wilt certainly\nregain that energy of thine that hath been taken away by Duryodhana, even\nas Rama regained his that had been taken away by Dasaratha's son in\nhostile encounter.\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"At these words of Lomasa, Yudhishthira bathed\nthere with his brothers and Krishna, and offered oblations of water, O\nBharata, to the gods and the Pitris. And, O bull among men, after\nYudhishthira had bathed in that tirtha, his body blazed forth in brighter\neffulgence, and he became invisible in respect of all foes. The son of\nPandu then, O king, asked Lomasa, saying, 'O illustrious one, why had\nRama's energy and might been taken away? And how also did he regain it? O\nexalted one, I ask thee, tell me everything.'\"\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'Listen, O king, to the history of Rama (the son of\nDasaratha) and Rama of Bhrigu's line gifted with intelligence. For the\ndestruction of Ravana, O king, Vishnu, in his own body, took his birth as\nthe son of illustrious Dasaratha. We saw in Ayodhya that son of Dasaratha\nafter he had been born. It was then that Rama of Bhrigu's line, the son\nof Richika by Renuka, hearing of Rama the son of Dasaratha--of spotless\ndeeds--went to Ayodhya, impelled by curiosity, and taking with him that\ncelestial bow so fatal to the Kshatriyas, for ascertaining the prowess of\nDasaratha's son. And Dasaratha, hearing that Rama of Bhrigu's race had\narrived on the confines of his domains, set his own son Rama to receive\nthe hero with respect. And beholding Dasaratha's son approach and stand\nbefore him with ready weapons, Rama of Bhrigu's line smilingly addressed\nhim, O son of Kunti, saying, 'O king, O exalted one, string, if thou\ncanst, with all thy mighty, this bow which in my hands was made the\ninstrument of destroying the Kshatriya race.' Thus addressed, Dasaratha's\nson answered, 'O illustrious one, it behoveth thee not to insult me thus.\nNor am I, amongst the regenerate classes, deficient in the virtues of the\nKshatriya order. The descendants of Ikshwaku in special never boast of\nthe prowess of their arms.' Then unto Dasaratha's son who said so, Rama\nof Bhrigu's line replied, 'A truce to all crafty speech, O king! Take\nthis bow.' At this, Rama the son of Dasaratha, took in anger from the\nhands of Rama of Bhrigu's line that celestial bow that had dealt death to\nthe foremost of Kshatriyas. And, O Bharata, the mighty hero smilingly\nstrung that bow without the least exertion, and with its twang loud as\nthe thunder-rattle, affrighted all creatures. And Rama, the son of\nDasaratha, then, addressing Rama of Bhrigu's said, 'Here, I have strung\nthis bow. What else, O Brahmana, shall I do for thee?' Then Rama, the son\nof Jamadagni, gave unto the illustrious son of Dasaratha a celestial\narrow and said, 'Placing this on the bow-string, draw to thy ear, O\nhero!' \"Lomasa continued, 'Hearing this, Dasaratha's son blazed up in\nwrath and said, 'I have heard what thou hast said, and even pardoned\nthee. O son of Bhrigu's race, thou art full of vanity. Through the\nGrandsire's grace thou hast obtained energy that is superior to that of\nthe Kshatriyas. And it is for this that thou insultest me. Behold me now\nin my native form: I give thee sight.' Then Rama of Bhrigu's race beheld\nin the body of Dasaratha's son the Adityas with the Vasus, the Rudras,\nthe Sadhyas with the Marutas, the Pitris, Hutasana, the stellar\nconstellations and the planets, the Gandharvas, the Rakshasas, the\nYakshas, the Rivers, the tirthas, those eternal Rishis identified with\nBrahma and called the Valkhilyas, the celestial Rishis, the Seas and\nMountains, the Vedas with the Upanishads and Vashats and the sacrifices,\nthe Samans in their living form, the Science of weapons, O Bharata, and\nthe Clouds with rain and lightning, O Yudhishthira! And the illustrious\nVishnu then shot that shaft. And at this the earth was filled with sounds\nof thunder, and burning meteors. O Bharata, began to flash through the\nwelkin. And showers of dust and rain fell upon the surface of the earth.\nAnd whirlwinds and frightful sounds convulsed everything, and the earth\nherself began to quake. And shot by the hand of Rama, that shalt,\nconfounding by its energy the other Rama, came back blazing into Rama's\nhands. And Bhargava, who had thus been deprived of his senses, regaining\nconsciousness and life, bowed unto Rama--that manifestation of Vishnu's\npower. And commanded by Vishnu, he proceeded to the mountains of\nMahendra. And thenceforth that great ascetic began to dwell there, in\nterror and shame. And after the expiration of a year, the Pitris,\nbeholding Rama dwelling there deprived of energy, his pride quelled, and\nhimself sunk in affliction, said unto him, 'O son, having approached\nVishnu, thy behaviour towards him was not proper. He deserveth for aye\nworship and respect in the three worlds. Go, O son, to that sacred river\nwhich goeth by name of Vadhusara! Bathing in all the tirthas of that\nstream, thou wilt regain thy energy! There in that river is the tirthas\ncalled Diptoda where thy grandsire Bhrigu, O Rama, in the celestial age\nhad practised ascetic penances of great merit.' Thus addressed by them,\nRama, O son of Kunti, did what the Pitris bade him, and obtained back at\nthis tirtha, O son of Pandu, the energy he had lost. Even this O child,\nwas what befell Rama of spotless deeds in days in of yore, after he had,\nO king, met Vishnu (in the form of Dasaratha's son)!'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION C\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'O best of regenerate ones, I desire again to hear of\nthe achievements in detail of Agastya--that illustrious Rishi endued with\ngreat intelligence.'\"\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'Listen now, O king, to the excellent and wonderful and\nextraordinary history of Agastya, as also, O monarch, about the prowess\nof that Rishi of immeasurable energy. There were in the Krita age certain\ntribes of fierce Danavas that were invincible in battle. And they were\nknown by the name of Kalakeyas and were endued with terrible prowess.\nPlacing themselves under Vritra and arming themselves with diverse\nweapons they pursued the celestials with Indra at their head in all\ndirections. The gods then all resolved upon the destruction of Vritra,\nand went with Indra at their head to Brahma. And beholding them standing\nbefore him with joined hands, Parameshthi addressed them all and said,\n\"Everything is known to me, ye gods, about what ye seek. I shall indicate\nnow the means by which ye may slay Vritra. There is a high-souled and\ngreat Rishi known by the name of Dadhicha. Go ye all together unto him\nand solicit of him a boon. With well-pleased heart, that Rishi of\nvirtuous soul will even grant you the boon. Desirous as ye are of\nvictory, go ye all together unto him and tell him, 'For the good of the\nthree worlds, give us thy bones.' Renouncing his body, he will give you\nhis bones. With these bones of his, make ye a fierce and powerful weapon\nto be called Vajra, endued with six sides and terrible roar and capable\nof destroying even the most powerful enemies. With that weapon will he of\na hundred sacrifices slay Vritia. I have now told you all. See that all\nthis is done speedily.' Thus addressed by him, the gods with the\nGrandsire's leave (came away), and with Narayana at their head proceeded\nto the asylum of Dadhicha. That asylum was on the other bank of the river\nSaraswati and covered with diverse trees and creepers. And it resounded\nwith the hum of bees as if they were reciting Samans. And it also echoed\nwith the melodious notes of the male Kokila and the Chakora. And\nbuffaloes and boars and deer and Chamaras wandered there at pleasure\nfreed from the fear of tigers. And elephants with the juice trickling\ndown from rent temples, plunging in the stream, sported with the\nshe-elephants and made the entire region resound with their roars. And\nthe place also echoed with the loud roars of lions and tigers, while at\nintervals might be seen those grisly monarchs of the forest lying\nstretched in caves and glens and beautifying them with their presence And\nsuch was the asylum, like unto heaven itself, of Dadhicha, that the gods\nentered. And there they beheld Dadhicha looking like the sun himself in\nsplendour and blazing in grace of person like the Grandsire himself. And\nthe celestials saluted the feet of the Rishi and bowed unto him and\nbegged of him the boon that the Grandsire had bade them do. Then\nDadhicha, well pleased, addressing those foremost of celestials, said,\n'Ye celestials, I will do what is for your benefit. I will even renounce\nthis body of mine myself.' And that foremost of men with soul under\ncontrol, having said this, suddenly renounced his life. The gods then\ntook the bones of the deceased Rishi as directed. And the celestials,\nglad at heart, went to Twashtri (the celestial Artificer) and spake to\nhim of the means of victory. And Twashtri, hearing those words of theirs,\nbecame filled with joy, and constructed (out of those bones) with great\nattention and care the fierce weapons called Vajra. And having\nmanufactured it, he joyfully addressed Indra, saying, 'With this foremost\nof weapons, O exalted one, reduce that fierce foe of the gods to ashes.\nAnd having slain the foe, rule thou happily the entire domain of heaven,\nO chief of the celestials, with those that follow thee.' And thus\naddressed by Twashtri, Purandara took the Vajra from his hand, joyfully\nand with proper respect.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CI\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'Armed with the Vajra then, and supported by celestials\nendued with great might, Indra then approached Vritra, who was then\noccupying the entire earth and the heaven. And he was guarded on all\nsides by huge-bodied Kalakeyas with upraised weapons resembling gigantic\nmountains with towering peaks. And the encounter that took place between\nthe gods and the Danavas lasted for a short while and was, O chief of the\nBharatas, terrific in the extreme, appalling as it did the three worlds.\nAnd loud was the clash of swords and scimitars upraised and warded off by\nheroic hands in course of those fierce encounters. And heads (severed\nfrom trunks) began to roll from the firmament to the earth like fruits of\nthe palmyra palm falling upon the ground, loosened from their stalks. And\nthe Kalakeyas armed with iron-mounted bludgeons and cased in golden mail\nran against the gods, like moving mountains on conflagration. And the\ngods, unable to stand the shock of that impetuous and proudly advancing\nhost, broke and fled from fear. Purandara of a thousand eyes, beholding\nthe gods flying in fear and Vritra growing in boldness, became deeply\ndejected. And the foremost of gods Purandara, himself, agitated with the\nfear of the Kalakeyas, without losing a moment, sought the exalted\nNarayana's refuge. And the eternal Vishnu beholding Indra so depressed\nenhanced his might by imparting unto him a portion of his own energy. And\nwhen the celestials beheld that Sakra was thus protected by Vishnu, each\nof them imparted unto him his own energy. And the spotless Brahmarshis\nalso imparted their energies unto the chief of the celestials. And\nfavoured thus by Vishnu and all the gods and by the high-blessed Rishis\nalso, Sakra became mightier than before. And when Vritra learnt that the\nchief of the celestials had been filled with might of others, he sent\nforth some terrific roars. And at these roars of his, the earth, the\ndirections, the firmament, heaven, and the mountains all began to\ntremble. And the chief of the celestials, deeply agitated on hearing that\nfierce and loud roar, was filled with fear, and desiring to slay the\nAsura soon, hurled, O king, the mighty Vajra. And struck with Indra's\nVajra the great Asura decked in gold and garlands fell head-long, like\nthe great mountain Mandara hurled of yore from Vishnu's hands; and\nalthough the prince of Daityas was slain, yet Sakra in panic ran from the\nfield, desiring to take shelter in a lake, thinking that the Vajra itself\nhad not been hurled from his hands and regarding that Vritra himself was\nstill alive. The celestials, however, and the great Rishis became filled\nwith joy, and all of them began to cheerfully chant the praise of Indra.\nAnd mustering together, the celestials began to slay the Danavas, who\nwere dejected at the death of their leader. And struck with panic at\nsight of the assembled celestial host, the afflicted Danavas fled to the\ndepths of the sea. And having entered the fathomless deep, teeming with\nfishes and crocodiles, the Danavas assembled together and began to\nproudly conspire for the destruction of the three worlds. And some\namongst them that were wise in inferences suggested courses of action,\neach according to his judgment. In course of time, however, the dreadful\nresolution arrived at those conspiring sons of Diti, was that they\nshould, first of all, compass the destruction of all persons possessed of\nknowledge and ascetic virtue. The worlds are all supported by asceticism.\nTherefore, they said, 'Lose no time for the destruction of asceticism.\nCompass ye without delay the destruction of those on earth that are\npossessed of ascetic virtues, that are conversant with duties and the\nways of morality, and that have a knowledge of Brahma; for when these are\ndestroyed, the universe itself will be destroyed.' And all the Danavas,\nhaving arrived at this resolution for the destruction of the universe,\nbecame highly glad. And thenceforth they made the ocean--that abode of\nVaruna--with billows high as hills, their fort, from which to make their\nsallies.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CII\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'The Kalakeyas then having recourse to that receptacle of\nwaters, which is the abode of Varuna, began their operations for the\ndestruction of the universe. And during the darkness of the night those\nangry Daityas began to devour the Munis they found in woody retreats and\nsacred spots. And those wicked wretches devoured in the asylum of\nVasishtha, Brahmanas to the number of a hundred and eighty, besides nine\nother ascetics. And, proceeding to the asylum of Chyavana that was\ninhabited by many Brahmacharis, they devoured a century of Brahmanas that\nlived upon fruit and roots alone. And they began to do all this during\nthe darkness of the night, while they entered the depths of the sea by\nday. And they slew a full score of Brahmanas of subdued souls and leading\na Brahmacharya mode of life and living upon air and water alone, in the\nretreat of Bharadwaja. And it was thus that those Danavas the Kalakeyas,\nintoxicated with prowess of arms and their lives nearly run out,\ngradually invaded all the asylums of the Rishis during the darkness of\nthe night, slaughtering numerous Brahmanas. And, O best of men, although\nthe Danavas behaved in this way towards the ascetics in woody retreats,\nyet men failed to discover anything of them. And every morning people saw\nthe dead bodies of Munis emaciated with frugal diet, lying on the ground.\nAnd many of those bodies were without flesh and without blood, without\nmarrow, without entrails, and with limbs separated from one another. And\nhere and there lay on the ground heaps of bones like masses of conch\nshells. And the earth was scattered over with the (sacrificial) contents\nof broken jars and shattered ladles for pouring libations of clarified\nbutter and with the sacred fires kept with care by the ascetics. And the\nuniverse afflicted with the terror of the Kalakeyas, being destitute of\nVedic studies and vashats and sacrificial festivals and religious rites,\nbecame entirely cheerless. And, O king, when men began to perish in this\nway, the survivors, afflicted with fear, fled for their lives in all\ndirections. And some fled to caverns and some behind mountain-streams and\nsprings and some through fear of death, died without much ado. And some\nwho were brave and mighty bowmen cheerfully went out and took great\ntrouble in tracking the Danavas. Unable, however, to find them out, for\nthe Asuras had sought refuge in the depths of the sea, these brave men\ncame back to their homes gratified with the search. And, O lord of men,\nwhen the universe was being thus destroyed, and when sacrificial\nfestivals and religious rites had been suspended, the gods became deeply\nafflicted. And gathering together with Indra in their midst they began,\nfrom fear, to take counsel of one another. And repairing unto the exalted\nand uncreate Narayana--that unvanquished god of Vaikuntha--the celestials\nsought his protection. And bowing unto the slayer of Madhu, the gods\naddressed him, saying, 'O lord, thou art the creator, the protector, and\nthe slayer of ourselves as well as of the universe. It is thou who has\ncreated this universe with its mobile and immobile creatures. O thou of\neyes like lotus leaves, it was thou who in days of yore hadst for the\nbenefit of all creatures raised from the sea the sunken earth, assuming\nalso the form of a boar. And, O best of male beings, assuming also the\nform of half-man and half-lion, thou hadst slain in days of yore that\nancient Daitya of mighty prowess known by the name of Hiranyakasipu. And\nthat other great Asura also, Vali by name, was incapable of being slain\nby any one. Assuming the form of a dwarf, thou exiledest him from the\nthree worlds. O lord, it was by thee that that wicked Asura, Jambha by\nname, who was a mighty bowman and who always obstructed sacrifices, was\nslain. Achievements like these, which cannot be counted, are thine. O\nslayer of Madhu, we who have been afflicted with fear, have thee for our\nrefuge. It is for this, O god of gods, that we inform thee of our present\ntroubles. Protect the worlds, the gods, and Sakra also, from a terrible\nfear.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CIII\n\n\"The celestials said, 'Through thy favour it is that all born beings of\nthe four kinds increase. And they being created, propitiate the dwellers\nof heaven by offerings made to the gods and the names of departed\nforefathers. Thus it is that people, protected by thee and free from\ntrouble live depending on one another, and (so) increase. Now this peril\nhath befallen the people. We do not know by whom are Brahmanas being\nkilled during the night. If the Brahmanas are destroyed, the earth itself\nwill meet with destruction, and if the earth cometh to an end, heaven\nalso will cease to exist. O mighty-armed one, O lord of the universe! we\nbeseech thee (to act so) that all the worlds, protected by thee, may not\ncome to an end, so it may please thee.'\n\n\"Vishnu said, 'Ye gods! To me is known the reason of the destruction of\nthe born beings, I shall speak of it to you; listen with minds free from\ntribulation. There exists an exceedingly fierce host, known by the name\nof Kalakeyas. They, under the lead of Vritra, were devastating the whole\nuniverse. And when they saw that Vritra was slain by the sagacious Indra\nendued with a thousand eyes, they, to preserve their lives, entered into\nthe ocean, that abode of Varuna. And having entered the ocean, abounding\nwith sharks and crocodiles, they at night killed the saints at this spot\nwith the view of exterminating the people. But they cannot be slain, as\nthey have taken shelter within the sea. Ye should, therefore, think of\nsome expedient to dry up the ocean. Who save Agastya is capable of drying\nup the sea. And without drying up the ocean, these (demons) cannot be\nassailed by any other means.' Hearing these words of Vishnu, the gods\ntook the permission of Brahma, who lives at the best of all regions, and\nwent to the hermitage of Agastya. Then they beheld the high-souled\nAgastya, the son of Varuna, of resplendent mien, and waited upon by\nsaints, even as Brahma is waited upon by celestials. And approaching him,\nthey addressed the son of Mitra and Varuna at the hermitage, magnanimous\nand unswerving, and looking like an embodiment of pious works piled\ntogether, and glorified him by reciting his deeds. The deities said,\n'Thou wert formerly the refuge of the gods when they were oppressed by\nNahusha. Thorn of the world that he was, he was thrown down from his\nthrone of heaven--from the celestial regions. Vindhya, the foremost of\nall mountains, suddenly began to increase his height, from a wrathful\ncompetition with the sun (i. e., to rival him in altitude). But he hath\nceased to increase, as he was unable to disobey thy command. And when\ndarkness hath covered the world, the born beings were harassed by death,\nbut having obtained thee for a protector, they attained the utmost\nsecurity. Whenever we are beset by perils, thy reverence is always our\nrefuge; for this reason it is that we solicit a boon from thee; as thou\never grantest the boon solicited (of thee).'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CIV\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'O great saint! I am desirous of hearing in detail\nwhy it was that Vindhya, made senseless with wrath, suddenly began to\nincrease his bulk.'\"\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'The sun between his rising and setting used to revolve\nround that monarch of mountains--the great Meru of golden lustre. And\nseeing this the mountain Vindhya spake to Surya saying, 'As thou every\nday goest round Meru and honourest him by thy circumambulations, do thou\neven the same by me, O maker of light!' Thus addressed, the sun replied\nto the great mountain, saying, 'I do not of my own will honour this\nmountain by my circumambulations. By those who have built this universe\nhath that path been assigned to me.' Thus addressed the mountain suddenly\nbegan to increase from wrath, desirous, O chastiser of foes, of\nobstructing the path of the Sun and the Moon. And all the assembled gods\ncame to Vindhya, the mighty king of mountains, and tried to dissuade him\nfrom his course. But he heeded not what they said. And then all the\nassembled gods went to the saint, living in the hermitage, engaged in the\npractice of austerities, and the very best of persons devoted to virtue;\nand stated all that happened to Agastya, possessed of exceeding\nmarvellous power.\n\n\"The gods said, 'This king of hills, Vindhya, giving way to wrath, is\nstopping the path of the Sun and the Moon, and also the course of the\nstars. O foremost of Brahmanas! O thou great in gifts! excepting thyself,\nthere is none who can prevent him; therefore do thou make him desist.'\nHearing these words of the gods the Brahmana came to the mountain. And he\nwith his wife, having arrived there, came near Vindhya and spake to him,\nsaying, 'O thou best of mountains! I wish to have a path given to me by\nthee, as, for some purpose, I shall have to go to the southern region.\nUntil my return, do thou wait for me. And when I have returned, O king of\nmountains, thou mayst increase in bulk as much as thou pleasest.' And, O\nslayer of foes! having made this compact with Vindhya up to the present\nday Varuna's son doth not return from the southern region. Thus have I,\nasked by thee, narrated to thee why Vindhya doth not increase in bulk, by\nreason of the power of Agastya. Now, O king! hear how the Kalakeyas were\nkilled by the gods, after they had obtained their prayer from Agastya.\n\n\"Having heard the words of the gods, Agastya, the son of Mitra, and\nVaruna, said, 'Wherefore are ye come? What boon do ye solicit from me?'\nThus addressed by him, the deities then spake to the saint, saying, 'This\ndeed we ask thee to achieve, viz., to drink up the great ocean. O\nmagnanimous (saint)! Then we shall be able to slay those enemies of the\ngods, known by the name of Kalakeyas, together with all their adherents.'\nHaving heard the words of the gods, the saint said, 'Let it be so--I\nshall do even what ye desire, and that which will conduce to the great\nhappiness of men.' Having said this, he then proceeded to the ocean--the\nlord of rivers,--accompanied by sages, ripe in the practice of penances,\nand also by the deities, O thou who leadest an excellent life! And men\nand snakes, celestial choristers, Yakshas and Kinnaras followed the\nmagnanimous saints,--desirous of witnessing that wonderful event. Then\nthey came up all together near to the sea, of awful roar, dancing, as it\nwere, with its billows, bounding with the breeze, and laughing with\nmasses of froth, and stumbling at the caves, and thronged with diverse\nkinds of sharks, and frequented by flocks of various birds. And the\ndeities accompanied by Agastya and celestial choristers and huge snakes\nand highly-gifted saints, approached the immense watery waste.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CV\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'That blessed saint, the son of Varuna, having reached the\nsea spake unto the assembled gods, and the saints gathered together,\nsaying 'I surely am going to drink up the ocean--that abode of the god of\nwaters. Be ye quickly ready with those preparations which it devolves\nupon you to make.' Having spoken these few words, the unswerving\noffspring of Mitra and Varuna, full of wrath, began to drink up the sea,\nwhile all the worlds stood observing (the deed). Then the gods, together\nwith Indra, seeing how the sea was being drunk up, were struck with\nmighty amazement, and glorified him with laudatory words, saying, 'Thou\nart our protector, and the Providence itself for men,--and also the\ncreator of the worlds. By thy favour the universe with its gods may\npossibly be saved from havoc.' And the magnanimous one, glorified by the\ngods--while the musical instruments of celestial choristers were playing\nall round, and while celestial blossoms were showered upon him--rendered\nwaterless the wide ocean. And seeing the wide ocean rendered devoid of\nwater, the host of gods was exceedingly glad; and taking up choice\nweapons of celestial forge, fell to slaying the demons with courageous\nhearts,--And they, assailed by the magnanimous gods, of great strength,\nand swift of speed, and roaring loudly, were unable to withstand the\nonset of their fleet and valorous (foes)--those residents of the heavenly\nregions, O descendant of Bharata! And those demons, attacked by the gods,\nbellowing loudly, for a moment carried on terrible conflict. They had\nbeen in the first instance burnt by the force of penances performed by\nthe saints, who had matured their selves; therefore, the demons, though\nthey tried to the utmost, were at last slaughtered by the gods. And\ndecked with brooches of gold, and bearing on their persons ear-rings and\narmlets, the demons, when slain, looked beautiful indeed, like palasa\ntrees when full of blossoms. Then, O best of men! a few--the remnant of\nthose that were killed of the Kalakeya race, having rent asunder the\ngoddess Earth, took refuge at the bottom of the nether regions. And the\ngods, when they saw that the demons were slain, with diverse speeches,\nglorified the mighty saint, and spake the following words. 'O thou of\nmighty arms, by thy favour men have attained a mighty blessing, and the\nKalakeyas, of ruthless strength have been killed by thy power, O creator\nof beings! Fill the sea (now), O mighty-armed one; give up again the\nwater drunk up by thee.' Thus addressed, the blessed and mighty saint\nreplied, 'That water in sooth hath been digested by me. Some other\nexpedient, therefore, must be thought of by you, if ye desire to make\nendeavour to fill the ocean.' Hearing this speech of that saint of\nmatured soul, the assembled gods were struck with both wonder and\nsadness, O great king! And thereupon, having bidden adieu to each other,\nand bowed to the mighty saint all the born beings went their way. And the\ngods with Vishnu, came to Brahma. And having held consultation again,\nwith the view of filling up the sea, they, with joined hands, spake about\nreplenishing it.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CVI\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'Then gathered together, Brahma, the grandfather of men\n(thus) addressed, 'Go ye, O gods! whither your pleasure may lead you, or\nyour desire conduct you. It will take a long course of time for the ocean\nto resume its wonted state; the occasion will be furnished by the agnates\nof the great king Bhagiratha.' Hearing the words of the (universal)\ngrandfather (Brahma), all the foremost gods went their way biding the day\n(when the ocean was to be filled again).'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'What was that occasion, O Saint? And how did the\nagnates of (Bhagiratha furnish the same)? And how was the ocean refilled\nby the interference of Bhagiratha? O Saint, who deemest thy religious\npractices as thy only treasure. O thou of the priestly class! I wish to\nhear the account of the achievements of the king, narrated in detail by\nthyself.'\"\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, \"Thus addressed by the magnanimous and virtuous king,\nhe, the chief of men of the priestly class, narrated the achievements of\nthe high-souled (king) Sagara.\"\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'There was born in the family of the Ikshaku tribe, a ruler\nof the earth named Sagara, endued with beauty, and strength. And that\nsame (king) of a dreaded name was sonless, O descendant of Bharata! And\nhe carried havoc through the tribes of the Haihayas and the Talajanghas;\nbrought under subjection the whole of the military caste; (and so) ruled\nover his own kingdom. And, O most praiseworthy of the descendants of\nBharata! O chief of the Bharata race! he had two wives proud of their\nbeauty and of their youth,--one a princess of the Vidarbha race, and the\nother of the royal line of Sivi. And, O chief of kings, that same ruler\nof men, betook himself to the mountain Kailasa, accompanied by both his\nwives, and with the desire of having a son became engaged in the practice\nof exceeding austere penances. And being engaged in the practice of rigid\nausterities, and (also) employed in the contemplation known by the name\nof Yoga, he obtained the sight of the magnanimous god with three\neyes--the slayer of the demon called Tripura; the worker of blessings\n(for all beings); the (eternally) existent one; the ruling Being, the\nholder of the Pinaka bow; carrying in his hand his (well-known\nweapon)--the trident; the god of three eyes; the repository of (eternal)\npeace; the ruler of all those that are fierce; capable of assuming very\nmany forms; and the lord of the goddess Uma. And that same ruler of men,\nof mighty arms, as soon as he beheld the god--that giver of boons--fell\ndown at his feet, with both his queens, and proffered a prayer to have a\nson. And the god Siva, well pleased with him, spake (thus) to that most\nrighteous of the rulers of men, attended by his two wives, saying, 'O\nlord of men! considering the (astrological) moment at which thou hast\nproffered thy prayer to me, sixty thousand sons, O foremost of choice men\nvalorous and characterised by exceeding pride, will be born in one off\nthy two wives (here). But they all, O ruler of the earth, shall perish\ntogether. In the other wife, (however), will be born a single valiant\nson, who will perpetuate thy race.' Having said this to him, the god\nRudra (Siva) vanished from sight at that very spot, and that same king\nSagara now came (back) to his own abode accompanied by his two wives,\nexceedingly delighted at heart (for what had happened) then. And, O most\npraiseworthy of the sons of Manu! (i.e., men), there the two lotus-eyed\nwives of him--the princess of Vidarbha and the princess of Sivi--came\n(erelong) to be with child. And afterwards, on the due day, the princess\nof Vidarbha brought forth (something) of the shape of a gourd and the\nprincess of Sivi gave birth to a boy as beautiful as a god. Then the\nruler of the earth made up his mind to throw away the gourd,--when he\nheard (proceeding) from the sky a speech (uttered) in a grave and solemn\nvoice, 'O king! do thou not be guilty of this hasty act; thou shouldst\nnot abandon thy sons. Take out the seeds from the gourd and let them be\npreserved with care in steaming vessels partly filled with clarified\nbutter. Then thou wilt get, O scion of Bharata's race! sixty thousand\nsons. O ruler of men! the great god (Siva) hath spoken that thy sons are\nto be born in this manner. Let not therefore thy mind be turned away\ntherefrom.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CVII\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'O most righteous of kings! When he heard these words\n(proceeding) from the sky, he had faith therein, and did all that he was\ndirected to do, O chief of the men of Bharata's race! Then the ruler of\nmen took separately each of the seeds and then placed these divisions (of\nthe gourd) in vessels filled with clarified butter. And intent on the\npreservation of his sons, he provided a nurse for every (receptacle).\nThen after a long time there arose sixty thousand exceedingly powerful\nsons of that same king--gifted with unmeasured strength, they were born,\nO ruler of earth! to that saint-like king, by Rudra's favour. And they\nwere terrible; and their acts were ruthless. And they were able to ascend\nand roam about in the sky; and being numerous themselves, despised\neverybody, including the gods. And they would chase even the gods, the\nGandharvas, and the Rakshasas and all the born beings, being themselves\nvaliant and addicted to fighting. Then all people, harassed by the\ndull-headed sons of Sagara, united with all the gods, went to Brahma as\ntheir refuge. And then addressed the blessed grandfather of all beings\n(Brahma), 'Go ye your way, ye gods, together with all these men. In a not\nvery long space of time, there will come about, O gods! a great and\nexceedingly terrible destruction of Sagara's sons, caused by the deed\nperpetrated by them.' Thus addressed, those same gods, and men, O lord of\nthe sons of Manu! bade adieu to the grandfather, and went back to whence\nthey had come. Then, O chief of Bharata's race! after the expiry of very\nmany days, the mighty king Sagara accepted the consecration for\nperforming the rites of a horse-sacrifice. And his horse began to roam\nover the world, protected by his sons. And when the horse reached the\nsea, waterless and frightful to behold--although the horse was guarded\nwith very great care--it (suddenly) vanished at the very spot (it stood\nupon). Then, O respected sir! those same sons of Sagara imagined the same\nfine horse to have been stolen; and returning to their father, narrated\nhow it had been stolen out of sight. And thereupon he addressed them,\nsaying, 'Go ye and search for the horse in all the cardinal points.'\nThen, O great king! by this command of their father, they began to search\nfor the horse in the cardinal points and throughout the whole surface of\nthe earth. But all those sons of Sagara, all mutually united, could not\nfind the horse, nor the person who had stolen it. And coming back then,\nthey with joined palms (thus addressed) their father, (standing) before\nthem, 'O Protector of men! O ruler of the earth! O king! by thy command,\nthe whole of this world with its hills and its forest tracts, with its\nseas, and its woods, and its islands, with its rivulets and rivers and\ncaves, hath been searched through by us. But we cannot find either the\nhorse, or the thief who had stolen the same.' And hearing the words, the\nsame king became senseless with wrath, and then told them all, carried\naway by Destiny, 'Go ye all, may ye never return! Search ye again for the\nhorse. Without that sacrificial horse, ye must never return, my boys!'\"\n\n\"And those same sons of Sagara, accepted this command of their father,\nand once more began to search through the entire world. Now these heroes\nsaw a rift on the surface of the earth. And having reached this pit, the\nsons of Sagara began to excavate it. And with spades and pickaxes they\nwent on digging the sea, making the utmost efforts. And that same abode\nof Varuna (namely the ocean), being thus, excavated by the united sons of\nSagara and rent and cut on all sides round, was placed in a condition of\nthe utmost distress. And the demons and snakes and Rakshasas and various\n(other) animated beings began to utter distressful cries, while being\nkilled by Sagara's sons. And hundreds and thousands of animated beings\nwere beheld with severed heads and separated trunks and with their skins\nand bones and joints rent asunder and broken. Thus they went on digging\nthe ocean, which was the abode of Varuna and an exceedingly long space of\ntime expired in this work, but still the horse was not found. Then, O\nlord of earth! towards the north-eastern region of the sea, the incensed\nsons of Sagara dug down as far as the lower world, and there they beheld\nthe horse, roaming about on the surface of the ground. And they saw the\nmagnanimous Kapila, who looked like a perfect mass of splendour. And\nhaving beheld him shining with his brightness, just as the fire shineth\nwith its flames, they, O king! seeing the horse, were flushed with\ndelight. And they being incensed, sent forward by their fate, paid no\nheed to the presence of the magnanimous Kapila, and ran forward with a\nview to seizing the horse. Then, O great king! Kapila, the most righteous\nof saints,--he whom the great sages name as Kapila Vasudeva--assumed a\nfiery look, and the mighty saint shot flames towards them, and thereby\nburnt down the dull-headed sons of Sagara. And Narada, whose practice of\nausterities was very great, when he beheld them reduced to ashes, came to\nSagara's side, and gave the information to him. And when the king learnt\nthis terrible news which proceeded from the mouth of the saint, for\nnearly an hour he remained sad, and then he bethought himself of what\nSiva had said. Then sending for Ansuman, the son of Asamanjas, and his\nown grandson, he, O chief of Bharata's race! spake the following words,\n'Those same sixty thousand sons of unmeasured strength having encountered\nKapila's wrath, have met their death on my account. And, O my boy of\nstainless character! thy father also hath been forsaken by me, in order\nto discharge my duty (as a king), and being desirous of doing good to my\nsubjects.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'O saint, whose sole wealth consists in religious\npractices! Tell me for what reason, Sagara, the foremost of kings,\nabandoned his own begotten son, endued with valour--an act so difficult\n(for all other men).\"\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'A son was born to Sagara, known by the name of Asamanjas,\nhe who was given birth to by the princess of Sivi. And he used to seize\nby throat the feeble children of the townsmen, and threw them while\nscreaming into the river. And thereupon the townsmen, overwhelmed with\nterror and grief, met together, and all standing with joined palms,\nbesought Sagara in the following way, 'O great king! Thou art our\nprotector from the dreaded peril of attack from a hostile force.\nTherefore it is proper for thee to deliver us from the frightful danger,\nproceeding from Asamanjas.' And the most righteous of the rulers of men,\nhaving heard this frightful news from his subjects, for nearly an hour\nremained sad and then spake to his ministers, saying, 'This day from the\ncity let my son Asamanjas be driven forth. If ye wish to do what will be\nacceptable to me, let this be quickly done. 'And, O protector of men!\nthose same ministers, thus addressed by the king, performed in a hurry\nexactly what the king had commanded them to do. Thus have I narrated to\nthee how the magnanimous Sagara banished his son, with a view to the\nwelfare of the residents of the town. I shall now fully narrate to thee\nwhat Ansuman of the powerful bow was told by Sagara. Listen to me!\n\n\"Sagara said, 'O my boy! sore am I at heart for having abandoned thy\nfather, on account of the death of my sons, and also on being\nunsuccessful in getting back the horse. Therefore, O grandson! harassed\nwith grief and confounded with the obstruction to my religious rites as I\nam, thou must bring back the horse and deliver me from hell.' Thus\naddressed by the magnanimous Sagara, Ansuman went with sorrow to that\nspot where the earth had been excavated. And by that very passage he\nentered into the sea, and beheld that illustrious Kapila and that same\nhorse. And having beheld that ancient saint, most righteous of his order,\nlooking like a mass of light, he bowed with his head to the ground, and\ninformed him of the reason of his visit. Then, O great king, Kapila was\npleased with Ansuman, and that saint of a virtuous soul told him to ask\nfor a favour from him. And he in the first place prayed for the horse,\nfor the purpose of using it in the sacrifice; in the second place he\nprayed for the purification of his fathers. Then the mighty chief of\nsaints, Kapila spake to him, saying, 'I shall grant thee everything that\nthou desirest, O stainless (prince). May good luck be thine! In thee are\nfixed (the virtues of) forbearance, and truth, and righteousness. By thee\nhath Sagara had all his desires fulfilled. Thou are (really) a son to thy\nfather. And by thy ability the sons of Sagara will go to heaven (i.e.,\nwill be delivered from the consequences of their unhallowed death). And\nthe son of thy son, with a view to purifying the sons of Sagara, will\nobtain the favour of the great god Siva, (by means of practising great\nausterities), and will (thus) bring (to this world) the river that\nfloweth in three (separate) streams, Ganga, O chief of men! May good luck\nbe thine! Take thou with thee the sacrificial horse. Finish, my lad! the\nsacrificial rites of the magnanimous Sagara.' Thus addressed by the\nillustrious Kapila, Ansuman took the horse with him, and came back to the\nsacrificial yard of the mighty-minded Sagara. Then he fell prostrate at\nthe feet of the high-souled Sagara, who smelt him on the head and\nnarrated all the events to him, all that had been seen and heard by him,\nand likewise the destruction of Sagara's sons. He also announced that the\nhorse had been brought back to the sacrificial yard. And when king Sagara\nheard of this, he no more grieved on account of his sons. And he praised\nand honoured Ansuman, and finished those same sacrificial rites. His\nsacrifice finished, Sagara was greeted honourably by all the gods; and he\nconverted the sea, Varuna's dwelling place, into a son of himself. And\nthe lotus-eyed (King Sagara) having ruled his kingdom for a period of\nexceeding length, placed his grandson on the throne, (full of)\nresponsibilities and then ascended to heaven. And Ansuman likewise, O\ngreat king! virtuous in soul, ruled over the world as far as the edge of\nthe sea, following the foot-prints of his father's father. His son was\nnamed Dilipa, versed in virtue. Upon him placing the duties of his\nsovereign post, Ansuman like-wise departed this life. And then when\nDilipa heard what an awful fate had overtaken his forefathers, he was\nsorely grieved and thought of the means of raising them. And the ruler of\nmen made every great effort towards the descent of Ganga (to the mortal\nworld). But although trying to the utmost of his power, he could not\nbring about what he so much wished. And a son was born to him, known by\nthe name of Bhagiratha beauteous, and devoted to a virtuous life, and\ntruthful, and free from feelings of malice. And Dilipa appointed him as\nking, and betook himself to the forest life. And, O best of all the\nscions of Bharata's race! that same king (Dilipa), devoted himself to a\nsuccessful course of austerities, and at the end of (sufficient) period,\nfrom the forest departed to heaven.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CVIII\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'That same king, of a powerful bow, standing at the head of\nthe surrounding, (i.e., the occupant of an imperial throne) of a powerful\ncar, (i.e., possessing every great fighting power) became the delight of\nthe eyes and the soul of all the world. And he of the powerful arm came\nto learn how his forefathers had met an awful end from Kapila of mighty\nsoul, and how they had been unable to attain the region of gods. And he\nwith a sorrowful heart made over his kingly duties to his minister, and,\nO lord of men! for practising austerities, went to the side of the snowy\nMountain (the Himalayas). And, O most praiseworthy of men, desirous of\nextinguishing his sins by leading an austere life, and (thereby)\nobtaining the favour of the (goddess) Ganga, he visited that foremost of\nmountains--Himalaya. And he beheld it adorned with peaks of diverse forms\nfull of mineral earth; besprinkled on all sides with drops from clouds\nwhich were resting themselves upon the breeze; beautiful with rivers and\ngroves and rocky spurs, looking like (so many) palaces (in a city);\nattended upon by lions and tigers that had concealed themselves in its\ncaves and pits; and also inhabited by birds of checkered forms, which\nwere uttering diverse sounds, such as the Bhringarajas, and ganders, and\nDatyuhas, and water-cocks, and peacocks and birds with a hundred\nfeathers, and Jivanjivakas, and black birds, and Chakoras of eyes\nfurnished with black corners, and the birds that love their young. And he\nsaw the mountain abounding in lotus plants growing in delightful\nreservoirs of water. And the cranes rendered it charming with their\nsounds; and the Kinnaras and the celestial nymphs were seated on its\nstony slabs. And the elephants occupying the cardinal points had\neverywhere robbed its trees with the end of their tusks; and the\ndemi-gods of the Vidyadhara class frequented the hill. And it was full of\nvarious gems, and was also infested by snakes bearing terrible poison and\nof glowing tongues. And the mountain at places looked like (massive)\ngold, and elsewhere it resembled a silvery (pile), and at some places it\nwas like a (sable) heap of collyrium. Such was the snowy hill where the\nking now found himself. And that most praiseworthy of men at that spot\nbetook himself to an awful austere course of life. And for one thousand\nyears his subsistence was nothing but water, fruit and roots. When,\nhowever, a thousand years according to the calculation of gods had\nelapsed, then the great river Ganga having assumed a material form,\nmanifested to him her (divine) self.'\n\n\"Ganga said. 'O great king! what dost thou desire of me? And what must I\nbestow on thee? Tell me the same, O most praiseworthy of men! I shall do\nas thou mayst ask me.' Thus addressed, the king then made his reply to\nGanga, the daughter of the snowy Hill, saying, 'O grantress of boons! O\ngreat river! my father's fathers, while searching for the horse, were\nsent by Kapila to the abode of the god of death. And those same sixty\nthousand sons of Sagara of mighty soul, having met with the majestic\nKapila, perished, (to a soul) in an instant of time. Having thus\nperished, there hath been no place for them in the region of heaven. O\ngreat river! So long as thou dost not besprinkle those same bodies with\nthy water, there is no salvation for these same Sagara's sons. O blessed\ngoddess! carry thou my forefathers, Sagara's sons, to the region of\nheaven. O great river! on their account am I beseeching thee forsooth.\"\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'Ganga, the goddess saluted by the world, having heard\nthese words of the king, was well pleased, and spake to Bhagiratha the\nfollowing words: 'O great king! I am prepared to do what thou dost ask\nme; there is no doubt therein. But when I shall descend from the sky to\nthe earth, the force of my fall will be difficult to sustain. O protector\nof men! In the three worlds there exists none who is able to sustain the\nsame, excepting Siva, the most praiseworthy of gods, the great Lord with\nthe throat of sable blue. O (prince) of a powerful arm! Obtain the\nfavour, by practising austerities, of that same Siva-giver of boons. That\nsame god will sustain my descent upon his head. Thy desire he will\nfulfill, the desire, namely, to be of service to thy fathers, O king!'\nThen the great king Bhagiratha having heard the same, went to the Kailasa\nhill, and betaking himself to a severe course of penances, at the\nexpiration of a certain length of time obtained the favour of that worker\nof blessings (Siva). And, O protector of men! that same best of men, in\norder that his forefathers might have a place in heaven secured to them,\nreceived from that very Siva the fulfilment of his wish, namely the wish\nthat the descending Ganga might be sustained.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CIX\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'The blessed God having heard what Bhagiratha had said, and\nwith a view to doing what was agreeable to the residents of heaven,\nreplied to the king, saying, 'So let it be. O most righteous of the\nprotectors of men, O (prince) of a powerful arm! For thy sake I shall\nsustain the river of the gods, when she will take her descent from the\nsky, she who is pure and blessed and divine, O (king) of a mighty arm!'\nSaying this, he came to the snowy mountain, surrounded by his attendants,\nof awful mien, and with uplifted weapons of diverse forms. And standing\nthere, he said to Bhagiratha, the most praiseworthy of men, 'O (prince)\nof a powerful arm! do thou pray to the river, the daughter of the king of\nmountains. I shall sustain that most praiseworthy of rivers when she\nfalls down from the third region of the world (heaven).' Having heard\nthese words uttered by Siva, the king became devout (in heart), made\nobesiance and directed his thoughts towards Ganga. Then the delightful\n(river), of pure water in being so thought of by the king, and seeing\nthat the great lord (Siva) was standing (to receive her fall), came down\nall of a sudden from the sky. And seeing that she had taken her leap from\nthe sky, the gods, together with the mighty saints, the Gandharvas, the\nsnakes, and the Yakshas, assembled there as spectators. Then came down\nfrom the sky Ganga, the daughter of the snowy mountain. And her\nwhirlpools were raging, and she was teeming with fishes and sharks. O\nking! she directing her course towards the sea, separated herself, into\nthree streams; and her water was bestrewn with piles of froth, which\nlooked like so many rows of (white) ganders. And crooked and tortuous in\nthe movement of her body, at places; and at others stumbling at it were;\nand covered with foam as with a robe: she went forward like a woman\ndrunk. And elsewhere, by virtue of the roar of her waters, she uttered\nloud sounds. Thus assuming very many different aspects, when she fell\nfrom the sky, and reached the surface of the earth, she said to\nBhagiratha, 'O great king! show me the path that I shall have to take. O\nlord of the earth! for thy sake have I descended to the earth.' Having\nheard these words, king Bhagiratha directed his course towards the spot\nwhere lay those bodies of mighty Sagara's sons, in order that, O most\npraiseworthy of men, the holy water might flood (the same). Having\nachieved the task of sustaining Ganga, Siva, saluted by men, went to\nKailasa the most praiseworthy of mountains, accompanied by the\ncelestials. And the protector of men (Bhagiratha) accompanied by Ganga\nreached the sea; and the sea, the abode of Varuna, was quickly filled.\nAnd the king adopted Ganga as a daughter of himself, and at that spot\noffered libations of water to the names of his forefathers; thus was his\nheart's wish fulfilled. Thus asked by thee, I have narrated the whole\nstory how Ganga running in three streams, was brought down to the earth\nfor filling the sea; how the mighty saint had drunk up the sea for a\nparticular reason, and how, O lord! Vatapi, the slayer of Brahmanas, was\ndestroyed by Agastya.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CX\n\nVaisampayana said, \"O chief of the Bharata race! then the son of Kunti\nwent at a slow pace to the two rivers Nanda and Aparananda, which had the\nvirtue of destroying the dread of sin. And the protector of men having\nreached the healthy hill Hemakuta, beheld there very many strange and\ninconceivable sights. There the very utterance of words caused the\ngathering of clouds, and a thousand volleys of stones. And people at its\nsight, were struck sad, and were unable to ascend the hill. There the\nwinds blew for aye, and the heavens always poured down rains; and\nlikewise the sounds of the recitation of the sacred writ were heard, yet\nnobody was seen. In the evening and in the morning would be seen the\nblessed fire that carries offerings to the gods and there flies would\nbite and interrupt the practice of austerities. And there a sadness would\novertake the soul, and people would become sick. The son of Pandu, having\nobserved very many strange circumstances of this character again\naddressed his questions to Lomasa with reference to these wonderful\nthings.\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'O slayer of foes! O king! I am going to tell thee as we\nheard it before; do thou attend to the same with intent mind. In this\npeak of Rishava, there was once a saint known by that name. And his life\nhad lasted for many hundred years. And he was devoted to penances and was\ngreatly wrathful. And he, forsooth, for having been spoken to by others,\nfrom wrath addressed the hill thus, 'Whoever should utter any words here,\nthou must throw stones at him, and thou must call up the winds to prevent\nhim from making any noise.' This was what the saint said. And so at this\nplace, as soon as a man utters any words, he is forbidden by a roaring\ncloud. O king! thus these deeds were performed by that great saint, and\nfrom wrath he also forbade other acts. O king! tradition says that when\nthe gods of yore had come to the Nanda, suddenly came over (there) a\nnumber of men to look at the celestials. Those same gods at whose head\nstood Indra did not, however, like to be seen; and so they rendered this\nspot inaccessible, by raising obstructions in the form of hills. And from\nthat day forward, O Kunti's son! men could not cast their eyes at any\ntime on what looked like a hill, far less could they ascend the same.\nThis big mountain is incapable of being seen by one who hath not led an\naustere life, nor can such a one ascend it. Therefore, O son of Kunti!\nkeep thou thy tongue under control. Here at that time all those gods\nperformed the best sacrificial rites. O Bharata's son! Even up to this\nday these marks thereof may be seen. This grass here hath the form of the\nsacred kusa grass: the ground here seemeth to be overspread with the\nsacred grass; and. O lord of men! many of these trees here look like the\nspots for tying the sacrificial beasts. O Bharata's son! still the Gods\nand saints have residence here; and their sacred fire is observed in the\nmorning and in the evening. Here if one bathes, his sin is forthwith\ndestroyed, O Kunti's son! O most praiseworthy of the race of Kuru! do\nthou, therefore, perform thy ablutions, together with thy younger\nbrothers. Then after having washed thyself in the Nanda, thou wilt repair\nto the river Kausiki, the spot where the most excellent and severest form\nof penances was practised by Viswamitra. Then the king with his\nattendants, having washed his body there, proceeded to the river Kausiki,\nwhich was pure and delightful and pleasant with cool water.'\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'This is the pure divine river by name Kausiki. O chief of\nBharata's race! and this is the delightful hermitage of Viswamitra,\nconspicuous here. And this is a hermitage, with a holy name, belonging to\nKasyapa of mighty soul; whose son was Rishyasringa, devoted to penances,\nand of passions under control. He by force of his penances caused Indra\nto rain; and that god, the slayer of the demons Vala and Vritra, dreading\nhim, poured down rain during a drought. That powerful and mighty son of\nKasyapa was born of a hind. He worked a great marvel in the territory of\nLomapada. And when the crops had been restored, king Lomapada gave his\ndaughter Santa in marriage to him, as the sun gave in marriage his\ndaughter Savitri.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'How was the son of Kasyapa, Rishyasringa, born of a\nhind? And how was he endowed with holiness, being the issue of a\nreprehensible sexual connexion? And for what reason was Indra, the slayer\nof the demons Vala and Vritra, afraid of that same sagacious boy, and\npoured down rain during a period of drought? And how beautiful was that\nprincess Santa, pure in life, she who allured the heart of him when he\nhad turned himself into a stag? And since the royal saint Lomapada is\nsaid to have been of a virtuous disposition, why was it that in his\nterritory, Indra, the chastiser of the demon Paka, had withheld rain? O\nholy saint! all this in detail, exactly as it happened, thou wilt be\npleased to narrate to me, for I am desirous of hearing the deeds of\nRishyasringa's life.'\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'Hear how Rishyasringa, of dreaded name, was born as a son\nto Vibhandaka, who was a saint of the Brahmana caste, who had cultured\nhis soul by means of religious austerities, whose seed never failed in\ncausing generation, and who was learned and bright like the Lord of\nbeings. And the father was highly honoured, and the son was possessed of\na mighty spirit, and, though a boy, was respected by aged man. And that\nson of Kasyapa, Vibhandaka, having proceeded to a big lake, devoted\nhimself to the practice of penances. And that same saint, comparable to a\ngod, laboured for a long period. And once while he was washing his mouth\nin the waters, he beheld the celestial nymph Urvasi--whereupon came out\nhis seminal fluid. And, O king! a hind at that time lapped it up along\nwith the water that she was drinking, being athirst; and from this cause\nshe became with child. That same hind had really been a daughter of the\ngods, and had been told of yore by the holy Brahma, the creator of the\nworlds, 'Thou shall be a hind; and when in that form, thou shall give\nbirth to a saint; thou shalt then be freed.' As Destiny would have it,\nand as the word of the creator would not be untrue, in that same hind was\nborn his (Vibhandaka's) son a mighty saint. And Rishyasringa, devoted to\npenances, always passed his days in the forest. O king! there was a horn\non the head of that magnanimous saint and for this reason did he come to\nbe known at the time by the name of Rishyasringa. And barring his father,\nnot a man had ever before been seen by him; therefore his mind, O\nprotector of men! was entirely devoted to the duties of a continent life.\nAt this very period there was a ruler of the land of Anga known by the\nname of Lomapada who was a friend of Dasaratha. We have heard that he\nfrom love of pleasure had been guilty of a falsehood towards a Brahmana.\nAnd that same ruler of the world had at that time been shunned by all\npersons of the priestly class. And he was without a ministering priest\n(to assist him in his religious rites). And the god of a thousand eyes\n(Indra) suddenly abstained from giving rain in his territory; so that his\npeople began to suffer and O lord of the earth! he questioned a number of\nBrahmanas, devoted to penances, of cultivated minds, and possessed of\ncapabilities with reference to the matter of rain being granted by the\nlord of gods, saying, 'How may the heavens grant us the rain? Think of an\nexpedient (for this purpose).' And those same cultured men, being thus\nquestioned, gave expression to their respective views. And one among\nthem--the best of saints--spake to that same king, saying, 'O lord of\nkings! the Brahmanas are angry with thee. Do some act (therefore) for\nappeasing them. O ruler of the earth! send for Rishyasringa, the son of a\nsaint, resident of the forest knowing nothing of the female sex, and\nalways taking delight in simplicity. O king! if he, great in the practice\nof penances, should show himself in thy territory, forthwith rain would\nbe granted by the heavens, herein I have no doubt at all.' And, O king!\nhaving heard these words Lomapada made atonement for his sins. And he\nwent away; and when the Brahmanas had been appeased, he returned again,\nand seeing the king returned, the people were again glad at heart. Then\nthe king of Anga convened a meeting of his ministers, proficient in\ngiving counsel. And he took great pains in order to settle some plan for\nsecuring a visit from Rishyasringa. And, O unswerving (prince)! with\nthose ministers, who were versed in all branches of knowledge, and\nexceedingly proficient in worldly matters, and had a thorough training in\npractical affairs, he at last settled a plan (for gaining his object).\nAnd then he sent for a number of courtesans, women of the town, clever in\neverything. And when they came, that same ruler of the earth spake to\nthem, saying, 'Ye lovely women! Ye must find some means to allure, and\nobtain the confidence of the son of the saint--Rishyasringa, whom ye must\nbring over to my territory.' And those same women, on the one hand afraid\nof the anger of the king and on the other, dreading a curse from the\nsaint, became sad and confounded, and declared the business to be beyond\ntheir power. One, however, among them--a hoary woman, thus spake to the\nking, 'O great king! him whose wealth solely consists in penances, I\nshall try to bring over here. Thou wilt, however, have to procure for me\ncertain things, in connection with the plan. In that case, I may be able\nto bring over the son of the saint--Rishyasringa.' Thereupon the king\ngave an order that all that she might ask for should be procured. And he\nalso gave a good deal of wealth and jewels of various kinds. And then, O\nLord of the earth, she took with herself a number of women endowed with\nbeauty and youth, and went to the forest without delay.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXI\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'O descendant of Bharata! she in order to compass the\nobject of the king, prepared a floating hermitage, both because the king\nhad ordered so, and also because it exactly accorded with her plan. And\nthe floating hermitage, containing artificial trees adorned with various\nflowers and fruits, and surrounded by diverse shrubs and creeping plants\nand capable of furnishing choice and delicious fruits, was exceedingly\ndelightful, and nice, and pleasing, and looked as if it had been created\nby magic. Then she moored the vessel at no great distance from the\nhermitage of Kasyapa's son, and sent emissaries to survey the place where\nthat same saint habitually went about. And then she saw an opportunity;\nand having conceived a plan in her mind, sent forward her daughter a\ncourtesan by trade and of smart sense. And that clever woman went to the\nvicinity of the religious man and arriving at the hermitage beheld the\nson of the saint.'\"\n\n\"The courtesan said, 'I hope, O saint! that is all well with the\nreligious devotees. And I hope that thou hast a plentiful store of fruits\nand roots and that thou takest delight in this hermitage. Verily I come\nhere now to pay thee a visit. I hope the practice of austerities among\nthe saints is on the increase. I hope that thy father's spirit hath not\nslackened and that he is well pleased with thee. O Rishyasringa of the\npriestly caste! I hope thou prosecutest the studies proper for thee.'\"\n\nRishyasringa said, 'Thou art shining with lustre, as if thou wert a\n(mass) of light. And I deem thee worthy of obeisance. Verily I shall give\nthee water for washing thy feet and such fruits and roots also as may be\nliked by thee, for this is what my religion hath prescribed to me. Be\nthou pleased to take at thy pleasure thy seat on a mat made of the sacred\ngrass, covered over with a black deer-skin and made pleasant and\ncomfortable to sit upon. And where is thy hermitage? O Brahmana! thou\nresemblest a god in thy mien. What is the name of this particular\nreligious vow, which thou seemest to be observing now?'\n\n\"The courtesan said, O son of Kasyapa! on the other side of yonder hill,\nwhich covers the space of three Yojanas, is my hermitage--a delightful\nplace. There, not to receive obeisance is the rule of my faith nor do I\ntouch water for washing my feet. I am not worthy of obeisance from\npersons like thee; but I must make obeisance to thee. O Brahmana! This is\nthe religious observance to be practised by me, namely, that thou must be\nclasped in my arms.'\"\n\n\"Rishyasringa said, 'Let me give thee ripe fruits, such as gallnuts,\nmyrobalans, Karushas, Ingudas from sandy tracts and Indian fig. May it\nplease thee to take a delight in them!'\"\n\nLomasa said, \"She, however, threw aside all those edible things and then\ngave him unsuitable things for food. And these were exceedingly nice and\nbeautiful to see and were very much acceptable to Rishyasringa. And she\ngave him garlands of an exceedingly fragrant scent and beautiful and\nshining garments to wear and first-rate drinks; and then played and\nlaughed and enjoyed herself. And she at his sight played with a ball and\nwhile thus employed, looked like a creeping plant broken in two. And she\ntouched his body with her own and repeatedly clasped Rishyasringa in her\narms. Then she bent and break the flowery twigs from trees, such as the\nSala, the Asoka and the Tilaka. And overpowered with intoxication,\nassuming a bashful look, she went on tempting the great saint's son. And\nwhen she saw that the heart of Rishyasringa had been touched, she\nrepeatedly pressed his body with her own and casting glances, slowly went\naway under the pretext that she was going to make offerings on the fire.\nOn her departure, Rishyasringa became over-powered with love and lost his\nsense. His mind turned constantly to her and felt itself vacant. And he\nbegan to sigh and seemed to be in great distress. At that moment appeared\nVibhandaka, Kasyapa's son, he whose eyes were tawny like those of a lion,\nwhose body was covered with hair down to the tip of the nails, who was\ndevoted to studies proper for his caste, and whose life was pure and was\npassed in religious meditation. He came up and saw that his son was\nseated alone, pensive and sad, his mind upset and sighing again and again\nwith upturned eyes. And Vibhandaka spake to his distressed son, saying,\n'My boy! why is it that thou art not hewing the logs for fuel. I hope\nthou hast performed the ceremony of burnt offering today. I hope thou\nhast polished the sacrificial ladles and spoons and brought the calf to\nthe milch cow whose milk furnisheth materials for making offerings on the\nfire. Verily thou art not in thy wonted state, O son! Thou seemest to be\npensive, and to have lost thy sense. Why art thou so sad today? Let me\nask thee, who hath been to this place today?'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXII\n\n'Rishyasringa said, 'Here came to-day a religious student with a mass of\nhair on his head. And he was neither short nor tall. And he was of a\nspirited look and a golden complexion, and endued with eye large as\nlotuses; and he was shining and graceful as a god. And rich was his\nbeauty blazing like the Sun; and he was exceedingly fair with eyes\ngraceful and black. And his twisted hair was blue-black and neat and long\nand of a fragrant scent and tied up with strings of gold. A beautiful\nornament was shining on his neck which looked like lightning in the sky.\nAnd under the throat he had two balls of flesh without a single hair upon\nthem and of an exceedingly beautiful form. And his waist was slender to a\ndegree and his navel neat; and smooth also was the region about his ribs.\nThen again there shone a golden string from under his cloth, just like\nthis waist-string of mine. And there was something on his feet of a\nwonderful shape which give forth a jingling sound. Upon his wrists\nlikewise was tied a pair of ornaments that made a similar sound and\nlooked just like this rosary here. And when he walked, his ornaments\nuttered a jingling sound like those uttered by delighted ganders upon a\nsheet of water. And he had on his person garments of a wonderful make;\nthese clothes of mine are by no means beautiful like those. And his face\nwas wonderful to behold; and his voice was calculated to gladden the\nheart; and his speech was pleasant like the song of the male blackbird.\nAnd while listening to the same I felt touched to my inmost soul. And as\na forest in the midst of the vernal season, assumes a grace only when it\nis swept over by the breeze, so, O father! he of an excellent and pure\nsmell looks beautiful when fanned by the air. And his mass of hair is\nneatly tied up and remains adhering to the head and forehead evenly\nsundered in two. And his two eyes seemed to be covered with wonderful\nChakravaka birds of an exceedingly beautiful form. And he carried upon\nhis right palm a wonderful globur fruit, which reaches the ground and\nagain and again leaps up to the sky in a strange way. And he beats it and\nturns himself round and whirls like a tree moved by the breeze. And when\nI looked at him, O father! he seemed to be a son of the celestials, and\nmy joy was extreme, and my pleasure unbounded. And he clasped my body,\ntook hold of my matted hair, and bent down my mouth, and, mingling his\nmouth with my own, uttered a sound that was exceedingly pleasant. And he\ndoth not care for water for washing his feet, nor for those fruits\noffered by me; and he told me that such was the religious observance\npractised by him. And he gave unto me a number of fruits. Those fruits\nwere tasteful unto me: these here are not equal to them in taste. They\nhave not got any rind nor any stone within them, like these. And he of a\nnoble form gave me to drink water of an exceedingly fine flavour; and\nhaving drunk it, I experienced great pleasu e; and the ground seemed to\nbe moving under my feet. And these are the garlands beautiful and\nfragrant and twined with silken threads that belong to him. And he,\nbright with fervent piety, having scattered these garlands here, went\nback to his own hermitage. His departure hath saddened my heart; and my\nframe seems to be in a burning sensation! And my desire is to go to him\nas soon as I can, and to have him every day walk about here. O father,\nlet me this very moment go to him. Pray, what is that religious\nobservance which is being practised by him. As he of a noble piety is\npractising penances, so I am desirous to live the same life with him. My\nheart is yearning after similar observances My soul will be in torment if\nI see him not,'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXIII\n\n\"Vibhandaka said, 'Those are, O son! Rakshasas. They walk about in that\nwonderfully beautiful form. Their strength is unrivalled and their beauty\ngreat And they always meditate obstruction to the practice of penances.\nAnd, O my boy, they assume lovely forms and try to allure by diverse\nmeans. And those fierce beings hurled the saints, the dwellers of the\nwoods, from blessed regions (won by their pious deeds) And the saint who\nhath control over his soul, and who is desirous of obtaining the regions\nwhere go the righteous, ought to have nothing to do with them. And their\nacts are vile and their delight is in causing obstruction to those who\npractise penance; (therefore) a pious man should never look at them. And,\nO son! those were drinks unworthy to be drunk, being as they were\nspirituous liquors consumed by unrighteous men. And these garlands, also,\nbright and fragrant and of various hues, are not intended for saints.'\nHaving thus forbidden his son by saying that those were wicked demons,\nVibhandaka went in quest of her. And when by three day's search he was\nunable to trace where she was he then came back to his own hermitage. In\nthe meanwhile, when the son of Kasyapa had gone out to gather fruits,\nthen that very courtesan came again to tempt Rishyasringa in the manner\ndescribed above. And as soon as Rishyasringa had her in sight, he was\nglad and hurriedly rushing towards him said, 'Let us go to thy hermitage\nbefore the return of my father.' Then, O king! those same courtesans by\ncontrivances made the only son of Kasyapa enter their bark, and unmoored\nthe vessel. And by various means they went on delighting him and at\nlength came to the side of Anga's king. And leaving then that floating\nvessel of an exceedingly white tint upon the water, and having placed it\nwithin sight of the hermitage, he similarly prepared a beautiful forest\nknown by the name of the Floating Hermitage. The king, however, kept that\nonly son of Vibhandaka within that part of the palace destined for the\nfemales when of a sudden he beheld that rain was poured by the heavens\nand that the world began to be flooded with water. And Lomapada, the\ndesire of his heart fulfilled, bestowed his daughter Santa on\nRishyasringa in marriage. And with a view to appease the wrath of his\nfather, he ordered kine to be placed, and fields to be ploughed, by the\nroad that Vibhandaka was to take, in order to come to his son. And the\nking also placed plentiful cattle and stout cowherds, and gave the latter\nthe following order:\n\n\"When the great saint Vibhandaka should enquire of you about his son, ye\nmust join your palms and say to him that these cattle, and these ploughed\nfields belong to his son and that ye are his slaves, and that ye are\nready to obey him in all that he might bid.' Now the saint, whose wrath\nwas fierce, came to his hermitage, having gathered fruits and roots and\nsearched for his son. But not finding him he became exceedingly wroth.\nAnd he was tortured with anger and suspected it to be the doing of the\nking. And therefore, he directed his course towards the city of Champa\nhaving made up his mind to burn the king, his city, and his whole\nterritory. And on the way he was fatigued and hungry, when he reached\nthose same settlements of cowherds, rich with cattle. And he was honoured\nin a suitable way by those cowherds and then spent the night in a manner\nbefitting a king. And having received very great hospitality from them,\nhe asked them, saying, 'To whom, O cowherds, do ye belong?' Then they all\ncame up to him and said, 'All this wealth hath been provided for thy\nson.' At different places he was thus honoured by that best of men, and\nsaw his son who looked like the god Indra in heaven. And he also beheld\nthere his daughter-in-law, Santa, looking like lightning issuing from a\n(cloud). And having seen the hamlets and the cowpens provided for his son\nand having also beheld Santa, his great resentment was appeased. And O\nking of men! Vibhandaka expressed great satisfaction with the very ruler\nof the earth. And the great saint, whose power rivalled that of the sun\nand the god of fire, placed there his son, and thus spake, 'As soon as a\nson is born to thee, and having performed all that is agreeable to the\nking, to the forest must thou come without fail.' And Rishyasringa did\nexactly as his father said, and went back to the place where his father\nwas. And, O king of men! Santa obediently waited upon him as in the\nfirmament the star Rohini waits upon the Moon, or as the fortunate\nArundhati waits upon Vasishtha, or as Lopamudra waits upon Agastya. And\nas Damayanti was an obedient wife to Nala, or as Sachi is to the god who\nholdeth the thunderbolt in his hand or as Indrasena, Narayana's daughter,\nwas always obedient to Mudgala, so did Santa wait affectionately upon\nRishyasringa, when he lived in the wood. This is the holy hermitage which\nbelonged to him. Beautifying the great lake here, it bears holy fame.\nHere perform thy ablutions and have thy desire fulfilled. And having\npurified thyself, direct thy course towards other holy spots,'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXIV\n\n(Tirtha-yatra Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Then, O Janamejaya, the son of Pandu started from\nthe river Kausiki and repaired in succession to all the sacred shrines.\nAnd, O protector of men, he came to the sea where the river Ganga falls\ninto it; and there in the centre of five hundred rivers, he performed the\nholy ceremony of a plunge. Then, O ruler of the earth, accompanied by his\nbrothers, the valiant prince proceeded by the shore of the sea towards\nthe land where the Kalinga tribes dwell.\"\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'There is the land, O Kunti's son, where the Kalinga tribes\ndwell. Through it passeth the river Vaitarani, on the banks whereof even\nthe god of virtue performed religious river, having first placed himself\nunder the protection of the celestials. Verily, this is the northern\nbank, inhabited by saints, suitable for the performance of religious\nrites beautified by a hill, and frequented by persons of the regenerate\ncaste. This spot (in holiness) rivals the path whereby a virtuous man,\nfit for going to heaven, repairs to the region inhabited by gods. And\nverily at this spot in former times, other saints likewise worshipped the\nimmortals by the performance of religious rites. And at the very spot it\nwas that the god Rudra, O king of kings, seized the sacrificial beast and\nexclaimed, 'This is my share!' O chief of the descendants of Bharata,\nthen when the beast was carried away by Siva, the gods spake to him\nsaying, 'Cast not a covetous glance at the property of others,\ndisregarding all the righteous rules.' Then they addressed words of\nglorification of a pleasing kind to the god Rudra. And they satisfied him\nby offering a sacrifice, and paid him suitable honours. Thereupon he gave\nup the beast, and went by the path trodden by the gods. Thereupon what\nhappened to Rudra, learn from me, O Yudhishthira! Influenced by the dread\nof Rudra, the gods set apart for evermore, the best allotment out of all\nshares, such as was fresh and not stale (to be appropriated by the god).\nWhosoever performs his ablutions at this spot, while reciting this\nancient story, beholds with his mortal eyes the path that leads to the\nregion of the gods.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Then all the sons of Pandu and likewise the daughter\nof Drupada--all of whom were the favoured of Fate--descended to the river\nVaitarani, and made libations to the names of their fathers.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'O Lomasa, how great must be the force of a pious\ndeed! Having taken my bath at this spot in a proper form, I seem to touch\nno more the region inhabited by mortal men! O saint of a virtuous life, I\nam beholding all the regions. And this is the noise of the magnanimous\ndwellers of the wood, who are reciting their audible prayers.'\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'O Yudhishthira, the place whence this noise comes and\nreaches thy ears is at the distance of three hundred thousand yojanas, to\nbe sure. O lord of men, rest thou quiet and utter no word. O king, this\nis the divine forest of the Self-existent One, which hath now come to our\nview. There, O king, Viswakarma of a dreaded name performed religious\nrites. On the mighty occasion of that sacrifice, the Self-existent One\nmade a gift of this entire earth with all its hilly and forest tracts, to\nKasyapa, by way of gratuity, for ministering as a priest. And then, O\nKuru's son, as soon as that goddess Earth was giving away, she became sad\nat heart, and wrathfully spake the following words to that great lord,\nthe ruler of the worlds, 'O mighty god, it is unworthy of thee to give me\naway to an ordinary mortal. And this act of gift on thy part will come to\nnothing; (for) here am I going to descend into the bottom of the nether\nworld.' Then when the blessed saint Kasyapa beheld the goddess Earth,\ndespondent and sad, he, O protector of men, performed a propitiatory act\ncalculated to appease her wrath. And then, O Pandu's son, the Earth was\npleased with his pious deed. And she uprose again from within the waters,\nand showed herself in the form of a sacred altar. This, O king, is the\nspot which distinctly manifests the form of an altar. O great monarch,\nascend over it, and thou wilt gain valour and strength. And, O king, this\nis the very altar which reaches as far as the sea, and rests itself upon\nits bosom. May good luck be thine, do thou mount hereupon, and of thyself\ncross the sea. And while thou this day mountest upon it, I shall\nadminister the ceremony for averting all evil from thee; for this altar\nhere, as soon as it gets a mortal's touch, at once enters into the sea.\nSalutation to the god who protects the universe! Salutation to thee that\nart beyond the universe! O Lord of gods, vouchsafe thy presence in this\nsea. O Pandu's son, thou must recite the following words of truth, and\nwhile so reciting, thou must quickly ascend this altar, 'The god of fire,\nand the sun, and the organ of generation, and water, and goddess and the\nseed of Vishnu, and the navel of nectar. The god of fire is the organ\nthat generated the (ocean); the earth is thy body; Vishnu deposited the\nseed that caused thy being and thou art the navel of nectar.' Thus, O\nPandu's son, the words of truth must be audibly recited, and while so\nreciting, one must plunge into the lord of rivers. O most praiseworthy of\nKunti's son, otherwise this lord of waters of divine birth, this best\nstorehouse of the waters (of the earth), should not be touched, O son of\nKunti, even with the end of a sacred grass.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Then when the ceremony for averting evil had been\ncompleted in his behalf, the magnanimous Yudhishthira went into the sea,\nand having performed all that the saint had bid, repaired to the skirts\nof the Mahendra hill, and spent the night at that spot.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXV\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'The protector of the earth spent there a single\nnight, and with his brothers, paid the highest honours to the religious\nmen. And Lomasa made him acquainted with the names of all of them, such\nas the Bhrigus, the Angiras, the Vasishthas, and the Kasyapas. And the\nroyal saint paid visit to them all and made obeisance to them with joined\npalms. And then he asked the valiant Akritavrana, who was a follower of\nParasurama, when will the revered Parasurama show himself to the\nreligious men here? It is desired on that occasion to obtain a sight of\nthe descendant of Bhrigu.'\n\n\"Akritavrana said, 'Thy journey to this spot is already known to Rama,\nwhose soul spontaneously knows everything. And he is in every way\nwell-pleased with thee, and he will show himself readily to thee. And the\nsaints who practise penances here, are permitted to see him on the\nfourteenth and the eighth day of the lunar course. On the morrow at the\nend of this very night there will set in the fourteenth day of the lunar\ncourse. On that occasion thou wilt have a sight of him, clad in a sable\ndeerskin, and wearing his hair in the form of a matted mass.\"\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, Thou hast been a follower of the mighty Rama,\nJamadagni's son; thou must, therefore, have been the eye-witness of all\nthe deeds achieved by him in former days. I, therefore, request thee to\nnarrate to me how the members of the military caste were vanquished by\nRama on the field of battle, and what the original cause of those\nconflicts was.'\n\n\"Akritavrana said, 'With pleasure shall I recite to thee that excellent\nstory, O Bharata's son, O chief of kings, the story of the godlike deeds\nof Rama, the son of Jamadagni, who traced his origin to Bhrigu's race. I\nshall also relate the achievements of the great ruler of the Haihaya\ntribe. That king, Arjuna by name, the mighty lord of the Haihaya tribe\nwas killed by Rama. He, O Pandu's son, was endued with a thousand arms;\nand by the favour of Dattatreya he likewise had a celestial car made of\ngold. And, O protector of the earth, his rule extended over the entire\nanimated world, wheresoever located on this earth. And the car of that\nmighty monarch could proceed everywhere in an unobstructed course. And\ngrown resistless by the virtue of a granted boon, he ever mounted on that\ncar, trampled upon gods and Yakshas and saints on all sides round. And\nall the born beings wheresoever placed, were harassed by him. Then the\ncelestials and the saints of a rigidly virtuous life, met together, and\nthus spake to Vishnu, the god of gods, the slayer of demons, and\npossessed of prowess that never failed, saying. 'O blessed and revered\nlord, for the purpose of preserving all the born beings, it is necessary\nthat Arjuna should be killed by thee.' And the mighty ruler of the\nHaihaya tribe placing himself on his celestial car, affronted Indra,\nwhile that deity was enjoying himself with Sachi, his queen. Then, O\nBharata's son, the blessed and the revered god (Vishhnu) held a\nconsultation with Indra, with a view to destroying Kartavirya's son. And\non that occasion, all that was for the good of the world of beings, was\ncommunicated by the lord of gods; and the blessed god worshipped by the\nworld, to do all that was necessary, went to the delightful Vadari wood\nwhich was his own chosen retreat for practising penances. And at this\nvery time there lived on the earth a mighty monarch in the land of\nKanyakuvja, a sovereign whose military force was exceedingly great. And\nhis name of Gadhi was famous in the world. He, however, betook himself to\na forest-life. And while he was dwelling in the midst of the wood, there\nwas born to him a daughter beautiful as a nymph of heaven. And Richika,\nthe son of Bhrigu, asked for her to be united with himself in marriage.\nAnd then Gadhi spake to that Brahmana, who led a rigidly austere life,\nsaying. There is a certain family custom in our race; it hath been\nfounded by my ancestors of a bygone age. And, O most excellent of the\nsacerdotal caste, be it known to thee that the intending bridegroom must\noffer a dowry consisting of a thousand fleet steeds, whose colour must be\nbrown and every one of whom must possess a single sable car. But, O\nBhrigu's son, a reverend saint like thee cannot be asked to offer the\nsame. Nor can my daughter be refused to a magnanimous saint of thy\n(exalted) rank.' Thereupon Richika said, 'I will give thee a thousand\nfleet steeds, brown in hue and possessing a single sable car; let thy\ndaughter be given in marriage to me.'\n\n\"Akritavrana said. Thus having given his word, O king, he went and said\nto Varuna, 'Give me a thousand fleet steeds brown in colour, and each\nwith one black ear. I want the same as dowry for my marriage.' To him\nVaruna forthwith gave a thousand steeds. Those steeds had issued out of\nthe river Ganga; hence the spot hath been named: The horse's landing\nplace. And in the city of Kanyakuvja, the daughter of Gadhi, Satyavati by\nname, was given in marriage; and the gods themselves were of the party of\nthe bride. Richika, the most excellent of the sacerdotal caste, thus\nprocured a thousand steeds, and had a sight of the dwellers of heaven and\nwon a wife in the proper form. And he enjoyed himself with the girl of\nslender waist, and thus gratified all the wishes and desire that he ever\nhad. And when the marriage had been celebrated, O king, his father Bhrigu\ncame on a visit to see him and his wife; and he was glad to see his\npraiseworthy son. And the husband and wife together paid their best\nrespects to him, who was worshipped by all the gods. And when he had\nseated himself, they both with joined palms, stood near him, in order\nthat they might to his bidding. And then the revered saint, Bhrigu, glad\nat heart, thus spoke to his daughter-in-law, saying, 'O lovely daughter,\nas for a boon I am ready to grant thee any object of thy wish.' And there\nupon she asked for his favour in this, that a son might be born to both\nherself and her mother. And he vouchsafed the favour thus asked for.'\n\n\"Bhrigu said, 'During the days that your season lasts, thou and thy\nmother must take a bath, with the ceremony for bringing forth a male\nchild. And ye two must then separately embrace two different trees--she a\npeepal tree, and thou a fig tree. And, O dutiful girl, here are two pots\nof rice and milk, prepared by me with the utmost care. I having ransacked\nthe whole universe to find the drugs, the essence whereof hath been\nblended with this milk and rice. It must be taken as food with the\ngreatest care.' And saying this, he vanished from sight. The two ladies,\nhowever, made an interchange both in the matter of the pots of rice, and\nlikewise as regards the trees (to be embraced by each). Then after the\nlapse of very many days, the revered saint, once more came. And he came\nknowing (what had happened) by his attribute of divine knowledge. Then\nBhrigu possessed of mighty strength, spake to Satyavati, his\ndaughter-in-law, saying, 'O dutiful girl! O my daughter of a lovely brow,\nthe wrong pot of rice thou tookest as food. And it was the wrong tree\nwhich was embraced by thee. It was thy mother who deluded thee. A son\nwill be born of thee, who, though of the priestly caste, will be of a\ncharacter fit for the military order; while a mighty son will be born of\nthy mother, who, though by birth a Kshatriya will assume a life suitable\nto the sacerdotal order. And his power will be great, and he will walk on\nthe path trodden by righteous men.' Then she entreated her father-in-law\nagain and again, saying, 'Let not my son be of this character; but let my\ngrandson be such.' And, O Pandu's son, he replied, 'So let it be!' And\nthus he was pleased to grant her prayer. Then she brought forth on the\nexpected day a son by name Jamadagni. And this son of Bhrigu was endowed\nwith both splendour and grace. And he grew in years and in strength, and\nexcelled he other saints in the proficiency of his Vaidik lore. O\nchieftain of Bharata's race, to him, rivalling in lustre the author of\nlight (the sun), came spontaneously and without instruction the knowledge\nof the entire military art and of the fourfold missile arms.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXVI\n\n\"Akritavrana said, 'Jamadagni devoted himself to the study of the Veda\nand the practice of sacred penances, and became famous for his great\nausterities. Then he pursued a methodical course of study and obtained a\nmastery over the entire Veda. And, O king, he paid a visit to Prasenajit\nand solicited the hand of Renuka in marriage. And this prayer was granted\nby the king. And the delight of Bhrigu's race having thus obtained Renuka\nfor his wife, took his residence with her in a hermitage, and began to\npractice penances, being assisted by her. And four boys were born of her,\nwith Rama for the fifth. And although the youngest, Rama was superior to\nall in merit. Now once upon a time, when her sons had gone out for the\npurpose of gathering fruits, Renuka who had a pure and austere life, went\nout to bathe. And, O king, while returning home, she happened to cast her\nglance towards the king of Martikavata, known by the name of Chitraratha.\nThe king was in the water with his wives, and wearing on his breast a\nlotus wreath, was engaged in sport. And beholding his magnificent form,\nRenuka was inspired with desire. And this unlawful desire she could not\ncontrol, but became polluted within the water, and came back to the\nhermitage frightened at heart. Her husband readily perceived what state\nshe was in. And mighty and powerful and of a wrathful turn of mind, when\nhe beheld that she had been giddy and that the lustre of chastity had\nabandoned her, he reproached her by crying out 'Fie!' At that very moment\ncame in the eldest of Jamadagni's sons, Rumanvan; and then, Sushena, and\nthen, Vasu, and likewise, Viswavasu. And the mighty saint directed them\nall one by one to put an end to the life of their mother. They, however,\nwere quite confounded and lost heart. And they could not utter a single\nword. Then he in ire cursed them. And on being cursed they lost their\nsense and suddenly became like inanimate objects, and comparable in\nconduct to beasts and birds. And then Rama, the slayer of hostile heroes,\ncame to the hermitage, last of all. Him the mighty-armed Jamadagni, of\ngreat austerities, addressed, saying, 'Kill this wicked mother of thine,\nwithout compunction, O my son.' Thereupon Rama immediately took up an axe\nand therewith severed his mother's head. Then, O great king, the wrath of\nJamadagni of mighty soul, was at once appeased; and well-pleased, he\nspake the following words, 'Thou hast, my boy, performed at my bidding\nthis difficult task, being versed in virtue. Therefore, whatsoever wishes\nthere may be in thy heart, I am ready to grant them all. Do thou ask me.'\nThereupon Rama solicited that his mother might be restored to life, and\nthat he might not be haunted by the remembrance of this cruel deed and\nthat he might not be affected by any sin, and that his brothers might\nrecover their former state, and that he might be unrivalled on the field\nof battle, and that he might obtain long life. And, O Bharata's son,\nJamadagni, whose penances were the most rigid, granted all those desires\nof his son. Once, however, O lord, when his sons had gone out as before,\nthe valourous son of Kartavirya, the lord of the country near the shore\nof the sea, came up to the hermitage. And when he arrived at that\nhermitage, the wife of the saint received him hospitably. He, however,\nintoxicated with a warrior's pride, was not at all pleased with the\nreception accorded to him, and by force and in defiance of all\nresistance, seized and carried off from that hermitage the chief of the\ncows whose milk supplied the sacred butter, not heeding the loud lowing\nof the cow. And he wantonly pulled down the large trees of the wood. When\nRama came home, his father himself told him all that had happened. Then\nwhen Rama saw how the cow was lowing for its calf, resentment arose in\nhis heart. And he rushed towards Kartavirya's son, whose last moments had\ndrawn nigh. Then the descendant of Bhrigu, the exterminator of hostile\nheroes, put forth his valour on the field of battle, and with sharpened\narrows with flattened tips, which were shot from a beautiful bow, cut\ndown Arjuna's arms, which numbered a thousand, and were massive like\n(wooden) bolts for barring the door. He, already touched by the hand of\ndeath, was overpowered by Rama, his foe. Then the kinsmen of Arjuna,\ntheir wrath excited against Rama, rushed at Jamadagni in his hermitage,\nwhile Rama was away. And they slew him there; for although his strength\nwas great, yet being at the time engaged in penances, he would not fight.\nAnd while thus attacked by his foes, he repeatedly shouted the name of\nRama in a helpless and piteous way. And, O Yudhishthira, the sons of\nKartavirya shot Jamadagni, with their arrows, and having thus chastised\ntheir foe, went their way. And when they had gone away, and when\nJamadagni had breathed his last, Rama, the delight of Bhrigu's race,\nreturned to the hermitage, bearing in his arms, fuel for religious rites.\nAnd the hero beheld his father who had been put to death. And grieved\nexceedingly he began to bewail the unworthy fate that had laid his father\nlow.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXVII\n\n\"Rama said, 'The blame is mine, O father, that like a stag in the wood,\nthou hast been shot dead with arrows, by those mean and stupid\nwretches--the sons of Kartavirya. And O father, virtuous and unswerving\nfrom the path of righteousness and inoffensive to all animated beings as\nthou wert, how came it to be permitted by Fate that thou shouldst die in\nthis way? What an awful sin must have been committed by them, who have\nkilled thee with hundreds of sharpened shafts, although thou wert an aged\nman, and engaged in penances at the time and absolutely averse to\nfighting with them. With what face will those shameless persons speak of\nthis deed of theirs to their friends and servants, viz., that they have\nslain an unassisted and unresisting virtuous man?--O protector of men,\nthus he, great in penance, bewailed much in a piteous manner, and then\nperformed the obsequies of his departed sire. And Rama, the conqueror of\nhostile cities, cremated his father on the funeral pyre, and vowed, O\nscion of Bharata's race, the slaughter of the entire military caste, and\nof exceeding strength in the field of battle, and possessed of valour\nsuited to a heroic soul, and comparable to the god of death himself, he\ntook up his weapon in wrathful mood, and singlehanded put Kartavirya's\nsons to death. And, O chieftain of the military caste, Rama, the leader\nof all capable of beating their foes, thrice smote down all the\nKashatriya followers of Kartavirya's sons. And seven times did that\npowerful lord exterminate the military tribes of the earth. In the tract\nof land, called Samantapanchaka five lakes of blood were made by him.\nThere the mightiest scion of Bhrigu's race offered libations to his\nforefathers--the Bhrigus, and Richika appeared to him in a visible form,\nand spake to him words of counsel. Then the son of Jamadagni of dreaded\nname, performed a mighty sacrifice and gratified the lord of the\ncelestials, and bestowed the earth to the ministering priests. And, O\nprotector of human beings, he raised an altar made of gold, ten Vyamas in\nbreadth and nine in height, and made a gift of the same to the\nmagnanimous Kasyapa. Then at Kasyapa's bidding the Brahamanas divided the\naltar into a number of shares, and thus they became reputed as the\nKhandavayamas (share takers). And the exterminator of the military race\npossessed of immense strength, bestowed the earth upon the high-souled\nKasyapa, and then became engaged in penance of an exceedingly severe\nform. He now dwells in this Mahendra, monarch of hills. Thus did\nhostilities arise between him and the members of the military caste,--all\nof them who dwell on this earth; and Rama, endowed with immense strength,\nin this way subdued the entire world.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Then on the fourteenth day of the moon, the\nmighty-souled Rama at the proper hour showed himself to those members of\nthe priestly caste and also to the virtuous king (Yudhishthira) and his\nyounger brothers. And, O king of kings, the lord together with his\nbrothers, worshipped Rama, and, O most righteous of the rulers of men,\nthe very highest honours were paid by him to all those members of the\ntwice-born class. And after worshipping Jamadagni's son and having\nreceived words of praise from him, at his direction he spent the night on\nthe Mahendra hill, and then started on his journey towards the southern\nregions.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXVIII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"The magnanimous monarch pursued his journey, and at\ndifferent spots on the shore of the sea visited the various bathing\nplaces, all sacred and pleasant and frequented by men of the sacerdotal\ncaste. And O son of Parikshit! He in proper form took his bath in them\ntogether with his younger brothers and then went to an excellent river,\nthe holiest of all. There also the magnanimous king, took his plunge, and\noffered libations to his forefathers and the gods, and distributed riches\nto the leaders of the twice-born class. Then he went to the Godavari, a\nriver that falls directly into the sea. There he was freed from his sins.\nAnd he reached the sea in the Dravida land, and visited the holy spot\npassing under Agastya's name, which was exceedingly sacred and\nexceptionally pure. And the valiant king visited the feminine sacred\nspots. Here he listened to the story of that well-known feat which was\nachieved by Arjuna, chief of all wielders of the bow, and which was\nbeyond the power of human beings to perform. And here he was praised by\nthe highest members of the saintly class, and the son of Pandu\nexperienced the greatest delight. And, O protector of the earth! the\nruler of the world, accompanied by Krishna bathed in those holy spots,\nand speaking of Arjuna's valour in laudatory terms delightfully spent his\ntime in the place. Then he gave away thousands of cows at those holy\nspots on the coast of the sea; and with his brothers narrated well\npleased how Arjuna had made a gift of kine. And he, O king! visited one\nby one those holy places on the coast of the sea and many other sacred\nspots, and thus fulfilled his heart's desire, till he came to the holiest\nof all known by the name of Suparaka. Then having crossed a certain tract\non the coast of the sea, he reached a forest celebrated on earth. There\nthe deities had practised asceticism in former days, and likewise\nvirtuous rulers of men had performed sacrificial rites. There he,\npossessed of long and lusty arms, beheld the celebrated altar of\nRichika's son, who was the foremost of all wielders of the bow. And the\naltar was girt round by hosts of ascetics, and was fit to be worshipped\nby persons of a virtuous life. Then the king beheld the holy and\ndelightful shrines of all the gods and of the Vasus, and of the hosts of\nwind and of the two celestial physicians and of Yama, son of the sun and\nof the lord of riches, and of Indra, and of Vishnu, and of the lord\nCreator and of Siva, and of the moon, and of the author of day, and of\nthe lord of waters, and of the host of Sadhyas, and of Brahma, and of the\nforefathers, and of Rudra together with all his followers, and of the\ngoddess of learning, and of the host of Siddhas, and of many immortal\nholy gods besides. And in those shrines the king observed various fasts,\nand gave away large quantities of gems. He plunged his body in all the\nholy spots, and then came again to Surparaka. And he by the same\nlanding-place of the sea again proceeded with his uterine brothers and\ncame over to the holy spot Prabhasa, whereof fame hath been spread by\nmighty Brahmanas throughout the world. There he, possessed of a pair of\nlarge red eyes, washed himself with all his younger brothers, and offered\nlibations to the forefathers and the celestial hosts; and so did Krishna\nand all those Brahmanas together with Lomasa. For twelve days he\nsubsisted upon air and water. And he performed ablutions for days and\nnights and surrounded himself with fires kindled on all sides. Thus that\ngreatest of all virtuous men engaged himself in asceticism. While he was\nacting thus, information reached both Valarama and Krishna that the king\nwas practising penances of a most austere form and these two leaders of\nthe entire Vrishni tribe accompanied with troops came to Yudhishthira of\nAjamidha's race. And when the Vrishnis beheld that the sons of Pandu lay\ndown on the ground, their bodies besmeared all over with dirt and when\nthey beheld the daughter of Drupada in a sad state, their grief was great\nand they could not refrain from breaking out in loud lamentations. Then\nthe king, whose courage was such that misfortune never could cast him\ndown, cordially met Rama and Krishna and Samva, Krishna's son, and the\ngrand-son of Sini and other Vrishnis, and paid honour to them in a\nsuitable form. And they also in return paid honour to all the sons of\nPritha, and were similarly honoured by Pandu's sons. And they seated\nthemselves round about Yudhishthira, as round Indra, O king! are seated\nthe celestial hosts. And highly pleased, he recounted to them all the\nmachinations of his adversaries, and how also he had resided in the\nforest, and how Arjuna had gone to Indra's abode in order to learn the\nscience of arms--all this he related with a gladdened heart. And they\nwere happy to learn all this news from him; but when they saw the\nPandavas so exceedingly lean, the majestic and magnanimous Vrishnis could\nnot forbear shedding tears, which spontaneously gushed from their eyes on\naccount of the agony they felt.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXIX\n\nJanamejaya said, \"O thou of ascetic wealth! when the sons of Pandu and\nthe Vrishnis reached the holy spot Prabhasa, what did they do and what\nconversation was held there by them, for all of them were of mighty\nsouls, proficient in all the branches of science and both the Vrishnis\nand the sons of Pandu held one another in friendly estimation.\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"When the Vrishnis reached the holy spot Prabhasa, the\nsacred landing-place on the coast of the sea, they surrounded the sons of\nPandu and waited upon them. Then Valarama, resembling in hue the milk of\nthe cow and the Kunda flower and the moon and the silver and the lotus\nroot and who wore a wreath made of wild flowers and who had the\nploughshare for his arms, spake to the lotuseyed one, saying, 'O Krishna,\nI do not see that the practice of virtue leads to any good or that\nunrighteous practices can cause evil, since the magnanimous Yudhishthira\nis in this miserable state, with matted hair, a resident of the wood, and\nfor his garment wearing the bark of trees. And Duryodhana is now ruling\nthe earth, and the ground doth not yet swallow him up. From this, a\nperson of limited sense would believe a vicious course of life is\npreferable to a virtuous one. When Duryodhana is in a flourishing state\nand Yudhishthira, robbed of his throne, is suffering thus, what should\npeople do in such a matter?--This is the doubt that is now perplexing all\nmen. Here is the lord of men sprung from the god of virtue, holding fast\nto a righteous path, strictly truthful and of a liberal heart. This son\nof Pritha would give up his kingdom and his pleasure but would not swerve\nfrom the righteous path, in order to thrive. How is it that Bhishma and\nKripa and the Brahmana Drona and the aged king, the senior member of the\nhouse, are living happily, after having banished the sons of Pritha? Fie\nupon the vicious-minded leaders of Bharata's race! What will that sinner,\nthe chieftain of the earth, say to the departed forefathers of his race,\nwhen the wretch will meet them in the world to come? Having hurled from\nthe throne his in-offensive sons, will he be able to declare that he had\ntreated them in a blameless way? He doth not now see with his mind's eye\nhow he hath become so sightless, and on account of what act he hath grown\nblind among the kings of this entire earth. Is it not because he hath\nbanished Kunit's son from his kingdom? I have no doubt that\nVichitravirya's son, when he with his sons perpetrated this inhuman act,\nbeheld on the spot where dead bodies are burnt, flowering trees of a\ngolden hue. Verily he must have asked them, when those stood before him\nwith their shoulders projected forward towards him, and with their large\nred eyes staring at him, and he must have listened to their evil advice,\nsince he fearlessly sent away Yudhishthira to the forest, who had all his\nweapons of war with him and was borne company by his younger brothers.\nThis Bhima here, whose voracious appetite is like that of a wolf, is able\nto destroy with the sole strength of his powerful arms, and without the\nhelp of any weapons of war, a formidable array of hostile troops. The\nforces in the field of battle were utterly unmanned on hearing his\nwar-cry. And now the strong one is suffering from hunger and thirst, and\nis emaciated with toilsome journeys. But when he will take up in his hand\narrows and diverse other weapons of war, and meet his foes in the field\nof battle, he will then remember the sufferings of his exceedingly\nmiserable forest-life, and kill his enemies to a man: of a certainty do I\nanticipate this. There is not throughout the whole world a single soul\nwho can boast of strength and prowess equal to his. And his body, alas!\nis emaciated with cold, and heat and winds. But when he will stand up for\nfight, he will not leave a single man out of his foes. This powerful\nhero, who is a very great warrior when mounted on a car--this Bhima, of\nappetite rivalling a wolf's conquered single-handed all the rulers of men\nin the east, together with, those who followed them in battle; and he\nreturned from those wars safe and uninjured. And that same Bhima,\nmiserably dressed in the bark of trees, is now leading a wretched life in\nthe woods. This powerful Sahadeva vanquished all the kings in the south;\nthose lords of men who had gathered on the coast of the sea,--look at him\nnow in an anchorite's dress. Valiant in battle Nakula vanquished\nsingle-handed the kings who ruled the regions towards the west,--and he\nnow walks about the wood, subsisting on fruit and roots, with a matted\nmass of hair on the head, and his body besmeared all over with dirt. This\ndaughter of a king, who is a great soldier when mounted on a car, took\nher rise from beneath the altar, during the pomp of sacrificial rites.\nShe hath been always accustomed to a life of happiness; how is she now\nenduring this exceedingly miserable life in this wood! And the son of the\ngod of virtue,--virtue which stands at the head of all the there pursuits\nof life--and the son of the wind-god and also the son of the lord of\ncelestials, and those two sons of the celestial physicians,--being the\nsons of all those gods and always accustomed to a life of happiness, how\nare they living in this wood, deprived of all comforts? When the son of\nVirtue met with defeat, and when his wife, his brothers, his followers,\nand himself were all driven forth, and Duryodhana began to flourish, why\ndid not the earth subside with all its hills?\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXX\n\nSatyaki said, \"O Rama! this is not the time of lamentation; let us do\nthat which is proper and suited to the present occasion, although\nYudhishthira doth not speak a single word. Those who have persons to look\nafter their welfare do not undertake anything of themselves; they have\nothers to do their work, as Saivya and others did for Yayati. Likewise, O\nRama! those who have appointed functionaries to undertake their work on\ntheir own responsibility, as the leaders of men, they may be said to have\nreal patrons, and they meet with no difficulty, like helpless beings. How\nis it that when the sons of Pritha have for their patrons these two men,\nRama and Krishna, and the two others, Pradyumna and Samva, together with\nmyself,--these patrons being able to protect all the three worlds,--how\nis it that the son of Pritha is living in the wood with his brothers? It\nis fit that this very day the army of the Dasarhas should march out,\nvariously armed and with checkered mails. Let Dhritarashtra's sons be\noverwhelmed with the forces of the Vrishinis and let them go with their\nfriends to the abode of the god of death. Let him alone who wields the\nbow made of the horn (Krishna), thou alone, if roused, wouldst be able to\nsurround even the whole of this earth. I ask thee to kill Dhritarashtra's\nson with all his men, as the great Indra, the lord of the gods kill\nVritra. Arjuna, the son of Pritha, is my brother, and also my friend, and\nalso my preceptor, and is like the second self of Krishna. It is for this\nthat men desire for a worthy son, and that preceptor seeks a pupil who\nwould contradict him not. It is for this that the time is come for that\nexcellent work, which is the best of all tasks and difficult to perform.\nI shall baffle Duryodhana's volleys of arms by my own excellent weapons.\nI shall overpower all in the field of battle. I shall in my wrath cut off\nhis head with my excellent shafts, little inferior to snakes and poison\nand fire. And with the keen edge of my sword, I shall forcibly sever his\nhead from the trunk, in the field of battle; then I shall kill his\nfollowers, and Duryodhana, and all of Kuru's race. O son of Rohini! let\nthe followers of Bhima look at me with joy at their heart, when I shall\nkeep up the weapons of war in the field of battle, and when I shall go on\nslaying all the best fighting men on the side of the Kurus, as at the end\nof time fire will burn vast heaps of straw. Kripa and Drona and Vikarna\nand Kama are not able to bear the keen arrows shot by Pradyumna. I know\nthe power of Arjuna's son--he conducts himself like the son of Krishna in\nthe field of battle. Let Samva chastise by the force of his arms\nDussasana; let him destroy by force Dussasana and his charioteer and his\ncar. In the field of battle when the son of Jamvavati becomes\nirresistible in fight, there is nothing which can withstand his force.\nThe army of the demon Samvara was speedily routed by him when only a boy.\nBy him was killed in fight Asvachakra, whose thighs were round, and whose\nmuscular arms were of exceeding length. Who is there that would be able\nto go forward to the car of Samva, who is great in fight, when mounted on\na car? As a mortal coming under the clutches of death can never escape;\nso who is there that once coming under his clutches in the field of\nbattle, is able to return with his life? The son of Vasudeva will burn\ndown by the volleys of his fiery shafts all the hostile troops, and those\ntwo warriors, Bhishma and Drona,--who are great on a car, and Somadatta\nsurrounded by all his sons. What is there in all the world including the\ngods, which Krishna cannot encounter on an equal footing, when he takes\nup the weapons of war, wields in his hands excellent arrows, arms himself\nwith his dice, and thus becomes unrivalled in fight? Then let Aniruddha\nalso take up in his hand his buckler and sword, and let him cover the\nsurface of the earth with Dhritarashtra's sons, their heads separated\nfrom their trunks, their bodies devoid of all consciousness as in a\nsacrificial rite the altar is overspread with sacred grass placed upon\nthe same. And Gada and Uluka, and Vahuka and Bhanu and Nitha and the\nyoung Nishatha valiant in battle and Sarana, and Charudeshna,\nirresistible in war, let them perform feats befitting their race. Let the\nunited army of the Satwatas and Suras, together with the best soldiers of\nthe Vrishnis, the Bhojas, and the Andhakas, kill those sons of\nDhritarashtra in the field of battle and let them swell their expanded\nfame throughout the world. Then let Abhimanyu rule the world so long as\nthis most excellent of virtuous men, the magnanimous Yudhishthira, may be\nengaged in fulfilling his vow,--the vow that was accepted and declared by\nhim, the most righteous of Kuru's race, on the occasion of the famous\nplay at dice. Afterwards the virtuous king will protect the earth, all\nhis foes defeated in battle by shafts which will be discharged by us.\nThen there will remain no sons of Dhritarashtra on earth,--nor the son of\nthe charioteer (Kama). This is the most important work for us to do, and\nthis will surely lead to fame.\"\n\n\"Krishna said, 'O scion of the race of Madhu! no doubt what thou sayest\nis true; we accept thy words, O thou of courage that is never weak! But\nthis bull of the Kuru race (Yudhishthira) would never accept the\nsovereignty of the earth, unless it were won by the prowess of his own\narms. Neither for the sake of pleasure, nor from fear, nor from\ncovetousness, would Yudhishthira ever renounce the rules of the caste;\nnor would these two heroes, who are mighty, when mounted on a car--Bhima\nand Arjuna; nor the twin brothers, nor Krishna, the daughter of Drupada.\nHe possessing the appetite of a wolf (Bhima), and the winner of riches\n(Arjuna), are both unrivalled in fight throughout the world. And why\nshould not this king rule over the entire world when he hath the two sons\nof Madri to espouse his cause? The high-souled ruler of Panchala together\nwith the Kekaya king, and we also should put forth our united strength,\nand then would the enemies of Yudhisthira be annihilated.'\"\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'It is not strange that thou shouldst speak thus, O\nscion of Madhu's race! but to me truth seems to be the first\nconsideration, above that of my sovereign power itself. But it is Krishna\nalone who precisely knoweth what I am; and it is I alone who precisely\nknow what Krishna (really) is. O thou endued with valour! O scion of\nMadhu's race! as soon as he will perceive that the time is come for feats\nof bravery, then, O most valiant of Sini's race, he also of beautiful\nhair (Krishna) will defeat Suyodhana. Let the brave men of the Dasarha\nrace go back today. They are my patrons; and the foremost of human\nbeings, they have visited me here. O ye of immeasurable strength! never\nfall off from the path of virtue. I shall see you again, when ye will be\nhappily gathered together.'\n\n\"Then after mutual greeting and obeisance to seniors, and having embraced\nthe youthful, those valiant men of the Yadu race and the sons of Pandu\nseparated. And the Yadus reunited to their home; and the Pandavas\ncontinued their journey to the sacred spots. Then having parted with\nKrishna, the virtuous king, accompanied by his brothers and servants, and\nalso by Lomasa, went to the sacred river Payosini. Its fine landing place\nwas constructed by the king of Vidarbha. And he began to dwell on the\nbanks of the Payosini, whose waters were mingled with the distilled Soma\njuice. There the high-souled Yudhishthira was greeted with excellent\nlaudatory, terms by numerous leaders of the twice-born class, who were\ndelighted to see him there.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXXI\n\nLomasa said, \"O king! when the Nriga performed a sacrifice here, he\ngratified Indra, the demolisher of hostile cities, by offering the Soma\njuice. And Indra was refreshed and was very much pleased. Here the gods\ntogether with Indira, and the protectors of all born beings, celebrated\nsacrifices of various kinds on a large scale, and paid abundant\ngratuities to the ministering priests. Here king Amurtarayasa, the lord\nof the world, satisfied Indra, the holder of the thunderbolt, by the\noffer of the Soma juice, when seven horse-sacrifices were performed by\nthat king. The articles which in other sacrificial rites are uniformly\nmade of the timber, wood and of earth, were all made of gold in the seven\nsacrifices performed by him. And it is said that in all those rites,\nseven sets of stakes, rings for the sacrificial stakes, spots, ladles,\nutensils, spoons were prepared by him. On each sacrificial stake, seven\nrings were fastened at the top. And, O Yudhishthira! the celestials\ntogether with Indira, themselves erected the sacrificial stakes of\nshining gold which had been prepared for his sacred rites. In all those\nmagnificent sacrifices instituted by Gaya, the protector of the earth,\nIndira, was delighted by drinking the Soma juice, and the ministering\npriests were gratified with the gratuities paid to them. And the priests\nobtained untold wealth counted out to them. And as the sand-grains of the\nearth, or as the stars in the sky, or as the rain-drops when it raineth,\ncannot be counted by anyone, so the wealth Gaya gave away was incapable\nof being counted by figures. So untold was the wealth, O great king! that\nwas given to the ministering priests in all those seven sacrifices that\neven the above-mentioned objects might be counted by figures, but the\ngratuities bestowed by him whose largeness exceeded all that was known\nbefore were not capable of being counted by figures. And images of the\ngoddess of speech were made of gold by the sculptor of the gods;--and the\nking gratified the members of the sacerdotal caste, who had arrived from\nall the cardinal points, by making presents to them of those images, of\ngold. O protector of men! when the high-souled Gaya performed his\nsacrificial rites, he erected sacrificial piles at so many different\nspots that but little space was left on the surface of the earth. And, O\nscion of Bharata's race! he by that sacred act attained the regions of\nIndra. Whoever should bathe in the river, Payosini, would go to the\nregions attained by Gaya. Therefore, O lord of kings! O unswerving\nprince! thou and thy brothers should bathe in this river; then, O\nprotector of the earth, thou wilt be freed from all these sins.\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"O most praiseworthy of men! Yudhishthira with his\nbrothers performed ablutions in the Payosini river. Then, O sinless\nprince! the powerful monarch together with his brothers, journeyed to the\nhill of sapphires and the great river Narmada. The blessed saint Lomasa\nthere named to him all the delightful holy spots and all the sacred\nshrines of the celestials. Then he with his brothers visited those\nplaces, according to his desire and convenience. And at various places\nBrahmanas by thousands received gifts from him.\"\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'O son of Kunti! one who visits the sapphire Hill and\nplunges his body in the river Narmada attains the regions inhabited by\nthe celestials and kings. O most praiseworthy of men! this period is the\njunction between the Treta and the Kali age, O Kunti's son! This is the\nperiod when a person gets rid of all his sins. O respected sir! this is\nthe spot where Saryati performed sacrificial rites, wherein Indra\nappeared in a visible form and drank the Soma juice, with the two\ncelestial physicians. And Bhrigu's son of severe austerities conceived\nanger towards the great Indra; and the mighty Chyavana paralysed Indra,\nand for his wife obtained the princess, Sukanya.'\"\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'How was the chastiser of the demon Paka, the god\npossessed of the six attributes, paralysed by Chyavana? And for what\nreason did the mighty saint conceive wrath towards Indra? And how, O\nBrahmana! did he raise the celestial physicians to the rank of the\ndrinkers of Soma? All this, precisely as it happened, thy venerable self\nwill be pleased to recount to me.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXXII\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'A son was born to the great saint Bhrigu, Chyavana by\nname. And he, of an exceedingly resplendent form, began to practise\nausterities by the side of yonder lake. And, O Pandu's son! O protector\nof men! he of mighty energy assumed the posture called Vira, quiet and\nstill like an inanimate post, and for a long period, remained at the same\nspot of ground. And he was turned into an anthill covered over with\ncreepers. And after the lapse of a long period, swarms of ants enveloped\nhim. And covered all over with ants, the sagacious saint looked exactly\nlike a heap of earth. And he went on practising austerities, enveloped on\nall sides with that ant-hill. Now after the lapse of a long space of\ntime, that ruler of earth, Saryati by name, for amusement visited this\npleasant and excellent lake. With him were four thousand females,\nespoused by him, O son of Bharata's race! there was also his only\ndaughter endued with beautiful brows, named Sukanya. She surrounded by\nher maids, and decked out with jewels fit for the celestials, while\nwalking about, approached the anthill where Bhrigu's son was seated. And\nsurrounded by her maids, she began to amuse herself there, viewing the\nbeautiful scenery, and looking at the lofty trees of the wood. And she\nwas handsome and in the prime of her youth; and she was amorous and bent\non frolicking. And she began to break the twigs of the forest trees\nbearing blossoms. And Bhrigu's son endued with intelligence beheld her\nwandering like lightning, without her maids, and wearing a single piece\nof cloth and decked with ornaments. And seeing her in the lone forest,\nthat ascetic of exceeding effulgence was inspired with desire. And that\nregenerate Rishi possessing ascetic energy, who had a low voice, called\nthe auspicious one,--but she heard him not. Then seeing the eyes of\nBhrigu's son from the ant-hill, Sukanya from curiosity and losing her\nsense, said, 'What is this?'--and with thorns pierced the eyes (of the\nRishi). And as his eyes being pierced by her, he felt exceeding pain and\nbecame wroth. And (from anger) he obstructed the calls of nature of\nSaryati's forces. And on their calls of nature being obstructed, the men\nwere greatly afflicted. And seeing this state of things, the king asked.\n'Who is it that hath done wrong to the illustrious son of Bhrigu, old and\never engaged in austerities and of wrathful temper? Tell me quick if ye\nknow it'. The soldiers (thereupon) answered him saying, 'We do not know\nwhether any one hath done wrong to the Rishi. Do thou, as thou list, make\na searching enquiry into the matter. Thereupon that ruler of earth, using\n(as he saw occasion) both menace and conciliation, asked his friends\n(about the circumstance). But they too did not know anything. Seeing that\nthe army was distressed owing to the obstruction of the calls of nature,\nand also finding her father aggrieved, Sukanya said, 'Roving in the\nforest, I lighted in the ant-hill here upon some brilliant substance.\nThereupon taking it for a glow-worm I neared it, and pierced it (with\nthorns); Hearing this Saryati immediately came to the ant-hill, and there\nsaw Bhrigu's son, old both in years and austerities. Then the lord of\nearth with joined hands, besought (the ascetic) saying, 'It behoveth thee\nto forgive what my daughter through ignorance and greenness, hath done\nunto thee.\" Chyavana the son of Bhrigu, addressed the monarch saying,\n'Disregarding me, this one, filled with pride hath pierced my eyes. Even\nher, O king, endued with beauty and who was bereft of her senses by\nignorance and temptation--even thy daughter would I have for my bride, I\ntell thee truly, on this condition alone will I forgive thee.'\n\nLomasa said, \"Hearing the words of the sage, Saryati, without pausing,\nbestowed his daughter on the high-souled Chyavana. Having received the\nhand of that girl, the holy one was pleased with the king. And having won\nthe Rishi's grace, the king went to his city, accompanied by his troops.\nAnd the faultless Sukanya also having obtained that ascetic for her\nhusband, began to tend him, practising penances, and observing the\nordinance. And that one of a graceful countenance, and void of guile\nworshipped Chyavana, and also ministered unto guests, and the sacred\nfire.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXXIII\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'Once on a time, O king, those celestials, namely the twin\nAswins, happened to behold Sukanya, when she had (just) bathed, and when\nher person was bare. And seeing that one of excellent limbs, and like\nunto the daughter of the lord of celestials, the nose-born Aswins neared\nher, and addressed her, saying, 'O thou of shapely thighs, whose daughter\nart thou? And what doest thou in this wood? O auspicious one, O thou of\nexcellent grace, we desire to know this, do thou therefore tell us.'\nThereupon she replied bashfully unto those foremost of celestials. 'Know\nme as Sarayati's daughter, and Chyavana's wife.' Thereat the Aswins again\nspake unto her, smiling. 'What for, O fortunate one, hath thy father\nbestowed thee on a person who is verging on death? Surely, O timid girl,\nthou shinest in this wood like lightning. Not in the regions of the\ncelestials themselves, O girl, have our eyes lighted on thy like. O\ndamsel, unadornedand without gay robes as thou art, thou beautifiest this\nwood exceedingly. Still, O thou of faultless limbs, thou canst not look\nso beautiful, when (as at present) thou art soiled with mud and dirt, as\nthou couldst, if decked with every ornament and wearing gorgeous apparel.\nWhy, O excellent girl in such plight servest thou a decrepit old husband,\nand one that hath become incapable of realising pleasure and also of\nmaintaining thee, O thou of luminous smiles? O divinely beautiful damsel,\ndo thou, forsaking Chyavana accept one of us for husband. It behoveth\nthee not to spend thy youth fruitlessly.'\"\n\n\"Thus addressed Sukanya answered the celestials saying. 'I am devoted to\nmy husband, Chyavana: do ye not entertain any doubts (regarding my\nfidelity). Thereupon they again spake unto her, 'We two are the celestial\nphysicians of note. We will make thy lord young and graceful. Do thou\nthen select one of us, viz., ourselves and thy husband,--for thy partner.\nPromising this do thou, O auspicious one, bring hither thy husband.' .. O\nking, agreeably to their words she went to Bhrigu's son and communicated\nto him what the two celestials had said. Hearing her message, Chyavana\nsaid unto his wife, 'Do thou so.' Having received the permission of her\nlord, (she returned to the celestials) and said, 'Do ye so.' Then hearing\nher words, viz., 'Do ye so,' they spoke unto the king's daughter. 'Let\nthy husband enter into water.' Thereat Chyavana desirous of obtaining\nbeauty, quickly entered into water. The twin Aswins also, O king, sank\ninto the sheet of water. And the next moment they all came out of the\ntank in surpassingly beautiful forms, and young and wearing burnished\nearrings. And all, possessed of the same appearance pleasing to behold,\naddressed her saying, 'O fortunate one, do thou choose one of us for\nspouse. And O beauteous one, do thou select him for lord who may please\nthy fancy.' Finding, however, all of them of the same appearance she\ndeliberated; and at last ascertaining the identity of her husband, even\nselected him.\n\n\"Having obtained coveted beauty and also his wife, Chyavana, of exceeding\nenergy, well pleased, spake these words unto the nose-born celestials:\n'Since at your hands, an old man, I have obtained youth, and beauty, and\nalso this wife of mine, I will, well pleased, make you quaffers of the\nSoma juice in the presence of the lord of celestials himself. This I tell\nyou truly.' Hearing this, highly delighted, the twins ascendedto heaven;\nand Chyavana and Sukanya too passed their days happily even like\ncelestials.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXXIV\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'Now the news came to Saryati that Chyavana had been turned\ninto a youth. And well pleased he came, accompanied by his troops, to the\nhermitage of the son of Bhrigu. And he saw Chyavana and Sukanya, like two\nchildren sprung from celestials, and his joy and that of his wife were as\ngreat as if the king had conquered the entire world. And the ruler of\nearth together with his wife was received honourably by that saint. And\nthe king seated himself near the ascetic, and entered into a delightful\nconversation of an auspicious kind. Then, O king, the son of Bhrigu spake\nto the king these words of a soothing nature: 'I shall, O king, officiate\nat a religious ceremony to be performed by thee: let the requisite\narticles, therefore, be procured.' Thereat, that protector of earth\nSaryati, experienced the very height of joy, and O great king, he\nexpressed his approbation of the proposal made by Chyavana. And on an\nauspicious day, suitable for the commencement of a sacrificial ceremony,\nSaryati ordered the erection of a sacrificial shrine of an excellent\ndescription and splendidly furnished with all desirable things. There\nChyavana, the son of Bhrigu, officiated for the king as his priest. Now\nlisten to me relating the wonderful events which happened at that spot.\nChyavana took up a quantity of the Soma juice, in order that he might\noffer the same to the Aswins, who were physicians to the celestials. And\nwhile the saint was taking up the intended offering for those celestial\ntwins, Indra pronounced his interdiction, saying, These Aswins both of\nthem in my opinion have no right to receive an offering of the Soma\njuice.' They are the physicians of the celestials in heaven,--this\nvocation of theirs hath disentitled them (in the matter of Soma).\nThereupon Chyavana said, 'These two are of mighty enterprise, possessed\nof mighty souls, and uncommonly endued with beauty and grace. And they, O\nIndra, have converted me into an eternally youthful person, even like\nunto a celestial. Why shouldst thou and the other celestials have a right\nto the distilled Soma juice, and not they? O lord of the celestials, O\ndemolisher of hostile towns! be it known to thee that the Aswins also\nrank as gods.' At this, Indra spake saying, These two practise the\nhealing art,--so they are but servants. And assuming forms at their\npleasure they roam about in the world of mortal beings. How can they then\nrightfully claim the juice of the Soma?\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'When these very identical words were spoken again and\nagain by the lord of celestials, the son of Bhrigu, setting Indra at\nnaught, took up the offering he had intended to make. And as he was about\nto take up an excellent portion of the Soma juice with the object of\noffering it to the two Aswins, the destroyer of the demon Vala (Indra)\nobserved his act, and thus spoke unto him, 'If thou take up the Soma with\na view to offering it to those celestials, I shall hurl at thee my\nthunderbolt of awful form, which is superior to all the weapons that\nexist.' Thus addressed by Indra, the son of Bhrigu, cast at Indra a\nsmiling glance, and took up in due form a goodly quantity of the Soma\njuice, to make an offering to the Aswins. Then Sachi's lord hurled at him\nthe thunderbolt of awful form. And as he was about to launch it, his arm\nwas paralysed by Bhrigu's son. And having paralysed his arm, Chyavana\nrecited sacred hymns, and made offering on the fire. His object gained,\nhe now attempted to destroy that celestial. Then by the virtue of that\nsaint's ascetic energy, an evil spirit came into being,--a huge demon,\nMada by name, of great strength and gigantic proportions. And his body\nwas incapable of being measured either by demons or by gods. And his\nmouth was terrible and of huge size, and with teeth of sharpened edge.\nAnd one of his jaws rested on the earth, and the other stretched to\nheaven. And he had four fangs, each extending as far as one hundred\nyojanas, and his other fangs were extended to the distance of ten\nyojanas, and were of a form resembling towers on a palace, and which\nmight be likened to the ends of spears. And his two arms were like unto\nhills, and extended ten thousand yojanas, and both were of equal bulk.\nAnd his two eyes resembled the sun and the moon; and his face rivalled\nthe conflagration at the universal dissolution. And he was licking his\nmouth with his tongue, which, like lightning, knew no rest. And his mouth\nwas open, and his glance was frightful, and seemed as if he would\nforcibly swallow up the world. The demon rushed at the celestial by whom\na hundred sacrifices had been performed. And his intent was to devour\nthat deity. And the world resounded with the loud and frightful sounds\nuttered by the Asura.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXXV\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'When the god who had performed a hundred sacrifices\n(Indra) beheld the demon Mada of a frightful mien, coming towards him\nwith open mouth, his intention being to devour him, and looking like the\ngod of death himself, while his own arms remained paralysed, he through\nfear repeatedly licked the corners of his mouth. Then the lord of the\ncelestials, tortured with fright, spake to Chyavana saying, 'O Bhrigu's\nson! O Brahmana! verily I tell thee as truth itself, that from this day\nforward the two Aswins will be entitled to the Soma juice. Be merciful to\nme! My undertaking can never come to naught. Let this be the rule. And I\nknow, O saint of the sacerdotal caste! that thy work can never come to\nnothing. These two Aswins will have a right to drink the Soma juice,\nsince thou hast made them entitled to the same. And, O Bhrigu's son, I\nhave done this but to spread the fame of thy powers, and my object was to\ngive thee an occasion for displaying thy powers. My other object was that\nthe fame of the father of this Sukanya here might spread everywhere.\nTherefore be merciful to me: let it be as thou wishest.' Being thus\naddressed by Indra, the wrath of Chyavana of mighty soul was quickly\nappeased, and he set free the demolisher of hostile cities (Indra). And\nthe powerful saint, O king! distributed Mada (literally intoxication),\nand put it piece-meal in drinks, in women, in gambling, and in field\nsports, even this same Mada who had been created repeatedly before.\nHaving thus cast down the demon Mada and gratified Indra with a Soma\ndraught and assisted king Saryati in worshipping all the gods together\nwith the two Aswins and also spread his fame for power over all the\nworlds, the best of those endued with speech passed his days happily in\nthe wood, in the company of Sukanya, his loving wife. This is his lake,\nshining, O king! and resounding with the voice of birds. Here must thou,\ntogether with thy uterine brothers, offer libations of water to thy\nforefathers and the gods. And, O ruler of earth! O scion of Bharata's\nrace! having visited it and Sikataksha also, thou shalt repair to the\nSaindhava wood, and behold a number of small artificial rivers. And O\ngreat king, O scion of Bharata's race! thou shalt touch the waters of all\nthe holy lakes and reciting the hymns of the god Sthanu (Siva), meet with\nsuccess in every undertaking. For this is the junction, O most\npraiseworthy of men, of the two ages of the world, viz., Dwapara and\nTreta. It is a time, O Kunti's son! capable of destroying all the sins of\na person. Here do thou perform ablutions, for the spot is able to remove\nall the sins of an individual. Yonder is the Archika hill, a dwelling\nplace for men of cultured minds. Fruits of all the seasons grow here at\nall times and the streams run for ever. It is an excellent place fit for\nthe celestials. And there are the holy cairns of diverse forms, set up by\nthe celestials. O Yudhishthira! this is the bathing spot belonging to the\nMoon. And the saints are in attendance here on all sides round--they are\nthe dwellers of the wood and the Valakhilyas, and the Pavakas, who\nsubsist on air only. These are three peaks and three springs. Thou mayst\nwalk round them all, one by one: then thou mayst wash thyself at\npleasure. Santanu, O king! and Sunaka the sovereign of men, and both Nara\nand Narayana have attained everlasting regions from this place. Here did\nthe gods constantly lie down, as also the forefathers, together with the\nmighty saints. In this Archika hill, they all carried on austerities.\nSacrifice to them, O Yudhishthira! Here did they, also the saints, eat\nrice cooked in milk, O protector of men! And here is the Yamuna of an\nexhaustless spring. Krishna here engaged himself in a life of penances, O\nPandu's son. O thou that draggest the dead bodies of thy foes! the twin\nbrothers, and Bhimasena and Krishna and all of us will accompany thee to\nthis spot. O lord of men, this is the holy spring that belongeth to\nIndra. Here the creative and the dispensing deity, and Varuna also rose\nupwards, and here too they dwelt, O king! observing forbearance, and\npossessed of the highest faith. This excellent and propitious hill is fit\nfor persons of a kindly and candid disposition. This is that celebrated\nYamuna, O king! frequented by hosts of mighty saints, the scene of\ndiverse religious rites, holy, and destructive of the dread of sin. Here\ndid Mandhata himself, of a mighty bow, perform sacrificial rites for the\ngods; and so did Somaka, O Kunti's son! who was the son of Sahadeva, and\na most excellent maker of gifts.\n\n\n\nSECTION CXXVI\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'O great Brahmana, how was that tiger among kings,\nMandhata, Yuvanaswa's son, born,--even he who was the best of monarchs,\nand celebrated over the three worlds? And how did he of unmeasured lustre\nattain the very height of real power, since all the three worlds were as\nmuch under his subjection, as they are under that of Vishnu of mighty\nsoul? I am desirous of hearing all this in connection with the life and\nachievements of that sagacious monarch. I should also like to hear how\nhis name of Mandhata originated, belonging as it did to him who rivalled\nin lustre Indra himself: and also how he of unrivalled strength was born,\nfor thou art skilled in the art of narrating events.'\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'Hear with attention, O king! how the name of Mandhata\nbelonging to that monarch of mighty soul hath come to be celebrated\nthroughout all the worlds. Yuvanaswa, the ruler of the earth, was sprung\nfrom Ikshvaku's race. That protector of the earth performed many\nsacrificial rites noted for magnificent gifts. And the most excellent of\nall virtuous men performed a thousand times the ceremony of sacrificing a\nhorse. And he also performed other sacrifices of the highest order,\nwherein he made abundant gifts. But that saintly king had no son. And he\nof mighty soul and rigid vows made over to his ministers the duties of\nthe state, and became a constant resident of the woods. And he of\ncultured soul devoted himself to the pursuits enjoined in the sacred\nwrit. And once upon a time, that protector of men, O king! had observed a\nfast. And he was suffering from the pangs of hunger and his inner soul\nseemed parched with thirst. And (in this state) he entered the hermitage\nof Bhrigu. On that very night, O king of kings! the great saint who was\nthe delight of Bhrigu's race, had officiated in a religious ceremony,\nwith the object that a son might be born to Saudyumni. O king of kings!\nat the spot stood a large jar filled with water, consecrated with the\nrecitation of sacred hymns, and which had been previously deposited\nthere. And the water was endued with the virtue that the wife of\nSaudyumni would by drinking the same, bring forth a god-like son. Those\nmighty saints had deposited the jar on the altar and had gone to sleep,\nhaving been fatigued by keeping up the night. And as Saudyumni passed\nthem by, his palate was dry, and he was suffering greatly from thirst.\nAnd the king was very much in need of water to drink. And he entered that\nhermitage and asked for drink. And becoming fatigued, he cried in feeble\nvoice, proceeding from a parched throat, which resembled the weak\ninarticulate utterance of a bird. And his voice reached nobody's ears.\nThen the king beheld the jar filled with water. And he quickly ran\ntowards it, and having drunk the water, put the jar down. And as the\nwater was cool, and as the king had been suffering greatly from thirst,\nthe draught of water relieved the sagacious monarch and appeased his\nthirst. Then those saints together with him of ascetic wealth, awoke from\nsleep; and all of them observed that the water of the jar had gone.\nThereupon they met together and began to enquire as to who might have\ndone it. Then Yuvanaswa truthfully admitted that it was his act. Then the\nrevered son of Bhrigu spoke unto him, saying. 'It was not proper. This\nwater had an occult virtue infused into it, and had been placed there\nwith the object that a son might be born to thee. Having performed severe\nausterities, I infused the virtue of my religious acts in this water,\nthat a son might be born to thee. O saintly king of mighty valour and\nphysical strength! a son would have been born to thee of exceeding\nstrength and valour, and strengthened by austerities, and who would have\nsent by his bravery even Indra to the abode of the god of death. It was\nin this manner, O king! that this water had been prepared by me. By\ndrinking this water, O king, thou hast done what was not at all right.\nBut it is impossible now for us to turn back the accident which hath\nhappened. Surely what thou hast done must have been the fiat of Fate.\nSince thou, O great king, being a thirst hast drunk water prepared with\nsacred hymns, and filled with the virtue of my religious labours, thou\nmust bring forth out of thy own body a son of the character described\nabove. To that end we shall perform a sacrifice for thee, of wonderful\neffect so that, valorous as thou art, thou wilt bring forth a son equal\nto Indra. Nor with thou experience any trouble on account of the labour\npains.' Then when one hundred years had passed away, a son shining as the\nsun pierced the left side of the king endowed with a mighty soul, and\ncame forth. And the son was possessed of mighty strength. Nor did\nYuvanaswa die--which itself was strange. Then Indra of mighty strength\ncame to pay him a visit. And the deities enquired of the great Indra,\n'What is to be sucked by this boy?' Then Indra introduced his own\nforefinger into his mouth. And when the wielder of the thunderbolt said,\n'He will suck me,' the dwellers of heaven together with Indra christened\nthe boy Mandhata, (literally, Me he shall suck). Then the boy having\ntasted the forefinger extended by Indra, became possessed of mighty\nstrength, and he grew thirteen cubits, O king. And O great king! the\nwhole of sacred learning together with the holy science of arms, was\nacquired by that masterful boy, who gained all that knowledge by the\nsimple and unassisted power of his thought. And all at once, the bow\ncelebrated under the name of Ajagava and a number of shafts made of horn,\ntogether with an impenetrable coat of mail, came to his possession on the\nvery same day, O scion of Bharata's race! And he was placed on the throne\nby Indra himself and he conquered the three worlds in a righteous way, as\nVishnu did by his three strides. And the wheel of the car of that mighty\nking as irresistible in its course (throughout the world). And the gems,\nof their own accord, came into the possession of that saintly king. This\nis the tract of land, O lord of earth, which belonged to him. It abounds\nin wealth. He performed a number of sacrificial rites of various kinds,\nin which abundant gratuities were paid to the priests. O king! he of\nmighty force and unmeasured lustre, erected sacred piles, and performed\nsplendid pious deeds, and attained the position of sitting at Indra's\nside. That sagacious king of unswerving piety sent forth his fiat, and\nsimply by its virtue conquered the earth, together with the sea--that\nsource of gems--and all the cities (or [of?--JBH] the earth), O great\nking! The sacrificial grounds prepared by him were to be found all over\nthe earth on all sides round--not a single spot, but was marked with the\nsame. O great king! the mighty monarch is said to have given to the\nBrahmanas ten thousand padmas of kine. When there was a drought, which\ncontinued for twelve consecutive years, the mighty king caused rain to\ncome down for the growth of crops, paying no heed to Indra, the wielder\nof the thunder-bolt, who remained staring (at him). The mighty ruler of\nthe Gandhara land, born in the lunar dynasty of kings, who was terrible\nlike a a roaring cloud, was slain by him, who wounded him sorely with his\nshafts. O king! he of cultured soul protected the four orders of people,\nand by him of mighty force the worlds were kept from harm, by virtue of\nhis austere and righteous life. This is the spot where he, lustrous like\nthe sun, sacrificed to the god. Look at it! here it is, in the midst of\nthe field of the Kurus, situated in a tract, the holiest of all. O\npreceptor of earth! requested by thee, I have thus narrated to thee the\ngreat life of Mandhata, and also the way in which he was born, which was\na birth of an extraordinary kind.'\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"O scion of Bharata's race! Kunti's son, thus\naddressed by the mighty saint, Lomasa, immediately put fresh questions to\nhim, with regard to Somaka.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXXVII\n\nYudhishthira said, 'O best of speakers! what was the extent of power and\nstrength possessed by king Somaka? I am desirous of hearing an exact\naccount of his deeds and of his power.\"\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'O Yudhishthira! there was a virtuous king Somaka by name.\nHe had one hundred wives, O king, all suitably matched to their husband.\nHe took great care, but could not succeed in getting a single son from\nany one of them, and a long time elapsed during which he continued a\nsonless man. Once upon a time, when he had become old, and was trying\nevery means to have a son, a son was born to him, Jantu by name, out of\nthat century of women. And, O ruler of men! All the mothers used to sit\nsurrounding their son and every one giving him such objects as might\nconduce to his enjoyment and pleasure. And it came to pass that one day\nan ant stung the boy at his hip. And the boy screamed loudly on account\nof the pain caused by the sting. And forthwith the mothers were\nexceedingly distressed to see how the child had been stung by the ant.\nAnd they stood around him and set up cries. Thus there arose a tumultuous\nnoise. And that scream of pain suddenly reached (the ears of) the\nsovereign of the earth, when he was seated in the midst of his ministers,\nwith the family priest at his side. Then the king sent for information as\nto what it was about. And the royal usher explained to him precisely what\nthe matter was with reference to his son. And Somaka got up together with\nhis ministers and hastened towards the female apartments. And on coming\nthere, O subjugator of foes! he soothed his son. And having done so and\ncoming out from the female apartments, the king sat with his family\npriest and ministers.'\n\n\"Somaka then spoke thus, 'Fie on having only a single son! I had rather\nbe a sonless man. Considering how constantly liable to disease are all\norganized beings, to have an only son is but a trouble. O Brahmana! O my\nlord! With the view that I might have many sons born to me, this century\nof wives hath been wedded by me, after inspection, and after I had\nsatisfied myself that they would prove suitable to me. But issue they\nhave none. Having tried every means, and put forth great efforts, they\nhave borne this single son, Jantu. What grief can be greater than this? O\nmost excellent of the twice-born caste! I am grown old in years and so\nare my wives too. And yet this only son is like the breath of their\nnostrils, and so he is to me also. But is there any ceremony, by\ncelebrating which one may get a hundred sons? (And if there is one such),\ntell me whether it is great or small, and easy or difficult to perform.'\n\n\"The family priest said, 'There is a ceremony by virtue of which a man\nmay get a century of sons. If thou art able to perform it, O Somaka, then\nI shall explain it to thee.'\n\n\"Somaka said, 'Whether it be a good or an evil deed, the ceremony by\nwhich a hundred sons may be born, may be taken by thee as already\nperformed. Let thy blessed self explain it to me.'\n\n\"The family priest thereupon said, 'O king! Let me set on foot a\nsacrifice and thou must sacrifice thy son, Jantu in it. Then on no\ndistant date, a century of handsome sons will be born to thee. When\nJantu's fat will be put into the fire as an offering to the gods, the\nmothers will take a smell of that smoke, and bring forth a number of\nsons, valourous and strong. And Jantu also will once more be born as a\nself-begotten son of thine in that very (mother); and on his back there\nwill appear a mark of gold.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXXVIII\n\n\"Somaka said, 'O Brahmana! whatever is to be performed--do precisely as\nit may be necessary. As I am desirous of having a number of sons, I shall\ndo all that may be prescribed by thee.\"\n\n\"Lomasa said, \"Then the priest officiated in the sacrifice in which Jantu\nwas offered as the victim. But the mothers is in pity forcibly snatched\nthe son and took him away. And they cried, 'We are undone!' And they were\nsmitten with torturing grief and they caught hold of Jantu by his right\nhand, and wept in a piteous way. But the officiating priest held the boy\nby the right hand and pulled him. And like female ospreys they screamed\nin agony! but the priest dragged the son killed him and made a burnt\noffering of his fat in the proper form. And, O delight of the race of\nKuru! While the fat was being made an offering of the agonised mothers\nsmelt its smell, and of a sudden fell to the ground (and swooned away.)\nAnd then all those lovely women became with child, and O lord of men! O\nscion of Bharata's race! When ten months had passed a full century of\nsons was born to Somaka begotten on all those women. And, O monarch of\nthe earth! Jantu became the eldest and was born of his former mother and\nhe became the most beloved to the women,--not so were their own sons. And\non his back there was that mark of gold and of that century of sons, he\nwas also superior in merit. Then that family priest of Somaka departed\nthis life as also Somaka after a certain time. Now he beheld that the\npriest was being grilled in a terrible hell. And thereupon he questioned\nhim, 'Why art thou, O Brahmana! being grilled in this hell?\" Then the\nfamily priest exceedingly scorched with fire, spake to him saying, 'This\nis the outcome of my having officiated in that sacrifice of thine.' O\nking, hearing this, the saintly king thus spake to the god who meteth out\npunishments to departed souls, 'I shall enter here. Set free my\nofficiating priest; this reversed man is being grilled by hell-fire on my\naccount only.'\n\n\"Dharmaraja thereat answered thus, 'One cannot enjoy or suffer for\nanother person's acts. O best of speakers! these are the fruits of thy\nacts; see it here.'\n\n\"Somaka said, 'Without this Brahmana here, I desire not go to the blessed\nregions. My desire is to dwell in company with this very man, either in\nthe abode of the gods, or in hell, for, O Dharmaraja! my deed is\nidentical with what hath been done by him and the fruit of our virtuous\nor evil deed must be the same for both of us.'\n\n\"Dharmaraja said, 'O king! If this is thy wish, then taste with him the\nfruit of that act, for the same period that he must do. After that thou\nshall go to the blessed regions.'\n\n\"Lomasa said, The lotus-eyed king did all that exactly in the way\nprescribed to him. And when his sins were worked off, he was set free\ntogether with the priest. O king! Fond of the priest as he was, he won\nall those blessings to which he had entitled himself by his meritorious\nacts and shared everything with the family priest. This is his hermitage\nwhich looketh lovely before our eyes. Any one would attain the blessed\nregions, if he should spend six nights here controlling his passions. O\nking of kings! O leader of the tribe of Kurus! Here, free from excitement\nand self-controlled, we must spend six nights. Be thou ready therefor.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXXIX\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'Here, O king! The lord of born beings himself performed a\nsacrifice in former times,--the ceremony called Ishtikrita, which\noccupied one thousand years. And Amvarisha, son of Nabhaga, sacrificed\nnear the Yamuna river. And having sacrificed there, he gave away ten\nPadmas (of gold coins) to the attendant priests, and he obtained the\nhighest success by his sacrifices and austerities. And, O Kunti's son!\nThis is the spot where that sovereign of the entire earth, Nahusha's son,\nYayati, of unmeasured force, and who led a holy life, performed his\nsacrificial rites. He competed with Indra and performed his sacrifice\nhere. Behold how the ground is studded with places for the sacrificial\nfires of various forms, and how the earth seems to be subsiding here\nunder the pressure of Yayati's pious works. This is the Sami tree, which\nhath got but a single leaf, and this is a most excellent lake. Behold\nthese lakes of Parasurama, and the hermitage of Narayana. O protector of\nearth! This is the path which was followed by Richika's son, of\nunmeasured energy, who roamed over the earth, practising the Yoga rites\nin the river Raupya. And, O delight of the tribe of Kurus! Hear what a\nPisacha woman (she-goblin), who was decked with pestles for her\nornaments, said (to a Brahmana woman), as I was reciting here the table\nof genealogy. (She said), \"Having eaten curd in Yugandhara, and lived in\nAchutasthala, and also bathed in Bhutilaya, thou shouldst live with thy\nsons. Having passed a single night here, if thou wilt spend the second,\nthe events of the night will be different from those that have happened\nto thee in the day-time, O most righteous of Bharata's race! Today we\nshall spend the night at this very spot. O scion of Bharata's race! this\nis the threshold of the field of the Kurus. O king! At this very spot,\nthe monarch Yayati, son of Nahusha, performed sacrificial rites, and made\ngifts of an abundance of gems. And Indra was pleased with those sacred\nrites. This is an excellent holy bathing-place on the river Yamuna, known\nas Plakshavatarana (descent of the banian tree). Men of cultured minds\ncall it the entrance to the region of heaven. O respected sir! here,\nafter having performed sacrificial rites of the Saraswata king, and\nmaking use of the sacrificial stake for their pestle, the highest order\nof saints performed the holy plunge prescribed at the end of a sacred\nceremony. O monarch! King Bharata here performed sacrificial rites. To\ncelebrate the horse-sacrifice, he here set free the horse who was the\nintended victim. That monarch had won the sovereignty of the earth by\nrighteousness. The horse? he let go more than once were of a colour\ncheckered with black. O tiger among men! it was here that Marutta\nsheltered by Samvartta, leader of saints, succeeded in performing\nexcellent sacrifices. O sovereign of kings! Having taken his bath at this\nspot, one can behold all the worlds, and is purified from his evil deeds.\nDo thou, therefore, bathe at this spot.'\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Then that most praiseworthy of Pandu's sons, there\nbathed with his brothers, while the mighty saints were uttering laudatory\nwords to him. And he addressed the following words to Lomasa, 'O thou\nwhose strength lieth in truthfulness! By virtue of this pious act, I\nbehold all the worlds. And from this place, I behold that most\npraiseworthy of Pandu's sons Arjuna, the rider of white steed.\"\n\n'Lomasa said, 'It is even so, O thou of powerful arms! The saints of the\nhighest order thus behold all the regions. Behold this holy Saraswati\nhere, thronged by persons who look upon her as their sole refuge. O most\npraise worthy of men! having bathed here, thou wilt be free from all thy\nsins. O Kunti's son! here the celestial saints performed sacrificial\nrites of Saraswata king: and so did the saints and the royal saints. This\nis the altar of the lord of beings, five yojanas in extent on all sides\nround. And this is the field of the magnanimous Kurus, whose habit it was\nto perform sacrifices.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXXX\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'O son of Bharata's race! If mortals breathe their last at\nthis spot, they go to heaven. O king! Thousands upon thousands of men\ncome to this place to die. A blessing was pronounced on this spot by\nDaksha, when he was engaged in sacrifice here, (in these words), 'Those\nmen that shall die at this spot shall win a place in heaven.' Here is the\nbeautiful and sacred river, Saraswati, full of water: and here, O lord of\nmen, is the spot known as Vinasana, or the place where the Saraswati\ndisappeared. Here is the gate of the kingdom of the Nishadas and it is\nfrom hatred for them that the Saraswati entered into the earth in order\nthat the Nishadas might not see her. Here too is the sacred region of\nChamashodbheda where the Saraswati once more became visible to them. And\nhere she is joined by other sacred rivers running seawards. O conqueror\nof foes, here is that sacred spot known by the name of Sindhu--where\nLopamudra accepted the great sage Agastya as her lord and, O thou whose\neffulgence is like unto that of the sun, here is the sacred tirtha called\nPrabhasa, the favoured spot of Indra and which removeth all sins. Yonder\nis visible the region of Vishnupada. And here is the delightful and\nsacred river, Vipasa. From grief for the death of his sons the great sage\nVasistha had thrown himself into this stream, after binding his limbs.\nAnd when he rose from the water, lo! he was unfettered. Look, O king with\nthy brothers at the sacred region of Kasmeera, frequented by holy sages.\nHere, O scion of Bharata's race, is the spot, where a conference took\nplace between Agni and the sage Kasyapa, and also between Nahusha's son\nand the sages of the north. And, O great prince, Yonder is the gate of\nthe Manasasarovara. In the midst of this mountain, a gap hath been opened\nby Rama. And here. O prince of prowess incapable of being baffled, is the\nwell-known region of Vatikhanda, which, although adjacent to the gate of\nVideha, lieth on the north of it. And O bull among men, there is another\nvery remarkable thing connected with this place,--namely, that on the\nwaning of every yuga, the god Siva, having the power to assume any shape\nat will, may be seen with Uma and his followers. In Yonder lake also\npeople desirous of securing welfare to the family, propitiate with\nsacrifices the holder of the great bow Pinaka, in the month of Chaitra.\nAnd persons of devotion having passions under control, performing their\nablutions in this lake, become free from sins and, without doubt, attain\nto the holy regions. Here is the sacred tirtha called Ujjanaka, where the\nholy sage Vasistha with his wife Arundhati and also the sage Yavakri\nobtained tranquillity. Yonder is the lake Kausava, where grown the\nlotuses called Kausesaya, and here also is the sacred hermitage of\nRukmini, where she attained peace, after conquering that evil passion,\nanger. I think, O prince, that thou hast heard something about that man\nof meditations, Bhrigutunga. There, O king, before thee is that lofty\npeak. And, O foremost of kings, yonder is Vitasta, the sacred stream that\nabsolveth men from all sins. The water of this stream is extremely cool\nand limpid, and it is largely used by the great sages. O prince, behold\nthe holy rivers Jala and Upajala, on either side of the Yamuna. By\nperforming a sacrifice here, king Usinara surpassed in greatness Indra\nhimself. And, O descendant of Bharata, desirous of testing Usinara's\nmerit and also of bestowing boons on him, Indra and Agni presented\nthemselves at his sacrificial ground. And Indra assuming the shape of a\nhawk, and Agni that of a pigeon, came up to that king. And the pigeon in\nfear of the hawk, fell upon the king's thigh, seeking his protection.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXXXI\n\n\"The hawk said, 'All the kings of the earth represent thee as a pious\nruler. Wherefore, O prince, has thou then stopped to perpetrate a deed\nnot sanctioned by the ordinance? I have been sore afflicted with hunger.\nDo thou not withhold from me that which hath been appointed by the Deity\nfor my food,--under the impression that thereby thou servest the\ninterests of virtue, whereas in reality, thou wilt forsake it, (by\ncommitting thyself to this act). Thereupon, the king said, 'O best of the\nfeathered race, afflicted with fear of thee, and desirous of escaping\nfrom thy hands, this bird, all in a hurry, hath come up to me asking for\nlife. When this pigeon hath in such a manner sought my protection, why\ndost thou not see that the highest merit is even in my not surrendering\nit unto thee? And it is trembling with fear, and is agitated, and is\nseeking its life from me. It is therefore certainly blameworthy to\nforsake it. He that slayeth a Brahmana, he that slaughtered a cow--the\ncommon mother of all the worlds--and he that forsaketh one seeking for\nprotection are equally sinful.' Thereat the hawk replied, 'O lord of\nearth, it is from food that all beings derive their life, and it is food\nalso that nourisheth and sustaineth them. A man can live long even after\nforsaking what is dearest to him, but he cannot do so, after abstaining\nfrom food. Being deprived of food, my life, O ruler of men, will surely\nleave this body, and will attain to regions unknown to such troubles. But\nat my death, O pious king, my wife and children will surely perish, and\nby protecting this single pigeon. O prince, thou dost not protect many\nlives. The virtue that standeth in the way of another virtue, is\ncertainly no virtue at all, but in reality is unrighteousness. But O\nking, whose prowess consisteth in truth, that virtue is worthy of the\nname, which is not conflicting. After instituting a comparison between\nopposing virtues, and weighing their comparative merits, one, O great\nprince, ought to espouse that which is not opposing. Do thou, therefore,\nO king, striking a balance between virtues, adopt that which\npreponderates.' At this the king said, 'O best of birds, as thou speakest\nwords fraught with much good, I suspect thee to be Suparna, the monarch\nof birds. I have not the least hesitation to declare that thou art fully\nconversant with the ways of virtue. As thou speakest wonders about\nvirtue, I think that there is nothing connected with it, that is unknown\nto thee. How canst thou then consider the forsaking of one, seeking for\nhelp, as virtuous? Thy efforts in this matter, O ranger of the skies,\nhave been in quest of food. Thou canst, however, appease thy hunger with\nsome other sort of food, even more copious. I am perfectly willing to\nprocure for thee any sort of food that to thee may seem most tasteful,\neven if it be an ox, or a boar, or a deer, or a buffalo.' Thereupon the\nhawk said, 'O great king, I am not desirous of eating (the flesh of) a\nboar or an ox or the various species of beasts. What have I to do with\nany other sort of food? Therefore, O bull among the Kshatriyas, leave to\nme this pigeon, whom Heaven hath today ordained for my food, O ruler of\nearth, that hawks eat pigeons is the eternal provision. O prince, do not\nfor support embrace a plantain tree, not knowing its want of strength.'\nThe king said, 'Ranger of the skies, I am willing to bestow on thee this\nrich province of my race, or any other thing that to thee may seem\ndesirable. With the sole exception of this pigeon, which hath approached\nme craving my protection, I shall be glad to give unto thee anything that\nthou mayst like. Let me know what I shall have to do for the deliverance\nof this bird. But this I shall not return to thee on any condition\nwhatever.'\"\n\n\"The hawk said, 'O great ruler of men, if thou hast conceived an\naffection for this pigeon, then cut off a portion of thine own flesh, and\nweigh it in a balance, against this pigeon. And when thou hast found it\nequal (in weight) to the pigeon, then do thou give it unto me, and that\nwill be to my satisfaction.' Then the king replied, This request of\nthine, O hawk, I consider as a favour unto me, and, therefore, I will\ngive unto thee even my own flesh, after weighing it in a balance.'\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'Saying this, O mighty son of Kunti, the highly virtuous\nking cut off a portion of his own flesh, and placed it in a balance,\nagainst the pigeon. But when he found that pigeon exceeded his flesh in\nweight, he once more cut off another portion of his flesh, and added it\nto the former. When portion after portion had been repeatedly added to\nweigh against the pigeon, and no more flesh was left on his body, he\nmounted the scale himself, utterly devoid of flesh.\n\n\"The hawk then said, 'I am Indra, O virtuous king, and this pigeon is\nAgni, the carrier of the sacrificial clarified butter. We had come unto\nthy sacrificial ground, desirous of testing thy merit. Since thou hast\ncut off thy own flesh from thy body, thy glory shall be resplendent, and\nshall surpass that of all others in the world. As long as men, O king,\nshall speak of thee, so long shall thy glory endure, and thou shalt\ninhabit the holy regions.' Saying this to the king, Indra ascended to\nheaven. And the virtuous king Usinara, after having filled heaven and\nearth with the merit of his pious deeds, ascended to heaven in a radiant\nshape. Behold, O king, the residence of that noble-hearted monarch. Here,\nO king, are seen holy sages and gods, together with virtuous and\nhighsouled Brahmanas.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXXXII\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'See here, O lord of men, the sacred hermitage of\nSwetaketu, son of Uddalaka, whose fame as an expert in the sacred mantras\nis so widely spread on earth. This hermitage is graced with cocoanut\ntrees. Here Swetaketu beheld the goddess Saraswati in her human shape,\nand spake unto her, saying, 'May I be endowed with the gift of speech!\"\nIn that yuga, Swetaketu, the son of Uddalaka, and Ashtavakra, the son of\nKahoda, who stood to each other in the relation of uncle and nephew, were\nthe best of those conversant with the sacred lore. Those two Brahmanas,\nof matchless energy, who bore unto each other the relationship of uncle\nand nephew, went into the sacrificial ground of king Janaka and there\ndefeated Vandin in a controversy. Worship, O son of Kunti, with thy\nbrothers, the sacred hermitage of him who had for his grandson\nAshtavakra, who, even when a mere child, had caused Vandin to be drowned\nin a river, after having defeated him in a (literary) contest.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, Tell me, O Lomasa, all about the power of this man,\nwho had in that way defeated Vandin. Why was he born as Ashtavakra\n(crooked in eight parts in his body)?\"\n\n\"Lomasa said, The sage Uddalaka had a disciple named Kahoda of subdued\npassions, and entirely devoted to the service of his preceptor and who\nhad continued his studies long. The Brahmana had served his tutor long,\nand his preceptor, recognising his service, gave him his own daughter,\nSujata, in marriage, as well as a mastery over the Shastras. And she\nbecame with child, radiant as fire. And the embryo addressed his father\nwhile employed in reading, 'O father, thou hast been reading the whole\nnight, but (of all that) thy reading doth not seem to me correct. Even in\nmy fetal state I have, by thy favour, become versed in the Shastras and\nthe Vedas with their several branches. I say, O father, that what\nproceeds from thy mouth, is not correct.' Thus insulted in the presence\nof his disciples, the great sage in anger cursed his child in the womb,\nsaying, 'Because thou speakest thus even while in the womb, therefore\nthou shalt be crooked in eight parts of the body.' The child was\naccordingly born crooked, and the great sage was ever after known by the\nname of Ashtavakra. Now, he had an uncle named Swetaketu who was the same\nage with himself. Afflicted by the growth of the child in the womb,\nSujata, desirous of riches, conciliating her husband who had no wealth\ntold him in private: 'How shall I manage, O great sage, the tenth month\nof my pregnancy having come? Thou hast no substance whereby I may\nextricate myself from the exigencies, after I have been delivered.\" Thus\naddressed by his wife, Kahoda went unto king Janaka for riches. He was\nthere defeated in a controversy by Vandin, well versed in the science of\narguments, and (in consequence) was immersed into water. And hearing that\nhis son-in-law had been defeated in a controversy by Vandin and caused to\nbe drowned by him, Uddalaka spake unto his daughter Sujata, saying, 'Thou\nshall keep it a secret from Ashtavakra.' She accordingly kept her\ncounsel--so that Ashtavakra, when born, had heard nothing about the\nmatter. And he regarded Uddalaka as his father and Swetaketu as his\nbrother. And when Ashtavakra was in his twelfth year, Swetaketu one day\nsaw the former seated on his father's lap. And thereat he pulled him by\nthe hand, and on Ashtavakra's beginning to cry, he told him, 'It is not\nthe lap of thy father.' This cruel communication went direct into\nAshtavakra's heart and it pained him sorely. And he went home and asked\nhis mother saying, 'Where is my father?' Thereupon Sujata who was greatly\nafflicted (by his question), and apprehending a curse told him all that\nhad happened. And having heard all, the Brahmana at night said unto his\nuncle Swetaketu, 'Let us go unto the sacrifice of king Janaka, wherein\nmany wonderful things are to be seen. There we shall listen to the\ncontroversy between the Brahmanas and shall partake of excellent food.\nOur knowledge also will increase. The recitation of the sacred Vedas is\nsweet to hear and is fraught with blessings.' Then they both--uncle and\nnephew--went unto the splendid sacrifice of king Janaka. And on being\ndriven from the entrance, Ashtavakra met the king and addressed him in\nthe following words.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXXXIII\n\n\"Ashtavakra said, 'When no Brahmana is met with on the way, the way\nbelongeth to the blind, the deaf, the women, carriers of burden, and the\nking respectively. But when a Brahmana is met with on the way, it\nbelongeth to him alone.' Thereupon the king said, 'I give the privilege\nto enter. Do thou, therefore, go in by whatever way thou likest. No fire\never so small is to be slighted. Even Indra himself boweth unto the\nBrahmanas.' At this Ashtavakra said, 'We have come, O ruler of men, to\nwitness thy sacrificial ceremony and our curiosity, O king, is very\ngreat. And we have come here as guests. We want the permission of thy\norder (to enter). And, O son of Indradyumna, we have come, desirous of\nseeing the sacrifice, and to meet king Janaka and speak to him. But thy\nwarder obstructs us and for this our anger burneth us like fever.' The\nwarder said, 'We carry out the orders of Vandin. Listen to what I have to\nsay. Lads are not permitted to enter here and it is only the learned old\nBrahmanas that are allowed to enter.' Ashtavakra said. 'If this be the\ncondition, O warder, that the door is open to those only that are old,\nthen we have a right to enter. We are old and we have observed sacred\nvows and are in possession of energy proceeding from the Vedic lore. And\nwe have served our superiors and subdued our passions--and have also won\nproficiency in knowledge. It is said that even boys are not to be\nslighted,--for a fire, small though it be, burneth on being touched.' The\nwarder replied, 'O young Brahmana, I consider you a boy, and therefore\nrecite, if you know, the verse demonstrating the existence of the Supreme\nBeing, and adored by the divine sages, and which, although composed of\none letter, is yet multifarious. Make no vain boast. Learned men are\nreally very rare.' Ashtavakra said, 'True growth cannot be inferred from\nthe mere development of the body, as the growth of the knots of the\nSalmali tree cannot signify its age. That tree is called full-grown which\nalthough slender and short, beareth fruits. But that which doth not bear\nfruits, is not considered as grown.' The warder said, 'Boys receive\ninstruction from the old and they also in time grow old. Knowledge\ncertainly is not attainable in a short time. \"Wherefore then being a\nchild, dost thou talk like an old man?' Then Ashtavakra said, 'One is not\nold because his head is gray. But the gods regard him as old who,\nalthough a child in years, is yet possessed of knowledge. The sages have\nnot laid down that a man's merit consists in years, or gray hair, or\nwealth, or friends. To us he is great who is versed in the Vedas. I have\ncome here, O porter, desirous of seeing Vandin in the court. Go and\ninform king Janaka, who hath a garland of lotuses on his neck, that I am\nhere. Thou shalt to-day see me enter into a dispute with the learned men,\nand defeat Vandin in a controversy. And when others have been silenced,\nthe Brahmanas of matured learning and the king also with his principal\npriests, bear witness to the superior or the inferior quality of my\nattainments.' The warder said, 'How canst thou, who art but in thy tenth\nyear, hope to enter into this sacrifice, into which learned and educated\nmen only are admitted? I shall, however, try some means for thy\nadmittance. Do thou also try thyself'. Ashtavakra then addressing the\nking said, 'O king, O foremost of Janaka's race, thou art the paramount\nsovereign and all power reposeth in thee. In times of old, king Yayati\nwas the celebrator of sacrifices. And in the present age, thou it is that\nart performer thereof. We have heard that the learned Vandin, after\ndefeating (in controversy) men expert in discussion, causeth them to be\ndrowned by faithful servants employed by thee. Hearing this, I have come\nbefore these Brahmanas, to expound the doctrine of the unity of the\nSupreme Being. Where is now Vandin? Tell me so that I may approach him,\nand destroy him, even as the sun destroyeth the stars. Thereupon the king\nsaid, 'Thou hopest, O Brahmana, to defeat Vandin, not knowing his power\nof speech. Can those who are familiar with his power, speak as thou dost?\nHe hath been sounded by Brahmanas versed in the Vedas. Thou hopest to\ndefeat Vandin, only because thou knowest not his powers (of speech). Many\na Brahmana hath waned before him, even as the stars before the sun.\nDesirous of defeating him, people proud of their learning, have lost\ntheir glory on appearing before him, and have retired from his presence,\nwithout even venturing to speak with the members of the assembly.'\nAshtavakra said, 'Vandin hath never entered into disputation with a man\nlike myself, and it is for this only that he looketh upon himself as a\nlion, and goeth about roaring like one. But to-day meeting me he will lie\ndown dead, even like a cart on the highway, of which the wheels have been\nderanged.' The king said, 'He alone is a truly learned man who\nunderstandeth the significance of the thing that hath thirty divisions,\ntwelve parts twentyfour joints, and three hundred and sixty spokes.'\nAshtavakra said, 'May that ever-moving wheel that hath twentyfour joints,\nsix naves, twelve peripheries, and sixty spokes protect thee![19]' The\nking said, 'Who amongst the gods beareth those two which go together like\ntwo mares (yoked to a car), and sweep like a hawk, and to what also do\nthey give birth?' Ashtavakra said, 'May God, O king, forfend the presence\nof these two[20] in thy house; aye, even in the house of thine enemies.\nHe who appeareth, having for his charioteer the wind,[21] begetteth them,\nand they also produce him.' Thereupon the king said, 'What is that doth\nnot close its eyes even while sleeping; what is it that doth not move,\neven when born; what is it that hath no heart; and what doth increase\neven in its own speed?' Ashtavakra said, 'It is a fish[22] that doth not\nclose its eye-lids, while sleeping; and it is an a egg[23] that doth not\nmove when produced; it is stone[24] that hath no heart; and it is a\nriver[25] that increase in its own speed.'\n\n\"The king said, 'It seemeth, O possessor of divine energy, that thou art\nno human being. I consider thee not a boy, but a matured man; there is no\nother man who can compare with thee in the art of speech. I therefore\ngive thee admittance. There is Vandin.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXXXIV\n\n\"Ashtavakra said, 'O king, O leader of fierce legions, in this assembly\nof monarchs of unrivalled power who have met together, I am unable to\nfind out Vandin, chief of the controversialists. But I am searching for\nhim, even as one doth for a swan on a vast expanse of water. O Vandin,\nthou regardest thyself as the foremost of controversialists. When though\nwilt engage with me in staking, thou wilt not be able to flow like the\ncurrent of a river. I am like a full-flaming fire. Be silent before me, O\nVandin! Do not awaken a sleeping tiger. Know that thou shalt not escape\nunstung, after trampling on the head of a venomous snake, licking the\ncorners of its mouth with its tongue, and who hath been hurt by thy foot.\nThat weak man who, in pride of strength, attempts to strike a blow at a\nmountain, only gets his hands and nails hurt, but no wound is left on the\nmountain itself. As the other mountains are inferior to the Mainaka, and\nas calves are inferior to the ox, so are all other kings of the earth\ninferior to the lord of Mithila. And as Indra is the foremost of\ncelestials, and as the Ganga is the best of rivers, so thou alone art, O\nking, the greatest of monarchs. O king, cause Vandin to be brought to my\npresence.'\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'Saying this, O Yudhishthira, wroth with Vandin, Ashtavakra\nthus thundered in the assembly, and addressed him in these words, 'Do\nthou answer my questions, and I shall answer thine.' Thereat Vandin said,\n'One only fire blazeth forth in various shapes; one only sun illumineth\nthis whole world; one only hero, Indra, the lord of celestials,\ndestroyeth enemies; and one only Yama is the sole lord of the Pitris.[26]\nAshtavakra said, 'The two friends, Indra and Agni, ever move together;\nthe two celestial sages are Narada and Parvata; twins are the\nAswinikumaras; two is the number of the wheels of a car; and it is as a\ncouple that husband and wife live together, as ordained by the\ndeity.'[27] Vandin said, 'Three kinds of born beings are produced by\nacts; the three Vedas together perform the sacrifice, Vajapeya; at three\ndifferent times, the Adhwaryus commence sacrificial rites; three is the\nnumber of words: and three also are the divine lights.'[28] Ashtavakra\nsaid, 'Four are the Asramas of the Brahmanas; the four orders perform\nsacrifices; four are the cardinal points; four is the number of letters;\nand four also, as is ever known, are the legs of a cow.'[29] Vandin said,\n'Five is the number of fires; five are the feet of the metre called\nPunki; five are the sacrifices; five locks, it is said in the Vedas, are\non the heads of the Apsaras; and five sacred rivers are known in the\nworld.'[30] Ashtavakra said. 'Six cows, it is asserted by some, and paid\nas a gratuity on the occasion of establishing the sacred fire; six are\nthe seasons belonging to the wheel of time; six is the number of the\nsenses; six stars constitute the constellation Kirtika; and six, it is\nfound in all the Vedas, is the number of the Sadyaska sacrifice.'[31]\nVandin said, 'Seven is the number of the domesticated animals; seven are\nthe wild animals; seven metres are used in completing a sacrifice; seven\nare the Rishis, seven forms of paying homage are extant (in the world);\nand seven, it is known, are the strings of the Vina.'[32] Ashtavakra\nsaid, 'Eight are the bags containing a hundred fold; eight is the number\nof the legs of the Sarabha, which preyeth upon lions; eight Vasus, as we\nhear, are amongst the celestials; and eight are the angles of yupa\n(stake), in all sacrificial rites.'[33] Vandin said, 'Nine is the number\nof the mantras used in kindling the fire in sacrifices to the Pitris;\nnine are the appointed functions in the processes of creation; nine\nletters compose the foot of the metre, Vrihati; and nine also is ever the\nnumber of the figures (in calculation).'[34] Ashtavakra said, 'Ten is\nsaid to be the number of cardinal points, entering into the cognition of\nmen in this world; ten times hundred make up a thousand; ten is the\nnumber of months, during which women bear; and ten are the teachers of\ntrue knowledge, and ten, the haters thereof, and ten again are those\ncapable of learning it.'[35] Vandin said, 'Eleven are the objects\nenjoyable by beings; eleven is the number of the yupas; eleven are the\nchanges of the natural state pertaining to those having life; and eleven\nare the Rudras among the gods in heaven.'[36] Ashtavakra said, Twelve\nmonths compose the year; twelve letters go to the composition of a foot\nof the metre called Jagati; twelve are the minor sacrifices; and twelve,\naccording to the learned, is the number of the Adityas.'[37] Vandin said,\n'The thirteenth lunar day is considered the most auspicious; thirteen\nislands exist on earth.[38]\n\nLomasa said, 'Having proceeded thus far, Vandin stopped. Thereupon\nAshtavakra supplied the latter half of the sloka. Ashtavakra said,\n'Thirteen sacrifices are presided over by Kesi; and thirteen are devoured\nby Atichhandas, (the longer metres) of the Veda.[39] And seeing\nAshtavakra speaking and the Suta's son silent, and pensive, and with head\ndowncast, the assembly broke into a long uproar. And when the tumult thus\narose in the splendid sacrifice performed by king Janaka, the Brahmanas\nwell pleased, and with joined hands, approached Ashtavakra, and began to\npay him homage.'\n\n\"Thereupon Ashtavakra said, 'Before this, this man, defeating the\nBrahmanas in controversy, used to cast them into water. Let Vandin today\nmeet with the same fate. Seize him and drown him in water.' Vandin said.\n'O Janaka, I am the son of king Varuna. Simultaneously with thy\nsacrifice, there also hath commenced a sacrifice extending over twelve\nyears. It is for this that I have despatched the principal Brahmanas\nthither. They have gone to witness Varuna's sacrifice. Lo! there they are\nreturning. I pay homage to the worshipful Ashtavakra, by whose grace\nto-day I shall join him who hath begot me.'\n\n\"Ashtavakra said, 'Defeating the Brahmanas either by words or subtlety.\nVandin had cast them into the waters of the sea. (That Vedic truth which\nhe had suppressed by false arguments), have I to-day rescued by dint of\nmy intellect. Now let candid men judge. As Agni, who knoweth the\ncharacter of both the good and the bad, leaveth unscorched by his heat\nthe bodies of those whose designs are honest, and is thus partial to\nthem, so good men judge the assertions of boys, although lacking the\npower of speech, and are favourably disposed towards them. O Janaka, thou\nhearest my words as if thou hast been stupefied in consequence of having\neaten the fruit of the Sleshmataki tree. Or flattery hath robbed thee of\nthy sense, and for this it is that although pierced by my words as an\nelephant (by the hook), thou hearest them not.'\n\n\"Janaka said, 'Listening to thy words, I take them to be excellent and\nsuperhuman. Thy form also standeth manifest as superhuman. As thou hast\nto-day defeated Vandin in discussion, I place even him at thy disposal.'\nAshtavakra said, 'O king, Vandin remaining alive, will not serve any\npurpose of mine. If his father be really Varuna, let him be drowned in\nthe sea.'\n\nVandin said, 'I am King Varuna's son. I have no fear (therefore) in being\ndrowned. Even at this moment. Ashtavakra shall see his long-lost sire,\nKahoda.'\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'Then rose before Janaka all the Brahmanas, after having\nbeen duly worshipped by the magnanimous Varuna. Kahoda said, 'It is for\nthis, O Janaka, that men pray for sons, by performing meritorious acts.\nThat in which I had failed hath been achieved by my son. Weak persons may\nhave sons endued with strength; dunces may have intelligent sons; and the\nilliterate may have sons possessed of learning.' Vandin said, 'It is with\nthy sharpened axe, O monarch, that even Yama severeth the heads of foes.\nMay prosperity attend thee! In this sacrifice of king Janaka, the\nprincipal hymns relating to the Uktha rites are being chanted, and the\nSoma juice also is being adequately quaffed. And the gods themselves, in\nperson, and with cheerful hearts, are accepting their sacred shares.'\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'When in enhanced splendour, the Brahmanas had risen up,\nVandin, taking king Janaka's permission, entered into the waters of the\nsea. And then Ashtavakra worshipped his father, and he himself also was\nworshipped by the Brahmanas. And having thus defeated the Suta's son.[40]\nAshtavakra returned to his own excellent hermitage, in company with his\nuncle. Then in the presence of his mother, his father addressed him,\nsaying, '(O son), thou speedily enter into this river, Samanga.' And\naccordingly, he entered (into the water). (And as he plunged beneath the\nwater), all his (crooked) limbs were immediately made straight. And from\nthat day that river came to be called Samanga and she became invested\nwith the virtues of purifying (sins). He that shall bathe in her, will be\nfreed from his sins. Therefore, O Yudhishthira, do thou with thy brothers\nand wife descend to the river, and perform thy ablutions. O Kunti's son,\nO scion of the Ajamidha race, living happily and cheerfully at this place\ntogether with thy brothers and the Brahmanas, thou wilt perform with me\nother acts of merit, being intent upon good deeds.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXXXV\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'Here, O king, is visible the river Samanga, whose former\nname was Madhuvila, and yonder is the spot named Kardamila, the bathing\nplace of Bharata. The lord of Sachi, when fallen into misery in\nconsequence of having slain Vritra, became freed from his sin, by\nperforming his ablutions in this Samanga. Here, O bull among men, is the\nspot where the Mainaka mountain hath sunk into the interior of the earth;\nand it is hence called Vinasana. For obtaining sons, here Aditi in days\nof yore had cooked that celebrated food, (presided over by the Supreme\nBeing). O ye bulls among men, ascended this lofty mountain and put an end\nto your inglorious misery unworthy to be uttered. Here, O king, before\nthee is the Kanakhala range, the favourite resort of sages. 'And yonder\nis the mighty river Ganga. Here, in ancient times, the holy sage\nSanatkumara attained ascetic success. O scion of the Ajamidha race, by\nperforming thy ablutions here in this river, thou wilt be freed from all\nthy sins. O son of Kunti, do thou together with thy ministers, touch (the\nwaters) of this lake called Punya, and this mountain Bhrigutunga and also\n(the water of) these two rivers, called Tushniganga. Here, O Kunti's son,\nappeareth the hermitage of the sage Sthulasiras. Resign here thy anger\nand sense of self-importance. There, O son of Pandu, is seen the\nbeautiful hermitage of Raivya, where perished Bharadwaja's son, Yavakari,\nprofound in Vedic lore.'\"\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'How did the mighty sage, Yavakri, son of the ascetic\nBharadwaja, acquire profundity in the Vedas? And how also did he perish?\nI am anxious to hear all this, just as it happened. I take delight in\nlistening to the narration of the deeds of god-like men.'\"\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'Bharadwaja and Raivya were two friends. And they dwelt\nhere, ever taking the greatest pleasure in each other's company. Now,\nRaivya had two sons, named Arvavasu and Paravasu. And, Bharadwaja, O\nBharata's son, had an only son, named Yavakri. Raivya and his two sons\nwere versed in the Vedas, while Bharadwaja practised asceticism. But, O\nson of Bharata, from their boyhood, the friendship subsisting between\nthose two was unequalled. O sinless one, the highspirited Yavakri finding\nthat his father, who practised asceticism, was slighted by the Brahmanas,\nwhile Raivya with his sons was greatly respected by them, was overwhelmed\nwith sorrow, and became sore aggrieved. Thereupon, O son of Pandu, he\nentered upon severe austerities, for (obtaining) a knowledge of the\nVedas. And he exposed his body to a flaming fire. By thus practising the\nmost rigid austerities, he caused anxiety in the mind of Indra. Then\nIndra, O Yudhishthira, went to him and addressed him saying, 'Wherefore,\nO sage, hast thou become engaged in practising such rigid austerities?'\nYavakri said, 'O thou adored of celestial hosts, I am practising severe\npenances, because I wish that such a knowledge of the Vedas as hath never\nbeen acquired by any Brahmana whatever, may be manifest unto me. O\nconqueror of Paka, these endeavours of mine have been for Vedic lore. O\nKausika, by the force of my asceticism. I purpose to obtain all sorts of\nknowledge. O lord, a knowledge of the Vedas as learnt through teachers,\nis acquired in a long time. Therefore, (with the view of attaining in\nshort time a proficiency in the Vedas), I have put forth these high\nendeavours.' Indra said, 'O Brahmana sage, the way that thou hast adopted\nis not the proper way. What for, O Brahamana, wilt thou destroy thyself?\nGo and learn from the lips of a preceptor.'\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'O son of Bharata, having said this, Sakra went away, and\nYavakri of immeasurable energy, once more directed his attention to\nasceticism. O king, we have heard that carrying on severe austerities he\nagain greatly agitated Indra. And the god Indra, slayer of Vala, again\ncame unto that great sage, who was engaged in austere penances; and\nforbade him, saying, Thou art striving with the object that Vedic lore\nmay be manifest unto thee as well as unto thy father; but thy exertions\ncan never be successful, nor is this act of thine well-advised.' Yavakri\nsaid, 'O lord of the celestials, if thou wilt not do for me what I want,\nI shall, observing stricter vows, practise still severer penances. O lord\nof celestials! know that if thou do not fulfil all my desires, I shall\nthen cut off my limbs and offer them as a sacrifice into a blazing fire.'\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'Knowing the determination of that high-souled sage, the\nsagacious Indra reflected and hit upon some expedient to dissuade him.\nThen Indra assumed the guise of an ascetic Brahmana, hundreds of years\nold, and infirm, and suffering from consumption. And he fell to throwing\nup a dam with sands, at that spot of the Bhagirathi to which Yavakri used\nto descend for performing ablutions. Because Yavakri, chief of the\nBrahmanas, paid no heed to Indra's words, the latter began to fill the\nGanga with sands. And without cessation, he threw handfuls of sand into\nthe Bhagirathi, and began to construct the dam attracting the notice of\nthe sage. And when that bull among the sages, Yavakri, saw Indra thus\nearnestly engaged in constructing the dam, he broke into laughter, and\nsaid the following words, 'What art thou engaged in, O Brahmana, and what\nis thy object? Why dost thou, for nothing, make this mighty endeavour?'\nIndra said, 'I am trying, O my son, to dam the Ganga so that there may be\na commodious passage. People experience considerable difficulty in\ncrossing and recrossing (the river) by boat.' Yavakri said, 'O thou of\nascetic wealth, thou canst not dam up this mighty current. O Brahmana,\ndesist from, what is impracticable, and take up something that is\npracticable.' Indra said, 'O sage, I have imposed on myself this heavy\ntask, even as, for obtaining a knowledge of the Vedas, thou hast begun\nthese penances, which can never be fruitful.' Yavakri said, 'If, O chief\nof the celestials, those efforts of mine be fruitless, even as those of\nthy own, then, O lord of heavenly hosts, be thou pleased to do for me\nwhat is practicable. Vouchsafe unto me boons whereby I may excel other\nmen.'\n\n\"Lomasa said 'Then Indra granted boons, as was prayed for by the mighty\nascetic, Indra said, 'As thou desirest, the Vedas will be manifest unto\nthee, yea--even unto thy father. And all thy other desires will also be\nfulfilled. Return home, O Yavakri.'\n\n\"Having thus obtained the object of his desire, Yavakri came unto his\nfather and said, The Vedas, O father, will be manifest unto thee as well\nas unto myself and I have obtained boons whereby we shall excel all men.'\nThereat Bharadwaja said, 'O my son, as thou hast obtained the objects of\nthy desire, thou wilt be proud. And when thou art puffed up with pride\nand hast also become uncharitable, destruction will soon overtake thee. O\nmy son, there is a current anecdote narrated by the gods. In ancient\ntimes, O son, there lived a sage named Valadhi, possessed of great\nenergy. And in grief for the death of a child, he practised the severest\npenances to have a child that should be immortal. And he obtained a son\neven as he desired. But the gods, though very favourably disposed\n(towards him), did not yet make his son immortal like unto the gods. They\nsaid, 'On condition can a mortal being be made immortal. Thy son's life,\nhowever, shall depend on some instrumental cause.' Thereupon, Valadhi\nsaid, 'O chiefs of the celestials, these mountains have been existing\neternally, and indestructible, let them be the instrumental cause of my\nson's life. Afterwards a son was born to the sage, named Medhavi. And he\nwas of a very irritable temper. And hearing of (the incident of his\nbirth), he grew haughty, and began to insult the sages. And he ranged\nover the earth, doing mischief to the munis. And one day, meeting with\nthe learned sage Dhannushaksha endued with energy. Medhavi maltreated\nhim. Thereupon, the former cursed him, saying, 'Be thou reduced to\nashes.' Medhavi, however, was not reduced to ashes. Then Dhannushaksha\ncaused the mountain which was the instrumental cause of Medhavi's life,\nto be shattered by buffaloes. And the boy perished, with the destruction\nof the instrumental cause of his life. And embracing his dead son,\nMedhavi's father began to bewail his fate. Now hear from me, O my son,\nwhat was chanted by the sages conversant with the Vedas, when they found\nthe sage mourning. A mortal on no condition whatever can overcome what\nhath been ordained by Fate, Lo! Dhannushaksha succeeded in shattering\neven the mountain by buffaloes. Thus young ascetics, puffed up with pride\nfor having obtained boons, perish in a short time. Be thou not one of\nthem. This Raivya, O my son, is possessed of great energy, and his two\nsons are like him. Therefore, be thou vigilant--so as never to approach\nhim. O my son, Raivya is a great ascetic of an irritable temper. When\nangry, he can do thee harm. Yavakri said, 'I shall do as thou biddest me.\nOf father, do thou not by any means entertain anxiety for that. Raivya\ndeserveth my regard even as thou, my father.' Having replied unto his\nfather in these sweet words, Yavakri, fearing nothing and nobody, began\nto delight in wantonly offending other munis.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXXXVI\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'One day in the month of Chaitra, while fearlessly\nwandering at large, Yavakri approached the hermitage of Raivya. And O son\nof Bharata, in that beautiful hermitage, adorned with trees bearing\nblossoms, he happened to behold the daughter-in-law of Raivya, sauntering\nabout like a Kinnara woman. And having lost his senses through passion,\nYavakri shamelessly spake unto the bashful maiden, saying, 'Be thou\nattached unto me.' Thereupon, knowing his nature, and afraid of a curse,\nas well as thinking of Raivya's power, she went unto him saying, 'I\nagree.' Then, O son of Bharata, taking him in private, she kept him\nchained. O conqueror of foes, returning to his hermitage, Raivya found\nhis daughter-in-law, Paravasu's wife, in tears. O Yudhishthira, thereat\nconsoling her with soft words, he enquired of her as to the cause of her\ngrief. Thereupon, the beautiful damsel told him all that Yavakri had said\nunto her, and what she also had cleverly said unto him. Hearing of this\ngross misbehaviour of Yavakri, the mind of the sage flamed up, and he\nwaxed exceedingly wroth. And being thus seized with passion, the great\nsage of a highly irascible temper, tore off a matted lock of his hair,\nand with holy mantras, offered it as a sacrifice on the sacred fire. At\nthis, there sprang out of it a female exactly resembling his\ndaughter-in-law. And then he plucked another matted lock of his hair, and\nagain offered it as a sacrifice into the fire. Thereupon sprang out of it\na demon, terrible to behold, and having fierce eyes. Then those, two\nspake unto Raivya, saying, 'What shall we do?' Thereat, the angry sage\nsaid unto them, 'Go and kill Yavakri.' Then saying, 'We shall do (as thou\nbiddest)'--they two went away with the intention of slaying Yavakri. And\nwith her charms, the female whom the large-hearted sage had created,\nrobbed Yavakri of his sacred water-pot. Then with his uplifted spear the\ndemon flew at Yavakri, when he had been deprived of his water-pot and\nrendered unclean. And seeing the demon approach with uplifted spear for\nthe purpose of slaying him, Yavakri rose up all on a sudden and fled\ntowards a tank. But finding it devoid of water, he hurried towards all\nthe rivers. But they too were all dried up. And being obstructed again\nand again by the fierce demon, holding the spear, Yavakri in fright\nattempted to enter into the Agnihotra room of his father. But there, O\nking, he was repulsed by a blind Sudra warder, and he remained at the\ndoor, grasped by the man. And, finding Yavakri thus grasped by the Sudra,\nthe demon hurled his spear at him, and thereupon he fell down dead,\npierced in the heart. After slaying Yavakri, the demon went back to\nRaivya, and with the permission of that sage, began to live with the\nfemale.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXXXVII\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'O son of Kunti, Bharadwaja returned to his hermitage after\nperforming the ritual duties of the day, and having collected the\nsacrificial fuel. And because his son had been slain, the sacrificial\nfires which used to welcome him everyday, did not on that day come\nforward to welcome him. And marking this change in the Agnihotra, the\ngreat sage asked the blind Sudra warder seated there, saying, 'Why is it.\nO Sudra, that the fires rejoice not at sight of me? Thou too dost not\nrejoice as is thy wont. Is it all well with my hermitage? I hope that my\nson of little sense had not gone to the sage Raivya. Answer speedily, O\nSudra, all these questions of mine. My mind misgiveth me.' The Sudra\nsaid, 'Thy son of little sense had gone to the sage Raivya, and therefore\nit is that lie lieth prostrate (on the ground), having been slain by a\npowerful demon. Being attacked by the Rakshasa, holding a spear, he\nattempted to force his way into this room, and I therefore barred his way\nwith my arms. Then desirous of having water in an unclean state, as he\nstood hopeless, he was slain by the vehement Rakshasa, carrying a spear\nin his hand.' On hearing from the Sudra of this great calamity,\nBharadwaja, sorely afflicted with grief, began to lament, embracing his\ndead son. And he said, 'O my son, it is for the good of the Brahmanas\nthat thou didst practise penances, with the intention that the Vedas\nunstudied by any Brahmana whatever might be manifest unto thee. Thy\nbehaviour towards the Brahmanas had always been for their good, and thou\nhadst also been innocent in regard to all creatures. But, alas! (at last)\nthou didst lapse into rudeness. I had prohibited thee, O my son, from\nvisiting the residence of Raivya; but alas! to that very hermitage,\n(destructive to thee) as the god of death himself, Yama, didst thou\nrepair. Evil-minded is that man, who, (knowing that I am an old man), and\nalso that (Yavakri) was my only son, had given way to wrath. It is\nthrough the agency of Raivya that I have sustained the loss of my child.\nWithout thee, O my son, I shall give up my life, the most precious thing\nin the world. In grief for the death of my son, I renounce my life; but\nthis I say that Raivya's eldest son shall in a short time kill him\nalthough he be innocent. Blessed are those to whom children have never\nbeen born, for they lead a happy life, without having to experience the\ngrief (incident to the death of a child). Who in this world can be more\nwicked than those who from affliction, and deprived of their sense by\nsorrow consequent upon the death of a child, curse even their dearest\nfriend! I found my son dead, and, therefore, have cursed my dearest\nfriend. Ah! what second man can there be in this world, destined to\nsuffer so grievous a misfortune!' Having lamented long Bharadwaja\ncremated his son and then himself entered into a full-blazing fire.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXXXVIII\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'At that very time, the mighty king, Vrihadyumna, of high\nfortune, who was the Yajamana of Raivya, commenced a sacrifice. And the\ntwo sons of Raivya, Arvavasu and Paravasu, were engaged by that\nintelligent monarch, to assist him in the performance of the ceremony.\nAnd, O son of Kunti, taking the permission of their father, they two went\nto the sacrifice, while Raivya with Paravasu's wife remained in the\nhermitage. And it came to pass that one day, desirous of seeing his wife.\nParavasu returned home alone. And he met his father in the wood, wrapped\nin the skin of a black antelope. And the night was far advanced and dark;\nand Paravasu, blinded by drowsiness in that deep wood, mistook his father\nfor a straggling deer. And mistaking him for a deer, Paravasu, for the\nsake of personal safety, unintentionally killed his father. Then, O son\nof Bharata, after performing the funeral rites (of his father), he\nreturned to the sacrifice and there addressed his brother saying, 'Thou\nwilt never be able to perform this task unassisted. I again, have killed\nour father, mistaking him for a deer. O brother, for me do thou observe a\nvow, prescribed in the case of killing a Brahmana. O Muni, I shall be\nable to perform this work (sacrifice), without any assistant.' Arvavasu\nsaid, 'Do thou then thyself officiate at this sacrifice of the gifted\nVrihadyumna; and for thee will I, bringing my senses under perfect\ncontrol, observe the vow prescribed in the case of slaying a Brahmana.'\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'Having observed the vow relative to the killing of a\nBrahmana, the sage Arvavasu came back to the sacrifice. Seeing his\nbrother arrive, Paravasu, in accents choked with malice, addressed\nVrihadyumna, saying, 'O king, see that this slayer of a Brahmana enter\nnot into thy sacrifice, nor look at it. Even by a glance, the killer of a\nBrahmana can, without doubt, do thee harm.' O lord of men, immediately on\nhearing this, the king ordered his attendants (to turn out Arvavasu). O\nking, on being driven out by the king's attendants, and repeatedly\naddressed by them--'O slayer of  a Brahmana--Arvavasu more than once\ncried, 'It is not I that have killed a Brahmana. Not did he own that he\nhad observed the vow for his own sake. He said that his brother had\ncommitted the sin, and that he had freed him therefrom.' Having said this\nin anger, and being reprimanded by the attendants, the Brahmana sage of\naustere penances, retired in silence into the woods. There betaking\nhimself to the severest penances, the great Brahmana sought the\nprotection of the Sun. Thereupon, the revelation teaching the mantra\nrelative to the worship of the Sun, became manifest unto him and that\neternal deity who obtaineth his share (of the sacrificial butter) first,\nappeared before him in an embodied form.'\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'The celestials, O king, were well pleased with Arvavasu\nfor his acts. And they made him engaged as the chief priest in the\nsacrifice (of Vrihadyumna), and Paravasu to be dismissed from it. Then\nAgni and the other celestials (of their own accord) bestowed boons on\nArvavasu. And they also prayed that his father might be restored to life.\nHe further prayed that his brother might be absolved from his sin; that\nhis father might have no recollection of his having been slain; that\nBharadwaja and Yavakri might both be restored to life; and that the solar\nrevelation might attain celebrity (on earth). Then the god said, 'So be\nit,' and conferred on him other boons also. Thereat, O Yudhishthira, all\nof these persons regained their life. Yavakri now addressed Agni and the\nother deities, saying, 'I had obtained a knowledge of all the Vedas, and\nalso practised penances. How came it then, O chiefs of the immortals,\nthat Raivya succeeded in killing me in that way?' Thereupon the gods\nsaid, 'O Yavakri, never act again as those have done. What thou askest\nabout is quite possible, for thou hast learnt the Vedas without exertion,\nand without the help of a preceptor. But this man (Raivya) bearing\nvarious troubles, had satisfied his preceptor by his conduct, and\nobtained (from the latter) the excellent Vedas through great exertions\nand in a long time.'\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'Having said this to Yavakri, and restored all those to\nlife, the celestials with Indra at their head, ascended to heaven. Here,\nO Yudhishthira, is the sacred hermitage of that sage embellished with\ntrees bearing blossoms and fruits at all seasons. O tiger among kings,\ndwelling at this spot, thou wilt be delivered from all thy sins.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXXXIX\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'O descendant of Bharata, O king, now hast thou left behind\nthe mountains Usiravija, Mainaka and Sweta, as well as the Kala hills, O\nson of Kunti, O bull among the descendants of Bharata, here flow before\nthee the seven Gangas. This spot is pure and holy. Here Agni blazeth\nforth without intermission. No son of Manu is able to obtain a sight of\nthis wonder. Therefore, O son of Pandu, concentrate your mind in order\nthat he may intently behold these tirthas. Now wilt thou see the\nplay-ground of the gods, marked with their footprints, as we have passed\nthe mountain Kala. We shall now ascend that white rock--the mountain\nMandara, inhabited by the Yakshas, Manibhadra and Kuvera, king of the\nYakshas. O king, at this place eighty thousand fleet Gandharvas, and four\ntimes as many Kimpurushas and Yakshas of various shapes and forms,\nholding various weapons, attend upon Manibhadra, king of the Yakshas. In\nthese regions their power is very great. And in speed they are even as\nthe wind. They can, without doubt, displace even the lord of the\ncelestials from his seat. Protected by them, and also watched over by the\nRakshasas, these mountains have been rendered inaccessible. Therefore, O\nson of Pritha, do thou concentrate thy thoughts. Besides these, O son of\nKunti, here are fierce ministers of Kuvera and his Rakshasa kindred. We\nshall have to meet them, and, therefore, O Kunti's son, gather up thy\nenergies. O king the mountain Kailasa is six yojanas in height. It\ncontains a gigantic jujube tree. And, O son of Kunti, numberless gods and\nYakshas and Rakshasas and Kinnaras and Nagas and Suparnas and Gandharvas\npass this way, in going towards Kuvera's palace. O king, protected by me,\nas well as by the might of Bhimasena, and also in virtue of thy own\nasceticism and self-command, do thou to-day mix with them. May king\nVaruna and Yama, conqueror of battles, and Ganga, and Yamuna, and this\nmountain, and the Maruts and the twin Aswins, and all rivers and lakes,\nvouchsafe thy safety. And, O effulgent one, mayst thou have safety from\nall the celestials and the Asuras, and the Vasus. O Goddess Ganga, I hear\nthy roar from this golden mountain, sacred to Indra. O Goddess of high\nfortune, in these mountainous regions, protect the king, worshipped by\nall of the Ajamidha race. O daughter of the mountain (Himalaya), this\nking is about to enter into these mountainous regions. Do thou,\ntherefore, confer protection upon him.'\n\n\"Having thus addressed the river, Lomasa bade Yudhishthira, saying, 'Be\nthou careful.'\"\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, This confusion of Lomasa is unprecedented. Therefore,\nprotect ye Krishna, and be not careless. Lomasa knows this place to be\ncertainly difficult of access. Therefore, do ye practise here the utmost\ncleanliness.\"\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, \"He next addressed his brother Bhima of vast prowess,\nsaying, 'O Bhimasena, do thou protect Krishna carefully. Whether Arjuna\nbe near or away, Krishna in times of danger ever seeketh protection from\nthee alone.'\"\n\n\"Then the high-souled monarch approached the twins, Nakula and Sahadeva,\nand after smelling their heads, and rubbing their persons, with tears\nsaid unto them, 'Do not fear. Proceed, however, with caution.\"'\n\n\n\nSECTION CXL\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'O Vrikodara, there are mighty and powerful invisible\nspirits at this place. We shall, however, pass it, through the merit of\nour asceticism and Agnihotra sacrifices. O son of Kunti, do thou\ntherefore, restrain thy hunger and thirst by collecting thy energies, and\nalso, O Vrikodara have recourse to thy strength and cleverness. O Kunti's\nson, thou hast heard what the sage (Lomasa) had said regarding mount\nKailasa. Ascertain, therefore, after deliberation, how Krishna will pass\nthe spot. Or, O mighty Bhima of large eyes, do return from hence, taking\nwith thee Sahadeva, and all our charioteers, cooks, servants, cars,\nhorses, and Brahmanas worn out with travel, while I together with Nakula\nand the sage Lomasa of severe austerities proceed, subsisting on the\nlightest fare and observing vows. Do thou in expectation of my return,\ncautiously wait at the source of the Ganga, protecting Draupadi till I\ncome back.'\n\n\"Bhima replied, 'O descendant of Bharata, although this blessed princess\nhath been sore afflicted by toil and distress, yet she easily proceedeth,\nin the hope of beholding him of the white steeds (Arjuna). Thy dejection\nalso is already very great at not seeing the high-souled Arjuna, who\nnever retreateth from fight. O Bharata, it is superfluous then to say\nthat if thou seest neither myself nor Sahadeva nor Krishna, thy dejection\nwill certainly increase. The Brahmanas had better return with our\nservants, charioteers cooks and whomsoever else thou mayst command. I\nnever shall leave thee in these rugged and inaccessible mountainous\nregions, infested by Rakshasas. And, O tiger among men, also this\nprincess of high fortune, ever devoted to her lords, desireth not to\nreturn without thee. Sahadeva is always devoted to thee; he too will\nnever retrace his steps. His disposition is known to me. O king, O mighty\nmonarch, we are all eager to behold Savyasachin, and therefore, will we\nall go together. If we are unable to go over this mountain in our cars,\nabounding as it doth in defiles, well, we would go on foot. Trouble\nthyself not, O king, I shall carry Panchala's daughter wherever she will\nbe incapable of walking. O king, I have decided upon this. Therefore let\nnot thy mind be distracted. I shall also carry over inaccessible tracts\nthose tender-bodied heroes, the twins, the delight of their mother,\nwherever they will be incapable of proceeding.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'May thy strength increase, O Bhima, as thou speakest\nthus, and as thou boldly undertakest to carry the illustrious Panchali\nand these twins. Blessed be thou! Such courage dwelleth not in any other\nindividual. May thy strength, fame, merit, and reputation increase! O\nlong-armed one, as thou offerest to carry Krishna and our brothers the\ntwins, exhaustion and defeat never be thine!\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Then the charming Krishna said with a smile, 'O\ndescendant of Bharata, I shall be able to go, and, therefore, be thou not\nanxious on my account.'\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'Access to the mountain, Gandhamadana, is only to be\nobtained by dint of asceticism. Therefore, O son of Kunti, shall we all\npractise austerities, O king, Nakula, Sahadeva, Bhimasena, thou and\nmyself shall then see him of the white steeds, O Kunti's son.'\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"O king, thus conversing together, they saw with\ndelight the extensive domains of Suvahu, situated on the Himalayas\nabounding in horses and elephants, densely inhabited by the Kiratas and\nthe Tanganas, crowded by hundreds of Pulindas, frequented by the\ncelestials, and rife with wonders. King Suvahu, the lord of the Pulindas,\ncheerfully received them at the frontiers of his dominions, paying them\nproper respect. Having been thus received with honour, and having dwelt\ncomfortably at this place, they started for the mountain Himalaya, when\nthe sun shone brightly in the firmament. And, O king, having entrusted to\nthe care of the lord of the Pulindas, all their servants--Indrasena and\nthe others,--and the cooks and the stewards, and Draupadi's\naccoutrements, and every thing else, those mighty charioteers, the son of\nthe Kurus, endued with great prowess, set out from that country, and\nbegan to proceed cautiously with Krishna,--all of them cheerful in the\nexpectation of beholding Arjuna.\"\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'O Bhimasena, O Panchali, and ye twins, hearken unto\nmy words. The acts done (by a person) in a former birth do not perish,\n(without producing their effects). Behold! Even we have become rangers of\nthe wilderness. Even to see Dhananjaya, exhausted and distressed as we\nare, we have to bear each other, and pass through impassable places. This\nburneth me even as fire doth a heap of cotton. O hero, I do not see\nDhananjaya at my side. I reside in the wood with my younger brothers,\nanxious for beholding him. This thought, as also the memory of that grave\ninsult offered to Yajanaseni, consumes me. O Vrikodara, I do not see the\ninvincible Partha of strong bow and incomparable energy, and who is the\nimmediate elder to Nakula. For this, O Vrikodara, I am miserable. In\norder to see that hero, Dhananjaya, firm in promise, for these five years\nhave I been wandering in various tirthas, and beautiful forests and lakes\nand yet I do meet with him. For this, O Vrikodara, I am miserable. I do\nnot see the long-armed Gudakesa, of dark blue hue, and leonine gait. For\nthis, O Vrikodara, I am miserable. I do not see that foremost of Kurus,\naccomplished in arms, skilful in fight, and matchless among bowmen. For\nthis, O Vrikodara, I am miserable. Distressed for I am I do not see that\nson of Pritha, Dhananjaya, born under the influence of the star Phalguni;\nranging amidst foes even like Yama at the time of the universal\ndissolution; possessed of the prowess of an elephant with the temporal\njuice trickling down; endued with leonine shoulders; not inferior to\nSakra himself in prowess and energy; elder in years to the twins; of\nwhite steeds; unrivalled in heroism; invincible; and wielding a strong\nbow. For this, O Vrikodara, I am miserable. And he is always of a\nforgiving temper,--even when insulted by the meanest individual. And he\nconferreth benefit and protection to the righteous; but to that tortuous\nperson who by craft attempts to do him mischief, Dhananjaya is like unto\nvirulent poison, albeit that one were Sakra himself. And the mighty\nVibhatsu of immeasurable soul and possessing great strength, showeth\nmercy and extendeth protection even to a foe when fallen. And he is the\nrefuge of us all and he crusheth his foes in fight. And he hath the power\nto collect any treasure whatever, and he ministereth unto our happiness.\nIt was through his prowess that I had owned formerly measureless precious\njewels of various kinds which at present Syodhana hath usurped. It was by\nhis might, O hero, that I had possessed before that palatial amphitheatre\nembellished with all manner of jewels, and celebrated throughout the\nthree worlds. O Pandu's son, in prowess, Phalguni is like unto Vasudeva,\nand in fight he is invincible and unrivalled, even like unto Kartavirya.\nAlas! I see him not, O Bhima. In might, that conqueror of foes goeth in\nthe wake of the invincible and most powerful Sankarshana (Valarama) and\nVasudeva. In strength of arms, and spirit, he is like unto Purandara\nhimself. And in swiftness, he is even as the wind, and in grace, as the\nmoon, and in ire, he is the eternal Death himself. O mighty-armed one,\nwith the object of beholding that war-like tiger among men, shall we\nrepair to the Gandhamadana mountain, where lies the hermitage of Nara and\nNarayana at the site of the celebrated jujube tree, and which is\ninhabited by the Yakshas. We shall see that best of mountains. And,\npractising severe austerities only on foot we shall go to Kuvera's\nbeautiful lake guarded by Rakshasas. That place cannot be reached by\nvehicles, O Vrikodara. Neither can cruel or avaricious, or irascible\npeople attain to that spot, O Bharata's son. O Bhima, in order to see\nArjuna, thither shall we repair, in company, with Brahmanas of strict\nvows, girding on our swords, and wielding our bows. Those only that are\nimpure, meet with flies gad-flies, mosquitoes, tigers, lions, and\nreptiles, but the pure never come across them. Therefore, regulating our\nfare, and restraining our senses, we shall go to the Gandhamadana,\ndesirous of seeing Dhananjaya.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXLI\n\n\"Lomasa said, O sons of Pandu, ye have seen many a mountain, and river\nand town and forest and beautiful tirtha; and have touched with your\nhands the sacred waters. Now this way leads to the celestial mountain\nMandara; therefore be ye attentive and composed. Ye will now repair to\nthe residence of the celestials and the divine sages of meritorious\ndeeds. Here, O king, flows the mighty and beautiful river (Alakananda) of\nholy water adored by hosts of celestials and sages, and tracing its\nsource to (the site of) the jujube tree. It is frequented and worshipped\nby high-souled Vaihayasas, Valakhilyas and Gandharvas of mighty souls.\nAccustomed to sing the Sama hymns, the sages, Marichi, Pulaha, Bhrigu and\nAngiras, chanted them at this spot. Here the lord of celestials\nperformeth with the Maruts his daily prayers. And the Sadhyas and the\nAswins attend on him. The sun, the moon and all the luminaries with the\nplanets resort to this river, alternately by day and by night. O highly\nfortunate monarch, that protector of the world; Mahadeva, having a bull\nfor his mark, received on his head the fall of the waters of this river,\nat the source of the Ganga. O children, approach this goddess of the six\nattributes and bow down before her with concentrated minds.'\n\n\"Hearing the words of the high-souled Lomasa, the son of Pandu\nreverentially worshipped the river (Ganga), flowing through the\nfirmament. And after having adored her the pious sons of Pandu resumed\ntheir journey accompanied by the sages. And it came to pass that those\nbest of men beheld at a distance some white object of vast proportions,\neven like Meru and stretching on all sides. And knowing that Pandu's sons\nwere intent upon asking (him), Lomasa versed in speech said, 'Hear, O\nsons of Pandu! O best of men, what ye see before you, of vast proportions\nlike unto a mountain and beautiful as the Kailasa cliff, is a collection\nof the bones of the mighty Daitya Naraka, Being placed on a mountain, it\nlooketh like one. The Daitya was slain by that Supreme Soul, the eternal\nGod Vishnu, for the good of the lord of celestials. Aiming at the\npossession of Indra's place, by the force of austere and Vedic lore, that\nmighty-minded (demon) had practised austere penances for ten thousand\nyears. And on account of his asceticism, as also of the force and might\nof his arms he had grown invincible and always harassed (Indra). And O\nsinless one, knowing his strength and austerities and observance of\nreligious vows, Indra became agitated and was overwhelmed with fear. And\nmentally he thought of the eternal deity, Vishnu. And thereat the\ngraceful lord of the universe, who is present everywhere, appeared and\nstood before him manifest. And the sages and celestials began to\npropitiate Vishnu with prayers. And in his presence even Agni of the six\nattributes and of blazing beauty being overpowered by his effulgence,\nbecame shorn of radiance and seeing before him the God Vishnu, the chief\nof the celestials who wields the thunder-bolt, bowing with head down\nreadily apprised Vishnu of the source of his fear. Thereupon Vishnu said,\n'I know, O Sakra, that thy fear proceedeth from Naraka, that lord of the\nDaityas. By the merit of his successful ascetic acts he aimeth at Indra's\nposition. Therefore, for pleasing thee, I shall certainly sever his soul\nfrom his body, although he hath achieved success in asceticism. Do thou,\nlord of celestials, wait for a moment.' Then the exceedingly powerful\nVishnu deprived (Naraka) of his senses (by striking him) with his hand.\nAnd he fell down on the earth even like the monarch of mountains struck\nby (thunder). He was thus slain by a miracle and his bones lie gathered\nat this spot. Here also is manifest another deed of Vishnu's. Once the\nwhole earth having been lost and sunk into the nether regions she was\nlifted up by him in the shape of a boar having a single tusk.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'O worshipful one, relate in particular how Vishnu,\nthe lord of the celestials, raised up the earth sunk a hundred yojanas?\nIn what manner also was that support of all created things--the goddess\nEarth of high fortune--who dispenseth blessings and bringeth forth all\nsorts of corn rendered stable? Through whose power had she sunk an\nhundred yojanas below, and under what circumstances was exhibited this\ngreatest exploit of the Supreme Being? O chief of the twice-born race, I\nwish to hear all about it in detail as it happened. Certainly, it is\nknown to thee.'\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'O Yudhishthira, listen to all at length as I relate the\nstory, which thou hast asked me (to narrate). O child, in days of yore,\nthere was (once) a terrible time in the Krita Yuga when the eternal and\nprimeval Deity assumed the duties of Yama. And, O thou that never fallest\noff, when the God of gods began to perform the functions of Yama, there\ndied not a creature while the births were as usual. Then there began to\nmultiply birds and beasts and kine, and sheep, and deer and all kinds of\ncarnivorous animals. O tiger among men and vanquisher of foes, then the\nhuman race also increased by thousands even like unto a current of water.\nAnd, O my son, when the increase of population had been so frightful, the\nEarth oppressed with the excessive burden, sank down for a hundred\nyojanas. And suffering pain in all her limbs, and being deprived of her\nsenses by excessive pressure, the earth in distress sought the protection\nof Narayana, the foremost of the gods. The earth spake saying, 'It is by\nthy favour, O possessor of the six attributes, that I had been able to\nremain so long in my position. But I have been overcome with burden and\nnow I cannot hold myself any longer. It behoveth thee, O adorable one, to\nrelieve this load of mine. I have sought thy protection. O lord; and do\nthou, therefore, extend unto me thy favour.' Hearing these words of hers,\nthe eternal lord, possessor of the six attributes, complaisantly said, in\nwords uttered in distinct letters. Vishnu said, 'Thou need not fear, O\nafflicted Earth, the bearer of all treasures. I shall act so that thou\nmayst be made light.'\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'Having thus dismissed the Earth, who hath the mountains\nfor her ear-rings, he suddenly became turned into a boar with one tusk,\nand of exceeding effulgence. Causing terror with his glowing red eyes and\nemitting fumes from his blazing lustre, he began to swell in magnitude in\nthat region. O hero, then holding the earth with his single radiant tusk\nthat being who pervadeth the Vedas, raised her up a hundred yojanas. And\nwhile she was being thus raised, there ensued a mighty agitation and all\nthe celestials, together with the sages of ascetic wealth became\nagitated. And heaven, and the firmament, and also the Earth were filled\nwith exclamations of Oh! and Alas! and neither the celestials nor men\ncould rest in peace. Then countless celestials together with the sages\nwent to Brahma, who was seated burning as it were in his (own) lustre.\nThen approaching Brahma, the lord of celestials, and the witness of the\nacts of all beings, they with folded hands spake the following words, 'O\nlord of the celestials, all created beings have become agitated and the\nmobile and immobile creatures are restless. O lord of the celestials,\neven the oceans are found to be agitated and this whole earth hath gone\ndown a hundred yojanas. What is the matter? And by whose influence is it\nthat the whole universe is in ferment? May it please thee to explain it\nunto us without delay, for we are all bewildered.' Thereupon Brahma\nreplied, 'Ye immortals! do ye not entertain fear for the Asuras, in any\nmatter or place. Hearken, ye celestials, to the reason to which all this\ncommotion is owing! This agitation in the heavens hath been produced by\nthe influence of the illustrious Being who is omnipresent, eternal and\nthe never-perishing Soul. That Supreme soul, Vishnu hath lifted up the\nEarth, who had entirely sunk down hundred yojanas. This commotion hath\ntaken place in consequence of the earth being raised up. Know ye this and\ndispel your doubts.' The celestials said, 'Where is that Being who with\npleasure raiseth up the Earth? O possessor of the six attributes, mention\nunto us the place. Thither shall we repair.' Brahma said 'Go ye. May good\nhappen to you! Ye will find him resting in the Nandana (gardens). Yonder\nis visible the glorious worshipful Suparna (Garuda). After having raised\nthe Earth, the Supreme Being from whom the world become manifest, flameth\neven in the shape of a boar, like unto the all-consuming fire at the\nuniversal dissolution. And on his beast is really to be seen the gem\nSrivatsa. (Go) and behold that Being knowing no deterioration.'\n\n\"Lomasa said, 'Then the celestials, placing the grandsire at their head,\ncame to that infinite Soul, and having listened to his praise, bade him\nadieu and went back to whence they had come.'\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"O Janamejaya, having heard this story, all the\nPandavas without delay and with alacrity, began to proceed by the way\npointed out by Lomasa.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXLII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"O king, then those foremost of bowmen, of\nimmeasurable prowess, holding bows stringed at full stretch and equipped\nwith quivers and arrows and wearing finger-caps made of the guana-skin,\nand with their swords on, proceeded with Panchali towards the\nGandhamadana, taking with them the best of Brahmanas. And on their way\nthey saw various lakes, and rivers and mountains and forests, and trees\nof wide-spreading shade on mountain summits and places abounding in trees\nbearing flowers and fruit in all seasons and frequented by celestials and\nsages. And restraining their senses within their inner self and\nsubsisting on fruits and roots, the heroes passed through rugged regions,\ncraggy and difficult of passage, beholding many and various kinds of\nbeasts. Thus those high-souled ones entered the mountain inhabited by the\nsages, the Siddhas and the celestials, and frequented by the Kinnaras and\nthe Apsaras. And, O lord of men, as those mighty heroes were entering the\nmountain Gandhamandana, there arose a violent wind, attended with a heavy\nshower. And owing to this, mighty clouds of dust bearing lots of dry\nleaves, rose, and all on a sudden covered earth, air and firmament. And\nwhen the heavens had been covered with dust nothing could be perceived,\nneither could they (the Pandavas) speak to one another. And with eyes\nenveloped with darkness and pushed by the wind carrying particles of\nrocks they could not see one another. And there began to arrive mighty\nsounds proceeding from the tree, and also from those breaking down\nincessantly under the force of the wind, and falling to the ground. And\ndistracted by gusts of the wind, they thought, 'Are the heavens falling\ndown; or the earth and the mountains being rent?' And afraid of the wind,\nthey felt about with their hands and took shelter under the way-side tree\nand ant-hills and in caverns. Then holding his bow and supporting Krishna\nthe mighty Bhimasena stood under a tree. And Yudhishthira the just with\nDhaumya crept into the deep wood. And Sahedeva carrying the sacred fire\nwith him took shelter in a rock. And Nakula together with Lomasa and\nother Brahmanas of great asceticism stood in fright, each under a tree.\nThen when the wind had abated and the dust subsided, there came down a\nshower in torrents. There also arose a loud rattling noise, like unto the\nthunder hurled; and quick-flashing lightning began to play gracefully\nupon the clouds. And being helped on by the swift wind, showers of rain\npoured down without intermissions, filling all sides round. And, O lord\nof men, all around there began to flow many rivers covered with foam and\nturbid with mud; and these bearing volumes of water spread over the\nfrothy rafts rushed down with tremendous roar uprooting trees. And\nafterwards when that sound had ceased and the air had arisen they (each\nof them) cautiously came out of their coverts and met together, O\ndescendant of Bharata. And then the heroes started for the mountain\nGandhamadana.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXLIII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"When the high-souled sons of Pandu had proceeded only\ntwo miles, Draupadi unaccustomed to travel on foot, sank down. Weary and\nafflicted as she was, the poor daughter of Panchala became faint, on\naccount of the hailstorm and also of her extreme delicacy. And trembling\nwith faintness, the black-eyed one supported herself on her thighs with\nher plump arms, becoming (her graceful form). And thus resting for\nsupport on her thighs resembling the trunk of an elephant, and which were\nin contract with each other, she suddenly dropped upon the ground,\ntrembling like a plantain tree. And finding that the beautiful one was\nfalling down like a twisted creeper, Nakula ran forward and supported,\nher. And he said, 'O king, this black-eyed daughter of Panchala, being\nweary, hath fallen down upon the ground. Do thou, therefore, tend her, O\nson of Bharata. Undeserving as she is of misery, this lady of slow pace\nhath been subject to great hardships, and she is also worn out with the\nfatigues of the journey. O mighty king, do thou therefore, comfort her.'\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Having heard these words of Nakula, the king as also\nBhima and Sahadeva, became sorely afflicted, and hastily ran towards her.\nAnd finding her weak, and her countenance pale, the pious son of Kunti\nbegan to lament in grief, taking her on his lap. Yudhishthira said.\n'Accustomed to ease, and deserving to sleep in wellprotected rooms, on\nbeds spread over with fine sheets, how doth this beautiful one sleep\nprostrate on the ground! Alas! On my account (alone), the delicate feet\nand the lotus-like face of this one deserving of all excellent things,\nhave contracted a dark-blue hue. O what have I done! Fool that I am,\nhaving been addicted to dice, I have been wandering in the forest full of\nwild beasts, taking Krishna in my company. This large-eyed one had been\nbestowed by her father, the king of the Drupadas, in the hope that the\nblessed girl would be happy, by obtaining the sons of Pandu for her\nlords. It is on account of my wretched self, that without obtaining\nanything hoped for, she sleepeth prostrate on the ground, tired with\nhardships, sorrow and travel!\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"While king Yudhishthira the just was lamenting thus,\nDhaumya with all the other principal Brahmanas came to the spot. And they\nbegan to console him and to honour him with blessings. And they recited\nmantras capable of dispelling Rakshasas and (to that end) also performed\nrites. And on the mantras being recited by the great ascetics, in order\nto the restoration of (Panchali's) health, Panchali frequently touched by\nthe Pandavas with their soothing palms and fanned by cool breezes\nsurcharged with particles of water, felt ease, and gradually regained her\nsenses. And finding that exhausted poor lady restored to her senses, the\nsons of Pritha, placing her on deer-skin, caused her to take rest. And\ntaking her feet of red soles, bearing auspicious marks, the twins began\nto press them gently with their hands, scarred by the bow-string. And\nYudhishthira the just, the foremost of the Kurus, also comforted her and\naddressed Bhima in the following words: 'O Bhima, there yet remain many\nmountains (before us), rugged, and inaccessible because of snow. How,\nlong-armed one, will Krishna pass over them?' Thereupon Bhima said, 'O\nking, I myself shall carry thee, together with this princess and these\nbulls among men, the twins; therefore, O king of kings, resign not thy\nmind unto despair. Or, at thy bidding, O sinless one, Hidimava's son, the\nmighty Ghatotkacha, who is capable of ranging the skies and who is like\nunto me in strength, will carry us all.'\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Then with Yudhishthira's permission, Bhima thought of\nhis Rakshasa son. And no sooner was he thought of by his father, than the\npious Ghatotkacha made his appearance and, saluting the Pandavas and the\nBrahmanas, stood with joined hands. And they also caressed him of mighty\narms. He then addressed his father, Bhimasena of dreadful prowess,\nsaying, 'Having been thought of by thee I have come here with speed, in\norder to serve thee. Do thou, O longarmed one, command me. I shall\ncertainly be able to perform whatever thou bidst.' Hearing this,\nBhimasena hugged the Rakshasa to his breast.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXLIV\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'O Bhima, let this mighty and heroic Rakshasa chief,\nthy legitimate son, devoted to us, and truthful, and conversant with\nvirtue carry (his) mother (Draupadi) without delay. And, O possessor of\ndreadful prowess, depending on the strength of thy arms, I shall reach\nthe Gandhamadana, unhurt, together with Panchala's daughter.'\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Hearing the words of his brother, that tiger among\nmen, Bhimasena, commanded his son, Ghatotkacha, represser of foes,\nsaying, 'O invincible son of Hidimva, this thy mother hath been sorely\ntired. Thou art, again, strong and capable of going wherever thou likest.\nDo thou therefore, O ranger of the skies, carry her. May prosperity\nattend thee! Taking her on thy shoulders, thou shalt go in our company,\nadopting a course not far overhead,--so that thou mayst not render her\nuneasy.' Thereat, Ghatotkacha said, 'Even single-handed, I am able to\ncarry Yudhishthira the just, and Dhaumya, and Krishna, and the twins--and\nwhat wonder then that I shall to-day carry them, when I have others to\nassist me? And, O sinless one, hundreds of other heroic (Rakshasas),\ncapable of moving through the sky, and of assuming any shape at will,\nwill together carry you all with the Brahmanas.\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Saying this, Ghatotkacha carried Krishna in the midst\nof the Pandavas, and the other (Rakshasas) also began to carry the\nPandavas. And by virtue of his native energy, Lomasa of incomparable\neffulgence moved along the path of the Siddhas, like unto a second sun.\nAnd at the command of the lord of the Rakshasas, those Rakshasas of\nterrific prowess began to proceed, bearing all the other Brahmanas, and\nbeholding many a romantic wood. And they proceeded towards the gigantic\njujube tree. And carried by the Rakshasas of great speed, proceeding at a\nrapid pace, the heroes passed over longextending ways quickly, as if over\nshort ones. And on their way they saw various tracts crowded with\nMlechchha people, and containing mines of diverse gems. And they also saw\nhillocks teeming with various minerals, thronged with Vidyadharas,\ninhabited on all sides by monkeys and Kinnaras and Kimpurushas, and\nGandharvas, and filled with peacocks, and chamaras, and apes, and rurus,\nand bears, and gavayas, and buffaloes, intersected with a network of\nrivulets, and inhabited by various birds and beasts, and beautified by\nelephants, and abounding in trees and enraptured birds. After having thus\npassed many countries, and also the Uttarakurus, they saw that foremost\nof mountains, the Kailasa, containing many wonders. And by the side of\nit, they beheld the hermitage of Nara and Narayana, with celestial trees\nbearing flowers and fruits in all seasons. And they also beheld that\nbeautiful jujube of round trunk. And it was fresh; and of deep shade; and\nof excellent beauty; and of thick, soft and sleek foliage; and healthful;\nand having gigantic boughs; and wide-spreading; and of incomparable\nlustre; and bearing full-grown, tasteful, and holy fruits dropping honey.\nAnd this celestial tree was frequented by hosts of mighty sages, and was\nalways inhabited by various birds maddened with animal spirits. And it\ngrew at a spot devoid of mosquitoes and gad-flies, and abounding in\nfruits and roots and water, and covered with green grass, and inhabited\nby the celestials and the Gandharvas, and of smooth surface, and\nnaturally healthful, and beauteous and cool and of delicate feel. Having\nreached that (tree) together with those bulls among Brahmanas, the\nhigh-souled ones gently alighted from the shoulders of the Rakshasas.\nThen in company with those bulls among the twice-born ones, the Pandavas\nbeheld that romantic asylum presided over by Nara and Narayana; devoid of\ngloom; and sacred; and untouched by the solar rays; and free from those\nrubs, viz. hunger, and thirst, heat and cold, and removing (all) sorrow;\nand crowded with hosts of mighty sages; and adorned with the grace\nproceeding from the Vedas, Saman, Rich, and Yajus; and, O king,\ninaccessible to men who have renounced religion; and beautified with\nofferings, and homas; and sacred; and well-swept and daubed; and shining\nall around with offerings of celestial blossoms; and spread over with\naltars of sacrificial fire, and sacred ladles and pots; and graced with\nlarge water-jars, and baskets and the refuge of all beings; and echoing\nwith the chanting of the Vedas; and heavenly: and worthy of being\ninhabited; and removing fatigue; and attended with splendour and of\nincomprehensible merit; and majestic with divine qualities. And the\nhermitage was inhabited by hosts of great sages, subsisting on fruits and\nroots; and having their senses under perfect control; and clad in black\ndeer-skins; and effulgent like unto the Sun and Agni; and of souls\nmagnified by asceticism and intent on emancipation; and leading the\nVanaprastha mode of life; and of subdued senses; and identified with the\nSupreme Soul; and of high fortune; and reciting Vaidic hymns. Then having\npurified himself and restrained his senses, that son of Dharma, the\nintelligent Yudhishthira of exceeding energy, accompanied by his\nbrothers, approached those sages. And all the great sages endued with\nsupernatural knowledge, knowing Yudhishthira arrived, received him\njoyfully. And those sages engaged in the recitation of the Vedas, and\nlike unto fire itself, after having conferred blessings on Yudhishthira,\ncheerfully accorded him fitting reception. And they gave him clean water\nand flowers and roots. And Yudhishthira the just received with regard the\nthings gladly offered for his reception by the great sages. And then, O\nsinless one, Pandu's son together with Krishna and his brothers, and\nthousands of Brahmanas versed in the Vedas and the Vendangas, entered\ninto that holy hermitage, like unto the abode of Sukra and pleasing the\nmind with heavenly odours and resembling heaven itself and attended with\nbeauty. There the pious (Yudhishthira) beheld the hermitage of Nara and\nNarayana, beautified by the Bhagirathi and worshipped by the gods and the\ncelestial sages. And seeing that hermitage inhabited by the Brahmarshis\nand containing fruits dropping honey, the Pandavas were filled with\ndelight. And having reached that place, the high-souled ones began to\ndwell with the Brahmanas. There beholding the holy lake Vinda, and the\nmountain Mainaka, of golden summits and inhabited by various species of\nbirds, the magnanimous ones lived happily with joy. The son of Pandu\ntogether with Krishna took pleasure in ranging excellent and captivating\nwoods, shining with flowers of every season; beauteous on all sides with\ntrees bearing blown blossoms; and bending down with the weight of fruits\nand attended by the numerous male kokilas and of glossy foliage; and\nthick and having cool shade and lovely to behold. They took delight in\nbeholding diverse beautiful lakes of limpid water and shining all round\nwith lotuses and lilies. And there, O lord, the balmy breeze bearing pure\nfragrance, blew gladdening all the Pandavas, together with Krishna. And\nhard by the gigantic jujube, the mighty son of Kunti saw the Bhagirathi\nof easy descent and cool and furnished with fresh lotuses and having\nstairs made of rubies and corals and graced with trees and scattered over\nwith celestial flowers, and gladsome to the mind. And at that spot,\nfrequented by celestials and sages, and extremely inaccessible, they,\nafter having purified themselves offered oblations unto the pitris and\nthe gods and the rishis in the sacred waters of the Bhagirathi. Thus\nthose bulls among men the heroic perpetuators of the Kuru race, began to\nreside there with the Brahmanas offering oblations and practising\nmeditation. And those tigers among men, the Pandavas of the god-like\nappearance, felt delight in witnessing the various amusements of\nDraupadi.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXLV\n\nVaisampayana said, \"There observing cleanliness, those tigers among men\ndwelt for six nights, in expectation of beholding Dhananjaya. And it came\nto pass that all of a sudden there blew a wind from the north-east and\nbrought a celestial lotus of a thousand petals and effulgent as the sun.\nAnd Panchali saw that pure and charming lotus of unearthly fragrance,\nbrought by the wind and left on the ground. And having obtained that\nexcellent and beautiful lotus, that blessed one became exceedingly\ndelighted, O king, and addressed Bhimasena in the following words,\n'Behold, O Bhima, this most beautiful unearthly flower having within it\nthe very source of fragrance. It gladdenth my heart, O represser of foes.\nThis one shall be presented to Yudhishthira the just. Do thou, therefore,\nprocure others for my satisfaction--in order that I may carry them to our\nhermitage in the Kamyaka. If, O Pritha's son, I have found grace with\nthee, do thou then procure others of this species in large numbers. I\nwish to carry them to our hermitage.' Having said this, the blameless\nlady of beautiful glances approached Yudhishthira the just, taking the\nflower. And knowing the desire of his beloved queen that bull among men,\nBhima of great strength, also set out, in order to gratify her. And\nintent upon fetching the flowers, he began to proceed at rapid space,\nfacing the wind, in the direction from which the flower had come. And\ntaking the bow inlaid with gold on the back as also arrows like unto\nvenomous snakes, he proceeded as a lion in anger or an elephant in rut.\nAnd all beings gazed at him, holding a mighty bow and arrows. And neither\nexhaustion, nor langour, neither fear nor confusion, ever possessed the\nson of Pritha and the offspring of Vayu (wind). And desirous of pleasing\nDraupadi the mighty one, free from fear or confusion, ascended the peak\ndepending on the strength of his arms. And that slayer of foes began to\nrange that beautiful peak covered with trees, creepers and of black rocky\nbase; and frequented by Kinnaras; and variegated with minerals, plants,\nbeasts, and birds of various hues; and appearing like an upraised arm of\nthe Earth adorned with an entire set of ornaments. And that one of\nmatchless prowess proceeded, fixing his look at the slopes of the\nGandhamadana,--beautiful with flowers of every season--and revolving\nvarious thoughts in his mind and with his ears, eyes and mind rivetted to\nthe spots resounding with the notes of male kokilas and ringing with the\nhum of black bees. And like an elephant in rut ranging mad in a forest\nthat one of mighty prowess smelt the rare odour proceeding from the\nflowers of every season. And he was fanned by the fresh breeze of the\nGandhamadana bearing the perfumes of various blossoms and cooling like\nunto a father's touch. On his fatigue being removed the down on his body\nstood on end. And in this state that represser of foes for the flowers\nbegan to survey all the mountain, inhabited by Yakshas and Gandharvas and\ncelestials and Brahmarshis. And brushed by the leaves of Saptachchada\ntree, besmeared with fresh red, black and white minerals, he looked as if\ndecorated with lines of holy unguents drawn by fingers. And with clouds\nstretching at its sides, the mountain seemed dancing with outspread\nwings. And on account of the trickling waters of springs, it appeared to\nbe decked with necklaces of pearls. And it contained romantic caverns and\ngroves and cascades and caves. And there were excellent peacocks dancing\nto the jingling of the bangles of the Apsaras. And its rocky surface was\nworn away by the end of tusks of the elephants presiding over the\ncardinal points. And with the waters of rivers falling down, the mountain\nlooked as if its clothes were getting loosened. And that graceful son of\nthe wind-god playfully and cheerfully went on, pushing away by his force\ncountless intertwisted creepers. And stags in curiosity gazed at him,\nwith grass in their mouths. And not having experienced fear (ever\nbefore), they were unalarmed, and did not flee away. And being engaged in\nfulfilling the desire of his love, the youthful son of Pandu, stalwart\nand of splendour like unto the hue of gold; and having a body strong as a\nlion; and treading like a mad elephant; and possessing the force of a mad\nelephant; and having coppery eyes like unto those of a mad elephant; and\ncapable of checking a mad elephant began to range the romantic sides of\nthe Gandhamadana with his beautiful eyes uplifted; and displaying as it\nwere a novel type of beauty. And the wives of Yakshas and Gandharvas\nsitting invisible by the side of their husbands, stared at him, turning\ntheir faces with various motions. Intent upon gratifying Draupadi exiled\nunto the woods, as he was ranging the beautiful Gandhamadana, he\nremembered the many and various woes caused by Duryodhana. And he\nthought, 'Now that Arjuna sojourn in heaven and that I too have come away\nto procure the flowers, what will our brother Yudhishthira do at present?\nSurely, from affection and doubting their prowess, that foremost of men,\nYudhishthira, will not let Nakula and Sahadeva come in search of us. How,\nagain, can I obtain the flowers soon?' Thinking thus, that tiger among\nmen proceeded in amain like unto the king of birds, his mind and sight\nfixed on the delightful side of the mountain. And having for his\nprovisions on the journey the words of Draupadi, the mighty son of Pandu,\nVrikodara Bhima, endued with strength and the swiftness of the wind, with\nhis mind and sight fixed on the blooming slopes of the mountain,\nproceeded speedily, making the earth tremble with his tread, even as doth\na hurricane at the equinox; and frightening herds of elephants and\ngrinding lions and tigers and deer and uprooting and smashing large trees\nand tearing away by force plants and creepers, like unto an elephant\nascending higher and higher the summit of a mountain; and roaring\nfiercely even as a cloud attended with thunder. And awakened by that\nmighty roaring of Bhima, tigers came out of their dens, while other\nrangers of the forest hid themselves. And the coursers of the skies\nsprang up (on their wing) in fright. And herds of deer hurriedly ran\naway. And birds left the trees (and fled). And lions forsook their dens.\nAnd the mighty lions were roused from their slumber. And the buffaloes\nstared. And the elephants in fright, leaving that wood, ran to more\nextensive forests company with their mates. And the boars and the deer\nand the lions and the buffaloes and the tigers and the jackals and the\ngavayas of the wood began to cry in herds. And the ruddy geese, and the\ngallinules and the ducks and the karandavas and the plavas and the\nparrots and the male kokilas and the herons in confusion flew in all\ndirections, while some proud elephants urged by their mates, as also some\nlions and elephants in rage, flew at Bhimasena. And as they were\ndistracted at heart through fear, these fierce animals discharging urine\nand dung, set up loud yells with gapping mouths. Thereupon the\nillustrious and graceful son of the wind-god, the mighty Pandava,\ndepending upon the strength of his arms, began to slay one elephant with\nanother elephant and one lion with another lion while he despatched the\nothers with slaps. And on being struck by Bhima the lions and the tigers\nand the leopards, in fright gave loud cries and discharged urine and\ndung. And after having destroyed these the handsome son of Pandu,\npossessed of mighty strength, entered into the forest, making all sides\nresound with his shouts. And then the long-armed one saw on the slopes of\nthe Gandhamadana a beautiful plantain tree spreading over many a yojana.\nAnd like unto a mad lion, that one of great strength proceeded amain\ntowards that tree breaking down various plants. And that foremost of\nstrong persons--Bhima--uprooting innumerable plantain trunks equal in\nheight to many palm-trees (placed one above another), cast them on all\nsides with force. And that highly powerful one, haughty like a male lion,\nsent up shouts. And then he encountered countless beasts of gigantic\nsize, and stags, and monkeys, and lions, and buffaloes, and aquatic\nanimals. And what with the cries of these, and what with the shouts of\nBhima, even the beasts and birds that were at distant parts of the wood,\nbecame all frightened. And hearing those cries of beasts and birds,\nmyriads of aquatic fowls suddenly rose up on wetted wings. And seeing\nthese fowls of water, that bull among the Bharatas proceeded in that\ndirection; and saw a vast and romantic lake. And that fathomless lake\nwas, as it were, being fanned by the golden plantain trees on the coast,\nshaken by the soft breezes. And immediately descending into the lake\nabounding in lilies and lotuses, he began to sport lustily like unto a\nmighty maddened elephant. Having thus sported there for a long while, he\nof immeasurable effulgence ascended, in order to penetrate with speed\ninto that 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 like\nunto the pole consecrated to Indra, and sounding like thunder. And on all\nsides round, the mountains by the mouths of caves emitted those sounds in\necho, like a cow lowing. And as it was being shaken by the reports\nproduced by the lashing of the tail, the mountain with its summits\ntottering, began to crumble all around. And overcoming that roaring of\nmad elephants, the sounds of his tail spread over the varied slopes of\nthe 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 that\none 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: and\nendued with the voice of the lightning-flash; and quick moving as the\nlightning-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, and\nbrisk eyes, and bare white incisors sharpened at the edge.' And his head\nwas like unto the shining moon; adorned with white teeth within the\nmouth; and with mane scattered over, resembling a heap of asoka flowers.\nAnd amidst the golden plantain trees, that one of exceeding effulgence\nwas lying like unto a blazing fire, with his radiant body. And that\nslayer of foes as casting glances with his eyes reddened with\nintoxication. And the intelligent Bhima saw that mighty chief of monkeys,\nof huge body, lying like unto the Himalaya, obstructing the path of\nheaven. And seeing him alone in that mighty forest, the undaunted\nathletic Bhima, of long arms, approached him with rapid strides, and\nuttered a loud shout like unto the thunder. And at that shout of Bhima,\nbeasts and birds became all alarmed. The powerful Hanuman, however,\nopening his eyes partially looked at him (Bhima) with disregard, with\neyes reddened with intoxication. And then smilingly addressing him,\nHanuman said the following words, 'Ill as I am, I was sleeping sweetly.\nWhy hast thou awakened me? Thou shouldst show kindness to all creatures,\nas thou hast reason. Belonging to the animal species, we are ignorant of\nvirtue. But being endued with reason, men show kindness towards\ncreatures. Why do then reasonable persons like thee commit themselves to\nacts contaminating alike body, speech, and heart, and destructive of\nvirtue? Thou knowest not what virtue is, neither hast thou taken council\nof the wise. And therefore it is that from ignorance, and childishness\nthou destroyest the lower animals. Say, who art thou, and what for hast\nthou come to the forest devoid of humanity and human beings? And, O\nforemost of men, tell thou also, whither thou wilt go to-day. Further it\nis impossible to proceed. Yonder hills are inaccessible. O hero, save the\npassage obtained by the practice of asceticism, there is no passage to\nthat place. This is the path of the celestials; it is ever impassable by\nmortals. Out of kindness, O hero, do I dissuade thee. Do thou hearken\nunto my words. Thou canst not proceed further from this place. Therefore,\nO lord, do thou desist. O chief of men, to-day in very way thou art\nwelcome to this place. If thou think it proper to accept my words, do\nthou then, O best of men, rest here, partaking of fruits and roots, sweet\nas ambrosia, and do not have thyself destroyed for naught.\"\n\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 wind-god,\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 wind-god (Bhimasena), saying, 'I am a monkey, I\nwill not allow thee the passage thou desirest. Better desist and go back.\nDo 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 canst.'\nBhima replied, \"He is even my brother, excellent with every perfection,\nand endued with intelligence and strength both of mind and body. And he\nis the illustrious chief of monkeys, renowned in the Ramayana. And for\nRama's queen, that king of the monkeys even with one leap crossed the\nocean extending over a hundred yojanas. That mighty one is my brother. I\nam equal unto him in energy, strength and prowess and also in fight. And\nable am I to punish thee. So arise. Either give me passage or witness my\nprowess to-day. If thou do not listen to my bidding, I shall send thee to\nthe 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 and\nprowess, and thought within himself, 'Taking fast hold of the tail, will\nI send this monkey destitute of energy and prowess, to the region of\nYama.' Thereat, with a smile he slightingly took hold of the tail with\nhis left hand; but could not move that tail of the mighty monkey. Then\nwith both arms he pulled it, resembling the pole reared in honour of\nIndra. 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, if\nit be not a secret, O long-armed one, and if I can well hear it. I ask\nthee as a disciple, and I, O sinless one, seek thy refuge.' Thereupon\nHanuman said, 'O represser of foes, even to the extent of thy curiosity\nto know me, shall I relate all at length. Listen, O son of Pandu! O\nlotus-eyed one, I was begotten by the wind-god 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 and\nfire. And for some cause, Sugriva, driven out by his brother, for a long\ntime dwelt with me at the Hrisyamukh. And it came to pass that the mighty\nson of Dasaratha the heroic Rama, who is Vishnu's self in the shape of a\nhuman being, took his birth in this world. And in company with his queen\nand brother, taking his bow, that foremost of bowmen with the view of\ncompassing his father's welfare, began to reside in the Dandaka forest.\nAnd from Janasthana, that mighty Rakshasa monarch, the wicked Ravana,\ncarried away his (Rama's) queen by stratagem and force, deceiving, O\nsinless one, that foremost of men, through the agency of a Rakshasa,\nMaricha, who assumed the form of a deer marked with gem-like and golden\nspots.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXLVII\n\nHanuman said, 'And after his wife was carried away, that descendant of\nRaghu, while searching with his brother for his queen, met, on the summit\nof that mountain, with Sugriva, chief of the monkeys. Then a friendship\nwas contracted between him and the high-souled Raghava. And the latter,\nhaving slain Vali installed Sugriva in the kingdom. And having obtained\nthe kingdom, Sugriva sent forth monkeys by hundreds and by thousands in\nsearch of Sita. And, O best of men, I too with innumerable monkeys set\nout towards the south in quest of Sita, O mighty-armed one. Then a mighty\nvulture Sampati by name, communicated the tidings that Sita was in the\nabode of Ravana. Thereupon with the object of securing success unto Rama,\nI all of a sudden bounded over the main, extending for a hundred yojanas.\nAnd, O chief of the Bharatas, having by my own prowess crossed the ocean,\nthat abode of sharks and crocodiles, I saw in Ravana's residence, the\ndaughter of king Janaka, Sita, like unto the daughter of a celestial. And\nhaving interviewed that lady, Vaidehi, Rama's beloved, and burnt the\nwhole of Lanka with its towers and ramparts and gates, and proclaimed my\nname there, I returned. Hearing everything from me the lotus-eyed Rama at\nonce ascertained his course of action, and having for the passage of his\narmy constructed a bridge across the deep, crossed it followed by myriads\nof monkeys. Then by prowess Rama slew those Rakshasas in battle, and also\nRavana, the oppressor of the worlds together with his Rakshasa followers.\nAnd having slain the king of the Rakshasas, with his brother, and sons\nand kindred, he installed in the kingdom in Lanka the Rakshasa chief,\nVibhishana, pious, and reverent, and kind to devoted dependants. Then\nRama recovered his wife even like the lost Vaidic revelation. Then\nRaghu's son, Rama, with his devoted wife, returned to his own city,\nAyodhya, inaccessible to enemies; and that lord of men began to dwell\nthere. Then that foremost of kings, Rama was established in the kingdom.\nThereafter, I asked a boon of the lotus-eyed Rama, saying, 'O slayer of\nfoes, Rama, may I live as long as the history of thy deeds remaineth\nextant on earth!\" Thereupon he said, 'So be it. O represser of foes, O\nBhima, through 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 view\nthat none might defeat or curse thee, have I obstructed thy passage to\nthis path trod by the immortals. This is one of the paths to heaven, for\nthe celestials; mortals cannot pass this way. But the lake in search of\nwhich thou hast come, lieth even in that direction.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CXLVIII\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thus addressed, the powerful Bhimasena of mighty\narms, affectionately, and with a cheerful heart, bowed unto his brother,\nHanuman, the monkey-chief, and said in mild words, 'None is more\nfortunate than I am; now have I seen my elder brother. It is a great\nfavour shown unto me; and I have been well pleased with thee. Now I wish\nthat thou mayst fulfil this desire of mine. I desire to behold. O hero,\nthat incomparable form of thine, which thou at that time hadst had, in\nbounding over the main, that abode of sharks and crocodiles. Thereby I\nshall be satisfied, and also believe in thy words.' Thus addressed, that\nmighty monkey said with a smile, 'That form of mine neither thou, not any\none else can behold. At that age, the state of things was different, and\ndoth not exist at present. In the Krita age, the state of things was one;\nand in the Treta, another; and in the Dwapara, still another. Diminution\nis going on this age; and I have not that form now. The ground, rivers,\nplants, and rocks, and siddhas, gods, and celestial sages conform to\nTime, in harmony with the state of things in the different yugas.\nTherefore, do not desire to see my former shape, O perpetuator of the\nKuru race. I am conforming to the tendency of the age. Verily, Time is\nirresistible' Bhimasena said, 'Tell me of the duration of the different\nyugas, and of the different manners and customs and of virtue, pleasure\nand profit, and of acts, and energy, and of life and death in the\ndifferent yugas.' Thereupon Hanuman said, 'O child, that yuga is called\nKrita when the one eternal religion was extant. And in that best of\nyugas, every one had religious perfection, and, therefore, there was no\nneed of religious acts. And then virtue knew no deterioration; nor did\npeople decrease. It is for this that this age is called Krita (perfect).\nBut in time the yuga had come to be considered as an inferior one. And, O\nchild, in the Krita age, there were neither gods, nor demons, nor\nGandharvas, nor Yakshas, nor Rakshasas, nor Nagas. And there was no\nbuying and selling. And the Sama, the Rich, and the Yajus did not exist.\nAnd there was no manual labour. And then the necessaries of life were\nobtained only by being thought of. And the only merit was in renouncing\nthe world. And during that yuga, there was neither disease, nor decay of\nthe senses. And there was neither malice, nor pride, nor hypocrisy, nor\ndiscord, nor ill-will, nor cunning, nor fear, nor misery, nor envy, nor\ncovetousness. And for this, that prime refuge of Yogis, even the Supreme\nBrahma, was attainable to all. And Narayana wearing a white hue was the\nsoul of all creatures. And in the Krita Yuga, the distinctive\ncharacteristics of Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas, and Sudras were\nnatural and these ever stuck to their respective duties. And then Brahma\nwas the sole refuge, and their manners and customs were naturally adapted\nto the attainment of Brahma and the objects of their knowledge was the\nsole Brahma, and all their acts also had reference to Brahma. In this way\nall the orders attained merit. And one uniform Soul was the object of\ntheir meditation; and there was only one mantra (the Om), and there was\none ordinance. And although of different characteristics, all of them\nfollowed a single Veda; and they had one religion. And according to the\ndivisions of time, they led the four modes of life, without aiming at any\nobject, and so they 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 to\nthe 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 the\nShastras 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 ensue.\nAnd afflicted with these, people betake themselves to penances. And some\ncelebrate sacrifices, desiring to enjoy the good things of life, or\nattain heaven. On the coming of the Dwapara Yuga, men become degenerate,\nin consequence of impiety. O son of Kunti, in the Kali Yuga a quarter\nonly of virtue abideth. And in the beginning of this iron age, Narayana\nweareth a black hue. And the Vedas and the institutes, and virtue, and\nsacrifices, and religious observances, fall into disuse. And (then) reign\niti[41], and disease, and lassitude, and anger and other deformities, and\nnatural calamities, and anguish, and fear of scarcity. And as the yugas\nwane, virtue dwindles. And as virtue dwindles away, creatures degenerate.\nAnd as creatures degenerate, their natures undergo deterioration. And the\nreligious acts performed at the waning of the yugas, produce contrary\neffects. And even those that live for several yugas, conform to these\nchanges. O represser of foes, as regards thy curiosity to know me, I say\nthis,--Why should a wise person be eager to know a superfluous matter?\n(Thus), O long-armed one, have I narrated in full what thou hadst asked\nme regarding the characteristics of the different yugas. Good happen to\nthee! Do thou return.'\"\n\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 a\nsmile showed him that form of his in which he had bounded over the main.\nAnd wishing to gratify his brother, Hanuman assumed a gigantic body which\n(both) in length and breadth increased exceedingly. And that monkey of\nimmeasurable effulgence stood there, covering the plantain grove\nfurnished with trees, and elevating himself to the height reached by the\nVindhya. And the monkey, having attained his lofty and gigantic body like\nunto a mountain, furnished with coppery eyes, and sharp teeth, and a face\nmarked by frown, lay covering all sides and lashing his long tail. And\nthat son of the Kurus, Bhima, beholding that gigantic form of his\nbrother, wondered, and the hairs of his body repeatedly stood on end. And\nbeholding him like unto the sun in splendour, and unto a golden mountain,\nand also unto the blazing firmament, Bhima closed his eyes. Thereupon\nHanuman addressed Bhima with a smile, saying, 'O sinless one, thou art\ncapable of beholding my size up to this extent. I can, however, go on\nswelling my size as long as I wish. And, O Bhima, amidst foes, my size\nincreaseth 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 highly\npowerful one, decrease thyself by thy own power. Surely I cannot look at\nthee, 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, that\nworst of Rakshasas was no match for me. But if I had slain Ravana--that\nthorn of the worlds--the glory of Raghu's son would have been\nobscured;--and for this it is that I left him alone. By slaying that lord\nof the Rakshasas together with his followers, and bringing back Sita unto\nhis own city, that hero hath established his fame among men. Now, O\nhighly wise one, being intent on the welfare of thy brothers, and\nprotected by the wind-god, do thou go along a fortunate and auspicious\nway. O foremost of the Kurus, this way will lead thee to the Saugandhika\nwood. (Proceeding in this direction), thou wilt behold the gardens of\nKuvera, guarded by Yakshas and Rakshasas. Do thou not pluck the flowers\n(there) personally by thy own force; for the gods deserve regard\nspecially from mortals. O best of the Bharata race, the gods confer their\nfavour (upon men), (being propitiated) by offerings, and homas, and\nreverential salutations, and recitation of mantras, and veneration, O\nBharata. Do thou not, therefore, act with rashness, O child; and do thou\nnot deviate from the duties of thy order. Sticking to the duties of thy\norder, do thou understand and follow the highest morality. Without\nknowing duties and serving the old, even persons like unto Vrihaspati\ncannot understand profit and religion. One should ascertain with\ndiscrimination those cases in which vice goeth under the name of virtue,\nand virtue goeth under the name of vice,--(cases) in which people\ndestitute of intelligence become perplexed. From religious observances\nproceedeth merit; and in merit are established the Vedas; and from the\nVedas sacrifices come into existence; and by sacrifices are established\nthe gods. The gods are maintained by the (celebration of) sacrifices\nprescribed by the Vedas and the religious ordinances; while men maintain\nthemselves by (following) the ordinances of Vrihaspati and Usanas and\nalso by these avocations, by which the world is maintained,--serving for\nwages, (receiving) taxes, merchandise, agriculture and tending kine and\nsheep. The world subsisteth by profession. The (study of the) three Vedas\nand agriculture and trade and government constitutes, it is ordained by\nthe wise, the professions of the twice born ones; and each order\nmaintaineth itself by following the profession prescribed for it. And\nwhen these callings are properly pursued, the world is maintained with\nease. If, however, people do not righteously lead their lives, the world\nbecometh lawless, in consequence of the want of Vedic merit and\ngovernment. And if people do not resort to (their) prescribed vocations,\nthey perish, but by regularly following the three professions, they bring\nabout religion. The religion of the Brahmanas consisteth in the knowledge\nof the soul and the hue of that order alone is universally the same. The\ncelebration of sacrifices, and study and bestowal of gifts are well-known\nto be the three duties common (to all these orders). Officiating at\nsacrifices, teaching and the acceptance of gifts are the duties of a\nBrahmana. To rule (the subjects) is the duty of the Kshatriya; and to\ntend (cattle), that of the Vaisya, while to serve the twice-born orders\nis said to be the duty of the Sudra. The Sudras cannot beg alms, or\nperform homas, or observe vows; and they must dwell in the habitation of\ntheir masters. Thy vocation, O son of Kunti, is that of the Kshatriya,\nwhich is to protect (the subjects). Do thou carry out thy own duties, in\nan humble spirit, restraining thy senses. That king alone can govern, who\ntaketh counsel of experienced men, and is helped by honest, intelligent\nand learned ministers; but a king who is addicted to vices, meeteth with\ndefeat. Then 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 and\nthe allied force of the enemy and their prosperity and decay and the way\nin which they retain the adhesion of the powers they have drawn to their\nside. Spies are among the important auxiliaries of the king; and tact,\ndiplomacy, prowess, chastisement, favour and cleverness lead to success.\nAnd success is to be attained through these, either in separation, or\ncombined--namely, conciliation, gift, sowing dissensions, chastisement,\nand sight. And, O chief of the Bharatas, polity hath for its root\ndiplomacy; and diplomacy also is the main qualification of spies. And\npolity, if well judged conferreth success. Therefore, in matters of\npolity the counsels of Brahmanas should be resorted to. And in secret\naffairs, these should not be consulted,--namely, a woman, a sot, a boy, a\ncovetous person a mean-minded individual, and he that betrayeth signs of\ninsanity. Wise men only should be consulted, and affairs are to be\ndespatched through officers that are able. And polity must be executed\nthrough persons that are friendly; but dunces should in all affairs be\nexcluded. In matters religious, pious men; and in matters of gain, wise\nmen; and in guarding families, eunuchs; and in all crooked affairs,\ncrooked men, must be employed. And the propriety or impropriety of the\nresolution of the enemy, as also their strength or weakness, must be\nascertained through one's own as well as hostile spies. Favour should be\nshown to honest persons that have prudently sought protection; but\nlawless and disobedient individuals should be punished. And when the king\njustly 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 observe\nthese as prescribed for thy order. The Brahmanas attain heaven through\nmerit, mortification of the senses, and sacrifice. The Vaisyas attain\nexcellent state through gifts, hospitality, and religious acts. The\nKshatriyas attain the celestial regions by protecting and chastising the\nsubjects, uninfluenced by lust, malice, avarice and anger. If kings\njustly punish (their subjects), they go to the place whither repair\nmeritorious persons.'\n\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 O\nBharata, 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 none\nequal to him in physical power. And with tears in his eyes, the monkey\nfrom affection again addressed Bhima in choked utterance, saying, 'O\nhero, repair to thy own abode. May I be incidentally remembered by thee\nin thy talk! O best of Kurus, do not tell any one that I abide here. O\nthou of great strength, the most excellent of the wives of the gods and\nGandharvas resort to this place, and the time of their arrival is nigh.\nMy eyes have been blessed (by seeing thee). And, O Bhima, having felt a\nhuman being by coming in contact with thee, I have been put in mind of\nthat son of Raghu, who was Vishnu himself under the name of Rama, and who\ndelighted the heart of the world; and who was as the sun in regard to the\nlotus face of Sita, and also to that darkness--Ravana. Therefore, O\nheroic son of Kunti, let not thy meeting with me be fruitless. Do thou\nwith fraternal feeling ask of me a boon, O Bharata. If this be thy wish,\nthat going to Varanavata, I may destroy the insignificant sons of\nDhritarashtra--even this will I immediately do. Or if this be thy wish\nthat, that city may be ground by me with rocks, or that I may bind\nDuryodhana and bring him before thee, even this will I do to-day, O thou\nof 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 have\nfound 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 one,\nO hero, when thou shall give leonine roars, then shall I with my own, add\nforce to shouts. Remaining on the flagstaff of Arjuna's car will I emit\nfierce shouts that will damp the energy of thy foes. Thereby ye will slay\nthem easily.' Having said this unto Pandu's son, and also pointed him out\nthe way. Hanuman vanished at that spot.\"\n\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 unrivalled\non earth, and also of the greatness and dignity of Dasaratha's son. And\nproceeding in search of the place filled with lotuses of that kind, Bhima\nbeheld romantic woods, and groves, and rivers, and lakes graced with\ntrees bearing blossoms, and flowery woodlands variegated with various\nflowers. And, O Bharata, he beheld herds of mad elephants besmeared with\nmud, resembling masses of pouring clouds. And that graceful one went on\nwith speed, beholding by the wayside woods wherein there stood with their\nmates deer of quick glances, holding the grass in their mouths. And\nfearless from prowess, Bhimasena, as if invited by the breeze-shaken\ntrees of the forest ever fragrant with flowers, bearing delicate coppery\ntwigs, plunged into the mountainous regions inhabited by buffaloes, bears\nand leopards. And on the way, he passed by lotus-lakes haunted by\nmaddened black-bees, having romantic descents and woods, and on account\nof the presence of lotus-buds, appearing as if they had joined their\nhands (before Bhima). And having for his provisions on the journey the\nwords of Draupadi, Bhima went on with speed, his mind and sight fixed on\nthe blooming slopes of the mountain. And when the sun passed the\nmeridian, he saw in the forest scattered over with deer, a mighty river\nfilled with fresh golden lotuses. And being crowded with swans and\nKarandavas, and graced with Chakravakas, the river looked like a garland\nof fresh lotuses put on by the mountain. And in that river that one of\ngreat strength found the extensive assemblage of Saugandhika lotuses,\neffulgent as the rising sun, and delightful to behold. And beholding it,\nPandu's son thought within himself that his object had been gained, and\nalso mentally presented himself before his beloved worn out by exile.\"\n\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 of\nromantic sight. In that lake the son of Kunti saw, the water of ambrosial\ntaste and cool and light and clear and fresh; and the Pandava drank of it\nprofusely. And that unearthly receptacle of waters was covered with\ncelestial Saugandhika lotuses, and was also spread over with beautiful\nvariegated golden lotuses of excellent fragrance having graceful stalks\nof lapis lazulis. And swayed by swans and Karandavas, these lotuses were\nscattering fresh farina. And this lake was the sporting region of the\nhigh-souled Kuvera, the king of the Yakshas. And it was held in high\nregard by the Gandharvas the Apsaras and the celestials. And it was\nfrequented by the celestial sages and the Yakshas and the Kimpurushas and\nthe Rakshasas and the Kinnaras; and it was well-protected by Kuvera. And\nas soon as he beheld that river and that unearthly lake, Kunti's son,\nBhimasena of mighty strength became exceedingly delighted. And agreeably\nto the mandate of their king, hundreds and thousands of Rakshasas, named\nKrodhavasas, were guarding that lake, wearing uniforms and armed with\nvarious weapons. And as that repressor of foes, Kunti's son, the heroic\nBhima of dreadful prowess, clad in deer-skins and wearing golden armlets\nand equipped with weapons and girding his sword on, was fearlessly\nproceeding, with the view of gathering the lotus, those (Rakshasas) saw\nhim and immediately began to address each other, shouting forth, 'It\nbehoveth you to enquire for the errand on which this foremost of men,\nclad in deer skins, and equipped with arms, hath come.' Then they all\napproached the effulgent Vrikodara of mighty arms and asked, 'Who art\nthou? Thou shouldst answer our questions. We see thee in the guise of an\nascetic and yet armed with weapons. O thou of mighty intelligence, do\nthou unfold unto us the object with which thou hast come (hither).\"\n\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, this\nspot is dear unto Kuvera, and it is his sporting region. Men subject to\ndeath cannot sport here. O Vrikodara. the celestial sages, and the gods\ntaking the permission of the chief of the Yakshas, drink of this lake,\nand sport herein. And, O Pandava, the Gandharvas and the Apsaras also\ndivert themselves in this lake. That wicked person who, disregarding the\nlord of treasures, unlawfully attempteth to sport here, without doubt,\nmeeteth with destruction. Disregarding him, thou seekest to take away the\nlotuses from this place by main force. Why then dost thou say that thou\nart the brother of Yudhishthira the just? First, taking the permission of\nthe lord of Yakshas, do thou drink of this lake and take away the\nflowers. If thou dost not do this, thou shall not be able even to glance\nat a single lotus Bhimasena said, 'Ye Rakshasas, I do not see the lord of\nwealth here And even if I did see that mighty king, I would not beseech\nhim Kshatriyas never beseech (any body). This is the eternal morality;\nand I by no means wish to forsake the Kshatriya morality. And, further\nthis lotus-lake hath sprung from the cascades of the mountain; it hath\nnot been excavated in the mansion of Kuvera. Therefore it belongeth\nequally to all creatures with Vaisravana. In regard to a thing of such a\nnature, who goeth to beseech another?\"\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Having said this unto the Rakshasas, the mighty-armed\nand exceedingly unforbearing Bhimasena of great strength plunged into the\nlotus-lake. Thereat that powerful one was forbidden by the Rakshasas,\nsaying, 'Do not do this;' and they from all sides began to abuse him in\nanger. But slighting these Rakshasas, that mighty one of dreadful prowess\nplunged (farther and farther). Now they all prepared for opposing him.\nAnd with eyes rolling, they upraised their arms, and rushed in wrath at\nBhimasena, exclaiming, 'Seize him!' 'Bind him! Hew him! We shall cook\nBhimasena, and eat him up!' Thereupon that one of great force, taking his\nponderous and mighty mace inlaid with golden plates, like unto the mace\nof Yama himself, turned towards those, and then said, 'Stay!' At this,\nthey darted at him with vehemence, brandishing lances, and axes, and\nother weapons. And wishing to destroy Bhima, the dreadful and fierce\nKrodhavasas surrounded Bhima on all sides. But that one, being endued\nwith strength, had been begotten by Vayu in the womb of Kunti; and he was\nheroic and energetic, and the slayer of foes, and ever devoted to virtue\nand truth, and incapable of being vanquished by enemies through prowess.\nAccordingly this high-souled Bhima defeating all the manoeuveres of the\nfoes, and breaking their arms, killed on the banks of the lake more than\na hundred, commencing with the foremost. And then witnessing his prowess\nand strength, and the force of his skill, and also the might of his arms;\nand unable to bear (the onset), those prime heroes all of a sudden fled\non 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 of\ngaining his purpose. And as he drank of the waters, like unto nectar, his\nenergy and strength were again fully restored; and he fell to plucking\nand gathering Saugandhika lotuses of excellent fragrance. On the other\nhand, the Krodhavasas, being driven by the might of Bhima and exceedingly\nterrified, presented themselves before the lord of wealth, and gave an\nexact account of Bhima's prowess and strength in fight. Hearing their\nwords, the god (Kuvera) smiled and then said, 'Let Bhima take for Krishna\nas many lotuses as he likes. This is already known to me.' Thereupon\ntaking the permission of the lord of wealth, those (Rakshasas) renouncing\nanger, went to that foremost of the Kurus, and in that lotus-lake beheld\nBhima alone, disporting in delight.\"\n\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 touch,\nand blowing about gravels, arose, portending battle. And frightful\nmeteors began to shoot, with thundering sounds. And being enveloped by\ndarkness, the sun became pale, his rays being obscured. And on Bhima\ndisplaying his prowess, dreadful sounds of explosion rang through the\nsky. And the earth began to tremble, and dust fell in showers. And the\npoints of the heavens became reddened. And beasts and birds began to cry\nin shrill tones. And every thing became enveloped in darkness; and\nnothing could be distinguished. And other evil omens besides these\nappeared there. Witnessing these strange phenomena, Dharma's son\nYudhishthira, the foremost of speakers, said, 'Who is it that will\novercome us? Ye Pandavas who take delight in battle, good betide you! Do\nye equip yourselves. From what I see, I infer that the time for the\ndisplay of our prowess hath drawn nigh'. Having said this, the king\nlooked around. Then not finding Bhima, that represser of foes, Dharma's\nson, Yudhishthira, enquired of Krishna and the twins standing near\nregarding 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 around,\nindicating a fearful battle.' When Yudhishthira said this, his beloved\nqueen, the high-minded Krishna of sweet smiles, answered him, in order to\nremove his anxiety. 'O king, that Saugandhika lotus which to-day had been\nbrought by the wind. I had out of love duly shown unto Bhimasena; and I\nhad also said unto that hero, If thou canst find many of this species,\nprocuring even all of them, do thou return speedily,--O Pandava, that\nmighty armed one, with the view of gratifying my desire, may have gone\ntowards the north-east to bring them.' Having heard these words of hers,\nthe king said unto twins, 'Let us together follow the path taken by\nVrikodara. Let the Rakshasas carry those Brahmanas that are fatigued and\nweak. O Ghatotkacha, O thou like unto a celestial, do thou carry Krishna.\nI am convinced and it is plain that Bhima hath dived into the forest; for\nit is long since he hath gone, and in speed he resembleth the wind, and\nin clearing over the ground, he is swift like unto Vinata's son, and he\nwill ever leap into the sky, and alight at his will. O Rakshasas, we\nshall follow him through your prowess. He will not at first do any wrong\nto the Siddhas versed in the Vedas. O best of the Bharatas, saying, 'So\nbe it,' Hidimava's son and the other Rakshasas who knew the quarter where\nthe lotus lake of Kuvera was situated, started cheerfully with Lomasa,\nbearing the Pandavas, and many of the Brahmanas. Having shortly reached\nthat spot, they saw that romantic lake covered with Saugandhika and other\nlotuses and surrounded by beautiful woods. And on its shores they beheld\nthe high-souled and vehement Bhima, as also the slaughtered Yakshas of\nlarge eyes, with their bodies, eyes, arms and thighs smashed, and their\nheads crushed. And on seeing the high-souled Bhima, standing on the shore\nof that lake in an angry mood, and with steadfast eyes, and biting his\nlip, and stationed on the shore of the lake with his mace upraised by his\ntwo hands, like unto Yama with his mace in his hand at the time of the\nuniversal dissolution. Yudhishthira the just, embraced him again and\nagain, and said in sweet words, 'O Kaunteya, what hast thou done? Good\nbetide thee! If thou wishest to do good unto me, thou shouldst never\nagain commit such a rash act, nor offend the gods.' Having thus\ninstructed the son of Kunti, and taken the flowers those god-like ones\nbegan to sport in that very lake. At this instant, the huge-bodied\nwarders of the gardens, equipped with rocks for weapons, presented\nthemselves at the spot. And seeing Yudhishthira the just and the great\nsage Lomasa and Nakula and Sahadeva and also the other foremost of\nBrahmanas, they all bowed themselves down in humility. And being pacified\nby Yudhishthira the just, the Rakshasas became satisfied. And with the\nknowledge of Kuvera, those foremost of Kurus for a short time dwelt\npleasantly at that spot on the slopes of the Gandhamadana, expecting\nArjuna.\"\n\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\ntirthas, and woods, delightful to beheld, which had ere this been visited\nby 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 of\nBrahmanas, we have one by one carefully seen all celebrated and sacred\nspots in company with the high-souled Lomasa. Now, O Bhima, how shall we\nrepair to the sacred abode of Vaisravana, inhabited by the Siddhas? Do\nthou 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 Siddhas\nand the Charanas. Having passed that, O Partha, thou wilt proceed to the\nhermitage of Arshtisena, and from thence thou wilt behold the abode of\nKuvera.' Just at that moment the breeze became fresh, and gladsome and\ncool and redolent of unearthly fragrance; and it showered blossoms, And\non hearing the celestial voice from the sky, they all were amazed,--more\nspecially those earthly rishis and the Brahmanas. On hearing this mighty\nmarvel, the Brahmana Dhaumya, said, 'This should not be gainsaid. O\nBharata, let this be so.' Thereupon, king Yudhishthira obeyed him. And\nhaving returned to the hermitage of Nara and Narayana, he began to dwell\npleasantly, surrounded by Bhimasena and his other brothers, Panchali the\nBrahmanas.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLVI\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thus dwelling with the Brahmanas in that best of\nmountains, in expectation of Arjuna's return, when the Pandavas had grown\nconfident and when all those Rakshasas together with Bhima's son had\ndeparted, one day while Bhimasena was away, a Rakshasa all of a sudden\ncarried 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 been\nsupporting him, but knew not that wretch like unto a fire covered with\nashes.\n\n\"And once on a day while that represser of foes, Bhimasena, was out a\nhunting, he (the Rakshasa), seeing Ghatotkacha and his followers scatter\nin different directions and seeing those vow-observing great rishis, of\nascetic 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 pitris,\nthe Siddhas, the rishis, the Gandharvas, the brutes and even the worms\nand ants depend for their lives on men; and thou too liveth through that\nagency. If prosperity attendeth the human race, thy race also prospereth;\nand if calamities befall the former, even the celestials suffer grief.\nBeing gratified by offerings, do the gods thrive. O Rakshasa, we are the\nguardians, governors and preceptors of kingdoms. If kingdoms become\nunprotected, whence can proceed prosperity and happiness? Unless there be\noffence, a Rakshasa should not violate a king. O man-eating one, we have\ncommitted no wrong, ever so little. Living on vighasa, we serve the gods\nand others to the best of our power. And we are never intent upon bowing\ndown to our superiors and Brahmanas. A friend, and one confiding, and he\nwhose food hath been partaken of, and he that hath afforded shelter,\nshould never be injured. Thou hast lived in our place happily, being duly\nhonoured. And, O evil-minded one, having partaken of our food, how canst\nthou carry us off? And as thy acts are so improper and as thou hast grown\nin age without deriving any benefit and as thy propensities are evil, so\nthou deservest to die for nothing, and for nothing wilt thou die to-day.\nAnd if 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 female\nof the human race, thou hast drunk poison, after having shaken the\nvessel.' Thereupon, Yudhishthira made himself ponderous to the Rakshasa.\nAnd being oppressed with the weight, he could not proceed rapidly as\nbefore. Then addressing Draupadi, Nakula and Sahadeva, Yudhishthira said,\n'Do ye not entertain any fear of this wretched Rakshasa, I have checked\nhis speed. The mighty-armed son of the Wind-god may not be far away; and\non Bhima coming up at the next moment, the Rakshasa will not live.' O\nking, staring at the Rakshasa bereft of sense, Sahadeva addressed\nYudhishthira, the son of Kunti, saying, 'What can be more meritorious for\na Kshatriya than to fall in fight, or defeat a foe? O repressor of foes,\nwe will fight and either this one will slay us, or we shall slay him, O\nmighty-armed one. Verily this is the place and time. O king. And, O thou\nof unfailing prowess, the time hath come for the display of our Kshatriya\nvirtue. It behoveth us to attain heaven either by gaining victory or\nbeing slain. If the sun sets to-day, the Rakshasa living yet, O Bharata,\nI will not any more say that I am a Kshatriya. Ho! Ho! Rakshasa. say! I\nam Pandu's son, Sahadeva. Either, after having killed me, carry off this\nlady, or being slain, lie senseless 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; I\nhad been delaying for thee. To day will I offer oblations of thy blood to\nthose Rakshasas who, I had heard, have been slain by thee in fight' Thus\naddressed, Bhima, as if bursting with wrath, like unto Yama himself at\nthe 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 the\nwielder of the thunderbolt, repeatedly gaping and licking the corners of\nhis mouth. And when a dreadful wrestling ensued between those two, both\nthe sons of Madri, waxing exceeding wroth rushed forward; but Kunti's\nson, Vrikodara, forbade them with a smile and said, 'Witness ye! I am\nmore than a match for this Rakshasa. By my own self and by my brothers,\nand by my merit, and by my good deeds, and by my sacrifices, do I swear\nthat I shall slay this Rakshasa.' And after this was said, those two\nheroes, the Rakshasa and Vrikodara challenging each other, caught each\nother by the arms. And they not forgiving each other, then there ensued a\nconflict between the infuriated Bhima and the Rakshasa, like unto that\nbetween a god and a demon. And repeatedly uprooting trees, those two of\nmighty strength struck each other, shouting and roaring like two masses\nof clouds. And those foremost of athletes, each wishing to kill the\nother, and rushing at the other with vehemence, broke down many a\ngigantic tree by their thighs. Thus that encounter with trees,\ndestructive of plants, went on like unto that between the two brothers\nVali and Sugriva--desirous of the possession of a single woman.\nBrandishing 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 blow\non the neck of the Rakshasa. And when struck by that fist of Bhima, the\nRakshasa became faint, Bhimasena stood, catching hold of that exhausted\none. And then the god-like mighty-armed Bhima lifted him with his two\narms, and dashing him with force on the ground, the son of Pandu smashed\nall his limbs. And striking him with his elbow, he severed from his body\nthe head with bitten lips and rolling eyes, like unto a fruit from its\nstem. And Jatasura's head being severed by Bhimasena's might, he fell\nbesmeared with gore, and having bitten lips. Having slain Jatasura, Bhima\npresented himself before Yudhishthira, and the foremost Brahmanas began\nto eulogise him (Bhima) even as the Marutas (eulogise) Vasava.\"\n\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 ranging\nthe woods. It hath been appointed by Vibhatsu that about the fifth year\nhe will come to that monarch of mountains, the excellent cliff Sweta,\never graced with festivities held by blooming plants and maddened Kokilas\nand black bees, and peacocks, and chatakas and inhabited by tigers, and\nboars and buffaloes, and gavayas, and deer, and ferocious beasts; and\nsacred; and lovely with blown lotuses of a hundred and a thousand petals,\nand blooming lilies and blue lilies and frequented by the celestials and\nthe Asuras. And we also, eagerly anxious of meeting him on his arrival\nhave made up our minds to repair thither. Partha of unrivalled prowess\nhath appointed with me, saying, 'I shall remain abroad for five years,\nwith the object of learning military science.' In the place like unto the\nregion of the gods, shall we behold the wielder of Gandiva, arrive after\nhaving obtained the weapons.' Having said this, the Pandava summoned the\nBrahmanas, and the sons of Pritha having gone round the ascetics of rigid\nausterities and thereby pleased them, informed them of the matter\nmentioned above. Thereupon the Brahmanas gave their assent, saying, 'This\nshall be attended by prosperity and welfare. O foremost of the Bharatas,\nthese troubles shall result in happiness. O pious one, gaining the earth\nby the Kshatriya virtue, thou shall govern it.' Then in obedience to\nthese words of the ascetics, that represser of foes, Yudhishthira, set\nout with his brothers and those Brahmanas, followed by the Rakshasa and\nprotected by Lomasa. And that one of mighty energy, and of staunch vows,\nwith his brothers, at places went on foot and at others were carried by\nthe Rakshasas. Then king Yudhishthira, apprehending many troubles,\nproceeded towards the north abounding in lions and tigers and elephants.\nAnd beholding 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 sons.\nAnd those repressers of foes passed there seven nights, duly regarded.\nAnd when the eighth day came, taking the permission of that sage\ncelebrated over the worlds, they prepared to start on their journey. And\nhaving one by one introduced unto Vrishaparva those Brahmanas, who, duly\nhonoured, remained in his charge as friends; and having also entrusted\nthe highsouled Vrishaparva with their remaining robes, the sons of Pandu,\nO king, left in the hermitage of Vrishaparva their sacrificial vessels\ntogether with their ornaments and jewels. And wise and pious and versed\nin every duty and having a knowledge of the past as well as the future,\nthat one gave instructions unto those best of the Bharatas, as unto his\nown sons. Then taking his permission those high-souled ones set out\ntowards the north. And as they set out the magnanimous Vrishaparva\nfollowed them to a certain distance. Then having entrusted the Pandavas\nunto the care of the Brahmanas and instructed and blessed them and given\ndirections concerning their course, Vrishaparva of mighty energy retraced\nhis 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, densely\novergrown with trees, Pandu's son on the fourth day reached the Sweta\nmountain, like unto a mighty mass of clouds, abounding in streams and\nconsisting of a mass of gold and gems. And taking the way directed by\nVrishaparva, 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 in\na body and none grew tired. And those highly fortunate ones arrived at\nthe 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. And\nthe 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 the\nweight of fruits in all seasons, and ever bright with flowers--such as\nmangoes and hog-plums and bhavyas and pomegranates, citrons and jacks and\nlakuchas and plantains and aquatic reeds and parvatas and champakas and\nlovely kadamvas and vilwas, wood-apples and rose-apples and kasmaris and\njujbes and figs and glomerous figs and banians and aswatthas and khirikas\nand bhall atakas and amalkas and bibhitakas and ingudas and karamardas\nand tindukas of large fruits--these and many others on the slopes of the\nGandhamadana, clustered with sweet and nectarine fruits. And besides\nthese, they beheld champakas and asokas and ketakas and vakulas and\npunnagas and saptaparnas and karnikaras, and patals, and beautiful\nkutajas and mandaras, and lotuses, and parijatas, and kovidaras and\ndevadarus, and salas, and palmyra palms, and tamalas, and pippalas, and\nsalmalis and kinsukas, and singsapas, and saralas and these were\ninhabited by Chakoras, and wood-peckers and chatakas, and various other\nbirds, singing in sweet tones pleasing to the ear. And they saw lakes\nbeautiful on all sides with aquatic birds, and covered all around with\nkumudas, and pundarikas, and kokanadas, and utpalas, and kalharas, and\nkamalas and thronged on all sides with drakes and ruddy geese, and\nospreys, and gulls and karandavas, and plavas, and swans, and cranes, and\nshags, and other aquatic birds. And those foremost of men saw those\nlotus-lakes beautified with assemblages of lotuses, and ringing with the\nsweet hum of bees, glad, and drowsy on account of having drunk the\nintoxicating honey of lotuses, and reddened with the farina falling from\nthe lotuscups. And in the groves they beheld with their hens peacocks\nmaddened with desire caused by the notes of cloud-trumpets; and those\nwoods-loving glad peacocks drowsy with desire, were dancing, spreading in\ndalliance their gorgeous tails, and were crying in melodious notes. And\nsome of the peacocks were sporting with their mates on kutaja trees\ncovered with creepers. And some sat on the boughs of the kutajas,\nspreading their gorgeous tails, and looking like crowns worn by the\ntrees. And in the glades they beheld the graceful sindhuvaras like unto\nthe darts of Cupid. And on the summits of the mountain, they saw blooming\nkarnikaras bearing blossoms of a golden hue, appearing like ear-rings of\nexcellent make. And in the forest they saw blossoming kuruvakas, like\nunto the shafts of Cupid, which smiteth one with desire and maketh him\nuneasy. And they saw tilakas appearing like unto beauty-spots painted on\nthe forehead of the forest. And they saw mango trees graced with blossoms\nhummed over by black bees, and serving the purpose of Cupid's shafts. And\non the slopes of the mountain there were diverse blossoming trees,\nlooking lovely, some bearing flowers of a golden hue, and some, of the\nhue of the forest-conflagration, and some, red and some sable, and some\ngreen like unto lapises. And besides these, there were ranges of salas\nand tamalas and patalas and vakula trees, like unto garlands put on by\nthe summits of mountain. Thus gradually beholding on the slopes of the\nmountain many lakes, looking transparent like crystal, and having swans\nof white plumage and resounding with cries of cranes, and filled with\nlotuses and lilies, and furnished with waters of delicious feel; and also\nbeholding fragrant flowers, and luscious fruits, and romantic lakes, and\ncaptivating trees, the Pandavas penetrated into the forest with eyes\nexpanded with wonder. And (as they proceeded) they were fanned by the\nbreeze of balmy feel, and perfumed by kamalas and utpalas and kalharas\nand pundarikas. Then Yudhishthira pleasantly spake unto Bhima saying,\n'Ah! O Bhima, beautiful is this forest of the Gandhamadana. In this\nromantic forest there are various heavenly blossoming wild trees and\ncreepers, bedecked with foliage and fruit, nor are there any trees that\ndo not flower. On these slopes of the Gandhamadana, all the trees are of\nsleek foliage and fruit. And behold how these lotus-lakes with fullblown\nlotuses, and ringing with the hum of black bees, are being agitated by\nelephants with their mates. Behold another lotus-lake girt with lines of\nlotuses, like unto a second Sree in an embodied form wearing garlands.\nAnd in this excellent forest there are beautiful ranges of woods, rich\nwith the aroma of various blossoms, and hummed over by the black bees.\nAnd, O Bhima, behold on all sides the excellent sporting ground of the\ncelestials. By coming here, we have attained extra-human state, and been\nblessed. O Partha, on these slopes of the Gandhamadana, yon beautiful\nblossoming trees, being embraced by creepers with blossoms at their tops,\nlook lovely. And, O Bhima, hark unto the notes of the peacocks crying\nwith their hens on the mountain slopes. And birds such as chakoras, and\nsatapatras, and maddened kokilas, and parrots, are alighting on these\nexcellent flowering trees. And sitting on the twigs, myriads of\njivajivakas of scarlet, yellow and red hues, are looking at one another.\nAnd the cranes are seen near the spots covered with green and reddish\ngrass, and also by the side of the cascades. And those birds,\nbhringarajas, and upachakras, and herons are pouring forth their notes\ncharming to all creatures. And, lo! with their mates, these elephants\nfurnished with four tusks, and white as lotuses, are agitating that large\nlake of the hue of lapises. And from many cascades, torrents high as\nseveral palmyra palms (placed one upon another) are rushing down from the\ncliffs. And many argent minerals splendid, and of the effulgence of the\nsun, and like unto autumnal clouds, are beautifying this mighty mountain.\nAnd in some places there are minerals of the hue of the collyrium, and in\nsome those like unto gold, in some, yellow orpiment and in some,\nvermilion, and in some, caves of red arsenic like unto the evening clouds\nand in some, red chalk of the hue of the rabit, and in some, minerals\nlike unto white and sable clouds; and in some, those effulgent as the\nrising sun, these minerals of great lustre beautify the mountain. O\nPartha, as was said by Vrishaparva, the Gandharvas and the Kimpurushas,\nin company with their loves, are visible on the summits of the mountain.\nAnd, O Bhima, there are heard various songs of appropriate measures, and\nalso Vedic hymns, charming to all creatures. Do thou behold the sacred\nand graceful celestial river Mahaganga, with swans, resorted to by sages\nand Kinnaras. And, O represser of foes, see this mountain having\nminerals, rivulets, and beautiful woods and beasts, and snakes of diverse\nshapes and 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 of\nthe 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\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 thy\ninclination upon untruth? And art thou intent upon virtue? And. O Partha,\nhath not thy attention to thy father and thy mother diminished? Are all\nthy superiors, and the aged, and those versed in the Vedas, honoured by\nthee? And O Pritha's son, dost thou not turn thy inclination unto sinful\nacts? And dost thou, O best of the Kurus, properly know how to perform\nmeritorious acts, and to eschew wicked deeds? Dost thou not exalt\nthyself? And are pious men gratified, being honoured by thee? And even\ndwelling in the woods, dost thou follow virtue alone? And, O Partha, doth\nnot Dhaumya grieve at thy conduct? Dost thou follow the customs of thy\nancestors, by charity, and religious observances, and asceticism, and\npurity, and candour, and forgiveness? And dost thou go along the way\ntaken by the royal sages? On the birth of a son in their (respective)\nlines, the Pitris in their regions, both laugh and grieve, thinking--Will\nthe sinful acts of this son of ours harm us, or will meritorious deeds\nconduce to our welfare? He conquereth both the worlds that payeth homage\nunto his father, and mother, and preceptor, and Agni, and fifthly, the\nsoul.' Yudhishthira said, 'O worshipful one, those duties have been\nmentioned by thee as excellent. To the best of my power I duly and\nproperly discharge them.'\n\nArshtishena 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 ill-will\nto, and the Rakshasas chastise, that man who committeth aggression, be it\never so little. Beyond the summit of this Kailasa cliff, is seen the path\nof the celestial sages. If any one through impudence goeth beyond this,\nthe Rakshasas slay him with iron darts and other weapons. There, O child,\nduring the Parvas, he that goeth about on the shoulders of men, even\nVaisravana is seen in pomp and grandeur surrounded by the Apsaras. And\nwhen that lord of all the Rakshasas is seated on the summit, all\ncreatures behold him like unto the sun arisen, O best of Bharatas, that\nsummit is the sporting-garden of the celestials, and the Danavas, and the\nSiddhas, and Vaisravana. And during the Parvas, as Tumburu entertaineth\nthe Lord of treasures, the sweet notes of his song are heard all over the\nGandhamadana. O child, O Yudhishthira, here during the Parvas, all\ncreatures see and hear marvels like this. O Pandavas, till ye meet with\nArjuna, do ye stay here, partaking of luscious fruits, and the food of\nthe Munis. O child as thou hast come hither, do thou not betray any\nimpertinence. And, O child, after living here at thy will and diverting\nthyself as thou listest, thou wilt at length rule the earth, having\nconquered it by the force of thy arms.'\"\n\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 eaten\nby the Munis, and luscious fruit, and the flesh of deer killed with\nunpoisoned shafts and various kinds of pure honey. Living thus, they\npassed the fifth year, hearing to various stories told by Lomasa. O lord,\nsaying, 'I shall be present when occasion ariseth,' Ghatotkacha, together\nwith all the Rakshasas, had ere this already gone away. Those magnanimous\nones passed many months in the hermitage of Arshtishena, witnessing many\nmarvels. And as the Pandavas were sporting there pleasantly, there came\nto see them some complacent vow-observing Munis and Charanas of high\nfortune, and pure souls. And those foremost of the Bharata race conversed\nwith them on earthly topics. And it came to pass that when several days\nhas passed, Suparna all of a sudden carried off an exceedingly powerful\nand mighty Naga, living in the large lake. And thereupon that mighty\nmountain began to tremble, and the gigantic trees, break. And all the\ncreatures and the Pandavas witnessed the wonder. Then from the brow of\nthat excellent mountain, the wind brought before the Pandavas various\nfragrant and fair blossoms. And the Pandavas, and the illustrious\nKrishna, together with their friends, saw those unearthly blossoms of\nfive hues. And as the mighty-armed Bhimasena was seated at ease upon the\nmountain, Krishna addressed him, saying, 'O best of the Bharata race, in\nthe presence of all the creatures, these flowers of five hues, carried by\nthe force of the wind raised by Suparna, are falling in amain on the\nriver Aswaratha. In Khandava thy high-souled brother, firm in promise,\nhad baffled Gandharvas and Nagas and Vasava himself, and slain fierce\nRakshasas, and also obtained the bow Gandiva. Thou also art of exceeding\nprowess and the might of thy arms is great, and irrepressible, and\nunbearable like unto the might of Sakra. O Bhimasena, terrified with the\nforce of thy arms, let all the Rakshasas betake themselves to the ten\ncardinal points, leaving the mountain. Then will thy friends be freed\nfrom fear and affliction, and behold the auspicious summit of this\nexcellent mountain furnished with variegated flowers. O Bhima, I have for\nlong cherished this thought in my mind,--that protected by the might of\nthy arms, I shall see that summit.'\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 generous,\nand having the splendour of gold, and intelligent, and strong, and proud,\nand sensitive, and heroic, and having red eyes, and broad shoulders, and\ngifted with the strength of mad elephants, and having leonine teeth and a\nbroad neck, and tall like a young sala tree, and highsouled, and graceful\nin every limb, and of neck having the whorls of a shell and mighty-armed,\ntook up his bow plaited at the back with gold, and also his sword. And\nhaughty like unto a lion, and resembling a maddened elephant, that strong\none rushed towards that cliff, free from fear or affliction. And all the\ncreatures saw him equipped with bows and arrows, approaching like a lion\nor a maddened elephant. And free from fear or affliction, the Pandava\ntaking his mace, proceeded to that monarch of mountains causing the\ndelight of Draupadi. And neither exhaustion, nor fatigue, nor lassitude,\nnor the malice (of others), affected that son of Pritha and the Wind-god.\nAnd having arrived at a rugged path affording passage to one individual\nonly, that one of great strength ascended that terrible summit high as\nseveral palmyra palms (placed one upon another). And having ascended that\nsummit, and thereby gladdened Kinnaras, and great Nagas, and Munis, and\nGandharvas, and Rakshasas, that foremost of the Bharata line, gifted with\nexceeding strength described the abode of Vaisravana, adorned with golden\ncrystal palaces surrounded on all sides by golden walls having the\nsplendour of all gems, furnished with gardens all around, higher than a\nmountain peak, beautiful with ramparts and towers, and adorned with\ndoor-ways and gates and rows of pennons. And the abode was graced with\ndallying damsels dancing around, and also with pennons waved by the\nbreeze. And with bent arms, supporting himself on the end of his bow, he\nstood beholding 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. And\nat that place the foremost of the Bharatas surveyed the palace of the\nLord 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 and\nBhima, the latter by arrows cut off the darts, javelins and axes of those\npossessing great powers of illusion, and he of exceeding strength with\narrows pierced the bodies of the roaring Rakshasas, both of those that\nwere in the sky, and of those that remained on the earth. And Bhima of\nexceeding strength was deluged with the mighty sanguine rain sprung from\nthe 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 discharged\nby the might of Bhima's arms. And then all the creatures saw the graceful\nPandava densely surrounded by the Rakshasas, like unto the Sun enveloped\nby clouds. And even as the Sun surrounds everything with his rays, that\nmighty-armed and strong one of unfailing prowess, covered all with arrows\ndestroying foes. And although menacing and uttering yells, the Rakshasas\ndid not see Bhima embarrassed. Thereupon, with their bodies mangled, the\nYakshas afflicted by fear, Bhimasena began to utter frightful sounds of\ndistress, throwing their mighty weapons. And terrified at the wielder of\na strong bow, they fled towards the southern quarter, forsaking their\nmaces and spears and swords and clubs and axes. And then there stood,\nholding in his hands darts and maces, the broad-chested and mighty-armed\nfriend of Vaisravana, the Rakshasa named Maniman. And that one of great\nstrength began to display his mastery and manliness. And seeing them\nforsake the fight, he addressed them with a smile, 'Going to Vaisravana's\nabode, how will ye say unto that lord of wealth, that numbers have been\ndefeated by a single mortal in battle?' Having said this unto them that\nRakshasa, taking in his hands clubs and javelins and maces, set out and\nrushed towards the Pandava. And he rushed in amain like a maddened\nelephant. Bhimasena pierced his sides with three choice arrows. And the\nmighty Maniman, on his part, in wrath taking and flourishing a tremendous\nmace hurled it at Bhimasena. Thereupon Bhimasena beset with innumerable\nshafts sharpened on stones, hurled that mighty mace in the sky, dreadful,\nand like unto the lightning flash. But on reaching the mace those shafts\nwere baffled; and although discharged with force by that adept at hurling\nthe mace, still they could not stay its career. Then the mighty Bhima of\ndreadful prowess, baffled his (the Rakshasa's) discharge by resorting to\nhis skill in mace-fighting. In the meanwhile, the intelligent Rakshasa\nhad discharged a terrible iron club, furnished with a golden shaft. And\nthat club, 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 rushed\nto slay him, as Garuda (rushed) to slay a serpent. Then all of a sudden,\nadvancing ahead in the field, that mighty-armed one sprang into the sky\nand brandishing his mace hurled it with shouts. And like unto the\nthunder-bolt hurled by Indra, that mace like a pest, with the speed of\nthe wind destroyed the Rakshasa and then fell to the ground. Then all the\ncreatures saw that Rakshasa of terrible strength slaughtered by Bhima,\neven like a bull slain by a lion. And the surviving Rakshasas seeing him\nslain on the ground went towards the east, uttering frightful sounds of\ndistress.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLX\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Hearing various sounds resounding in the caves of the\nmountain and not seeing Bhimasena, Kunti's son, Ajatasatru and the twin\nsons 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 seeing\ntheir brother, the Pandavas, who had attained excellent state, embraced\nhim and sat down there. And with those mighty bowmen, that summit looked\ngrand like heaven graced by those foremost of celestials, the highly\nfortunate Lokapalas. And seeing the abode of Kuvera and the Rakshasas,\nlying slain on the ground, the king addressed his brother who was seated,\nsaying, 'Either it be through rashness, or through ignorance, thou hast,\nO Bhima, committed a sinful act. O hero, as thou art leading the life of\nan anchorite, this slaughter without cause is unlike thee. Acts, it is\nasserted by those versed in duties, as are calculated to displease a\nmonarch, ought not to be committed. But thou hast, O Bhimasena, committed\na deed which will offend even the gods. He that disregarding profit and\nduty, turneth his thoughts to sin must, O Partha, reap the fruit of his\nsinful actions. However, if thou seekest my good, never again commit such\na deed.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Having said this to his brother, Vrikodara the\nvirtuous, the highly energetic and firm-minded son of Kunti, Yudhishthira\nversed in the particulars of (the science of) profit, ceased, and began\nto 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 loud\ncries of distress, being afflicted with the fear of Bhima. And, O king\nbereft of their weapons and exhausted and with their mail besmeared with\ngore and with dishevelled hair they spake unto Kuvera, saying. 'O lord,\nall thy foremost Rakshasas fighting with maces and clubs and swords and\nlances and barbed darts, have been slain. O lord of treasures, a mortal,\ntrespassing into the mountain, hath, singlehanded, slaughtered all thy\nKrodhovasa Rakshasas assembled together. And, O lord of wealth, there lie\nthe foremost of the Yakshas and Rakshasas senseless and dead, having been\nstruck down; and we have been let off through his favour. And thy friend,\nManiman also hath been slain. All this hath been done by a mortal. Do\nthou what is proper, after this.' Having heard this, that lord of all the\nYaksha hosts waxing wroth, with eyes reddened in anger, exclaimed,\n'What!' And hearing of Bhima's second (act of) aggression, that lord of\ntreasures, the king of the Yakshas, was filled with wrath, and said.\n'Yoke' (the horses). Thereat unto a car of the hue of dark clouds, and\nhigh as a mountain summit, they yoked steeds having golden garments. And\non being yoked unto the car, those excellent horses of his, graced with\nevery noble quality and furnished with the ten auspicious curls of hair\nand having energy and strength, and adorned with various gems and looking\nsplendid, as if desirous of speeding like the wind, began to neigh at\neach other the neighing emitted at (the hour of) victory. And that divine\nand effulgent king of the Yakshas set out, being eulogised by the\ncelestials and Gandharvas. And a thousand foremost Yakshas of reddened\neyes and golden lustre and having huge bodies, and gifted with great\nstrength, equipped with weapons and girding on their swords, followed\nthat high-souled lord of treasures. And coursing through the firmament\nthey (the steeds) arrived at the Gandhamadana, as if drawing forward the\nsky with their fleetness. And with their down standing erect, the\nPandavas saw that large assemblage of horses maintained by the lord of\nwealth and also the highsouled and graceful Kuvera himself surrounded by\nthe Yaksha hosts. And seeing those mighty charioteers the son of Pandu,\npossessed of great strength, equipped with bows and swords, Kuvera also\nwas delighted; and he was pleased at heart, keeping in view the task of\nthe celestials. And like unto birds, they, (the Yakshas) gifted with\nextreme celerity, alighted on the summit of the mountain and stood before\nthem (the Pandavas), with the lord of treasures at their head. Then, O\nBharata, seeing him pleased with the Pandavas, the Yakshas and the\nGandharvas stood there, free from agitation. Then thinking themselves as\nhaving transgressed, those high-souled and mighty charioteers, the\nPandavas, having bowed down unto that lord, the giver of wealth stood\nsurrounding the lord of treasures with joined hands. And the lord of\ntreasures sat on that excellent seat, the elegant Pushpaka, constructed\nby Viswakarma, painted with diverse colours. And thousands of Yakshas and\nRakshasas, some having huge frames and some ears resembling pegs, and\nhundreds of Gandharvas and hosts of Apsaras sat in the presence of that\none seated, even as the celestials sit surrounding him of a hundred\nsacrifices and wearing a beautiful golden garland on his head and holding\nin his hands his noose and sword and bow, Bhima stood, gazing at the lord\nof wealth. And Bhimasena did not feel depress either on having been\nwounded by the Rakshasas, or even 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 and\nRakshasas had already been slain by Destiny: thy brother hath been the\ninstrument merely. And it is not necessary to feel shame for the act of\nimpudence that hath been committed. This destruction of the Rakshasas had\nbeen foreseen by the gods. I entertain no anger towards Bhimasena.\nRather, O foremost of the Bharata a 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, as\nin order to please Krishna, thou hast, disregarding the gods and me also,\ncommitted this rash act, namely, the destruction of the Yakshas and the\nRakshasas, depending on the strength of thy arms, I am well-pleased with\nthee. O Vrikodara, to-day I have been freed from a terrible curse. For\nsome offence, that great Rishi, Agastya, had cursed me in anger. Thou\nhast delivered me by this act (of thine). O Pandu's son, my disgrace had\nere this been fated. No offence, therefore, in any way, attaches unto\nthee, 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 there\nwas held a conclave of the gods. And surrounded by grimvisaged Yakshas,\nnumbering three hundred maha-padmas, carrying various weapons, I was\ngoing 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 the\nYamuna, abounding in various birds and graced with blossoming trees. And,\nO king, immediately on seeing that mass of energy, flaming and brilliant\nas fire, seated with upraised arms, facing the sun, my friend, the\ngraceful lord of the Rakshasas, Maniman, from stupidity, foolishness,\nhauteur and ignorance discharged his excrement on the crown of that\nMaharshi. Thereupon, as if burning all the cardinal points by his wrath,\nhe said unto me, 'Since, O lord of treasures, in thy very presence,\ndisregarding me, this thy friend hath thus affronted me, he, together\nwith thy forces, shall meet with destruction at the hands of a mortal.\nAnd, O wicked-minded one, thou also, being distressed on account of thy\nfallen soldiers, shalt be freed from thy sin, on beholding that mortal.\nBut if they follow thy behests, their (the soldier's) powerful sons shall\nnot incur by this dreadful curse. This curse I received formerly from\nthat foremost of Rishis. Now, O mighty king, have I been delivered by thy\nbrother Bhima.'\"\n\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 in\ntheir respective occupations and they knew how to display prowess. And, O\nforemost of the Kshatriyas, a Kshatriya that is endued with patience and\nunderstandeth the propriety regarding place and time and is versed in all\nmortal regulations, can alone govern the world for a long time,--nay, in\nall transactions. He that behaveth thus, acquireth, O hero, fame in this\nworld and excellent state in the next. And by having displayed his\nprowess at the proper place and time, Sakra with the Vasus hath obtained\nthe dominion of heaven. He that from anger cannot see his fall and he\nthat being naturally wicked and evilminded followeth evil and he that\nknoweth not the propriety relative to acts, meet with destruction both in\nthis world and the next. The exertions of that stupid person become\nfruitless, who is not conversant with the expediency regarding time and\nacts, and he meeteth with destruction both in this world and the next.\nAnd the object of that wicked and deceitful persons is vicious, who,\naiming at mastery of every kind, committeth some rash act. O best of men,\nBhimasena is fearless, and ignorant of duties, and haughty, and of the\nsense of a child, and unforbearing. Do thou, therefore, check him.\nRepairing again to the hermitage of the pious sage Arshtisena, do thou\nreside there during the dark fortnight, without fear or anxiety. O lord\nof men, deputed by me, all the Gandharvas residing at Alaka, as also\nthose dwelling in this mountain, will, O mighty-armed one, protect thee,\nand these best of the Brahmanas. And, O king, O chief among virtuous men,\nknowing that Vrikodara hath come hither out of rashness, do thou check\nhim. Henceforth, O monarch, beings living in the forest will meet you,\nwait upon you and always protect you all. And, ye foremost of men, my\nservants will always procure for you various meats and drinks of\ndelicious flavour. And, O son, Yudhishthira, even as by reason of your\nbeing the progeny of spiritual intercourse, Jishnu is entitled to the\nprotection of Mahendra, and Vrikodara, of the Wind-god, and thou, of\nDharma, and the twins possessed of strength, of the Aswins,--so ye all\nare entitled to my protection. That one next by birth to Bhimasena,\nPhalguna, versed in the science of profit and all mortal regulations, is\nwell in heaven. And, O child, those perfections that are recognised in\nthe world as leading to heaven, are established in Dhananjaya even from\nhis very birth. And self-restraint, and charity, and strength, and\nintelligence, and modesty, and fortitude, and excellent energy--even all\nthese are established in that majestic one of magnificent soul. And, O\nPandava, Jishnu never committed any shameful act through poverty of\nspirit. And in the world, none ever say that Partha hath uttered an\nuntruth. And, O Bharata, honoured by the gods, pitris, and the\nGandharvas, that enhancer of the glory of the Kurus is learning the\nscience of weapons in Sakra's abode. And, O Partha, in heaven he that\nwith justice had brought under his subjection all the rulers of the\nearth, even that exceedingly powerful and highly energetic monarch, the\ngrandsire of thy father, Santanu himself, is well-pleased with the\nbehaviour of that wielder of the Gandiva--the foremost of his race. And,\nO king, abiding in Indra's regions, he who on the banks of the Yamuna had\nworshipped the gods, the pitris, and the Brahmanas, by celebrating seven\ngrand horse sacrifices, that great grandsire of thine, the emperor\nSantanu of severe austerities, who hath attained heaven, hath enquired of\nthy 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 mace\nand sword and bow, that foremost of the Bharatas bowed down unto Kuvera.\nAnd that giver of protection, the lord of treasures, seeing him\nprostrate, said, 'Be thou the destroyer of the pride of foes, and the\nenhancer of the delight of friends. And ye oppressors of enemies, do ye\nlive in our romantic region. The Yakshas will not cross your desires.\nGudakesa, after having acquired mastery over weapons, will come back\nsoon. Bidden adieu by Maghavat himself, Dhananjaya will join you.'\n\n\"Having thus instructed Yudhishthira of excellent deeds, the lord of the\nGuhyakas, vanished from that best of mountains. And thousands upon\nthousands of Yakshas, and Rakshasas followed him in vehicles spread over\nwith checkered cushions, and decorated with various jewels. And as the\nhorses proceeded towards the abode of Kuvera, a noise arose as of birds\nflying in the air. And the chargers of the lord of treasures speedily\ncoursed through the sky as if drawing forward the firmament, and\ndevouring the air.\n\n\"Then at the command of the lord of wealth, the dead bodies of the\nRakshasas 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 from\nthe imprecation. And being honoured by the Rakshasas, the Pandavas for\nseveral nights dwelt pleasantly in those habitations.\"\n\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\nArshtishena. 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. And,\nO 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\nSadhyas, 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 lord\nof departed spirits, sacred, and wonderful to behold, and crowned with\nprime prosperity. And the intelligent ones call that monarch of mountains\n(by the name of) Asta. Having, O king, arrived at this, the Sun ever\nabideth by the truth. And king Varuna protects all creatures, abiding in\nthis king of mountains, and also in the vast deep. And, O highly\nfortunate one, there illumining the northern regions, lieth the puissant\nMahameru, auspicious and the refuge of those knowing Brahma, where is the\ncourt of Brahma, and remaining where that soul of all creatures,\nPrajapati, hath created all that is mobile and immobile. And the Mahameru\nis the auspicious and healthy abode even of the seven mind-born sons of\nBrahma, of whom Daksha was the seventh. And, O child, here it is that the\nseven celestial rishis with Vasishtha at their head rise and set. Behold\nthat excellent and bright summit of the Meru, where sitteth the great\nsire (Brahma) with the celestials happy in self-knowledge. And next to\nthe abode of Brahma is visible the region of him who is said to be the\nreally primal Cause or the origin of all creatures, even that prime lord,\ngod Narayana, having neither beginning nor end. And, O king, that\nauspicious place composed of all energies even the celestials, cannot\nbehold. And the region of the high-souled Vishnu, by its native\nsplendour, exceeding in effulgence the sun or fire, cannot be beheld by\nthe gods, or the Danavas. And the region of Narayana lieth resplendent to\nthe east of the Meru, where, O child, that lord of all creatures, the\nself-create primal Cause of the universe, having manifested all beings,\nlooketh splendid of his excellent grace. O child, not to speak of the\nMaharshis--even Brahmarshis have no access to that place. And, O best of\nthe Kurus, it is the Yatis only who have access to it. And, O Pandu's\nson, (at that place) luminaries cannot shine by him; there that lord of\ninconceivable soul alone shineth transcendental. There by reverence, and\nsevere austerities, 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 of\nthat 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. O\nmighty monarch, the other luminaries also go round this king of mountains\nin the self-same way. Thus the worshipful Sun who dispelleth darkness,\ngoeth round this (mountain) obscuring other luminaries. Then having set,\nand passed the evening, that Maker of day, the Sun, taketh a northerly\ncourse. Then again nearing the Meru, the divine Sun (ever) intent on the\ngood of all beings, again courseth, facing the east. And in this way, the\ndivine Moon also together with the stars goeth round this mountain,\ndividing the month unto several sections, by his arrival at the Parvas.\nHaving thus unerringly coursed round the mighty Meru, and, nourished all\ncreatures, the Moon again repaireth unto the Mandar. In the same way,\nthat destroyer of darkness--the divine Sun--also moveth on this\nunobstructed path, animating the universe. When, desirous of causing dew,\nhe repaireth to the south, then there ensueth winter to all creatures.\nThen the Sun, turning back from the south, by his rays draweth up the\nenergy from all creatures both mobile and immobile. Thereupon, men become\nsubject to perspiration, fatigue, drowsiness and lassitude; and living\nbeings always feel disposed to slumber. Thence, returning through unknown\nregions, that divine effulgent one causeth shower, and thereby reviveth\nbeings. And having, by the comfort caused by the shower, wind, and\nwarmth, cherished the mobile and the immobile, the powerful Sun resumeth\nhis former course. O Partha, ranging thus, the Sun unerringly turneth on\nthe wheel of Time, influencing created things. His course is unceasing;\nhe never resteth, O Pandava. Withdrawing the energy of all beings, he\nagain rendereth it back. O Bharata, dividing time into day and night, and\nKala, and Kashtha, that lord, the Sun, dealeth life and motion to all\ncreated things.'\"\n\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 energetic\nones, possessing prowess, of chaste desires and being the foremost of\nthose endued with truth and fortitude. And having arrived at that\nexcellent mountain furnished with trees bearing blossoms, those mighty\ncharioteers were exceedingly delighted, even as the Marutas, on arriving\nat the celestial regions. And experiencing great exhilaration, they lived\n(there), seeing the slopes and summits of that mighty mountain, filled\nwith flowers, and resonant with the cries of peacocks and cranes. And on\nthat beautiful mountain they beheld lakes filled with lotuses, and having\ntheir shores covered with trees, and frequented by darkness, and\nkarandavas and swans. And the flourishing sporting-regions, graceful on\naccount of the various flowers, and abounding in gems, was capable of\ncaptivating that king, the dispenser of wealth (Kuvera). And always\nranging (there), those foremost of ascetics (the Pandavas) were incapable\nof conceiving (the significance of) that Summit, furnished with mighty\ntrees, and masses of wide-spreading clouds. And, O great hero, owing to\nits native splendour, and also on account of the brilliance of the annual\nplants, there was no difference there between night and day. And staying\nin the mountain, remaining in which the Sun of unrivalled energy\ncherisheth the mobile and immobile things, those heroes and foremost of\nmen beheld the rising and the setting of the Sun. And having seen the\nrising and the setting points of the Sun and the rising and the setting\nmountain, and all the cardinal points, as well as the intervening spaces\never blazing with the rays of the Dispeller of darkness, those heroes, in\nexpectation of the arrival of that mighty charioteer firm in truth,\nbecame engaged in reciting the Vedas, practising the daily rituals,\nchiefly discharging the religious duties, exercising sacred vows, and\nabiding by the truth. And saying, 'Let us even here experience delight by\njoining without delay Arjuna accomplished in arms,' those highly blessed\nParthas became engaged in the practice of Yoga. And beholding romantic\nwoods on that mountain, as they always thought of Kiriti, every day and\nnight appeared unto them even as a year. From that very moment joy had\ntaken leave of them when, with Dhaumya's permission, the high-souled\nJishnu, matting his hair, departed (for the woods). So, how could they,\nabsorbed in his contemplation, experience happiness there? They had\nbecome overwhelmed with grief ever since the moment when at the command\nof his brother, 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 for\nlearning arms. And Arjuna, having dwelt for five years in the abode of\nhim of a thousand eyes, and having from that lord of celestials obtained\nall the celestial weapons,--such as those of Agni, of Varuna, of Soma, of\nVayu, of Vishnu, of Indra, of Pasupati, of Brahma, of Parameshthi, of\nPrajapati, of Yama, of Dhata, of Savita, of Tvashta, and of Vaisravana;\nand having bowed down to and gone round him of a hundred sacrifices, and\ntaken his (Indra's) permission, cheerfully came to the Gandhamadana.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXIV\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"And it came to pass that once a 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 a\nmighty meteor embosomed in clouds. And seated in that car appeared Kiriti\nwearing garlands and new-made ornaments. Then Dhananjaya possessing the\nprowess of the wielder of the thunder-bolt, alighted on that mountain,\nblazing in beauty. And that intelligent one decked in a diadem and\ngarlands, having alighted on the mountain, first bowed down at the feet\nof Dhaumya, and then at those of Ajatasatru. And he also paid homage unto\nVrikodara's feet; and the twins also bowed down unto him. Then going to\nKrishna, and having cheered her, he stood before his (elder) brother in\nhumble guise. And on meeting with that matchless one, they were\nexceedingly 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. And\nbeing highly pleased, they offered excellent worship unto Matali, as unto\nthe lord of the celestials himself. And then the son of the Kuru king\nduly enquired of him after the health of all the gods. And Matali also\ngreeted them. And having instructed the Parthas even as a father doth his\nsons, he ascended that incomparable car, and returned to the lord of the\ncelestials.\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\nSakra, Vayu, and the manifest Siva; and all the celestials with Indra\nalso have been pleased with me, on account of my good behaviour, and\nconcentration.'\n\n\"After having briefly narrated unto them his sojourn in heaven, Kiriti of\nspotless deeds agreeably slept that night with the two sons of Madri.\"\n\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 of\ncar-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 to\nfollow that represser of foes, the lord of the celestials. And ascending\na car yoked with steeds, decorated with burnished gold, and roaring like\nclouds, that king of the celestials, Purandara blazing in beauty came\nunto the Parthas. And having arrived (at that place), he of a thousand\neyes descended from his car. And as soon as Yudhishthira the just saw\nthat high-souled one, he together with his brothers, approached that\ngraceful king of the immortals. And in accordance with the ordinance that\ngenerous one duly worshipped him of immeasurable soul, in consequence\nwith his dignity. And then Dhananjaya possessed of prowess, having bowed\ndown unto Purandara, stood before the lord of the celestials in humble\nguise, like unto a servant. And seeing the sinless Dhananjaya having\nascetic merit, bearing clotted hair, stand in humility before the lord of\ncelestials, Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti; of great energy, smelt (the\ncrown) of his head. And beholding Phalguna (in that attitude), he was\nexceedingly glad; and by worshipping the king of the celestials, he\nexperienced the highest bliss. Then unto that strongminded monarch,\nswimming in felicity, the intelligent lord of the celestials, Purandara,\nspake, saying, Thou shalt rule the earth, O Pandava, Blessed be thou! Do\nthou, O Kunti's son, again repair unto Kamyaka.'\"That learned man who for\na year leading the Brahmacharya mode of life, subduing his senses and\nobserving vows, peruseth with rapt attention this meeting of Sakra with\nthe Pandavas, liveth a hundred years free from disturbances, and enjoying\nhappiness.\"'\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXVI\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"When Sakra had gone to his proper place,\nVibhatsu together with his brothers and Krishna, paid homage unto the son\nof Dharma. Then smelling the crown of the head of that Pandava, who was\nthus paying homage, (Yudhishthira) in accents faltering on account of\nyou, addressed Arjuna, saying 'O Arjuna, how didst thou pass this period\nin heaven? And how has thou obtained the weapons, and how also hast thou\ngratified the lord of the celestials? And, O Pandava, has thou adequately\nsecured the weapons? Have the lord of the celestials and Rudra gladly\ngranted thee the weapons? And how hast thou beheld the divine Sakra, and\nthe wielder of Pinaka? And how has thou obtained the weapons? And in what\nmanner didst thou worship (them)? And what service hadst thou done unto\nthat repressor of foes, the worshipful one of a hundred sacrifices, that\nhe said unto thee, 'By thee have I been gratified? All this, O highly\neffulgent one, I wish to hear in detail. And, O sinless one, the manner\nin which thou didst please Mahadeva and the king of the celestials and, O\nrepressor of foes, the service thou hadst done to the wielder of the\nthunder-bolt,--do thou, O Dhananjaya, relate 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 king,\nhaving acquired that science which thou hadst directed me (to learn), I\nat thy command went to the forest, for practising penances. From Kamyaka\nrepairing to the Bhrigutunga, I spent there one night, being engaged in\nausterities And it came to pass that on the next I saw a certain\nBrahmana. And he asked me, saying, 'O son of Kunti, whither wilt thou\ngo?' Thereupon, O descendant of the Kurus, I truly related unto him\neverything. And, O best of kings, having heard the true account, the\nBrahmana became well-pleased with me, and, O king, praised me. Then the\nBrahmana, pleased with me, said, 'O Bharata, be thou engaged in\nausterities. By performing penances, thou wilt in a short time behold the\nlord of the celestials.' And according to his advice I ascended the\nHimavan, and, O mighty king, began to practise penances, (the first)\nmonth subsisting on fruit and roots. I spent the second month, subsisting\non water. And, O Pandava, in the third month I totally abstained from\nfood. And in the fourth month I remained with upraised arms. And a wonder\nit is that I did not lose any strength. And it came to pass that when the\nfirst day of the fifth month had been spent, there appeared before me a\nbeing wearing the form of a boar, turning up the earth with his mouth,\nstamping the ground with his feet, rubbing the earth with his breast, and\nmomentarily going about in a frightful manner. And him followed a great\nbeing in the guise of a hunter furnished with the bow, arrows, and the\nsword, and surrounded by females. Thereupon, taking my bow and the two\ninexhaustible quivers, I pierced with shafts that terrible and frightful\ncreature. And simultaneously (with me) that hunter also drawing a strong\nbow, more severely struck at (the animal), as if shaking my mind. And, O\nking, he also said unto me, 'Why hast thou, transgressing the rules of\nhunting, hit the animal first hit at by me? With these sharpened shafts\nwill I destroy thy pride. Stay!' Then that mighty-bodied one holding the\nbow rushed at me. And with volleys of mighty shafts, he covered me\nentirely, even as a cloud covereth a mountain with showers. Then, on my\npart, I covered him with a mighty discharge of arrows. Thereupon, with\nsteady arrows 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 this 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. But\nI failed to discharge it at him, and this was a wonder. And when that\nweapon thus failed of effect, I was struck with amazement. However, O\nking, exerting myself more vigorously, I again covered that being with a\nmighty multitude of shafts. Then taking Sthunakarna, and Varuna and\nSalava, and Asmavarsha weapons, I assailed him, profusely showering\nshafts. But, O king, he instantly swallowed up even all these weapons of\nmine. And when all those (weapons) had been swallowed up, I discharged\nthe weapon presided over by Brahma. And when the blazing arrows issuing\nfrom that weapon were heaped upon him all around, and being thus heaped\nover by that mighty weapon discharged by me, he increased (in bulk). Then\nall the world became oppressed with the energy begotten of the weapon\nhurled by me, and the firmament and all the points of the sky became\nillumined. But that one of mighty energy instantly baffled even that\nweapon. And, O monarch, when that weapon presided over by Brahma had been\nbaffled I was possessed with terrible fear. Thereupon immediately holding\neven my bow and the two inexhaustible quivers, I shot at that being, but\nhe swallowed up all those weapons. And when all the weapons had been\nbaffled and swallowed up, there ensued a wrestling between him and\nmyself. And we encountered each other first with blows and then with\nslaps. But incapable of overcoming that being, I fell down stupefied on\nthe ground. Thereupon, O mighty king, with a laugh, that wonderful being\nat my sight vanished at that spot together with the woman. Having\naccomplished this, O illustrious monarch, that divine one assumed another\nand unearthly form (clad in) wonderful raiment. And renouncing the form\nof a hunter, that divine lord of the gods, resumed his own unearthly\nappearance and that mighty god stood (there). Then appeared before me\nwith Uma that manifest divine one, having the bull for his mark, wielding\nthe Pinaka, bearing serpents and cable 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 am\nwell-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 I\nwish 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\nMahadeva, well-pleased, granted to me the mighty weapon, Pasupata. And,\nhaving granted that eternal weapon, he also said unto me, This must never\nbe hurled at mortals. If discharged at any person of small energy, it\nwould consume the universe. Shouldst thou (at any time) be hard pressed,\nthou mayst discharge it. And when all thy weapons have been completely\nbaffled, thou mayst hurl it.' Then when he having the bull for his mark,\nhad been thus gratified, there stood manifest by my side that celestial\nweapon, of resistless force capable of baffling all weapons and\ndestructive of foes and the hewer of hostile forces and unrivalled and\ndifficult to be borne even by the celestials, the demons and the\nRakshasas. Then at the command of that god, I sat me down there. And in\nmy very sight the god vanished from the spot.'\"\n\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 the\nnight, when I had finished the morning rituals, I saw that foremost of\nthe Brahmanas whom I had seen before. And unto him I told all as it had\nhappened, 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 lord\nof the celestials; and Indra too will grant thee weapons.' O king, having\nsaid this unto me and having embraced me again and again, that Bhrahmana\nresembling the Sun, went away whither he listed. And, O slayer of foes,\nit came to pass that on the evening of that day refreshing the whole\nworld, there began to blow a pure breeze. And in my vicinity on the base\nof the Himalaya mountain fresh, fragrant and fair flowers began to bloom.\nAnd on all sides there were heard charming symphony and captivating hymns\nrelating to Indra. And before the lord of the celestial hosts of Apsaras\nand Gandharvas chanted various songs. And ascending celestial cars, there\napproached the Marutas and the followers of Mahendra and the dwellers of\nheaven. And afterwards, Marutvan together with Sachi and all the\ncelestials appeared on the scene in cars yoked with horses elegantly\nadorned. And at this very moment, O king, he that goeth about on the\nshoulders of men manifested himself unto me in excellent grace. And I saw\nYama seated on the south and Varuna and the lord of the celestials at\ntheir respective regions. And, O foremost of men, O mighty monarch, they\nafter having cheered me said, 'O Savyasachin, behold us--the\nLokapalas--seated. For the performance of the task of the gods thou hast\nobtained the sight of Sankara. Do thou now receive weapons from us seated\naround.' Thereupon, 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\nPhalguna, 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 thee.\nAs formerly thou hadst performed thy ablution in the various tirthas and\nnow hast performed severe austerities, so thou wilt be able to repair\nunto the celestial regions, O Pandava. Thou wilt, however, again have to\npractise extreme penance, for thou shouldst at any rate journey to\nheaven. And at my command, Matali shall take thee to the celestial\nregions. Thou hast already been recognised by the celestials and the\ncelestial sages of high soul.' Thereupon I said unto Sakra, 'O divine\none, be thou favourable unto me. With the view of learning arms do I\nbeseech thee that thou mayst 'be my preceptor.' At this Indra said, 'O\nchild, having learnt weapons thou wouldst perform terrible deeds and with\nthis object thou desirest to obtain the weapons. However, obtain thou the\narms, as thou desirest.' Then I said, 'O slayer of foes, I never would\ndischarge these celestial weapons at mortals except when all my other\narms should have been baffled. Do thou, O lord of the celestials, grant\nme the celestial weapons (so that) I may hereafter, obtain the regions\nattainable by warriors.' Indra said, 'O Dhananjaya it is to try thee that\nI have said such words unto thee. Having been begotten of me this speech\nof thine well becometh thee. Do thou, O Bharata, repairing unto my abode\nlearn all the weapons of Vayu, of Agni, of the Vasus, of Varuna, of the\nMarutas, of the Siddhas, of Brahma, of the Gandharvas of the Uragas, of\nthe Rakshasas, 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 and\nsacred celestial car yoked with steeds arrive conducted by Matali. And\nwhen 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 the\nabodes of the celestials and their palaces. Then the chariot yoked with\nsteeds coursed upwards. And the celestials and the sages began to worship\n(that car), O prime of men. And I saw the regions, moving anywhere at\nwill, and the splendour also of the highly energetic Gandharvas, Apsaras,\nand the celestial sages. And Sakra's charioteer, Matali, at once showed\nme Nandana and other gardens and groves belonging to the celestials. Next\nI beheld Indra's abode, Amaravati, adorned with jewels and trees yielding\nany sort of fruit that is desired. There the Sun doth not shed heat; nor\ndoth heat or cold or fatigue there affect (one), O king. And, O great\nmonarch, the celestials feel neither sorrow nor poverty of spirit, nor\nweakness, nor lassitude, O grinder of foes. And, O ruler of men, the\ncelestials and the others have neither anger nor covetousness. And, O\nking, in the abodes of the celestials, the beings are ever contented. And\nthere the trees ever bear verdant foliage, and fruits, and flowers; and\nthe various lakes are embalmed with the fragrance of lotuses. And there\nthe breeze 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 air\ninnumerable rangers of the sky. Then I saw the Vasus, and the Rudras, and\nthe Sadhyas with the Marutas, and the Adityas, and the two Aswins and\nworshipped them. And they conferred their benison on me, granting me\nstrength and prowess, and energy, and celebrity, and (skill in) arms, and\nvictory in battle. Then, entering that romantic city adored by the\nGandharvas and the celestials, with joined hands, I stood before the\nthousand-eyed lord of the celestials. Thereupon, that best of bestowers\ngladly offered unto me half of his seat; and Vasava also with regard\ntouched my person. And, O Bharata, with the view of acquiring arms and\nlearning weapons, I began to dwell in heaven, together with the gods and\nthe Gandharvas of generous souls. And Viswavana's son, Chitrasena became\nmy friend. And he, O king, imparted unto me the entire Gandharva\n(science). And, O monarch, I happily lived in Sakra's abode, well cared\nfor having all my desires gratified, learning weapons, listening to the\nnotes of songs, and the clear sounds of musical instruments, and\nbeholding the foremost of Apsaras dance. And without neglecting to study\nthe arts, which I learnt properly, my attention was specially fixed on\nthe acquisition of arms. And that lord of a thousand eyes was pleased\nwith that purpose of mine. Living thus in heaven, O king, I passed this\nperiod.\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 weapons,\nand warlike. And, O Partha, together with (a knowledge of) the five\nmodes, 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. Now,\nO represser of foes, the time hath arrived for thy paying the preceptor's\nfee. Do thou promise to pay the fee; then I shall unfold unto thee what\nthou wilt have to perform.' Thereat, O king, I said unto the ruler of the\ncelestials, 'If it be in my power to do the work, do thou consider it as\nalready accomplished by me.' O king, when I had said these words, Indra\nwith a smile said unto me 'Nothing is there in the three worlds that is\nnot in thy power (to achieve) My enemies, those Danavas, named,\nNivata-Kavachas dwell in the womb of the ocean. And they number thirty\nmillion and are notorious, and all of equal forms and strength and\nsplendour. Do thou slay them there, O Kunti's son; and that will be thy\npreceptor'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 peacocks.\nAnd on my head he set this excellent diadem. And he gave me ornaments for\nmy body, like unto his own. And he granted unto me the impenetrable\nmail--the best of its kind, and easy to the touch; and fastened unto the\nGandiva this durable string. Then I set out, ascending that splendid\nchariot riding on which in days of yore, the lord of the celestials and\nvanquished Vali--that son of Virochana. And, O ruler of men, startled by\nthe rattling of the car, all the celestials, approached (there), taking\nme to be the king of the celestials. And seeing me, they asked, 'O\nPhalguna, what art thou going to do?' And I told them as it had fallen\nout,--and said, 'I shall even do this in battle. Ye that are highly\nfortunate, know that I have set out desirous of slaying the\nNivata-Kavachas. O sinless ones, do ye bless me.' Thereupon, they began\nto eulogise me even as they (eulogise) the god, Purandara. And they said,\n'Riding on this car, Maghavan conquered in battle Samvara, and Namuchi,\nand Vala, and Vritra, and Prahrada, and Naraka. And mounted on this car\nalso Maghavan, had conquered in battle many thousands and millions and\nhundreds of millions of Daityas. And, O Kaunteya, thou also, riding on\nthis car, by thy prowess shalt conquer the Nivatha-Kavachas in conflict,\neven as did the self-possessed Maghavan in days of yore. And here is the\nbest of shells; by this also thou shalt defeat the Danavas And by this it\nis that the high souled Sakra conquered the words.' Saying this, the gods\noffered (unto me) this shell, Devadatta, sprung in the deep; and I\naccepted it for the sake of victory. And at this moment, the gods fell\nextolling me. And in order to be engaged in action, I proceeded to the\ndreadful abode of the Danavas, furnished with the shell, the mail, and\narrows, and taking my bow.\"\n\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, now\nmeeting together and now rolling away. And there (were seen) all around\nbarks by thousands filled with gems. And there were seen timingilas and\ntortoises and makaras like unto rock submerged in water. And on all sides\nround thousands of shells sunk in water appeared like star in the night\ncovered by light clouds. And thousands upon thousands of gem were\nfloating in heaps and a violent wind was blowing about in whirls--and\nthis was wonderful to behold. And having beheld that excellent lord of\nall waters with powerful tides, I saw at a short distance the city of the\ndemons filled with the Danavas. And even there, eftsoons entering\nunderneath the earth, Matali skilled in guiding the car, sitting fast on\nthe chariot drove it with force; and he dashed on, frightening that city\nwith the rattling of his chariot. And hearing that rattling of the\nchariot like unto the rumbling of the clouds in the sky, the Danavas,\nthinking me to be the lord of the celestials, became agitated. And\nthereupon they all, frightened at heart, stood holding in their hands\nbows and arrows and swords and javelins and axes and maces and clubs.\nThen having made arrangements for the defence of the city, the Danavas,\nwith minds alarmed, shut the gates, so that nothing could be discovered.\nThereupon taking my shell, Devadatta, of tremendous roars, I again and\nagain winded it with exceeding cheerfulness. And filling all the\nfirmament, those sounds produced echoes. Thereat mighty beings were\nterrified and they hid (themselves). And then, O Bharata, all of them\nadorned with ornaments, those offsprings of Diti--the\nNivata-Kavachas--made their appearance by thousands, donning diverse mail\nand taking in their hands various weapons and equipped with mighty iron\njavelins and maces and clubs and hatchets and sabres and discs and\nsataghnis and bhusundis and variegated and ornamented swords. Then, after\ndeliberating much as to the course of the car, Matali began to guide the\nsteeds on a (piece of) level ground, O foremost of the Bharatas. And\nowing to the swiftness of those fleet coursers conducted by him, I could\nsee nothing--and this was strange. Then the Danavas there began to sound\nthousands of musical instruments, dissonant and of odd shapes. And at\nthose sounds, fishes by hundreds and by thousands, like unto hills,\nhaving their senses bewildered by that noise, fled suddenly. And mighty\nforce flew at me, the demons discharging sharpened shafts by hundreds and\nby thousands. And then, O Bharata, there ensued a dreadful conflict\nbetween me and the demons, calculated to extinguish the Nivata-Kavachas.\nAnd there came to the mighty battle the Devarshis and the Danavarshis and\nthe Brahmarshis and the Siddhas. And desirous of victory, the Munis\neulogised me with the same sweet-speeches that (they had eulogised) Indra\nwith, at the war, (which took place) for the sake of Tara.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXIX\n\n\"Arjuna continued, 'Then, O Bharata, vehemently rushed at me in battle in\na body the Nivata-Kavachas, equipped with arms. And obstructing the\ncourse of the car, and shouting loudly, those mighty charioteers, hemming\nme in on all sides, covered me with showers of shafts. Then other demons\nof mighty prowess, with darts and hatchets in their hands, began to throw\nat me spears and axes. And that mighty discharge of darts, with numerous\nmaces and clubs incessantly hurled fell upon my car. And other dreadful\nand grim-visaged smiters among the Nivata-Kavachas, furnished with bows\nand sharpened weapons, ran at me in fight. And in the conflict, shooting\nfrom the Gandiva sundry swift arrows coursing straight, I pierced each of\nthem with ten. And they were driven back by those stone-whetted shafts of\nmine. Then on my steeds being swiftly driven by Matali, they began to\ndisplay various movements with the speed of the wind. And being skilfully\nguided by Matali, they began to trample upon the sons of Diti. And\nalthough the steeds yoked unto that mighty chariot numbered hundreds upon\nhundreds, yet being deftly conducted by Matali, they began to move, as if\nthey were only a few. And by their tread, and by the rattling of the\nchariot wheels and by the vollies of my shafts, the Danavas began to fall\nby hundreds. And others accoutred in bows, being deprived of life, and\nhaving their charioteers slain, were carried about by the horses. Then,\ncovering all sides and directions, all (the Danavas) skilled in striking\nentered into 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\nSakra was well-pleased. And oppressed by those steeds and that car, some\n(of them) met with annihilation; and others desisted from fight; while\n(other) Nivata-Kavachas, challenged by us in battle and being harassed\nwith shafts offered opposition unto me, by (discharging) mighty showers\nof arrows. Thereupon, with hundreds and thousands of sundry fleet weapons\ninspired with the mantras relating to Brahma's weapons, I swiftly began\nto burn them. And being sore pressed by me, those mighty asuras waxing\nwroth afflicted me together, by pouring torrents of clubs and darts and\nswords. Then, O Bharata, I took up that favourite weapon of the lord of\nthe celestials, Maghavan by name, prime and of fiery energy and by the\nenergy of that weapon I cut into a thousand pieces the Tomaras, together\nwith the swords and the tridents hurled by them. And having cut off their\narms I in ire pierced them each with ten shafts. And in the field arrows\nwere shot from the Gandiva like unto rows of black-bees; and this Matali\nadmired. And their shafts also showered upon me; but those powerful\n(arrows) I cut off with my shafts. Then on being struck the\nNivata-Kavachas again covered me on all sides with a mighty shower of\narrows. And having neutralised the force of the arrows by excellent swift\nand flaming weapons capable of baffling arms, I pierced them by\nthousands. And blood began to flow from their torn frames, even as in the\nrainy season waters run down from the summits of mountains. And on being\nwounded by my fleet and straight-coursing shafts of the touch of Indra's\nthunder-bolt, they became greatly agitated. And their bodies were pierced\nat hundreds of places; and the force of their arms diminished. Then the\nNivata-Kavachas fought me by (the help of) illusion.'\"\n\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, there\nwas generated fire; and the rocky dust fell like unto masses of flames.\nAnd when the showers of crags had been repelled, there happened near me a\nmightier shower of water, having currents of the proportions of an axle.\nAnd falling from the welkin, those thousands of powerful torrents covered\nthe entire firmament and the directions and the cardinal points. And on\naccount of the pouring of the shower, and of the blowing of the wind, and\nof roaring of the Daityas, nothing could be perceived. And touching\nheaven and the entire earth, and incessantly falling on the ground, the\nshowers bewildered me. Thereupon, I discharged that celestial weapon\nwhich I had learnt from Indra--even the dreadful and flaming Visoshana:\nand by that the water was dried up. And, O Bharata, when the rocky shower\nhad been destroyed, and the watery shower had been dried up, the Danavas\nbegan to spread illusions of fire and wind. Then by aqueous appliances I\nextinguished the flames; and by a mighty rock-issuing arm, resisted the\nfury of the winds. And when these had been repelled, the Danavas,\nirrepressible in battle, O foremost of the Bharata, simultaneously\ncreated various illusions. And there happened a tremendous horrifying\nshower of rocks and dreadful weapons of fire and wind. And that illusory\ndownpour afflicted me in fight. And then on all sides there appeared a\ndense and thick darkness. And when the world had been enveloped in deep\nand dense darkness, the steeds turned away, Matali fell off, and from his\nhand the golden lash fell to the earth. And, O foremost of the Bharatas,\nbeing frightened, he again and again cried, 'Where art thou?' And when he\nhad been stupefied, a terrible fear possessed me. And then in a hurry, he\nspake unto me, saying, 'O Partha, for the sake of nectar, there had taken\nplace a mighty conflict between the gods and the demons. I had seen that\n(encounter), O sinless one. And on the occasion of the destruction of\nSamvara, there had occurred a dreadful and mighty contest. Nevertheless I\nhad acted as charioteer to the lord of the celestials. In the same way,\non the occasion of the slaying of Vritra, the steeds had been conducted\nby me. And I had also beheld the high and terrific encounter with\nVirochana's son, and, O Pandava, with Vala, and with Prahrada and with\nothers also. In these exceedingly dreadful battles, I was present; but, O\nPandu's son, never (before) had I lost my senses. Surely the Great-father\nhath ordained the destruction of all creatures; for this battle cannot be\nfor any other purpose than destruction of the universe.' Having heard\nthese words of his, pacifying my perturbation by my own effort, I will\ndestroy the mighty energy of the illusion spread by the Danavas quoth I\nunto the terrified Matali. Behold the might of my arms, and the power of\nmy weapons 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, sitting\nin front of the car, with the wellconducted steeds, began to range that\nhair-erecting field. Then the fierce Nivata-Kavachas assailed me. And\nfinding my opportunity. I began to send them to the mansion of Yama.\nThereupon, in that conflict then raging, calculated to annihilate the\nNivata-Kavachas on a sudden, I could not see the Danavas concealed by\nillusion.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXXI\n\n\"Arjuna continued, 'Remaining invisible the Daityas began to fight with\nthe help of illusion. And I too fought with them, resorting to the energy\nof visible weapons. And the shafts duly discharged from the Gandiva,\nbegan to sever their heads at those different places where they were\nrespectively stationed. And thus assailed by me in the conflict, the\nNivata-Kavachas, all on a sudden withdrawing the illusion, entered into\ntheir own city. And when the Daityas had fled, and when all had become\nvisible, I there discovered hundreds and thousands of the slain. And\nthere I saw by hundreds their shivered weapons, ornaments, limbs, and\nmail. And the horses could not find room for moving from one place to\nanother; and on a sudden with a bound, they fell to coursing in the sky.\nThen remaining invisible, the Nivata-Kavachas covered the entire welkin\nwith masses of crags. And, O Bharata, other dreadful Danavas, entering\ninto the entrails of the earth, took up horses' legs and chariot-wheels.\nAnd as I was fighting, they, hard besetting my horses with rocks,\nattacked me together with (my) car. And with the crags that had fallen\nand with others that were falling, the place where I was, seemed to be a\nmountain cavern. And on myself being covered with crags and on the horses\nbeing hard pressed, I became sore distressed and this was marked by\nMatali. And on seeing me afraid, he said unto me, 'O Arjuna, Arjuna! be\nthou not afraid; send that weapon, the thunder-bolt, O lord of men.'\nHearing those words of his, I then discharged the favourite weapon of the\nking of the celestials--the dreadful thunderbolt. And inspiring the\nGandiva with mantras, I, aiming at the locality of the crags, shot\nsharpened iron shafts of the touch of the thunder-bolt. And sent by the\nthunder, those adamantine arrows entered into all those illusions and\ninto the midst of those Nivata-Kavachas. And slaughtered by the vehemence\nof the thunder, those Danavas resembling cliffs, fell to the earth\ntogether in masses. And entering amongst those Danavas that had carried\naway the steeds of the car into the interior of the earth, the shafts\nsent them into the mansion of Yama. And that quarter was completely\ncovered with the Nivata-Kavachas that had been killed or baffled,\ncomparable unto cliffs and lying scattered like crags. And then no injury\nappeared to have been sustained either by the horses, or by the car, or\nby Matali, 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 been\ndestroyed, all their females began to bewail in that city, like unto\ncranes in autumn. Then with Matali I entered that city, terrifying with\nthe rattling of my car the wives of the Nivata-Kavachas. Thereupon,\nseeing those ten thousand horses like unto peacocks (in hue), and also\nthat chariot resembling the sun, the women fled in swarms. And like unto\n(the sounds of) rocks falling on a mountain, sounds arose of the\n(falling) ornaments of the terrified dames. (At length), the\npanic-stricken wives of the Daityas entered into their respective golden\nplaces variegated with innumerable jewels.\n\n'Beholding that excellent city, superior to the city of the celestials\nthemselves, I asked Matali, saying, 'Why do not the celestials reside in\nsuch (a place)? Surely, this appeareth superior to the city of\nPurandara.' Thereat, Matali said, 'In days of yore, O Partha, even this\nwas the city of our lord of the celestials. Afterwards the celestials\nwere driven from hence by the Nivata-Kavachas. Having performed the most\nrigid austerities, 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 Lord\ncommanded (Indra), saying, 'O slayer of foes, in another body, even thou\nshalt be (the destroyer of the Danavas).' Then, in order to slaughter\nthem, Sakra rendered unto thee those weapons. The gods had been unable to\nslay these, who have been slain by thee. O Bharata, in the fullness of\ntime, hadst thou come hither, in order to destroy them and thou hast done\nso. O foremost of men, with the object that the demons might be killed,\nMahendra had conferred on thee the excellent prime energy of these\nweapons.'\n\n\"Arjuna continued, 'After having destroyed the Danavas, and also subdued\nthat city, with Matali I again went to that abode of the celestials.'\"\n\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\nPaulamas and Kalakanjas. And it was made of all sorts of jewels and was\nunearthly, and of wonderful appearance. And it was covered with trees of\nall 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 darts,\ntwo edged swords, maces, bows, and clubs. And, O king, on seeing this\nwonderful city of the Daityas, I asked Matali saying, 'What is this that\nlooketh so wonderful?' Thereat, Matali replied, 'Once on a time a\nDaitya's daughter, named Pulama and a mighty female of the Asura order,\nKalaka by name, practised severe austerities for a thousand celestial\nyears. And at the end of their austerities, the self-create conferred on\nthem boons. And, O king of kings, they received these boons,--that their\noffspring might never suffer misfortune; that they might be incapable of\nbeing destroyed even by the gods, the Rakshasas and the Pannagas; and\nthat they might obtain a highly effulgent and surpassingly fair aerial\ncity, furnished with all manner of gems and invincible even by the\ncelestials, the Maharshis, the Yakshas, the Gandharvas, the Pannagas, the\nAsuras and the Rakshasas. O best of the Bharatas, this is that unearthly\naerial city devoid of the celestials, which is moving about, having been\ncreated for the Kalakeyas, by Brahma himself. And this city is furnished\nwith all desirable objects, and is unknown of grief or disease. And, O\nhero, celebrated under the name of Hiranyapura, this mighty city is\ninhabited by the Paulamas and the Kalakanjas; and it is also guarded by\nthose mighty Asuras. And, O king, unslayed by any of the gods, there they\ndwell cheerfully, free from anxiety and having all their desires\ngratified, O foremost of kings. Formerly, Brahma had destined destruction\nat the hands of mortals. Do thou, O Partha, in fight, compass with that\nweapon--the thunder-bolt--the destruction of the mighty and irrepressible\nKalakanjas.'\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 unto\nMatali, 'Do thou speedily repair into yonder city. With weapons will I\ncompass the annihilation of the haters of the lord of the celestials.\nSurely, there exist no wicked haters of the gods who ought not to be\nslain by me.' Thereupon Matali took me to the vicinity of Hiranyapura on\nthe celestial chariot yoked with steeds. And seeing me, those sons of\nDiti, wearing various kinds of attire and ornament and accoutred in mail,\nflew at me with a mighty rush. And those foremost of the Danavas, of\nexceeding prowess, in wrath attacked me with arrows and bhallas and clubs\nand two-edged swords, and tomaras. Thereat, O king, resorting to my\nstrength of lore, I resisted that great volley of weapons by a mighty\nshower of shafts; and also confounded them in conflict by ranging around\nin my car. And being bewildered, the Danavas began to push each other\ndown. And having been confounded, they rushed at one another. And with\nflaming arrows, I severed their heads by hundreds. And hard pressed by\nme, the offspring of Diti, taking shelter within (their) city, soared\nwith it to the firmament, resorting to the illusion proper to the\nDanavas. Thereupon, O son of the Kurus, covering the way of the Daityas,\nwith a mighty discharge of shafts I obstructed their course. Then by\nvirtue of the bestowal of the boon, the Daityas supported themselves\neasily on that sky-ranging unearthly aerial city, going anywhere at will\nand like unto the sun. And now (the city) entered unto the earth and now\nit rose upwards; and at one time it went in a crooked way and at another\ntime it submerged into water. At this, O represser of foes, I assailed\nthat mighty city, going anywhere at will, and resembling Amaravati. And,\nO best of the Bharatas, I attacked the city containing those sons of\nDiti, with multitudes of shafts, displaying celestial weapons. And\nbattered and broken by the straight-coursing iron shafts, shot by me, the\ncity of the Asuras, O king, fell to the earth. And they also, wounded by\nmy iron arrows having the speed of the thunder, began, O monarch, to go\nabout, being urged by destiny. Then ascending to the sky, Matali, as if\nfalling in front, swiftly descended to the earth, on that chariot of\nsolar resplendence. Then, O Bharata, environed me sixty thousand cars\nbelonging to those wrathful ones eager to battle with me. And with\nsharpened shafts graced with feathers of the vulture, I destroyed those\n(cars). At this, thinking, 'These our hosts are incapable of being\nvanquished by mortals, they became engaged in the conflict, like unto the\nsurges of the sea.' Thereupon I gradually began to fix (on the string)\nunearthly weapons. At this, thousands of weapons (shot) by those\nwonderfully warring charioteers, by degrees opposed my unearthly arms and\nin the field I saw hundreds and thousands of mighty (demons) ranging on\ntheir cars, in various manoeuvres. And being furnished with variegated\nmail and standards and diverse ornaments, they delighted my mind. And in\nthe conflict I could not afflict them by showers of shafts, but they did\nnot afflict me. And being afflicted by those innumerable ones, equipped\nin weapons and skilled in fight, I was pained in that mighty encounter\nand a terrible fear seized me. Thereupon collecting (my energies) in\nfight, I (bowed down) unto that god of gods, Raudra, and saying, 'May\nwelfare attend on all beings!' I fixed that mighty weapon which,\ncelebrated under the name of Raudra, is the destroyer of all foes. Then I\nbeheld a male person having three heads, nine eyes, three faces, and six\narms. And his hair was flaming like fire or the sun. And, O slayer of\nfoes, for his dress, he had mighty serpents, putting out their tongues.\nAnd saying, 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 chamaras, and of all the leopards, and of\nmountains, and of seas, and of celestials, and of sages, and of all the\nGandharvas, and of ghosts with the Yakshas, and of the haters of the\ngods, (Asuras), and of the Guhyakas in the field, and of the Nairitas and\nof elephant-mouthed sharks, and of owls, and of beings having the forms\nof fishes and horses, and of beings bearing swords and various other\nweapons, and of Rakshasas wielding maces and clubs. And on that weapon\nbeing hurled all the universe became filled with these as well as many\nothers wearing various shapes. And again and again wounded by beings of\nvarious sights with (pieces of) flesh, fat, bones, and marrow on their\npersons,--some having three heads, and some four tusks, and some four\nmouths, and some four arms,--the Danavas met with destruction. And, then,\nO Bharata, in a moment I slew all those Danavas, with other swarms of\narrows composed of the quintessence of stone, flaming like fire or the\nsun, and possessed of the force of the thunder-bolt. And, seeing them\nhewn by the Gandiva, and deprived of life, and thrown from the sky, I\nagain bowed unto that god--the Destroyer of Tripura. And, seeing those\nadorned with unearthly ornaments, crushed by the weapon, the Raudra, the\ncharioteer of the celestials, experienced the greatest delight. And\nhaving witnessed the accomplishment of that unbearable feat incapable of\nbeing achieved even by the celestials themselves, Matali, the charioteer\nof Sakra, paid homage unto me; and well-pleased, with joint hands said\nthese words. 'The feat that hath been achieved by thee, is incapable of\nbeing borne even by the gods, nay,--in battle, the lord of the celestials\nhimself cannot perform this deed. The sky-coursing mighty city incapable\nof being destroyed by the gods and the Asuras hast thou, O hero, crushed\nby thy own prowess and by the energy of asceticism. And when that aerial\ncity had been destroyed, and when the Danavas also had been slain, their\nwives, uttering cries of distress, like unto Kurari birds, with hair\ndishevelled 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 lamentations\nand stricken with dole and distress, and bereft of grace even like unto a\nlake deprived of (its) elephants, or like unto a forest deprived of trees\nand (deprived of its) masters, looked no longer beautiful--but it\nvanished, like a cloud-constructed city. And when I had accomplished the\ntask, eftsoons from the field Matali took me of delighted spirits, unto\nthe abode of the lord of the celestials. And having slain those mighty\nAsuras, and destroyed Hiranyapura, and having also killed the\nNivata-Kavachas, I came unto Indra. And, O exceedingly resplendent one,\nas it had fallen out, Matali related in detail unto Devendra that entire\nachievement of mine. And with the Marutas, hearing of the destruction of\nHiranyapura, of the neutralisation of the illusion, and of the slaughter\nof the highly powerful Nivatakavachas in fight, the prosperous\nthousand-eyed divine Purandara was well pleased, and exclaimed, 'Well\ndone; Well done!' And the king of the celestials together with the\ncelestials, cheering me again and again, said these sweet words, 'By thee\nhath been achieved a feat incapable of being achieved by the gods and the\nAsuras. And, O Partha, by slaying my mighty enemies, thou hast paid the\npreceptor's fee. And, O Dhananjaya, thus in battle shalt thou always\nremain calm, and discharge the weapons unerringly, and there shall not\nstand thee in fight celestials, and Danavas, and Rakshasas, and Yakshas,\nand Asuras, and Gandharvas and birds and serpents. And, O Kaunteya, by\nconquering it even by the might of thy arms, Kunti's son Yudhishthira,\nwill rule the earth.'\"\n\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 Kripa\nand Karna and Sakuni together with other Kshatriyas shall not amount unto\none-sixteenth part of thee.' And the lord Maghavan granted me this golden\ngarland and this shell, Devadatta, of mighty roars, and also his\ncelestial mail impenetrable and capable of protecting the body. And Indra\nhimself set on my (head) this diadem. And Sakra presented me with these\nunearthly apparels and unearthly ornaments, elegant and rare. In this\nmanner, O king, (duly) honoured, I delightfully dwelt in Indra's sacred\nabode with the children of the Gandharvas. Then, well-pleased, Sakra,\ntogether with the celestials, addressed me, saying, 'O Arjuna, the time\nhath come for thy departure; thy brothers have thought of thee.' Thus, O\nBharata, remembering the dissensions arising from that gambling, did I, O\nking, pass those five years in the abode of Indra. Then have I come and\nseen thee surrounded by our brothers on the summit of this lower range of\nthe Gandhamadana.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'O Dhananjaya, by fortune it is that the weapons have\nbeen obtained by thee; by fortune it is that the master of the immortals\nhath been adored by thee. O repressor of foes, by fortune it is that the\ndivine Sthanu together with the goddess had become manifest unto thee and\nbeen gratified by thee in battle, O sinless one; by fortune it is that\nthou hadst met with the Lokapalas, O best of the Bharatas. O Partha, by\nfortune it is that we have prospered; and by fortune it is that thou hast\ncome back. To-day I consider as if the entire earth engarlanded with\ncities hath already been conquered, and as if the sons of Dhritarashtra\nhave already been subdued. Now, O Bharata, I am curious to behold those\ncelestial weapons wherewith thou hadst slain the powerful\nNivata-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 arrival,\nDhananjaya passed that night there, together with all his brothers.\"\n\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, 'O\nKaunteya, do thou show (me) those weapons with which thou vanquished the\nDanavas.' Thereat, O king, the exceedingly powerful Dhananjaya, the son\nof Pandu, duly practising extreme purity, showed those weapons, O\nBharata, which had been given unto him by the celestials. Dhananjaya\nseated on the earth, as his chariot, which had the mountain for its pole,\nthe base of the axle and the cluster of beautiful-looking bamboo trees\nfor its socket-pole, looked resplendent with that celestial armour of\ngreat lustre, took his bow Gandiva and the conch-shell given to him by\nthe gods, commenced to exhibit those celestial weapons in order. And as\nthose celestial weapons had been set, the Earth being oppressed with the\nfeet (of Arjuna), began to tremble with (its) trees; and the rivers and\nthe mighty main became vexed; and the rocks were riven; and the air was\nhushed. 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\nMaharshis and the mobile beings--all these appeared (on the scene). And\nthe foremost Devarshis, and the celestials and the Yakshas and the\nRakshasas and the Gandharvas and the feathered tribes and the (other)\nsky-ranging beings--all these appeared (on the scene). And the Great-sire\nand all the Lokapalas and the divine Mahadeva, came thither, together\nwith their followers. Then, O great king, bearing unearthly variegated\nblossoms Vayu (the Wind-god) fell to strewing them around the Pandava.\nAnd sent by the celestials, the Gandharvas chanted various ballads; and,\nO monarch, hosts of the Apsaras danced (there). At such a moment, O king,\nsent by the celestials, Narada arrived (there) and addressed Partha in\nthese sweet words, 'O Arjuna, Arjuna, do thou not discharge the celestial\nweapons. These should never be discharged when there is no object (fit).\nAnd when there is an object (present), they should also by no means be\nhurled, unless one is sore pressed; for, O son of the Kurus, to discharge\nthe weapons (without occasion), is fraught with great evil. And, O\nDhananjaya, being duly kept as thou hast been instructed to these\npowerful weapons will doubtless conduce to thy strength and happiness.\nBut if they are not properly kept, they, O Pandava, will become the\ninstrument for the destruction of the three worlds. So thou shouldst not\nact in this way again. O Ajatasatru, thou too wilt behold even these\nweapons, when Partha will use them for grinding (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\n\nSECTION CLXXV\n\nJanamejaya said, \"When that prime 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 lord\nof treasures (situated) in those woods on that romantic and excellent\nmountain. And surveying those peerless and various pleasure-grounds\nfilled with diverse trees, that chief of men, Kiriti, ever intent upon\narms, ranged at large, bow in hand. And having through the grace of king\nVaisravana obtained a residence, those sons of a sovereign cared not for\nthe prosperity of men. And, O king, that period of their (lives) passed\npeacefully. And having Partha in their company, they spent four years\nthere even like a single night. And as the Pandavas lived in the wood,\n(these four years) and the former six, numbering ten, passed smoothly\nwith 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 pleasant\nwords. 'It is only to render thy promise effectual and to advance thy\ninterests, that, O king of the Kurus, forsaking the forest, we do not go\nto slay Suyodhana together with all his followers. Although deserving of\nhappiness, yet have we been deprived of happiness. And this is the\neleventh year that (in this state) we have been living (in the forest).\nAnd hereafter, deluding that one of evil mind and character, shall we\neasily live out the period of non-discovery. And at thy mandate, O\nmonarch, free from apprehension, we have been ranging the woods, having\nrelinquished our honour. Having been tempted by our residence in the\nvicinity, they (our enemies) will not believe that we have removed to a\ndistant realm. And after having lived there undiscovered for a year, and\nhaving wreaked our revenge on that wicked wight, Suyodhana, with his\nfollowers, we shall easily root out that meanest of men, slaying him and\nregaining our kingdom. Therefore, O Dharmaraja, do thou descend unto the\nearth. For, O king, if we dwell in this region like unto heaven itself,\nwe shall forget our sorrows. In that case, O Bharata, thy fame like, unto\na fragrant flower shall vanish from the mobile and the immobile worlds.\nBy gaining that kingdom of the Kuru chiefs, thou wilt be able to attain\n(great glory), and to perform various sacrifices. This that thou art\nreceiving from Kuvera, thou wilt, O foremost of men, be able to attain\nany time. Now, O Bharata, turn thy mind towards the punishment and\ndestruction of foes that committed wrongs. O king, the wielder of the\nthunderbolt himself is incapable of standing thy prowess. And intent upon\nthy welfare, he, having Suparna for his mark (Krishna), and also the\ngrandson of Sini (Satyaki) never experience pain, even when engaged in\nencounter with the gods, O Dharmaraja. And Arjuna is peerless in\nstrength, and so am I too, O best of kings. And as Krishna together with\nthe Yadavas is intent upon thy welfare, so am I also, O foremost of\nmonarchs, and the heroic twins accomplished in war. And encountering the\nenemy, we, having for our main object the attainment by thee of wealth\nand prosperity, will destroy them.'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Then having learnt that intention of theirs, the\nmagnanimous and excellent son of Dharma, versed in religion and profit,\nand 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 lord\nof the Kurus proceeded even along that very road. And Ghatotkacha with\nhis followers began to carry them over the mountain cascades. And as they\nstarted, the great sage Lomasa, advising them even as a father doth his\nson, with a cheerful heart, went unto the sacred abode of the dwellers of\nheaven. Then advised also by Arshtishena, those first of men, the\nParthas, went alone beholding romantic tirthas and hermitages, and other\nmighty lakes.\"\n\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 mountain,\nKailasa, appearing like clouds, the delight of those pre-eminent heroes\nof the race of Bharata, became very great. And those foremost of heroic\nmen, equipped with scimitars and bows, proceeded contentedly, beholding\nelevations and defiles, and dens of lions and craggy causeways and\ninnumerable water-falls and lowlands, in different places, as also other\ngreat forests inhabited by countless deer and birds and elephants. And\nthey came upon beautiful woodlands and rivers and lakes and caves and\nmountain caverns; and these frequently by day and night became the\ndwelling place of those great men. And having dwelt in all sorts of\ninaccessible places and crossing Kailasa of inconceivable grandeur, they\nreached the excellent and surpassingly beautiful hermitage of\nVrishaparba. And meeting king Vrishaparba and received by him being they\nbecame free from depression and then they accurately narrated in detail\nto Vrishaparba the story of their sojourn in the mountains. And having\npleasantly passed one night in his sacred abode frequented by gods and\nMaharshis, those great warriors proceeded smoothly towards the jujube\ntree called Visala and took up their quarters there. Then all those\nmagnanimous men having reached the place of Narayana, continued to live\nthere, bereft of all sorrow, at beholding Kuvera's favourite lake,\nfrequented by gods and Siddhas. And viewing that lake, those foremost of\nmen, the sons of Pandu traversed that place, renouncing all grief even as\nimmaculate Brahmana rishis (do) on attaining a habitation in the Nandana\ngardens. Then all those warriors having in due course happily lived at\nBadari for one month, proceeded towards the realm of Suvahu, king of the\nKiratas, by following the same track by which they had come. And crossing\nthe difficult Himalayan regions, and the countries of China, Tukhara,\nDarada and all the climes of Kulinda, rich in heaps of jewels, those\nwarlike men reached the capital of Suvahu. And hearing that those sons\nand grandsons of kings had all reached his kingdom, Suvahu, elated with\njoy, advanced (to meet them). Then the best of the Kurus welcomed him\nalso. And meeting king Suvahu, and being joined by all their charioteers\nwith Visoka at their head and by their attendants, Indrasena and others,\nand also by the superintendents and servants of the kitchen, they stayed\nthere comfortably for one night. Then taking all the chariots and\nchariot-men and dismissing Ghatotkacha together with his followers, they\nnext repaired to the monarch of mountains in the vicinity of the Yamuna.\nIn the 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 chief\noccupation, the sons of Pritha peacefully dwelt in that forest for one\nyear. 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 race\nof Kuru, blazing in effulgence, and engaged in asceticism, always devoted\nprincipally to the practice of archery, repaired cheerfully from that\nChitraratha-like forest to the borders of the desert, and desirous of\ndwelling by the Saraswati they went there, and from the banks of that\nriver they reached the lake of Dwaitabana. Then seeing them enter\nDwaitabana, the dwellers of that place engaged in asceticism, religious\nordinances, and self-restraining exercises and in deep and devout\nmeditation and subsisting on things ground with stone (for want of teeth)\nhaving procured grass-mats and water-vessels, advanced to meet them. The\nholy fig, the rudaraksha, the rohitaka, the cane and the jujube, the\ncatechu, the sirisha, the bel and the inguda and the karira and pilu and\nsami trees grew on the banks of the Saraswati. Wandering about with\ncontentment in (the vicinity of) the Saraswati which was, as it were, the\nhome of the celestials, and the favourite (resort) of Yakshas and\nGandharvas and Maharshis, those sons of kings lived there in happiness.\"\n\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 Gandharvas.\nAnd then he beheld (some) lovely spots in the Himalayan mountains,\nfrequented by Devarshis and Siddhas and inhabited by hosts of Apsaras,\nresounded here and there with (the warbling of) birds--the chakora, the\nchakrabaka, the jibajibaka and the cuckoo and the Bhringaraja, and\nabounding with shady trees, soft with the touch of snow and pleasing to\nthe eye and mind, and bearing perennial fruits and flowers. And he beheld\nmountain streams with waters glistening like the lapis lazuli and with\nten thousand snow-white ducks and swans and with forests of deodar trees\nforming (as it were) a trap for the clouds; and with tugna and kalikaya\nforests, interspersed with yellow sandal trees. And he of mighty\nstrength, in the pursuit of the chase, roamed in the level and desert\ntracts of the mountain, piercing his game with unpoisoned arrows. In that\nforest the famous and mighty Bhimasena, possessing the strength of a\nhundred elephants, killed (many) large wild boars, with the force (of his\narms). And endowed with terrible prowess and mighty strength, and\npowerful as the lion or the tiger, and capable of resisting a hundred\nmen, and having long arms, and possessing the strength of a hundred\nelephants, he killed many antelopes and wild boars and buffaloes. And\nhere and there, in that forest he pulled out trees by the roots, with\ngreat violence and broke them too, causing the earth and the woods and\nthe (surrounding) places to resound. And then shouting and trampling on\nthe tops of mountains, and causing the earth to resound with his roars,\nand striking his arms, and uttering his war-cry, and slapping and\nclapping his hands, Bhimasena, exempt from decay, and ever-proud and\nwithout fear, again and again leaped about in those woods. And on hearing\nthe shouts of Bhimasena, powerful lions and elephants of huge strength,\nleft their lairs in fright. And in that same forest, he fearlessly\nstrolled about in search of game; and like the denizens of the woods,\nthat most valiant of men, the mighty Bhimasena, wandered on foot in that\nforest. And he penetrated the vast forest, shouting strange whoopos, and\nterrifying all creatures, endowed with strength and prowess. And then\nbeing terrified, the snakes hid (themselves) in caves, but he, overtaking\nthem with promptitude, pursued them slowly. Then the mighty Bhimasena,\nlike unto the Lord of the Celestials, saw a serpent of colossal\nproportions, living in one of the mountain fastnesses and covering the\n(entire) cave with its body and causing one's hair to stand on end (from\nfright). It had its huge body stretched like a hillock, and it possessed\ngigantic strength, 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 all\nanimated beings and it looked like the very image of the Destroyer Yama;\nand 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 might\nof Bhimasena's arms equalled 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 often\nthousand elephants, yet seized by the snake, and overpowered by virtue of\nthe boon, lost all strength. He struggled furiously to extricate himself,\nbut did not succeed in any wise baffling this (snake).\"\n\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 thou\nart. 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, O\nbest of serpents, mighty Rakshasas and Pisachas, and Nagas, are unable to\nstand the force of my arms. Art thou possessed of any magic, or hast thou\nreceived any boon, that although exerting myself, I have been overcome by\nthee? Now I have been convinced that the strength of men is false, for, O\nserpent, by thee hath such mighty strength of men been 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-aimed one, and freed his plump arms\nalone, the serpent spake these words, 'By good fortune it is that, myself\nbeing hungry, after long time the gods have to-day destined thee for my\nfood; for life is dear unto every embodied being, I should relate unto\nthee the way in which I have come by this snake form. Hear, O best of the\npious, I have fallen into this plight on account of the wrath of the\nMaharhis. Now desirous of getting rid of the curse, I will narrate unto\nthee all about it. Thou hast, no doubt, heard of the royal sage, Nahusha.\nHe was the son of Ayu, and the perpetuator of the line of thy ancestors.\nEven I am that one. For having affronted the Brahmanas I, by (virtue of)\nAgastya's malediction, have come by this condition. Thou art my agnate,\nand lovely to behold,--so thou shouldst not be slain by me,--yet I shall\nto-day devour thee! Do thou behold the dispensation of Destiny! And be it\na buffalo, or an elephant, none coming within my reach at the sixth\ndivision of the day, can, O best of men, escape. And, O best of the\nKurus, thou hast not been taken by an animal of the lower order, having\nstrength alone,--but this (hath been so) by reason only of the boon I\nhave received. As I was falling rapidly from Sakra's throne placed on the\nfront of his palace, I spake unto that worshipful sage (Agastya), 'Do\nthou free me from this curse.' Thereat filled with compassion, that\nenergetic one said unto me, 'O king, thou shall be freed after the lapse\nof some time.' Then I fell to the earth (as a snake); but my recollection\n(of former life) did not renounce me. And although it be so ancient, I\nstill recollect all that was said. And the sage said unto me, That person\nwho conversant with the relation subsisting between the soul and the\nSupreme Being, shall be able to answer the questions put by thee, shall\ndeliver thee. And, O king, taken by thee, strong beings superior to thee,\nshall immediately lose their strength, I heard these words of those\ncompassionate ones, who felt attached unto me. And then the Brahmanas\nvanished. Thus, O highly effulgent one, having become a serpent, I, doing\nexceedingly sinful acts, live in unclean hell, in expectation of the\n(appointed) time.' The mighty-armed Bhimasena addressed the serpent,\nsaying, 'I am not angry, O mighty snake,--nor do I blame myself. Since in\nregard to happiness and misery, men sometimes possess the power of\nbringing and dismissing them, and sometimes do not. Therefore one should\nnot fret one's mind. Who can baffle destiny by self-exertion? I deem\ndestiny to be supreme, and self-exertion to be of no avail. Smitten with\nthe stroke of destiny, the prowess of my arms lost, behold me to-day\nfallen unto this condition without palpable cause. But to-day I do not so\nmuch grieve for my own self being slain, as I do for my brothers deprived\nof their kingdom, and exiled into the forest. This Himalaya is\ninaccessible, and abounds with Yakshas and the Rakshasas, And searching\nabout for me, they will be distracted. And hearing that I have been\nkilled, (my brothers) will forego all exertion, for, firm in promise,\nthey have hitherto been controlled by my harsh speech, I being desirous\nof gaining the kingdom. Or the intelligent Arjuna (alone), being versed\nin every lore, and incapable of being overcome by gods and Rakshasas and\nGandharvas, will not be afflicted with grief. That mighty-armed and\nexceedingly powerful one is able single-handed to speedily pull down from\nhis place even the celestials. What shall I say of the deceitfully\ngambling son of Dhritarashtra, detested of all men, and filled with\nhaughtiness and ignorance! And I also grieve for my poor mother,\naffectionate to her sons, who is ever solicitous for our greatness in a\nlarge measure than is attained by our enemies. O serpent, the desire that\nforlorn one had in me will all be fruitless in consequence of my\ndestruction. And gifted with manliness, the twins, Nakula and Sahadeva,\nfollowing their elder brother (me), and always protected by the strength\nof my arms, will, owing to my destruction, be depressed and deprived of\ntheir prowess, and stricken with grief. This is what I think.' In this\nway Vrikodara lamented profusely. And being bound by the body of the\nsnake, he could not exert himself.\n\n\"On the other hand, Kunti's son, Yudhishthira, (seeing) and reflecting on\ndreadful ill omens, became alarmed. Terrified by the blaze of the points\nof the horizon, jackals stationing themselves on the right of that\nhermitage, set up frightful and inauspicious yells. And ugly Vartikas as\nof dreadful sight, having one wing, one eye, and one leg, were seen to\nvomit blood, facing the sun. And the wind began to blow dryly, and\nviolently, attracting grits. And to the right all the beasts and birds\nbegan to cry. And in the rear the black crows cried, 'Go!' 'Go!' And\nmomentarily his (Yudhishthira's) right arm began to twitch, and his chest\nand left leg shook (of themselves). And indicating evil his left eye\ncontracted spasmodically. Thereupon, O Bharata, the intelligent\nYudhishthira the just, inferring some great calamity (to be imminent),\nasked Draupadi, saying, 'Where is Bhima?' Thereat Panchali said that\nVrikodara had long gone out. Hearing this, that mighty-armed king set out\nwith Dhaumya, after having said unto Dhananjaya, \"Thou shouldst protect\nDraupadi.' And he also directed Nakula and Sahadeva to protect the\nBrahmanas. And issuing from the hermitage that lord, Kunti's son,\nfollowing the footprints of Bhimasena, began to search for him in that\nmighty forest. And on coming to the east, he found mighty leaders of\nelephant-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 hero\nendued 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 cavern\nhis younger brother motionless, caught in the folds of that foremost of\nsnakes.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXXIX\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Yudhishthira, finding his beloved brother coiled\nby the body of the serpent, said these words: 'O son of Kunti, how hast\nthou come by this misfortune! And who is this best of serpents having a\nbody like unto a mountain mass?' Bhimasena said, 'O worshipful one, this\nmighty being hath caught me for food. He is the royal sage Nahusha living\nin the form of a serpent.' Yudhishthira said, 'O longlived one, do thou\nfree my brother of immeasurable prowess; we will give thee some other\nfood which will appease thy hunger.' The serpent said, 'I have got for\ndiet even this son of a king, come to my mouth of himself. Do thou go\naway. Thou shouldst not stay here. (If thou remainest here) thou too\nshall be my fare to-morrow. O mighty-armed one, this is ordained in\nrespect of me, that he that cometh unto my place, becometh my food and\nthou too art in my quarter. After a long time have I got thy younger\nbrother as my food; I will not let him off; neither do I like to have any\nother food.' Thereat Yudhishthira said, 'O serpent, whether thou art a\ngod, or a demon, or an Uraga, do thou tell me truly, it is Yudhishthira\nthat asketh thee, wherefore, O snake, hast thou taken Bhimasena? By\nobtaining which, or by knowing what wilt thou receive satisfaction, O\nsnake, and what food shall I give thee? And how mayst thou free him.' The\nserpent said, 'O sinless one, I was thy ancestor, the son of Ayu and\nfifth in descent from the Moon. And I was a king celebrated under the\nname of Nahusha. And by sacrifices and asceticism and study of the Vedas\nand self-restraint and prowess I had acquired a permanent dominion over\nthe three worlds. And when I had obtained such dominion, haughtiness\npossessed me. And thousands of Brahmanas were engaged in carrying my\nchair. And intoxicated by supremacy, I insulted those Brahmanas. And, O\nlord of the earth, by Agastya have I been reduced to this pass! Yet, O\nPandava, to this day the memory (of my former birth) hath not forsaken\nme! And, O king, even by the favour of that high-souled Agastya, during\nthe sixth division of the day have I got for meal thy younger brother.\nNeither will I set him free, nor do I wish for any other food. But if\nto-day thou answerest the questions put by me, then, I shall deliver\nVrikodara!\" At this Yudhishthira said, 'O serpent, ask whatever thou\nlistest! I shall, if I can, answer thy questions with the view of\ngratifying thee, O snake! Thou knowest fully what should be known by\nBrahmanas. Therefore, O king of snakes, hearing (thee) I shall answer thy\nqueries!'\n\nThe serpent said, 'O Yudhishthira, say--Who is a Brahmana and what should\nbe 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\nBrahmana. And, O serpent, that which should be known is even the supreme\nBrahma, in which is neither happiness nor misery--and attaining which\nbeings are not affected with misery; what is thy opinion?'\n\n\"The serpent said, 'O Yudhishthira, truth, charity, forgiveness,\nbenevolence, benignity, kindness and the Veda[42] which worketh the\nbenefit of the four orders, which is the authority in matters of religion\nand which is true, are seen even in the Sudra. As regards the object to\nbe known and which thou allegest is without both happiness and misery, I\ndo not see any such that is devoid of these.'\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, Those characteristics that are present in a Sudra, do\nnot exist in a Brahmana; nor do those that are in a Brahmana exist in a\nSudra. And a Sudra is not a Sudra by birth alone--nor a Brahmana is\nBrahmana by birth alone. He, it is said by the wise, in whom are seen\nthose virtues is a Brahmana. And people term him a Sudra in whom those\nqualities do not exist, even though he be a Brahmana by birth. And again,\nas for thy assertion that the object to be known (as asserted by me) doth\nnot exist, because nothing exists that is devoid of both (happiness and\nmisery), such indeed is the opinion, O serpent, that nothing exists that\nis without (them) both. But as in cold, heat doth not exist, nor in heat,\ncold, so there cannot exist an object in which both (happiness and\nmisery) 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 promiscuous\nintercourse among the four orders. This is my opinion. Men belonging to\nall orders (promiscuously) beget offspring upon women of all the orders.\nAnd of men, speech, sexual intercourse, birth and death are common. And\nto this the Rishis have borne testimony by using as the beginning of a\nsacrifice such expressions as--of what caste so ever we may be, we\ncelebrate the sacrifice. Therefore, those that are wise have asserted\nthat character is the chief essential requisite. The natal ceremony of a\nperson is performed before division of the umbilical cord. His mother\nthen acts as its Savitri and his father officiates as priest. He is\nconsidered as a Sudra as long as he is not initiated in the Vedas. Doubts\nhaving arisen on this point, O prince; of serpents, Swayambhuba Manu has\ndeclared, that the mixed castes are to be regarded as better than the\n(other) classes, if having gone through the ceremonies of purification,\nthe latter do not conform to the rules of good conduct, O excellent\nsnake! Whosoever now conforms to the rules of pure and virtuous conduct,\nhim have I, ere now, designated as a Brahmana.' The serpent replied, 'O\nYudhishthira, thou art acquainted with all that is fit to be known and\nhaving listened to thy words, how can I (now) eat up thy brother\nVrikodara!\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXXX\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'In this world, you are so learned in the Vedas and\nVedangas; 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 heaven.'\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 creature\nis seen to be important than good speech and vice-versa. Even so it is, O\nking, depending on effects. And now, if thou hast anything else to ask,\nsay it all, I shall enlighten thee!' Yudhishthira said, 'Tell me, O\nsnake, how the incorporal being's translation to heaven, its perception\nby the senses and its enjoyment of the immutable fruits of its actions\n(here below), can be comprehended.' The snake replied, 'By his own acts,\nman is seen to attain to one of the three conditions of human existence,\nof heavenly life, or of birth in the lower animal kingdom. Among these,\nthe man who is not slothful, who injures no one and who is endowed with\ncharity and other virtues, goes to heaven, after leaving this world of\nmen. By doing the very contrary, O king, people are again born as men or\nas lower animals. O my son, it is particularly said in this connection,\nthat the man who is swayed by anger and lust and who is given to avarice\nand malice falls away from his human state and is born again as a lower\nanimal, and the lower animals too are ordained to be transformed into the\nhuman state; and the cow, the horse and other animals are observed to\nattain to even the divine state.'[43] O my son, the sentient being,\nreaping the fruits of his actions, thus transmigrates through these\nconditions; but the regenerate and wise man reposes his soul in the\neverlasting Supreme Spirit. The embodied spirit, enchained by destiny and\nreaping the fruits of its own actions, thus undergoes birth after birth\nbut he that has lost touch of his actions, is conscious of the immutable\ndestiny of all born beings.[44]\n\n\"Yudhishthira asked, 'O snake, tell me truly and without confusion how\nthat dissociated spirit becomes cognisant of sound, touch, form, flavour,\nand taste. O great-minded one, dost thou not perceive them,\nsimultaneously by the senses? Do thou, O best of snakes, answer all these\nqueries!' The snake replied, 'O long-lived one, the thing called Atman\n(spirit), betaking itself to corporeal tenement and manifesting itself\nthrough the organs of sense, becomes duly cognisant of perceptible\nobjects. O prince of Bharata's race, know that the senses, the mind, and\nthe intellect, assisting the soul in its perception of objects, are\ncalled Karanas. O my son, the eternal spirit, going out of its sphere,\nand aided by the mind, acting through the senses, the receptacles of all\nperceptions, successively perceives these things (sound, form, flavour,\n&c). O most valiant of men, the mind of living creatures is the cause of\nall perception, and, therefore, it cannot be cognisant of more than one\nthing at a time. That spirit, O foremost of men, betaking itself to the\nspace between the eyebrows, sends the high and low intellect to different\nobjects. What the Yogins perceive after the action of the intelligent\nprinciple by that is manifested the action of 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 duty\nof 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 soul,\nbecomes (then) the director of the latter. The intellect is brought into\nplay by acts of perception; the mind is self-existent. The Intellect does\nnot cause the sensation (as of pain, pleasure, &c), but the mind does.\nThis, my son, is the difference between the mind and the intellect. You\ntoo 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 doubt\non this point.' The snake replied, 'Prosperity intoxicates even the wise\nand valiant men. Those who live in luxury, (soon) lose their reason. So,\nI too, O Yudhishthira, overpowered by the infatuation of prosperity, have\nfallen from my high state and having recovered my self-consciousness, am\nenlightening thee thus! O victorious king, thou hast done me a good turn.\nBy conversing with thy pious self, my painful curse has been expiated. In\ndays of yore, while I used to sojourn in heaven in a celestial chariot,\nrevelling in my pride, I did not think of anything else, I used to exact\ntribute from Brahmarshis, Devas, Yakshas, Gandharvas, Rakshasas, Pannagas\nand all other dwellers of the three worlds. O lord of earth, such was the\nspell of my eyes, that on whatever creature, I fixed them, I instantly\ndestroyed his power. Thousands of Brahmarshis used to draw my chariot.\nThe delinquency, O king, was the cause of my fall from my high\nprosperity. Among them, Agastya was one day drawing my conveyance, and my\nfeet came in contact with his body; Agastya then pronounced (this curse)\non me, in anger, 'Ruin seize thee, do thou become a snake.' So, losing my\nglory, I fell down from that excellent car and while falling, I beheld\nmyself turned into a snake, with head downwards. I thus implored that\nBrahmana, 'May this curse be extinguished, O adorable one! You ought to\nforgive one who has been so foolish from infatuation.' Then he kindly\ntold me this, as I was being hurled down (from heaven), \"The virtuous\nking Yudhishthira will save thee from this curse, and when, O king,\nhorrible sin of pride will be extinguished in thee; thou shalt attain\nsalvation.' And I was struck with wonder on seeing (this) power of his\naustere virtues; and therefore, have I questioned thee about the\nattributes of the Supreme Spirit and of Brahmanas. Truth, charity,\nself-restraint, penance, abstention from doing injury to any creature,\nand constancy in virtue, these, O king, and not his race of family\nconnections, are the means, by which a man must always secure salvation.\nMay this brother of thine, the mighty Bhimasena, meet with good luck and\nmay happiness abide with thee! I 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 Heaven.\nThe glorious and pious Yudhishthira, too, returned to his hermitage with\nDhaumya and his brother Bhima. Then the virtuous Yudhishthira narrated\nall that, in detail, to the Brahmanas who had assembled (there). On\nhearing that, his three brothers and all the Brahmanas and the renowned\nDraupadi too were covered with shame. And all those excellent Brahmanas\ndesiring the welfare of the Pandavas, admonished Bhima for his\nfoolhardiness, telling him not to attempt such things again, and the\nPandavas too were greatly pleased at seeing the mighty Bhima out of\ndanger, and continued to live there pleasantly.\"\n\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, rumbling\nloudly, and covering the heavens and the cardinal points, ceaselessly\nrained during day and night. These clouds, counted by hundreds and by\nthousands, looked like domes in the rainy season. From the earth\ndisappeared the effulgence of the sun; its place was taken by the\nstainless lustre of the lightning; the earth became delightful to all,\nbeing overgrown with grass, with gnats and reptiles in their joy; it was\nbathed with rain and possessed with calm. When the waters had covered\nall, 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 of\nagitated waters, flowing with great force and resembling serpents in the\nhissing sound they made. The boars, the stags and the birds, while the\nrain was falling upon them began to utter sounds of various kinds which\ncould be heard within the forest tracts. The chatakas, the peacocks and\nthe host of male Kohilas and the excited frogs, all ran about in joy.\nThus while the Pandavas were roaming about in the deserts and sandy\ntracts, the happy season of rain, so various in aspect and resounding\nwith clouds passed away. Then set in the season of autumn, thronged with\nganders and cranes and full of joy; then the forest tracts were overrun\nwith grass; the river turned limpid; the firmament and stars shone\nbrightly., And the autumn, thronged with beasts and birds, was joyous and\npleasant for the magnanimous sons of Pandu. Then were seen nights, that\nwere free from dust and cool with clouds and beautified by myriads of\nplanets and stars and the moon. And they beheld rivers and ponds, adorned\nwith lilies and white lotuses, full of cool and pleasant water. And while\nroving by the river Saraswati whose banks resembled the firmament itself\nand were overgrown with canes, and as such abounded in sacred baths,\ntheir joy was great. And those heroes who wielded powerful bows, were\nspecially glad to see the pleasant river Saraswati, with its limpid\nwaters full to the brim. And, O Janamejaya, the holiest night, that of\nthe full moon in the month of Kartika in the season of autumn, was spent\nby them while dwelling there! And the sons of Pandu, the best of the\ndescendants of Bharata, spent that auspicious juncture with righteous and\nmagnanimous saints devoted to penance. And as soon as the dark fortnight\nset in immediately after, the sons of Pandu entered the forest named the\nKamyaka, accompanied by Dhananjaya and their charioteers and cooks.\"\n\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 upon\nthem. And a certain Brahmana said, 'He the beloved friend of Arjuna, of\npowerful arms and possessed of self control, descendant of Sura, of a\nlofty intellect, will come, for, O ye foremost of the descendants of\nKuru, Hari knows that ye have arrived here. For, Hari has always a\nlonging for your sight and always seeks your welfare. And Markandeya, who\nlived very many years devoted to great austerities, given to study and\npenance, will erelong come and meet you.' And the very moment that he was\nuttering these words, there was beheld Krishna, coming thitherward upon a\ncar unto which were yoked the horses Saivya and Sugriva,--he the best of\nthose that ride on cars, accompanied by Satyabhama, is like Indra by\nSachi, the daughter of Pulaman. And the son of Devaki came, desirous to\nsee those most righteous of the descendants of Kuru. And the sagacious\nKrishna, having alighted from the car, prostrated himself, with pleasure\nin his heart, before the virtuous king, in the prescribed way, and also\nbefore Bhima, that foremost of powerful men. And he paid his respects to\nDhaumya, while the twin brothers prostrated themselves to him. And he\nembraced Arjuna of the curly hair; and spoke words of solace to the\ndaughter of Drupada. And the descendant of the chief of the Dasaraha\ntribe, that chastiser of foes, when he saw the beloved Arjuna come near\nhim, having seen him after a length of time, clasped him again and again.\nAnd so too Satyabhama also, the beloved consort of Krishna, embraced the\ndaughter of Drupada, the beloved wife of the sons of Pandu. Then these\nsons of Pandu, accompanied by their wife and priests, paid their respects\nto Krishna, whose eyes resembled the white lotus and surrounded him on\nall sides. And Krishna, when united with Arjuna, the son of Pritha, the\nwinner of riches and the terror of the demons assumed a beauty comparable\nto that of Siva, the magnanimous lord of all created beings, when he, the\nmighty lord, is united with Kartikeya (his son). And Arjuna, who bore a\ncirclet of crowns on his head, gave an account of what had happened to\nhim in the forest to Krishna, the elder brother of Gada. And Arjuna\nasked, saying, 'How is Subhadra, and her son Abhimanyu?' And Krishna, the\nslayer of Madhu, having paid his respects in the prescribed form to the\nson of Pritha, and to the priest, and seating himself with them there,\nspoke to king Yudhishthira, in words of praise. And he said, 'O king,\nVirtue is preferable to the winning of kingdoms; it is, in fact, practice\nof austerities! By you who have obeyed with truth and candour what your\nduty prescribed, have been won both this world and that to come! First\nyou have studied, while performing religious duties; having acquired in a\nsuitable way the whole science of arms, having won wealth by pursuing the\nmethods prescribed for the military caste, you have celebrated all the\ntime-honoured sacrificial rites. You take no delight in sensual\npleasures; you do not act, O lord of men, from motives of enjoyment, nor\ndo you swerve from virtue from greed of riches; it is for this, you have\nbeen named the Virtuous King, O son of Pritha! Having won kingdoms and\nriches and means of enjoyment, your best delight has been charity and\ntruth and practice of austerities, O King, and faith and meditation and\nforbearance and patience! When the population of Kuru-jangala beheld\nKrishna outraged in the assembly hall, who but yourself could brook that\nconduct, O Pandu's son, which was so repugnant both to virtue and usage?\nNo doubt, you will, before long, rule over men in a praiseworthy way, all\nyour desires being fulfilled. Here are we prepared to chastise the Kurus,\nas soon as the stipulation made by you is fully performed! And Krishna,\nthe foremost 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 of\nYajnasena, saying, 'How fortunate that you are united, safe and secure,\nwith Arjuna, the winner of riches!' And Krishna also said, 'O Krishna, O\ndaughter of Yajnasena, those sons of yours, are devoted to the study of\nthe science of arms, are well-behaved and conduct themselves on the\npattern, O Krishna, of their righteous friends. Your father and your\nuterine brothers proffer them a kingdom and territories; but the boys\nfind no joy in the house of Drupada, or in that of their maternal uncles.\nSafely proceeding to the land of the Anartas, they take the greatest\ndelight in the study of the science of arms. Your sons enter the town of\nthe Vrishnis and take an immediate liking to the people there. And as you\nwould direct them to conduct themselves, or as the respected Kunti would\ndo, so does Subhadra direct them in a watchful way. Perhaps, she is still\nmore careful of them. And, O Krishna, as Rukmini's son is the preceptor\nof Aniruddha, of Abhimanyu, of Sunitha, and of Bhanu; so he is the\npreceptor and the refuge of your sons also! And a good preceptor, would\nunceasingly give them lessons in the wielding of maces and swords and\nbucklers, in missiles and in the arts of driving cars and of riding\nhorses, being valiant. And he, the son of Rukmini, having bestowed a very\ngood training upon them, and having taught them the art of using various\nweapons in a proper way, takes satisfaction at the valorous deeds of your\nsons, and of Abhimanyu. O daughter of Drupada! And when your son goes\nout, in pursuit of (out-door) sports, each one of them is followed\nthither by cars and horses and vehicles and elephants.' And Krishna said\nto the virtuous king, Yudhishthira, The fighting men of the Dasarha\ntribe, and the Kukuras, and the Andhakas--let these, O king, place\nthemselves at thy command--let them perform what thou desirest them. O\nlord of men, let the army of the tribe of Madhus, (resistless) like the\nwind, with their bows and led by Balarama whose weapon is the plough--let\nthat army, equipped (for war), consisting of horsemen and foot soldiers\nand horses 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 men,\nare 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 midst\nof a fine territory!--Then the magnanimous king having been acquainted\nwith the view, thus clearly set forth by Krishna that best of men, and,\nhaving applauded the same, and having deliberated, thus spoke with joined\npalms unto Kesava, 'O Kesava, no doubt, thou art the refuge of the sons\nof Pandu; for the sons of Pandu have their protector in thee! When the\ntime will come, there is no doubt that thou wilt do all the work just\nmentioned by thee; and even more than the same! As promised by us, we\nhave spent all the twelve years in lonely forests. O Kesava, having in\nthe prescribed way completed the period for living unrecognised, the sons\nof Pandu will take refuge in thee. This should be the intention of those\nthat associate with thee, O Krishna! The sons of Pandu swerve not from\nthe path of truth, for the sons of Pritha with their charity and their\npiety with their people and their wives and with their relations have\ntheir 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; and\ndeathless 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\nBrahamanas 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 daughter of\nDrupada, and Satyabhama, likewise myself, are all anxious to hear your\nmost excellent words, O Markandeya! Propound to us the holy stories of\nevents of bygone times, and the eternal rules of righteous conduct by\nwhich 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 his\nfeet, and the well-known oblation called the Arghya. Then the godlike\nsaint, Narada, learning that they were about to hear the speech of\nMarkandeya, 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 as willing to speak, questioned him with a\nview to suggesting topics to speak upon, saying, 'You who are ancient (in\nyears), know the deeds of gods and demons, and illustrious saints, and of\nall the royal ones. We consider you as worthy of being worshipped and\nhonoured; and we have long yearned after your company. And here is this\nson of Devaki, Krishna, who has come to us on a visit. Verily, when I\nlook 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 it\nis he that enjoys the fruit the acts bring forth. How then is god the\nagent? And, O best of those that are proficient in the knowledge of God,\nhow is it that men's actions follow them? Is it in this world? Or is it\nin some subsequent existence? And, O best of righteous men among the\ntwice-born, in what way is an embodied animated being joined by his good\nand evil deeds that seek him out? Is it after death? Or is it in this\nworld? And, O descendant of Bhrigu, is what we experience in this world\nthe result of the acts of this very life? Or will the acts of this life\nbear fruit in the world to come? And where do the actions of an animated\nbeing 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 and\ntheir life also under their own control; and they had few sufferings; had\nno fear; and had their wishes fulfilled; and they were free from trouble;\ncould visit the gods and the magnanimous saints; knew by heart all\nrighteous rules; were self-controlled and free from envy. And they lived\nmany thousand years; and had many thousand sons. Then in course of time\nthey came to be restricted to walking solely on the surface of the earth,\noverpowered by lust and wrath, dependent for subsistence upon falsehood\nand trick, overwhelmed by greed and senselessness. Then those wicked men,\nwhen disembodied, on account of their unrighteous and unblessed deeds,\nwent to hell in a crooked way. Again and again, they were grilled, and,\nagain and again they began to drag their miserable existence in this\nwonderful world. And their desires were unfulfilled, the objects\nunaccomplished, and their knowledge became unavailing. And their senses\nwere paralysed and they became apprehensive of everything and the cause\nof other people's sufferings. And they were generally marked by wicked\ndeeds, and born in low families; they became wicked and afflicted with\ndiseases, and the terror of others. And they became short-lived and\nsinful and they reaped the fruit of their terrible deeds. And coveting\neverything, they became godless and indifferent in mind, O son of Kunti!\nThe destiny of every creature after death is determined by his acts in\nthis world. Thou hast asked me where this treasure of acts of the sage\nand the ignorant remain, and where they enjoy the fruit of their good and\nevil deeds! Do thou listen to the regulations on this subject! Man with\nhis subtle original body created by God lays up a great store of virtue\nand vice. After death he quits his frail (outer) body and is immediately\nborn again in another order of beings. He never remains non-existent for\na single 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, is\nthe 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 devoted\nto truth. And they pay due homage to their preceptors and superiors and\npractise Yoga, are forgiving, continent and energetic and pious and are\ngenerally endowed with every virtue. By the conquest of the passions,\nthey are subdued in mind; by practising yoga they become free from\ndisease, fear and sorrow; they are not troubled (in mind). In course of\nbirth, mature or immature, or while ensconced in the womb, in every\ncondition, they with spiritual eyes recognize the relation of their soul\nto the supreme Spirit. Those great-minded Rishis of positive and\nintuitive knowledge passing through this arena of actions, return again\nto the abode of the celestials. Men, O king, attain what they have in\nconsequence of the grace of the gods of Destiny or of their own actions.\nDo thou not think otherwise. O Yudhishthira, I regard that as the highest\ngood which is regarded so in this world. Some attain happiness in this\nworld, but not in the next; others do so in the next, but not in this.\nSome, again, attain happiness in this as well as in the next world; and\nothers neither here nor in the next world. Those that have immense\nwealth, shine every day with well-decorated persons. O slayer of mighty\nfoes, being addicted to carnal pleasures, they enjoy happiness only in\nthis world, but not in the next. But those who are engaged in spiritual\nmeditations and the study of the Vedas, who are diligent in asceticism,\nand who impair the vigour of their bodies by performing their duties, who\nhave subdued their passions, and who refrain from killing any animated\nbeing, those men, O slayer of thy enemies, attain happiness in the next\nworld, but not in this! Those who first live a pious life, and virtuously\nacquire wealth in due time and then marry and perform sacrifices, attain\nbliss both in this and the next world. Those foolish men again who do not\nacquire knowledge, nor are engaged in asceticism or charity or increasing\ntheir species; or in encompassing the pleasures and enjoyments of this\nworld, attain bliss neither in this nor in the next world. But all of you\nare proficient in knowledge and possessed of great power and strength and\ncelestial vigour. For the extermination (of the wicked) and for serving\nthe purposes of the gods, ye have come from the other world and have\ntaken your birth in this! Ye, who are so valiant, and engaged in\nasceticism, self-restraining exercises, and religious ordinances, and\nfond of exertion, after having performed great deeds and gratified the\ngods and Rishis and the Pitris, ye will at last in due course attain by\nyour own acts the supreme region--the abode of all virtuous men! O\nornament of Kuru's race, may no doubts cross thy mind on account of these\nthy sufferings, for this affliction is for thy good!\"\n\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 thou\ntell us of it!' Thus asked, the revered Markandeya, of austere virtue and\nhigh spiritual energy, and proficient in all departments of knowledge,\nreplied, 'A strong-limbed, handsome young prince of the race of the\nHaihayas, a conqueror of hostile cities, (once) went out hunting. And\n(while) roaming in the wilderness of big trees and thickets of grass, he\nsaw, at no great distance from him, a Muni with the skin of a black\nantelope for his upper garment, and killed him for a deer. Pained at what\nhe had done, and his senses paralysed with grief, he repaired to the\npresence of the more distinguished of the Haihaya chiefs. The louts-eyed\nprince related to them the particulars. On hearing the account, O my son,\nand beholding the body of the Muni who had subsisted on fruits and roots,\nthey were sorely afflicted in mind. And they all set out enquiring here\nand there as they proceeded, as to whose son the Muni might be. And they\nsoon after reached the hermitage of Arishtanemi, son of Kasyapa. And\nsaluting that great Muni, so constant in austerity, they all remained\nstanding, while the Muni, on his part, busied himself about their\nreception. And they said unto the illustrious Muni, 'By a freak of\ndestiny, we have ceased to merit thy welcome: indeed, we have killed a\nBrahmana!' And the regenerate Rishi said to them, 'How hath a Brahmana\ncome to be killed by you, and say where may be he? Do ye all witness the\npower of my ascetic practices!' And they, having related everything to\nhim as it had happened went back, but found not the body of the dead\nRishi on the spot (where they had left it). And having searched for him,\nthey returned, ashamed and bereft of all perception, as in a dream. And\nthen, O thou conqueror of hostile cities, the Muni Tarkshya, addressed\nthem, saying, 'Ye princes, can this be the Brahmana of your killing? This\nBrahmana, endowed with occult gifts from spiritual exercises, is, indeed,\nmy son!' Seeing that Rishi, O lord of the earth, they were struck with\nbewilderment. And they said, 'What a marvel! How hath the dead come to\nlife again? Is it the power of his austere virtue by which he hath\nrevived again? We long to hear this, O Brahmana, if, indeed, it can be\ndivulged?' To them, he replied, 'Death, O lords of men, hath no power\nover us! I shall tell ye the reason briefly and intelligibly. We perform\nour own sacred duties; therefore, have we no fear of death; we speak well\nof Brahmanas but never think any ill of them; therefore hath death no\nterror for us. Entertaining our guests with food and drink, and our\ndependants with plenty of food, we ourselves (then) partake of what is\nleft; therefore we are not afraid of death. We are peaceful and austere\nand charitable and forbearing and fond of visiting sacred shrines, and we\nlive in sacred places; therefore we have no fear of death. And we live in\nplaces inhabited by men who have great spiritual power; therefore hath\ndeath no terror for us. I have briefly told ye all! Return ye now all\ntogether, cured of all worldly vanity. Ye have no fear of sin!' Saying\namen, O foremost scion of Bharata's race, and saluting the great Muni,\nall those princes joyously returned to their country.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXXXIV\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Do ye again hear from me the glory of the\nBrahmanas! It is said that a royal sage of the name of Vainya was once\nengaged in performing the horse-sacrifice and that Atri desired to go to\nhim for alms. But Atri subsequently gave up his desire of wealth, from\nreligious scruples. After much thought he, of great power, became\ndesirous of living in the woods, and, calling his wife and sons together,\naddressed them thus, 'Let us attain the highly tranquil and complete\nfruition of our desires. May it, therefore, be agreeable to you to repair\nquickly to the forest for a life of great merit.' His wife, arguing from\nmotives of virtue also then said to him, 'Hie thee to the illustrious\nprince Vainya, and beg of him vast riches! Asked by thee, that royal\nsage, engaged in sacrifice will give thee wealth. Having gone there, O\nregenerate Rishi, and received from him vast wealth, thou canst\ndistribute 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 informed,\nO virtuous one, by the high-souled Gautama, that Vainya is a pious\nprince, devoted to the cause of truth; but there are Brahmanas (about his\npersons) who are jealous of me; and as Gautama hath told me this, I do\nnot venture to go there, for (while) there, if I were to advise what is\ngood and calculated to secure piety and the fulfilment of one's desires,\nthey would contradict me with words unproductive of any good. But I\napprove of any counsel and will go there; Vainya will give me kine and\nhoards 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, thou\nart the foremost of sovereigns! The Munis praise thee, and besides thee\nthere is none so versed in religious lore'! To him the Rishi Gautama, of\ngreat ascetic merit, then indignantly replied saying, 'Atri, do not\nrepeat this nonsense. (It seems) thou art not in thy proper senses. In\nthis world of ours, Mahendra the lord of all created beings (alone) is\nthe foremost of all sovereigns!' Then, O, great prince, Atri said to\nGautama, 'As Indra, the lord of all creatures, ruleth over our destinies,\nso doth this king! Thou art mistaken. It is thou who hast lost thine\nsenses from want of spiritual perception!' Gautama replied, 'I know I am\nnot mistaken; it is thou who art labouring under a misconception in this\nmatter. To secure the king's countenance, thou art flattering him in\n(this) assembly of the people. Thou dost not know what the highest\nvirtue, is nor dost thou feel the need for it. Thou art like a child\nsteeped in ignorance, for what then hast thou 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 latter\nenquired, 'What is the matter with them, that maketh them talk so\nvociferously?' Then the very pious Kasyapa learned in all religious lore,\napproaching the disputants asked them what was the matter. And then\nGautama, addressing that assembly of great Munis said, 'Listen, O great\nBrahmanas, to the point in dispute between us. Atri hath said that Vainya\nis the ruler of our destinies; great is our doubt on this point.'\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', 'ruler\nof men', are applied in praise? The king is (also) styled the prime cause\n(of social order, as being the promulgator of laws), 'the virtuous in\nwars,' (and therefore, preserver after peace), 'the watchman,' 'the\ncontented,' 'the lord,' 'the guide to salvation,' 'the easily\nvictorious,' 'the Vishnu like,' 'of effective wrath,' 'the winner of\nbattles' and 'the cherisher of the true religion.' The Rishis, fearful of\nsin, entrusted (the temporal) power to the Kshatriyas. As among the gods\nin heaven the Sun dispelleth darkness by his effulgence, so doth the king\ncompletely root out sin from this earth. Therefore is the king's\ngreatness reduced from the evidences of the sacred books, and we are\nbound to pronounce for that side which hath spoken in favour of the king.'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Then that illustrious prince, highly pleased with\nthe victorious party, joyfully said to Atri, who had praised him\nerewhile. 'O regenerate Rishi, thou hast made and styled me the greatest\nand most excellent of men here, and compared me to the gods; therefore,\nshall I give thee vast and various sorts of wealth. My impression is that\nthou art omniscient. I give thee, O well-dressed and well-adorned one, a\nhundred millions of gold coins and also ten bharas of gold. Then Atri, of\nhigh austere virtues and great spiritual powers, thus welcomed (by the\nking), accepted all the gifts without any breach of propriety, and\nreturned home. And then giving his wealth to his sons and subduing his\nself, he cheerfully repaired to the forest with the object of performing\npenances.\"\n\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 path\nof) virtue. Tell me all this, O beautiful lady, so that instructed by\nthee, I may not fall away from the path of virtue! When and how must one\noffer oblations to the (sacred) fire and when must he worship so that\nvirtue may not be compromised? Tell me all this, O excellent lady, so\nthat I may live without any passions, craving, or desire, in this world.'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Thus questioned by that cheerful Muni and seeing\nhim eager to learn and endued with high intelligence, Saraswati addressed\nthese pious and beneficial words to the Brahmana, Tarkshya.'\n\n\"Saraswati said, 'He who is engaged in the study of the Vedas, and with\nsanctity 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\nApsaras, dwell in contentment on the shores of those lakes. He who giveth\ncows (to Brahmanas) attaineth the highest regions; by giving bullocks he\nreacheth the solar regions, by giving clothes he getteth to the lunar\nworld, and by giving gold he attaineth to the state of the Immortals. He\nwho giveth a beautiful cow with a fine calf, and which is easily milked\nand which doth not run away, is (destined) to live for as many years in\nthe celestial regions as there are hairs on the body of that animal. He\nwho giveth a fine, strong, powerful, young bullock, capable of drawing\nthe plough and bearing burdens, reacheth the regions attained by men who\ngive ten cows. When a man bestoweth a well-caparisoned kapila cow with a\nbrazen milk-pail and with money given afterwards, that cow becoming, by\nits own distinguished qualities, a giver of everything reacheth the side\nof the man who gave her away. He who giveth away cows, reapeth\ninnumerable fruits of his action, measured by the hairs on the body of\nthat animal. He also saveth (from perdition) in the next world his sons\nand grandsons and ancestors to the seventh generation. He who presenteth\nto a Brahmana, sesamum made up in the form of a cow, having horns made of\ngold, with money besides, and a brazen milk-pail, subsequently attaineth\neasily to the regions of the Vasus. By his own acts man descends into the\ndarksome lower regions, infested by evil spirits (of his own passions)\nlike a ship tossed by the storm in the high seas; but the gift of kine to\nBrahmanas saves him in the next world. He who giveth his daughter in\nmarriage, in the Brahma form, who bestoweth gifts of land on Brahmanas\nand who duly maketh other presents, attaineth to the regions of\nPurandara. O Tarkshya, the virtuous man who is constant in presenting\noblations to the sacred fire for seven years, sanctifieth by his own\naction seven generations up and down.'\n\n\"Tarkshya said, 'O beautiful lady, explain to me who ask thee, the rules\nfor the maintenance of the sacred fire as inculcated in the Vedas. I\nshall now learn from thee the time-honoured rules for perpetually keeping\nup the sacred fire.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXXXVI\n\nThen 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 and\ngreat Rishi of the name of Manu. He was the son of Vivaswan and was equal\nunto Brahma in glory. And he far excelled his father and grandfather in\nstrength, in power, in fortune, as also in religious austerities. And\nstanding on one leg and with uplifted hand, that lord of men did severe\npenance in the jujube forest called Visala. And there with head downwards\nand with steadfast eyes he practised the rigid and severe penance for ten\nthousand years. And one day, whilst he was practising austerities there\nwith wet clothes on and matted hair on head, a fish approaching the banks\nof the Chirini, addressed him thus, 'Worshipful sir, I am a helpless\nlittle fish, I am afraid of the large ones; therefore, do thou, O great\ndevotee, think it worth thy while to protect me from them; especially as\nthis fixed custom is well established amongst us that the strong fish\nalways preys upon the weak ones. Therefore do thou think it fit to save\nme from being drowned in this sea of terrors! I shall requite thee for\nthy good offices.' On hearing these words from the fish, Vaivaswata Manu\nwas overpowered with pity and he took out the fish from the water with\nhis own hands. And the fish which had a body glistening like the rays of\nthe moon when taken out of the water was put back in an earthen\nwater-vessel. And thus reared that fish O king, grew up in size and Manu\ntended it carefully like a child. And after a long while, it became so\nlarge in size, that there was no room for it in that vessel. And then\nseeing Manu (one day), it again addressed these words to him, 'Worshipful\nsir, do thou appoint some better habitation for me.' And then the\nadorable Manu, the conqueror of hostile cities, took it out of that\nvessel and carried it to a large tank and placed it there. And there\nagain the fish grew for many a long year. And although the tank was two\nyojanas in length and one yojana in width, even there, O lotus-eyed son\nof Kunti and ruler of men, was no room for the fish to play about! And\nbeholding Manu it said again, 'O pious and adorable father, take me to\nthe Ganga, the favourite spouse of the Ocean so that I may live there; or\ndo as thou listest. O sinless one, as I have grown to this great bulk by\nthy favour I shall do thy bidding cheerfully.' Thus asked the upright and\ncontinent and worshipful Manu took the fish to the river Ganga and he put\nit into the river with his own hands. And there, O conqueror of thy\nenemies, the fish again grew for some little time and then beholding\nManu, it said again, 'O lord, I am unable to move about in the Ganga on\naccount of my great body; therefore, worshipful sir, do thou please take\nme quickly to the sea!' O son of Pritha, Manu then taking it out of the\nGanga, carried it to the sea and consigned it there. And despite its\ngreat bulk, Manu transported it easily and its touch and smell were also\npleasant to him. And when it was thrown into the sea by Manu, it said\nthese words to him with a smile, 'O adorable being, thou hast protected\nme with special care; do thou now listen to me as to what thou shouldst\ndo in the fulness of time! O fortunate and worshipful sir, the\ndissolution of all this mobile and immobile world is nigh at hand. The\ntime for the purging of this world is now ripe. Therefore do I now\nexplain what is good for thee! The mobile and immobile divisions of the\ncreation, those that have the power of locomotion, and those that have it\nnot, of all these the terrible doom hath now approached. Thou shall build\na strong massive ark and have it furnished with a long rope. On that must\nthou ascend, O great Muni, with the seven Rishis and take with thee all\nthe different seeds which were enumerated by regenerate Brahmanas in days\nof yore, and separately and carefully must thou preserve them therein.\nAnd whilst 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 not\ndoubt all that thou hast said, O great one! Even so shall I act!' And\ngiving instructions to each other, they both went away. And Manu then, O\ngreat and powerful king and conqueror of thy enemies, procured all the\ndifferent seeds as directed by the fish, and set sail in an excellent\nvessel on the surging sea. And then, O lord of the earth, he bethought\nhimself of that fish. And the fish too, O conqueror of thy enemies and\nforemost scion of Bharata's race, knowing his mind, appeared there with\nhorns on his head. And then, O tiger among men, beholding in the ocean\nthat horned fish emerging like a rock in the form of which he had been\nbefore appraised, he lowered the ropy noose on its head. And fastened by\nthe noose, the fish, O king and conqueror of hostile cities, towed the\nark with great force through the salt waters. And it conveyed them in\nthat vessel on the roaring and billow beaten sea. And, O conqueror of thy\nenemies and hostile cities, tossed by the tempest on the great ocean, the\nvessel reeled about like a drunken harlot. And neither land nor the four\ncardinal points of the compass, could be distinguished.\n\nAnd there was water everywhere and the waters covered the heaven and the\nfirmament also. And, O bull of Bharata's race, when the world was thus\nflooded, none but Manu, the seven Rishis and the fish could be seen. And,\nO king, the fish diligently dragged the boat through the flood for many a\nlong year and then, O descendant of Kuru and ornament of Bharata's race,\nit towed the vessel towards the highest peak of the Himavat. And, O\nBharata, the fish then told those on the vessel to tie it to the peak of\nthe Himavat. And hearing the words of the fish they immediately tied the\nboat on that peak of the mountain and, O son of Kunti and ornament of\nBharata's race, know that that high peak of the Himavat is still called\nby the name of Naubandhana (the harbour). Then the fish addressing the\nassociated Rishis told them these words, 'I am Brahma, the Lord of all\ncreatures; there is none greater than myself. Assuming the shape of a\nfish, I have saved you from this cataclysm. Manu will create (again) all\nbeings--gods, Asuras and men, all those divisions of creation which have\nthe power of locomotion and which have it not. By practicing severe\nausterities he will acquire this power, and with my blessing, illusion\nwill 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\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 Spirit,\nthere is none equal to thee in years except the great-minded Brahma\nliving in the most exalted place. Thou, O Brahmana, worshippest Brahma at\nthe time of the great dissolution of the universe, when this world is\nwithout sky and without the gods and Danavas. And when that cataclysm\nceaseth and the Grandsire awaketh, thou alone, O regenerate Rishi,\nbeholdest Brahma duly re-create the four orders of beings after having\nfilled the cardinal points with air and consigned the waters to their\nproper place. Thou, O great Brahmana, hast worshipped in his presence the\ngreat Lord and Grandsire of all creatures with soul rapt in meditation\nand entirely swallowed up in Him! And, O Brahmana, thou hast many a time\nwitnessed with thy eyes, the primeval acts of creation, and, plunged in\nsevere ascetic austerities, thou hast also surpassed the Prajapatis\nthemselves! Thou art esteemed as one who is nearest to Narayana, in the\nnext world. Many a time in days of yore hast thou beheld the Supreme\nCreator of the universe with eyes of spiritual abstraction and\nrenunciation, having first opened thy pure and lotus-like heart--the only\nplace where the multiform Vishnu of universal knowledge may be seen! It\nis for this, O learned Rishi, by the grace of God neither all-destroying\nDeath, nor dotage that causeth the decay of the body, hath any power over\nthee! When neither the sun, nor the moon, nor fire, nor earth, nor air,\nnor sky remains, when all the world being destroyed looketh like one vast\nocean, when the Gods and Asuras and the great Uragas are annihilated, and\nwhen the great-minded Brahma, the Lord of all creatures, taking his seat\non a lotus flower, sleepeth there, then thou alone remainest to worship\nhim! And, O best of Brahman as thou hast seen all this that occurred\nbefore, with thy own eyes. And thou alone hast witnessed many things by\nthe senses, and never in all the worlds hath there been any thing unknown\nto thee! Therefore do I long to hear any discourse explaining the causes\nof things!\"\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 is\nthe 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 into\nlife. Four thousand years have been said to constitute the Krita Yuga.\nIts dawn also, as well as its eve, hath been said to comprise four\nhundred years. The Treta-Yuga is said to comprise three thousand years,\nand its dawn, as well as its eve, is said to comprise three hundred\nyears. The Yuga that comes next is called Dwapara, and it hath been\ncomputed to consist of two thousand years. Its dawn, as well as its eve,\nis said to comprise two hundred years. The next Yuga, called Kali, is\nsaid to comprise one thousand years and its dawn, as well as eve, is said\nto comprise one hundred years. Know, O king, that the duration of the\ndawn is the same as that of the eve of a Yuga. And after the Kali Yuga is\nover, the Krita Yuga comes again. A cycle of the Yugas thus comprised a\nperiod of twelve thousand years. A full thousand of such cycles would\nconstitute a day of Brahma. O tiger among men, when all this universe is\nwithdrawn and ensconced within its home--the Creator himself--that\ndisappearance of all things is called by the learned to be Universal\nDestruction. O bull of the Bharata race, towards the end of the last\nmentioned period of one thousand years, i.e., when the period wanted to\ncomplete a cycle is short, men generally become addicted to falsehood in\nspeech. O son of Pritha, then sacrifices and gifts and vows, instead of\nbeing performed by principals are suffered to be performed by\nrepresentatives! Brahmanas then perform acts that are reserved for the\nSudras, and the Sudras betake themselves to the acquisition of wealth.\nThen Kshatriyas also betake themselves to the practice of religious acts.\nIn the Kali age, the Brahmanas also abstain from sacrifices and the study\nof the Vedas, are divested of their staff and deer-skin, and in respect\nof food become omnivorous. And, O son, the Brahmanas in that age also\nabstain from prayers and meditation while the Sudras betake themselves to\nthese! The course of the world looketh contrary, and indeed, these are\nthe signs that foreshadow the Universal Destruction. And, O lord of men,\nnumerous Mleccha kings then rule over the earth! And those sinful\nmonarchs, addicted to false speech, govern their subjects on principles\nthat are false. The Andhhas, the Sakas, the Pulindas, the Yavanas, the\nKamvojas, the Valhikas and the Abhiras, then become, O best of men,\npossessed of bravery and the sovereignty of the earth. This, O tiger\namong men, becometh the state of the world during the eve, O Bharata, of\nthe Kali age! Not a single Brahmana then adhereth to the duties of his\norder. And the Kshatriyas and the Vaisyas also, O monarch, follow\npractices contrary to those that are proper for their own orders. And men\nbecome short-lived, weak in strength, energy, and prowess; and endued\nwith small might and diminutive bodies, they become scarcely truthful in\nspeech. And the human population dwindles away over large tracts of\ncountry, and the regions of the earth, North and South, and East and\nWest, become crowded with animals and beasts of prey. And during this\nperiod, they also that utter Brahma, do so in vain. The Sudras address\nBrahmanas, saying, Bho, while the Brahmanas address Sudras, saying\nRespected Sir. And, O tiger among men, at the end of the Yuga, animals\nincrease enormously. And, O king, odours and perfumes do not then become\nso agreeable to our sense of scent, and, O tiger among men, the very\ntastes of things do not then so well accord with our organs of taste as\nat other periods! And, O king, women then become mothers of numerous\nprogeny, endued with low statures, and destitute of good behaviour and\ngood manners. And they also make their very mouths serve the purposes of\nthe organ of procreation. And famine ravages the habitations of men, and\nthe highways are infested by women of ill fame, while females in general,\nO king, become at such periods hostile to their lords and destitute of\nmodesty! And, O king, the very kine at such periods yield little milk,\nwhile the trees, sat over with swarms of crows, do not produce many\nflowers and fruits. And, O lord of the earth, regenerate classes, tainted\nwith the sin of slaying Brahmanas, accept gifts from monarchs that are\naddicted to falsehood in speech. And filled with covetousness and\nignorance, and bearing on their persons the outward symbols of religion,\nthey set out on eleemosynary rounds, afflicting the people of the Earth.\nAnd people leading domestic lives, afraid of the burden of taxes, become\ndeceivers, while Brahmanas, falsely assuming the garb of ascetics, earn\nwealth by trade, with nails and hair unpared and uncut. And, O tiger\namong men, many of the twice-born classes become, from avarice of wealth,\nreligious mendicants of the Brahmacharin order. And, O monarch, men at\nsuch periods behave contrary to the modes of life to which they betake\nthemselves, and addicted to intoxicating drinks and capable of violating\nthe beds of their preceptors, their desires are all of this world,\npursuing matters ministering to the flesh and the blood. And O tiger\namong men, at such period the asylums of ascetics become full of sinful\nand audacious wretches ever applauding lives of dependence. And the\nillustrious chastiser of Paka never showers rain according to the seasons\nand the seeds also that are scattered on earth, do not, O Bharata, all\nsprout forth. And men, unholy in deed and thought, take pleasure in envy\nand malice. 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 and\nshort-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 deposit.\nAnd beasts of prey and other animals and fowl may be seen to lie down in\nplaces of public amusement in cities and towns, as well as in sacred\nedifices. And, O king girls of seven or eight years of age do then\nconceive, while boys of ten or twelve years beget offspring. An in their\nsixteenth year, men are overtaken with decrepitude and decay and the\nperiod 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 and\nforget themselves with menials and slaves and even with animals. And O\nking, even women that are wives of heroes seek the companionship of other\nmen 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 by\nthousands. And then, O lord of men, seven blazing Suns, appearing in the\nfirmament, drink up all the waters of the Earth that are in rivers or\nseas. And, O bull of the Bharata race, then also everything of the nature\nof wood and grass that is wet to dry, is consumed and reduced to ashes.\nAnd then, O Bharata, the fire called Samvartaka impelled by the winds\nappeareth on the earth that hath already been dried to cinders by the\nseven Suns. And then that fire, penetrating through the Earth and making\nits appearance, in the nether regions also, begetteth great terror in the\nhearts of the gods, the Danavas and the Yakshas. And, O lord of the\nearth, consuming the nether regions as also everything upon this Earth\nthat fire destroyeth all things in a moment. And that fire called\nSamvartaka aided by that inauspicious wind, consumeth this world\nextending for hundreds and thousands of yojanas. And that lord of all\nthings, that fire, blazing forth in effulgence consumeth this universe\nwith gods and Asuras and Gandharvas and Yakshas and Snakes and Rakshasas.\nAnd there rise in the sky deep masses of clouds, looking like herds of\nelephants and decked with wreaths of lightning that are wonderful to\nbehold. And some of those clouds are of the hue of the blue lotus; and\nsome are of the hue of the water-lily; and some resemble in tint the\nfilaments of the lotus and some are purple and some are yellow as\nturmeric and some of the hue of the crows' egg. And some are bright as\nthe petals of the lotus and some red as vermillion. And some resemble\npalatial cities in shape and some herds of elephants. And some are of the\nform of lizards and some of crocodiles and sharks. And, O king, the\nclouds that gather in the sky on the occasion are terrible to behold and\nwreathed with lightnings, roar frightfully. And those vapoury masses,\ncharged with rain, soon cover the entire welkin. And, O king, those\nmasses of vapour then flood with water the whole earth with her mountains\nand forests and mines. And, O bull among men, urged by the Supreme Lord\nthose clouds roaring frightfully, soon flood over the entire surface of\nthe earth. And pouring in a great quantity of water and filling the whole\nearth, they quench that terrible inauspicious fire (of which I have\nalready spoken to thee). And urged by the illustrious Lord those clouds\nfilling the earth with their downpour shower incessantly for twelve\nyears. And then, O Bharata, the Ocean oversteps his continents, the\nmountains sunder in fragments, and the Earth sinks under the increasing\nflood. And then moved on a sudden by the impetus of the wind, those\nclouds wander along the entire expanse of the firmament and disappear\nfrom the view. And then, O ruler of men, the Self-create Lord--the first\nCause of everything--having his abode in the lotus, drinketh those\nterrible 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 the\nAsuras cease to be, when the Yakshas and the Rakshasas are no more, when\nman is not, when trees and beasts of prey have disappeared, when the\nfirmament itself has ceased to exist, I alone, O lord of the earth,\nwander in affliction. And, O best of kings, wandering over that dreadful\nexpanse of water, my heart becometh afflicted in consequence of my not\nbeholding any creature! And, O king, wandering without cessation, through\nthat flood, I become fatigued, but I obtain no resting place! And some\ntime after I behold in that expanse of accumulated waters a vast and\nwide-extending banian tree, O lord of earth! And I then behold, O\nBharata, 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 as\npetals of a full blown lotus! And at this sight, O lord of earth, wonder\nfilled my heart. And I asked myself, 'How doth this boy alone sit here\nwhen the world itself hath been destroyed?' And, O king, although I have\nfull knowledge of the Past, the Present, and the Future, still I failed\nto learn anything of this by means of even ascetic meditation. Endued\nwith the lustre of the Atasi flower, and decked with the mark of\nSreevatsa, he seemed to me to be like the abode of Lakshmi, herself. And\nthat boy, of eyes like the petals of the lotus, having the mark of\nSreevatsa, and possessed of blazing effulgence, then addressed me in\nwords highly pleasant to the ear, saying, 'O sire, I know thee to be\nfatigued and desirous of rest. O Markandeya of Bhrigu's race, rest thou\nhere as long as thou wishest. O best of Munis, entering within my body,\nrest thou there. That hath been the abode assigned to thee by me. I have\nbeen pleased with thee.' Thus addressed by that boy, a sense of total\ndisregard possessed me in respect both of my long life and state of\nmanhood. Then that boy suddenly opened his mouth, and as fate would have\nit, I entered his mouth deprived of the power of motion. But O king,\nhaving suddenly entered into the stomach of that boy, I behold there the\nwhole earth teeming with cities and kingdoms. And, O best of men, while\nwandering through the stomach of that illustrious one, I behold the\nGanga, the Satudru, the Sita, the Yamuna, and the Kausiki; the\nCharmanwati, the Vetravati; the Chandrabhaga, the Saraswati, the Sindhu,\nthe Vipasa, and the Godavari; the Vaswokasara, the Nalini and the\nNarmada; the Tamra, and the Venna also of delightful current and sacred\nwaters; the Suvenna, the Krishna-venna, the Irama, and the Mahanadi; the\nVitasti, O great king, and that large river, the Cavery; the one also, O\ntiger among men, the Visalya, and the Kimpuna also. I beheld all these\nand many other rivers that are on the earth! And, O slayer of foes, I\nalso beheld there the ocean inhabited by alligators and sharks, that mine\nof gems, that excellent abode of waters. And I beheld there the firmament\nalso, decked with the Sun and the Moon, blazing with effulgence, and\npossessed of lustre of fire of the Sun. And I beheld there, O king, the\nearth also, graced with woods and forests. And, O monarch, I beheld there\nmany Brahmanas also, engaged in various sacrifices; and the Kshatriyas\nengaged in doing good to all the orders; and the Vaisyas employed in\npursuits in agriculture; and the Sudras devoted to the service of the\nregenerate classes. And, O king, while wandering through the stomach of\nthat high-souled one, I also beheld the Himavat and the mountains of\nHemakuta. And I also saw Nishada, and the mountains of Sweta abounding in\nsilver. And, O king, I saw there the mountain Gandhamadana, and, O tiger\namong men, also Mandara and the huge mountains of Nila. And, O great\nking, I saw there the golden mountains of Meru and also Mahendra and\nthose excellent mountains called the Vindhyas. And I beheld there the\nmountains of Malaya and of Paripatra also. These and many other mountains\nthat are on earth were all seen by me in his stomach. And all these were\ndecked with jewels and gems. And, O monarch, while wandering through his\nstomach, I also beheld lions and tigers and boars and, indeed, all other\nanimals that are on earth, O great king! O tiger among men, having\nentered his stomach, as I wandered around, I also beheld the whole tribe\nof the gods with their chief Sakra, the Sadhyas, the Rudras, the Adityas,\nthe Guhyakas, the Pitris, the Snakes and the Nagas, the feathery tribes,\nthe Vasus, the Aswins, the Gandharvas, the Apsaras, the Yakshas, the\nRishis, the hordes of the Daityas and the Danavas, and the Nagas also. O\nking, and the sons of Singhika and all the other enemies of the gods;\nindeed what else of mobile and immobile creatures may be seen on earth,\nwere all seen by me, O monarch, within the stomach of that high-souled\none. And, O lord, living upon fruits I dwelt within his body for many\ncenturies wandering over the entire universe that is there. Never did I\nyet, O king, behold the limits of his body. And when, O lord of earth, I\nfailed to measure the limits of that high-souled one's body, even though\nI wandered within him continuously in great anxiety of mind. I then, in\nthought and deed sought the protection of that boon-giving and\npre-eminent Deity, duly acknowledging his superiority. And when I had\ndone this, O king, I was suddenly projected (from within his body)\nthrough that high-souled one's open mouth by means, O chief of men, of a\ngust of wind. And, O king, I then beheld seated on the branch of that\nvery banian that same Being of immeasurable energy, in the form of a boy\nwith the mark of Sreevatsa (on his breast) having, O tiger among men,\nswallowed up the whole universe. And that boy of blazing effulgence and\nbearing the mark of Sreevatsa and attired in yellow robes, gratified with\nme, smilingly addressed me, saying, 'O Markandeya, O best of Munis,\nhaving dwelt for some time within my body, thou hast been fatigued! I\nshall however speak unto thee.' And as he said this to me, at that very\nmoment I acquired a new sight, so to speak, in consequence of which I\nbeheld myself to be possessed of true knowledge and emancipated from the\nillusions of the world. And, O child, having witnessed the inexhaustible\npower of that Being of immeasurable energy, I then worshipped his revered\nand well-shaped feet with soles bright as burnished copper and\nwell-decked with toes of mild red hue, having placed them carefully on my\nhead and joining my palms in humility and approaching him with reverence.\nI beheld 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, having\nentered into thy body through thy mouth, I have beheld the entire\nuniverse in thy stomach! O Divine Being, the gods, the Danavas and the\nRakshasas, the Yakshas, the Gandharvas, and the Nagas, indeed, the whole\nuniverse mobile and immobile, are all within thy body! And though I have\nceaselessly wandered through thy body at a quick pace, through thy grace,\nO God, my memory faileth me not. And, O great lord, I have come out of\nthy body at thy desire but not of mine! O thou of eyes like lotus leaves,\nI desire to know thee who art free from all faults! Why dost thou stay\nhere in the form of a boy having swallowed up the entire universe? It\nbehoveth thee to explain all this to me. Why, O sinless one, is the\nentire universe within thy body? How long also, O chastiser of foes, wilt\nthou stay here? Urged by a curiosity that is not improper for Brahmanas,\nI desire, O Lord of all the gods, to hear all this from thee, O thou of\neyes like lotus leaves, with every detail and exactly as it all happens,\nfor all I have seen, O Lord, is wonderful and inconceivable!' And thus\naddressed by me, that deity of deities, of blazing effulgence and great\nbeauty, that foremost of all speakers consoling me properly, spoke unto\nme these words.\"\n\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 will\ntell thee how I created the universe! O regenerate Rishi, thou art\ndevoted to thy ancestors and hast also sought my protection! Thou hast\nalso beheld me with thy eyes, and thy ascetic merit also is great! In\nancient times I called the waters by the name of Nara; and because the\nwaters have ever been my ayana or home, therefore have I been called\nNarayana (the water-homed). O best of regenerate ones, I am Narayana, the\nSource of all things, the Eternal, the Unchangeable. I am the Creator of\nall things, and the Destroyer also of all. I am Vishnu, I am Brahma and I\nam Sakra, the chief of the gods. I am king Vaisravana, and I am Yama, the\nlord of the deceased spirits. I am Siva, I am Soma, and I am Kasyapa the\nlord of the created things. And, O best of regenerate ones, I am he\ncalled Dhatri, and he also that is called Vidhatri, and I am Sacrifice\nembodied. Fire is my mouth, the earth my feet, and the Sun and the Moon\nare my eyes; the Heaven is the crown of my head, the firmament and the\ncardinal points are my ears; the waters are born of my sweat. Space with\nthe cardinal points are my body, and the Air is my mind. I have performed\nmany hundreds of sacrifices with gifts in profusion. I am always present\nin the sacrifices of the gods; and they that are cognisant of the Vedas\nand officiate therein, make their offerings to me. On earth the Kshatriya\nchiefs that rule over men, in performing their sacrifices from desire of\nobtaining heaven, and the Vaisyas also in performing theirs from desire\nof winning those happy regions, all worship me at such times and by those\nceremonials. It is I who, assuming the form of Sesha support (on my head)\nthis earth bounded by the four seas and decked by Meru and Mandara. And O\nregenerate one, it is I who, assuming the form of a boar, had raised in\ndays of yore this earth sunk in water. And, O best of Brahmanas, it is I\nwho, becoming 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 Brahmanas\nand Kshatriyas and Vaisyas and Sudras. It is from me that the Rik, the\nSama, the Yajus, and the Atharvan Vedas spring, and it is in me that they\nall enter when the time cometh. Brahmanas devoted to asceticism, they\nthat value Peace as the highest attribute, they that have their souls\nunder complete control, they that are desirous of knowledge, they that\nare freed from lust and wrath and envy, they that are unwedded to things\nof the earth, they that have their sins completely washed away, they that\nare possessed of gentleness and virtue, and are divested of pride, they\nthat have a full knowledge of the Soul, all worship me with profound\nmeditation. I am the flame known as Samvartaka, I am the Wind called by\nthat name, I am the Sun wearing that appellation, and I am the fire that\nhath that designation. And, O best of Brahmanas, those things that are\nseen in the firmament as stars, know them to be the pores of my skin. The\nocean--those mines of gems and the four cardinal points, know, O\nBrahmana, are my robes, my bed, and my home. By me have they been\ndistributed for serving the purposes of the gods. And, O best of men,\nknow also that lust, wrath, joy, fear, and the over-clouding of the\nintellect, are all different forms of myself. And, O Brahmana, whatever\nis obtained by men by the practice of truth, charity, ascetic\nausterities, and peace and harmlessness towards all creatures, and such\nother handsome deeds, is obtained because of my arrangements. Governed by\nmy ordinance, men wander within my body, their senses overwhelmed by me.\nThey move not according to their will but as they are moved by me.\nRegenerate Brahmanas that have thoroughly studied the Vedas, that have\ntranquillity in their souls, they that have subdued their wrath, obtain a\nhigh reward by means of their numerous sacrifices. That reward, however,\nis unattainable by men that are wicked in their deeds, overwhelmed by\ncovetousness, mean and disreputable with souls unblessed and impure.\nTherefore, must thou know, O Brahmana that this reward which is obtained\nby persons having their souls under control and which is unobtainable by\nthe ignorant and the foolish,--this which is attainable by asceticism\nalone,--is productive of high merit. And, O best of men, at those times\nwhen virtue and morality decrease and sin and immorality increase, I\ncreate myself in new forms. And, O Muni, when fierce and malicious\nDaityas and Rakshasas that are incapable of being slain by even the\nforemost of the gods, are born on earth, I then take my birth in the\nfamilies of virtuous men, and assuming human body restore tranquillity by\nexterminating all evils. Moved by my own maya, I create gods and men, and\nGandharvas and Rakshasas, and all immobile things and then destroy them\nall myself (when the time cometh). For the preservation of rectitude and\nmorality I assume a human form, and when the season for action cometh, I\nagain assume forms that are inconceivable. In the Krita age I become\nwhite, in the Treta age I become yellow, in the Dwapara I have become red\nand in the Kali age I become dark in hue, I the Kali age, the proportion\nof immorality becometh three-fourths, (a fourth only being that of\nmorality). And when the end of the Yuga cometh, assuming the fierce form\nof Death, alone I destroy all the three worlds with their mobile and\nimmobile existences. With three steps, I cover the whole Universe; I am\nthe Soul of the universe; I am the source of all happiness; I am the\nhumbler of all pride; I am omnipresent; I am infinite; I am the Lord of\nthe senses; and my prowess is great. O Brahmana, alone do I set a-going\nthe wheel of Time; I am formless; I am the Destroyer of all creatures;\nand I am the cause of all efforts of all my creatures. O best of Munis,\nmy soul completely pervadeth all my creatures, but, O foremost of all\nregenerate ones, no one knoweth me. It is me that the pious and the\ndevoted worship in all the worlds. O regenerate one, whatever of pain\nthou hast felt within my stomach, know, O sinless one, that all that is\nfor thy happiness and good fortune. And whatever of mobile and immobile\nobjects thou hast seen in the world, everything hath been ordained by my\nSoul which is the Spring of all existence. The grandsire of all creatures\nis half my body; I am called Narayana, and I am bearer of the\nconch-shell, the discus and the mace. O regenerate Rishi, for a period\nmeasured by a thousand times the length of the Yugas, I who am the\nUniversal Soul sleep overwhelming all creatures in insensibility. And, O\nbest of regenerate Rishis, I stay here thus for all time, in the form of\na boy though I am old, until Brahma waketh up. O foremost of Brahmanas,\ngratified with thee, I who am Brahma have repeatedly granted thee boons,\nO thou who art worshipped by regenerate Rishis! Beholding one vast\nexpanse of water and seeing that all mobile and immobile creatures have\nbeen destroyed, thou wert afflicted with melancholy. I know this, and it\nis for this that I showed thee the universe (within my stomach). And\nwhile thou wert within my body, beholding the entire universe, thou wert\nfilled with wonder and deprived of thy senses. O regenerate Rishi, it is\nfor this that thou wert speedily brought out by me through my mouth. I\nhave (now) told thee of that Soul which is incapable of being\ncomprehended by the gods and the Asuras. And as long as that great\nascetic, the holy Brahma, doth not awake, thou, O regenerate Rishi, canst\nhappily and trustfully dwell here. And when that Grandsire of all\ncreatures awaketh up, I will then, O best of Brahmanas, alone create all\ncreatures endued with bodies, the firmament, the earth, light, the\natmosphere, water, and indeed all else of mobile and immobile creatures\n(that thou mayst have seen) 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, at\nthe end of the Yuga! And the Deity, of eyes large as lotus leaves, seen\nby me, in days of yore is this tiger among men, this Janardana who hath\nbecome thy relative! It is in consequence of the boon granted to me by\nthis one that memory doth not fail me, that the period of my life, O son\nof Kunti, is so long and death itself is under my control. This is that\nancient and supreme Lord Hari of inconceivable soul who hath taken his\nbirth as Krishna of the Vrishni race, and who endued with mighty arms,\nseemeth to sport in this world! This one is Dhatri and Vidhatri, the\nDestroyer of all the Eternal, the bearer of the Sreevatsa mark on his\nbreast, the Lord of the lord of all creatures, the highest of the high,\ncalled also Govinda! Beholding this foremost of all gods, this\never-victorious Being, attired in yellow robes, this chief of the Vrishni\nrace, my recollection cometh back to me! This Madhava is the father and\nmother of all creatures! Ye bulls of the Kuru race, seek ye the refuge of\nthis 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\n\nSECTION CLXXXIX\n\n\"Vaisampayana 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, what\nwill remain there! What will be the prowess of men in that age, what\ntheir food, and what their amusements? What will be the period of life at\nthe end of the Yuga? What also is the limit, having attained which the\nKrita age will begin anew? Tell me all in detail, O Muni, for all that\nthou 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 was\nfree from deceit and guile and avarice and covetousness; and morality\nlike a bull was among men, with all the four legs complete. In the Treta\nage sin took away one of these legs and morality had three legs. In the\nDwapara, sin and morality are mixed half and half; and accordingly\nmorality is said to have two legs only. In the dark age (of Kali), O thou\nbest of the Bharata race, morality mixed with three parts of sin liveth\nby the side of men. Accordingly morality then is said to wait on men,\nwith only a fourth part of itself remaining. Know, O Yudhishthira, that\nthe period of life, the energy, intellect and the physical strength of\nmen decrease in every Yuga! O Pandava, the Brahmanas and Kshatriyas and\nVaisyas and Sudras, (in the Kali age) will practise morality and virtue\ndeceitfully and men in general will deceive their fellows by spreading\nthe net of virtue. And men with false reputation of learning will, by\ntheir acts, cause Truth to be contracted and concealed. And in\nconsequence of the shortness of their lives they will not be able to\nacquire much knowledge. And in consequence of the littleness of their\nknowledge, they will have no wisdom. And for this, covetousness and\navarice will overwhelm them all. And wedded to avarice and wrath and\nignorance and lust men will entertain animosities towards one another,\ndesiring to take one another's lives. And Brahmanas and Kshatriyas and\nVaisyas with their virtue contracted and divested of asceticism and truth\nwill all be reduced to an equality with the Sudras. And the lowest orders\nof men will rise to the position of the intermediate ones, and those in\nintermediate stations will, without doubt, descend to the level of the\nlowest ones. Even such, O Yudhishthira, will become the state of the\nworld at the end of the Yuga. Of robes those will be regarded the best\nthat are made of flax and of grain the Paspalum frumentacea[45] will be\nregarded the best. Towards this period men will regard their wives as\ntheir (only) friends. And men will live on fish and milk, goats and\nsheep, for cows will be extinct. And towards that period, even they that\nare always observant of vows, will become covetous. And opposed to one\nanother, men will, at such a time, seek one another's lives; and divested\nof Yuga, people will become atheists and thieves. And they will even dig\nthe banks of streams with their spades and sow grains thereon. And even\nthose places will prove barren for them at such a time. And those men who\nare devoted to ceremonial rites in honour of the deceased and of the\ngods, will be avaricious and will also appropriate and enjoy what belongs\nto others. The father will enjoy what belongs to the son; and the son,\nwhat belongs to the father. And those things will also be enjoyed by men\nin such times, the enjoyment of which hath been forbidden in the\nscriptures. And the Brahmanas, speaking disrespectfully of the Vedas,\nwill not practise vows, and their understanding clouded by the science of\ndisputation, they will no longer perform sacrifices and the Homa. And\ndeceived by the false science of reasons, they will direct their hearts\ntowards everything mean and low. And men will till low lands for\ncultivation and employ cows and calves that are one year old, in drawing\nthe plough and carrying burthens. And sons having slain their sires, and\nsires having slain their sons will incur no opprobrium. And they will\nfrequently save themselves from anxiety by such deeds, and even glory in\nthem. And the whole world will be filled with mleccha behaviour and\nnotions and ceremonies, and sacrifices will cease and joy will be nowhere\nand general 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 gifts\nmade by wicked people with words of contempt. And, O son of Kunti, the\nkings 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 good\nand the honest, and feeling no pity for the latter, even when they will\ncry in grief, the Kshatriyas will, O Bharata, rob these of their wives\nand wealth. And no one will ask for a girl (for purposes of marriage) and\nno one will give away a girl (for such purposes), but the girls will\nthemselves choose their lords, when the end of the Yuga comes. And the\nkings of the earth with souls steeped in ignorance, and discontented with\nwhat they have, will at such a time, rob their subjects by every means in\ntheir power. And without doubt the whole world will be mlecchified.[46]\nAnd when the end of the Yuga comes, the right hand will deceive the left;\nand the left, the right. And men with false reputation of learning will\ncontract Truth and the old will betray the senselessness of the young,\nand the young will betray the dotage of the old. And cowards will have\nthe reputation of bravery and the brave will be cheerless like cowards.\nAnd towards the end of the Yuga men will cease to trust one another. And\nfull of avarice and folly the whole world will have but one kind of food.\nAnd sin will increase and prosper, while virtue will fade and cease to\nflourish. And Brahmanas and Kshatriyas and Vaisyas will disappear,\nleaving, O king, no remnants of their orders. And all men towards the end\nof the Yuga will become members of one common order, without distinction\nof any kind. And sires will not forgive sons, and sons will not forgive\nsires. And when the end approaches, wives will not wait upon and serve\ntheir husbands. And at such a time men will seek those countries where\nwheat and barley form the staple food. And, O monarch, both men and women\nwill become perfectly free in their behaviour and will not tolerate one\nanother's acts. And, O Yudhishthira, the whole world will be mlecchified.\nAnd men 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 the\nbehaviour of the mlecchas, become omnivorous without distinction, and\ncruel in all their acts, when the end of the Yuga will come. And, O thou\nforemost of the Bharatas, urged by avarice, men will, at that time,\ndeceive one another when they sell and purchase. And without a knowledge\nof the ordinance, men will perform ceremonies and rites, and, indeed,\nbehave as listeth them, when the end of the Yuga comes. And when the end\nof the Yuga comes, urged by their very dispositions, men will act\ncruelly, 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 over\nthe earth without anybody to protect them. And when men will begin to\nslay one another, and become wicked and fierce and without any respect\nfor animal life, then will the Yuga come to an end. And, O king, even the\nforemost of the regenerate ones, afflicted by robbers, will, like crows,\nfly in terror and with speed, and seek refuge, O perpetuator of the Kuru\nrace, in rivers and mountains and inaccessible regions. And always\noppressed by bad rulers with burthens of taxes, the foremost of the\nregenerate classes, O lord of the earth, will, in those terrible times,\ntake leave of all patience and do improper acts by becoming even the\nservants of the Sudras. And Sudras will expound the scriptures, and\nBrahmanas will wait upon and listen to them, and settle their course of\nduty accepting such interpretations as their guides. And the low will\nbecome the high, and the course of things will look contrary. And\nrenouncing the gods, men will worship bones and other relics deposited\nwithin walls. And, at the end of the Yuga, the Sudras will cease to wait\nupon and serve the Brahmanas. And in the asylums of great Rishis, and the\nteaching institutions of Brahmanas, and in places sacred to the gods and\nsacrificial compounds, and in sacred tanks, the earth will be disfigured\nwith tombs and pillars containing bony relics and not graced with temples\ndedicated to the gods. All this will take place at the end of the Yuga,\nand know that these are the signs of the end of the Yuga. And when men\nbecome fierce and destitute of virtue and carnivorous and addicted to\nintoxicating drinks, then doth the Yuga come to an end. And, O monarch,\nwhen flowers will be begot within flowers, and fruits within fruits, then\nwill the Yuga come to an end. And the clouds will pour rain unseasonably\nwhen the end of the Yuga approaches. And, at that time, ceremonial rites\nof men will not follow one another in due order, and the Sudras will\nquarrel with the Brahmanas. And the earth will soon be full of mlecchas,\nand the Brahmanas will fly in all directions for fear of the burthen of\ntaxes. And all distinctions between men will cease as regards conduct and\nbehaviour, and afflicted with honorary tasks and offices, people will fly\nto woody retreats, subsisting on fruits and roots. And the world will be\nso afflicted, that rectitude of conduct will cease to be exhibited\nanywhere. 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 will\nbe in want. And all the points of the horizon will be ablaze, and the\nstars and stellar groups will be destitute of brilliancy, and the planets\nand planetary conjunctions will be inauspicious. And the course of the\nwinds will be confused and agitated, and innumerable meteors will flash\nthrough the sky, foreboding evil. And the Sun will appear with six others\nof the same kind. And all around there will be din and uproar, and\neverywhere there will be conflagrations. And the Sun, from the hour of\nhis rising to that of setting, will be enveloped by Rahu. And the deity\nof a thousand eyes will shower rain unseasonably. And when the end of the\nYuga comes, crops will not grow in abundance. And the women will always\nbe sharp in speech and pitiless and fond of weeping. And they will never\nabide by the commands of their husbands. And when the end of the Yuga\ncomes, sons will slay fathers and mothers. And women, living\nuncontrolled, will slay their husbands and sons. And, O king, when the\nend of the Yuga comes, Rahu will swallow the Sun unseasonably. And fires\nwill blaze up on all sides. And travellers unable to obtain food and\ndrink and shelter even when they ask for these, will lie down on the\nwayside refraining from urging their solicitations. And when the end of\nthe Yuga comes, crows and snakes and vultures and kites and other animals\nand birds will utter frightful and dissonant cries. And when the end of\nthe Yuga comes, men will cast away and neglect their friends and\nrelatives and attendants. And, O monarch, when the end of the Yuga comes,\nmen abandoning the countries and directions and towns and cities of their\noccupation, will seek for new ones, one after another. And people will\nwander over the earth, uttering, 'O father, O son', and such other\nfrightful and rending cries.\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[47], 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 his\nbirth. 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 and\nweapons, and warriors and arms, and coats of mail will be at his disposal\nas soon as he will think of them. And he will be the king of kings, and\never victorious with the strength of virtue. And he will restore order\nand peace in this world crowded with creatures and contradictory in its\ncourse. And that blazing Brahmana of mighty intellect, having appeared,\nwill destroy all things. And he will be the Destroyer of all, and will\ninaugurate a new Yuga. And surrounded by the Brahmanas, that Brahmana\nwill exterminate all the mlecchas wherever those low and despicable\npersons may take refuge.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXL\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Having exterminated the thieves and robbers,\nKalki will, at a great Horse-sacrifice, duly give away this earth to the\nBrahmanas, and having established anew the blessed rectitude ordained by\nthe Self-create, Kalki, of sacred deeds and illustrious reputation, will\nenter a delightful forest, and the people of this earth will imitate his\nconduct, and when the Brahmanas will have exterminated the thieves and\nrobbers, there will be prosperity everywhere (on earth). And as the\ncountries of the earth will one after another be subjugated, that tiger\namong Brahmanas, Kalki, having placed deer skins and lances and tridents\nthere, will roam over the earth, adored by foremost Brahmanas and showing\nhis regard for them and engaged all the while in slaughtering thieves and\nrobbers. And he will exterminate the thieves and robbers amid\nheart-rending cries of 'Oh, father--' 'Oh, mother!--'O son!' and the\nlike, and O Bharata, when sin will thus have been rooted out and virtue\nwill flourish on arrival of the Krita age, men will once more betake\nthemselves to the practice of religious rites. And in the age that will\nset in, viz., the Krita, well-planted gardens and sacrificial compounds\nand large tanks and educational centres for the cultivation of Brahmanic\nlore and ponds and temples will re-appear everywhere. And the ceremonies\nand rites of sacrifices will also begin to be performed. And the\nBrahmanas will become good and honest, and the regenerate ones, devoted\nto ascetic austerities, will become Munis and the asylums of ascetics,\nwhich had before been filled with wretches will once more be homes of men\ndevoted to truth, and men in general will begin to honour and practise\ntruth. And all seeds, sown on earth, will grow, and, O monarch, every\nkind of crop will grow in every season. And men will devotedly practise\ncharity and vows and observances, and the Brahmanas devoted to meditation\nand sacrifices will be of virtuous soul and always cheerful, and the\nrulers of the earth will govern their kingdoms virtuously, and in the\nKrita age, the Vaisyas will be devoted to the practices of their order.\nAnd the Brahmanas will be devoted to their six-fold duties (of study,\nteaching, performance of sacrifices on their own account, officiating at\nsacrifices performed by others, charity and acceptance of gifts), and the\nKshatriyas will be devoted to feats of prowess. And Sudras will be\ndevoted to service of the three (high) orders,\n\n\"These, O Yudhishthira, are the courses of the Krita, the Treta, the\nDwapara and the succeeding age. I have now narrated to thee everything. I\nhave also told thee, O son of Pandu, the periods embraced by the several\nYugas as generally known. I have now told thee everything appertaining to\nboth the past and the future as narrated by Vayu in the Purana (which\ngoes by his name and) which is adored by the Rishis. Being immortal I\nhave many a time beheld and otherwise ascertained the courses of the\nworld. Indeed, all I have seen and felt I have now told thee. And, O thou\nof unfading glory, listen now with thy brothers to something else I will\npresently tell thee for clearing thy doubts about religion! O thou\nforemost of virtuous men, thou shouldst always fix thy soul on virtue,\nfor, O monarch, a person of virtuous soul obtaineth bliss both here and\nhereafter. And, O sinless one, listen to the auspicious words that I will\nnow speak to thee. Never do thou humiliate a Brahmana, for a Brahmana, if\nangry, may by his vow destroy the 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 my\nsubjects, 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 from\nignorance or carelessness, wash them off and expiate them by charity.\nRenouncing pride and vanity, be thou possessed to humility and good\nbehaviour. 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 regarded\nas virtuous. There is nothing appertaining to the past or the future that\nis unknown to thee. Therefore, O son, take not to heart this present\ncalamity of thine. They that are wise are never overwhelmed when they are\npersecuted by Time. O thou of mighty arms, the very dwellers of heaven\ncannot rise superior to Time. Time afflicts all creatures. O sinless one,\nlet not doubt cross thy mind regarding the truth of what I have told\nthee, for, if thou sufferest doubt to enter thy heart, thy virtue will\nsuffer diminution! O bull of the Bharata race, thou art born in the\ncelebrated family of the Kurus. Thou shouldst practise that which I have\ntold thee, in thought, word and deed.'\n\nYudhishthira 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 that\nwere there, became filled with joy. And having heard those blessed words\nappertaining to olden time, from Markandeya gifted with wisdom, their\nhearts were filled with wonder.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXLI\n\nJanamejaya said, \"It behoveth thee to narrate to me in full the greatness\nof the Brahmanas even as the mighty ascetic Markandeya had expounded it\nto the sons of Pandu.\"\n\n\"Vaisampayana 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 rider\nand the horse bathed in it, and refreshed by the bath and placing before\nhis horse some stalks and fibres of the lotus, the king sat by the side\nof the tank. And while he was lying by the side of the tank, he heard\ncertain sweet strains of music, and hearing those strains, he reflected,\n'I do not see here the foot-prints of men. Whose and whence then these\nstrains?' And the king soon beheld a maiden of great beauty gathering\nflowers singing all the while, and the maiden soon came before the king,\nand the king thereupon asked her, 'Blessed one, who art thou and whose?'\nAnd she replied, 'I am a maiden.' And the king said, 'I ask thee to be\nmine.' And the maiden answered, 'Give me a pledge, for then only I can be\nthine, else not.' And the king then asked about the pledge and the girl\nanswered. 'Thou wilt never make me cast my eyes on water', and the king\nsaying, 'So be it,' married her, and king Parikshit having married her\nsported (with her) in great joy, and sat with her in silence, and while\nthe king was staying there, his troops reached the spot, and those troops\nbeholding the monarch stood surrounding him, and cheered by the presence\nof troops, the king entered a handsome vehicle accompanied by his (newly)\nwedded wife. And having arrived at his capital he began to live with her\nin privacy. And persons that were even near enough to the king could not\nobtain any interview with him and the minister-in-chief enquired of those\nfemales that waited upon the king, asking, 'What do ye do here?' And\nthose women replied, 'We behold here a female of unrivalled beauty. And\nthe king sporteth with her, having married her with a pledge that he\nwould never show her water.' And hearing those words, the\nminister-in-chief caused an artificial forest to be created, consisting\nof many trees with abundant flowers and fruits, and he caused to be\nexcavated within that forest and towards one of its sides a large tank,\nplaced in a secluded spot and full of water that was sweet as Amrita. The\ntank was well covered with a net of pearls. Approaching the king one day\nin private, he addressed the king saying, 'This is a fine forest without\nwater. Sport thou here joyfully!' And the king at those words of his\nminister entered that forest with that adorable wife of his, and the king\nsported with her in that delightful forest, and afflicted with hunger and\nthirst and fatigued and spent, the king beheld a bower of Madhavi\ncreepers[48] and entering that bower with his dear one, the king beheld a\ntank full of water that was transparent and bright as nectar, and\nbeholding that tank, the king sat on its bank with her and the king told\nhis adorable wife, 'Cheerfully do thou plunge into this water!' And she,\nhearing those words plunged into the tank. But having plunged into the\nwater she appeared not above the surface, and as the king searched, he\nfailed to discover any trace of her. And the king ordered the waters of\nthe tank to be baled out, and thereupon he beheld a frog sitting at the\nmouth of a hole, and the king was enraged at this and promulgated an\norder saying, 'Let frogs be slaughtered everywhere in my dominions!\nWhoever wishes to have an interview with me must come before me with a\ntribute of dead frogs.' And accordingly when frogs began to be terribly\nslaughtered, the affrighted frogs represented all that had happened unto\ntheir king, and the king of the frogs assuming the garb of an ascetic\ncame before the king Parikshit, and having approached the monarch, he\nsaid, 'O king, give not thyself up to wrath! Be inclined to grace. It\nbehoveth thee not to slay the innocent frogs.' Here occurs a couple of\nSlokas. (They are these):--'O thou of unfading glory, slay not the frogs!\nPacify thy wrath! The prosperity and ascetic merits of those that have\ntheir souls steeped in ignorance suffer diminution! Pledge thyself not to\nbe angry with the frogs! What need hast thou to commit such sin! What\npurpose will be served by slaying the frogs!' Then king Parikshit whose\nsoul was filled with woe on account of the death of her that was dear to\nhim, answered the chief of the frogs who had spoken to him thus, 'I will\nnot forgive the frogs. On the other hand, I will slay them. By these\nwicked wretches 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 inclined\nto grace, O king! I am the king of the frogs by name Ayu. She who was thy\nwife is my daughter of the name of Susobhana. This, indeed, is an\ninstance of her bad conduct. Before this, many kings were deceived by\nher.' The king thereupon said to him, 'I desire to have her. Let her be\ngranted 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, 'Drive\nthou fast.' And the charioteer, thus addressed, replied unto the king,\nsaying, 'Do not entertain such a purpose. This deer is incapable of being\ncaught by thee. If indeed Vami horses had been yoked to thy car, then\ncouldst thou have taken it.' Thereupon the king addressed his charioteer,\nsaying, 'Tell me all about Vami horses, otherwise I will slay thee,' Thus\naddressed the charioteer became dreadfully alarmed and he was afraid of\nthe king and also of Vamadeva's curse and told not the king anything and\nthe king then lifting up his scimitar said to him, 'Tell me soon, else I\nwill slay thee.' At last afraid of the king, the charioteer said, 'The\nVami horses are those belonging to Vamadeva; they are fleet as the mind.'\nAnd unto his charioteer who had said so, the king said, 'Repair thou to\nthe asylum of Vamadeva.' And reaching the asylum of Vamadeva the king\nsaid unto that Rishi, 'O holy one, a deer struck by me is flying away. It\nbehoveth thee to make it capable of being seized by me by granting me thy\npair of Vami horses.' The Rishi then answered him saying, 'I give thee my\npair of Vami horses. But after accomplishing thy object, my Vami pair you\nshould soon return.' The king then taking those steeds and obtaining the\nleave of the Rishi pursued the deer, having yoked the Vami pair unto his\ncar, and after he had left the asylum he spoke unto his charioteer\nsaying, 'These jewels of steeds the Brahmanas do not deserve to possess.\nThese should not be returned to Vamadeva.' Having said this and seized\nthe deer he returned to his capital and placed those steeds within the\ninner apartments of the palace.\n\n\"Meanwhile the Rishi reflected, 'The prince is young. Having obtained an\nexcellent 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 a\nmonth, 'Go, O Atreya, and say to the king that if he has done with the\nVami steeds, he should return them unto thy preceptor.' And the disciple\nAtreya, thereupon, repairing to the king, spoke unto him as instructed,\nand the king replied saying, 'This pair of steeds deserves to be owned by\nkings. The Brahmanas do not deserve to possess jewels of such value. What\nbusiness have Brahmanas with horses? Return thou contentedly!' And\nAtreya, thus addressed by the king, returned and told his preceptor all\nthat had happened, and hearing this sad intelligence, Vamadeva's heart\nwas filled with wrath, and repairing in person to the king he asked him\nfor his steeds, and the king refused to give the Rishi what the latter\nasked, and Vamadeva said, 'O lord of earth, give me thou my Vami horses.\nBy them hast thou accomplished a task which was almost incapable of being\naccomplished by thee. By transgressing the practices of Brahmanas and\nKshatriyas, subject not thyself, O king, to death by means of the\nterrible noose of Varuna.' And hearing this, the king answered, 'O\nVamadeva, this couple of excellent well-trained, and docile bulls are fit\nanimals for Brahmanas. O great Rishi, (take them and) go with them\nwherever thou likest. Indeed, the very Vedas carry persons like thee.'\nThen Vamadeva said, 'O king, the Vedas do, indeed, carry persons like us.\nBut that is in the world hereafter. In this world, however, O king,\nanimals like these carry me and persons like me as also all others.' At\nthis the king answered, 'Let four assess carry thee, or four mules of the\nbest kind, or even four steeds endued with the speed of the wind. Go thou\nwith these. This pair of Vami horses, however, deserves to be owned by\nKshatriyas. Know thou, therefore, that these are not thine.' At this,\nVamadeva said, 'O king, terrible vows have been ordained for the\nBrahmanas. If I have lived in their observance, let four fierce and\nmighty Rakshasas of terrible mien and iron bodies, commanded by me,\npursue thee with desire of slaying, and carry thee on their sharp lances,\nhaving cut up thy body into four parts.' Hearing this, the king said,\n'Let those, O Vamadeva, that know thee as a Brahmana that in thought,\nword, and deed, is desirous of taking life, at my command, armed with\nbright lances and swords prostrate thee with thy disciples before me.'\nThen Vamadeva answered, 'O king, having obtained these my Vami steeds,\nthou hadst said, 'I will return them.' Therefore, give me back my Vami\nsteeds, so thou mayst be able to protect thy life.' Hearing this, the\nking said, 'Pursuit of deer hath not been ordained for the Brahmanas. I\ndo punish thee, however, for thy untruthfulness. From this day, too,\nobeying all thy commands I will, O Brahmana, attain to regions of bliss.'\nVamadeva then said, 'A Brahmana cannot be punished in thought, word or\ndeed. That learned person who by ascetic austerities succeedeth in\nknowing a Brahmana to be so, faileth not to attain to prominence in this\nworld.'\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 aloud,\nsaying, 'If, O Brahmana, all the descendants of Ikshvaku's race, if (my\nbrother) Dala, if all these Vaisyas acknowledge my sway, then I will not\nyield up the Vami steeds to Vamadeva, for these men can never be\nvirtuous.' And while he was uttering those words, those Rakshasas slew\nhim, and the lord of earth was soon prostrated on the ground. And the\nIkshvakus, learning that their king had been slain, installed Dala on the\nthrone, and the Brahmana Vamadeva thereupon going to the kingdom (of the\nIkshvakus), addressed the new monarch, saying, 'O king, it hath been\ndeclared 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 of\nten years of age, called Senajita, begotten upon thy queen. Urged by my\nword, 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 of\nfierce 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 able\nto duly instruct this wretched husband of mine from day to day, imparting\nunto him words of happy import; and let me always wait upon and serve the\nBrahmanas, and by this acquire, O Brahmana, the sacred regions\nhereafter.' And hearing these words of the queen, Vamadeva said, 'O thou\nof beautiful eyes, thou hast saved this royal race. Beg thou an\nincomparable boon. I will grant thee whatever thou mayst ask. And, O thou\nfaultless one, rule thou, O princess, these thy kinsmen and this great\nkingdom 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 in\nthinking of the weal of his son and kinsmen. This is the boon that I ask,\nO 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 Dala\nbecame highly glad and gave unto the Muni his Vami steeds, having bowed\ndown unto him with reverence!'\"\n\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 lived?'\n\n\"Thus asked by them, Markandeya answered, 'The royal sage Vaka is a great\nascetic and endowed with long life. Ye need not enquire into the reason\nof 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 Dalvya are of great souls and endowed with\nimmortality and that those Rishis, held in universal reverence, are the\nfriends of the chief of the gods. O Holy One, I desire to listen lo the\n(history of the) meeting of Vaka and Indra that is full of both joy and\nwoe. Narrate thou that history unto us succinctly.'\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'When that horrible conflict between the gods and the\nAsuras was over, Indra became the ruler of the three worlds. The clouds\nshowered rain copiously. And the dwellers of the world had abundance of\nharvests, and were excellent in disposition. And devoted to virtue, they\nalways practised morality and enjoyed peace. And all persons, devoted to\nthe duties of their respective orders, were perfectly happy and cheerful,\nand the slayer of Vala, beholding all the creatures of the world happy\nand cheerful, became himself filled with joy. And he of a hundred\nsacrifices, the chief of the gods seated on the back of his elephant\nAiravata, surveyed his happy subjects, and he cast his eyes on delightful\nasylums of Rishis, on various auspicious rivers, towns full of\nprosperity, and villages and rural regions in the enjoyment of plenty.\nAnd he also cast his eyes upon kings devoted to the practice of virtue\nand well-skilled in ruling their subjects. And he also looked upon tanks\nand reservoirs and wells and lakes and smaller lakes all full of water\nand adored by best of Brahmanas in the observance, besides, of various\nexcellent vows, and then descending on the delightful earth, O king, the\ngod of a hundred sacrifices, proceeded towards a blessed asylum teeming\nwith animals and birds, situated by the side of the sea, in the\ndelightful and auspicious regions of the East on a spot overgrown with\nabundance of vegetation. And the chief of the gods beheld Vaka in that\nasylum, and Vaka also, beholding the ruler of the Immortals, became\nhighly glad, and he worshipped Indra by presenting him with water to wash\nhis feet, a carpet to sit upon, the usual offering of the Arghya, and\nfruit and roots. And the boon-giving slayer of Vala, the divine ruler of\nthose that know not old age, being seated at his ease, asked Vaka the\nfollowing question, 'O sinless Muni, thou hast lived for a hundred years!\nTell me, O Brahmana, what the sorrows are of those that are immortal!'\n\nMarkandeya 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 of\nmen 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 but\nhave prosperity, win what they have not--all this, O god of a hundred\nsacrifices, is before thy very eyes! What can be more pitiable than the\ncalamities and reverses sustained by the gods, the Asuras, the\nGandharvas, men, the snakes, and the Rakshasas! They that have been of\ngood families suffer afflictions in consequence of their subjection to\npersons that are ill-born and the poor are insulted by the rich. What can\nbe more pitiable than these? Innumerable examples of such contradictory\ndispensations are seen in the world. The foolish and the ignorant are\ncheerful and happy while the learned and the wise suffer misery!\nPlentiful instances of misery and woe are seen among men in this world!\n(They that lead deathless lives are destined to behold all these and\nsuffer on that account.)'\n\n\"Indra then said, 'O thou of great good fortune, tell me again, what the\njoys 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.[49] 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 if\nthat food be rich and sweet, doth what is despicable. This, therefore, is\nthe opinion of the wise that fie on the food of that mean wretch who like\na dog or a Rakshasa eateth at another's house. If after treating guests\nand servants and offering food to the manes a good Brahmana eateth what\nremains, there can be nothing happier than that. There is nothing sweeter\nor more sacred, O thou of a hundred sacrifices, than that food which such\na person takes after serving the guest with the first portion thereof.\nEach mouthful (of rice) that the Brahmana eats after having served the\nguest, produces merit equal to what attaches to the gift of a thousand\nkine. And whatever sins such a one may have committed in his youth are\nall washed away of a certainty. The water in the hands of the Brahmana\nthat hath been fed and honoured with a pecuniary gift (after the feeding\nis over) when touched with water (sprinkled by him that feeds), instantly\npurges off all the sins of the latter!'\"\n\n\"Speaking of these and various other things with Vaka, the chief of the\ngods went away to heaven.'\"[50]\n\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 each\nother's way?' And thus questioned both of them spoke to Narada saying, 'O\nholy one, do not speak so. The sages of old have declared that the way\nshould be given to one who is superior or to him that is abler. We,\nhowever, that stand blocking each other's way are equal to each other in\nevery respect. Judged properly there is no superiority amongst us.' Thus\naddressed by them, Narada recited three slokas. (They are these), 'O thou\nof the Kuru race, he that is wicked behaveth wickedly even unto him that\nis humble; he also that is humble behaveth with humility and honestly\nunto him that is wicked! He that is honest behaveth honestly even towards\nthe dishonest. Why should he not behave honestly towards him that is\nhonest? He that is honest regardeth the service that is done to him, as\nif it were a hundred times greater than it is. Is this not current\namongst the gods themselves? Certainly it is the royal son of Usinara who\nis possessed of goodness that is greater than thine. One should conquer\nthe mean by charity; the untruthful by truth, the man of wicked deeds by\nforgiveness; and the dishonest by honesty. Both of you are large-hearted.\nLet one amongst you stand aside, according to the indication of the above\nslokas.' And having said so Narada became silent, and hearing what Narada\nhad said the king of the Kuru race walking round Sivi, and praising his\nnumerous achievements, gave him the way and went on in his course. It was\neven thus that Narada had described the high blessedness of the royal\nKshatriyas.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXLIV\n\nMarkandeya 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 king,\nwith what feelings thou wilt give me what I ask and upon which I have set\nmy heart.' And the king replied saying, 'Having given away a thing, I\nnever boast of it. I never also listen to solicitations for things that\ncannot be given. I listen, however, to prayers for things that can be\ngiven and giving them away I always become happy. I will give thee a\nthousand kine. The Brahmana that asks me for a gift is always dear to me.\nI am never angry with the person that begs of me and I am never sorry for\nhaving given away a thing!' And the Brahmana then obtained from the king\na thousand kine and went away.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXLV\n\nVaisampayana said, \"The son of Pandu again addressed the Rishi and said,\n'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 Brahmanas\nsave gold and silver. And once on a time a Brahmana having completed his\nstudy of the Vedas came unto Seduka and uttering a benediction upon him\nbegged of him wealth for his preceptor, saying, 'Give me a thousand\nsteeds.' And thus addressed, Seduka said unto him, 'It is not possible\nfor me to give thee this for thy preceptor. Therefore, go thou unto king\nVrishadarbha, for, O Brahmana, he is a highly virtuous king. Go and beg\nof him. He will grant thy request. Even this is his unuttered vow.'\nHearing these words that Brahmana went to Vrishadarbha and begged of him\na thousand steeds, and the king thus solicited, struck the Brahmana with\na whip and thereupon the Brahmana said, 'Innocent as I am, why dost thou\nattack me thus?' And the Brahmana was on the point of cursing the king,\nwhen the latter said, 'O Brahmana, dost thou curse him that doth not give\nthee what thou askest? Or, is this behaviour proper for a Brahmana?' And\nthe Brahmana said, 'O king of kings, sent unto thee by Seduka, I come\nbefore thee for this.' The king said, 'I will give thee now whatever\ntribute may come to me before the morning expire. How indeed, can I send\naway the man empty-handed who hath been whipped by me.' And having said\nthis the king gave unto that Brahmana the entire proceeds of that day and\nthat was more than the value of a thousand horses.'\"\n\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 came\nto the earth. And Agni took the form of a pigeon flying away from Indra\nwho pursued him in the form of a hawk, and that pigeon fell upon the lap\nof 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 great\ndanger. Let the king that understands omens give away wealth for saving\nhimself from the danger indicated.' And the pigeon also addressed the\nking and said, 'Afraid of the hawk and desirous of saving my life I have\ncome to thee for protection. I am a Muni. Having assumed the form of a\npigeon, I come to thee as a seeker of thy protection. Indeed, I seek thee\nas my life. Know me as one possessed of Vedic lore, as one leading the\nBrahmacharya mode of life, as one possessed also of self-control and\nascetic virtues. And know me further as one that has never spoken\ndisagreeably unto his preceptor, as one possessed of every virtue indeed,\nas one that is sinless. I repeat the Vedas, I know their prosody; indeed,\nI have studied all the Vedas letter by letter. I am not a pigeon. Oh, do\nnot yield me up to the hawk. The giving up of a learned and pure Brahmana\ncan never be a good gift.' And after the pigeon said so, the hawk\naddressed the king, and said, 'Creatures do not come into the world in\nthe same particular order. In the order of creation, thou mayst, in a\nformer birth, have been begotten by this pigeon. It is not proper for\nthee, O king, to interfere with my food by protecting this pigeon (even\nthough he might have been thy father).' And thus addressed, the king\nsaid, 'Hath any one, before this, seen birds thus speak the pure speech\nof man? Knowing what this pigeon sayeth, and this hawk also, how can we\nact to-day according to virtue? He that giveth up an affrighted creature\nseeking protection, unto its foe, doth not obtain protection when he is\nin need of it himself. Indeed, the very clouds do not shower rain\nseasonably for him, and the seeds though scattered do not grow for him.\nHe that giveth up an afflicted creature seeking protection unto its foe,\nhath to see his offspring die in childhood. The ancestor of such a person\ncan never dwell in heaven; indeed, the very gods decline to accept the\nlibations of clarified butter poured by him into the fire. He that giveth\nup an affrighted creature seeking protection, unto its foe, is struck\nwith the thunder-bolt by the gods with Indra at their head. The food that\nhe eateth is unsanctified, and he, of a narrow soul, falleth from heaven\nvery soon. O hawk, let the people of the Sivi tribe place before thee a\nbull cooked with rice instead of this pigeon. And let them also carry to\nthe place where thou livest in joy, meat in abundance.' And hearing this,\nthe hawk said, 'O king, I do not ask for a bull, nor, indeed, any other\nmeat, nor meat more in quantity than that of this pigeon. It hath been\ngiven to me by the gods. The creature, therefore, is my food today in\nconsequence of its death that hath been ordained. Therefore, O monarch,\ngive it up to me.' Thus addressed by the hawk, the king said, 'Let my men\nsee and carefully carry the bull to thee with every limb entire. Let that\nbull be 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 up\nmy very life, yet I would not give up this pigeon. Dost thou not know, O\nhawk, that this creature looketh like a sacrifice with the Soma juice? O\nblessed one, cease to take so much trouble for it. I cannot, by any\nmeans, yield up the pigeon to thee. Or, O hawk, if it pleases thee,\ncommand me to do some such thing which I may do for thee, which may be\nagreeable to thee, and upon doing which the men of the Sivi tribe may yet\nin joy bless me in terms of applause. I promise thee that I will do what\nthou mayst did me do.' And at this appeal of the king, the hawk said, 'O\nking, if thou givest me as much flesh as would be equal to the weight of\nthe pigeon, cutting it off thy right thigh; then can the pigeon be\nproperly saved by thee; then wouldst thou do what would be agreeable to\nme and what the men of the Sivi tribe would speak of in terms of praise.'\nAnd the king agreed to this and he cut off a piece of flesh from his\nright thigh and weighed it against the pigeon. But the pigeon weighed\nheavier. And thereupon the king cut off another piece of his flesh, but\nthe pigeon still weighed heavier, and then the king cut off pieces of\nflesh from all parts of his body and placed them on the scale. But the\npigeon still weighed heavier, and then the king himself ascended the\nscale and he felt no grief at this and beholding this, the hawk\ndisappeared there saying--(The pigeon hath been) Saved,--And the king\nasked the pigeon saying, 'O pigeon, let the Sivis know who the hawk is.\nNone but the lord of the universe could do as he did. O Holy One, answer\nthou this question of mine!' And the pigeon then said, 'I am the\nsmoke-bannered Agni called also Vaiswanara. The hawk is none other than\nSachi's lord armed with the thunder-bolt. O son of Suratha, thou art a\nbull among men. We came to try thee. These pieces of flesh, O king, that\nthou hast cut off with thy sword from thy body for saving me have caused\ngashes in thy body. I will make these marks auspicious and handsome and\nthey will be of the colour of gold and emit a sweet perfume, and earning\ngreat fame and respected by the gods and the Rishis thou shall long rule\nthese subjects of thine, and a son will spring from thy flank who shall\nbe called Kapataroman. O king, thou shalt obtain this son of the name of\nKapataroman from out of thy own body and thou wilt behold him become the\nforemost of the Saurathas, blazing with renown, possessed of bravery and\ngreat personal beauty!\"\n\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 Narada\ncoming that way and they saluted the celestial Rishi and said unto him,\n'Ride thou on this car with us. And Narada, saying, So be it, mounted on\nthe car, and one among those kings having gratified the holy and\ncelestial Rishi Narada, said, O Holy One, I desire, to ask thee\nsomething.' And the Rishi said, 'Ask.' And the person, thus permitted,\nsaid, 'All four of us are blessed with long lives and have indeed every\nvirtue. We shall, therefore, be permitted to go to a certain heaven and\ndwell there for a long period. Who amongst us, however, O king, shall\nfall down first?' Thus questioned the Rishi said, 'This Ashtaka shall\nfirst come down.' And thereupon the enquirer asked, 'For what cause?' And\nthe Rishi answered, 'I lived for a few days in the abode of Ashtaka. He\ncarried me (one day) on his car out of the town and there I beheld\nthousands of kine distinguished from one another by difference of hue.\nAnd beholding those kine I asked Ashtaka whose they were and Ashtaka\nanswered me, saying, 'I have given away these kine. By this answer he\ngave expression to his own praise. It is for this answer of his that\nAshtaka shall have to come down.' And after Narada had said so, one of\nthem again enquired, saying, 'Three of us then will stay in heaven.\nAmongst us three, who shall fall down first?' And the Rishi answered,\nPratardana.' And the enquirer asked, 'For what cause?' And the Rishi\nanswered, 'I lived for some days in the abode of Pratardana also. And he\ncarried me on his car one day. And while doing so, a Brahmana asked him\nsaying, 'Give me a horse!' And Pratardana replied, 'After returning, I\nwill give thee one!' And thereupon the Brahmana said, 'Let it be given to\nme soon.' And as the Brahmana spoke those words, the king gave unto him\nthe steed that had been yoked on the right-hand wheel of the car. And\nthere came unto him another Brahmana desirous of obtaining a steed. And\nthe king having spoken to him in the same way, gave him the steed that\nhad been yoked on the left wheel of his car. And having given away the\nhorse unto him, the king proceeded on his journey. And then there came\nunto the king another Brahmana desirous of obtaining a horse. And the\nking soon gave him the horse on the left front of his car, unyoking the\nanimal. And having done so, the king proceeded on his journey. And then\nthere came unto the king another Brahmana desirous of obtaining a horse.\nAnd the king said unto him, 'Returning, I will give thee a horse.' But\nthe Brahmana said, 'Let the steed be given to me soon.' And the king gave\nhim the only horse he had. And seizing the yoke of the car himself, the\nking began to draw it. And as he did so, he said, 'There is now nothing\nfor the Brahmanas.' The king had given away, it is true, but he had done\nso with detraction. And for that speech of his, he shall have to fall\ndown from heaven. And after the Rishi had said so, of the two that\nremained, one asked, 'Who amongst us two shall fall down?' And the Rishi\nanswered, 'Vasumanas.' And the enquirer asked, 'For what reason?' And\nNarada said, 'In course of my wanderings I arrived at the abode of\nVasumanas. And at that time the Brahmanas were performing the ceremony of\nSwastivachana for the sake of a flowery car.[51] And I approached the\nking's presence. And after the Brahmanas had completed the ceremony, the\nflowery car became visible to them. And I praised that car, and thereupon\nthe king told me, 'Holy one, by thee hath this car been praised. Let this\ncar, therefore, be thine.' And after this I went to Vasumanas another\ntime when I was in need of a (flowery) car. And I admired the car, and\nthe king said, 'It is thine.' And I went to the king a third time and\nadmired the car again. And even then the king exhibiting the flowery car\nto the Brahmanas, cast his eyes on me, and said, 'O holy one, thou hast\npraised the flowery car sufficiently.\" And the king only said these\nwords, without making me a gift of that car. And for this he will fall\ndown from heaven.'\n\n\"And one among them said, 'Of the one who is to go with thee, who will go\nand who will fall down?' And Narada answered, saying, 'Sivi will go, but\nI 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, I\nwaited to see what would follow. And Sivi then killed his son and cooking\nhim duly and placing that food in a vessel and taking it upon his head,\nhe went out in search of the Brahmana and while Sivi was thus seeking,\nfor the Brahmana, some one told him, The Brahmana thou seekest, having\nentered thy city, is setting fire to thy abode and he is also setting\nfire, in wrath, to thy treasury, thy arsenal, the apartments of the\nfemales and thy stables for horses and elephants.' And Sivi heard all\nthis, without change of colour, and entering his city spoke unto the\nBrahmana, 'O holy one, the food has been cooked.' And the Brahmana\nhearing this spoke not a word and from surprise he stood with downcast\nlooks. And Sivi with a view to gratifying the Brahmana said, 'O holy one,\neat thou this.' And the Brahmana looking at Sivi for a moment said, 'Eat\nit thyself.' And thereupon Sivi said, 'Let it be so.' And Sivi cheerfully\ntaking the vessel from his head desired to eat it and thereupon the\nBrahmana caught hold of Sivi's hand and addressing him said, 'Thou hast\nconquered wrath. There is nothing that thou canst not give unto the\nBrahmanas.' And saying this, that Brahmana adored Sivi, and then as Sivi\ncast his eyes before him, he beheld his son standing like a child of the\ngods, decked in ornaments and yielding a fragrance from his body and the\nBrahmana, having accomplished all this, made himself visible and it was\nVidhatri himself who had thus come in that guise to try that royal sage,\nand after Vidhatri had disappeared, the counsellors addressed the king,\nsaying, 'Thou knowest everything. For what didst thou do all this?' And\nSivi answered, 'It was not for fame, nor for wealth, nor from desire of\nacquiring objects of enjoyment that I did all this. This course is not\nsinful. It is for this that I do all this. The path which is trodden by\nthe virtuous is laudable. My heart always inclineth towards such a\ncourse. This high instance of Sivi's blessedness I know, and I have,\ntherefore, narrated it duly!'\"\n\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 unto\nme and asked, 'Dost thou know me?' And I answered him, saying, 'From our\nanxiety to acquire religious merit we do not confine ourselves to any\nhome. We live but for a night in the same village or town. A person like\nus, therefore, cannot possibly know thy pursuits. The fasts and vows we\nobserve render us weak in body and unable to follow any worldly pursuits\non our own behalf. Hence, one like us cannot possibly know thee.' He then\nasked me, 'Is there any one who is longerlived than thou'? I answered\nhim, saying, 'There liveth on the Himavat an owl of the name of\nPravarakarna. He is older than I. He may know thee. The part of the\nHimavat where he dwelleth is far off from here.' And at this Indradyumna\nbecame a horse and carried me to where that owl lived and the king asked\nthe owl, saying, 'Dost thou know me?' And the owl seemed to reflect for a\nmoment and then said unto the king, 'I do not know thee.' And the royal\nsage Indradyumna thereupon asked the owl, 'Is there any one who is older\nthan thou?' And thus asked the owl answered, saying, There is a lake of\nthe name of Indradyumna. In that lake dwelleth a crane of the name of\nNadijangha. He is older than we. Ask thou him.' And at this king\nIndradyumna taking both myself and the owl went to that lake where the\ncrane Nadijangha dwelt. And that crane was asked by us, 'Dost thou know\nthe king Indradyumna?' And the crane thereupon seemed to reflect a little\nand then said, 'I do not know king Indradyumna.' And the crane was asked\nby us, 'Is there any one who is older than thou?' And he answered us,\nsaying, 'There dwelleth in this very lake a tortoise of the name of\nAkupara. He is older than I. He may know something of this king.\nTherefore, enquire ye of Akupara. And then that crane gave information to\nthe tortoise, saying, 'It is intended by us to ask thee something. Please\ncome to us.' And hearing this the tortoise came out of the lake to that\npart of the bank where we all were and as he came there we asked him,\nsaying, 'Dost thou know this king Indradyumna?' And the tortoise\nreflected for a moment. And his eyes were filled with tears and his heart\nwas much moved and he trembled all over and was nearly deprived of his\nsenses. And he said with joined hands, 'Alas, do I not know this one? He\nhad planted the sacrificial stake a thousand times at the time of\nkindling the sacrificial fire. This lake was excavated by the feet of the\ncows given away by this king unto the Brahmanas on the completion of the\nsacrifice. I have lived here ever since.' And after the tortoise had said\nall this, there came from the celestial regions a car. And an aerial\nvoice was heard which said, addressing Indradyumna, 'Come thou and obtain\nthe place thou deservest in heaven! Thy achievements are great! Come thou\ncheerfully to thy place! Here also are certain slokas: The report of\nvirtuous deeds spreadeth over the earth and ascendeth to heaven. As long\nas that report lasts, so long is the doer said to be in heaven. The man\nwhose evil deeds are bruited about, is said to fall down and live, as\nlong as that evil report lasts in the lower regions. Therefore should man\nbe virtuous in his acts if he is to gain Heaven. And he should seek\nrefuge in virtue, abandoning a sinful heart.'\n\n\"And hearing these words, the king said, 'Let the car stay here as long\nas I do not take these old persons to the places whence I brought them.\nAnd having brought me and the owl Pravarakarna to our respective places,\nhe went away, riding on that car, to the place that was fit for him.\nBeing 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 regain\nHeaven!'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CLXLIX\n\nVaisampayana said, \"King Yudhishthira, hearing from the illustrious\nMarkandeya the story of the royal sage Indradyumna's regaining of Heaven,\nagain asked the Muni, saying, 'O great Muni, tell me in what condition\nshould a man practise charity in order to gain admission into the regions\nof Indra? Is it by practising charity while leading a domestic mode of\nlife, or in boyhood, or in youth, or in old age? O, tell me about the\nrespective merits reaped from the practice of charity in these different\nstages of life?'\n\nMarkandeya said, 'Life that is futile is of four kinds. Charity also that\nis futile is of sixteen kinds. His life is vain who hath no son; and his\nalso who is out of pale of virtue: and his too who liveth on the food of\nother; and, lastly, his who cooketh for himself without giving therefrom\nunto the Pitris, the gods, and the guests, and who eateth of it before\nthese all. The gift to one that has fallen away from the practice of\nvirtuous vows, as also the gift of wealth that has been earned wrongly,\nare both in vain. The gift to a fallen Brahmana, that to a thief, that\nalso to a preceptor that is false, is in vain. The gift to an untruthful\nman, to a person that is sinful, to one that is ungrateful, to one that\nofficiates at sacrifices performed by all classes of people residing in a\nvillage, to one that sells the Vedas,[52] to a Brahmana that cooks for\nSudra, to one that too by birth is a Brahmana but who is destitute of the\noccupations of his order, is in vain. The gift to one that has married a\ngirl after the accession of puberty, to females, to one that sports with\nsnakes, and to one that is employed in menial offices, is also in vain.\nThese sixteen kinds of gifts are productive of no merits. That man who\nwith mind clouded with darkness giveth away from fear or anger, enjoyeth\nthe merit of such gift while he is in the womb of his mother. The man who\n(under other circumstances) maketh gifts unto the Brahmanas, enjoyeth the\nfruit thereof while he is in old age. Therefore, O king, the man who\nwishes to win the way of heaven, should under all conditions, make gifts\nunto Brahmanas of everything that he wishes to give away.'\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,[53] and Mantras,[54] and Homa[55] and the\nstudy of the Vedas, the Brahmanas construct a Vedic boat[56] wherewith\nthey save both others and themselves. The gods themselves are pleased\nwith that man who gratifieth the Brahmanas. Indeed, a man may attain\nheaven at the command of a Brahmana. Thou wilt, O king, without doubt\nascend to regions of everlasting bliss, in consequence of thy worship of\nthe Pitris and the gods, and thy reverence for the Brahmanas, even though\nthy body is filled with phlegmatic humours and withal so dull and inert!\nHe that desires virtue and heaven should adore the Brahmanas. One should\nfeed Brahmanas with care on occasions of Sraddhas, although those among\nthem that are cursed or fallen should be excluded. They also should be\ncarefully excluded that are either excessively fair or excessively black,\nthat have diseased nails, that are lepers, that are deceitful, that are\nborn in bastardy of widows or of women having husbands alive; and they\nalso that support themselves by the profession of arms. That Sraddha\nwhich is censurable, consumeth the performer thereof like fire consuming\nfuel. If they that are to be employed in Sraddhas happen to be dumb,\nblind, or deaf, care should be taken to employ them along with Brahmanas\nconversant with the Vedas. O Yudhishthira, listen now unto whom thou\nshouldst give. He that knoweth all the Vedas should give only to that\nable Brahmana who is competent to rescue both the giver and himself, for\nhe, indeed, is to be regarded as able who can rescue both the giver and\nhimself. O son of Pritha, the sacred fires do not receive such\ngratification from libations of clarified butter, from offerings of\nflowers and sandal and other perfumed pastes as from the entertainment of\nguests. Therefore, do thou strive to entertain guests, O son of Pandu! O\nking, they that give unto guests water to wash their feet, butter to rub\nover their (tired) legs, light during the hours of darkness, food, and\nshelter, have not to go before Yama. The removal (after worship) of the\nflowery offerings unto the gods, the removal of the remnants of a\nBrahmana's feast, waiting (upon a Brahmana) with perfumed pastes, and the\nmassaging of a Brahmana's limbs, are, each of them, O foremost of kings,\nproductive of greater merit than the gift of kine. A person, without\ndoubt, rescueth himself by the gift of a Kapila cow. Therefore, should\none give away a Kapila cow decked with ornaments unto Brahmanas. O thou\nof the Bharata race, one should give unto a person of good lineage and\nconversant with the Vedas; unto a person that is poor; unto one leading a\ndomestic mode of life but burdened with wife and children; unto one that\ndaily adoreth the sacred fire; and unto one that hath done thee no\nservice. Thou shouldst always give unto such persons but not to them that\nare in affluence. What merit is there, O thou foremost of the Bharata\nrace, by giving 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, earneth\nthe merit of giving away a hundred pieces of gold for ever. He that\ngiveth 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 men\nwho answer him by telling him the name. That wise man who informs these\ntoil-worn ones of the name of the person who may give them food, is,\nwithout doubt, regarded as equal in merit unto the giver himself of food.\nTherefore, abstaining from other kinds of gift, give thou food. There is\nno merit (arising out of gifts) that is so great as that of giving food.\nThe man that according to the measure of his might gives well-cooked and\npure food unto the Brahmanas, acquires, by that act of his, the\ncompanionship of Prajapati (Brahma). There is nothing superior to food.\nTherefore, food is regarded as the first and foremost of all things (to\nbe given away). It hath been said that food itself is Prajapati. And\nPrajapati is regarded as the Year. And the Year is sacrifice. And\neverything is established in sacrifice, for it is from sacrifice that all\ncreatures, mobile and immobile, take their origin. For this reason, it\nhath been heard by us, food is the foremost of all things. They that give\naway lakes and large pieces of water, and tanks and wells, and shelter\nand food and they that have sweet words for all, have not to hear the\nadmonitions of Yama. With him who gives rice, and wealth earned by his\nlabour, unto Brahmana of good behaviour, the earth is satisfied. And she\npoureth upon him showers of wealth. The giver of food walketh first,\nafter him the speaker of truth and he that giveth unto persons that do\nnot solicit. But the three go to the same place.'\"\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 region\nfrom that of men? What is its measurement? How also do men pass it over?\nAnd by what means? O, tell me all this!'\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'O king, O them foremost of virtuous men, this question\nof thine appertains to a great mystery. It is sacred and much applauded\nby the Rishis. Appertaining as it also does to virtue, I will speak of it\nto thee. The distance of Yama's region from the abode of men is, O king,\neighty-six thousand Yojanas! The way is over space, without water, and\nvery terrible to behold; Nowhere on that road is the shade of a tree,\nnowhere any water, and nowhere any resting place in which the traveller,\nwhen fatigued, may rest for some moments. And men and women and all on\nearth that have life, are forcibly led along this way by the messengers\nof Yama. Those creatures that obey the mandates of the grim king, and\nthey, O king, that have given horses and other good conveyances unto\nBrahmanas, proceed along this way on those animals and vehicles. And they\nthat have given umbrellas proceed along this way with umbrellas warding\noff the sun's rays. And they that have given food, proceed without\nhunger, while they that have not given food proceed afflicted with\nhunger. And they that have given robes, proceed along this way attired in\nrobes while they that have given none, proceed naked. And they that have\ngiven gold, proceed in happiness, themselves decked in ornaments. And\nthey that have given land, proceed with every desire completely\ngratified. And they that have given grain, proceed without being\nafflicted with any want. And they that have given houses, proceed happily\non cars. And those men that have given something to drink, proceed with\ncheerful hearts unafflicted with thirst. And they that have given lights,\nproceed happily lighting the way before them. And they that have given\nkine, proceed along the way happily, freed from all their sins. And they\nthat have fasted for a month, proceed on cars drawn by swans. And they\nwho have fasted for six nights, proceed on cars drawn by peacocks. And, O\nson of Pandu, he that fasteth three nights upon only one meal without a\nsecond during this period goeth into a region free from disease and\nanxiety. And water hath this excellent property that it produceth\nhappiness in the region of Yama. And they that give water find for\nthemselves a river there of the name of Pushpodaka. And the givers of\nwater on the earth drink cool and ambrosial draughts from that stream.\nAnd they that are of evil deeds have pus ordained for them. Thus, O great\nking, that river serveth all purposes. Therefore, O king, adore thou duly\nthese Brahmanas (that are with thee). Weak in limbs owing to the way he\nhas walked, and besmeared with the dust of the high-road, the traveller\nenquireth for the name of him who giveth food, and cometh in hope to his\nhouse. Adore thou him with reverent attention, for he indeed is a guest,\nand he is a Brahmana. The gods with Indra at their head follow him as he\nproceedeth. And if he is adored, the gods with Indra become gratified,\nand if he is not adored, the celestials with their chief become\ncheerless. Therefore, O thou foremost of kings, worship thou these\nBrahmanas duly. I have thus spoken to thee upon a hundred subjects. What\ndost thou desire to hear from 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 called)\nJyeshtha-Pushkara arises from washing the feet of Brahmanas. As long as\nthe earth remains wet with water which a Brahmana hath touched with his\nfeet, so long do Pitris drink water of cups made of lotus-leaves. If the\nguest is welcomed (with enquiries about his welfare), the deities of fire\nbecome glad; and if he is offered a seat, it is the god of a hundred\nsacrifices, who is gratified. If his feet are washed, it is the Pitris\nwho are delighted; and if he is fed it is Prajapati that is pleased. One\nshould with collected soul, give a cow when (during her throes) the feet\nand head of her calf are visible, before her delivery is complete. A cow\nwith her calf in the air in course of falling from the uterus to the\nearth, is to be regarded as equal to the earth herself. He, therefore,\nthat giveth away such a cow, reapeth the merit of giving away the earth.\nAnd he that giveth away such a cow, is adored in heaven for as many\nthousands of Yugas as there are bristles on the bodies of the animal and\nher young one together. And, O Bharata, he that having accepted a thing\nin gift giveth it away immediately unto a person that is virtuous and\nhonest, reapeth very great merit. Without doubt, he reapeth the fruit of\ngiving away the whole earth to her utmost limits and with her oceans and\nseas and caves, her mountains and forests and woods. That Brahmana who\neateth in silence from a plate, keeping his hands between his knees,\nsucceedeth in rescuing others. And those Brahmanas that abstain from\ndrink and who are never spoken of by others as having any faults and who\ndaily read the Samhitas, are capable of rescuing others. Libations of\nbutter and edible offerings should all be presented to a Brahmana who is\nlearned in the Vedas. And as libations of clarified butter poured into\nfire never go in vain, so gift to virtuous Brahmanas learned in the Vedas\ncan never go in vain. The Brahmanas have anger for their weapon; they\nnever fight with arms of iron and steel. Indeed the Brahmanas slay with\nanger like Indra slaying the Asuras with his thunder-bolt.\n\nThus prelection appertaining to virtue and morality is now over. Hearing\nthis, the Munis of the forest of Naimisha were filled with delight. And\nthose ascetics were also freed from grief and anger by listening to it.\nAnd they were also purged of all their sins in consequence of this. And,\nO king, 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\nGayatri 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 with\nher oceans, he doth not, on that account, suffer the least unhappiness.\nAnd those heavenly bodies in the sky including the sun that may be\ninauspicious 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, or gigantic and fierce mien, all become unable\nto prevail over a Brahmana who practiseth these purifications. The\nBrahmanas are even like blazing fires. They incur no fault in consequence\nof teaching, of officiating at sacrifices, and of accepting gifts from\nothers. Whether the Brahmana be cognisant of the Vedas or ignorant of\nthem, whether they be pure or impure, they should never be insulted, for\nBrahmanas are like fires. As the fire that blazeth up in the place set\napart for the cremation of the dead is never regarded impure on that\naccount, so the Brahmana, be he learned or ignorant, is always pure. He\nis great and a very god! Cities that are adorned with walls and gates and\npalaces one after another, lose their beauty if they are bereft of\nBrahmanas. That, indeed, O king, is a city where Brahmanas accomplished\nin the Vedas, duly observing the duties of their order and possessed of\nlearning and ascetic merit, reside. O son of Pritha, that spot, be it a\nwood or pasture land, where learned Brahmanas reside, hath been called a\ncity. And that place, O king, becometh a tirtha also. By approaching a\nking that offereth protection, as also a Brahmana possessed of ascetic\nmerit, and by offering worship unto both, a man may purge off his sins\nimmediately. The learned have said that ablutions in the sacred tirthas,\nrecitation of the names of holy ones, and converse with the good and\nvirtuous, are all acts worthy of applause. They that are virtuous and\nhonest always regard themselves as sanctified by the holy companionship\nof persons like themselves and by the water of pure and sacred converse.\nThe carrying of three staffs, the vow of silence, matted hair on head,\nthe shaving of the crown, covering one's person with barks and deerskins,\nthe practice of vows, ablutions, the worship of fire, abode in the woods,\nemaciating the body, all these are useless if the heart be not pure. The\nindulgence of the six senses is easy, if purity be not sought in the\nobject of enjoyment. Abstinence, however, which of itself is difficult,\nis scarcely easy without purity of the objects of enjoyment. O king of\nkings, among the six senses, the mind alone that is easily moved is the\nmost dangerous! Those high-souled persons that do not commit sins in\nword, deed, heart and soul, are said to undergo ascetic austerities, and\nnot they that suffer their bodies to be wasted by fasts and penances. He\nthat hath no feeling of kindness for relatives cannot be free from sin\neven if his body be pure. That hard-heartedness of his is the enemy of\nhis asceticism. Asceticism, again, is not mere abstinence from the\npleasures of the world. He that is always pure and decked with virtue, he\nthat practises kindness all his life, is a Muni even though he may lead a\ndomestic life. Such a man is purged of all his sins. Fasts and other\npenances cannot destroy sins, however much they may weaken and dry up the\nbody that is made of flesh and blood. The man whose heart is without\nholiness, suffers torture only by undergoing penances in ignorance of\ntheir meaning. He is never freed from sins of such acts. The fire he\nworshippeth doth not consume his sins. It is in consequence of holiness\nand virtue alone that men attain to regions of blessedness, and fasts and\nvows become efficacious. Subsistence on fruits and roots, the vow of\nsilence, living upon air, the shaving of the crown, abandonment of a\nfixed home, the wearing of matted locks on the head, lying under the\ncanopy of heaven, daily fasts, the worship of fire, immersion in water,\nand lying on the bare ground,--these alone cannot produce such a result.\nThey only that are possessed of holiness succeed, by knowledge and deeds,\nto conquer disease, decrepitude and death, and acquire a high status. As\nseeds that have been scorched by fire do not sprout forth, so the pains\nthat have been burnt by knowledge cannot effect the soul. This inert body\nthat is only like a block of wood when destitute of souls, is, without\ndoubt, short lived like froth in the ocean. He that obtaineth a view of\nhis soul, the soul that resideth in every body, by help of one or half of\na rhythmic 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 rhythmic\nlines, acquire salvation, for the knowledge of one's identity with the\nSupreme Soul is the sure indication of salvation. The men of old,\ndistinguished for their knowledge, have said, neither this world nor that\nhereafter nor bliss can be his who is disturbed by doubts. And belief of\none's identity with the Supreme Soul is the indication of salvation. He\nthat knoweth the true meaning of the Vedas, understandeth their true use.\nSuch a man is affrighted at the Vedic ritual like a man at sight of a\nforest conflagration. Giving up dry disputation, have recourse to Sruti\nand Smriti, and seek thou, with the aid of thy reason, the knowledge of\nthe Undecaying One that is without a second. One's search (after this\nknowledge) becometh futile from defect of means. Therefore, should one\ncarefully strive to obtain that knowledge by aid of the Vedas. The Vedas\nare the Supreme Soul; they are His body; they are the Truth. The soul\nthat is bounded by the animal organism is incompetent to know Him in whom\nall the Vedas merge. That Supreme Soul, however, is capable of being\nknown by the pure intellect. The existence of the gods as stated in the\nVedas, the efficacy of acts, and the capacity for action of being\nfurnished with bodies, are noticeable in every Yuga. Independence of\nthese and annihilation are to be sought from purity of the senses.\nTherefore, the suspension of the function of the senses is the true\nfasting. One may attain to heaven by asceticism, one may obtain objects\nof enjoyment by the practice of charity and may have his sins purged off\nby ablutions in tirthas. But complete emancipation cannot be had except\nby 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 the\nsmritis! A man that performs a sraddha in the conjunction called\nGajacchaya at a place that is fanned by the leaves of the Aswattha tree\nenjoys the fruits thereof, O Yudhishthira, for a hundred thousand kalpas.\nO king, he that foundeth a dharmasala and established there a person to\nlook after all comers, is crowned with the merits of all the sacrifices.\nHe that giveth away a horse at a tirtha where the current of the river\nrunneth in a direction opposite to its general course, reapeth merit that\nis inexhaustible. The guest that comes to one's house for food is none\nother than Indra himself. If he is entertained with food, Indra himself\nconferreth on the best merit that is inexhaustible. As men cross seas by\nvessels, so are the givers mentioned above are saved from all their sins.\nSo what is given unto Brahmanas produceth, like gift of curds,\ninexhaustible merits. A gift on particular lunations produceth merit that\nis twice as much as a gift on other days. That in a particular season\nproduceth merit ten times greater that in other seasons. That in a\nparticular year produceth merit a hundred times greater than in other\nyears. And lastly, a gift on the last day of the last month of the year\nproduceth merit that is inexhaustible. A gift also that is made while the\nSun is on the solstitial points, one again that is made on the last day\nof the Sun's path through Libra, Aries, Gemini, Virgo, and Pisces, a gift\nagain during eclipses of the Moon and the Sun, produce merit that is\ninexhaustible. The learned have also said that gifts made during the\nseasons produce merit that is ten times, those made during the change of\nseasons, a hundred times--and those made during the days when Rahu is\nvisible, a thousand times--greater than what is produced by gifts at\nother time; while a gift made on the last day of the Sun's course through\nLibra and Aries produces merit that knows no diminution. O king, no one\ncan enjoy landed possessions unless he giveth away land, and no one can\ngo on cars and vehicles unless he giveth away these. Indeed a person on\nrebirth obtaineth the fruition of whatever objects he hath in view at the\ntime of making a gift to a Brahmana. Gold hath sprung from Fire; the\nEarth from Vishnu; and the cows from the Sun. He, therefore, that giveth\naway gold, land, and kine attaineth all the regions of Agni, Vishnu, and\nthe Sun. There is nothing so eternal as a gift. Where, therefore, in the\nthree worlds is anything that is more auspicious? It is for this, O king,\nthat they who have great intelligence say that there is nothing higher\nand greater in the three worlds than gift!'\"\n\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 asked\nthat sinless Muni endued with great ascetic merit and long life, saying,\n'Thou knowest, O virtuous one, the entire host of the gods, the Danavas,\nand the Rakshasas. Thou art acquainted also with various royal\ngenealogies and many eternal lines of Rishis! O best of Brahmanas, there\nis nothing in this world that thou dost not know! Thou knowest also, O\nMuni, many delightful stories about men, Snakes and Rakshasas; about\ngods, Gandharvas, and Yakshas, and about Kinnaras and Apsaras! I desire\nnow to hear from thee, O best of Brahmanas, as to why Kuvalaswa--that\nunvanquished king of Ikshavaku's race changed his name, assuming another,\nviz., Dhundhumara. O thou best of Bhrigu's line, I desire to know in\ndetail why the name of Kuvalaswa of great intelligence underwent such a\nchange!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thus addressed by Yudhishthira, the great Muni\nMarkandeya, O Bharata, then began the history of Dhundhumara!\"\n\nMarkandeya 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 celebrated\nRishi of the name of Utanka and, O thou of the Kuru race, Utanka had his\nhermitage in a delightful wilderness. And, O great king, the Rishi Utanka\nunderwent ascetic austerities of the severest kind and the lord Utanka\nunderwent those penances for numberless years with the object of\nobtaining the favours of Vishnu, and gratified with his penances that\nillustrious Lord presented himself before Utanka. And beholding the\nDeity, the Rishi in all humility began to gratify him with many hymns,\nand Utanka said, 'O thou of great effulgence all creatures with the gods,\nAsuras and human beings, all things that are mobile or immobile, even\nBrahma himself, the Vedas, and all things that are capable of being\nknown, have, O lord, been created by thee! The firmament is thy head, O\ngod, and the sun and the moon are thy eyes! And, O Unfading One, the\nwinds are thy breath and fire thy energy! The directions of the horizon\nconstitute thy arms and the great ocean thy stomach! And, O god, the\nhills and mountains constitute thy thigh and the sky thy hips, O slayer\nof Madhu! The earth constitutes thy feet, and the plants the bristles on\nthy body. And, O lord, Indra and Soma and Agni and Varuna, indeed all the\ngods, the Asuras and the great Snakes all wait upon thee with humility,\nadoring thee with various hymns! O Lord of the Universe, created things\nare pervaded by thee. The great Rishis of high energy and ever plunged in\nascetic meditation, always adore thee. When thou art gratified, the\nuniverse is in peace. And when thou art angry, terror pervadeth every\nsoul. Thou art, O Lord, the great dispeller of all terrors and thou art\nthe One Supreme Male Being! Thou art the cause of happiness of both gods\nand human beings! And, O Lord, by three steps of thine thou didst cover\nthe three worlds! And it was by thee that the Asuras in the height of\ntheir power were destroyed! It is owing to thy prowess, O God, that the\ncelestials obtained peace and happiness and, O thou of great effulgence,\nit was the anger that destroyed hundred great Daitya chiefs. Thou art the\nCreator and destroyer of all creatures in the world. It is by adoring\nthee that the gods have obtained happiness. It was thus, O Yudhishthira,\nthat the high-souled Utanka praised the Lord of the senses. And Vishnu,\ntherefore, said unto Utanka, 'I am gratified with thee. Ask thou the boon\nthat thou desirest.' And Utanka said, 'This indeed hath, been a great\nboon to me, in that I have been able to behold Hari, that eternal Being,\nthat divine Creator, that Lord of the universe!\" Thus addressed Vishnu\nsaid, 'I am gratified with this absence of all desires on thy pail and\nwith thy devotion, O thou best of men! But, O Brahmanas, O regenerate\none, thou shouldst of a certainty accept some boon from me! Thus\nrequested by Hari to accept a boon Utanka then, O thou best of Bharatas,\nwith joined hands begged a boon saying, 'O illustrious one, O thou of\neyes like lotus leaves, if thou hast been gratified with me, then let my\nheart always rest on virtue, truth, and self-content. And, O Lord, let my\nheart always turn to thee in devotion.' And hearing these words of\nUtanka, the holy one said, 'O regenerate one, all this shall happen to\nthee through my grace. And there will also appear in thee a yoga power\nendued with which thou shalt achieve a great thing for the dwellers of\nHeaven, as also for the triple world. Even now a great Asura of the name\nof Dhundhu is undergoing ascetic penances of fierce austerity with the\nobject of destroying the triple world. Hear now as to who will slay that\nAsura. O son, there will appear a king of invincible energy and great\nprowess and he will be born in the race of Ikshvaku and will be known by\nthe name of Vrihadaswa who will have a son of the name of Kuvalaswa\nendued with great holiness and self-control and celebrity. And that best\nof kings will be furnished with yoga power springing from me and urged\nand commended by thee, O regenerate Rishi, that king will be the slayer\nof the Asura Dhundhu.' And having said these words unto that Brahmana,\nVishnu disappeared there and then.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCI\n\nMarkandeya said, \"O king, after the death of Ikshvaku, a highly virtuous\nking of the name of Sasada, ascending the throne of Ayodhya ruled this\nearth. And from Sasada was descended Kakutstha of great energy. And\nKakutshta had a son of name Anenas. And Anenas had a son named Prithu and\nPrithu had a son named Viswagaswa and from Viswagaswa sprang Adri and\nfrom Adri sprang Yuvanaswa and from Yuvanaswa sprang Sravastha and it was\nby this Sravastha that the city called Sravasthi was built and from\nSravastha was descended Vrihadaswa and from Vrihadaswa sprang Kuvalaswa\nand Kuvalaswa had twentyone thousand sons and all these sons were fierce\nand powerful and skilled in learning. And Kuvalaswa excelled his father\nin every quality. And when the time came, his father Vrihadaswa installed\nhim--the brave and highly virtuous Kuvalaswa--on the throne. And having\nthus made over the royal dignity to his son, that slayer of foes--king\nVrihadaswa of great intelligence--retired 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. And\nUtanka 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 asceticism.\nAnd Utanka said, 'O king, to protect (the people) is thy duty. It\nbehoveth thee to do that duty of thine. Let us be free from all anxiety\nthrough thy grace. Possessed as thou art of a great soul, protected by\nthee, the earth will be freed from all dangers. Therefore, it behoveth\nthee, not to retire into the woods. Great merit attaches to the act of\nprotecting people in this world. Such merit can never be acquired in the\nwoods. Let not thy heart, therefore, turn to this course. The merit,\ngreat king, that was acquired in days of old by great royal sages by\nprotecting their subjects was so great that nothing equal to it could be\nseen. The king should always protect his subjects. It behoveth thee,\ntherefore, to protect thy people. O lord of the earth, I cannot (at\npresent) perform my ascetic devotions peacefully. Close to my asylum\nthere is a sea of sands known by the name of Ujjalaka. And it occupies a\nlevel country and is without any water. And it extends many yojanas in\nlength and breadth and in that desert dwells a chief of the Danavas\ncalled Dhundhu by name. And Dhundhu is the son of Madhu and Kaitabha, and\nis fierce and terrible and possessed of great prowess. And endued with\nimmeasurable energy, that Danava, O king, dwelleth under the ground, and,\nO king, it behoveth thee to retire into the woods, having first slain\nthat Asura. That Asura is now lying still in the observance of an ascetic\npenance of great austerity and, O king, the object he hath in view is\nsovereignty over the celestials as also of the three worlds. And, O king,\nhaving, obtained a boon from the Grandsire of all creatures, that Asura\nhath become incapable of being slain by the gods and Daityas and\nRakshasas and Gandharvas. Slay though him, O king, and blessed be thou\nand let not thy heart turn to any other course. By slaying him thou wilt\nwithout doubt, achieve a great thing and thou wilt also obtain eternal\nand undying fame. And O king, when at the end of every year that wicked\nAsura lying covered with sands, wakes up and begins to breathe, then the\nwhole earth with her mountains, forests and woods begins to tremble. And\nhis breath raiseth up clouds of sands, and shroudeth the very sun, and\nfor seven days continually the earth tremble all over, and sparks and\nflames of fire mixed with smoke spread far around and for all this, O\nking, I cannot rest in peace in my asylum. Slay thou him, O king, for the\ngood of the world. Indeed, when that Asura is slain the triple world will\nbe in peace and happiness. That thou art competent, O king, to slay that\nAsura, I fully believe. Thy energy will be enhanced by Vishnu with the\naddition of his own. In days of old, O king, Vishnu gave this boon that\nthe king who should slay this fierce and great Asura would be pervaded by\nthe invincible energy of Vishnu himself. Bearing that invincible\nVaishnava energy in thyself, slay thou, O great king, that Daitya of\nfierce prowess. Possessed as Dhundhu is of mighty energy, no one, O king,\nthat is endued with small energy himself will be capable of consuming\nhim, even if he were to strive for a hundred years.'\"\n\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 unequalled 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.' Thus\naddressed by the king, that Muni of immeasurable energy replied unto him,\nsaying, 'So be it.\" And the royal sage Vrihadaswa then, having commended\nhis son to obey the behest of the high-souled Utanka saying, 'Let it be\ndone 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 desire\nto know all this truly, O holy one, and with all particulars in detail, O\nthou 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 the\nworld became one broad expanse of water and creatures mobile and immobile\nwere destroyed, when, O bull of the Bharata race, the entire creation\ncame to its end. He who is the Source and Creator of the Universe, viz.,\nthe Eternal and unfading Vishnu, He who is called by Munis crowned with\nascetic success as the Supreme Lord of the Universe, that Being of great\nholiness, then lay in Yoga sleep on the wide hood of the Snake Sesha of\nimmeasurable energy, and the Creator of the Universe, that highly-blessed\nand holy Hari, knowing no deterioration, lay on the hood of that Snake\nencircling the whole Earth and as the Deity lay asleep on that bed, a\nlotus, endued with great beauty and effulgence equal unto that of the\nSun, sprang from his navel. And from that lotus possessed of effulgence\nlike unto the Sun's, sprang the Grandsire Brahma, that lord of the worlds\nwho is the four Vedas, who hath four forms and four faces, who is\ninvincible in consequence of his own energy and who is endued with mighty\nstrength and great prowess and as the Lord Hari of wondrous frame,\npossessed of great lustre and decked with a crown and the Kaustubha gem\nand attired in purple silk, lay stretched for many a yojana on that\nexcellent bed furnished by the hood of the snake itself extending far and\nwide, blazing, O king, in his beauty and the lustre of his own body like\na thousand Suns concentrated in one mass. He was beheld some time after\nby two Danavas of great prowess named Madhu and Kaitabha and beholding\nHari (in that posture) and the Grandsire with eyes like lotus-leaves\nseated on that lotus, both Madhu and Kaitabha wandered much and they\nbegan to terrify and alarm Brahma of immeasurable prowess, and the\nillustrious Brahma alarmed by their continued exertions trembled on his\nseat, and at his trembling the stalk of the lotus on which he was seated\nbegan to tremble and when the lotus-stalk trembled, Kesava awoke. And\nawakened from his slumber, Govinda beheld those Danavas of mighty energy,\nand beholding them the Deity said unto them, 'Welcome, ye mighty ones! I\nam gratified with you! Therefore, I will grant you excellent boons!' And\nthereupon both those proud and mighty Danavas, O king, laughingly replied\nunto Hrishikesa, saying, 'Ask boons of us, O Divine one! O thou that art\nthe Supreme Deity, we are disposed to grant thee a boon. Indeed, we will\ngrant thee a boon! Therefore, ask thou of us anything that cometh to thy\nmind.' Thus addressed by them the holy one spoke, 'Ye brave ones, I will\naccept a 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 you.\nO ye of unbaffled prowess, submit ye to be slain by me. Even that is what\nI desire to accomplish for the good of the world.' Hearing these words of\nthe Deity, both Madhu and Kaitabha said, 'We have never before spoken an\nuntruth; no, not even in jest; what shall we say of other occasions! O\nthou foremost of male Beings, know that we have ever been firm in truth\nand morality. In strength, in forms, in beauty, in virtue, in asceticism,\nin charity, in behaviour, in goodness, in self control, there is no one\nequal unto either of us. A great danger, O Kesava, hath approached us.\nAccomplish thou, therefore, what thou hast said. No one can prevail over\nTime. But, O Lord, there is one thing that we desire to be done by thee.\nO thou best and foremost of all Deities, thou must slay us at a spot that\nis absolutely uncovered. And, O thou of excellent eyes, we also desire to\nbecome thy sons. This is the boon that we desire, know then, O chief of\nthe gods! Let not that O Deity, be false which thou hadst at first\npromised to us.' The Holy One then replied unto them saying, 'Yes, I will\ndo as ye desire. Everything will be as ye wish!'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Then Govinda began to reflect but uncovered space\nfound he none and when he could not discover any spot that was uncovered\non earth or in the sky, that foremost Deity then beheld his thighs to be\nabsolutely uncovered. And there, O king, the illustrious Deity cut off\nthe heads of Madhu and Kaitabha with his keenedged discus!'\"\n\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\nDanavas, the Rakshas, the Snakes, the Gandharvas and the Rakshasas be\ncapable of slaying me. Even this is the boon that I ask of thee.' And the\nGrandsire replied unto him saying, 'Let it be as thou wishest. Go thy\nway.' And thus addressed by the Grandsire, the Danava placed the feet of\nthe Deity on his head and having thus touched with reverence the Deity's\nfeet he went away and possessed of mighty energy and prowess. Dhundhu,\nhaving obtained the boon hastily approached Vishnu remembering the death\nof his father at the hands of that Deity, and the wrathful Dhundhu having\nvanquished the gods with the Gandharvas began to distress all the\ncelestials with Vishnu at their head. And at last O bull of the Bharata\nrace, that wicked souled Asura arriving at a sea of sands known by the\nname of Ujjalaka, began to distress to the utmost of his might the asylum\nof Utanka. And endued with fierce energy, Dhundhu, the son of Madhu and\nKaitabha, lay in his subterranean cave underneath the sands in the\nobservance of fierce ascetic and severe austerities with the object of\ndestroying the triple world, and while the Asura lay breathing near the\nasylum of Utanka that Rishi possessed of the splendour of fire, king\nKualaswa with his troops, accompanied by the Brahmana Utanka, as also by\nall his sons set out for that region, O bull of the Bharata race! And\nafter that grinder of foes, the royal Kuvalaswa, had set out, accompanied\nby his twenty-one thousand sons all of whom were exceedingly powerful,\nthe illustrious Lord Vishnu filled him with his own energy at the command\nof Utanka and impelled by the desire of benefiting the triple world and\nwhile that invincible hero was proceeding on his way and loud voice was\nheard in the sky repeating the words, 'This fortunate and unslayable one\nwill become the destroyer of Dhundhu to-day.' And the gods began to\nshower upon him celestial flowers. And the celestial kettle drums began\nto sound their music although none played upon them. And during the march\nof that wise one, cool breezes began to blow and the chief of the\ncelestials poured gentle showers wetting the dust on the roads and, O\nYudhishthira, the cars of the celestials could be seen high over the spot\nwhere the mighty Asura Dhundhu was. The gods and Gandharvas and great\nRishis urged by curiosity, came there to behold the encounter between\nDhundhu and Kuvalaswa and, O thou of the Kuru race, filled by Narayana\nwith his own energy, king Kuvalaswa, aided by his sons, soon surrounded\nthat sea of sands and the king ordered that wilderness to be excavated\nand after the king's sons had excavated that sea of sands for seven days,\nthey could see the mighty Asura Dhundhu. And, O bull of the Bharata race,\nthe huge 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 maces\nand heavy and short clubs and axes and clubs, with iron spikes and darts\nand bright and keen-edged swords, and thus assaulted, the mighty Danava\nrose from his recumbent posture in wrath. And enraged, the Asura began to\nswallow those various weapons that were hurled at him and he vomited from\nhis mouth fiery flames like unto those of the fire called Samvarta that\nappeareth at the end of the Yuga and by those flames of his, the Asura\nconsumed all the sons of the king and, O tiger among men, like the Lord\nKapila of old consuming the sons of king Sagara, the infuriated Asura\noverwhelming the triple world with the flames vomited from his mouth,\nachieved that wonderful feat in a moment. And, O thou best of the\nBharatas, when all those sons of king Kuvalaswa were consumed by the fire\nemitted by the Asura in wrath, the monarch, possessed as he was of mighty\nenergy, then approached the Danava who, like unto a second Kumbhakarna of\nmighty energy, had come to the encounter after waking from his slumbers.\nFrom the body of the king, O monarch, then began to flow a mighty and\ncopious stream of water and that stream soon extinguished, O king, the\nfiery flames emitted by the Asura. And, O great king, the royal\nKuvalaswa, filled with Yoga force, having extinguished those flames by\nthe water that issued from his body, consumed that Daitya of wicked\nprowess with the celebrated weapon called Brahma for relieving the triple\nworld of its fears, and the royal sage Kuvalaswa, having consumed that\ngreat Asura, that foe of the celestials and slayer of all enemies, by\nmeans of that weapon became like unto a second chief of the triple world\nand the high-souled king Kuvalaswa having slain the the Asura Dhundhu,\nbecame from that time known by the name of Dhundhumara and from that time\nhe came to be regarded as invincible in battle, and the gods and the\ngreat Rishis who had come to witness that encounter were so far gratified\nwith him that they addressed him saying, 'Ask thou a boon of us!' And\nthus solicited by the gods, the king bowed to them and filled with joy,\nthe king 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 of\nthem said, 'Let it be as thou wishest!' And, O king, having also blessed\nhim with many other speeches, the gods and the great Rishis then went\naway to their respective abodes. And, O Yudhishthira, after the slaughter\nof all his sons, king Kuvalaswa had still three sons left, and, O thou of\nthe Bharata race, they were called Dridaswa and Kapilaswa and Chandraswa.\nIt is from them, O king, that the illustrious line of kings belonging to\nIkshvaku's race, all possessed of immeasurable prowess, hath sprung.\n\n\"It was thus, O best of king, that that great Daitya of the name Dhundhu,\nthe son of Madhu and Kaitabha was slain by Kuvalaswa and it was for this\nalso that king came to be called by the name of Dhundhumara. And indeed,\nthe 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 that\nperson in consequence of whose act the story of Dhundhu's death hath\nbecome famous. He that listeneth to this holy history connected with the\nglory of Vishnu, becometh virtuous and obtaineth children. By listening\nto this story on particular lunations, one becometh blessed with long\nlife and great good fortune. And freed from every anxiety one ceaseth to\nhave any fear of diseases.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCIV\n\nVaisampayana said, \"O thou foremost of the Bharata race, king Yudhisthira\nthen asked the illustrious Markandeya a difficult question about\nmorality, saying, 'I desire to hear, O holy one, about the high and\nexcellent virtue of women. I desire to hear from thee, O Brahmana,\ndiscourse about the subtle truths of morality. O regenerate Rishi, O best\nof men, the Sun, the Moon, the Wind, the Earth, the Fire, the father, the\nmother, the preceptor--these and other objects ordained by the gods,\nappear to us as Deities embodied! All these that are reverend ones are\nworthy of our best regard. So also is the woman who adoreth one lord. The\nworship that chaste wives offer unto their husbands appeareth to me to be\nfraught with great difficulty. O adorable one, it behoveth thee to\ndiscourse to us of the high and excellent virtue of chaste wives--of\nwives who restraining all their senses and keeping their hearts under\ncomplete control regard their husbands as veritable gods. O holy and\nadorable one, all this appears to me to be exceedingly difficult of\naccomplishment. O regenerate one, the worship that sons offer to their\nmothers and fathers and that wives offer to their husbands, both seem to\nme to be highly difficult. I do not behold anything that is more\ndifficult than the severe virtue of chaste women. O Brahmana, the duties\nthat women of good behaviour discharge with care and the conduct that is\npursued by good sons towards their fathers and mothers appear to me to be\nmost difficult of performance. Those women that are each devoted to but\none lord, they that always speak the truth, they that undergo a period of\ngestation for full ten months--there is nothing, O Brahmana, that is more\ndifficult than that is done by these. O worshipful one, women bring forth\ntheir offspring with great hazard to themselves and great pain and rear\ntheir children, O bull among Brahmanas, with great affection! Those\npersons also who being always engaged in acts of cruelty and there by\nincurring general hatred, succeed yet in doing their duties accomplish\nwhat, in my opinion, is exceedingly difficult. O regenerate one, tell me\nthe truths of the duties of the Kshatriya order. It is difficult, O\ntwice-born one, for those high-souled ones to acquire virtue who by the\nduties of their order are obliged to do what is cruel. O holy one, thou\nart capable of answering all questions; I desire to hear thee discourse\non all this. O thou foremost of Bhrigu's race, I desire to listen to all\nthis, waiting respectfully 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 mother\nas superior and some the father. The mother, however, that bringeth forth\nand some the father. The mother, however, that bringeth forth and reareth\nup offspring what is more difficult. Fathers also, by ascetic penances by\nworship of the gods, by adorations addressed to them, by bearing cold and\nheat, by incantations and other means desire to have children. And having\nby these painful expedients obtained children that are so difficult of\nacquisition, they then, O hero, are always anxious about the future of\ntheir sons and, O Bharata, both the father and the mother desire to see\nin their sons fame and achievements and prosperity and offspring and\nvirtue. That son is virtuous who realises these hopes of his parents.\nAnd, O great king, that son with whom the father and the mother are\ngratified, achieveth eternal fame and eternal virtue both here and\nthereafter. As regards women again, neither sacrifice nor sraddhas, nor\nfasts are of any efficacy. By serving their husbands only they can win\nheaven. O king, O Yudhishthira, remembering this alone, listen thou with\nattention to the duties of chaste women.\"\n\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 Brahmanas\nstudied all the Vedas with the Angas and the Upanishadas and one day he\nwas reciting the Vedas at the foot of a tree and at that time there sat\non the top of that tree a female crane and that she-crane happened at\nthat time to befoul the Brahmana's body and beholding that crane the\nBrahmana became very angry and thought of doing her an injury and as the\nBrahmana cast his angry glances upon the crane and thought also of doing\nher an injury, she fell down on the ground and beholding the crane thus\nfallen from the tree and insensible in death, the Brahmana was much moved\nby pity and the regenerate one began to lament for the dead crane saying,\n'Alas, I have done a bad deed, urged by 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 the\nBharata race, in course of his eleemosynary round among the houses of\npersons of good lineage, the Brahmana entered one such house that he knew\nfrom before. And as he entered the house, he said, 'Give'. And he was\nanswered by a female with the word, 'Stay'. And while the housewife was\nengaged, O king, in cleaning the vessel from which alms are given, her\nhusband, O thou best of the Bharatas, suddenly entered the house, very\nmuch afflicted with hunger. The chaste housewife beheld her husband and\ndisregarding the Brahmana, gave her lord water to wash his feet and face\nand also a seat and after that the black-eyed lady, placing before her\nlord savoury food and drink, humbly stood beside him desirous of\nattending to all his wants. And, O Yudhishthira, that obedient wife used\nevery day to eat the orts of her husband's plate and, always conducting\nherself in obedience to the wishes of the lord, that lady ever regarded\nher husband, and all her heart's affections inclined towards her lord. Of\nvarious and holy behaviour and skilful in all domestic duties and\nattentive to all her relatives, she always did what was agreeable and\nbeneficial to her husband and she also, with rapt senses attended to the\nworship of the gods and the wants of guests and servants and her\nmother-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 with\nwrath and blazing with his energy, that chaste woman began to conciliate\nhim and said, 'O learned one, it behoveth thee to forgive me. My husband\nis my supreme god. He came hungry and tired and was being served and\nwaited upon by me.' Hearing this, the Brahmana said, 'With thee Brahmanas\nare not worthy of superior regard. Exaltest thou thy husband above them?\nLeading a domestic life, dost thou disregard Brahmanas? Indra himself\nboweth down unto them, what shall I say of men on earth. Proud woman,\ndost thou not know it, hast thou never heard it, that the Brahmanas are\nlike fire and may consume the entire earth?' At these words of that\nBrahmana the woman answered, 'I am no she-crane, O regenerate Rishi! O\nthou that art endued with the wealth of asceticism, cast off this anger\nof thine. Engaged as thou are, what canst thou do to me with these angry\nglances of thine? I do not disregard Brahmanas. Endued with great energy\nof soul, they are like unto the gods themselves. But, O sinless one, this\nfault of mine it behoveth thee to forgive. I know the energy and high\ndignity of Brahmanas that are possessed of wisdom. The waters of the\nocean have been made brackish and undrinkable by the wrath of the\nBrahmanas. I know also the energy of Munis of souls under complete\ncontrol and endued with blazing ascetic merit. The fire of their wrath to\nthis day hath not been extinguished in the forest of Dandaka. It was for\nhis having disregarded 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 Brahmanas\nare great. But, O Brahmana, as regenerate ones of high souls are great in\nwrath, so are they equally great in forgiveness. Therefore, O sinless\none, it behoveth thee to forgive me in the matter of this my offence. O\nBrahmana, my heart inclineth to that merit which springeth from the\nservice of my husband, for I regard my husband as the highest among all\nthe gods. O best of Brahmanas, I practise that virtue which consists in\nserving my husband whom I regard as the highest Deity. Behold, O\nregenerate one, the merit that attaches to the service of one's husband!\nI know that thou hast burnt a she-crane with thy wrath! But, O best of\nregenerate ones, the anger that a person cherishes is the greatest of\nfoes which that person hath. The gods know him for a Brahmana who hath\ncast off anger and passion. The gods know him for a Brahmana who always\nspeaketh the truth here, who always gratifieth his preceptor, and who,\nthough injured himself, never returneth the injury. The gods know him for\na Brahmana who hath his senses under control, who is virtuous and pure\nand devoted to the study of the Vedas, and who hath mastery over anger\nand lust. The gods know him for a Brahmana who, cognisant of morals and\nendued with mental energy, is catholic in religion and looketh upon all\nequal unto himself. The gods know him for a Brahmana who studieth himself\nand teacheth others, who performeth sacrifices himself and officiateth at\nthe sacrifices of others, and who giveth away to the best of his means.\nThe gods know that bull among the regenerate ones for a Brahmana who,\nendued with liberality of soul, practiseth the Brahmacharya vow and is\ndevoted to study,--in fact who is vigilantly devoted to the study of the\nVedas. Whatever conduceth to the happiness of the Brahmanas is always\nrecited before these. Ever taking pleasure in truth, the hearts of such\nmen never find joy in untruth. O thou best of regenerate ones, it hath\nbeen said that the study of the Vedas, tranquillity of soul, simplicity\nof behaviour, and repression of the senses, constitute the eternal duties\nof the Brahmana. Those cognisant with virtue and morals have said that\ntruth and honesty are the highest virtue. Virtue that is eternal is\ndifficult of being understood. But whatever it is, it is based on truth.\nThe ancients have declared that virtue dependeth on sruti. But, O\nforemost of regenerate ones, virtue as exposed in sruti appears to be of\nvarious kinds. It is, therefore, too subtle of comprehension. Thou, O\nholy one, art cognisant of virtue, pure, and devoted to the study of the\nVedas. I think, however, O holy one, that thou dost not know what virtue\nin reality is. Repairing to the city of Mithila, enquire thou of a\nvirtuous fowler 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 am\ngratified with thee. Blessed be thou; my anger hath subsided, O beautiful\none! The reproofs uttered by thee will be of the highest advantage to me.\nBlessed be thou, I shall now go and accomplish what is so conducive, O\nhandsome 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\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 like\na guilty person and meditating on the subtle ways of morality and virtue,\nhe said to himself, 'I should accept with reverence what the lady hath\nsaid and should, therefore, repair to Mithila. Without doubt there\ndwelleth in that city a fowler of soul under complete control and fully\nacquainted with the mysteries of virtue and morality. This very day will\nI repair unto that one endued with wealth of asceticism for enquiring of\nhim about virtue.' His faith in her was assured by her knowledge of the\ndeath of the she-crane and the excellent words of virtuous import she had\nuttered. Kausika thus reflecting with reverence upon all she had said,\nset out for Mithila, filled with curiosity. And he traversed many forests\nand villages and towns and at last reached Mithila that was ruled over by\nJanaka and he beheld the city to be adorned with the flags of various\ncreeds. And he beheld that beautiful town to be resounding with the noise\nof sacrifices and festivities and furnished with splendid gateways. It\nabounded with palatial residences and protected by walls on all sides; it\nhad many splendid buildings to boast of. And that delightful town was\nalso filled with innumerable cars. And its streets and roads were many\nand well-laid and many of them were lined with shops. And it was full of\nhorses and cars and elephants and warriors. And the citizens were all in\nhealth and joy and they were always engaged in festivities. And having\nentered that city, that Brahmana beheld there many other things.\n\nAnd there the Brahmana enquired about the virtuous fowler and was\nanswered by some twice-born persons. And repairing to the place indicated\nby those regenerate ones, the Brahmana beheld the fowler seated in a\nbutcher's yard and the ascetic fowler was then selling venison and\nbuffalo meat and in consequence of the large concourse of buyers gathered\nround that fowler, Kausika stood at a distance. But the fowler,\napprehending that the Brahmana had come to him, suddenly rose from his\nseat and went to that secluded spot where the Brahmana was staying and\nhaving approached him there, the fowler said, 'I salute thee, O holy one!\nWelcome art thou, O thou best of Brahmanas! I am the fowler. Blessed be\nthou! Command me as to what I may do for thee. The word that the chaste\nwoman said unto thee, viz., Repair thou to Mithila, are known to me. I\nalso know for what purpose thou hast come hither.' Hearing these words of\nthe fowler that Brahmana was filled with surprise. And he began to\nreflect inwardly, saying, 'This indeed, is the second marvel that I see!'\nThe fowler then said unto the Brahmana, saying, 'Thou art now standing in\nplace that is scarcely proper for thee, O sinless one. If it pleasest\nthee, let us go to my abode, O holy one!'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'So be it,' said the Brahmana unto him, gladly.\nAnd thereupon, the fowler proceeded towards his home with the Brahmana\nwalking before him. And entering his abode that looked delightful, the\nfowler reverenced his guest by offering him a seat. And he also gave him\nwater to wash his feet and face. And accepting these, that best of\nBrahmanas sat at his ease And he then addressed the fowler, saying, 'It\nseems to me that this profession doth not befit thee. O fowler, I deeply\nregret that thou shouldst follow such a cruel trade.' At these words of\nthe Brahmana the fowler said, 'This profession is that of my family,\nmyself having inherited it from my sires and grandsires. O regenerate\none, grieve not for me owing to my adhering to the duties that belong to\nme by birth. Discharging the duties ordained for me beforehand by the\nCreator, I carefully serve my superiors and the old. O thou best of\nBrahmanas! I always speak the truth, never envy others; and give to the\nbest of my power. I live upon what remaineth after serving the gods,\nguests, and those that depend on me. I never speak ill of anything, small\nor great. O thou best of Brahmanas, the actions of a former life always\nfollow the doer. In this world there are three principal professions,\nviz., agriculture, rearing of cattle, and trade. As regards the other\nworld, the three Vedas, knowledge, and the science of morals are\nefficacious. Service (of the other three orders) hath been ordained to be\nthe duty of the Sudra. Agriculture hath been ordained for the Vaisyas,\nand fighting for the Kshatriyas, while the practice of the Brahmacharya\nvow, asceticism, recitation of mantras, and truthfulness have been\nordained for the Brahmanas. Over subjects adhering to their proper\nduties, the king should rule virtuously; while he should set those\nthereto that have fallen away from the duties of their order. Kings\nshould ever be feared, because they are the lords of their subjects. They\nrestrain those subjects of theirs that fall away from their duties as\nthey restrain the motions of the deer by means of their shafts. O\nregenerate Rishi, there existeth not in the kingdom of Janaka a single\nsubject that followeth not the duties of his birth. O thou best of the\nBrahmanas, all the four orders here rigidly adhere to their respective\nduties. King Janaka punisheth him that is wicked, even if he be his own\nson; but never doth he inflict pain on him that is virtuous. With good\nand able spies employed under him, he looketh upon all with impartial\neyes. Prosperity, and kingdom, and capacity to punish, belong, O thou\nbest of Brahmanas, to the Kshatriyas. Kings desire high prosperity\nthrough practice of the duties that belong to them. The king is the\nprotector of all the four orders. As regards myself, O Brahmana, I always\nsell pork and buffalo meat without slaying those animals myself. I sell\nmeat of animals, O regenerate Rishi, that have been slain by others. I\nnever eat meat myself; never go to my wife except in her season; I always\nfast during the day, and eat, O regenerate one, in the night. Even though\nthe behaviour of his order is bad, a person may yet be himself of good\nbehaviour. So also a person may become virtuous, although he may be\nslayer of animals by profession. It is in consequence of the sinful acts\nof kings that virtue decreaseth greatly, and sin beginneth to prosper.\nAnd when all this taketh place the subjects of the kingdom begin to\ndecay. And it is then, O Brahmana, that ill-looking monsters, and dwarfs,\nand hunch-backed and large-headed wights, and men that are blind or deaf\nor those that have paralysed eyes or are destitute of the power of\nprocreation, begin to take their birth. It is from the sinfulness of\nkings that their subjects suffer numerous mischiefs. But this our king\nJanaka casteth his eyes upon all his subjects virtuously, and he is\nalways kind unto them who, on their part, ever adhere to their respective\nduties. Regarding myself, I always with good deeds please those that\nspeak well, as also those that speak ill of me. Those kings that live in\nthe observance of their own proper duties, who are always engaged in the\npractice of acts that are good and honest, who are of souls under\ncomplete control and who are endued with readiness and alacrity, may not\ndepend upon anything else for supporting their power. Gift of food to the\nbest of one's power, endurance of heat and cold, firmness in virtue, and\na regard and tenderness for all creatures,--these attributes can never\nfind place in a person, without an innate desire being present in him of\nseparating himself from the world. One should avoid falsehood in speech,\nand should do good without solicitation. One should never cast off virtue\nfrom lust, from wrath, or from malice. One should never joy immoderately\nat a good turn or grieve immoderately at a bad one. One should never feel\ndepressed when overtaken by poverty, nor when so overtaken abandon the\npath of virtue. If at any time one doth what is wrong, he should never do\nits like again. One should always urge his soul to the doing of that\nwhich he regardeth as beneficial. One should never return wrong for\nwrong, but should act honestly by those that have wronged him. That\nwretched man who desireth to do what is sinful, slayeth himself. By doing\nwhat is sinful, one only imitates them that are wicked and sinful,\nDisbelieving in virtue they that mock the good and the pure saying,\n'There is no virtue' undoubtedly meet with destruction. A sinful man\nswelleth up like a leather bag puffed up with wind. The thoughts of these\nwretches filled with pride and folly are feeble and unprofitable. It is\nthe heart, 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 never\ndoing 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 that\nsin. For virtue, O Brahmana, driveth off the sin that men commit from\nignorance. A man, after having committed a sin, should cease to regard\nhimself any longer as a man. No man can conceal his sins. The gods behold\nwhat one does, also the Being that is within every one. He that with\npiety and without detraction hideth the faults of the honest and the wise\nlike holes in his own attire, surely seeketh his salvation. If a man\nseeketh redemption after having committed a sin, without doubt he is\npurged of all his sins and looketh pure and resplendent like the moon\nemerged from the clouds. A man that seeketh redemption is washed of all\nhis sins, even as the sun, upon rising, dispelleth all darkness. O best\nof Brahmanas, it is temptation that constitutes the basis of sin. Men\nthat are ignorant commit sin, yielding to temptation alone. Sinful men\ngenerally cover themselves with a virtuous exterior, like wells whose\nmouths 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 present\nin conduct that is called virtuous. Having subjugated lust and wrath\npride avarice, and crookedness, they that take pleasure in virtue because\nit is virtue, are regarded as really virtuous and worthy of the\napprobation of persons that are virtuous. These persons who are devoted\nto sacrifices; and study of the Vedas have no independent behaviour. They\nfollow only the practices of the honest and the good. This indeed, is the\nsecond attribute of the virtuous. Waiting upon superiors, Truth, Freedom\nfrom anger, and Gift, these four, O Brahmana, are inseparably connected\nwith behaviour that is virtuous. For the reputation that a person\nacquires by setting his heart on virtuous behaviour and adhering to it\nrigidly is incapable of acquisition except by practising the four virtues\nnamed above. The essence of the Vedas is Truth: the essence of Truth is\nself-control, and the essence of self-control is abstention from the\npleasures of the world. These all are to be noticed in behaviour that is\nvirtuous. They that follow those deluded fools that mock the forms of\nfaith prevailing among men, are dragged into destruction for walking in\nsuch a sinful path. They, however, that are virtuous and engaged in the\nobservance of vows, who are devoted to the srutis and the virtue of\nabstention from the pleasure of the world, they in fact who tread in\nvirtue's path and follow the true religion, they that are obedient to the\nmandates of their preceptors, and who reflect upon the sense of the\nscriptures with patience and carefulness,--is these that are said to be\npossessed of behaviour that is virtuous; it is these, O Brahmana, that\nare said to properly guide their higher intelligence. Forsaking those\nthat are atheists, those that transgress virtue's limits, those that are\nof wicked souls, those that live in sinfulness, betake thyself to\nknowledge reverencing those that are virtuous. Lust and temptation are\neven like sharks in the river of life; the waters are the five senses. Do\nthou cross over to the other side of this river in the boat of patience\nand resignation, avoiding the shoals of corporeal existence (repeated\nbirths in this world). The supreme virtue consisting in the exercise of\nthe intelligent 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 acquire 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 exercise\nself-restraint and are full of attention to their superior, are men of\nvirtuous conduct. The actions and conduct of such men of great power, are\nvery difficult of attainment. They are sanctified by the purification of\ntheir own actions, and consequently sin in them dies out of itself. This\nvirtue of good conduct is wonderful, ancient, immutable and eternal; and\nwise men observing this virtue with holiness, attain to heaven. These men\nwho believe in the existence of the Deity, who are free from false pride,\nand versed in holy writ, and who respect regenerate (twice-born) men, go\nto heaven. Among holy men, virtue is differentiated in three ways--that\ngreat virtue which is inculcated in the Vedas, the other which is\ninculcated in the dharmashastras (the minor scriptures), and virtuous\nconduct. And virtuous conduct is indicated by acquisition of knowledge,\npilgrimage to sacred places, truthfulness, forbearance, purity and\nstraight-forwardness. Virtuous men are always kind to all creatures, and\nwell-disposed towards regenerate men. They abstain from doing injury to\nany creature, and are never rude in speech. Those good men who know well\nthe consequences of the fruition of their good and evil deeds, are\ncommended by virtuous men. Those who are just and good-natured, and\nendowed with virtue, who wish well of all creatures, who are steadfast in\nthe path of virtue, and have conquered heaven, who are charitable,\nunselfish and of unblemished character, who succour the afflicted, and\nare learned and respected by all, who practise austerities, and are kind\nto all creatures, are commended as such by the virtuous. Those who are\ncharitably disposed attain prosperity in this world, as also the regions\nof bliss (hereafter). The virtuous man when solicited for assistance by\ngood men bestow alms on them by straining to the utmost, even to the\ndeprivation of the comforts of his wife and servants. Good men having an\neye to their own welfare, as also virtue and the ways of the world, act\nin this way and thereby grow in virtue through endless ages. Good persons\npossessing the virtues of truthfulness, abstention from doing injury to\nany one, rectitude, abstention from evil towards any one, want of\nhaughtiness, modesty, resignation, self-restraint, absence of passion,\nwisdom, patience, and kindness towards all creatures, and freedom from\nmalice and lust, are the witnesses of the world. These three are said to\nconstitute the perfect way of the virtuous, viz., a man must not do wrong\nto any body, he must bestow alms, and must always be truthful. Those\nhigh-souled good men of virtuous conduct, and settled convictions, who\nare kind to all and are full of compassion, depart with contentment from\nthis world to the perfect way of virtue. Freedom from malice,\nforbearance, peace of mind, contentment, pleasant speech, renunciation of\ndesire and anger, virtuous conduct and actions regulated according to the\nordinances of holy writ, constitute the perfect way of the virtuous. And\nthose who are constant in virtue follow these rules of virtuous conduct,\nand having reached the pinnacle of knowledge, and discriminating between\nthe various phases of human conduct, which are either very virtuous or\nthe reverse, 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\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 meat\nI sell, also acquire karma, because (with their meat), gods and guests\nand servants are regaled with dainty food and the manes are propitiated.\nIt is said authoritatively that herbs and vegetables, deer, birds and\nwild animals constitute the food of all creatures. And, O Brahmana, king\nSivi, the son of Usinara, of great forbearance attained to heaven, which\nis hard to reach, giving away his own flesh. And in days of yore, O\nBrahmana, two thousand animals used to be killed every day in the kitchen\nof king Rantideva; and in the same manner two thousand cows were killed\nevery day; and, O best of regenerate beings, king Rantideva acquired\nunrivalled reputation by distributing food with meat every day. For the\nperformance of the fourmonthly rites animals ought to be sacrificed\ndaily. 'The sacred fire is fond of animal food,' this saying has come\ndown to us. And at sacrifices animals are invariably killed by regenerate\nBrahmanas, and these animals being purged of sin, by incantation of\nhymns, go to heaven. If, O Brahmana, the sacred fire had not been so fond\nof animal food in ancient times, it could never have become the food of\nany one. And in this matter of animal food, this rule has been laid down\nby Munis:--Whoever partakes of animal food after having first offered it\nduly and respectfully to the gods and the manes, is not polluted by the\nact. And such a man is not at all considered to have partaken of animal\nfood, even, as a Brahmacharin having intercoursed with his wife during\nthe menstrual period, is nevertheless considered to be a good Brahmana.\nAfter consideration of the propriety and impropriety of the matter, this\nrule has been laid down. King Saudasa, O Brahmana, when under a curse,\noften used to prey upon men; what is thy opinion of this matter? And, O\ngood Brahmana, knowing this to be the consequence of my own actions, I\nobtain my 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\nKarma 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\nKarma, and extricate himself from an evil doom, and the evil Karma may be\nexpiated in various ways. Accordingly, O good Brahmana, I am charitable,\ntruthful, assiduous in attending on my superior, full of respect towards\nregenerate Brahmanas, devoted to and free from pride and (idle) excessive\ntalk. Agriculture is considered to be a praiseworthy occupation, but it\nis well-known that even there, great harm is done to animal life; and in\nthe operation of digging the earth with the plough, numberless creatures\nlurking in the ground as also various other forms of animal life are\ndestroyed. Dost thou not think so? O good Brahmana, Vrihi and other seeds\nof rice are all living organisms. What is thy opinion on this matter?\nMen, O Brahmana, hunt wild animals and kill them and partake of their\nmeat; they also cut up trees and herbs; but, O Brahmana, there are\nnumberless living organisms in trees, in fruits, as also in water; dost\nthou not think so? This whole creation, O Brahmana, is full of animal\nlife, sustaining itself with food derived from living organisms. Dost\nthou not mark that fish preys upon fish, and that various species of\nanimals prey upon other species, and there are species the members of\nwhich prey upon each other? Men, O Brahmana, while walking about hither\nand thither, kill numberless creatures lurking in the ground by trampling\non them, and even men of wisdom and enlightenment destroy animal life in\nvarious ways, even while sleeping or reposing themselves. What hast thou\nto say to this?--The earth and the air all swarm with living organisms,\nwhich are unconsciously destroyed by men from mere ignorance. Is not this\nso? The commandment that people should not do harm to any creature, was\nordained of old by men, who were ignorant of the true facts of the case.\nFor, O Brahmana, there is not a man on the face of this earth, who is\nfree from the sin of doing injury to creatures. After full consideration,\nthe conclusion is irresistible that there is not a single man who is free\nfrom the sin of doing injury to animal life. Even the sage, O good\nBrahmana, whose vow is to do harm to no creature, doth inflict injury to\nanimal life. Only, on account of greater needfulness, the harm is less.\nMen of noble birth and great qualities perpetrate wicked acts in defiance\nof all, of which they are not at all ashamed. Good men acting in an\nexemplary way are not commended by other good men; nor are bad men acting\nin a contrary 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\n\nSECTION CCVIII\n\nMarkandeya 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 and\nin 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 an\nabject 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.\n\nIt is seen that able, intelligent and diligent persons are baffled in\ntheir efforts, and do not attain the fruits of their actions. On the\nother hand, persons who are always active in injuring others and in\npractising deception on the world, lead a happy life. There are some who\nattain prosperity without any exertion. And there are others, who with\nthe utmost exertion, are unable to achieve their dues. Miserly persons\nwith the object of having sons born to them worship the gods, and\npractise severe austerities, and those sons having remained in the womb\nfor ten months at length turn out to be very infamous issue of their\nrace; and others begotten under the same auspices, decently pass their\nlives in luxury with heaps of riches and grain accumulated by their\nancestors. The diseases from which man suffer, are undoubtedly the result\nof their own karma. They then behave like small deer at the hands of\nhunters, and they are racked with mental troubles. And, O Brahmana, as\nhunters intercept the flight of their game, the progress of those\ndiseases is checked by able and skilful physicians with their collections\nof drugs. And, the best of the cherishers of religion, thou hast observed\nthat those who have it in their power to enjoy (the good things of this\nearth), are prevented from doing so from the fact of their suffering from\nchronic bowel-complaints, and that many others that are strong and\npowerful, suffer from misery, and are enabled with great difficulty to\nobtain a livelihood; and that every man is thus helpless, overcome by\nmisery and illusion, and again and again tossed and overpowered by the\npowerful current of his own actions (karma). If there were absolute\nfreedom of action, no creature would die, none would be subject to decay,\nor await his evil doom, and everybody would attain the object of his\ndesire. All persons desire to out distance their neighbours (in the race\nof life), and they strive to do so to the utmost of their power; but the\nresult turns out otherwise. Many are the persons born under the influence\nof the same star and the same auspices of good luck; but a great\ndiversity is observable in the maturity of their actions. No person, O\ngood Brahmana, can be the dispenser of his own lot. The actions done in a\nprevious existence are seen to fructify in our present life. It is the\nimmemorial tradition that the soul is eternal and everlasting, but the\ncorporeal frame of all creatures is subject to destruction here (below).\nWhen therefore life is extinguished, the body only is destroyed, but the\nspirit, wedded to its actions, travels elsewhere.'\n\n\"The Brahmana replied, 'O best of those versed in the doctrine of karma,\nand in the delivery of discourses, I long to know accurately how the soul\nbecomes eternal.' The fowler replied, 'The spirit dies not, there being\nsimply a change of tenement. They are mistaken, who foolishly say that\nall creatures die. The soul betakes itself to another frame, and its\nchange of habitation is called its death. In the world of men, no man\nreaps the consequences of another man's karma. Whatever one does, he is\nsure to reap the consequences thereof; for the consequences of the karma\nthat is once done, can never be obviated. The virtuous become endowed\nwith great virtues, and sinful men become the perpetrators of wicked\ndeeds. Men's actions follow them; and influenced by these, they are born\nagain.' The Brahmana enquired, 'Why does the spirit take its birth, and\nwhy does its nativity become sinful or virtuous, and how, O good man,\ndoes it come to belong to a sinful or virtuous race?' The fowler replied,\nThis mystery seems to belong to the subject of procreation, but I shall\nbriefly describe to you, O good Brahmana, how the spirit is born again\nwith its accumulated load of karma, the righteous in a virtuous, and the\nwicked in a sinful nativity. By the performance of virtuous actions it\nattains to the state of the gods, and by a combination of good and evil,\nit acquires the human state; by indulgence in sensuality and similar\ndemoralising practices it is born in the lower species of animals, and by\nsinful acts, it goes to the infernal regions. Afflicted with the miseries\nof birth 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 next\nworld 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 ease\nand consequently their fetters are not loosened and new karma arises; and\nsuffering from diverse miseries they turn about in this world like a\nwheel. If casting off their fetters they purify themselves by their\nactions and practise austerities and religious meditations, then, O best\nof Brahmanas, they attain the Elysian regions by these numerous acts and\nby casting off their fetters and by the purification of karma, men attain\nthose blissful regions where misery is unknown to those who go there. The\nsinful man who is addicted to vices, never comes to the end of his course\nof iniquities. Therefore must we strive to do what is virtuous and\nforbear from doing what is unrighteous. Whoever with a heart full of\ngratefulness and free from malice strives to do what is good, attains\nwealth, virtue, happiness and heaven (hereafter). Those who are purified\nof sins, wise, forbearing, constant in righteousness, and self-restrained\nenjoy continuous felicity in this as well as in the next world. Man must\nfollow the standard of virtue of the good and in his acts imitate the\nexample of the righteous. There are virtuous men, versed in holy writ and\nlearned in all departments of knowledge. Man's proper duty consists in\nfollowing his own proper avocation, and this being the case these latter\ndo not become confused and mixed up. The wise man delights in virtue and\nlives by righteousness. And, O good Brahmana, such a man with the wealth\nof righteousness which he hereby acquires, waters the root of the plant\nin which 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 of\nenlightened vision, O great Brahmana, is not satisfied with reaping the\nfruits of righteousness. Not content with that, he with the light of\nspiritual wisdom that is in him, becomes indifferent to pain and pleasure\nand the vice of the world influenceth him not. Of his own free will he\nbecometh indifferent to worldly pursuits but he forsaketh not virtue.\nObserving that everything worldly is evanescent, he trieth to renounce\neverything and counting on more chance he deviseth means for the\nattainment of salvation. Thus doth he renounce the pursuits of the world,\nshuneth 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 all\nthe 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 in\nvirtue and constant in the performance of the religious obligations, you\ntalk of senses; what are they; how may they be subdued; and what is the\ngood of subduing them; and how doth a creature reap the fruits thereof? O\npious man, I beg to acquaint myself with the truth of this matter.\"\n\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 passions\nand desires, and for that end, they labour and set about tasks of great\nmagnitude and indulge in much-desired pleasures of beauty, flavour, &c.\nThen follows fondness, then envy, then avarice and then extinction of all\nspiritual light. And when men are thus influenced by avarice, and\novercome by envy and fondness, their intellect ceases to be guided by\nrighteousness and they practise the very mockery of virtue. Practising\nvirtue 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 to\nwicked ways, all their good qualities die out, and these men of wicked\ndeeds cultivate the friendship of men of similar character, and\nconsequently they suffer misery in this world as well as in the next. The\nsinful 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 becomes\ninclined to righteousness.' The Brahmana replied, 'Thou hast given a true\nexposition of religion which none else is able to expound. Thy spiritual\npower is great, and thou dost appear to me to be like a great Rishi.' The\nfowler replied, 'The great Brahmanas are worshipped with the same honours\nas our ancestors and they are always propitiated with offerings of food\nbefore others. Wise men in this world do what is pleasing to them, with\nall their heart. And I shall, O good Brahmana, describe to thee what is\npleasing to them, after having bowed down to Brahmanas as a class. Do\nthou learn from me the Brahmanic philosophy. This whole universe\nunconquerable everywhere and abounding in great elements, is Brahma, and\nthere is nothing higher than this. The earth, air, water, fire and sky\nare the great elements. And form, odour, sound, touch and taste are their\ncharacteristic properties. These latter too have their properties which\nare also correlated to each other. And of the three qualities, which are\ngradually characterised by each, in order of priority is consciousness\nwhich is called the mind. The seventh is intelligence and after that\ncomes egoism; and then the five senses, then the soul, then the moral\nqualities called sattwa, rajas and tamas. These seventeen are said to be\nthe unknown or incomprehensible qualities. I have described all this to\nthee, what else dost thou wish to know?'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCX\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'O Bharata, the Brahmana, thus interrogated by the\nvirtuous fowler, resumed again this discourse so pleasing to the mind.\nThe Brahmana said, 'O best of the cherishers of religion, it is said that\nthere are five great elements; do thou describe to me in full the\nproperties 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 universe\nis composed. And they are not opposed to one another; they exist, O\nBrahmana, in proper combination. When this whole universe is thrown into\na state of confusion, then every corporeal being in the fulness of time,\nassumes another corpus. It arises and perishes in due order. And there\nare present the five elementary substances of which all the mobile and\nimmobile world is composed. Whatever is perceptible by the senses, is\ncalled vyakta (knowable or comprehensible) and whatever is beyond the\nreach of the senses and can only be perceived by guesses, is known to be\navyakta (not vyakta). When a per on engages in the discipline of\nself-examination, after having subdued the senses which have of their own\nproper objective play in the external conditions of sound, form, &c, then\nhe beholds his own spirit pervading the universe, and the universe\nreflected in itself. He who is wedded to his previous karma, although\nskilled in the highest spiritual wisdom, is cognisant only of his soul's\nobjective existence, but the person whose soul is never affected by the\nobjective conditions around, is never subject to ills, owing to its\nabsorption in the elementary spirit of Brahma. When a person has overcome\nthe domination of illusion, his manly virtues consisting of the essence\nof spiritual wisdom, turn to the spiritual enlightenment which illumines\nthe intelligence of sentient beings. Such a person is styled by the\nomnipotent, intelligent Spirit as one who is without beginning and\nwithout end, self-existent, immutable, incorporeal and incomparable.\nThis, O Brahmana, that thou hast enquired of me is only the result of\nself discipline. And this self-discipline can only be acquired by\nsubduing the senses. It cannot be otherwise, heaven and hell are both\ndependent on our senses. When subdued, they lead to heaven; when indulged\nin, they lead to perdition. This subjugation of the senses is the highest\nmeans of attaining spiritual light. Our senses are at the (cause) root of\nour spiritual advancement as also at the root of our spiritual\ndegradation. By indulging in them, a person undoubtedly contracts vices,\nand by subduing these, he attains salvation. The self-restrained person\nwho acquires mastery over the six senses inherent in our nature, is never\ntainted with sin, and consequently evil has no power over him. Man's\ncorporeal self has been compared to a chariot, his soul to a charioteer\nand his senses to horses. A dexterous man drives about without confusion,\nlike a quiet charioteer with well-broken horses. That man is an excellent\ndriver who knows how to patiently wield the reins of those wild\nhorses,--the six senses inherent in our nature. When our senses become\nungovernable like horses on the high road, we must patiently rein them\nin; for with patience, we are sure to get the better of them. When a\nman's mind is overpowered by any one of these senses running wild, he\nloses his reason, and becomes like a ship tossed by storms upon the high\nocean. Men are deceived by illusion in hoping to reap the fruits of those\nsix things, whose effects are studied by persons of spiritual insight,\nwho thereby reap the fruits of their clear perception.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXI\n\nMarkandeya 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\nsattwa, rajas, and tamas.' The fowler replied, 'Very well, I shall tell\nthee what thou hast asked. I shall describe separately their respective\nvirtues, do thou listen. Of them tamas is characterised by illusion\n(spiritual), rajas incites (men to action), sattwa is of great grandeur,\nand on that account, it is said to be the greatest of them. He who is\ngreatly under the influence of spiritual ignorance, who is foolish,\nsenseless and given to dreaming, who is idle, unenergetic and swayed by\nanger and haughtiness, is said to be under the influence of tamas. And, O\nBrahmana rishi, that excellent man who is agreeable in speech,\nthoughtful, free from envy, industrious in action from an eager desire to\nreap its fruits, and of warm temperament, is said to be under the\ninfluence of rajas. And he who is resolute, patient, not subject to\nanger, free from malice, and is not skilful in action from want of a\nselfish desire to reap its fruits, wise and forbearing, is said to be\nunder the influence of sattwa. When a man endowed with the sattwa\nquality, is influenced by worldliness, he suffers misery; but he hates\nworldliness, when he realises its full significance. And then a feeling\nof indifference to worldly affairs begins to influence him. And then his\npride decreases, and uprightness becomes more prominent, and his\nconflicting moral sentiments are reconciled. And then self-restraint in\nany 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 steadfast\nin rectitude, he may even become a Brahmana. I have described to thee\nthese virtues, what else dost thou wish to learn?'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXII\n\n\"The Brahmana enquired, 'How is it that fire (vital force) in combination\nwith the earthly element (matter), becomes the corporeal tenement (of\nliving creatures), and how doth the vital air (the breath of life)\naccording to the nature of its seat (the muscles and nerves) excite to\naction (the corporeal frame)?' Markandeya said, 'This question, O\nYudhishthira, having been put to the Brahmana by the fowler, the latter,\nin reply, said to that high-minded Brahmana. (The fowler said):--The\nvital spirit manifesting itself in the seat of consciousness, causes the\naction of the corporeal frame. And the soul being present in both of them\nacts (through them). The past, the present and the future are inseparably\nassociated with the soul. And it is the highest of a creature's\npossessions; it is of the essence of the Supreme Spirit and we adore it.\nIt is the animating principle of all creatures, and it is the eternal\npurusha (spirit). It is great and it is the intelligence and the ego, and\nit is the subjective seat of the various properties of elements. Thus\nwhile seated here (in a corporeal frame) it is sustained in all its\nrelations external or internal (to matter or mind) by the subtle ethereal\nair called prana, and thereafter, each creature goes its own way by the\naction of another subtle air called Samana. And this latter transforming\nitself into Apana air, and supported by the head of the stomach carries\nthe refuse matter of the body, urine &c, to the kidneys and intestines.\nThat same air is present in the three elements of effort, exertion and\npower, and in that condition it is called Udana air by persons learned in\nphysical science, and when manifesting itself by its presence at all the\njunctional points of the human system, it is known by the name Vyana. And\nthe internal heat is diffused over all the tissues of our system, and\nsupported by these kinds of air, it transforms our food and the tissues\nand the humours of our system. And by the coalition of Prana and other\nairs, a reaction (combination) ensues, and the heat generated thereby is\nknown as the internal heat of the human system which causes the digestion\nof our food. The Prana and the Apana air are interposed within the Samana\nand the Udana air. And the heat generated by their coalition causes the\ngrowth of the body (consisting of the seven substances, bones, muscles,\n&c). And that portion of its seat extending to as far as the rectum is\ncalled Apana; and from that arteries arise in the five airs Prana, &c.\nThe Prana air, acted on by the heat strikes against the extremity of the\nApana region and then recoiling, it reacts on the heat. Above the navel\nis the region of undigested food and below it the region of digestion.\nAnd the Prana and all other airs of the system are seated in the navel.\nThe arteries issuing from the heart run upwards and downwards, as also in\noblique directions; they carry the best essence of our food, and are\nacted upon by the ten Prana airs. This is the way by which patient Yogins\nwho have 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 all\ncreatures. Know that the spirit is embodied in corporeal disguise, in the\neleven allotropous conditions (of the animal system), and that though\neternal, 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 life\nand that life is the attribute of spirit, and that the latter again is an\nattribute of the Supreme Spirit. Inert, insensible matter is the seat of\nthe living principle, which is active in itself and induces activity in\nothers. That thing by which the seven worlds are incited to action is\ncalled the most high by men of high spiritual insight. Thus in all these\nelements, the eternal spirit does not show itself, but is perceived by\nthe learned in spiritual science by reason of their high and keen\nperception. A pure-minded person, by purification of his heart, is able\nto destroy the good and evil effect of his actions and attains eternal\nbeatitude by the enlightenment of his inward spirit. That state of peace\nand purification of heart is likened to the state of a person who in a\ncheerful state of mind sleeps soundly, or the brilliance of a lamp\ntrimmed by a skillful hand. Such a pure-minded person living on spare\ndiet perceives the Supreme Spirit reflected in his own, and by practising\nconcentration of mind in the evening and small hours of the night, he\nbeholds the Supreme Spirit which has no attributes, in the light of his\nheart, shining like a dazzling lamp, and thus he attains salvation.\nAvarice and anger must be subdued by all means, for this act constitutes\nthe most sacred virtue that people can practise and is considered to be\nthe means by which men can cross over to the other side of this sea of\naffliction and trouble. A man must preserve his righteousness from being\novercome by the evil consequences of anger, his virtues from the effects\nof pride, his learning from the effects of vanity, and his own spirit\nfrom illusion. Leniency is the best of virtues, and forbearance is the\nbest of powers, the knowledge of our spiritual nature is the best of all\nknowledge, and truthfulness is the best of all religious obligations. The\ntelling of truth is good, and the knowledge of truth may also be good,\nbut what conduces to the greatest good of all creatures, is known as the\nhighest truth. He whose actions are performed not with the object of\nsecuring any reward or blessing, who has sacrificed all to the\nrequirements of his renunciation, is a real Sannyasin and is really wise.\nAnd as communion with Brahma cannot be taught to us, even by our\nspiritual preceptor,--he only giving us a clue to the\nmystery--renunciation of the material world is called Yoga. We must not\ndo harm to any creature and must live in terms of amity with all, and in\nthis our present existence, we must not avenge ourselves on any creature.\nSelf-abnegation, peace of mind, renunciation of hope, and\nequanimity,--these are the ways by which spiritual enlightenment can\nalways be secured; and the knowledge of self (one's own spiritual nature)\nis the best of all knowledge. In this world as well as hereafter,\nrenouncing all worldly desires and assuming a stoic indifference, wherein\nall suffering is at rest, people should fulfil their religious duties\nwith the aid of their intelligence. The muni who desires to obtain moksha\n(salvation), which is very difficult to attain, must be constant in\nausterities, forbearing, self-restrained, and must give up that longing\nfondness which binds him to the things of this earth. They call these the\nattributes of the Supreme Spirit. The gunas (qualities or attributes)\nthat we are conscious of, reduce themselves to agunas (non-gunas) in Him;\nHe is not bound by anything, and is perceptible only by the expansion and\ndevelopment of our spiritual vision; as soon as the illusion of ignorance\nis dispelled, this supreme unalloyed beatitude is attained. By foregoing\nthe objects of both pleasure and pain and by renouncing the feelings\nwhich bind him to the things of this earth, a man may attain Brahma\n(Supreme Spirit or salvation). O good Brahmana, I have now briefly\nexplained to thee all this, as I have heard. What else dost thou wish to\nknow?\"\n\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 mysteries\nof religion which thou dost not know.' The fowler replied, 'O good and\ngreat Brahmana, thou shalt perceive with thine own eyes, all the virtue\nthat I lay claim to, and by reason of which I have attained this blissful\nstate. Rise, worshipful sir, and quickly enter this inner apartment. O\nvirtuous man, it is proper that thou shouldst see my father and my\nmother.' Markandeya continued, 'Thus addressed the Brahmana went in, and\nbeheld a fine beautiful mansion. It was a magnificent house divided in\nfour suites of rooms, admired by gods and looking like one of their\npalaces; it was also furnished with seats and beds, and redolent of\nexcellent 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 even\namongst the celestials thou hast not another divinity to worship. By\nconstantly 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 for\nthy piety towards us. In thought, word or deed thy attention to us never\nflags, and it seems that at present thou hast no other thought in thy\nmind (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 parents\nand they received him with the usual salutation of welcome, and the\nBrahmana accepting their welcome, enquired if they, with their children\nand servants, were all right at home, and if they were always enjoying\ngood health at that time (of life). The aged couple replied, 'At home, O\nBrahmana, we are all right, with all our servants. Hast thou, adorable\nsir, reached this place without any difficulty?' Markandeya continued,\n\"The Brahmana replied, 'Yes, I have.' Then the fowler addressing himself\nto the Brahmana said to him, 'These my parents, worshipful sir, are the\nidols that I worship; whatever is due to the gods, I do unto them. As the\nthirty-three gods with Indra at their head are worshipped by men, so are\nthese aged parents of mine worshipped by me. As Brahmanas exert\nthemselves for the purpose of procuring offering for their gods, so do I\nact with diligence for these two (idols of mine). These my father and\nmother, O Brahmana, are my supreme gods, and I seek to please them always\nwith offering of flowers, fruits and gems. To me they are like the three\nsacred fires mentioned by the learned; and, O Brahmana, they seem to me\nto be as good as sacrifices or the four Vedas. My five life-giving airs,\nmy wife and children and friends are all for them (dedicated to their\nservice). And with my wife and children I always attend on them. O good\nBrahmana, with my own hands I assist them in bathing and also wash their\nfeet and give them food and I say to them only what is agreeable, leaving\nout what is unpleasant. I consider it to be my highest duty to do what is\nagreeable to them even though it be not strictly justifiable. And, O\nBrahmana, I am always diligent in attending on them. The two parents, the\nsacred fire, the soul and the spiritual preceptor, these five, O good\nBrahmana, are worthy of the highest reverence from a person who seeks\nprosperity. By serving them properly, one acquires the merit of\nperpetually keeping up the sacred fire. And it is the eternal and\ninvariable duty of all householders.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXIV\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'The virtuous fowler, having introduced his (both)\nparents to that Brahmana as his highest gurus, again spoke to him as\nfollows, 'Mark thou the power of this virtue of mine, by which my inner\nspiritual 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 mysteries\nof religion.' The Brahmana said, 'O pious man, so constant in fulfilling\nthy religious obligations, bethinking myself of what that truthful\ngood-natured lady so true to her husband, hath said, I am convinced that\nthou art really endowed with every high quality.' The fowler replied, 'I\nhave no doubt, my lord, that what that lady, so faithful to her husband,\nsaid to thee about me, was said with full knowledge of the facts. I have,\nO Brahmana, explained to thee all this as a matter of favour. And now,\ngood sir, listen to me. I shall explain what is good for thee. O good\nBrahmana, of irreproachable character, thou hast wronged thy father and\nthy mother, for thou hast left home without their permission, for the\npurpose of learning the Vedas. Thou hast not acted properly in this\nmatter, for thy ascetic and aged parents have become entirely blind from\ngrief at thy loss. Do thou return home to console them. May this virtue\nnever forsake thee Thou art high-minded, of ascetic merit, and always\ndevoted to thy religion but all these have become useless to thee. Do\nthou without delay return to console thy parents. Do have some regard for\nmy words and not act otherwise; I tell thee what is good for thee, O\nBrahmana Rishi, Do thou return home this very day.' The Brahmana replied,\n'This that thou hast said, is undoubtedly true; mayst thou, O pious man,\nattain prosperity; I am much pleased with thee.' The fowler said, 'O\nBrahmana, as thou practisest with assiduousness those divine, ancient,\nand eternal virtues which are so difficult of attainment even by\npure-minded persons, thou appearest (to me) like a divine being. Return\nto the side of thy father and mother and be quick and diligent in\nhonouring thy parents; for, I do not know if there is any virtue higher\nthan this.' The Brahmana replied, 'By a piece of singular good luck have\nI arrived here, and by a piece of similar good luck have I thus been\nassociated with thee. It is very difficult to find out, in our midst, a\nperson who can so well expound the mysteries of religion; there is\nscarcely one man among thousands, who is well versed in the science of\nreligion. I am very glad, O great man, to have secured thy friendship;\nmayst thou be prosperous. I was on the point of falling into hell, but\nwas extricated by thee. It was destined to be so, for thou didst\n(unexpectedly) come in my way. And, O great man, as the fallen King\nYayati was saved by his virtuous grandsons (daughter's sons), so, have I\nknow been saved by thee. According to thy advice, I shall honour my\nfather and my mother; for a man with an impure heart can never expound\nthe mysteries of sin and righteousness. As it is very difficult for a\nperson born in the Sudra class to learn the mysteries of the eternal\nreligion, I do not consider thee to be a Sudra. There must surely be some\nmystery in connection with this matter. Thou must have attained the\nSudra's estate by reason of the fruition of thine own past karma. O\nmagnanimous man, I long to know the truth about this matter. Do thou tell\nit to me with attention and according 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\nVedangas. Through my own fault I have been degraded to my present state.\nA certain king, accomplished in the science of dhanurveda (science of\narchery), was my friend; and from his companionship, O Brahmana, I, too\nbecame skilled in archery; and one day the king, in company with his\nministers and followed by his best warriors, went out on a hunting\nexpedition. He killed a large number of deer near a hermitage. I, too, O\ngood Brahmana, discharged a terrible arrow. And a rishi was wounded by\nthat arrow with its head bent out. He fell down upon the ground, and\nscreaming loudly said, 'I have harmed no one, what sinful man has done\nthis?' And, my lord, taking him for a deer, I went up to him and found\nthat he was pierced through the body by my arrow. On account of my wicked\ndeed I was sorely grieved (in mind). And then I said to that rishi of\nsevere ascetic merit, who was loudly crying, lying upon the ground, 'I\nhave done this unwittingly, O rishi.' And also this I said to the muni:\n'Do thou think it proper to pardon all this transgression.' But, O\nBrahmana, the rishi, lashing himself into a fury, said to me, 'Thou shalt\nbe born as a cruel fowler in the Sudra class.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXV\n\n\"The fowler continued, 'Thus cursed by that rishi, I sought to propitiate\nhim with these words: 'Pardon me, O muni, I have done this wicked deed\nunwittingly. It behooves thee to pardon all that. Do thou, worshipful\nsir, soothe yourself.' The rishi replied, 'The curse that I have\npronounced can never be falsified, this is certain. But from kindness\ntowards thee, I shall do thee a favour. Though born in the Sudra class\nthou shalt remain a pious man and thou shalt undoubtedly honour thy\nparents; and by honouring them thou shalt attain great spiritual\nperfection; thou shalt also remember the events of thy past life and\nshalt go to heaven; and on the expiation of this curse, thou shalt again\nbecome a Brahmana. O best of men, thus, of old was I cursed by that rishi\nof severe power, and thus was he propitiated by me. Then, O good\nBrahmana, I extricated the arrow from his body, and took him into the\nhermitage, but he was not deprived of his life (recovered). O good\nBrahmana, I have thus described to thee what happened to me of old, and\nalso how I can go to heaven hereafter.' The Brahmana said, 'O thou of\ngreat intelligence, all men are thus subject to happiness or misery, thou\nshouldst not therefore grieve for that. In obedience to the customs of\nthy (present) race, thou hast pursued these wicked ways, but thou art\nalways devoted to virtue and versed in the ways and mysteries of the\nworld. And, O learned man, these being the duties of thy profession, the\nstain of evil karma will not attach to thee. And after dwelling here for\nsome little time, thou shalt again become a Brahmana; and even now, I\nconsider thee to be a Brahmana, there is no doubt about this. For the\nBrahmana who is vain and haughty, who is addicted to vices and wedded to\nevil and degrading practices, is like a Sudra. On the other hand, I\nconsider 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\nkarma a man attains an evil and terrible doom. O good man. I believe that\nsin in thee has now died out. Thou must not grieve for this, for men,\nlike thee who art so virtuous and learned in the ways and mysteries of\nthe 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. Man 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, only\nmakes himself uneasy. Those wise men whose knowledge has made them happy\nand contented, and who are indifferent to happiness and misery alike, are\nreally happy. The wise are always contented and the foolish always\ndiscontented. There is no end to discontentment, and contentment is the\nhighest happiness. People who have reached the perfect way, do not\ngrieve, they are always conscious of the final destiny of all creatures.\nOne must not give way to discontent[57] for it is like a virulent poison.\nIt kills persons of undeveloped intelligence, just as child is killed by\nan enraged snake. That man has no manliness whose energies have left him\nand who is overpowered with perplexity when an occasion for the exercise\nof vigour presents itself. Our actions are surely followed by their\nconsequences. Whoever merely gives himself up to passive indifference (to\nworldly affairs) accomplishes no good. Instead of murmuring one must try\nto find out the way by which he can secure exemption from (spiritual)\nmisery; and the means of salvation found, he must then free himself from\nsensuality. The man who has attained a high state of spiritual knowledge\nis always conscious of the great deficiency (instability) of all matter.\nSuch a person keeping in view the final doom (of all), never grieves, I\ntoo, O learned man, do not grieve; I stay here (in this life) biding my\ntime. For this reason, O best of men, I am not perplexed (with doubts)'.\nThe Brahmana said, 'Thou art wise and high in spiritual knowledge and\nvast is thy intelligence. Thou who art versed in holy writ, art content\nwith thy spiritual wisdom. I have no cause to find fault with thee.\nAdieu, O best of pious men, mayst thou be prosperous, and may\nrighteousness shield thee, and mayst thou be assiduous in the practice of\nvirtue.'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, The fowler said to him, 'Be it so'. And the good\nBrahmana walked round him[58] 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\nmunis, thou hast related to me this good and wonderful moral story; and\nlistening to thee, O learned man, my time has glided away like a moment;\nbut, O adorable sir, I am not as yet satiated with hearing this moral[59]\ndiscourse.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXVI\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"The virtuous king Yudhishthira, having listened\nto this excellent religious discourse, again addressed himself to the\nrishi Markandeya saying, 'Why did the fire-god hide himself in water in\nolden times, and why is it that Angiras of great splendour officiating as\nfire-god, used to convey[60] oblations during his dissolution. There is\nbut one fire, but according to the nature of its action, it is seen to\ndivide itself into many. O worshipful sir, I long to be enlightened on\nall these points,--How the Kumara[61] was born, how he came to be known\nas the son of Agni (the fire-god) and how he was begotten by Rudra or\nGanga and Krittika. O noble scion of Bhrigu's race, I desire to learn all\nthis accurately as it happened. O great muni, I am filled with great\ncuriosity.' Markandeya replied, 'In this connection this old story is\ncited by the learned, as to how the carrier of oblations (the fire-god)\nin a fit of rage, sought the waters of the sea in order to perform a\npenance, and how the adorable Angiras transforming himself into the\nfire-god,[62] destroyed darkness and distressed the world with his\nscorching rays. In olden times, O long-armed hero, the great Angiras\nperformed a wonderful penance in his hermitage; he even excelled the\nfire-god, the carrier of oblations, in splendour and in that state he\nillumined the whole universe. At that time the fire-god was also\nperforming a penance and was greatly distressed by his (Angirasa's)\neffulgence. He was greatly depressed, but did not know what to do. Then\nthat adorable god thought within himself, 'Brahma has created another\nfire-god for this universe. As I have been practising austerities, my\nservices as the presiding deity of fire have been dispensed with; and\nthen he considered how he could re-establish himself as the god of fire.\nHe beheld the great muni giving heat to the whole universe like fire, and\napproached him slowly with fear. But Angiras said to him, 'Do thou\nquickly re-establish yourself as the fire animating the universe, thou\nart well-known in the three stable worlds and thou wast first created by\nBrahma to dispel darkness. Do thou, O destroyer of darkness, quickly\noccupy thine own proper place.' Agni replied, 'My reputation has been\ninjured now in this world. And thou art become the fire-god, and people\nwill know thee, and not me, as fire. I have relinquished my god-hood of\nfire, do thou become the primeval fire and I shall officiate as the\nsecond or Prajapatyaka fire.' Angiras replied, 'Do thou become the\nfire-god and the destroyer of darkness and do thou attend to thy sacred\nduty of clearing people's way to heaven, and do thou, O lord, make me\nspeedily thy first child.' Markandeya continued, 'Hearing these words of\nAngiras, the fire-god did as desired, and, O king, Angiras had a son\nnamed Vrihaspati. Knowing him to be the first son of Angiras by Agni, the\ngods, O Bharata, came and enquired about the mystery. And thus asked by\nthe gods he then enlightened them, and the gods then accepted the\nexplanation of Angiras. In this connection, I shall describe to thee\nreligious sorts of fire of great effulgence which are here variously\nknown in the Brahmanas[63] by their respective uses.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXVII\n\nMarkandeya 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.[64] 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 was\nlikened to Rudra's daughter. Archismati was his fourth daughter, she was\nso named from her great refulgence. And his fifth daughter was called\nHavishmati, so named from her accepting havis or oblations. The sixth\ndaughter of Angiras was called Mahismati the pious. O keen-witted being,\nthe seventh daughter of Angiras is known by the name of Mahamati, who is\nalways present at sacrifices of great splendour, and that worshipful\ndaughter of Angiras, whom they call unrivalled and without portion, and\nabout whom people utter the words kuhu kuhu wonder, is known by the name\nof Kuhu.'\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXVIII\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Vrishaspati had a wife (called Tara) belonging to\nthe lunar world. By her, he had six sons partaking of the energy of fire,\nand one daughter. The fire in whose honour oblations of clarified butter\nare offered at the Paurnamasya and other sacrifices, was a son of\nVrishaspati called Sanju; he was of great ascetic merit. At the\nChaturmasya (four-monthly) and Aswamedha (horse) sacrifices, animals are\noffered 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 is\ncalled Bharata in whose honour oblations of clarified butter are offered\nwith 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. The\nBharata fire is the son of Prajapati Bharata Agni (fire). And, O ornament\nof Bharata's race, because he is greatly honoured, he is also called the\ngreat. Vira is Bharadwaja's wife; she gave birth to Vira. It is said by\nthe Brahmanas that he is worshipped like Soma (with the same hymns) with\nofferings of clarified butter. He is joined with Soma in the secondary\noblation of clarified butter and is also called Rathaprabhu, Rathadhwana\nand Kumbhareta. He begot a son named Siddhi by his wife Sarayu, and\nenveloped the sun with his splendour and from being the presiding genius\nof the fire sacrifice he is ever mentioned in the hymns in praise of\nfire. And the fire Nischyavana praises the earth only; he never suffers\nin reputation, splendour and prosperity. The sinless fire Satya blazing\nwith pure flame is his son. He is free from all taint and is not defiled\nby sin, and is the regulator of time. That fire has another name\nNishkriti, because he accomplished the Nishkriti (relief) of all blatant\ncreatures here. When properly worshipped he vouchsafes good fortune. His\nson is called Swana, who is the generator of all diseases; he inflicts\nsevere sufferings on people for which they cry aloud, and moves in the\nintelligence of the whole universe. And the other fire (Vrihaspati's\nthird son) is called Viswajit by men of spiritual wisdom. The fire, which\nis known as the internal heat by which the food of all creatures is\ndigested, is the fourth son of Vrihaspati known through all the worlds, O\nBharata, by the name of Viswabhuk. He is self-restrained, of great\nreligious merit, and is a Brahmacharin and he is worshipped by Brahmanas\nat the Paka-sacrifices. The sacred river Gomati was his wife and by her\nall religious-minded men perform their rites. And that terrible\nwater-drinking sea fire called Vadava is the fifth son of Vrihaspati.\nThis Brahmic fire has a tendency to move upwards and hence it is called\nUrdhvabhag, and is seated in the vital air called Prana. The sixth son is\ncalled the great Swishtakrit; for by him oblations became swishta (su,\nexcellently, and ishta, offered) and the udagdhara oblation is always\nmade in his honour. And when all creatures are claimed, the fire called\nManyauti becomes filled with fury. This inexorably terrible and highly\nirascible fire is the daughter of Vrihaspati, and is known as Swaha and\nis present in all matter. (By the respective influence of the three\nqualities of sattwa, rajas and tamas, Swaha had three sons). By reason of\nthe first she had a son who was equalled by none in heaven in personal\nbeauty, and from this fact he was surnamed by the gods as the\nKama-fire.[65] (By reason of the second) she had a son called the Amogha\nor invincible fire, the destroyer of his enemies in battle. Assured of\nsuccess he curbs his anger and is armed with a bow and seated on a\nchariot and adorned with wreaths of flowers. (From the action of the\nthird quality) she had a son, the great Uktha (the means of salvation)\npraised by (akin to) three Ukthas.[66] He is the originator of the great\nword[67] and is therefore known as the Samaswasa or the means of rest\n(salvation).'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXIX\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'He (Uktha) performed a severe penance lasting for\nmany years, with the view of having a pious son equal unto Brahma in\nreputation. And when the invocation was made with the vyahriti hymns and\nwith the aid of the five sacred fires, Kasyapa, Vasistha, Prana, the son\nof Prana, Chyavana, the son of Angiras, and Suvarchaka--there arose a\nvery bright energy (force) full of the animating (creative) principle,\nand of five different colours. Its head was of the colour of the blazing\nfire, its arms were bright like the sun and its skin and eyes were\ngolden-coloured and its feet, O Bharata, were black. Its five colours\nwere given to it by those five men by reason of their great penance. This\ncelestial being is therefore described as appertaining to five men, and\nhe is the progenitor of five tribes. After having performed a penance for\nten thousand years, that being of great ascetic merit produced the\nterrible fire appertaining to the Pitris (manes) in order to begin the\nwork of creation, and from his head and mouth respectively he created\nVrihat and Rathantara (day and night) who quickly steal away (life, &c.).\nHe also created Siva from his navel, Indra from his might and wind and\nfire from his soul, and from his two arms sprang the hymns Udatta and\nAnudatta. He also produced the mind, and the five senses, and other\ncreatures. Having created these, he produced the five sons of the Pitris.\nOf these Pranidhi was the son of Vrihadratha. Vrihadratha was the son of\nKasyapa. Bhanu was the godson of Chyavana, Saurabha, the son of\nSuvarchaka, and Anudatta, the son of Prana. These twenty-five beings are\nreputed (to have been created by him). Tapa also created fifteen other\ngods who obstruct sacrifices[68]. They are Subhima, Bhima, Atibhima,\nBhimavala, Avala, Sumitra, Mitravana, Mitasina, Mitravardhana and\nMitradharaman,[69] and Surapravira, Vira, Suveka, Suravarchas and\nSurahantri. These gods are divided into three classes of five each.\nLocated here in this world, they destroy the sacrifices of the gods in\nheaven; they frustrate their objects and spoil their oblations of\nclarified butter. They do this only to spite the sacred fires carrying\noblations to the gods. If the officiating priests are careful, they place\nthe oblations in their honour outside of the sacrificial altar. To that\nparticular place where the sacred fire may be placed, they cannot go.\nThey carry the oblation of their votaries by means of wings. When\nappeased by hymns, they do not frustrate the sacrificial rites.\nVrihaduktha, another son of Tapa, belongs to the Earth. He is worshipped\nhere in this world by pious men performing Agnihotra sacrifices. Of the\nson of Tapa who is known as Rathantara, it is said by officiating priests\nthat the sacrificial oblation offered in his honour is offered to\nMitravinda. The celebrated Tapa was thus very happy with his sons.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXX\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'The fire called Bharata was bound by severe rules\nof asceticism. Pushtimati is another name of his fire; for when he is\nsatisfied he vouchsafes pushti (development) to all creatures, and for\nthis reason he is called Bharata (or the Cherisher). And that other fire,\nby name Siva, is devoted to the worship of Sakti (the forces of the\npresiding deity of the forces of Nature), and because he always relieves\nthe sufferings of all creatures afflicted with misery, he is called Siva\n(the giver of good). And on the acquisition of great ascetic wealth by\nTapa, an intelligent son named Puranda was born to inherit the same.\nAnother son named Ushma was also born. This fire is observed in the\nvapour 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 drink\nin sacrifices. The great sun-god when fatigued (after his day's labours)\nis known as the Prasanta fire. He created the terrible Asuras and various\nother creatures of the earth. Angiras, too created the Prajapati Bhanu,\nthe son of Tapa. He is also called Vrihadbhanu (the great Bhanu) by\nBrahmanas learned in the Vedas. Bhanu married Supraja, and Brihadbhanu\nthe daughter of Surya (the sun-god). They gave birth to six sons; do thou\nhear of their progeny. The fire who gives strength to the weak is called\nValada (or the giver of strength). He is the first son of Bhanu, and that\nother fire who looks terrible when all the elements are in a tranquil\nstate is called the Manjuman fire; he is the second son of Bhanu. And the\nfire in whose honour oblations of clarified butter are enjoined to be\nmade here at the Darsa and Paurnamasya sacrifices and who is known as\nVishnu in this world, is (the third son of Bhanu) called Angiras, or\nDhritiman. And the fire to whom with Indra, the Agrayana oblation is\nenjoined to be made is called the Agrayana fire. He is the (fourth) son\nof Bhanu. The fifth son of Bhanu is Agraha who is the source of the\noblations which are daily made for the performance of the Chaturmasya\n(four-monthly) rites. And Stuva is the sixth son of Bhanu. Nisa was the\nname of another wife of that Manu who is known by the name of Bhanu. She\ngave birth to one daughter, the two Agnishomas, and also five other\nfire-gods. The resplendent fire-god who is honoured with the first\noblations in company with the presiding deity of the clouds is called\nVaiswanara. And that other fire who is called the lord of all the worlds\nis Viswapati, the second son of Manu. And the daughter of Manu is called\nSwistakrit, because by oblations unto her one acquires great merit.\nThough she was the daughter of Hiranyakasipu, she yet became his wife for\nher evil deeds. She is, however, one of the Prajapatis. And that other\nfire which has its seats in the vital airs of all creatures and animates\ntheir bodies, is called Sannihita. It is the cause of our perceptions of\nsound and form. That divine spirit whose course is marked with black and\nwhite stains, who is the supporter of fire, and who, though free from\nsin, is the accomplisher of desired karma, whom the wise regard as a\ngreat Rishi, is the fire Kapila, the propounder of the Yoga system called\nSankhya. The fire through whom the elementary spirits always receive the\nofferings called Agra made by other creatures at the performance of all\nthe peculiar rites in this world is called Agrani. And these other bright\nfires famous in the world, were created for the rectification of the\nAgnihotra rites when marred by any defects. If the fires interlap each\nother by the action of the wind, then the rectification must be made with\nthe Ashtakapala rites in honour of the fire Suchi. And if the southern\nfire comes in contact with the two other fires, then rectification must\nbe made by the performance of the Ashtakapala rites in honour of the fire\nViti. If the fires in their place called Nivesa come in contact with the\nfire called Devagni, then the Ashtakapala rites must be performed in\nhonour of the fire Suchi for rectification. And if the perpetual fire is\ntouched by a woman in her monthly course, then for rectification the\nAshtakapala rites must be performed in honour of the fire called\nDasyuman. If at the time of the performance of this Agnihotra rites the\ndeath of any creature is spoken of, or if animals die, then rectification\nmust be made with the performance of the Ashtakapala rites in honour of\nthe Suraman fire. The Brahmana, who while suffering from a disease is\nunable to offer oblations to the sacred fire for three nights, must make\namends for the same by performing the Ashtakapala rites in honour of the\nnorthern fire. He who has performed the Darsa and the Paurnamasya rites\nmust make the rectification with the performance of the Ashtakapala rites\nin honour of the Patikrit fire. If the fire of a lying-in room comes in\ncontact with the perpetual sacred fire, then rectification must be made\nwith the performance of Ashtakapala rites in honour of the Agniman fire.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXXI\n\nMarkandeya continued, \"Mudita, the favourite wife of the fire Swaha, used\nto live in water. And Swaha who was the regent of the earth and sky beget\nin that wife of his a highly sacred fire called Advanta. There is a\ntradition amongst learned Brahmanas that this fire is the ruler and inner\nsoul of all creatures. He is worshipful, resplendent and the lord of all\nthe great Bhutas here. And that fire, under the name of Grihapati, is\never worshipped at all sacrifices and conveys all the oblations that are\nmade in this world. That great son of Swaha--the great Adbhuta fire is\nthe soul of the waters and the prince and regent of the sky and the lord\nof everything great. His (son), the Bharata fire, consumes the dead\nbodies of all creatures. His first Kratu is known as Niyata at the\nperformance of the Agnishtoma sacrifice. That powerful prime fire (Swaha)\nis always missed by the gods, because when he sees Niyata approaching him\nhe hides himself in the sea from fear of contamination. Searching for him\nin every direction, the gods could not (once) find him out and on\nbeholding Atharvan the fire said to him, 'O valiant being, do thou carry\nthe oblations for the gods! I am disabled from want of strength.\nAttaining the state of the red-eyed fire, do thou condescend to do me\nthis favour!' Having thus advised Atharvan, the fire went away to some\nother place. But his place of concealment was divulged by the finny\ntribe. Upon them the fire pronounced this curse in anger, 'You shall be\nthe food of all creatures in various ways.' And then that carrier of\noblations spoke unto Atharvan (as before). Though entreated by the gods,\nhe did not agree to continue carrying their oblations. He then became\ninsensible and instantly gave up the ghost. And leaving his material\nbody, he entered into the bowels of the earth. Coming into contact with\nthe earth, he created the different metals. Force and scent arose from\nhis pus; the Deodar pine from his bones; glass from his phlegm; the\nMarakata jewel from his bile; and the black iron from his liver. And all\nthe world has been embellished with these three substances (wood, stone\nand iron). The clouds were made from his nails, and corals from his\nveins. And, O king, various other metals were produced from his body.\nThus leaving his material body, he remained absorbed in (spiritual)\nmeditation. He was roused by the penance of Bhrigu and Angiras. The\npowerful fire thus gratified with penance, blazed forth intensely. But on\nbeholding the Rishi (Atharvan), he again sought his watery refuse. At\nthis extinction of the fire, the whole world was frightened, and sought\nthe protection of Atharvan, and the gods and others began to worship him.\nAtharvan rummaged the whole sea in the presence of all those beings eager\nwith expectation, and finding out the fire, himself began the work of\ncreation. Thus in olden times the fire was destroyed and called back to\nlife by the adorable Atharvan. But now he invariably carries the\noblations of all creatures. Living in the sea and travelling about\nvarious countries, he produced the various fires mentioned in the Vedas.\n\nThe river Indus, the five rivers (of the Punjab), the Sone, the Devika,\nthe Saraswati, the Ganga, the Satakumbha, the Sarayu, the Gandaki, the\nCharmanwati, the Mahi, the Medha, the Medhatithi, the three rivers\nTamravati, the Vetravati, and the Kausiki; the Tamasa, the Narmada, the\nGodavari, the Vena, the Upavena, the Bhima, the Vadawa, the Bharati, the\nSuprayoga, the Kaveri, the Murmura, the Tungavenna, the Krishnavenna and\nthe Kapila, these rivers, O Bharata, are said to be the mothers of the\nfires! The fire called Adbhuta had a wife of the name of Priya, and Vibhu\nwas the eldest of his sons by her. There are as many different kinds of\nSoma sacrifices as the number of fires mentioned before. All this race of\nfires, first-born of the spirit of Brahma, sprang also from the race of\nAtri. Atri in his own mind conceived these sons, desirous of extending\nthe creation. By this act, the fires came out of his own Brahmic frame. I\nhave thus narrated to thee the history of the origin of these fires. They\nare great, resplendent, and unrivalled in power, and they are the\ndestroyers of darkness. Know that the powers of those fires are the same\nas those of the Adbhuta fire as related in the Vedas. For all these fires\nare one and same. This adorable being, the first born fire, must be\nconsidered as one. For like the Jyotishtoma sacrifice he came out of\nAngiras body in various forms. I have thus described to thee the history\nof the great race of Agni (fires) who when duly worshipped with the\nvarious hymns, carry the oblations of all creatures to the gods.\n\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 story\nof the birth of the intelligent Kartikeya. I shall tell thee of that\nwonderful and famous and highly energetic son of the Adbhuta fire\nbegotten of the wives of the Brahmarshis. In ancient times the gods and\nAsuras were very active in destroying one another. And the terrible\nAsuras always succeeded in defeating the gods. And Purandara (Indra)\nbeholding the great slaughter of his armies by them and anxious to find\nout a leader for the celestial host, thought within himself, 'I must find\nout a mighty person who observing the ranks of the celestial army\nshattered by the Danavas will be able to reorganize it with vigour.' He\nthen repaired to the Manasa mountains and was there deeply absorbed in\nthought of nature, when he heard the heart-rending cries of a woman to\nthe effect, 'May some one come quick and rescue me, and either indicate a\nhusband for me, or be my husband himself.' Purandara said to her, 'Do not\nbe afraid, lady!' And having said these words, he saw Kesin (an Asura)\nadorned with a crown and mace in hand standing even like a hill of metals\nat a distance and holding that lady by the hand. Vasava addressed then\nthat Asura saying, 'Why art thou bent on behaving insolently to this\nlady? Know that I am the god who wields the thunderbolt. Refrain thou\nfrom doing any violence to this lady.' To him Kesin replied, 'Do thou, O\nSakra, leave her alone. I desire to possess her. Thinkest thou, O slayer\nof Paka, that thou shalt be able to return home with thy life?' With\nthese words Kesin hurled his mace for slaying Indra. Vasava cut it up in\nits course with his thunderbolt. Then Kesin, furious with rage, hurled a\nhuge mass of rock at him. Beholding that, he of a hundred sacrifices rent\nit asunder with his thunderbolt, and it fell down upon the ground. And\nKesin himself was wounded by that falling mass of rock. Thus sorely\nafflicted, he fled leaving the lady behind. And when the Asura was gone,\nIndra said to that lady, 'Who and whose wife art thou, O lady with a\nbeautiful face, and what has brought thee here?'\"\n\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, I\ndesire that thou shouldst select an invincible husband for me.' To this\nIndra replied, 'Thou art a cousin of mine, thy mother being a sister of\nmy mother Dakshayani, and now I desire to hear thee relate thine own\nprowess.' The lady replied, 'O hero with long arms, I am Avala[70] (weak)\nbut my husband must be powerful. And by the potency of my father's boon,\nhe will be respected by gods and Asuras alike.' Indra said, 'O blameless\ncreature, I wish to hear from thee, what sort of power thou wishest thy\nhusband to possess.' The lady replied, 'That manly and famous and\npowerful being devoted to Brahma, who is able to conquer all the\ncelestials, Asuras, Yakshas, Kinnaras, Uragas, Rakshasas, and the\nevil-minded Daityas and to subdue all the worlds with thee, shall be my\nhusband.'\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,[71] 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[72] moment, observed the\ngods and Asuras fighting on the Sunrise hill. And he saw that the morning\ntwilight was tinged with red clouds. And he also saw that the abode of\nVaruna had become blood-red. And he also observed Agni conveying\noblations offered with various hymns by Bhrigu, Angiras, and others and\nentering the disc of the Sun. And he further saw the twenty four Parvas\nadorning the Sun, and the terrible Soma also present in the Sun under\nsuch surroundings. And observing this union of the Sun and the Moon and\nthat fearful conjunction of theirs, Sakra thought within himself, This\nterrific conjunction of the Sun and the Moon forebodeth a fearful battle\non the morrow. And the river Sindhu (Indus) too is flowing with a current\nof fresh blood and the jackals with fiery laces are crying to the Sun.\nThis great conjunction is fearful and full of energy. This union of the\nMoon (Soma) with the Sun and Agni is very wonderful. And if Soma giveth\nbirth to a son now, that son may become the husband of this lady. And\nAgni also hath similar surroundings now, and he too is a god. If the two\nbegetteth a son, that son, may become the husband of this lady.' With\nthese thoughts that illustrious celestial repaired to the regions of\nBrahma, taking Devasena[73] with him. And saluting the Grandsire he said\nunto him, 'Do thou fix a renowned warrior as husband of this lady.'\nBrahma replied, 'O slayer of Asuras, it shall be; as thou hast intended.\nThe issue of that union will be mighty and powerful accordingly. That\npowerful being will be the husband of this lady and the joint leader of\nthy forces with thee.' Thus addressed, the lord of the celestials and the\nlady bowed unto him and then repaired to the place where those great\nBrahmanas, the powerful celestial Rishis, Vasistha and others, lived. And\nwith Indra at their head, the other gods also, desirous of drinking the\nSoma beverage, repaired to the sacrifices of those Rishis to receive\ntheir respective shares of the offerings. Having duly performed the\nceremonies with the bright blazing fire, those great-minded persons\noffered oblations to the celestials. And the Adbhuta fire, that carrier\nof oblations, was invited with mantras. And coming out of the solar disc,\nthat lordly fire duly repaired thither, restraining speech. And, O chief\nof Bharata's race, that fire entering the sacrificial fire that had been\nignited and into which various offerings were made by the Rishis with\nrecitations of hymns, took them with him and made them over to the\ndwellers of heaven. And while returning from that place, he observed the\nwives of those high-souled Rishis sleeping at their ease on their beds.\nAnd those ladies had a complexion beautiful like that of an altar of\ngold, spotless 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\"Markandeya continued, The Adbhuta fire, thus transforming himself into a\nhouse-hold one, was highly gratified with seeing those gold-complexioned\nladies and touching them with his flames. And influenced by their charms\nhe dwelt there for a long time, giving them his heart and filled with an\nintense love for them. And baffled in all his efforts to win the hearts\nof those Brahmana ladies, and his own heart tortured by love, he repaired\nto a forest with the certain object of destroying himself. A little while\nbefore, Swaha, the daughter of Daksha, had bestowed her love on him. The\nexcellent lady had been endeavouring for a long time to detect his weak\nmoments; but that blameless lady did not succeed in finding out any\nweakness in the calm and collected fire-god. But now that the god had\nbetaken himself to a forest, actually tortured by the pangs of love, she\nthought, 'As I too am distressed with love, I shall assume the guise of\nthe wives of the seven Rishis, and in that disguise I shall seek the\nfire-god so smitten with their charms. This done, he will be gratified\nand my desire too will be satisfied.'\"\n\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 sent\nme here after due deliberation.'\n\nAgni replied, 'How didst thou know that I was tortured with love and how\ncould the others, the beloved wives of the seven Rishis, of whom thou\nhast spoken, know this?'\n\nSwaha replied, 'Thou art always a favourite with us, but we are afraid of\nthee. Now having read thy mind by well-known signs, they have sent to thy\npresence. I have come here to gratify my desire. Be thou quick, O Agni,\nto encompass the object of thy desire, my sisters-in-law are awaiting me.\nI must return soon.'\n\nMarkandeya 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 within\nherself that those who would observe her in that disguise in the forest,\nwould cast an unmerited slur upon the conduct of those Brahmana ladies in\nconnection with Agni. Therefore, to prevent this, she should assume the\ndisguise of a bird, and in that state she should more easily get out of\nthe forest.\n\nMarkandeya 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 with\nRakshasas, male and female Pisachas, terrible spirits, and various kinds\nof birds and animals. That excellent lady quickly ascending a peak of\nthose mountains, threw that semen into a golden lake. And then assuming\nsuccessively the forms of the wives of the high-souled seven Rishis, she\ncontinued to dally with Agni. But on account of the great ascetic merit\nof Arundhati and her devotion to her husband (Vasishtha), she was unable\nto assume her form. And, O chief of Kuru's race, the lady Swaha on the\nfirst lunar day threw six times into that lake the semen of Agni. And\nthrown there, it produced a male child endowed with great power. And from\nthe fact of its being regarded by the Rishis as cast off, the child born\ntherefrom came to be called by the name of Skanda. And the child had six\nfaces, twelve ears, as many eyes, hands, and feet, one neck, and one\nstomach. And it first assumed a form on the second lunar day, and it grew\nto the size of a little child on the third. And the limbs of Guha were\ndeveloped on the fourth day. And being surrounded by masses of red clouds\nflashing forth lightning, it shone like the Sun rising in the midst of a\nmass of red clouds. And seizing the terrific and immense bow which was\nused by the destroyer of the Asura Tripura for the destruction of the\nenemies of the gods, that mighty being uttered such a terrible roar that\nthe three worlds with their mobile and immobile divisions became struck\nwith awe. And hearing that sound which seemed like the rumbling of a mass\nof big clouds, the great Nagas, Chitra and Airavata, were shaken with\nfear. And seeing them unsteady that lad shining with sun-like refulgence\nheld them with both his hands. And with a dart in (another) hand, and\nwith a stout, red-crested, big cock fast secured in another, that\nlong-armed son of Agni began to sport about making a terrible noise. And\nholding an excellent conch-shell with two of his hands, that mighty being\nbegan to blow it to the great terror of even the most powerful creatures.\nAnd striking the air with two of his hands, and playing about on the\nhill-top, the mighty Mahasena of unrivalled prowess, looked as if he were\non the point of devouring the three worlds, and shone like the bright\nSun-god at the moment of his ascension in the heavens. And that being of\nwonderful prowess and matchless strength, seated on the top of that hill,\nlooked on with his numerous faces directed towards the different cardinal\npoints, and observing various things, he repeated his loud roars. And on\nhearing those roars various creatures were prostrate with fear. And\nfrightened and troubled in mind they sought protection. And all those\npersons of various orders who then sought the protection of that god are\nknown as his powerful Brahmana followers. And rising from his seat, that\nmighty god allayed the fears of all those people, and then drawing his\nbow, he discharged his arrows in the direction of the White Mountain. And\nwith those arrows the hill Krauncha, the son of Himavat, was rent\nasunder. And that is the reason why swans and vultures now migrate to the\nSumeru mountains. The Krauncha hill, sorely wounded, fell down uttering\nfearful groans. And seeing him fallen, the other hills too began to\nscream. And that mighty being of unrivalled prowess, hearing the groans\nof the afflicted, was not at all moved, but himself uplifting his mace,\nyelled forth his war-whoop. And that high-souled being then hurled his\nmace of great lustre and quickly rent in twain one of the peaks of the\nWhite Mountain. And the White Mountain being thus pierced by him was\ngreatly afraid of him and dissociating himself from the earth fled with\nthe other mountains. And the earth was greatly afflicted and bereft of\nher ornaments on all sides. And in this distress, she went over to Skanda\nand once more shone with all her might. And the mountains too bowed down\nto Skanda and came back and stuck into the earth. And all creatures then\ncelebrated the worship of Skanda on the fifth day of the lunar month.\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXXV\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'When that powerful, high-souled, and mighty being\nwas born, various kinds of fearful phenomena occurred. And the nature of\nmales and females, of heat and cold, and of such other pairs of\ncontraries, was reversed. And the planets, the cardinal points and the\nfirmaments became radiant with light and the earth began to rumble very\nmuch. And the Rishis even, seeking the welfare of the world, while they\nobserved all these terrific prodigies on all sides, began with anxious\nhearts to restore tranquillity in the universe. And those who used to\nlive in that Chitraratha forest said, This very miserable condition of\nours hath been brought about by Agni cohabiting with the six wives of the\nseven Rishis.' Others again who had seen the goddess assume the disguise\nof a bird said, 'This evil hath been brought about by a bird.' No one\never imagined that Swaha was the authoress of that mischief. But having\nheard that the (new born) male child was hers, she went to Skanda and\ngradually revealed to him the fact that she was his mother. And those\nseven Rishis, when they heard that a son of great power had been born (to\nthem), divorced their six wives with the exception of the adorable\nArundhati, because all the dwellers of that forest protested that those\nsix persons had been instrumental in bringing forth the child. Swaha too,\nO king, said again and again to the seven Rishis, saying, 'Ye ascetics,\nthis child is mine, your wives are not his mother.'\n\nThe great Muni Viswamitra had, after the conclusion of the sacrifices of\nthe seven Rishis, followed unseen the god of fire, while the latter was\ntortured with lust. He, therefore, knew everything as it happened and he\nwas the first to seek the protection of Mahasena. And he offered divine\nprayers to Mahasena and all the thirteen auspicious rites appertaining to\nchildhood, such as the natal and other ceremonies, were all performed by\nthe great Muni in respect of that child. And for the good of the world he\npromulgated the virtues of the six-faced Skanda, and performed ceremonies\nin honour of the cock, the goddess Sakti, and the first followers of\nSkanda. And for this reason he became a great favourite of the celestial\nyouth. That great Muni then informed the seven Rishis, of the\ntransformations of Swaha and told them that their wives were perfectly\ninnocent. But though thus informed the seven Rishis abandoned their\nspouses unconditionally.\n\nMarkandeya 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, will\nhimself become the mighty lord of the celestials.' Perplexed in mind,\nSakra replied unto them, 'This child is endowed with great prowess. He\ncan himself destroy the Creator of the Universe, in battle putting forth\nhis might. I venture not, therefore, to do away with him.' To this the\ngods replied, 'Thou hast no manliness in thee, in that thou talkest in\nthis manner. Let the great Mothers of the Universe repair to-day to\nSkanda. They can master at will any degree of energy. Let then kill this\nchild.' 'It shall be so.'--the mothers replied. And then they went away.\nBut on beholding that he was possessed of great might, they became\ndispirited, and considering that he was invincible, they sought his\nprotection 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 honoured\nby his son, and in company with the Mothers, he stayed there by the side\nof Mahasena to tend him. And that lady amongst the Mothers who was born\nof Anger[74] with a spike in hand kept watch over Skanda even like a\nmother guarding her own offspring, and that irascible red-coloured\ndaughter of the Sea, who lived herself on blood, hugged Mahasena in her\nbreast and nursed him like a mother. And Agni transforming himself into a\ntrader with a goat's mouth and followed by numerous children began to\ngratify that child of his with toys in that mountain abode of his.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXXVI\n\n\"Markandeya continued, The planets with their satellites, the Rishis and\nthe Mothers, Agni and numerous other blazing courtiers and many other\ndwellers of heaven of terrible mien, waited on Mahasena along with the\nMothers. And the illustrious sovereign of the gods, desirous of victory\nbut believing success to be doubtful mounted his elephant Airavata and\nattended by the other gods advanced towards Skanda. That mighty being\nfollowed by all the celestials was armed with his thunderbolt. And with\nthe object of slaying Mahasena, he marched with terrible celestial army\nof great-splendour, sounding their shrill war-cry and furnished with\nvarious sorts of standards, with warriors encased in various armour and\narmed with numerous bows and riding on various animals. When Mahasena\nbeheld the gloriously decked Sakra, attired in his best clothes,\nadvancing with the determination of slaying him, he (too on his part)\nadvanced to meet that chief of the celestials. O Partha, the mighty\nVasava, the lord of the celestials, then uttered a loud shout, to\nencourage his warriors and marching rapidly with the view of killing\n'Agnis' son and praised by Tridasas[75] and great Rishis, he at length\nreached the abode of Kartikeya. And then he shouted out with other gods;\nand Guha too in response to this, uttered a fearful war-cry resembling\nthe roaring of the sea. On hearing that noise, the celestial army behaved\nlike an agitated sea, and was stunned and fixed to the spot. And that son\nof Pavaka (the Fire-god) beholding the gods come near to him with the\nobject of killing him, was filled with wrath, and gave out rising flame\nof fire from within his mouth. And these flames destroyed the celestial\nforces struggling on the ground. Their heads, their bodies, their arms\nand riding animals were all burnt in that conflagration and they appeared\nall on a sudden like stars displaced from their proper spheres. Thus\nafflicted, the god renounced all allegiance to the thunder bolt, and\nsought the protection of Pavaka's son; and thus peace was again secured.\nWhen he was thus forsaken by the gods, Sakra hurled his thunder-bolt at\nSkanda. It pierced him on the right side; and, O great king, it passed\nthrough the body of that high-souled being. And from being struck with\nthe thunder-bolt, there arose from Skanda's body another being--a youth\nwith a club in hand, and adorned with a celestial amulet. And because he\nwas born on account of the piercing of the thunder-bolt, he was named\nVisakha. And Indra, when he beheld that another person looking like the\nfierce destroying Fire-god had come into being was frightened out of his\nwits and besought the protection of Skanda, with the palms of his hands\njoined together (as a mark of respect). And that excellent being Skanda,\nbade him renounce all fear, with his arm. The gods were then transported\nwith joy, and their hands too struck up.\"\n\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 in\ntheir places the powerful Rudra in the form of the Fire-god, and Uma in\nthe form of Swaha. And by that means they are blessed with sons. The\ndaughters begotten by the Fire-god, Tapa, went over to Skanda, who said\nto them, 'What can I do for you?' Those girls replied, 'Do us this\nfavour; by thy blessing, may we become the good and respected mothers of\nall the world!' He replied, 'Be it so.' And that liberal-minded being\nrepeated again and again, 'Ye shall be divided into Siva and Asiva.'[76]\nAnd the mothers then departed, having first established Skanda's sonship,\nKaki, Halima, Malini, Vrinhila, Arya, Palala and Vaimitra, these were the\nseven mothers of Sisu. They had a powerful, red-eyed, terrific, and very\nturbulent son named Sisu born by the blessing of Skanda. He was reputed\nas the eighth hero, born of the mothers of Skanda. But he is also known\nas the ninth, when that being with the face of a goat, is included. Know\nthat the sixth face of Skanda was like that of a goat. That face, O king,\nis situated in the middle of the six, and is regarded constantly by the\nmother. That head by which Bhadrasakha created the divine energy, is\nreputed to be the best of all his heads O ruler of men, these virtuous\nwonderful events happened on the fifth day of the bright half of the\nlunar month, and on the sixth, a very fierce and terrific battle was\nfought at that place.\"\n\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 red\ngarment and looked very handsome; he had a comely appearance, and was\nendowed with all good characteristics and was the favourite of the three\nworlds. He granted boons (to people who sought them) and was brave,\nyouthful, and adorned with bright ear-rings. Whilst he was reposing\nhimself, the goddess of fortune, looking like a lotus and assuming a\npersonal embodiment, rendered her allegiance to him. When he became thus\npossessed of good fortune, that famous and delicate-looking creature\nappeared to all like the moon at its full. And high-minded Brahmanas\nworshipped that mighty being, and the Maharshis (great rishis) then said\nas follows to Skanda, 'O thou born of the golden egg, mayst thou be\nprosperous and mayst thou become an instrument of good to the universe! O\nbest of the gods, although thou wast born only six nights (days) ago, the\nwhole world has owned allegiance to thee (within this short time), and\nthou hast also allayed their fears. Therefore do thou become the Indra\n(lord) of the three worlds and remove their cause of apprehension.'\nSkanda replied, 'You gentlemen of great ascetic wealth (tell me) what\nIndra does with all three worlds and how that sovereign of the celestials\nprotects the hosts of gods unremittingly.' The Rishis replied, 'Indra is\nthe giver of strength, power, children and happiness to all creatures and\nwhen propitiated, that Lord of the celestials bestows on all the objects\nof their desire. He destroys the wicked and fulfils the desires of the\nrighteous; and that Destroyer of Vala assigns to all creatures their\nvarious duties. He officiates for the sun and the moon in places where\nthere is no sun or moon; he even when occasion requires it, acts for\n(serves the purposes of) fire, air, earth, and water. These are the\nduties of Indra; his capacities are immense. Thou too art mighty;\ntherefore great hero, do thou become our Indra.'\n\nSakra said, 'O mighty being, do thou make us happy, by becoming our lord.\nExcellent being, thou art worthy of the honour; therefore shall we anoint\nthee this very day.'\n\nSkanda 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\nSakra 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 the\nrespect 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 two\ndistinct factions, war as before would be the result of that defection.\nAnd in that war, thou wouldst undoubtedly defeat me without difficulty\nand thyself become the lord of all worlds.'\n\nSkanda 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\nIndra replied, 'At thy bidding, O powerful being, I shall continue to act\nas Indra. And if thou hast said this deliberately and in earnest, then\nhear me how thou canst gratify thy desire of serving me. Do thou, O\nmighty being, take the leadership of the celestial forces accordingly.'\n\nSkanda replied, 'Do thou anoint me as leader, for the destruction of the\nDanavas, for the good of the celestials, and for the well-being of cows\nand Brahmanas.'\n\nMarkandeya continued, \"Thus anointed by Indra and all other gods, and\nhonoured by the Maharshis, he looked grand at the moment. The golden\numbrella[77] held (over his head) looked like a halo of blazing fire.\nThat famous god, the Conqueror of Tripura, himself fastened the celestial\nwreath of gold, of Viswakarma's manufacture, round his neck. And, O great\nman and conqueror of thine enemies, that worshipful god with the emblem\nof the bull, had gone there previously with Parvati. He honoured him with\na joyous heart. The Fire-god is called Rudra by Brahmanas, and from this\nfact Skanda is called the son of Rudra. The White Mountain was formed\nfrom discharges of Rudra's semen virile and the sensual indulgences of\nthe Fire-god with the Krittikas took place on that same White Mountain.\nAnd as Rudra was seen by all the dwellers of heaven to heap honours on\nthe excellent Guha (Skanda), he was for that reason reputed as the son of\nRudra. This child had his being by the action of Rudra entering into the\nconstitution of the Fire-god, and for this reason, Skanda came to be\nknown as the son of Rudra. And, O Bharata, as Rudra, the Fire-god, Swaha,\nand the six wives (of the seven Rishis) were instrumental to the birth of\nthe great god Skanda, he was for that reason reputed as the son of Rudra.\n\n\"That son of Fire-god was clad in a pair of clean red cloths, and thus he\nlooked 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, formed\nhis ensign; and when perched on the top of his chariot, it looked like\nthe image of the all-destroying fire. And the presiding deity of the\npower which conduces to the victory of the god, and which is the director\nof the exertions of all creatures, and constitutes their glory, prop and\nrefuge, advanced before him. And a mysterious charm entered into his\nconstitution the charm which manifests its powers on the battlefield.\nBeauty, strength, piety, power, might, truthfulness, rectitude, devotion\nto Brahmanas, freedom from illusion or perplexity, protection of\nfollowers, destruction of foes, and care of all creatures,--these, O lord\nof men, are the inborn virtues of Skanda. Thus anointed by all the gods,\nhe looked pleased and complacent; and dressed in his best style, he\nlooked beautiful like the moon at its full. The much-esteemed incantation\nof Vedic hymns, the music of the celestial band, and the songs of gods\nand Gandharvas then rang on all sides. And surrounded by all the\nwell-dressed Apsaras, and many other gay and happy-looking Pisachas and\nhosts of gods, that anointed (by gods) son of Pavaka disported himself in\nall his grandeur. To the dwellers of heaven, the anointed Mahasena,\nappeared like the Sun rising after extinction of darkness. And then the\ncelestial forces looking upon him as their leader, surrounded him on all\nsides in thousands. That adorable being followed by all creatures then\nassumed their commands, and praised and honoured by them, he encouraged\nthem in return.\n\n\"The Performer of a thousand sacrifices then thought of Devasena, whom he\nhas rescued before. And considering that this being (Skanda) was\nundoubtedly destined to be the husband of this lady by Brahma himself, he\nhad 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.[78] 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 among\nmen 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\nSripanchami (or the auspicious fifth day) and as he attained his object\non the sixth, that lunar day is considered to be of great moment.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXXIX\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Those six ladies, the wives of the seven Rishis\nwhen they learned that good fortune had smiled on Mahasena and that he\nhad been made leader of the celestial forces,[79] repaired to his camp.\nThose virtuous ladies of high religious merit had been disowned by the\nRishis. They lost no time in visiting that leader of the celestial forces\nand then addressed him thus, 'We, O son, have been cast out by our\ngod-like husbands, without any cause. Some people spread the rumour that\nwe gave birth to thee. Believing in the truth of this story, they became\ngreatly indignant, and banished us from our sacred places. It behooves\nthee now to save us from this infamy. We desire to adopt thee as our son,\nso that, O mighty being, eternal bliss may be secured to us by that\nfavour. Do thou thus repay the obligation thou owest to us.'\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\nMarkandeya 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 sister\nof Rohini, being jealous of her seniority, has repaired to the woods to\nperform austerities. And I am at a loss to find out a substitute for the\nfallen star. May good luck attend on thee, do thou consult with Brahma\n(for the purpose of filling up the room) of this great asterism.\nDhanishtha and other asterisms were created by Brahma, and Rohini used to\nserve the purpose of one such; and consequently their number was full.\nAnd in accordance with Sakra's advice, Krittika was assigned a place in\nthe heavens, and that star presided over by Agni shines as if with seven\nheads. Vinata also said to Skanda, 'Thou art as a son to me, and entitled\nto offer me the funeral cakes (at my funeral obsequies). I desire, my\nson, to live with thee 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 me\nwhat I can do to please you.\"'\n\n\"The mothers replied, 'The ladies (Brahmi, Maheswari, &c.) were appointed\nas mothers of the world in bygone ages. We desire, O great god, that they\nbe dispossessed of that dignity, and ourselves installed in their place,\nand that we, instead of them, be worshipped by the world. Do thou now\nrestore to us those of our progeny, of whom we have been deprived, by\nthem 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.'\" The mothers\nreplied, 'We desire that living with thee and assuming different shapes\nwe be able to eat up the progeny of those mothers and their guardians. Do\nthou 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 desirest.\nMayst thou be prosperous! But, O mighty being, we desire to live with\nthee always.'\"\n\n\"Skanda replied, 'So long as children of the human kind do not attain the\nyouthful state in the sixteenth year of their age, ye shall afflict them\nwith 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 beings.\nHe fell down upon the ground, senseless and hungry. And bidden by Skanda,\nthat genius of evil assumed a terrific form. Skandapasmara is the name by\nwhich it is known among good Brahmanas. Vinata is called the terrific\nSakuni graha (spirit of evil). She who is known as Putana Rakshasi by the\nlearned is the graha called Putana; that fierce and terrible looking\nRakshasa of a hideous appearance is also called the pisacha, Sita Putana.\nThat fierce-looking spirit is the cause of abortion in women. Aditi is\nalso known by the name of Revati; her evil spirit is called Raivata, and\nthat terrible graha also afflicts children. Diti, the mother of the\nDaityas (Asuras), is also called Muhkamandika, and that terrible creature\nis very fond of the flesh of little children. Those male and female\nchildren, O Kaurava, who are said to have been begotten by Skanda, are\nspirit of evil and they destroy the foetus in the womb. They (the\nKumaras) are known as the husbands of those very ladies, and children are\nseized unawares by these cruel spirits. And, O king, Surabhi who is\ncalled the mother of bovine kind by the wise is best ridden by the evil\nspirit Sakuni, who in company with her, devours children on this earth.\nAnd Sarama, the mother of dogs, also habitually kills human beings while\nstill in the womb. She who is the mother of all trees has her abode in a\nkaranja tree. She grants boons and has a placid countenance and is always\nfavourably disposed towards all creatures. Those persons who desire to\nhave children, 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 kind,\ninvariably take up their abode in the lying-in-room for ten days. Kadru\nintroduces herself in a subtle form into the body of a pregnant woman and\nthere she causes the destruction of the foetus, and the mother is made to\ngive birth to a Naga (serpent). And that mother of the Gandharvas takes\naway the foetus, and for this reason, conception in woman turns out to be\nabortive. The mother of the Apsaras removes the foetus from the womb, and\nfor this reason such conceptions are said to be stationary by the\nlearned. The daughter of the Divinity of the Red Sea is said to have\nnursed Skanda,--she is worshipped under the name of Lohitayani on Kadamva\ntrees. Arya acts the same part among female beings, as Rudra does among\nmale ones. She is the mother of all children and is distinctly worshipped\nfor their welfare. These that I have described are the evil spirits\npresiding over the destinies of young children, and until children attain\ntheir sixteenth year, these spirits exercise their influence for evil,\nand after that, for good. The whole body of male and female spirits that\nI have now described are always denominated by men as the spirits of\nSkanda. They are propitiated with burnt offerings, ablutions, unguents,\nsacrifices and other offerings, and particularly by the worship of\nSkanda. And, O king, when they are honoured and worshipped with due\nreverence, they bestow on men whatever is good for them, as also valour\nand long life. And now having bowed down to Maheswara, I shall describe\nthe nature of those spirits who influence the destinies of men after they\nhave attained their sixteenth year.\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 take\nplace is called the celestial spirit. When a person beholds his dead\nancestors while he is seated at ease, or lying in his bed, he soon loses\nhis 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 the\nevil influence by which this is brought about, is called the Siddha\nspirit. And the spirit by whose influence a man smells sweet odour, and\nbecomes cognisant of various tastes (when there are no odoriferous or\ntasteful substances about him) and soon becomes tormented, is called the\nRakshasa spirit. And the spirit by whose action celestial musicians\n(Gandharvas) blend their existence into the constitution of a human\nbeing, and make him run mad in no time, is called the Gandharva spirit.\nAnd that evil spirit by whose influence men are always tormented by\nPisachas, is called the Paisacha spirit. When the spirit of Yakshas\nenters into the system of a human being by some accident, he loses his\nreason immediately, and such a spirit is called the Yaksha spirit. The\nman who loses his reason on account of his mind being demoralised with\nvices, runs mad in no time, and his illness must be remedied according to\nmethods prescribed in the Sastras. Men also run mad from perplexity, from\nfear, as also on beholding hideous sights. The remedy lies in quieting\ntheir minds. There are three classes of spirits, some are frolicsome,\nsome are gluttonous, and some sensual. Until men attain the age of three\nscore and ten, these evil influences continue to torment them, and then\nfever becomes the only evil spirit that afflicts sentient beings. These\nevil spirits always 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\n\nSECTION CCXXX\n\nMarkandeya 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 to\ntheir gods or ancestors with incantation of purifying hymns by Brahmanas,\nshall always be offered (through Agni) coupled with the name of Swaha,\nand thus, excellent lady, wilt thou always live associated with Agni, the\ngod 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 go\nand visit thy father Mahadeva, the conqueror of Tripura. Rudra coalescing\nwith Agni (the Fire-god) and Uma with Swaha have combined to make thee\ninvincible for the well-being of all creatures. And the semen of the\nhigh-souled Rudra cast into the reproductive organ of Uma was thrown back\nupon this hill, and hence the twin Mujika and Minjika came into being. A\nportion of it fell into the Blood Sea, another portion, into the rays of\nthe sun, another upon the earth and thus was it distributed in five\nportions. Learned men ought to remember that these thy various and\nfierce-looking followers living on the flesh of animals were produced\nfrom the semen'. 'Be it so,' so saying, the high-souled Mahasena with\nfatherly 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 to\nbe 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 standards\nof both Kartikeya and Visakha were of a red colour. That mighty god\nMahasena was pleased with the toys that had been given to him by the\ngods. Surrounded by hosts of gods and Pisachas and seated on the Golden\nMountain, he looked splendid in all the grandeur of prosperity. And that\nmountain covered with fine forests, also looked grand in his\ncompanionship, just as the Mandara hill abounding with excellent caves\nshines with the rays of the sun. The White Mountain was adorned with\nwhole tracts of wood-land covered with blossoming Santanaka flowers and\nwith forests of Karavira, Parijata, Jana and Asoke trees,--as also with\nwild tracts overgrown with Kadamva trees; and it abounded with herds of\ncelestial deer and flocks of celestial birds. And the rumbling of clouds\nserving the purpose of musical instruments sounded like the murmur of an\nagitated sea, and celestial Gandharvas and Apsaras began to dance. And\nthere arose a great sound of joy from the merriment of all creatures.\nThus the whole world with Indra himself seemed to have been transferred\nto the White Mountain. And all the people began to observe Skanda with\nsatisfaction in their looks, and they did not at all feel tired of doing\nso.\"\n\nMarkandeya continued, \"When that adorable son of the Fire-god was\nanointed as leader of the celestial army, that grand and happy lord, Hara\n(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 Amogha\nwith his attendants--the Jambhaka Yakshas and other Rakshasas decorated\nwith garlands of flowers--obtained a place in the right wing of his army;\nand many gods of wonderful fighting powers in company with the Vasus and\nthe Rudras, also marched with the right division of his army. And the\nterrible-looking Yama too in company with Death marched with him.\n(followed by hundreds of terrible diseases); and behind him was carried\nthe terrible, sharp-pointed, well-decorated trident of Siva, called\nVijaya. And Varuna, the adorable lord of waters with his terrible\nPasa,[80] and surrounded by numerous aquatic animals, marched slowly with\nthe trident. And the trident Vijaya was followed by the Pattisa[81] of\nRudra guarded by maces, balls, clubs and other excellent weapons. And the\nPattisa, O king, was followed by the bright umbrella of Rudra and the\nKamandalu served by the Maharshis; and on it progressed in the company of\nBhrigu, Angiras and others. And behind all these rode Rudra in his white\nchariot, re-assuring the gods with the exhibition of his powers. And\nrivers and lakes 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 of\nthem 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 of\nroyalty). And, O king, he was followed by the glorious Indra accompanied\nby the Rajarshis, and singing the praise of that god with the emblem of\nthe bull. And Gauri, Vidya, Gandhari, Kesini, and the lady called Mitra\nin company with Savitri, all proceeded in the train of Parvati, as also\nall the Vidyas (presiding deities of all branches of knowledge) that were\ncreated by the learned. The Rakshasa spirit who delivers to different\nbattalions the commands which are implicitly obeyed by Indra and other\ngods, advanced in front of the army as standard-bearer. And that foremost\nof Rakshasas, by name Pingala, the friend of Rudra, who is always busy in\nplaces where corpses are burnt, and who is agreeable to all people,\nmarched with them merrily, at one time going ahead of the army, and\nfalling behind again at another, his movements being uncertain. Virtuous\nactions are the offerings with which the god Rudra is worshipped by\nmortals. He who is also called Siva, the omnipotent god, armed with the\nPinaka bow, is Maheswara. He is worshipped in various forms.\n\n\"The son of Krittika, the leader of the celestial army, respectful to\nBrahmanas, surrounded by the celestial forces, also followed that lord of\nthe 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 welfare.'\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 a\nstate of utter confusion. The earth quaked and gave forth a rumbling\nsound, and darkness overspread the whole world. Then observing this\nterrible catastrophe, Sankara with the estimable Uma, and the celestials\nwith the great Maharshis, were much exercised in mind. And when they had\nfallen into this state of confusion, there appeared before them a fierce\nand mighty host armed with various weapons, and looking like a mass of\nclouds and rocks. Those terrible and countless beings, speaking different\nlanguages directed their movements towards the point where Sankara and\nthe celestials stood. They hurled into the ranks of the celestial army\nflights of arrows in all directions, masses of rock, maces, sataghnis,\nprasas and parighas. The celestial army was thrown into a state of\nconfusion by a shower of these terrible weapons and their ranks were seen\nto waver. The Danavas made a great havoc by cutting up their soldiers,\nhorses, elephants, chariots and arms. And the celestial troops then\nseemed as if they were about to turn their backs upon the enemy. And\nnumbers of them fell, slain by the Asuras, like large trees in a forest\nburnt in a conflagration. Those dwellers of heaven fell with their heads,\nseparated from their bodies, and having none to lead them in that fearful\nbattle, they were slaughtered by the enemy. And then the god Purandara\n(Indra), the slayer of Vala, observing that they were unsteady and\nhard-pressed by the Asuras, tried to rally them with this speech, 'Do not\nbe afraid, ye heroes, may success attend your efforts! Do ye all take up\nyour arms, and resolve upon manly conduct, and ye will meet with no more\nmisfortune, and defeat those wicked and terrible-looking Danavas. May ye\nbe successful! Do ye fall upon 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 Danavas.\nAnd then the thirty-three crores of gods and all the powerful Marutas and\nthe Sadhyas with the Vasus returned to the charge. And the arrows which\nthey angrily discharged against the enemy drew a large quantity of blood\nfrom the bodies of the Daityas and of their horses and elephants. And\nthose sharp arrows passing through their bodies fell upon the ground,\nlooking like so many snakes falling from the sides of a hill. And, O\nking, the Daityas pierced by those arrows fell fast on all sides, looking\nlike so many detached masses of clouds. Then the Danava host, struck with\npanic at that charge of the celestials on the field of battle, wavered at\nthat shower of various weapons. Then all the gods loudly gave vent to\ntheir joy, with arms ready to strike; and the celestial bands too struck\nup various airs. Thus took place that encounter, so fearful to both\nsides: for all the battle-field was covered with blood and strewn with\nthe bodies of both gods and Asuras. But the gods were soon worsted all on\na sudden, and the terrible Danavas again made a great havoc of the\ncelestial army. Then the Asuras, drums struck up and their shrill bugles\nwere sounded; and the Danava chiefs yelled their terrific war-cry.\n\n\"Then a powerful Danava, taking a huge mass of rock in his hands, came\nout of that terrible Daitya army. He looked like the sun peering forth\nfrom 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 like\na lion attacking a herd of deer. And when Indra and the other celestials\nobserved that Mahisha was advancing to the charge, they fled, leaving\nbehind their arms and colours. And Mahisha was greatly enraged at this,\nand he quickly advanced towards the chariot of Rudra; and reaching near,\nhe seized its pole with his hands. And when Mahisha in a fit of rage had\nthus seized the chariot of Rudra, all the Earth began to groan and the\ngreat Rishis lost their senses. And Daityas of huge proportions, looking\nlike dark clouds, were boisterous with joy, thinking that victory was\nassured to them. And although that adorable god (Rudra) was in that\nplight, yet he did not think it worth while to kill Mahisha in battle; he\nremembered that Skanda would deal the deathblow to that evil-minded\nAsura. And the fiery Mahisha, contemplating with satisfaction the prize\n(the chariot of Rudra) which he had secured, sounded his war-cry, to the\ngreat alarm of the gods and the joy of the Daityas. And when the gods\nwere in that fearful predicament, the mighty Mahasena, burning with\nanger, and looking grand like the Sun advanced to their rescue. And that\nlordly being was clad in blazing red and decked with a wreath of red\nflowers. And cased in armour of gold he rode in a gold-coloured chariot\nbright as the Sun and drawn by chestnut horses. And at his sight the army\nof the daityas was suddenly dispirited on the field of battle. And, O\ngreat king, the mighty Mahasena discharged a bright Sakti for the\ndestruction of Mahisha. That missile cut off the head of Mahisha, and he\nfell upon the ground and died. And his head massive as a hillock, falling\non the ground, barred the entrance to the country of the Northern Kurus,\nextending in length for sixteen Yojanas though at present the people of\nthat country pass easily by that gate.\n\n\"It was observed both by the gods and the Danavas that Skanda hurled his\nsakti again and again on the field of battle, and that it returned to his\nhands, after killing thousands of the enemy's forces. And the terrible\nDanavas fell in large numbers by the arrows of the wise Mahasena. And\nthen a panic seized them, and the followers of Skanda began to slay and\neat them up by thousands and drink their blood. And they joyously\nexterminated the Danavas in no time, just as the sun destroys darkness,\nor as fire destroys a forest, or as the winds drive away the clouds. And\nin this manner the famous Skanda defeated all his enemies. And the gods\ncame to congratulate him, and he, in turn, paid his respects to\nMaheswara. And that son of Krittika looked grand like the sun in all the\nglory of his effulgence. And when the enemy was completely defeated by\nSkanda and when Maheswara left the battle-field, Purandara embraced\nMahasena and said to him, 'This Mahisha, who was made invincible by the\nfavour of Brahma hath been killed by thee. O best of warriors, the gods\nwere like grass to him. O strong-limbed hero, thou hast removed a thorn\nof the celestials. Thou hast killed in battle hundreds of Danavas equal\nin valour to Mahisha who were all hostile to us, and who used to harass\nus before. And thy followers too have devoured them by hundreds. Thou\nart, O mighty being, invincible in battle like Uma's lord; and this\nvictory shall be celebrated as thy first achievement, and thy fame shall\nbe undying in the three worlds. And, O strong-armed god, all the gods\nwill yield their allegiance to thee.' Having spoken thus to Mahasena, the\nhusband of Sachi left the place accompanied by the gods and with the\npermission of the adorable three-eyed god (Siva). And Rudra returned to\nBhadravata, and the celestials too returned to their respective abodes.\nAnd Rudra spoke, addressing the gods, 'Ye must render allegiance to\nSkanda just as ye do unto me.' And that son of the Fire-god, having\nkilled the Danavas hath conquered the three worlds, in one day, and he\nhath been worshipped by the great Rishis. The Brahmana who with due\nattention readeth this story of the birth of Skanda, attaineth to great\nprosperity in this world and the companionship of Skanda hereafter.\"\n\nYudhishthira 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 (The\nbright-complexioned), Subhanana (Of beautiful face), Amogha (Incapable of\nbeing baffled), Anagha (The sinless), Rudra (The terrible), Priya (The\nfavourite), Chandranana (Of face like the moon), Dipta-sasti (The wielder\nof the blazing lance), Prasantatman (Of tranquil soul), Bhadrakrit (The\ndoer of good), Kutamahana (The chamber of even the wicked), Shashthipriya\n(True favourite of Shashthi), Pavitra (The holy), Matrivatsala (The\nreverencer of his mother), Kanya-bhartri (The protector of virgins),\nVibhakta (Diffused over the universe), Swaheya (The son of Swaha),\nRevatisuta (The child of Revati), Prabhu (The Lord), Neta (The leader),\nVisakha (Reared up by Visakha), Naigameya (Sprang from the Veda),\nSuduschara (Difficult of propitiation), Suvrata (Of excellent vows),\nLalita (The beautiful), Valakridanaka-priya (Fond of toys), Khacharin\n(The ranger of skies), Brahmacharin (The chaste), Sura (The brave),\nSaravanodbhava (Born in a forest of heath), Viswamitra priya (The\nfavourite of Viswamitra), Devasena-priya (The lover of Devasena),\nVasudeva-priya (The beloved of Vasudeva), and Priya-krit (The doer of\nagreeable things)--these are the divine names of Kartikeya. Whoever\nrepeateth them, undoubtedly secureth fame, wealth, and salvation.\"\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 Guha\nwho is worshipped by gods and Rishis, enumerating his other titles of\ndistinction: do thou listen to them: Thou art devoted to Brahma, begotten\nof Brahma, and versed in the mysteries of Brahma. Thou art called\nBrahmasaya, and thou art the foremost of those who are possessed of\nBrahma. Thou art fond of Brahma, thou art austere like the Brahmanas and\nart versed in the great mystery of Brahma and the leader of the\nBrahmanas. Thou art Swaha, thou art Swadha, and thou art the holiest of\nthe holy, and art invoked in hymns and celebrated as the six-flamed fire.\nThou art the year, thou art the six seasons, thou art the months, the\n(lunar) half months, the (solar) declinations, and the cardinal points of\nspace. Thou art lotus-eyed. Thou art possessed of a lily-like face. Thou\nhast a thousand faces and a thousand arms. Thou art the ruler of the\nuniverse, thou art the great Oblation, and thou art the animating spirit\nof all the gods and the Asuras. Thou art the great leader of armies. Thou\nart Prachanda (furious), thou art the Lord, and thou art the great master\nand the conqueror of thine enemies. Thou art, Sahasrabhu (multiform),\nSahasratusti (a thousand times content), Sahasrabhuk (devourer of\neverything), and Sahasrapad (of a thousand legs), and thou art the earth\nitself. Thou art possessed of infinite forms and thousand heads and great\nstrength. According to thine own inclinations thou hast appeared as the\nson of Ganga, Swaha, Mahi, or Krittika. O six-faced god, thou dost play\nwith the cock and assume different forms according to thy will. Thou art\nDaksha. Soma, the Maruta, Dharma, Vayu, the prince of mountains, and\nIndra, for all time. Thou art mighty, the most eternal of all eternal\nthings, and the lord of all lords. Thou art the progenitor of Truth, the\ndestroyer of Diti's progeny (Asuras), and the great conqueror of the\nenemies of the celestials. Thou art the personation of virtue and being\nthyself vast and minute, thou art acquainted with the highest and lowest\npoints of virtuous acts, and the mysteries of Brahma. O foremost of all\ngods and high-souled lord of the Universe, this whole creation is\nover-spread with thy energy! I have thus prayed to thee according to the\nbest of my power. I salute thee who art possessed of twelve eyes and many\nhands. Thy remaining attributes transcend my powers of comprehension!'\n\nThe Brahmana who with due attention readeth this story of the birth of\nSkanda, or relateth it unto Brahmanas, or hears it narrated by regenerate\nmen, attaineth to wealth, long life, fame, children, as also victory,\nprosperity and contentment, and the companionship of Skanda.\"\n\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 and\nseated themselves at their ease. And, O king, those ladies, who always\nspake sweetly to each other, having met after a long time, began to talk\nupon various delightful topics arising out of the stories of the Kurus\nand the Yadus. And the slender-waisted Satyabhama, the favourite wife of\nKrishna and the daughter of Satrajit, then asked Draupadi in private,\nsaying, 'By what behaviour is it, O daughter of Drupada, that thou art\nable to rule the sons of Pandu--those heroes endued with strength and\nbeauty and like unto the Lokapalas themselves? Beautiful lady, how is it\nthat they are so obedient to thee and are never angry with thee? Without\ndoubt the sons of Pandu, O thou of lovely features, are ever submissive\nto thee and watchful to do thy bidding! Tell me, O lady, the reason of\nthis. Is it practice of vows, or asceticism, or incantation or drug at\nthe time of the bath (in season) or the efficacy of science, or the\ninfluence of youthful appearance, or the recitation of particular\nformulae, or Homa, or collyrium and other medicaments? Tell me now, O\nprincess of Panchala, of that blessed and auspicious thing by which, O\nKrishna, Krishna may ever be obedient to me.\"\n\n\"When the celebrated Satyabhama, having said this, ceased, the chaste and\nblessed daughter of Drupada answered her, saying, 'Thou askedest me, O\nSatyabhama, of the practices of women that are wicked. How can I answer\nthee, O lady, about the cause that is pursued by wicked females? It doth\nnot become thee, lady, to pursue the questions, or doubt me, after this,\nfor thou art endued with intelligence and art the favourite wife of\nKrishna. 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 troubled\nwith fear have peace, and how can one that hath no peace have happiness?\nA husband can never be made obedient by his wife's incantations. We hear\nof painful diseases being transmitted by enemies. Indeed, they that\ndesire to slay others, send poison in the shape of customary gifts, so\nthat the man that taketh the powders so sent, by tongue or skin, is,\nwithout doubt, speedily deprived of life. Women have sometimes caused\ndropsy and leprosy, decrepitude and impotence and idiocy and blindness\nand deafness in men. These wicked women, ever treading in the path of\nsin, do sometimes (by these means) injure their husbands. But the wife\nshould never do the least injury to her lord. Hear now, O illustrious\nlady, of the behaviour I adopt towards the high-souled sons of Pandu.\nKeeping aside vanity, and controlling desire and wrath, I always serve\nwith devotion the sons of Pandu with their wives. Restraining jealousy,\nwith deep devotion of heart, without a sense of degradation at the\nservices I perform, I wait upon my husbands. Ever fearing to utter what\nis evil or false, or to look or sit or walk with impropriety, or cast\nglances indicative of the feelings of the heart, do I serve the sons of\nPritha--those mighty warriors blazing like the sun or fire, and handsome\nas the moon, those endued with fierce energy and prowess, and capable of\nslaying their foes by a glance of the eye. Celestial, or man, or\nGandharva, young or decked with ornaments, wealthy or comely of person,\nnone else my heart liketh. I never bathe or eat or sleep till he that is\nmy husband hath bathed or eaten or slept,--till, in fact, our attendants\nhave bathed, eaten, or slept. Whether returning from the field, the\nforest, or the town, hastily rising up I always salute my husband with\nwater and a seat. I always keep the house and all household articles and\nthe food that is to be taken well-ordered and clean. Carefully do I keep\nthe rice, and serve the food at the proper time. I never indulge in angry\nand fretful speech, and never imitate women that are wicked. Keeping\nidleness at distance I always do what is agreeable. I never laugh except\nat a jest, and never stay for any length of time at the house-gate. I\nnever stay long in places for answering calls of nature, nor in\npleasure-gardens attached to the house. I always refrain from laughing\nloudly and indulging in high passion, and from everything that may give\noffence. Indeed, O Satyabhama, I always am engaged in waiting upon my\nlords. A separation from my lords is never agreeable to me. When my\nhusband leaveth home for the sake of any relative, then renouncing\nflowers and fragrant paste of every kind, I begin to undergo penances.\nWhatever my husband drinketh not, whatever my husband eateth not,\nwhatever my husband enjoyeth not, I ever renounce. O beautiful lady,\ndecked in ornaments and ever controlled by the instruction imparted to\nme, I always 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 is\nbased upon a regard for the husband. The husband is the wife's god, and\nhe 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 my\ndiligence, my alacrity, and the humility with which I serve superiors.\nPersonally do I wait every day with food and drink and clothes upon the\nrevered and truthful Kunti--that mother of heroes. Never do I show any\npreference for myself over her in matters of food and attire, and never\ndo I reprove in words that princess equal unto the Earth herself in\nforgiveness. Formerly, eight thousand Brahmanas were daily fed in the\npalace of Yudhishthira from off plates of gold. And eighty thousand\nBrahmanas also of the Snataka sect leading domestic lives were\nentertained by Yudhishthira with thirty serving-maids assigned to each.\nBesides these, ten thousand yatis with the vital seed drawn up, had their\npure food carried unto them in plates of gold. All these Brahamanas that\nwere the utterers of the Veda, I used to worship duly with food, drink,\nand raiment taken from stores only after a portion thereof had been\ndedicated to the Viswadeva.[82] The illustrious son of Kunti had a\nhundred thousand well-dressed serving-maids with bracelets on arms and\ngolden ornaments on necks, and decked with costly garlands and wreaths\nand gold in profusion, and sprinkled with sandal paste. And adorned with\njewels and gold they were all skilled in singing and dancing. O lady, I\nknew the names and features of all those girls, as also what they are and\nwhat they were, and what they did not. Kunti's son of great intelligence\nhad also a hundred thousand maid-servants who daily used to feed guests,\nwith plates 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 Yudhisthira\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 was\nI 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 Bharatas,\nthrowing upon me the burden of looking after all those that were to be\nfed by them, would, O thou of handsome face, pay their court to me. And\nthis load, so heavy and incapable of being borne by persons of evil\nheart, I used to bear day and night, sacrificing my ease, and all the\nwhile affectionately devoted to them. And while my husbands were engaged\nin the pursuit of virtue, I only supervised their treasury inexhaustible\nlike the ever-filled receptacle of Varuna. Day and night bearing hunger\nand thirst, I used to serve the Kuru princes, so that my nights and days\nwere equal to me. I used to wake up first and go to bed last. This, O\nSatyabhama, hath ever been my charm for making my husbands obedient to\nme! This great art hath ever been known to me for making my husbands\nobedient to me. Never have I practised the charms of wicked women, nor do\nI ever wish to practise them.\"\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, O\ndaughter of Yajnasena, forgive me! Among friends, conversations in jest\narise naturally, and without premeditation.\"\n\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, dear\nfriend, thou will be able to draw away thy lord from other females. In\nall the worlds, including that of the celestials, there is no god equal,\nO Satyabhama, unto the husband. When he is gratified with thee, thou\nmayst have (from thy husband) every object of desire; when he is angry,\nall these may be lost. It is from her husband that the wife obtaineth\noffspring and various articles of enjoyment. It is from thy husband that\nthou mayst have handsome beds and seats, and robes and garlands, and\nperfumes, and great fame and heaven itself hereafter. One cannot obtain\nhappiness here by means that are easy. Indeed, the woman that is chaste,\nobtains weal with woe. Always adore Krishna, therefore, with friendship\nand love physical sufferings. And do thou also act in a way, by offering\nhandsome seats and excellent garlands and various perfumes and prompt\nservice, that he may be devoted to thee, thinking, 'I am truly loved by\nher!' Hearing the voice of thy lord at the gate, rise thou up from thy\nseat and stay in readiness within the room. And as soon as thou seest him\nenter thy chamber, worship him by promptly offering him a seat and water\nto wash his feet. And even when he commands a maidservant to do anything,\nget thou up and do it thyself. Let Krishna understand this temper of thy\nmind and know that thou adorest him with all thy heart. And, O\nSatyabhama, whatever thy lord speaketh before thee, do not blab of it\neven if it may not deserve concealment,--for if any of thy co-wives were\nto speak of it unto Vasudeva, he might be irritated with thee. Feed thou\nby every means in thy power those that are dear and devoted to thy lord\nand always seek his good. Thou shouldst, however, always keep thyself\naloof from those that are hostile to and against thy lord and seek to do\nhim injury, as also from those that are addicted to deceit. Foregoing all\nexcitement and carelessness in the presence of men, conceal thy\ninclinations by observing silence, and thou shouldst not stay or converse\nin private even with thy sons, Pradyumna and Samva. Thou shouldst form\nattachments with only such females as are high-born and sinless and\ndevoted to their lords, and thou shouldst always shun women that are\nwrathful, addicted to drinks, gluttonous, thievish, wicked and fickle.\nBehaviour such as this is reputable and productive of prosperity; and\nwhile it is capable of neutralising hostility, it also leadeth to heaven.\nTherefore, worship thou thy husband, decking thyself in costly garlands\nand ornaments and smearing thyself with unguents and excellent perfumes.\"\n\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 Drupada,\naddressed her in these cordial words expressive of her feelings towards\nher: 'O Krishna, let there be no anxiety, no grief, for thee! Thou hast\nno cause to pass thy nights in sleeplessness, for thou wilt surely obtain\nback the earth subjugated by thy husbands, who are all equal unto the\ngods. O thou of black eyes, women endued with such disposition and\npossessed of such auspicious marks, can never suffer misfortune long. It\nhath been heard by me that thou shall, with thy husbands, certainly enjoy\nthis earth peacefully and freed from all thorns! And, O daughter of\nDrupada, thou shalt certainly behold the earth ruled by Yudhishthira\nafter the sons of Dhritarashtra have been slain and the deeds of their\nhostility avenged! Thou wilt soon behold those wives of the Kurus, who,\ndeprived of sense by pride, laughed at thee while on thy way to exile,\nthemselves reduced to a state of helplessness and despair! Know them all,\nO Krishna, that did thee any injury while thou wert afflicted, to have\nalready gone to the abode of Yama. Thy brave sons, Prativindhya by\nYudhishthira and Sutasoma by Bhima, and Srutakarman by Arjuna, and\nSatanika by Nakula, and Srutasena begot by Sahadeva, are well and have\nbecome skilled in weapons. Like Abhimanyu they are all staying at\nDwaravati, delighted with the place. And Subhadra also, cheerfully and\nwith her whole soul, looketh after them like thee, and like thee joyeth\nin them and deriveth much happiness from them. Indeed, she grieveth in\ntheir griefs and joyeth in their joys. And the mother of Pradyumna also\nloveth them with her whole soul. And Kesava with his sons Bhanu and\nothers watcheth over them with especial affection. And my mother-in-law\nis ever attentive in feeding and clothing them. And the Andhakas and\nVrishnis, including Rama and others, regard them with affection. And, O\nbeautiful lady, their affection for thy sons is equal unto what they feel\nfor 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\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\nVeda-knowing Rishis with great respect. And one day there came unto the\nKaurava princes a certain Brahmana who was well known on earth for his\npowers of speech. And having conversed with the Pandavas for a while, he\nwent away as pleased him to the court of the royal son of Vichitravirya.\nReceived with respect by that chief of the Kurus, the old king, the\nBrahmana took his seat; and asked by the monarch he began to talk of the\nsons of Dharma, Pavana, Indra and of the twins, all of whom having fallen\ninto severe misery, had become emaciated and reduced owing to exposure to\nwind and sun. And that Brahmana also talked of Krishna who was\noverwhelmed with suffering and who then had become perfectly helpless,\nalthough she had heroes for her lords. And hearing the words of that\nBrahmana, the royal son of Vichitravirya became afflicted with grief, at\nthe thought of those princes of royal lineage then swimming in a river of\nsorrow. His inmost soul afflicted with sorrow and trembling all over with\nsighs, he quieted himself with a great effort, remembering that\neverything had arisen from his own fault. And the monarch said, 'Alas,\nhow is it that Yudhishthira who is the eldest of my sons, who is truthful\nand pious and virtuous in his behaviour, who hath not a foe, who had\nformerly slept on beds made of soft Ranku skins, sleepeth now on the bare\nground! Alas, wakened formerly by Sutas and Magadhas and other singers\nwith his praises, melodiously recited every morning, that prince of the\nKuru race, equal unto Indra himself, is now waked from the bare ground\ntowards the small hours of the night by a multitude of birds! How doth\nVrikodara, reduced by exposure to wind and sun and filled with wrath,\nsleep, in the presence of the princess of Panchala, on the bare ground,\nunfit as he is to suffer such lot! Perhaps also, the intelligent Arjuna,\nwho is incapable of bearing pain, and who, though obedient to the will of\nYudhishthira, yet feeleth himself to be pierced over all by the\nremembrance of his wrongs, sleepeth not in the night! Beholding the twins\nand Krishna and Yudhisthira and Bhima plunged in misery, Arjuna without\ndoubt, sigheth like a serpent of fierce energy and sleepeth not from\nwrath in the night! The twins also, who are even like a couple of blessed\ncelestials in heaven sunk in woe though deserving of bliss, without doubt\npass their nights in restless wakefulness restrained (from avenging their\nwrongs) by virtue and truth! The mighty son of the Wind-god, who is equal\nto the Wind-god himself in strength, without doubt, sigheth and\nrestraineth his wrath, being tied through his elder brother in the bonds\nof truth! Superior in battle to all warriors, he now lieth quiet on the\nground, restrained by virtue and truth, and burning to slay my children,\nhe bideth his time. The cruel words that Dussasana spoke after\nYudhishthira had been deceitfully defeated at dice, have sunk deep into\nVrikodara's heart, and are consuming him, like a burning bundle of straw\nconsuming a fagot of dry wood! The son of Dharma never acteth sinfully;\nDhananjaya also always obeyeth him; but Bhima's wrath, in consequence of\na life of exile, is increasing like a conflagration assisted by the wind!\nThat hero, burning with rage such as that, squeezeth his hands and\nbreatheth hot and fierce sighs, as if consuming therewith my sons and\ngrandsons! The wielder of the Gandiva and Vrikodara, when angry, are like\nYama and Kala themselves; scattering their shafts, which are like unto\nthunder-bolts, they exterminate in battle the ranks of the enemy. Alas\nDuryodhana, and Sakuni, and the Suta's son, and Dussasana also of wicked\nsoul, in robbing the Pandavas of their kingdom by means of dice, seem to\nbehold the honey alone without marking the terrible ruin. A man having\nacted rightly or wrongly, expecteth the fruit of those acts. The fruit,\nhowever, confounding him, paralyses him fully. How can man, thereof, have\nsalvation? If the soil is properly tilled, and the seed sown therein, and\nif the god (of rain) showereth in season, still the crop may not grow.\nThis is what we often hear. Indeed, how could this saying be true unless,\nas I think, it be that everything here is dependent on Destiny? The\ngambler Sakuni hath behaved deceitfully towards the son of Pandu, who\never acteth honestly. From affection for my wicked sons I also have acted\nsimilarly. Alas, it is owing to this that the hour of destruction hath\ncome for the Kurus! Oh, perhaps, what is inevitable must happen! The\nwind, impelled or not, will move. The woman that conceives will bring\nforth. Darkness will be dispelled at dawn, and day disappear at evening!\nWhatever may be earned by us or others, whether people spend it or not,\nwhen the time cometh, those possessions of ours do bring on misery. Why\nthen do people become so anxious about earning wealth? If, indeed, what\nis acquired is the result of fate, then should it be protected so that it\nmay not be divided, nor lost little by little, nor permitted to flow out\nat once, for if unprotected, it may break into a hundred fragments. But\nwhatever the character of our possessions, our acts in the world are\nnever lost. Behold what the energy of Arjuna is, who went into the abode\nof Indra from the woods! Having mastered the four kinds of celestial\nweapons he hath come back into this world! What man is there who, having\ngone to heaven in his human form, wisheth to come back? This would never\nhave been but because he seeth innumerable Kurus to be at the point of\ndeath, afflicted by Time! The bowman is Arjuna, capable of wielding the\nbow with his left hand as well! The bow he wieldeth is the Gandiva of\nfierce impetus. He hath, besides, those celestial weapons of his! Who is\nthere that would bear 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 Kama, told them everything in\nprivate. And Duryodhana, though possessed of little sense, was filled\nwith grief at what he heard.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXXXV\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Hearing those words of Dhritarashtra, Sakuni, when\nthe opportunity presented itself, aided by Kama, 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 west,\nand the north, have all been made tributory to thee! O lord of earth,\nthat blazing Prosperity which had before paid her court to the sons of\nPandu, hath now been acquired by thee along with thy brothers! That\nblazing Prosperity, O king, which we not many days ago saw with heavy\nhearts in Yudhishthira at Indraprastha, is today seen by us to be owned\nby thee, she having, O mighty-armed monarch, been snatched by thee from\nthe royal Yudhishthira by force of intellect alone. O slayer of hostile\nheroes, all the kings of the earth now living in subjection to thee,\nawait thy commands, as they did before under Yudhishthira, awaiting his.\nO monarch, the goddess Earth with her boundless extent with girth of\nseas, with her mountains and forests, and towns and cities and mines, and\ndecked with woodlands and hills is now thine! Adored by the Brahmanas and\nworshipped by the kings, thou blazest forth, O king, in consequence of\nthy prowess, like the Sun among the gods in heaven! Surrounded by the\nKurus, O king, like Yama by the Rudra, or Vasava by the Maruts, thou\nshinest, O monarch, like the Moon among the stars! Let us, therefore, O\nking, go and look at the sons of Pandu--them who are now divested of\nprosperity, them who never obeyed commands, them who never owed\nsubjection! It hath been heard by us, O monarch, that the Pandavas are\nnow living on the banks of the lake called Dwaitavana, with a multitude\nof Brahmanas, having the wilderness for their home. Go thither, O king,\nin all thy prosperity, scorching the son of Pandu with a sight of thy\nglory, like the Sun scorching everything with his hot rays! Thyself a\nsovereign and they divested of sovereignty, thyself in prosperity and\nthey divested of it, thyself possessing affluence and they in poverty,\nbehold now, O king, the sons of Pandu. Let the sons of Pandu behold thee\nlike Yayati, the son of Nahusha, accompanied by a large train of\nfollowers and enjoying bliss that is great. O king, that blazing\nProsperity which is seen by both one's friends and foes, is regarded as\nwell-bestowed! What happiness can be more complete than that which he\nenjoyeth who while himself in prosperity, looketh upon his foes in\nadversity, 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, and\nenhance the latter's grief! Let the daughter of Drupada reproach herself\nand her life, divested as she is of wealth, for the sorrow that she will\nfeel upon beholding thy wife decked in ornaments will be far greater than\nwhat she had felt in the midst of the assembly (when Dussasana had\ndragged 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\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\nDwaitavana than the destruction of the Pandavas in exile! Thou knowest\nthe words that Kshatri spoke to me to thyself, and to the son of Suvala,\nat the time of the match at dice! Reflecting upon all those words as also\nupon all those lamentations (that he and others indulged in), I cannot\nmake up my mind as to whether I should or should not go! I shall\ncertainly be highly pleased if I cast my eyes on Bhima and Phalguna\npassing their days in pain with Krishna in the woods. The joy that I may\nfeel in obtaining the sovereignty of the entire earth is nothing to that\nwhich will be mine upon beholding the sons of Pandu attired in barks of\ntrees and deer-skins. What joy can be greater, O Karna, that will be mine\nupon beholding the daughter of Drupada dressed in red rags in the woods?\nIf king Yudhishthira and Bhima, the sons of Pandu, behold me graced with\ngreat affluence, then only shall I have attained the great end of my\nlife! I do not, however, see the means by which I may repair to those\nwoods, by which, in fact, I may obtain the king's permission to go\nthither! Contrive thou, therefore, some skilful plan, with Suvala's son\nand Dussasana, by which we may go to those woods! I also, making up my\nmind today as to whether I should go or not, approach the presence of the\nking tomorrow. And when I shall be sitting with Bhishma--that best of the\nKurus--thou wilt, with Sakuni propose the pretext which thou mayst have\ncontrived. Hearing then the words of Bhishma and of the king on the\nsubject of our journey, I will settle everything beseeching our\ngrandfather.\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 herds\nare now waiting in the woods of Dwaitavana in expectation of thee!\nWithout doubt, we may all go there under the pretext of supervising our\ncattle stations, for, O monarch, it is proper that kings should\nfrequently repair to their cattle stations. If this be the motive put\nforth, thy father, O prince, will certainly grant thee permission!' And\nwhile 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 go\nthere 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\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 as\nalso for marking the calves hath come. And, O monarch, this also is an\nexcellent season for thy son to go ahunting! It behoveth thee, therefore,\nto 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 are\nnot to be trusted. But we have heard that those tigers among men, the\nPandavas, are now staying in the vicinity of those cattle stations. I\nthink, 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 suffer\nhis wrath to be awakened, but Bhimasena is naturally passionate. The\ndaughter of Yajnasena is energy's self. Full of pride and folly, ye are\ncertain to give offence. Endued with ascetic merit she will certainly\nconsume you, or perhaps, those heroes, armed with swords and weapons!\nNor, if from force of numbers, ye seek to injure them in any respect,\nthat will be a highly improper act, although, as I think, ye will never\nbe able to succeed. The mighty-armed Dhananjaya hath returned thence to\nthe forest. While unaccomplished in arms, Vivatsu had subjugated the\nwhole earth before. A mighty warrior as he is and accomplished in arms\nnow, will he not be able to slay you all? Or, if in obedience to my\nwords, ye behave carefully having repaired thither, ye will not be able\nto live happily there in consequence of the anxiety ye will feel owing to\na state of continued trustlessness. Or, some soldier of yours may do some\ninjury to Yudhishthira, and that unpremeditated act will be ascribed to\nyour fault. Therefore, let some faithful men proceed there for the work\nof tale. I do not think it is proper for thee, Bharata, to go thither\nthyself.\"\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 Kunti,\nwill never be angry with us. Indeed, we desire very much to go on a\nhunting 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 will\nnot go to that spot where the Pandavas have taken up their residence, and\nconsequently no exhibition of misconduct can possibly arise 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 citizens\n(of Hastina), also accompanied by their wives began to follow him to that\nforest. Eight thousand cars, thirty thousand elephants, nine thousand\nhorses, and many thousands of foot-soldiers, and shops and pavilions and\ntraders, bards and men trained in the chase by hundreds and thousands\nfollowed the prince. And as the king started, followed by this large\nconcourse of people, the uproar that was caused there resembled, O king,\nthe deep tumult of the ranging winds in the rainy season. And reaching\nthe lake Dwaitavana with all his followers and vehicles, king Duryodhana\ntook up his quarters at the distance of four miles from it.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXXXVIII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"King Duryodhana then moving from forest to forest, at\nlast 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 abode\nfor him. And near enough to the royal residence they also erected\nseparate abodes for Kama and Sakuni and the brothers of the king. And the\nking 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 to\nthe 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 him,\naccording 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 the\nking, piercing by his shafts those animals by thousands in deep forest,\ncaused the deer to be caught in the more delightful parts of the woods.\nDrinking milk and enjoying, O Bharata, various other delicious articles\nand beholding, as he proceeded, many delightful forests and woods\nswarming with bees inebriate with floral honey and resounding with the\nnotes of the peacock, the king at last reached the sacred lake of\nDwaitavana. And the spot which the king reached swarmed with bees\ninebriate with floral honey, and echoed with the mellifluous notes of the\nblue-throated jay and was shaded by Saptacchadas and punnagas and\nVakulas. And the king graced with high prosperity proceeded thither like\nthe thunder-wielding chief of the celestials himself. And, O thou best of\nthe Kuru race, King Yudhishthira the just, endued with high intelligence,\nwas then, O monarch, residing in the vicinity of that lake at will and\ncelebrating with his wedded wife, the daughter of Drupada, the diurnal\nsacrifice called Rajarshi, according to the ordinance sanctioned for the\ncelestials and persons living in the wilderness. And, O monarch, having\nreached that spot, Duryodhana commanded his men by thousands, saying,\n'Let pleasure-houses be constructed soon.' Thus commanded, those doers of\nthe king's behests replying to the Kruru chief with the words, 'So be\nit,' went towards the banks of the lake for constructing pleasure-houses.\nAnd as the picked soldiers of Dhritarashtra's son, having reached the\nregion of the lake, were about to enter the gates of the wood, a number\nof Gandharvas appeared and forbade them to enter. For, O monarch, the\nking of the Gandharvas accompanied by his followers, had come thither\nbeforehand, from the abode of Kuvera. And the king of the Gandharvas had\nalso been accompanied by the several tribes of Apsaras, as also by the\nsons of the celestials And intent upon sport, he had come to that place\nfor merriment, and occupying it, had closed it against all comers. And\nthe attendants of the (Kuru) king, finding the lake closed by the king of\nthe Gandharvas, went back, O monarch, to where the royal Duryodhana was.\nAnd 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 of\nthe Kuru army, hearing these words of the king, went back to the lake of\nDwaitavana 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\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 said.\nAnd, O Bharata, finding that his soldiers had been opposed by the\nGandharvas, Dhritarashtra's son, endued with energy, was filled with\nrage. And the king addressed his soldiers, saying, 'Punish these wretches\nwho desire to oppose my will, even if they have come hither to sport,\naccompanied by all the celestials with him of a hundred sacrifices. And\nhearing these words of Duryodhana, the sons and officers of Dhritarashtra\nall endued with great strength, as also warriors by thousands, began to\narm themselves for battle. And filling the ten sides with loud leonine\nroars and rushing at those Gandharvas that had been guarding the gates,\nthey entered the forest. And as the Kuru soldiers entered the forest,\nother Gandharvas came up and forbade them to advance. And though gently\nforbidden by the Gandharvas to advance, the Kuru soldiers, without\nregarding them in the least, began to enter that mighty forest. And when\nthose rangers of the sky found that the warriors of Dhritarashtra along\nwith their king could not be stopped by words they all went to their king\nChitrasena and represented everything unto him. And when Chitrasena, the\nking of the Gandharvas, came to know all this he became filled with rage,\nalluding to the Kuru, and commanded his followers saying, 'Punish these\nwretches of wicked behaviour.' And, O Bharata, when the Gandharvas were\nso commanded by Chitrasena, they rushed weapons in hand, towards the\nDhritarashtra ranks. And beholding the Gandharvas impetuously rushing\ntowards them with upraised weapons, the Kuru warriors precipitously fled\nin all directions 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 Bhallas and\nvarious weapons made of bones and steel. And that mighty warrior, causing\nthe heads of numerous Gandharvas to roll down within a short time, made\nthe ranks of Chitrasena to yell in anguish. And although they were\nslaughtered in great numbers by Karna endued with great intelligence, yet\nthe Gandharvas returned to the charge by hundreds and thousands. And in\nconsequence of the swarms of Chitrasena's warriors rushing impetuously to\nthe field the earth itself became soon covered by the Gandharva host.\nThen king Duryodhana, and Sakuni, the son of Suvala, and Dussasana, and\nVikarna, and other sons of Dhritarashtra, seated on cars the clatter of\nwhose wheels resembled the roars of Garuda, returned to the charge,\nfollowing the lead of Karna, and began to slaughter that host. And\ndesirous of supporting Karna, these princes invested the Gandharva army,\nwith a large number of cars and a strong body of horses. Then the whole\nof the Gandharva host began to fight with the Kauravas. And the encounter\nthat took place between the contending hosts was fierce in the extreme\nand might make one's hair stand on end. The Gandharvas, at last,\nafflicted with the shafts of the Kuru army, seemed to be exhausted. And\nthe Kauravas beholding 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 by\nhis weapons of illusion. And the Kaurava warriors were then all deprived\nof their senses by the illusion of Chitrasena. And then, O Bharata, it\nseemed that every warrior of the Kuru army was fallen upon and surrounded\nby ten Gandharvas. And attacked with great vigour, the Kuru host was\ngreatly afflicted and struck with panic. O king, all of them that liked\nto live, fled from the field. But while the entire Dhritarashtra host\nbroke and fled, Karna, that offspring of the Sun, stood there, O king,\nimmovable as a hill. Indeed, Duryodhana and Karna and Sakuni, the son of\nSuvala, all fought with the Gandharvas, although every one of them was\nmuch wounded and mangled in the encounter. All the Gandharvas then,\ndesirous of slaying Karna, rushed together by hundreds and thousands\ntowards Karna. And those mighty warriors, desirous of slaying the Suta's\nson, surrounded him on all sides, with swords and battle-axes and spears.\nAnd some cut down the yoke of his car, and some his flagstaff, and some\nthe shaft of his car, and some his horses, and some his charioteer. And\nsome cut down his umbrella and some the wooden fender round his car and\nsome the joints of his car. It was thus that many thousands of\nGandharvas, together attacking his car, broke it into minute fragments.\nAnd while his car was thus attacked, Karna leaped therefrom with sword\nand shield in hand, and mounting on Vikarna's car, urged the steeds for\nsaving himself.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXL\n\nVaisampayana said, \"After that great warrior Karna had been routed by the\nGandharvas, the whole of the Kuru army, O monarch, fled from the field in\nthe very sight of Dhritarashtra's son. And beholding all his troops\nflying 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 thick\nshower of arrows. The Gandharvas, however, without regarding that arrowy\nshower, and desirous also of slaying him, surrounded that car of his. And\nby means of their arrows, they cut off into fragments the yoke, the\nshaft, the fenders, the flagstaff, the three-fold bamboo poles, and the\nprincipal turret of his car. And they also slew his charioteer and\nhorses, hacking them to pieces. And when Duryodhana, deprived of his car,\nfell on the ground, the strong-armed Chitrasena rushed towards him and\nseized him in such a way that it seemed his life itself was taken. And\nafter the Kuru king had been seized, the Gandharvas, surrounding\nDussasana, who was seated on his car, also took him prisoner. And some\nGandharvas seized Vivinsati and Chitrasena, and some Vinda and Anuvinda,\nwhile others seized all the ladies of royal household. And the warriors\nof Duryodhana, who were routed by the Gandharvas, joining those who had\nfled first, approached the Pandavas (who were living in the vicinity).\nAnd after Duryodhana had been made captive, the vehicles, the shops, the\npavilions, the carriages, and the draught animals, all were made over to\nthe Pandavas for protection. And those soldiers said, 'The mighty-armed\nson of Dhritarashtra, possessed of great strength and handsome mien, is\nbeing taken away captive by the Gandharvas! Ye sons of Pritha, follow\nthem! Dussasana, Durvishasa, Durmukha, and Durjaya, are all being led\naway as captives in chains by the Gandharvas, as also all the ladies of\nthe royal household!'\n\n\"Crying thus, the followers of Duryodhana, afflicted with grief and\nmelancholy, approached Yudhishthira, desirous of effecting the release of\nthe king. Bhima then answered those old attendants of Duryodhana, who,\nafflicted with grief and melancholy, were thus soliciting (the aid of\nYudhishthira), 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, in\nan extraordinary way illustrated before our eyes the truth of this\nsaying! It seems that there is still fortunately some person in the world\nwho is desirous of doing us good who hath, indeed, taken upon his own\nshoulders our pleasant load, although we are sitting idly! The wretch had\ncome hither to cast his eyes on us,--himself in prosperity while\nourselves are sunk in adversity and emaciated by ascetic austerities and\nare exposed to wind, cold and heat. They that imitate the behaviour of\nthat sinful and wretched Kaurava, are now beholding his disgrace! He that\nhad instructed Duryodhana to do this, had certainly acted sinfully. That\nthe sons of Kunti are not wicked and sinful, I tell it 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 words!'\"\n\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 as\nthese 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 seizure\nof Duryodhana and from this insult to the ladies of our house by a\nstranger, our family honour is being destroyed. Therefore, ye tigers\namong men, arise and arm yourselves without delay for rescuing those that\nhave sought our protection and for guarding the honour of our family. Ye\ntigers among men, let Arjuna and the twins and thyself also that art\nbrave and unvanquished, liberate Duryodhana, who is even now being taken\naway a captive! Ye foremost of warriors, these blazing cars, furnished\nwith golden flagstaff's 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 an\nordinary Kashatriya (amongst those that are here), would to the height of\nhis power, protect one that hath come hither for refuge! What then, O\nVrikodara, shall I say of thee! Entreated for assistance in such words as\n'O hasten to my aid!' Who is there (amongst those standing around me)\nthat is high-souled enough to assist even his foe, beholding him seeking\nshelter with joined hands? The bestowal of a boon, sovereignty, and the\nbirth of a son are sources of great joy. But, ye sons of Pandu, the\nliberation of a foe from distress is equal to all the three put together!\nWhat can be a source of greater joy to you than that Duryodhana sunk in\ndistress seeketh his very life as depending on the might of your arms? O\nVrikodara, if the vow in which I am engaged had been over, there is\nlittle doubt that I would myself have run to his aid. Strive thou by all\nmeans, O Bharata, to liberate Duryodhana by the arts of conciliation. If,\nhowever, the king of the Gandharvas cannot be managed by the arts of\nconciliation, then must thou try to rescue Suyodhana by lightly\nskirmishing with the foe. But if the chief of the Gandharvas do not let\nthe Kurus off even then, they must be rescued by crushing the foe by all\nmeans. O Vrikodara, this is all I can tell thee now, for my vow hath been\nbegun 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 the\nDhartarashtras free peacefully, the Earth shall this day drink the blood\nof 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\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 impenetrable\nmail that were besides variegated with pure gold, and armed themselves\nwith celestial weapons of various kinds. And the Pandavas thus cased in\nmail, and mounted on those chariots furnished with flagstaffs and armed\nwith bows and arrows, looked like blazing fires. And those tigers among\nwarriors, riding upon those well furnished cars drawn by fleet horses,\nproceeded to that spot without losing a moment. And beholding those\nmighty warriors--the sons of Pandu--thus proceeding together (for the\nliberation of Duryodhana), the Kuru army sent forth a loud shout. And\nsoon did those rangers of the sky flushed with victory, and those\nimpetuous warriors, the sons of Pandu, fearlessly encounter each other in\nthat forest. The Gandharvas were flushed with success, and beholding the\nfour brave sons of Pandu coming to battle seated on their cars, they all\nturned back towards the advancing combatants. And, the dwellers of the\nGandhamadana, beholding the Pandavas looking like blazing guardians of\nthe world provoked to ire, stood arrayed in order of battle. And, O\nBharata, in accordance with words of king Yudhishthira of great wisdom,\nthe encounter that took place was a skirmish. But when Arjuna--that\npersecutor of foes--saw that the foolish soldiers of the king of\nGandharvas could not be made to understand what was good for them by\nmeans of a light skirmish, he addressed those invincible rangers of the\nskies 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 we\npass our days in happiness: O Bharata, we always act as that one only\nperson commandeth us! Besides that celestial chief there is none that can\ncommand us!' Thus addressed by the Gandharvas, Dhananjaya, the son of\nKunti, replied unto them, saying, 'This contact with other people's wives\nand this hostile encounter with human beings are acts that are both\ncensurable 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, Pritha's\nson, Dhananjaya, capable of wielding the bow with his left hand also,\nthen rained a shower of sharp pointed sky-ranging shafts upon those\nrangers of the firmament. Thus attacked, the mighty Gandharvas then\nencountered the sons of Pandu with a shower of arrows equally thick, and\nthe Pandavas also replied by attacking those dwellers of heaven. And the\nbattle then, O Bharata, that ranged between the active and agile\nGandharvas and the impetuous son of Pandu was fierce in the extreme.\"\n\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. Those\nrangers of skies endued with great energy, thus checked on all sides by\nthat arrowy down-pour, succeeded not in even coming near to the sons of\nPandu. Then Arjuna whose ire had been provoked, aiming at the angry\nGandharvas, prepared to hurl against them his celestial weapons. And in\nthat encounter, the mighty Arjuna, by means of his Agneya weapon, sent\nten hundreds of thousands of Gandharvas to the abode of Yama. And that\nmighty bowman, Bhima, also, that foremost of all warriors in battle,\nslew, by means of his sharp arrows, Gandharvas by hundreds. And the\nmighty sons of Madri also, battling with vigour, encountered hundreds of\nGandharvas, O king, and slaughtered them all. And as Gandharvas were\nbeing thus slaughtered by the mighty warriors with their celestial\nweapons, they rose up to the skies, taking with them the sons of\nDhritarashtra. But Dhananjaya, the son of Kunti, beholding them rise up\nto the skies, surrounded them on every side by a wide net of arrows. And\nconfined within that arrowy net like birds within a cage, they showered\nin wrath upon Arjuna maces and darts and broad-swords. But Arjuna who was\nconversant with the most efficacious weapons, soon checked that shower of\nmaces and darts and broad-swords, and in return began to mangle the limbs\nof the Gandharvas with his crescent-shaped arrows. And heads and legs and\narms began to drop down from above resembling a shower of stones. And at\nthat sight, the foe was struck with panic. And as the Gandharvas were\nbeing slaughtered by the illustrious son of Pandu, they began to shower\nfrom the skies a heavy downpour of shafts upon Arjuna, who was on the\nsurface of the earth. But that chastiser of foes, Arjuna, endued with\nmighty energy checked that shower of arrows by means of his own weapons\nand began, in return, to wound them. Then Arjuna of the Kuru race shot\nhis well-known weapons called Sthunakarna, Indrajala, Saura, Agneya and\nSaumya. And the Gandharvas consumed by the fiery weapons of Kunti's son,\nbegan to suffer heavily, like the sons of Diti, while being scorched by\nSakra's thunder-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 means\nof his science, concealed himself from the view of the Pandava and began\nto 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 the\nillustrious Arjuna, his dear friend, the king of the Gandharvas, showed\nhimself unto him. And Chitrasena said, 'Behold in me thy friend battling\nwith thee!' And beholding his friend Chitrasena exhausted in the battle,\nthat bull among the sons of Pandu withdrew the weapons he had shot. And\nthe other sons of Pandu beholding Arjuna withdraw his weapons, checked\ntheir flying steeds and the impetus of their weapons and withdrew their\nbows. And Chitrasena and Bhima and Arjuna and the twins enquiring about\none another's welfare, sat awhile on their respective cars.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXLIV\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Then that mighty bowman of blazing splendour, Arjuna,\nsmilingly said unto Chitrasena in the midst of the Gandharva host, 'What\npurpose dost thou serve, O hero, in punishing the Kauravas? O, why also\nhath 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 that\nye are exiles in the forest and suffering great afflictions as if ye had\nnone to take care of you, himself in prosperity, this wretch entertained\nthe desire of beholding you plunged in adversity and misfortune. They\ncame hither for mocking you and the illustrious daughter of Drupada. The\nlord of the celestials also, having ascertained this purpose of theirs,\ntold me, 'Go thou and bring Duryodhana hither in chains along with his\ncounsellors. Dhananjaya also with his brother should always be protected\nby thee in battle, for he is thy dear friend and disciple.' At these\nwords of the lord of the celestials I came hither speedily. This wicked\nprince hath also been put in chains. I will now proceed to the region of\nthe celestials, whither I will lead this wicked wight at the command of\nthe 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\nChitrasena 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. Let\nthe 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 him\neverything about Duryodhana's conduct. And Ajatasatru, hearing everything\nthat the Gandharvas had said, liberated all the Kauravas and applauded\nthe Gandharvas. And the king said, 'Fortunate it is for us that though\ngifted with great strength, ye did not yet slay the wicked son of\nDhritarashtra along with all counsellors and relatives. This, O sir, hath\nbeen an act of great kindness done to me by the Gandharvas. The honour\nalso of my family is saved by liberating this wicked wight. I am glad at\nseeing you all. Command me what I am to do for you. And having obtained\nall 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\nAmrita over them. And the Pandavas also, having liberated their relatives\nalong with the ladies of the royal household, and having achieved that\ndifficult feat (the defeat of the Gandharvas host) became well-pleased.\nAnd those illustrious and mighty warriors worshipped by the Kurus along\nwith their sons and wives, blazed forth in splendour like flaming fires\nin the sacrificial compound. And Yudhishthira then addressing the\nliberated Duryodhana in the midst of his brothers, from affection, told\nhim these words: 'O child, never again do such a rash act. O Bharata, a\nrash wight never cometh by happiness. O son of the Kuru race, pleased be\nthou with all thy brothers. Go back to thy capital as pleaseth thee,\nwithout yielding thyself to despondency or cheerlessness!\"\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 capital,\nlike one destitute of life. And after the Kaurava prince had departed,\nthe brave Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, along with his brothers, was\nworshipped by the Brahmanas, and surrounded by those Brahmanas endued\nwith the wealth of asceticism, like Sakra himself by the celestials, he\nbegan to pass his days happily in the woods of Dwaita.\"\n\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 with\nshame 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 have\nonce 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 brothers--\nmighty warriors all--come off victorious from that encounter, having\nsubjugated their foes! As regards myself, assailed by all the Gandharvas,\nI fled before thy eyes, unable to rally our flying host. Assailed by the\nfoe with all his might, my body mangled with their arrows, I sought\nsafety in flight. This however, O Bharata, seemed to me to be a great\nmarvel that I behold you all come safe and sound in body, with your\nwives, troops, and vehicles, out of that super-human encounter. O\nBharata, there is another man in this world who can achieve what thou, O\nking, hast achieved in battle to-day with thy brothers.\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thus addressed by Karna, king Duryodhana replied\nunto the ruler of the Angas in a voice choked with tears.\"\n\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 being\ntaken by them through the skies. It was then that some soldiers of ours\nand some brave officers repaired in grief unto the sons of Pandu--those\nheroes that never refuse succour to those that ask for it. And having\ngone 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 they\nhad 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 also.\nAnd the brave Gandharvas then abandoning their weapons and mail mingled\nin a friendly spirit with the Pandavas. And Chitrasena and Dhananjaya\nworshipped each other with regard.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXLVII\n\nDuryodhana said, \"That slayer of hostile heroes, Arjuna, then approaching\nChitrasena, smilingly addressed him in these manly words: 'O hero, O\nforemost of the Gandharvas, it behoveth thee to set my brothers at\nliberty. 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 that\nI might disappear there and then. The Gandharvas then, accompanied by the\nPandavas, went to Yudhishthira, and, disclosing unto him also counsels,\nmade us over, bound as we were, to him. Alas, what greater sorrow could\nbe mine than that I should thus be offered as a tribute unto\nYudhishthira, in the very sight of the women of our household, myself in\nchains and plunged in misery, and under the absolute control of my\nenemies. Alas, they, who have ever been persecuted by me, they unto whom\nI have ever been a foe released me from captivity, and wretch that I am,\nI am indebted to them for my life. If, O hero, I had met with my death in\nthat great battle, that would have been far better than that I should\nhave obtained my life in this way. If I had been slain by the Gandharvas,\nmy fame would have spread over the whole earth, and I should have\nobtained auspicious regions of eternal bliss in the heaven of Indra.\nListen to me therefore, ye bulls among men, as to what I intend to do\nnow. I will stay here forgoing all food, while ye all return home. Let\nall my brothers also go to Hastinapura. Let all our friends, including\nKarna, and all our relatives headed by Dussasana, return now to the\ncapital. Insulted by the foe, I myself will not repair thither. I who had\nbefore wrested from the foe his respect, I who had always enchanced the\nrespect of my friends, have now become a source of sorrow unto friends\nand of joy unto enemies. What shall I now say unto the king, going to the\ncity named after the elephant? What will Bhishma and Drona, Kripa, and\nDrona's son, Vidura and Sanjaya, Vahuka and Somadatta and other revered\nseniors,--what will the principal men of the other orders and men of\nindependent professions, say to me and what shall I say unto them in\nreply? Having hitherto stayed over the heads of my enemies, having\nhitherto trod upon their breasts, I have fallen away from my position.\nHow shall I ever speak with them? Insolent men having obtained prosperity\nand knowledge and affluence, are seldom blest for any length of time like\nmyself puffed up with vanity. Alas, led by folly I have done a highly\nimproper and wicked act, for which, fool that I am, I have fallen into\nsuch distress. Therefore, will I perish by starving, life having become\ninsupportable to me. Relieved from distress by the foe, what man of\nspirit is there who can drag on his existence? Proud as I am, shorn of\nmanliness, the foe hath laughed at me, for the Pandavas possessed of\nprowess 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, O\nthou of the Bharata race! Accepting this installation that I offer thee,\nbe thou king in my place. Rule thou the wide earth protected by Karna and\nSuvala's sons. Like Indra himself looking after the Maruts, cherish thou\nthy brothers in such a way that they may all confide in thee. Let the\nfriends and relatives depend on thee like the gods depending on him of a\nhundred sacrifices. Always shouldst thou bestow pensions on Brahmanas,\nwithout idleness, and be thou ever the refuge of thy friends and\nrelatives. Like Vishnu looking after the celestials, thou shouldst always\nlook after all consanguineous relatives. Thou shouldst also ever cherish\nthy superiors. Go, rule thou the earth gladdening thy friends and\nreproving thy foes.' And clasping his neck, Duryodhana said, 'Go!'\nHearing these words of his, Dussasana in perfect cheerlessness and\noverwhelmed with great sorrow, his voice choked in tears, said, with\njoined hands and bending his head unto his eldest brother, 'Relent!' And\nsaying this he fell down on earth with heavy heart. And afflicted with\ngrief that tiger among men, shedding his tears on the feet of his brother\nagain said, 'This will never be! The earth may split, the vault of heaven\nmay break in pieces, the sun may cast off his splendour, the moon may\nabandon his coolness, the wind may forsake its speed, the Himavat may be\nmoved from its site, the waters of the ocean may dry up, and fire may\nabandon its heat, yet I, O king, may never rule the earth without thee.'\nAnd Dussasana repeatedly said, 'Relent, O king! Thou alone shall be king\nin our race for a hundred years.' And having spoken thus unto the king,\nDussasana began to weep melodiously catching, O Bharata, the feet of his\neldest brother deserving 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 to\nyour 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 dominions\nof the king, should always do what is agreeable to the king. Protected by\nthee, the Pandavas are residing happily in thy dominion. It behoveth thee\nnot to indulge in such sorrow like an ordinary person. Behold, thy\nuterine brothers are all sad and cheerless at seeing thee resolved to put\nan end to thy life by forgoing food. Blest be thou! Rise up and come to\nthy city and console these thy uterine brothers.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCXLVIII\n\n\"Kama 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 there\nto be regretted at in this? That the Pandavas, O best of kings, did not\nfollow thee when thou didst march forth to battle at the head of thy\ntroops, has been an improper act on their part. They had before this come\nunder thy power, becoming thy slaves. They are, therefore, bound to aid\nthee now, being endued with courage and might and incapable of turning\naway from the field of battle. Thou art enjoying all the rich possessions\nof the Pandavas. Behold them yet alive, O king! They have not resolved to\ndie, forgoing all food. Blest be thou! Rise up, O king! It behoveth thee\nnot to indulge in great sorrow long. O king, it is the certain duty of\nthose that reside in the king's realm to do what is agreeable to the\nking. Where should the regret be in all this? If thou, O king, dost not\nact according to my words I shall stay here employed in reverentially\nserving thy feet. O bull among men, I do not desire to live deprived of\nthy company. O king, if thou resolvest to slay thyself by forgoing food,\nthou wilt simply be an object of laughter with other kings.\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thus addressed by Karna, king Duryodhana, firmly\nresolved to leave the world, desired not to rise from where he sat.\"\n\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 Kama 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 the\nslave 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 in\nsuch 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, smelt\nhis head from affection. And hearing these words of Karna and Sauvala,\nking Duryodhana lost heart more than ever, and he was overwhelmed with\nshame and utter despair overtook his soul. And hearing all that his\nfriends said, he answered with sorrow, 'I have nothing more to do with\nvirtue, wealth, friendship, affluence, sovereignty, and enjoyments. Do\nnot obstruct my purpose, but leave me all of you. I am firmly resolved to\ncast away my life by forgoing food. Return to the city, and treat my\nsuperiors 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 touching\nwater, sat down upon that spot. And clad in rags and Kusa grass he set\nhimself to observe the highest vow. And stopping all speech, that tiger\namong kings, moved by the desire of going to heaven, began to pray and\nworship internally suspending all external intercourse.\n\n\"Meanwhile the fierce Daityas and the Danavas who had been defeated of\nold by the celestials and had been dwelling in the nether regions having\nascertained Duryodhana's purpose and knowing that if the king died their\nparty would be weakened, commenced a sacrifice with fire for summoning\nDuryodhana to their presence. And mantra knowing persons then commenced\nwith the help of formulae declared by Brihaspati and Usanas, those rites\nthat are indicated in the Atharva Veda and the Upanishads and which are\ncapable of being achieved by mantras and prayers. And Brahmins of rigid\nvows, well-versed in the Vedas and the branches, began, with rapt soul,\nto pour libations of clarified butter and milk into the fire, uttering\nmantras. And after those rites were ended, a strange goddess, O king,\nwith mouth wide open, arose (from the sacrificial fire), saying, 'What am\nI to do?' And the Daityas with well-pleased hearts, commanded her,\nsaying, 'Bring thou hither the royal son of Dhritarashtra, who is even\nnow observing the vow of starvation for getting rid of his life.' Thus\ncommanded, she went away saying, 'So be it.' And she went in the\ntwinkling of an eye to that spot where Suyodhana was. And taking up the\nking back to the nether regions, and having brought him thus in a moment,\nshe apprised the Danavas of it. And the Danavas beholding the king\nbrought into their midst in the night, united together, and all of them\nwith well-pleased hearts and eyes expanded in delight addressed these\nflattering words to Duryodhana.\"\n\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 their\nhands to acts that are sinful and opposed to their best interests and\nstriking at the very root of their purposes. Restrain this resolve of\nthine, therefore, O king, which is destructive of morality, profit, and\nhappiness, of fame, prowess, and energy, and which enhanceth the joy of\nfoes O exalted king, know the truth, the celestial origin of thy soul,\nand the maker of thy body, and then summon thou patience to thy aid. In\ndays of old. O king, we have obtained thee, by ascetic austerities from\nMaheswara. The upper part of thy body is wholly made of an assemblage of\nVajras, and is, therefore, invulnerable to weapons of every description,\nO sinless one. The lower part of thy body, capable of captivating the\nfemale heart by its comeliness was made of flowers by the goddess\nherself--the wife of Mahadeva. Thy body is thus, O best of kings, the\ncreation of Maheswara himself and his goddess. Therefore, O tiger among\nkings, thou art of celestial origin, not human. Other brave Kshatriyas of\nmighty energy headed by Bhagadatta, and all acquainted with celestial\nweapons, will slay thy foes. Therefore, let this grief of thine cease.\nThou hast no cause for fear. For aiding thee, many heroic Danavas have\nbeen born on the earth. Other Asuras will also possess Bhishma and Drona\nand Kama and others. Possessed by those Asuras, these heroes will cast\naway their kindness and fight with thy foes. Indeed, when the Danavas\nwill enter their heart and possess them completely, flinging all\naffections to a distance, becoming hard-hearted, these warriors will\nstrike every body opposed to them in battle without sparing sons,\nbrothers, fathers, friends, disciples, relatives, even children and old\nmen. Blinded by ignorance and wrath, and impelled by that destiny which\nhath been ordained by the Creator, these tigers among men, with hearts\nsteeped in sin, will, O thou foremost of the Kurus, depopulate the earth\nby hurling and shooting all kinds of weapons, with great manliness and\nstrength and always addressing one another boastfully with words such as\nthese, 'Thou shall not escape from me today with life.' And these\nillustrious sons of Pandu also, five in number, will fight with these.\nAnd, endued with mighty strength and favoured by Fate, they will compass\nthe destruction of these. And, O king, many Daityas and Rakshasas also\nthat have been born in the Kshatriya order, will fight with great prowess\nin the battle with thy foes, using maces and clubs and lances and various\nweapons of a superior kind. And, O hero, with respect to the fear that is\nin thy heart rising from Arjuna, we have already settled the means for\nslaying Arjuna. The soul of the slain Naraka hath assumed the form of\nKarna. Recollecting his former hostility he will encounter both Kesava\nand Arjuna. And that mighty warrior and foremost of smiters, proud of his\nprowess will vanquish Arjuna in battle as also all thy enemies. The\nwielder of the thunder-bolt, knowing all this, and desirous of saving\nArjuna, will in disguise take away from Karna his ear-rings and coat of\nmail. We also have for that reason appointed hundreds upon hundreds and\nthousands upon thousands of Daityas and Rakshasas, viz., those that are\nknown by the name of Samsaptakas.[83] These celebrated warriors will slay\nthe heroic Arjuna. Therefore, grieve not, O king. Thou wilt rule the\nwhole earth, O monarch, without a rival. Do not yield to despondency.\nConduct such as this does not suit thee. O thou of the Kuru race, if thou\ndiest, our 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\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 attain\nvictory!' And when they had given leave to the mighty-armed one, that\nvery goddess carried him back to the spot where he had sat down, intent\nupon putting an end to his life. And having set that hero down and paid\nhim homage, the goddess vanished, taking the king's permission. O\nBharata, when she had gone, king Duryodhana considered all (that had\nhappened) as a dream. He then thought within himself, 'I shall defeat the\nPandavas in battle.' And Suyodhana thought that Karna and the Samsaptaka\narmy were both able (to destroy) and intent upon destroying that slayer\nof foes, Partha. Thus, O bull of the Bharata race, the hope was\nstrengthened of the wicked minded son of Dhritarashtra, of conquering the\nPandavas. And Karna also, his soul and faculties possessed by the inmost\nsoul of Naraka, had at that time cruelly determined to slay Arjuna. And\nthose heroes--the Samsaptakas also--having their sense possessed by the\nRakshasas, and influenced by the qualities of emotion and darkness, were\ndesirous of slaying Phalguna. And, O king, others with Bhishma, Drona,\nand Kripa at their head, having their faculties influenced by the\nDanavas, were not so affectionate towards the sons of Pandu as they had\nbeen. But king Suyodhana 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 Kauraveya, 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 in\nbattle. O lord of men, I swear by my weapon that when the three and ten\nyears shall have passed away, I will bring the sons of Pritha under thy\nsubjection.' Thus addressed by Karna, and remembering the words of the\nDaityas and supplications made by them (his brothers), Suyodhana rose up.\nAnd having heard those words of the Daityas that tiger among men, with a\nfirm resolve in his heart arrayed his army, abounding in horses and\nelephants and cars and infantry. And, O monarch, immensely swarming with\nwhite umbrellas, and pennons, and white Chamaras, and cars, and\nelephants, and foot-soldiers, that mighty army, as it moved like the\nwaters of the Ganga, looked graceful like the firmament, at a season when\nthe clouds have dispersed and the signs of autumn have been but partially\ndeveloped. And, O foremost of kings, eulogised like a monarch by the best\nof the Brahmanas blessing with victory, that lord of men Suyodhana,\nDhritarashtra's son, receiving honours paid with innumerable joined\npalms, and flaming in exceeding splendour, went in the front, accompanied\nby Karna, and that gambler, the son of Suvala. And all his brothers with\nDussasana at their head, and Bhurisrava, and Somadatta, and the mighty\nking Vahlika, followed that lion among kings on his way, with cars of\nvarious forms, and horses, and the best of elephants. And, O prime among\nmonarchs, in a short time, those perpetuators of the Kuru race entered\ntheir own city.\"\n\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 sons,\nhe 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 Suvala.\nthereupon, knowing that he was gone, those mighty bowmen with Karna, and\nDussasana 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 men,\nDhritarashtra'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 tie\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 servants,\nforces, and cars. I shall, O monarch, conquer the earth furnished with\nmountains and woods and forests. The earth had been conquered by the four\npowerful Pandavas. I shall, without doubt, conquer it for thee\nsingle-handed. Let that wretch of the Kuru race, the exceedingly\nwicked-minded Bhishma, see it,--he who vilifies those that do not deserve\ncensure, and praises those that should not be praised. Let him this day\nwitness my might, and blame himself. Do thou, O king, command me. Victory\nshall surely be thine. By my weapon, O monarch, I swear 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. And\non 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\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 of\nDrupada. 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 east,\nhe reduced the Angas, and the Bangas, and the Kalingas, and the Mandikas,\nand the Magadhas. the Karkakhandas; and also included with them the\nAvasiras, Yodhyas, and the Ahikshatras. Having (thus) conquered the\neastern quarter Karna then presented himself before Batsa-bhumi. And\nhaving taken Batsa-bhumi, he reduced Kevali, and Mrittikavati, and Mohana\nand Patrana, and Tripura, and Kosala,--and compelled all these to pay\ntribute. Then going to the south, Karna vanquished the mighty charioteers\n(of that quarter) and in Dakshinatya, the Suta's son entered into\nconflict with Rukmi. After having fought dreadfully, Rukmi spake to the\nSuta's son saying, 'O foremost of monarchs, I have been pleased with thy\nmight and prowess. I shall not do thee wrong: I have only fulfilled the\nvow of a Kshatriya. Gladly will I give thee as many gold coins as thou\ndesirest.' 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, having\nconquered the entire earth--east, west, north and south--that hero\nwithout any aid brought under subjection all the nations of the\nMlechchhas, the mountaineers, the Bhadras, the Rohitakas, the Agneyas and\nthe Malavas. And, having conquered the mighty charioteers, headed by the\nNagnajitas, the Suta's son brought the Sasakas and the Yavanas under his\nsway. Having thus conquered and brought under his subjection the world,\nthe mighty charioteer and tiger among men came (back) to Hastinapura.\nThat lord of men, Dhritarashtra's son, accompanied by his father and\nbrothers and friends, came to that mighty bowman, who had arrived, and\nduly paid homage unto Karna crowned with martial merit. And the king\nproclaimed his feats, saying, 'What I have not received from either\nBhishma, or Drona, or Kripa, or Vahlika, I have received from thee. May\ngood betide thee! What need of speaking at length! Hear my words, O\nKarna! In thee, O chief of men, I have my refuge. O mighty-armed one. O\ntiger among men, without doubt all the Pandavas and the other kings\ncrowned with prosperity, come not to a sixteenth part of thee. Do thou, O\nmighty bowman, O Karna, see Dhritarashtra, and the illustrious Gandhari,\nas 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 praised him\n(Karna), while others censured him, while others, again, remained silent.\nHaving thus, O foremost of monarchs, in a short time conquered this earth\nfurnished with mountains and forests and skies, and with oceans, and\nfields, and filled with high and low tracts, and cities, and replete also\nwith islands. O lord of earth, and brought the monarchs under\nsubjection,--and having gained imperishable wealth, the Suta's son\nappeared before the king. Then, O represser of foes, entering into the\ninterior of the palace that hero saw Dhritarashtra with Gandhari, O tiger\namong men, that one conversant with morality took hold of his feet even\nlike a son. And Dhritarashtra embraced him affectionately, and then\ndismissed him. Ever since that time, O monarch, O Bharata, king\nDuryodhana and Sakuni, the son of Suvala, thought that Pritha's sons had\nalready been defeated in battle by Karna.\"\n\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 hath\nsprung up in me (to celebrate the same). Do thou, O Suta's son, fulfil\nthis desire of mine.' Thus addressed, Karna spake thus unto the king,\n'Now that all the rulers of the earth have been brought under thy\nsubjection, do thou summon the principal Brahmanas, and, O best of Kurus,\nduly procure the articles required for the sacrifice. And, O represser of\nfoes, let Ritwijas as prescribed, and versed in the Vedas, celebrate thy\nrites according to the ordinance, O king. And, O bull of the Bharata\nrace, let thy great sacrifice also, abounding in meats and drinks, and\ngrand 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 in\nproper 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, while\nYudhishthira is living, that best of sacrifices cannot be performed in\nthy family, O Prince of kings! Further, O monarch, thy father\nDhritarashtra, endued with long life, liveth. For this reason also, O\nbest of kings, this sacrifice cannot be undertaken by thee. There is, O\nlord, another great sacrifice, resembling the Rajasuya. Do thou, O\nforemost of kings, celebrate that sacrifice. Listen to these words of\nmine. All these rulers of the earth, who have, O king, become tributary\nto thee, will pay thee tribute in gold, both pure and impure. Of that\ngold, do thou, O best of monarchs, now make the (sacrificial) plough, and\ndo thou, O Bharata, plough the sacrificial compound with it. At that\nspot, let there commence, O foremost of kings, with due rites, and\nwithout any disturbance the sacrifice, sanctified with mantras abounding\nin edibles. The name of that sacrifice worthy of virtuous persons, is\nVaishnava. No person save the ancient Vishnu hath performed it before.\nThis mighty sacrifice vies with that best of sacrifices--the Rajasuya\nitself. And, further, it liketh us--and it is also for thy welfare (to\ncelebrate it). And, moreover, it is capable of being celebrated without\nany disturbance. (By undertaking this), thy desire will 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 artisans\nto construct the (sacrificial) plough. And, O best of kings, all that had\nbeen commanded to be done, was gradually executed.\"\n\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 king;\nand the time also hath come, O Bharata. And the exceedingly precious\ngolden plough hath been constructed.' Hearing this, O monarch, that best\nof kings, Dhritarashtra's son commanded that prime among sacrifices to be\ncommenced. Then commenced that sacrifice sanctified by mantras, and\nabounding in edibles, and the son of Gandhari was duly initiated\naccording to the ordinance. And Dhritarashtra, and the illustrious\nVidura, and Bhishma, and Drona, and Kripa, and Karna, and the celebrated\nGandhari experienced great delight. And, O foremost of kings, Duryodhana\ndespatched swift messengers to invite the princes and the Brahmanas. And\nmounting fleet vehicles they went to the (respective) directions assigned\nto them. Then to a certain messenger on the point of setting out,\nDussasana said, 'Go thou speedily to the woods of Dwaita; and in that\nforest duly invite the Brahmanas and those wicked persons, the Pandavas.'\nThereupon, he repaired thither, and bowing down to all the Pandavas,\nsaid, 'Having acquired immense wealth by his native prowess, that best of\nkings and foremost of Kurus, Duryodhana, O monarch, is celebrating a\nsacrifice. Thither are going from various directions the kings and the\nBrahmanas. O king, I have been sent by the high-souled Kaurava. That king\nand lord of men, Dhritarashtra's son, invites you. It behoveth you,\ntherefore, to witness the delightful sacrifice 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 of\nmen, lords of various countries, and highly virtuous Brahmanas. And duly\nreceived 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, O\nKshatta, speedily so act that all persons in the sacrificial compound may\nbe served with food, be refreshed and satisfied.' Thereupon, O represser\nof foes, assenting to that order, the learned Vidura versed in morality,\ncheerfully entertained all the orders in proper measure with meat and\nbeverages to eat and drink, and fragrant garland and various kinds of\nattire. And having constructed pavilions (for their accommodation), that\nhero and foremost of kings, duly entertained the princes and the\nBrahmanas by thousands, and also bestowing upon them wealth of various\nkinds, bade them farewell. And having dismissed all the kings, he entered\nHastinapura, surrounded by his brothers, and in company with Karna and\nSuvala's son.\"\n\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 there,\nsaid unto that lord of the earth, 'Surely this thy sacrifice cannot be\ncompared with Yudhishthira's: nor doth this come up to a sixteenth part\nof that (sacrifice).' Thus spake unto that king some that were reckless\nof consequences. His friends, however, said, This sacrifice of thine hath\nsurpassed all others. Yayati and Nahusha, and Mandhata and Bharata,\nhaving been sanctified by celebrating such a sacrifice, have all gone to\nheaven.' Hearing such agreeable words from his friends, that monarch, O\nbull of the Bharata's race, well-pleased, entered the city and finally\nhis own abode. Then, O king, worshipping the feet of his father and\nmother and of others headed by Bhishma, Drona and Kripa, and of the wise\nVidura, and worshipped in turn by his younger brothers, that delighter of\nbrothers sat down upon an excellent seat, surrounded by the latter. And\nthe Suta's son, rising up, said, 'By good luck it is, O foremost of the\nBharata race, that this mighty sacrifice of thine hath been brought to a\nclose. When, however, the sons of Pritha shall have been slain in battle\nand thou wilt have completed the Rajasuya sacrifice, once again, O lord\nof men, shall I honour thee thus.' Then that mighty king, the illustrious\nson of Dhritarashtra, replied unto him, 'Truly hath this been spoken by\nthee. When, O foremost of men, the wicked-minded Pandavas have been\nslain, and when also the grand Rajasuya hath been celebrated by me, then\nthou shalt again, O hero, honour me thus.' And having said this, O\nBharata, the Kaurava embraced Karna, and began, O mighty king, to think\nof the Rajasuya, that foremost of sacrifices. And that best of kings also\naddressed the Kurus around him, saying, 'When shall I, ye Kauravas,\nhaving slain all the Pandavas, celebrate that costly and foremost of\nsacrifices, the Rajasuya.' Then spake Karna unto him, saying, 'Hear me, O\nelephant among kings! So long as I do not slay Arjuna, I shall not allow\nany one to wash my feet, nor shall I taste meat. And I shall observe the\nAsura vow[84] and whoever may solicit me (for any thing), I never shall\nsay, '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\"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 exceedingly\nanxious. And considering Karna of the impenetrable mail to be of\nwonderful prowess, and remembering all their woes, he knew no peace. And\nthat high-souled one filled with anxiety, made up his mind to abandon the\nwoods 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 king,\nwas engaged in doing good to his brothers, concluding for certain in his\nmind that giving and enjoying are the only use of riches.\"\n\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 by\nKunti's son--the illustrious Pandava, those deer, the remnant of those\nthat had been slaughtered, replied unto him, saying, 'We are, O Bharata,\nthose deer that are still alive after them that had been slaughtered. We\nshall be exterminated totally. Therefore, do thou change thy residence. O\nmighty king, all thy brothers are heroes, conversant with weapons; they\nhave thinned the ranks of the rangers of the forest. We few--the\nremnants,--O mighty-minded one, remain like seed. By thy favour, O king\nof kings, let us increase.' Seeing these deer, which remained like seed\nafter the rest had been destroyed trembling and afflicted with fear,\nYudhishthira the just was greatly affected with grief. And the king,\nintent on the welfare of all creatures, said unto them, 'So be it. I\nshall act as ye have said.' Awaking after such a vision, that excellent\nking, moved by pity towards the deer, thus spake unto his brothers\nassembled there, 'Those deer that are alive after them that have been\nslaughtered, accosted me at night, after I had awakened, saying, 'We\nremain like the cues of our lines. Blest be thou! Do thou have compassion\non us.' And they have spoken truly. We ought to feel pity for the\ndwellers of the forest. We have been feeding on them for a year together\nand eight months. Let us, therefore, again (repair) to the romantic\nKamyakas, that best of forests abounding in wild animals, situated at the\nhead of the desert, near lake Trinavindu. And there let us pleasantly\npass the rest of our time.' Then, O king, the Pandavas versed in\nmorality, swiftly departed (thence), accompanied by the Brahmanas and all\nthose that lived with them, and followed by Indrasena and other\nretainers. And proceeding along the roads walked (by travellers),\nfurnished with excellent corn and clear water, they at length beheld the\nsacred asylum of Kamyaka endued with ascetic merit. And as pious men\nenter the celestial regions, those foremost of the Bharata race, the\nKauravas, surrounded by those bulls among Brahmanas entered that forest.\"\n\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 on\nfruits 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 the\ntwins and the illustrious Draupadi, and the mighty Bhima--he that was\nstrongest of all men--experienced the most poignant pain in casting their\neyes on Yudhishthira. And thinking that a short time only remained (of\ntheir exile), those bulls among men, influenced by rage and hope and by\nresorting to various exertions and endeavours, made their bodies assume\nalmost 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 living\nin the forest on the produce of the wilderness, that mighty sage, moved\nby 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 should\nenjoy it; when misery cometh, one should bear it, as a sower of crops\nmust bide his season. Nothing is superior to asceticism: by asceticism\none acquireth mighty fruit. Do thou know, O Bharata, that there is\nnothing that asceticism cannot achieve. Truth, sincerity, freedom from\nanger, justice, self-control, restraint of the faculties, immunity from\nmalice, guilelessness, sanctity, and mortification of the senses, these,\nO mighty monarch, purify a person of meritorious acts. Foolish persons\naddicted to vice and bestial ways, attain to brutish births in after life\nand never enjoy happiness. The fruit of acts done in this world is reaped\nin the next. Therefore should one restrain his body by asceticism and the\nobservance of vows. And, O king, free from guile and with a cheerful\nspirit, one should, according to his power, bestow gifts, after going\ndown to the recipient and paying him homage. A truth-telling person\nattaineth a life devoid of trouble. A person void of anger attaineth\nsincerity, and one free from malice acquireth supreme contentment. A\nperson who hath subdued his senses and his inner faculties, never knoweth\ntribulation; nor is a person of subdued senses affected by sorrow at the\nheight of other's prosperity. A man who giveth everyone his due, and the\nbestower of boons, attain happiness, and come by every object of\nenjoyment; while a man free from envy reapeth perfect ease. He that\nhonoureth those to whom honour is due, attaineth birth in an illustrious\nline; and he that hath subdued his senses, never cometh by misfortune. A\nman whose mind followeth good, after having paid his debt to nature, is\non this account, born again endued with a righteous mind.'\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 practise\nthan charity. Men greatly thirst after wealth, and wealth also is gotten\nwith difficulty. Nay, renouncing even dear life itself, heroic men, O\nmagnanimous one, enter into the depths of the sea and the forest for the\nsake of wealth. For wealth, some betake themselves to agriculture and the\ntending of kine, and some enter into servitude. Therefore, it is\nextremely difficult to part with wealth that is obtained with such\ntrouble. Since nothing is harder to practise than charity, therefore, in\nmy opinion, even the bestowal of boons is superior to everything.\nSpecially is this to be borne in mind that well-earned gains should, in\nproper time and place, be given away to pious men. But the bestowal of\nill-gotten gains can never rescue the giver from the evil of rebirth. It\nhath been declared, O Yudhishthira, that by bestowing, in a pure spirit,\neven a slight gift in due time and to a fit recipient, a man attaineth\ninexhaustible fruit in the next world. In this connection is instanced\nthe old story regarding the fruit obtained by Mudgala, for having given\naway only a drona[85] of corn.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCLVIII\n\nYudhishthira 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.[86] And although living like a pigeon, yet that one of mighty\nausterities entertained his guests, celebrated the sacrifice called\nIstikrita, and performed other rites. And that sage together with his son\nand wife, ate for a fortnight, and during the other fortnight led the\nlife of a pigeon, collecting a drona of corn. And celebrating the Darsa\nand Paurnamasya sacrifices, that one devoid of guile, used to pass his\ndays by taking the food that remained after the deities and the guests\nhad eaten. And on auspicious lunar days, that lord of the three worlds,\nIndra himself, accompanied by the celestials used, O mighty monarch, to\npartake of the food offered at his sacrifice. And that one, having\nadopted the life of a Muni, with a cheerful heart entertained his guests\nalso with food on such days. And as that high-souled one distributed his\nfood with alacrity, the remainder of the drona of corn increased as soon\nas a guest appeared. And by virtue of the pure spirit in which the sage\ngave a way, that food of his increased so much that hundreds upon\nhundreds of learned Brahmanas were fed with it.\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,[87] 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. 'Know\nthou, O foremost of Brahmanas, that I have come hither seeking for food.\nThereupon Mudgala said unto the sage, 'Thou art welcome!' And then\noffering to that maniac of an ascetic affected by hunger, water to wash\nhis feet and mouth, that one observant of the vow of feeding guests,\nrespectfully placed before him excellent fare. Affected by hunger, the\nfrantic Rishi completely exhausted the food that had been offered unto\nhim. Thereupon, Mudgala furnished him again with food. Then having eaten\nup all that food, he besmeared his body with the unclean orts and went\naway as he had come. In this manner, during the next season, he came\nagain and ate up all the food supplied by that wise one leading the\nUnchha mode of life. Thereupon, without partaking any food himself, the\nsage Mudgala again became engaged in collecting corn, following the\nUnchha mode. Hunger could not disturb his equanimity. Nor could anger,\nnor guile, nor a sense of degradation, nor agitation, enter into the\nheart of that best of Brahmanas leading the Unchha mode of life along\nwith his son and his wife. In this way, Durvasa having made up his mind,\nduring successive seasons presented himself for six several times before\nthat best of sages living according to the Unchha mode; yet that Muni\ncould not perceive any agitation in Mudgala's heart; and he found the\npure heart of the pure-souled ascetic always pure. Thereupon,\nwell-pleased, the sage addressed Mudgala, saying, There is not another\nguileless and charitable being like thee on earth. The pangs of hunger\ndrive away to a distance the sense of righteousness and deprive people of\nall patience. The tongue, loving delicacies, attracteth men towards them.\nLife is sustained by food. The mind, moreover, is fickle, and it is hard\nto keep it in subjection. The concentration of the mind and of the senses\nsurely constitutes ascetic austerities. It must be hard to renounce in a\npure spirit a thing earned by pains. Yet, O pious one, all this hath been\nduly achieved by thee. In thy company we feel obliged and gratified.\nSelf-restraint, fortitude, justice, control of the senses and of\nfaculties, mercy, and virtue, all these are established in thee. Thou\nhast by the deeds conquered the different worlds and have thereby\nobtained admission into paths of beautitude. Ah! even the dwellers of\nheaven are proclaiming thy mighty deeds of charity. O thou observant of\nvows, thou shalt go to heaven even in thine own body.\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 follow.'\"\n\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 Muni,\nthat region which is known as heaven, existeth there above us. Those\nregions tower high, and are furnished with excellent paths, and are, O\nsage, always ranged by celestial cars. Atheists, and untruthful persons,\nthose that have not practised ascetic austerities and those that have not\nperformed great sacrifices, cannot repair thither. Only men of virtuous\nsouls, and those of subdued spirits, and those that have their faculties\nin subjection, and those that have controlled their senses, and those\nthat are free from malice, and persons intent on the practice of charity;\nand heroes, and men bearing marks of battle, after having, with subdued\nsenses and faculties, performed the most meritorious rites, attain those\nregions, O Brahmana, capable of being obtained only by virtuous acts, and\ninhabited by pious men. There, O Mudgala, are established separately\nmyriads of beautiful, shining, and resplendent worlds bestowing every\nobject of desire, owned by those celestial beings, the gods, the Sadhyas,\nand the Vaiswas, the great sages, Yamas, and the Dharmas, and the\nGandharvas and the Apsaras. And there is that monarch of mountains the\ngolden Meru extending over a space of thirty-three thousand Yojanas. And\nthere, O Mudgala, are the sacred gardens of the celestials, with Nandana\nat their head, where sport the persons of meritorious acts. And neither\nhunger, nor thirst, nor lassitude, nor fear, nor anything that is\ndisgusting or inauspicious is there. And all the odours of that place are\ndelightful, and all the breezes delicious to the touch. And all the\nsounds there are captivating, O sage, to the ear and the heart. And\nneither grief, nor decrepitude, nor labour, nor repentance also is there.\nThat world, O Muni, obtained as the fruit of one's own acts, is of this\nnature. Persons repair thither by virtue of their meritorious deeds. And\nthe persons of those that dwell there look resplendent, and this, O\nMudgala, solely by virtue of their own acts, and not owing to the merits\nof father or mothers. And there is neither sweat, nor stench, nor urine\nthere. And, there, O Muni, dust doth not soils one's garments. And their\nexcellent garlands, redolent of divine fragrance, never fade. And, O\nBrahmana, 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 gods\nof the celestials do not desire happiness for happiness' sake, nor do\nthey 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 state\nis coveted even by the gods. And that crowning emancipation, hard to\nattain, can never be acquired by people subject to desire. The number of\nthose deities is thirty-three. To their regions repair wise men, after\nhaving 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 regions.\nDo thou now hear from me some of the disadvantages thereof. That in the\ncelestial regions a person, while reaping the fruit of the acts he hath\nalready performed, cannot be engaged in any others, and that he must\nenjoy the consequences of the former until they are completely exhausted,\nand, further, that he is subject to fall after he hath entirely exhausted\nhis merit, form, in my opinion, the disadvantages of heaven. The fall of\na person whose mind hath been steeped in happiness, must, O Mudgala, be\npronounced as a fault. And the discontent and regret that must follow\none's stay at an inferior seat after one hath enjoyed more auspicious and\nbrighter regions, must be hard to bear. And the consciousness of those\nabout to fall is stupefied, and also agitated by emotions. And as the\ngarlands of those about to fall fade away, fear invadeth their hearts.\nThese mighty drawbacks, O Mudgala, extend even to the regions of Brahma.\nIn the celestial regions, the virtues of men who have performed righteous\nacts, are countless. And, O Muni, this is another of the attributes of\nthe fallen that, by reason of their merits, they take birth among men.\nAnd then they attain to high fortune and happiness. If one, however,\ncannot acquire knowledge here, one cometh by an inferior birth. The\nfruits of acts done in this world are reaped in the next. This world, O\nBrahmana, hath been declared to be one of acts; the others, as one of\nfruit. Thus have I, O Mudgala, asked by thee, described all unto thee.\nNow, O pious one, with thy favour, 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 unto\nthe celestial messenger, 'O messenger of the gods, I bow unto thee. Do\nthou, 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 region\nrepairing 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\nBrahma, 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 that\nhave restrained their senses, and those given to contemplation and Yoga,\nthat can repair thither.' Having heard these words, the Muni bade\nfarewell to the celestial messenger, and that virtuous one leading the\nUnchha mode of life, assumed perfect contentment. And then praise and\ndispraise became equal unto him; and a brickbat, stone, and gold assumed\nthe same aspect in his eyes. And availing himself of the means of\nattaining Brahma, he became always engaged in meditation. And having\nobtained 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 hath\npassed 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\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 Munis,\nand engaged in distributing the food they obtained from the sun, with\nvarious kinds of venison to Brahmanas and others that came to them for\nedibles till the hour of Krishna's meal, how, O great Muni, did\nDuryodhana and the other wicked and sinful sons of Dhritarashtra, guided\nby the counsels of Dussasana, Karna and Sakuni, deal with them? I ask\nthee 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 gentleness.\nAnd himself attending on the Rishi as a menial, the prince gave him a\nright worshipful reception. And the illustrious Muni stayed there for a\nfew days, while king Duryodhana, watchful of his imprecations, attended\non him diligently by day and night. And sometimes the Muni would say, 'I\nam hungry, O king, give me some food quickly.' And sometimes he would go\nout for a bath and, returning at a late hour, would say, 'I shall not eat\nanything today as I have no appetite,' and so saying would disappear from\nhis sight. And sometimes, coming all on a sudden, he would say, 'Feed us\nquickly.' And at other times, bent on some mischief, he would awake at\nmidnight and having caused his meals to be prepared as before, would carp\nat them and not partake of them at all. And trying the prince in this way\nfor a while, when the Muni found that the king Duryodhana was neither\nangered, nor annoyed, he became graciously inclined towards him. And\nthen, O Bharata, the intractable Durvasa said unto him, 'I have power to\ngrant thee boons. Thou mayst ask of me whatever lies nearest to thy\nheart. May good fortune be thine. Pleased as I am with thee, thou mayst\nobtain from me anything 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 with\nhis reception. And the evil-minded king, bethinking himself of what had\npreviously been decided, joyfully solicited the following favour, saying,\n'The great king Yudhishthira is the eldest and the best of our race. That\npious man is now living in the forest with his brothers. Do thou,\ntherefore, once become the guest of that illustrious one even as, O\nBrahmana, thou hast with thy disciples been mine for some time. If thou\nart minded to do me a favour, do thou go unto him at a time when that\ndelicate and excellent lady, the celebrated princess of Panchala, after\nhaving regaled with food the Brahmanas, her husbands and herself, may lie\ndown 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 well\nand attained the objects of thy desire. And by good luck it is that thy\nenemies 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\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 mothers 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 welcome.\nAnd the king said unto him, 'Return quick, O adorable sir, after\nperforming thy diurnal ablutions and observances.' And that sinless Muni,\nnot knowing how the king would be able to provide a feast for him and his\ndisciples, proceeded with the latter to perform his ablutions. And that\nhost of the Muni, of subdued passions, went into the stream for\nperforming their ablutions. Meanwhile, O king, the excellent princess\nDraupadi, devoted to her husbands, was in great anxiety about the food\n(to be provided for the Munis). And when after much anxious thought she\ncame to the conclusion that means there were none for providing a feast,\nshe inwardly prayed to Krishna, the slayer of Kansa. And the princess\nsaid, 'Krishna, O Krishna, of mighty arms, O son of Devaki, whose power\nis inexhaustible, O Vasudeva, O lord of the Universe, who dispellest the\ndifficulties of those that bow down to thee, thou art the soul, the\ncreator and the destroyer of the Universe. Thou, O lord, art\ninexhaustible and the saviour of the afflicted. Thou art the preserver of\nthe Universe and of all created beings. Thou art the highest of the high,\nand the spring of the mental perceptions Akuli and Chiti![88] O Supreme\nand Infinite Being, O giver of all good, be thou the refuge of the\nhelpless. O Primordial Being, incapable of being conceived by the soul or\nthe mental faculties or otherwise, thou art the ruler of all and the lord\nof Brahma. I seek thy protection. O god, thou art ever kindly disposed\ntowards those that take refuge in thee. Do thou cherish me with thy\nkindness. O thou with a complexion dark as the leaves of the blue lotus,\nand with eyes red as the corolla of the lily, and attired in yellow robes\nwith, besides, the bright Kaustubha gem in thy bosom, thou art the\nbeginning and the end of creation, and the great refuge of all. Thou art\nthe supreme light and essence of the Universe! Thy face is directed\ntowards every point. They call thee Supreme Germ and the depository of\nall treasures. Under thy protections, O lord of the gods, all evils lose\ntheir terror. As thou didst protect me before from Dussasana, do thou\nextricate me now from this difficulty.\"\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, thou 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 much\nafflicted with hunger, do thou give me some food without delay, and then\nthou mayst go about thy work.' At these words of Kesava, Krishna became\nconfused, and replied unto him, saying, 'The sun-given vessel remains\nfull till I finish my meal. But as I have already taken my meal today,\nthere is no food in it now. Then that lotus-eyed and adorable being said\nunto Krishna, 'This is no time for jest, O Krishna.--I am much distressed\nwith hunger, go thou quickly to fetch the vessel and show it to me.' When\nKesava, that ornament of the Yadu's race, had the vessel brought unto\nhim,--with such persistence, he looked into it and saw a particle of rice\nand vegetable sticking at its rim. And swallowing it he said unto her,\n'May it please the god Hari, the soul of the Universe, and may that god\nwho partaketh at sacrifices, be satiated with this.' Then the long-armed\nKrishna, that soother of miseries, said unto Bhimasena, 'Do thou speedily\ninvite the Munis to dinner. Then, O good king, the celebrated Bhimasena\nquickly went to invite all those Munis, Durvasa and others, who had gone\nto the nearest stream of transparent and cool water to perform their\nablutions. Meanwhile, these ascetics, having plunged into the river, were\nrubbing their bodies and observing that they all felt their stomachs to\nbe full. And coming out of the stream, they began to stare at one\nanother. And turning towards Durvasa, all those ascetics observed,\n'Having bade the king make our meals ready, we have come hither for a\nbath. But how, O regenerate Rishi, can we eat anything now, for our\nstomachs seem to be full to the throat. The repast hath been uselessly\nprepared for us. What is the best thing to be done now?' Durvasa replied,\n'By spoiling the repast, we have done a great wrong to that royal sage,\nking Yudhishthira. Would not the Pandavas destroy us by looking down upon\nus with angry eyes? I know the royal sage Yudhishthira to be possessed of\ngreat ascetic power. Ye Brahmanas, I am afraid of men that are devoted to\nHari. The high-souled Pandavas are all religious men, learned, war-like,\ndiligent in ascetic austerities and religious observances, devoted to\nVasudeva, and always observant of rules of good conduct. If provoked,\nthey can consume us with their wrath as fire doth a bale of cotton.\nTherefore, ye disciples, do ye all run away quickly without seeing them\n(again)!\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"All those Brahmanas, thus advised by their\nascetic preceptor, became greatly afraid of the Pandavas and fled away in\nall directions. Then Bhimasena not beholding those excellent Munis in the\ncelestial river, made a search after them here and there at all the\nlanding places. And learning from the ascetics of those places that they\nhad 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 facts?' 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\nRishi, 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 Durvasa.\nAfraid of your ascetic powers, he hath made himself scarce ere this.\nVirtuous men never suffer. I now ask your permission to let me return\nhome. May you always be prosperous!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Hearing Kesava's words, the sons of Pritha, with\nDraupadi, became easy in mind. And cured of their fever (of anxiety),\nthey said unto him, 'As persons drowning in the wide ocean safely reach\nthe shore by means of a boat, so have we, by thy aid, O lord Govinda,\nescaped from this inextricable difficulty. Do thou now depart in peace,\nand may prosperity be thine.' Thus dismissed, he repaired to his capital\nand the Pandavas too, O blessed lord, wandering from forest to forest\npassed their days merrily with Draupadi. Thus, O king, have I related to\nthee the story which thou askedest me to repeat. And it was thus that the\nmachinations of the wicked sons of Dhritarashtra about the Pandavas in\nthe forest, were frustrated.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCLXII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"These great warriors of the race of Bharata sojourned\nlike immortals in the great forest of Kamyaka, employed in hunting and\npleased with the sight of numerous wild tracts of country and wide\nreaches of woodland, gorgeous with flowers blossoming in season. And the\nsons of Pandu, each like unto Indra and the terror of his enemies, dwelt\nthere for some time. And one day those valiant men, the conquerors of\ntheir foes, went about in all directions in search of game for feeding\nthe Brahmanas in their company, leaving Draupadi alone at the hermitage,\nwith the permission of the great ascetic Trinavindu, resplendent with\nascetic grandeur, and of their spiritual guide Dhaumya. Meanwhile, the\nfamous king of Sindhu, the son of Vriddhakshatra was, with a view to\nmatrimony, proceeding to the kingdom of Salwa, dressed in his best royal\napparel and accompanied by numerous princes. And the prince halted in the\nwoods of Kamyaka. And in that secluded place, he found the beautiful\nDraupadi, the beloved and celebrated wife of the Pandavas, standing at\nthe threshold of the hermitage. And she looked grand in the superb beauty\nof her form, and seemed to shed a lustre on the woodland around, like\nlightning illuminating masses of dark clouds. And they who saw her asked\nthemselves, 'Is this an Apsara, or a daughter of the gods, or a celestial\nphantom?' And with this thought, their hands also joined together. They\nstood gazing on the perfect and faultless beauty of her form. And\nJayadratha, the king of Sindhu, and the son of Vriddhakshatra, struck\nwith amazement at the sight of that lady of faultless beauty, was seized\nwith an evil intention. And inflamed with desire, he said to the prince\nnamed Kotika, 'Whose is this lady of faultless form? Is she of the human\nkind? I have no need to marry if I can secure this exquisitely beautiful\ncreature. Taking her with me, I shall go back to my abode, Oh sir, and\nenquire who she is and whence she has come and why also that delicate\nbeing hath come into this forest beset with thorns. Will this ornament of\nwomankind, this slender-waisted lady of so much beauty, endued with\nhandsome teeth and large eyes, accept me as her lord? I shall certainly\nregard myself successful, if I obtain the hand of this excellent lady.\nGo, Kotika, and enquire who her husband may be.' Thus asked, Kotika,\nwearing a kundala, jumped out of his chariot and came near her, as a\njackal approacheth a tigress, and spake unto her these words.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCLXIII\n\nKotika said, \"Excellent lady, who art thou that standest alone, leaning\non a branch of the Kadamva tree at this hermitage and looking grand like\na 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\nDanavi, or an excellent Apsara, or the wife of a Daitya, or a daughter of\nthe Naga king, or a Rakshasi or the wife of Varuna, or of Yama, or of\nSoma, or of Kuvera, who, having assumed a human form, wanderest in these\nforests. Or, hast thou come from the mansions of Dhatri, or of Vidhatri,\nor of Savitri, or of Vibhu, or of Sakra? Thou dost not ask us who we are,\nnor do we know who protects thee here! Respectfully do we ask thee, good\nlady, who is thy powerful father, and, O, do tell us truly the names of\nthy husband, thy relatives, and thy race, and tell us also what thou dost\nhere. As for us, I am king Suratha's son whom people know by the name of\nKotika, and that man with eyes large as the petals of the lotus, sitting\non a chariot of gold, like the sacrificial fire on the altar, is the\nwarrior known by the name of Kshemankara, king of Trigarta. And behind\nhim is the famous son of the king of Pulinda, who is even now gazing on\nthee. Armed with a mighty bow and endued with large eyes, and decorated\nwith floral wreaths, he always liveth on the breasts of mountains. The\ndark and handsome young man, the scourge of his enemies, standing at the\nedge of that tank, is the son of Suvala of the race of Ikshwaku. And if,\nO excellent lady, thou hast ever heard the name of Jayadratha, the king\nof Sauviras, even he is there at the head of six thousand chariots, with\nhorses and elephants and infantry, and followed by twelve Sauvira princes\nas his standard-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 of\nthem looking like the fire on the sacrificial altar. The brothers also of\nthe king, viz., the powerful Valahaka, Anika, Vidarana and others, are\namong his followers. These strong-limbed and noble youths are the flowers\nof the Sauvira chivalry. The king is journeying in the company of these\nhis friends, like Indra surrounded by the Maruts. O fine-haired lady, do\ntell us that are unacquainted (with these matters), whose wife and whose\ndaughter thou art.\"\n\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 blanch 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 unto\nthee, remembering the usages of my sex. I have learned, O Saivya, that\nthou 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 renowned\nrace. I am the daughter of king Drupada, and people know me by the name\nof Krishna, and I have accepted as my husbands, five persons of whom you\nmay have heard while they were living at Kahandavaprastha. Those noble\npersons, viz., Yudhishthira, Bhimasena, Arjuna, and the two sons of\nMadri, 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\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 me,\nO Saivya, if that excellent lady is of the human kind.' Kotika replied,\n'This lady is the famous princess Krishna, the daughter of Drupada, and\nthe celebrated wife of the five sons of Pandu. She is the much esteemed\nand beloved and chaste wife of the sons of Pritha. Taking her with thee,\ndo 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 Draupadi.'\nAnd with six other men he entered that solitary hermitage, like a wolf\nentering the den of a lion. And he said unto Krishna, 'Hail to thee,\nexcellent 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\nNanku deer, and does, and antelopes, and Sarabhas, and rabbits, and Ruru\ndeer, and bears, and Samvara deer and gayals and many other animals,\nbesides wild boars and buffaloes and other animals of the quadruped\ntribe.' Hearing this Jayadratha replied, saying, 'All is well with me. By\noffering to provide our breakfast, thou hast in a manner actually done\nit. Come now and ride my chariot and be completely happy. For it becomes\nnot thee to have any regard for the miserable sons of Pritha who are\nliving in the woods, whose energies have been paralysed, whose kingdom\nhath been snatched and whose fortunes are at the lowest ebb. A woman of\nsense like thee doth not attach herself to a husband that is poor. She\nshould follow her lord when he is in prosperity but abandon him when in\nadversity. The sons of Pandu have for ever fallen away from their high\nstate, and have lost their kingdom for all time to come. Thou hast no\nneed, therefore, to partake of their misery from any regard for them.\nTherefore, O thou of beautiful hips, forsaking the sons of Pandu, be\nhappy by becoming my wife, and share thou with me the kingdoms of Sindhu\nand 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 expecting\nthe return of her husband, began, with long speeches, to beguile him\ncompletely.\"\n\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 never\nwaver in fight with even hosts of Yakshas and Rakshasas? O Sauvira, good\nmen never speak ill of learned persons devoted to austerities and endued\nwith learning, no matter whether they live in the wilderness or in\nhouses. It is only wretches that are mean as thou who do so. Methinks\nthere is none in this assemblage of Kshatriya, who is capable of holding\nthee by the hand to save thee from falling into the pit thou openest\nunder thy feet. In hoping to vanquish king Yudhishthira the just, thou\nreally hopest to separate, stick in hand, from a herd roaming in\nHimalayan valleys, its leader, huge as a mountain peak and with the\ntemporal juice trickling down its rent temples. Out of childish folly\nthou art kicking up into wakefulness the powerful lion lying asleep, in\norder to pluck the hair from off his face! Thou shalt, however, have to\nrun away when thou seest Bhimasena in wrath! Thy courting a combat with\nthe furious Jishnu may be likened to thy kicking up a mighty, terrible,\nfull-grown and furious lion asleep in a mountain cave. The encounter thou\nspeakest of with those two excellent youths--the younger Pandavas--is\nlike unto the act of a fool that wantonly trampleth on the tails of two\nvenomous black cobras with bifurcated tongues. The bamboo, the reed, and\nthe plantain bear fruit only to perish and not to grow in size any\nfurther. Like also the crab that conceiveth for her own destruction, thou\nwilt lay hands upon me who am protected by these mighty heroes!'\n\nJayadratha 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.[89] 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 thou\ncanst not baffle us with thy words alone; or, speaking less boastfully,\nseek thou the mercy of the king of the Sauviras!'\n\nDraupadi replied, \"Though I am so powerful, why doth the king of Sauvira\nyet consider me so powerless. Well-known as I am, I cannot, from fear of\nviolence, demean myself before that prince. Even Indra himself cannot\nabduct her for whose protection Krishna and Arjuna would together follow,\nriding in the same chariot. What shall I say, therefore, of a weak human\nbeing. When Kiriti, that slayer of foes, riding on his car, will, on my\naccount, enter thy ranks, striking terror into every heart, he will\nconsume everything around like fire consuming a stack of dry grass in\nsummer. The warring princes of the Andhaka and the Vrishni races, with\nJanardana at their head, and the mighty bowmen of the Kaikeya tribe, will\nall follow in my wake with great ardour. The terrible arrows of\nDhananjaya, shot from the string of the Gandiva and propelled by his arms\nfly with great force through the air, roaring like the very clouds. And\nwhen thou wilt behold Arjuna shooting from the Gandiva a thick mass of\nmighty arrows like unto a flight of locusts, then wilt thou repent of\nthine own folly! Bethink thyself of what thou wilt feel when that warrior\narmed with the Gandiva, blowing his conch-shell and with gloves\nreverberating with the strokes of his bowstring will again and again\npierce thy breast with his shafts. And when Bhima will advance towards\nthee, mace in hand and the two sons of Madri range in all directions,\nvomiting forth the venom of their wrath, thou wilt then experience pangs\nof keen regret that will last for ever. As I have never been false to my\nworthy lords even in thought, so by that merit shall I now have the\npleasure of beholding thee vanquished and dragged by the sons of Pritha.\nThou canst not, cruel as thou art, frighten me by seizing me with\nviolence, for as soon as those Kuru warriors will espy me they will bring\nme 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 sinful\nwretch fell upon the ground like a tree severed from its roots. Seized,\nhowever, once more by him with great violence, she began to pant for\nbreath. And dragged by the wretch, Krishna at last ascended his chariot\nhaving worshipped Dhaumya's feet. And Dhaumya then addressed Jayadratha\nand said, 'Do thou, O Jayadratha, observe the ancient custom of the\nKshatriyas. Thou canst not carry her off without having vanquished those\ngreat warriors. Without doubt, thou shalt reap the painful fruits of this\nthy despicable act, when thou encounterest the heroic sons of Pandu with\nYudhishthira 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\n\nSECTION CCLXVII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"Meanwhile those foremost of bowmen on the face of the\nearth, 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 men,\nas a kingdom reft of king and prosperity, even so doth the forest of\nKamyaka seem to me.' Thus addressed, those heroic warriors drove towards\ntheir abode, on great cars of handsome make and drawn by steeds of the\nSaindharva breed exceedingly fleet and possessed of the speed of the\nhurricane. And on their way back, they beheld a jackal yelling hideously\non the wayside towards their left. And king Yudhishthira, regarding it\nattentively, said unto Bhima and Dhananjaya, 'This jackal that belongs to\na very inferior species of animals, speaking to our left, speaketh a\nlanguage which plainly indicates that the sinful Kurus, disregarding us,\nhave commenced to oppress us by resorting to violence.' After the sons of\nPandu had given up the chase and said these words, they entered the grove\nwhich contained their hermitage. And there they found their beloved one's\nmaid, the girl Dhatreyika, sobbing and weeping. And Indrasena then\nquickly alighting from the chariot and advancing with hasty steps towards\nher, questioned her, O king, in great distress of mind, saying, 'What\nmakes thee weep thus, lying on the ground, and why is thy face so\nwoe-begone and colourless? I hope no cruel wretches have done any harm to\nthe princess Draupadi possessed of incomparable beauty and large eyes and\nwho is the second self of every one of those bulls of the Kuru race? So\nanxious hath been Dharma's son that if the princess hath entered the\nbowels of the earth or hath soared to heaven or dived into the bottom of\nthe ocean, he and his brothers will go thither in pursuit of her. Who\ncould that fool be that would carry away that priceless jewel belonging\nto the mighty and ever-victorious sons of Pandu, those grinders of foes,\nand which is dear unto them as their own lives? I don't know who the\nperson could be that would think of carrying away that princess who hath\nsuch powerful protectors and who is even like a walking embodiment of the\nhearts of the sons of Pandu? Piercing whose breasts will terrible shafts\nstick to the ground to-day? Do not weep for her, O timid girl, for know\nthou that Krishna will come back this very day, and the sons of Pritha,\nhaving slain their foes, will again be united with Yagnaseni!' Thus\naddressed by him, Dhatreyika, wiping her beautiful face, replied unto\nIndrasena the charioteer, saying, 'Disregarding the five Indra-like sons\nof Pandu, Jayadratha hath carried away Krishna by force. The track\npursued by him hath not yet disappeared, for the broken branches of trees\nhave not yet faded. Therefore, turn your cars and follow her quickly, for\nthe princess cannot have gone far by this time! Ye warriors possessed of\nthe prowess 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 of\nher cheeks, she yields herself up to an undeserving wight, even as one\npoureth forth, from the sacrificial ladle, the sanctified oblation on a\nheap of ashes. O, see that the clarified butter is not poured into an\nunigniting fire of paddy chaff; that a garland of flowers is not thrown\naway in a cemetery. O, take care that the Soma juice of a sacrifice is\nnot licked up by a dog through the carelessness of the officiating\npriests! O, let not the lily be rudely torn by a jackal roaming for its\nprey in the impenetrable forest. O, let no inferior wight touch with his\nlips the bright and beautiful face of your wife, fair as the beams of the\nmoon and adorned with the finest nose and the handsomest eyes, like a dog\nlicking clarified butter kept in the sacrificial pot! Do ye speed in this\ntrack and let not time steal a march on you.'\n\nYudhishthira said, 'Retire, good woman, and control thy tongue. Speak not\nthis way before us. Kings or princes, whoever are infatuated with the\npossession 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 then\nthey observed a cloud of dust raised by the hoofs of the steeds belonging\nto Jayadratha's army. And they also saw Dhaumya in the midst of the\nravisher's infantry, exhorting Bhima to quicken his steps. Then those\nprinces (the sons of Pandu) with hearts undepressed, bade him be of good\ncheer and said unto him, 'Do thou return cheerfully!'--And then they\nrushed towards that host with great fury, like hawks swooping down on\ntheir prey. And possessed of the prowess of Indra, they had been filled\nwith fury at the insult offered to Draupadi. But at sight of Jayadratha\nand of their beloved wife seated on his car, their fury knew no bounds.\nAnd those mighty bowmen, Bhima and Dhananjaya and the twin brothers and\nthe king, called out Jayadratha to stop, upon which the enemy was so\nbewildered as to lose their knowledge of directions.\"\n\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 slighest anxiety or fear from thee! That warrior\nat the top of whose flagstaff two handsome and sonorous tabours called\nNanda and Upananda are constantly played upon,--he, O Sauvira chief, hath\na correct knowledge of the morality of his own acts. Men that have\nattained success always walk in his train. With a complexion like that of\npure gold, possessed of a prominent nose and large eyes, and endued with\na slender make, that husband of mine is known among people by the name of\nYudhishthira, the son of Dharma and the foremost of the Kuru race. That\nvirtuous prince of men granteth life to even a foe that yields.\nTherefore, O fool, throwing down thy arms and joining thy hands, run to\nhim for thy good, to seek his protection. And that other man whom thou\nseest with long arms and tall as the full-grown Sala tree, seated on his\nchariot, biting his lips, and contracting his forehead so as to bring the\ntwo eye-brows together, is he,--my husband Vrikodara! Steeds of the\nnoblest breed, plump and strong, well-trained and endued with great\nmight, draw the cars of that warrior! His achievements are superhuman. He\nis known, therefore, by the name of Bhima on earth. They that offend him\nare never suffered to live. He never forgetteth a foe. On some pretext or\nother he wrecketh his vengeance. Nor is he pacified even after he has\nwrecked a signal vengeance. And there, that foremost of bowmen, endued\nwith intelligence and renown, with senses under complete control and\nreverence for the old--that brother and disciple of Yudhishthira--is my\nhusband Dhananjaya! Virtue he never forsaketh, from lust or fear or\nanger! Nor doth he ever commit a deed that is cruel. Endued with the\nenergy of fire and capable of withstanding every foe, that grinder of\nenemies is the son of Kunti. And that other youth, versed in every\nquestion of morality and profit, who ever dispelleth the fears of the\naffrighted, who is endued with high wisdom, who is considered as the\nhandsomest person in the whole world and who is protected by all the sons\nof Pandu, being regarded by them as dearer to them than their own lives\nfor his unflinching devotion to them, is my husband Nakula possessed of\ngreat prowess. Endued with high wisdom and having Sahadeva for his\nsecond, possessed of exceeding lightness of hand, he fighteth with the\nsword, making dexterous passes therewith. Thou, foolish man, shall\nwitness today his performances on the field of battle, like unto those of\nIndra amid 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 soul,\nhe is always mindful of the duties of Kshatriyas, and would much sooner\nrush into fire or sacrifice his own life than say anything that is\nopposed to religion and morals. When the sons of Pandu will have killed\nthy warriors in battle, then wilt thou behold thy army in the miserable\nplight of a ship on the sea wrecked with its freight of jewels on the\nback of a whale. Thus have I described unto thee the prowess of the sons\nof Pandu, disregarding whom in thy foolishness, thou hast acted so. If\nthou escapest unscathed from them, then, indeed thou wilt have obtained a\nnew 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\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 of\nthe 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 the\nSaindhava monarch doomed to death. But Kotikakhya, speedily surrounding\nVrikodara with an array of mighty charioteers, interposed between and\nseparated the combatants. And Bhima, though assailed with numberless\nspears and clubs and iron arrows hurled at him by the strong arms of\nhostile heroes, did not waver for one moment. On the other hand, he\nkilled, with his mace, an elephant with its driver and fourteen\nfoot-soldiers fighting in the front of Jayadratha's car. And Arjuna also,\ndesirous 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 of\nthe best warriors of the Sauviras. And Nakula too, sword in hand, jumping\nout of his chariot, scattered in a moment, like a tiller sowing seeds,\nthe heads of the combatants fighting in the rear. And Sahadeva from his\nchariot began to fell with his iron shafts, many warriors fighting on\nelephants, like birds dropped from the boughs of a tree. Then the king of\nTrigartas, bow in hand descending from his great chariot, killed the four\nsteeds of the king with his mace. But Kunti's son, king Yudhishthira the\njust, seeing the foe approach so near, and fighting on foot, pierced his\nbreast with a crescent-shaped arrow. And that hero, thus wounded in the\nbreast began to vomit blood, and fell down upon the ground besides\nPritha's son, like an uprooted tree. And king Yudhishthira the just,\nwhose steeds had been slain taking this opportunity, descended with\nIndrasena from his chariot and mounted that of Sahadeva. And the two\nwarriors, Kshemankara and Mahamuksha, singling out Nakula, began to pour\non him from both sides a perfect shower of keen-edged arrows. The son of\nMadri, however, succeeded in slaying, with a couple of long shafts, both\nthose warriors who had been pouring on him an arrowy shower--like clouds\nin the rainy season. Suratha, the king of Trigartas, well-versed in\nelephant-charges, approaching the front of Nakula's chariot, caused it to\nbe dragged by the elephant he rode. But Nakula, little daunted at this,\nleaped out of his chariot, and securing a point of vantage, stood shield\nand sword in hand, immovable as a hill. Thereupon Suratha, wishing to\nslay Nakula at once, urged towards him his huge and infuriate elephant\nwith trunk upraised. But when the beast came near, Nakula with his sword\nsevered from his head both trunk and tusks. And that mail-clad elephant,\nuttering a frightful roar, fell headlong upon the ground, crushing its\nriders by the fall. And having achieved this daring feat, heroic son of\nMadri, getting up on Bhimasena's car, obtained a little rest. And Bhima\ntoo, seeing prince Kotikakhya rush to the encounter, cut off the head of\nhis charioteer with a horse-shoe arrow. That prince did not even perceive\nthat his driver was killed by his strong-armed adversary, and his horses,\nno longer restrained by a driver, ran about on the battle-field in all\ndirections. And seeing that prince without a driver turn his back, that\nforemost of smiters, Bhima the son of Pandu, went up to him and slew him\nwith a bearded dart. And Dhananjaya also cut off with his sharp\ncrescent-shaped arrows, the heads, as well as the bows of all the twelve\nSauvira heroes. And the great warrior killed in battle, with the arrow,\nthe leaders of the Ikshwakus and the hosts of Sivis and Trigartas and\nSaindhavas. And a great many elephants with their colours, and chariots\nwith standards, were seen to fall by the hand of Arjuna. And heads\nwithout trunks, and trunks without heads, lay covering the entire field\nof battle. And dogs, and herons and ravens, and crows, and falcons, and\njackals, and vultures, feasted on the flesh and blood of warriors slain\non that field. And when Jayadratha, the king of Sindhu, saw that his\nwarriors were slain, he became terrified and anxious to run away leaving\nKrishna behind. And in that general confusion, the wretch, setting down\nDraupadi there, fled for his life, pursuing the same forest path by which\nhe had come. 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 began\nto mow down with his iron-arrows such of his followers as were running\naway striking each trooper down after naming him. But Arjuna perceiving\nthat Jayadratha had run away exhorted his brother to refrain from\nslaughtering the remnant of the Saindhava host. And Arjuna said, 'I do\nnot find on the field of battle Jayadratha through whose fault alone we\nhave 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 the\nenemy'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 not\nlet alone as long as he lives, even if he find a shelter in the internal\nregions or is backed by Indra himself! And Yudhishthira replied, saying,\n'O thou of mighty arms remembering (our sister) Dussala and the\ncelebrated Gandhari, thou shouldst not slay the king of Sindhu even\nthough 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, even\nthough 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 Brahmanas\nwere gravely bewailing the lot of Draupadi, Yudhishthira endued with\ngreat wisdom joined their company, with his brothers. And beholding the\nking thus come back after having defeated the Saindhava and the Sauvira\nhost and recovered Draupadi, they were all elated with joy! And the king\ntook his seat in their midst. And the excellent princess Krishna entered\nthe 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 Jayadratha\nalthough they were full two miles ahead of them. Armed with celestial\nweapons undaunted by difficulties he achieved this difficult feat with\narrows inspired with Mantras. And then the two warriors, Bhima and\nArjuna, rushed towards the terrified king of Sindhu whose horses had been\nslain and who was alone and perplexed in mind. And the latter was greatly\ngrieved on seeing his steeds slain. And beholding Dhananjaya do such a\ndaring deed, and intent on running away, he followed the same forest\ntrack by which he had come. And Falguna, seeing the Saindhava chief so\nactive in his fright, overtook him and addressed him saying, 'Possessed\nof so little manliness, how couldst thou dare to take away a lady by\nforce? Turn round, O prince; it is not meet that thou shouldst run away!\nHow canst thou act so, leaving thy followers in the midst of thy foes?'\nAlthough addressed by the sons of Pritha thus, the monarch of Sindhu did\nnot even once turn round. And then bidding him to what he chose the\nmighty Bhima overtook him in an instant, but the kind Arjuna entreated\nhim not to kill that wretch.\"\n\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 Falguna 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 Krishna,\nwho never can bear such treatment. He, therefore, deserveth to die at\nhands! But what can I do? The king is always overflowing with mercy, and\nthou, too, art constantly putting obstacles in my way from a childish\nsense of virtue!' Having said these words, Vrikodara, with his\ncrescent-shaped arrow, shaved the hair of the prince's head, heaving five\ntufts in as many places. Jayadratha uttered not a word at this. Then\nVrikodara, addressing the foe said, 'If thou wishest to live, listen to\nme. O fool! I shall tell thee the means to attain that wish! In public\nassemblies and in open courts thou must say,--I am the slave of the\nPandavas.--on this condition alone, I will pardon thee thy life! This is\nthe customary rule of conquest on the field of battle.' Thus addressed\nand treated, king Jayadratha said to the mighty and fierce warrior who\nalways looked awful, 'Be it so!' And he was trembling and senseless and\nbegrimed with dust. Then Arjuna and Vrikodara, securing him with chains,\nthrust him into a chariot. And Bhima, himself mounting that chariot, and\naccompanied by Arjuna, drove towards the hermitage. And approaching\nYudhishthira seated there, he placed Jayadratha in that condition before\nthe king. And the king, smiling, told him to set the Sindhu prince at\nliberty. Then Bhima said unto the king, 'Do thou tell Draupadi that this\nwretch hath become the slave of the Pandavas.' Then his eldest brother\nsaid unto him affectionately, 'If thou hast any regard for us, do thou\nset this wretch at liberty!' And Draupadi too, reading the king's mind,\nsaid, 'Let him off! He hath become a slave of the king's and thou, too,\nhast disfigured him by leaving five tufts of hair on his head.' Then that\ncrest-fallen prince, having obtained his liberty, approached king\nYudhishthira and bowed down unto him. And seeing those Munis there, he\nsaluted them also. Then the kind-hearted king Yudhishthira, the son of\nDharma, beholding Jayadratha in that condition, almost supported by\nArjuna, said unto him, 'Thou art a free man now; I emancipate thee! Now\ngo away and be careful not to do such thing again; shame to thee! Thou\nhadst intended to take away a lady by violence, even though thou art so\nmean and powerless! What other wretch save thee would think of acting\nthus?\" Then that foremost king of Bharata's race eyed with pity that\nperpetrator of wicked deeds, and believing that he had lost his senses,\nsaid, 'Mayst thy heart grow in virtue! Never set thy heart again on\nimmoral deeds! Thou mayst depart in peace now with thy charioteers,\ncavalry and infantry.' Thus addressed by Yudhishthira, the prince, O\nBharata, was overpowered with shame, and bending down his head, he\nsilently and sorrowfully wended his way to the place where the Ganga\ndebouches on the plains. And imploring the protection of the god of three\neyes, the consort of Uma, he did severe penance at that place. And the\nthree-eyed god, pleased with his austerities deigned to accept his\nofferings in person. And he also granted him a boon! Do thou listen, O\nmonarch, how the prince received that boon! Jayadratha, addressing that\ngod, asked the boon, 'May I be able to defeat in battle all the five sons\nof Pandu on their chariots!' The god, however, told him 'This cannot be.'\nAnd Maheswara said, 'None can slay or conquer them in battle. Save\nArjuna, however, thou shall be able to only check them (once) on the\nfield of battle! The heroic Arjuna, with mighty arms, is the god\nincarnate styled Nara. He practised austerities of old in the Vadari\nforest. The God Narayana is his friend. Therefore, he is unconquerable of\nthe very gods. I myself have given him the celestial weapon called\nPasupata. From the regents also of all the ten cardinal points, he has\nacquired the thunder-bolt and other mighty weapons. And the great god\nVishnu who is the Infinite Spirit, the Lord Preceptor of all the gods, is\nthe Supreme Being without attributes, and the Soul of the Universe, and\nexisteth pervading the whole creation. At the termination of a cycle of\nages, assuming the shape of the all-consuming fire, he consumed the whole\nUniverse with mountains and seas and islands and hills and woods and\nforests. And after the destruction of the Naga world also in the\nsubterranean regions in the same way, vast masses of many-coloured and\nloud-pealing clouds, with streaks of lightning, spreading along the\nentire welkin, had appeared on high. Then pouring down water in torrents\nthick as axles of cars, and filling the space everywhere, these\nextinguishing that all-consuming fire! When at the close of four thousand\nYugas the Earth thus became flooded with water, like one vast sea, and\nall mobile creatures were hushed in death, and the sun and the moon and\nthe winds were all destroyed, and the Universe was devoid of planets and\nstars, the Supreme Being called Narayana, unknowable by the senses,\nadorned with a thousand heads and as many eyes and legs, became desirous\nof rest. And the serpent Sesha, looking terrible with his thousand hoods,\nand shining with the splendour of ten thousand suns, and white as the\nKunda 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 of\nNarayana. \"Water was created by (the Rishi) Nara, and it formed his\ncorpus; therefore do we hear it styled as Nara. And because it formed his\nAyana (resting-place) therefore is he known as Narayana.\" As soon as that\neverlasting Being was engaged in meditation for the re-creation of the\nUniverse, a lotus flower instantaneously came into existence from his\nnavel, and the four-faced Brahma came out of that navel-lotus. And then\nthe Grandsire of all creatures, seating himself on that flower and\nfinding that the whole Universe was a blank, created in his own likeness,\nand from his will, the (nine) great Rishis, Marichi and others. And these\nin their turn observing the same thing, completed the creation, by\ncreating Yakshas, Rakshas, Pisachas, reptiles, men, and all mobile and\nimmobile creatures. The Supreme Spirit hath three conditions. In the form\nof Brahma, he is the Creator, and in the form of Vishnu he is the\nPreserver, and in his form as Rudra, he is the Destroyer of the Universe!\nO king of Sindhu, hast thou not heard of the wonderful achievements of\nVishnu, described to thee by the Munis and the Brahmanas learned in the\nVedas? When the world was thus reduced to one vast sea of water, with\nonly the heavens above, the Lord, like a fire-fly at night-time during\nthe rainy season, moved about hither and thither in search of stable\nground, with the view of rehabilitating his creation, and became desirous\nof raising the Earth submerged in water. What shape shall I take to\nrescue the Earth from this flood?--So thinking and contemplating with\ndivine insight, he bethought himself of the shape of a wild boar fond of\nsporting in water. And assuming the shape of a sacrificial boar shining\nwith effulgence and instinct with the Vedas and ten Yojanas in length,\nwith pointed tusks and a complexion like dark clouds, and with a body\nhuge as a mountain, and roaring like a conglomeration of clouds, the Lord\nplunged into the waters, and lifted up the Earth with one of his tusks,\nand replaced it in its proper sphere. At another time, the mighty Lord,\nassuming a wonderful form with a body half lion, half man, and squeezing\nhis hands, repaired to the court of the ruler of the Daityas. That\nprogenitor of the Daityas, the son of Diti, who was the enemy of the\n(gods), beholding the Lord's peculiar form, burst out into passion and\nhis eyes became inflamed with rage. And Hiranya-Kasipu, the war-like son\nof Diti and the enemy of the gods, adorned with garlands and looking like\na mass of dark clouds, taking up his trident in hand and roaring like the\nclouds, rushed on that being half lion, half man. Then that powerful king\nof wild beasts, half man, half lion, taking a leap in the air, instantly\nrent the Daitya in twain by means of his sharp claws. And the adorable\nlotus-eyed Lord of great effulgence, having thus slain the Daitya king\nfor the well-being of all creatures, again took his birth in the womb of\nAditi as son of Kasyapa. And at the expiration of a thousand years she\nwas delivered of that superhuman conception. And then was born that\nBeing, of the hue of rain-charged clouds with bright eyes and of dwarfish\nstature. He had the ascetic's staff and water-pot in hand, and was marked\nwith the emblem of a curl of hair on the breast. And that adorable Being\nwore matted locks and the sacrificial thread, and he was stout and\nhandsome and resplendent with lustre. And that Being, arriving at the\nsacrificial enclosure of Vali, king of the Danavas, entered the\nsacrificial assembly with the aid of Vrihaspati. And beholding that\ndwarf-bodied Being, Vali was well-pleased and said unto him, 'I am glad\nto see thee, O Brahmana! Say what is it that thou wantest from me!' Thus\naddressed by Vali, the dwarf-god replied with a smile, saying, 'So be it!\nDo thou, lord of the Danavas, give me three paces of ground!' And Vali\ncontented to give what that Brahmana of infinite power had asked. And\nwhile measuring with his paces the space he sought. Hari assumed a\nwonderful and extraordinary form. And with only three paces he instantly\ncovered this illimitable world. And then that everlasting God, Vishnu,\ngave it away unto Indra. This history which has just been related to\nthee, is celebrated as the 'Incarnation of the Dwarf', And from him, all\nthe gods had their being, and after him the world is said to be\nVaishnava, or pervaded by Vishnu. And for the destruction of the wicked\nand the preservation of religion, even He hath taken his birth among men\nin the race of the Yadus. And the adorable Vishnu is styled Krishna.\nThese, O king of Sindhu, are the achievements of the Lord whom all the\nworlds worship and whom the learned describe as without beginning and\nwithout end, unborn and Divine! They call Him, the unconquerable Krishna\nwith conchshell, discus and mace, and adorned with the emblem of a curl\nof hair, Divine, clad in silken robes of yellow hue, and the best of\nthose versed in the art of war. Arjuna is protected by Krishna the\npossessor of these attributes. That glorious and lotus-eyed Being of\ninfinite power, that slayer of hostile heroes, riding in the same chariot\nwith Pritha's son, protecteth him! He is, therefore, invincible; the very\ngods cannot resist his power, still less can one with human attributes\nvanquish the son of Pritha in battle! Therefore, O king, thou must let\nhim alone! Thou shalt, however, be able to vanquish for a single day\nonly, the rest of Yudhishthira's forces along with thine enemies--the\nfour sons of Pandu!\"\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 having\nfrightful eyes and ears and uplifted arms, vanished, O tiger among kings,\nfrom that place with his consort Uma! And the wicked Jayadratha also\nreturned home, and the sons of Pandu continued to dwell in the forest of\nKamyaka.\"\n\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\nMunis. And among those foremost of ascetics who were expressing their\ngrief upon bearing Draupadi's misfortune, Yudhishthira, the son of Pandu,\naddressed Markandeya, saying, 'O adorable Sire, amongst the gods and the\nascetics, thou art known to have the fullest knowledge of both the past\nas well as; the future. A doubt existeth in my mind, which I would ask\nthee to solve! This lady is the daughter of Drupada; she hath issued from\nthe sacrificial altar and hath not been begotten of the flesh; and she is\nhighly blessed and is also the daughter-in-law of the illustrious Pandu.\nI incline to think that Time, and human Destiny that dependeth on our\nacts, and the Inevitable, are irresistible in respect of creatures. (If\nit were not so), how could such a misfortune afflict this wife of ours so\nfaithful and virtuous, like a false accusation of theft against an honest\nman? The daughter of Drupada hath never committed any sinful act, nor,\nhath she done anything that is not commendable: on the contrary, she hath\nassiduously practised the highest virtues towards Brahmanas. And yet the\nfoolish king Jayadratha had carried her away by force. In consequence of\nthis act of violence on her, that sinful wretch hath his hair shaved off\nhis head and sustained also, with all his allies, defeat in battle. It is\ntrue we have rescued her after slaughtering the troops of Sindhu. But the\ndisgrace of this ravishment of our wife during our hours of carelessness,\nhath stained us, to be sure. This life in the wilderness is full of\nmiseries. We subsist by chase; and though dwelling in the woods, we are\nobliged to slay the denizens thereof that live with us! This exile also\nthat we suffer is due to the act of deceitful kinsmen! Is there any one\nwho is more unfortunate than I am? Hath thou ever seen or heard of such a\none before?\"\n\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 Aja\nsprung from me race of Ikshwaku. He had a son named Dasaratha who was\ndevoted to the study of the Vedas and was ever pure. And Dasaratha had\nfour 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 Kaikeyi,\nwhile those scourge of their enemies Lakshmana and Satrughna were the\nsons of Sumitra. And Janaka was the king of Videha, and Sita was his\ndaughter. And Tashtri himself created her, desiring to make her the\nbeloved wife of Rama. I have now told thee the history of both Rama's and\nSita's birth. And now, O king, I will relate unto thee birth of Ravana.\nThat Lord of all creatures and the Creator of the Universe viz., the\nSelf-create Prajapati himself--that god possessed of great ascetic\nmerit--is the grandfather of Ravana. And Pulastya hath a mighty son\ncalled Vaisravana begotten of a cow. But his son, leaving his father,\nwent to his grandfather. And, O king, angered at this, his father then\ncreated a second self of himself. And with half of his own self that\nregenerate one became born of Visrava for wrecking a vengeance on\nVaisravana. 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, which\nwas guarded by hosts of Rakshasas, and also a chariot called Pushpaka\ncapable of going everywhere according to the will of the rider. And the\nkingship of the Yakshas and the sovereignty over sovereigns were also\nhis.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCLXXIII\n\nMarkandeya said, \"The Muni named Visrava, who was begotten of half the\nsoul of Pulastya, in a fit of passion, began to look upon Vaisravana with\ngreat anger. But, O monarch, Kuvera, the king of the Rakshasas, knowing\nthat his father was angry with him, always sought to please him. And, O\nbest of Bharata's race, that king of kings living in Lanka, and borne\nupon the shoulders of men, sent three Rakshasa women to wait upon his\nfather. Their names, O king, were Pushpotkata, Raka and Malini. And they\nwere skilled in singing and dancing and were always assiduous in their\nattentions on that high-souled Rishi. And those slender-waisted ladies\nvied 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 unequalled 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 in\nbeauty. 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. And\nthe fierce Surpanakha was constant source of trouble to the ascetics. And\nthe warriors, learned in the Vedas and diligent in ceremonial rites, all\nlived with their father in the Gandhamadana. And there they beheld\nVaisravana seated with their father, possessed of riches and borne on the\nshoulders of men. And seized with jealousy, they resolved upon performing\npenances. And with ascetic penances of the most severe kind, they\ngratified Brahma. And the Ten-headed Ravana, supporting life by means of\nair alone and surrounded by the five sacred fires and absorbed in\nmeditation, remained standing on one leg for a thousand years. And\nKumvakarna with head downwards, and with restricted diet, was constant in\nausterities. And the wise and magnanimous Vibhishana, observing fasts and\nsubsisting only on dry leaves and engaged in meditation, practised severe\nausterities for a long period. And Khara and Surpanakha, with cheerful\nhearts, protected and attended on them while they were performing those\nausterities. And at the close of a thousand years, the invincible\nTen-headed One, cutting off his own heads, offered them as offering to\nthe sacred fire. And at this act of his, the Lord of the Universe was\npleased with him. And then Brahma, personally appearing to them, bade\nthem desist from those austerities and promised to grant boons unto every\none of them. And the adorable Brahma said, I am pleased with you, my\nsons! Cease now from these austerities and ask boons of me! Whatever your\ndesires may be, they, with the single exception of that of immortality,\nwill be fulfilled! As thou hast offered thy heads to the fire from great\nambition, they will again adorn thy body as before, according to thy\ndesire. And thy body will not be disfigured and thou shall be able to\nassume any form according to thy desire and become the conqueror of thy\nfoes in battle. There is no doubt of this!' thereupon Ravana said, 'May I\nnever experience 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 thee!\nSo 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 slightened human beings. Then the great Grandsire addressed\nKumbhakarna as before. His reason being clouded by darkness, he asked for\nlong-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 thee;\nit shall bear him who will slay thee in battle! And as thou hast insulted\nme, 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, and\ncapable also of passing through the air, attacked the gods and the\nDaityas and wrested from them all their valuable possessions. And as he\nhad terrified all creatures, he was called Ravana. And Ravana, capable of\nmustering any measure of might inspired the very gods with terror.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCLXXIV\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'Then the Brahmarshis, the Siddhas and the Devarshis,\nwith Havyavaha as their spokesman, sought the protection of Brahma. And\nAgni said, 'That powerful son of Visrava, the Ten-headed cannot be slain\non account of thy boon! Endued with great might he oppresseth in every\npossible way the creatures of the earth. Protect us, therefore, O\nadorable 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 capable\nof assuming any form at will as allies of Vishnu!' And at this, the gods,\nthe Gandharvas and the Danavas quickly assembled to take counsel as to\nhow they should be born on earth according to their respective parts. And\nin their presence the boon-giving god commanded a Gandharvi, by name\nDundubhi saying, 'Go there for accomplishing this object!' And Dundubhi\nhearing these words of the Grandsire was born in the world of men as the\nhunchbacked Manthara. And all the principal celestials, with Sakra and\nothers begot offspring upon the wives of the foremost of monkeys and\nbears. And those sons equalled their sires in strength and fame. And they\nwere capable of splitting mountain peaks and their weapons were stones\nand trees of the Sala and the Tala species. And their bodies were hard as\nadamant, and they were possessed of very great strength. And they were\nall skilled in war and capable of mustering any measure of energy at\nwill. And they were equal to a thousand elephants in might, and they\nresembled the wind in speed. And some of them lived wherever they liked,\nwhile others lived in forests. And the adorable Creator of the Universe,\nhaving ordained all this, instructed Manthara as to what she would have\nto do. And Manthara quick as thought, understood all his words, and went\nhither and thither ever engaged in fomenting quarrels.\"\n\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 of\ntheir exile. Do thou, O Brahmana, relate why the sons of Dasaratha--the\nbrothers Rama and Lakshmana--went to the forest with famous princess of\nMithila.'\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 the\nscience of arms. And when after having gone through the Brahmacharyya\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 charming\nways. And then, O Bharata, the wise king, considering himself old in\nyears took counsel with his virtuous ministers and spiritual adviser for\ninstalling Rama as regent of the kingdom. And all those great ministers\nwere agreed that it was time to do so. And, O scion of Kuru's race, king\nDasaratha was greatly pleased to behold his son,--that enhancer of\nKausalya's delight--possessed of eyes that were red, and arms that were\nsinewy. And his steps were like those of a wild elephant. And he had long\narms and high shoulders and black and curly hair. And he was valiant, and\nglowing with splendour, and not inferior to Indra himself in battle. And\nhe was well-versed in holy writ and was equal to Vrihaspati in wisdom. An\nobject of love with all the people, he was skilled in every science. And\nwith senses under complete control, his very enemies were pleased to\nbehold him. And he was terror of the wicked and the protector of the\nvirtuous. And possessed of intelligence and incapable of being baffled,\nhe was victorious over all and never vanquished by any. And, O descendant\nof Kurus, beholding his son--that enhancer of Kausalya's joy--king\nDasaratha became highly pleased. And reflecting on Rama's virtues, the\npowerful and mighty king cheerfully addressed the family priest, saying,\n'Blessed be thou, O Brahmana! This night of the Pushya constellation will\nbring in a very auspicious conjunction. Let, therefore, materials be\ncollected and let Rama also be invited. This Pushya constellation will\nlast till tomorrow. And Rama, therefore, should be invested by me and my\nministers as prince-regent of all 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 kingdom?'\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 at\nliberty? Upon whom shall I bestow wealth to-day, or whose wealth shall be\nconfiscated? Whatever wealth there is in this world, save what belongeth\nto Brahmanas, is mine! I am the king of kings in this world, and the\nprotector of all the four classes! Tell me quickly, O blessed lady, what\nthat object is upon which thou hast set thy heart!' Hearing these words\nof the king, and tying him fast to his pledge, and conscious also of her\npower over him, she addressed him in these words, 'I desire that Bharata\nbe the recipient of that investiture which thou hast designed for Rama,\nand let Rama go into exile living in the forest of Dandaka for fourteen\nyears as an ascetic with matted locks on head and robed in rags and\ndeer-skins!' Hearing these disagreeable words of cruel import, the king,\nO chief of the Bharata race, was sorely afflicted and became utterly\nspeechless! But the mighty and virtuous Rama, learning that his father\nhad been thus solicited, went into the forest so that the king's truth\nmight remain inviolate. And, blessed be thou, he was followed by the\nauspicious Lakshmana--that foremost of bowmen and his wife Sita, the\nprincess of Videha and daughter of Janaka. And after Rama had gone into\nthe forest, king Dasaratha took leave of his body, agreeably to the\neternal law of time. And knowing that Rama not near and that the king was\ndead, queen Kaikeyi, causing Bharata to be brought before her, addressed\nhim in these words, 'Dasaratha hath gone to heaven and both Rama and\nLakshmana are in the forest! Take thou this kingdom which is so extensive\nand whose peace there is no rival to disturb'. Thereupon the virtuous\nBharata replied unto her saying, 'Thou hast done a wicked deed, having\nslain thy husband and exterminated this family from lust of wealth alone!\nHeaping infamy on my head, O accursed woman of our race, thou hast, O\nmother, attained this, thy object!' And having said these words, the\nprince wept aloud. And having proved his innocence before all the\nsubjects of that realm he set out in the wake of Rama, desiring to bring\nhim back. And placing Kausalya and Sumitra and Kaikeyi in the vehicles at\nthe van of his train, he proceeded with a heavy heart, in company with\nSatrughna. And he was accompanied by Vasishtha and Vamadeva, and other\nBrahmanas by thousands and by the people of the cities and the provinces,\ndesiring to bring back Rama. And he saw Rama with Lakshmana, living on\nthe mountains of Chitrakuta with bow in hand and decked with the\nornaments of ascetics. Bharata, however, was dismissed by Rama, who was\ndetermined to act according to the words, of his father. And returning,\nBharata ruled at Nandigrama, keeping before him, his brother's wooden\nsandals. And Rama fearing a repetition of intrusion by the people of\nAyodhya, entered into the great forest towards the asylum of Sarabhanga.\nAnd having paid his respects to Sarabhanga, he entered the forest of\nDandaka and took up his abode on the banks of beautiful river Godavari.\nAnd while living there, Rama was inveigled into hostilities with Khara,\nthen dwelling in Janasthana, on account of Surpanakha. And for the\nprotection of the ascetics the virtuous scion of Raghu's race slew\nfourteen thousand Rakshasas on earth, and having slain those mighty\nRakshasas, Khara and Dushana, the wise descendant of Raghu once more made\nthat sacred forest free from danger.'\n\n\"And after these Rakshasas had been slain, Surpanakha with mutilated nose\nand lips, repaired to Lanka--the abode of her brother (Ravana). And when\nthat Rakshasa woman, senseless with grief and with dry blood-stains on\nher 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 into\nthe mouth of the maned lion!' Then flames of wrath burst forth from his\nbody, like those that are emitted at night from the hollows of a tree on\nfire. His sister then related unto him the prowess of Rama and the defeat\nof the Rakshasas with Khara and Dushana at their head. Informed of the\nslaughter of his relatives, Ravana, impelled by Fate, remembered Maricha\nfor slaying Rama. And resolving upon the course he was to follow and\nhaving made arrangements for the government of his capital, he consoled\nhis sister, and set out on an aerial voyage. And crossing the Trikuta and\nthe Kala mountains, he beheld the vast receptacle of deep waters--the\nabode of the Makaras. Then crossing the Ocean, the Ten headed Ravana\nreached Gokarna--the favourite resort of the illustrious god armed with\nthe trident. And there Ravana met with his old friend Maricha who, from\nfear of Rama himself, had adopted an ascetic mode of life.'\"\n\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 fulfilment!\nRavana, whose heart was agitated with wrath and humiliation informed him\nbriefly of the acts of Rama and the measures that were to be taken.' And\non hearing his story, Maricha briefly replied to him, saying, 'Thou must\nnot provoke Rama, for I know his strength! Is there a person who is\ncapable of withstanding the impetus of his arrows? That great man hath\nbeen the cause of my assuming my present ascetic life. What evil-minded\ncreature hath put thee up to this course calculated to bring ruin and\ndestruction on thee?' To this Ravana indignantly replied, reproaching him\nthus, 'If thou dost not obey my orders, thou shall surely die at my\nhands.' Maricha then thought within himself, 'When death is inevitable, I\nshall do his biddings; for it is better to die at the hands of one that\nis superior.' Then he replied to the lord of the Rakshasas saying, 'I\nshall surely render thee whatever help I can!' Then the Ten-headed Ravana\nsaid unto him, 'Go and tempt Sita, assuming the shape of a deer with\ngolden horns and a golden skin! When Sita will observe thee thus, she\nwill surely send away Rama to hunt thee. And then Sita will surely come\nwithin my power, and I shall forcibly carry her away. And then that\nwicked Rama will surely die of grief at the loss of his wife. Do thou\nhelp 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 both\ndid 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 in\npursuit of that deer, after the manner of Rudra following the stellar\ndeer[90] 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 race\ntook out an infallible arrow and slew that Rakshasa, in the disguise of a\ndeer. And struck with Rama's arrow, the Rakshasa, imitating Rama's voice,\ncried out in great distress, calling upon Sita and Lakshmana. And when\nthe princess of Videha heard that cry of distress, she urged Lakshmana to\nrun towards the quarter from whence the cry came. Then Lakshmana said to\nher, \"Timid lady, thou hast no cause of fear! Who is so powerful as to be\nable to smite Rama? O thou of sweet smiles, in a moment thou wilt behold\nthy husband Rama!' Thus addressed, the chaste Sita, from that timidity\nwhich is natural to women, became suspicious of even the pure Lakshmana,\nand began to weep aloud. And that chaste lady, devoted to her husband,\nharshly reproved Lakshmana, saying, 'The object which thou, O fool,\ncherishest in thy heart, shall never be fulfilled! I would rather kill\nmyself with a weapon or throw myself from the top of a hill or enter into\na blazing fire than live with a sorry wretch like thee, forsaking my\nhusband Rama, like a tigress under the protection of a jackal!--\n\nWhen the good natured Lakshmana, who was very fond of his brother, heard\nthese words, he shut his ears (with his hands) and set out on the track\nthat Rama had taken. And Lakshmana set out without casting a single\nglance on that lady with lips soft and red like the Bimba fruit.\nMeanwhile, the Rakshasa Ravana, wearing a genteel guise though wicked at\nheart, and like unto fire enveloped in a heap of ashes, showed himself\nthere. And he appeared there in the disguise of a hermit, for forcibly\ncarrying away that lady of blameless character. The virtuous daughter of\nJanaka, seeing him come, welcomed him with fruits and root and a seat.\nDisregarding these and assuming his own proper shape, that bull among\nRakshasas began to re-assure the princess of Videha in these words, 'I\nam, O Sita, the king of the Rakshasas, known by the name of Ravana! My\ndelightful city, known by the name of Lanka is on the other side of the\ngreat ocean! There among beautiful women, thou wilt shine with me! O lady\nof beautiful lips, forsaking the ascetic Rama do thou become my wife!'\nJanaka's daughter of beautiful lips, hearing these and other words in the\nsame strain, shut her ears and replied unto him, saying, 'Do not say so!\nThe vault of heaven with all its stars may fall down, the Earth itself\nmay be broken into fragments, fire itself may change its nature by\nbecoming cool, yet I cannot forsake the descendant of Raghu! How can a\nshe-elephant, who hath lived with the mighty leader of a herd with rent\ntemples forsake him and live with a hog? Having once tasted the sweet\nwine prepared from honey or flowers, how can a woman, I fancy, relish the\nwretched arrak from rice?' Having uttered those words, she entered the\ncottage, her lips trembling in wrath and her arms moving to and fro in\nemotion. Ravana, however, followed her thither and intercepted her\nfurther progress. And rudely scolded by the Rakshasa, she swooned away.\nBut Ravana seized her by the hair of her head, and rose up into the air.\nThen a huge vulture of the name of Jatayu living on a mountain peak,\nbeheld that helpless lady thus weeping and calling upon Rama in great\ndistress while being carried away by Ravana.\"\n\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 of\nRavana, that ranger of the skies rushed in wrath against the king of the\nRakshasas. And the vulture addressed Ravana, saying, 'Leave the princess\nof Mithila, leave her I say! How canst thou, O Rakshasa, ravish her when\nI am alive? If thou dost not release my daughter-in-law, thou shalt not\nescape from me with life!' And having said these words Jatayu began to\ntear the king of the Rakshasas with his talons. And he mangled him in a\nhundred different parts of his body by striking him with his wings and\nbeaks. And blood began to flow as copiously from Ravana's body as water\nfrom a mountain spring. And attacked thus by that vulture desirous of\nRama's good, Ravana, taking up a sword, cut off the two wings of that\nbird. And having slain that king of the vultures, huge as a mountain-peak\nshooting forth above the clouds, the Rakshasa rose high in the air with\nSita on his lap. And the princess of Videha, wherever she saw an asylum\nof ascetics, a lake, a river, or a tank, threw down an ornament of hers.\nAnd beholding on the top of a mountain five foremost of monkeys, that\nintelligent lady threw down amongst them a broad piece of her costly\nattire. And that beautiful and yellow piece of cloth fell, fluttering\nthrough the air, amongst those five foremost of monkeys like lightning\nfrom the clouds. And that Rakshasa soon passed a great way through the\nfirmament like a bird through the air. And soon the Rakshasa beheld his\ndelightful and charming city of many gates, surrounded on all sides by\nhigh walls and built by Viswakrit himself. And the king of the Rakshasa\nthen entered his own city known by the name of Lanka, accompanied by\nSita.'\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 that\nis haunted by the Rakshasa?' And reflecting on his own enticement to a\ngreat distance by that Rakshasa in the guise of a deer and on the arrival\nof his brother (leaving Sita alone in the asylum), Rama was filled with\nagony. And quickly advancing towards Lakshmana while reproving him still,\nRama asked him, 'O Lakshmana, is the princess of Videha still alive? I\nfear she is no more!' Then Lakshmana told him everything about what Sita\nhad said, especially that unbecoming language of hers subsequently. With\na burning heart Rama then ran towards the asylum. And on the way he\nbeheld a vulture huge as a mountain, lying in agonies of death. And\nsuspecting him to be a Rakshasa, the descendant of the Kakutstha race,\nalong with Lakshmana rushed towards him, drawing with great force his bow\nto a circle. The mighty vulture, however, addressing them both, said,\n'Blessed be ye, I am the king of the vultures, and friend of Dasaratha!'\nHearing these words of his, both Rama and his brother put aside their\nexcellent bow and said, 'Who is this one that speaketh the name of our\nfather in these woods?' And then they saw that creature to be a bird\ndestitute of two wings, and that bird then told them of his own overthrow\nat the hands of Ravana for the sake of Sita. Then Rama enquired of the\nvulture as to the way Ravana had taken. The vulture answered him by a nod\nof his head and then breathed his last. And having understood from the\nsign the vulture had made that Ravana had gone towards the south, Rama\nreverencing his father's friend, caused his funeral obsequies to be duly\nperformed. Then those chastisers of foes, Rama and Lakshmana, filled with\ngrief at the abduction of the princess of Videha, took a southern path\nthrough the Dandaka woods beholding along their way many uninhabited\nasylums of ascetics, scattered over with seats of Kusa grass and\numbrellas of leaves and broken water-pots, and abounding with hundreds of\njackals. And in that great forest, Rama along with Sumatra's son beheld\nmany herds of deer running in all directions. And they heard a loud\nuproar of various creatures like what is heard during a fast spreading\nforest conflagration. And soon they beheld a headless Rakshasa of\nterrible mien. And that Rakshasa was dark as the clouds and huge as a\nmountain, with shoulders broad as those of a Sola tree, and with arms\nthat were gigantic. And he had a pair of large eyes on his breast, and\nthe opening of his mouth was placed on his capacious belly. And that\nRakshasa seized Lakshmana by the hand, without any difficulty. And seized\nby the Rakshasa the son of Sumitra, O Bharata, became utterly confounded\nand helpless. And casting his glances on Rama, that headless Rakshasa\nbegan to draw Lakshmana towards that part of his body where his mouth\nwas. And Lakshmana in grief addressed Rama, saying, 'Behold my plight!\nThe loss of thy kingdom, and then the death of our father, and then the\nabduction of Sita, and finally this disaster that hath overwhelmed me!\nAlas, I shall not behold thee return with the princess of Videha to\nKosala and seated on thy ancestral throne as the ruler of the entire\nEarth! They only that are fortunate will behold thy face, like unto the\nmoon emerged from the clouds, after thy coronation bath in water\nsanctified with Kusa grass and fried paddy and black peas!' And the\nintelligent Lakshmana uttered those and other lamentations in the same\nstrain. The illustrious descendant, however, of Kakutstha's race\nundaunted amid danger, replied unto Lakshmana, saying, 'Do not, O tiger\namong men, give way to grief! What is this thing when I am here? Cut thou\noff his right arm and I shall cut off his left.' And while Rama was still\nspeaking so, the left arm of the monster was severed by him, cut off with\na sharp scimitar, as if indeed, that arm were a stalk of the Tila corn.\nThe mighty son of Sumitra then beholding his brother standing before him\nstruck off with his sword the right arm also of that Rakshasa. And\nLakshmana also began to repeatedly strike Rakshasa under the ribs, and\nthen that huge headless monster fell upon the ground and expired quickly.\nAnd then there came out from the Rakshasa's body a person of celestial\nmake. And he showed himself to the brothers, staying for a moment in the\nskies, like the Sun in his effulgence in the firmament. And Rama skilled\nin speech, 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 peak\nof Rishyamuka is the lake known by the name of Pampa of sacred water and\ncranes. There dwelleth, with four of his counsellors, Sugriva, the\nbrother of the monkey-king Vali decked with a garland of gold. Repairing\nunto him, inform of thy cause of sorrow. In plight very much like thy\nown, he will render thee assistance. This is all that we can say. Thou\nwilt, without doubt, see the daughter of Janaka! Without doubt Ravana and\nothers are known to the king of the monkeys!' Having said these words,\nthat celestial being of great effulgence made himself invisible, and\nthose heroes, both Rama and Lakshmana, wondered much.\"\n\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, delicious\nand fragrant breezes in those woods, Rama suddenly remembered his dear\nspouse. And, O mighty monarch, thinking of that dear wife of his, and\nafflicted at the thought of his separation from her, Rama gave way to\nlamentations. The son of Sumitra then addressed him saying, 'O thou that\ngivest proper respect to those that deserve it, despondency such as this\nshould not be suffered to approach thee, like illness that can never\ntouch an old man leading a regular life! Thou hast obtained information\nof Ravana and of the princess of Videha! Liberate her now with exertion\nand intelligence! Let us now approach Sugriva, that foremost of monkeys,\nwho is even now on the mountain top! Console thyself, when I, thy\ndisciple and slave and ally, am near!' And addressed by Lakshmana in\nthese and other words of the same import, Rama regained his own nature\nand attended to the business before him. And bathing in the waters of\nPampa and offering oblations therewith unto their ancestors, both those\nheroic brothers, Rama and Lakshmana, set out (for Rishyamuka). And\narriving at Rishyamuka which abounded with fruits and roots and trees,\nthose heroes beheld five monkeys on the top of the mountain-peak. And\nseeing them approach, Sugriva sent his counsellor the intelligent\nHanuman, huge as the Himavat-mountains, to receive them. And the\nbrothers, having first exchanged words with Hanuman, approached Sugriva.\nAnd then, O king, Rama made friends with Sugriva. And when Rama informed\nSugriva of the object he had in view, Sugriva showed him the piece of\ncloth that Sita had dropped among the monkeys, while being carried away\nby Ravana. And having obtained from him those credentials, Rama himself\ninstalled Sugriva--that foremost of monkeys--in sovereignty of all the\nmonkeys of Earth. And Rama also pledged himself to slay Vali in battle.\nAnd having come to that understanding and placing the fullest confidence\nin each other, they all repaired to Kiskindhya, desirous of battle (with\nVali). And arriving at Kiskindhya, Sugriva sent forth a loud roar deep as\nthat of a cataract. Unable to bear that challenge, Vali was for coming\nout (but his 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, saying,\n'Thou understandest the voice of every creature. Tell me after reflection\nwhose help it is that this brother in name only of mine hath obtained!'\nThus addressed by him Tara endued with wisdom and possessed of the\neffulgence of the moon, answered her lord after a moment's reflection,\nsaying, 'Listen, O monarch of the monkeys! That foremost of bowmen,\nendued with great might, Rama the son of Dasaratha, whose spouse hath\nbeen 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 Pavana,\nand 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 that\nwere 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 for\ndeath so soon?' Thus addressed by Vali, Sugriva, that slayer of foes, as\nif addressing Rama himself for informing him of what had happened,\nreplied unto his brother in these words of grave import, 'O king, robbed\nby thee of my wife and my kingdom also, what need have I of life? Know\nthat it is for this that I have come!' Then addressing each other in\nthese and other words of the same import, Vali and Sugriva rushed to the\nencounter, fighting with Sala and Tala trees and stones. And they struck\neach other down on the earth. And leaping high into the air, they struck\neach other with their fists. And mangled by each other's nail and teeth,\nboth of them were covered with blood. And the two heroes shone on that\naccount like a pair of blossoming Kinshukas. And as they fought with each\nother, no difference (in aspect) could be observed so as to distinguish\nthem. Then Hanuman placed on Sugriva's neck a garland of flowers. And\nthat hero thereupon shone with that garland on his neck, like the\nbeautiful and huge peak of Malya with its cloudy belt. And Rama,\nrecognising Sugriva by that sign, then drew his foremost of huge bows,\naiming at Vali as his mark. And the twang of Rama's bow resembled the\nroar of an engine. And Vali, pierced in the heart by that arrow, trembled\nin fear. And Vali, his heart having been pierced through, began to vomit\nforth blood. And he then beheld standing before him Rama with Sumatra's\nson by his side. And reproving that descendant of Kakutstha's race, Vali\nfell down on the ground and became senseless. And Tara then beheld that\nlord of hers possessed of the effulgence of the Moon, lying prostrate on\nthe bare earth. And after Vali had been thus slain, Sugriva regained\npossession of Kishkindhya, and along with it, of the widowed Tara also of\nface beautiful as the moon. And the intelligent Rama also dwelt on the\nbeautiful breast of the Malyavat hill for four months, duly worshipped by\nSugriva 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\nAsokas, that looked like an asylum of ascetics. And the large-eyed Sita\npassed her days there in distress, living on fruits and roots, practising\nascetic austerities with fasts, attired in ascetic garb, and waning thin\nday by day, thinking of her absent lord. And the king of the Rakshasas\nappointed many Rakshasa women armed with bearded darts and swords and\nlances and battle-axes and maces and flaming brands, for guarding her.\nAnd some of these had two eyes, and some three. And some had eyes on\ntheir foreheads. And some had long tongues and some had none. And some\nhad three breasts and some had only one leg. And some had three matted\nbraids on their heads, and some had only one eye. And these, and others\nof blazing eyes and hair stiff as the camel's, stood beside Sita\nsurrounding her day and night most watchfully. And those Pisacha women of\nfrightful voice and terrible aspect always addressed that large-eyed lady\nin the harshest tones. And they said, 'Let us eat her up, let us mangle\nher, let us tear her into pieces, her, that is, that dwelleth here\ndisregarding our lord!' And filled with grief at the separation from her\nlord, Sita drew a deep sigh and answered those Rakshasa women, saying,\n'Reverend ladies, eat me up without delay! I have no desire to live\nwithout that husband of mine, of eyes like lotus-leaves and locks wavy,\nand blue in hue! Truly I will, without food and without the least love of\nlife, emaciate my limbs, like a she-snake (hibernating) within a Tala\ntree. Know this for certain that I will never seek the protection of any\nother person than the descendant of Raghu. And knowing this, do what ye\nthink fit!' And hearing these words of hers, those Rakshasas with\ndissonant voice went to the king of the Rakshasas, for representing unto\nhim all she had said. And when those Rakshasas had gone away, one of\ntheir number known by the name of Trijata, who was virtuous and agreeable\nin speech, began to console the princess of Videha. And she said,\n'Listen, O Sita! I will tell thee something! O friend, believe in what I\nsay! O thou of fair hips, cast off thy fears, and listen to what I say.\nThere is an intelligent and old chief of the Rakshasas known by the name\nof Avindhya. He always seeketh Rama's good and hath told me these words\nfor thy sake! 'Reassuring and cheering her, tell Sita in my name, saying:\n'Thy husband the mighty Rama is well and is waited upon by Lakshmana. And\nthe blessed descendant of Raghu hath already made friends with Sugriva,\nthe king of the 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 whole\nworld, for, O daughter, thou art safe from him on account of Nalakuvera's\ncurse. Indeed, this wretch had been cursed before for his having violated\nhis daughter-in-law, Rambha. This lustful wretch is not able to violate\nany woman by force. Thy husband will soon come, protected by Sugriva and\nwith the intelligent son of Sumitra in his train, and will soon take thee\naway hence! O lady, I have had a most terrible dream of evil omen,\nindicating the destruction of this wicked-minded wretch of Pulastya's\nrace! This night wanderer of mean deeds is, indeed, most wicked and\ncruel. He inspireth terror in all by the defects of his nature and the\nwickedness of his conduct. And deprived of his senses by Fate, he\nchallengeth the very gods. In my vision I have seen every indication of\nhis downfall. I have seen the Ten-headed, with his crown shaven and body\nbesmeared with oil, sunk in mire, and the next moment dancing on a\nchariot drawn by mules. I have seen Kumbhakarna and others, perfectly\nnaked and with crowns shaven, decked with red wreaths and unguents, and\nrunning towards the southern direction. Vibhishana alone, with umbrella\nover his head, and graced with a turban, and with body decked with white\nwreaths and unguents, I beheld ascending the summit of the White hill.\nAnd I saw four of his counsellors also, decked with white wreaths and\nunguents, ascending the summit of that hill along with him. All this\nbodeth that these alone will be saved from the impending terror. The\nwhole earth with its oceans and seas will be enveloped with Rama's\narrows. O lady, thy husband will fill the whole earth with his fame. I\nalso saw Lakshmana, consuming all directions (with his arrows) and\nascending on a heap of bones and drinking thereon honey and rice boiled\nin milk. And thou, O lady, hast been beheld by me running towards a\nnorthernly direction, weeping and covered with blood and protected by a\ntiger! And, O princess of Videha, soon wilt thou find happiness, being\nunited, O Sita, with thy lord, that descendant of Raghu accompanied by\nhis brother!' Hearing these words of Trijata, that girl with eyes like\nthose of a young gazelle, once more began to entertain hopes of a union\nwith her lord. And when at last those fierce and cruel Pisacha guards\ncame back, they saw her sitting with Trijata as before.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCLXXIX\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'And while the chaste Sita was dwelling there afflicted\nwith melancholy and grief on account of her lord, attired in mean garb,\nwith but a single jewel (on the marital thread on her wrist), and\nincessantly weeping, seated on a stone, and waited upon by Rakshasa\nwomen, Ravana, afflicted by the shafts of the god of desire, came to her\nand approached her presence. And inflamed by desire, that conquerer in\nbattle of the gods, the Danavas, the Gandharvas, the Yakshas, and the\nKimpurushas, attired in celestial robes and possessing handsome features,\ndecked with jewelled earrings and wearing a beautiful garland and crown,\nentered the Asoka woods, like an embodiment of the vernal season. And\ndressed with care, Ravana looked like the Kalpa tree in Indra's garden.\nBut though adorned with every embellishment, that inspired her only with\nawe, like a beautified banian in the midst of a cemetery. And that night\nwanderer, having approached the presence of that slender-waisted lady,\nlooked like the planet Saturn in the presence of Rohini. And smitten with\nthe shafts of the god of the flowery emblem he accosted that fair-hipped\nlady then affrighted like a helpless doe, and told her these words, 'Thou\nhast, O Sita, shown thy regard for thy lord too much! O thou of delicate\nlimbs, be merciful unto me. Let thy person be embellished now (by these\nmaids in waiting). O excellent lady, accept me as thy lord! And, O thou\nof the most beautiful complexion, attired in costly robes and ornaments,\ntake thou the first place among all the women of my household. Many are\nthe daughters 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 deed,\nand thrice as many Yaksha do my bidding! Some of these are under the sway\nof my brother who is the lord of all treasures. In my drinking hall, O\nexcellent lady of beautiful thighs, Gandharvas and Apsaras wait on me as\nthey do on my brother! I am, again, the son of that regenerate Rishi\nVisravas himself of high ascetic merit. I am renowned, again, as the\nfifth Regent of the Universe! And, O beautiful lady, of food and edibles\nand drinks of the very best kind, I have as much as the Lord himself of\nthe celestials! Let all thy troubles consequent on a life in the woods\ncease! O thou of fair hips, be my Queen, as Mandodari herself!' Thus\naddressed by him, the beautiful princess of Videha, turning away and\nregarding him as something less than a straw, replied unto that wanderer\nof the night. And at that time the princess of Videha, that girl of\nbeautiful hips, had her deep and compact bosom copiously drenched by her\ninauspicious tears shed ceaselessly. And she who regarded her husband as\nher god, answered that mean wretch, saying, 'By sheer ill-luck it is, O\nking of the Rakshasas, that I am obliged to hear such words of grievous\nimport spoken by thee! Blessed be thou, O Rakshasa fond of sensual\npleasures, let thy heart be withdrawn from me! I am the wife of another,\never devoted to my husband, and, therefore, incapable of being possessed\nby thee! A helpless human being that I am, I cannot be a fit wife for\nthee! What joy can be thine by using violence towards an unwilling woman?\nThy father is a wise Brahmana, born of Brahma and equal unto that Lord\nhimself of the creation! Why dost thou not, therefore, thyself being\nequal to a Regent of the Universe, observe virtue? Disgracing thy\nbrother, that king of the Yakshas, that adorable one who is the friend of\nMaheswara himself, that lord of treasures, how is it that thou feelest no\nshame?' Having said these words, Sita began to weep, her bosom shivering\nin agitation, and covering her neck and face with her garments. And the\nlong and well-knit braid, black and glossy, falling from the head of the\nweeping lady, looked like a black snake. And hearing these cruel words\nuttered by Sita, the foolish Ravana, although thus rejected, addressed\nSita once more, saying, 'O lady, let the god having the Makara for his\nemblem burn me sorely. I will, however, on no account, O thou of sweet\nsmiles and beautiful hips, approach thee, as thou art unwilling! What can\nI do to thee that still feelest a regard for Rama who is only a human\nbeing and, therefore, our food?' Having said those words unto that lady\nof faultless features, the king of the Rakshasa made himself invisible\nthen and there and went away to the place he liked. And Sita, surrounded\nby those Rakshasa women, and treated with tenderness by Trijata,\ncontinued to dwell there in grief.\"\n\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 sky.\nAnd one night, while gazing from the mountain-top on the bright moon in\nthe cloudless sky surrounded by planets and stars and stellar bodies,\nthat slayer of foes was suddenly awakened (to a remembrance of Sita) by\nthe cold breezes fragrant with the perfumes of the lily, lotus and other\nflowers of the same species. And virtuous Rama, dejected in spirits at\nthe thought of Sita's captivity in the abode of the Rakshasa, addressed\nthe heroic Lakshmana in the morning saying, 'Go, Lakshmana and seek in\nKishkindhya that ungrateful king off the monkeys, who understand well his\nown interest and is even now indulging in dissipations, that foolish\nwretch of his race whom I have installed on a throne and to whom all apes\nand monkeys and bears owe allegiance, that fellow for whose sake, O\nmighty-armed perpetuator of Raghu's race, Vali was slain by me with thy\nhelp in the wood of Kishkindhya! I regard that worst of monkeys on earth\nto be highly ungrateful, for, O Lakshmana, that wretch hath now forgotten\nme who am sunk in such distress! I think he is unwilling to fulfil his\npledge, disregarding, from dullness of understanding, one who hath done\nhim such services! If thou findest him lukewarm and rolling in sensual\njoys, thou must then send him, by the path Vali hath been made to follow,\nto the common goal of all creatures! If, on the other hand, thou seest\nthat foremost of monkeys delight in our cause, then, O descendant of\nKakutstha, shouldst thou bring him hither with thee! Be quick, and delay\nnot!' Thus addressed by his brother, Lakshmana ever attentive to the\nbehests and welfare of his superiors, set out taking with him his\nhandsome bow with string and arrows. And reaching the gates of\nKishkindhya 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 what\nRama had said. And having heard everything in detail, O mighty monarch,\nSugriva, the king of the monkeys with his wife and servants, joined his\nhands, and cheerfully said unto Lakshmana, that elephant among men, these\nwords: 'I am, O Lakshmana, neither wicked, nor ungrateful, nor destitute\nof virtue! Hear what efforts I have made for finding out Sita's place of\ncaptivity! I have despatched diligent monkeys in all directions. All of\nthem have stipulated to return within a month. They will, O hero, search\nthe whole earth with her forests and hills and seas, her villages and\ntowns and cities and mines. Only five nights are wanting to complete that\nmonth, and then thou wilt, with Rama, hear tidings of great joy!'\n\n\"Thus addressed by that intelligent king of the monkeys, the high-souled\nLakshmana became appeased, and he in his turn worshipped Sugriva. And\naccompanied by Sugriva, he returned to Rama on the breast of the Malyavat\nhill. And approaching him, Lakshmana informed him of the beginning\nalready made in respect of his undertaking. And soon thousands of\nmonkey-chiefs began to return, after having carefully searched the three\nquarters of the earth, viz., the North, the East and the West. But they\nthat had gone towards the South did not make their appearance And they\nthat 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 orchard\ncalled Madhuvana, which was always guarded by Vali and which hath been\nwell-guarded by thee also after him!' Hearing of this act of liberty on\ntheir part, Sugriva inferred the success of their mission, for it is only\nservants that have been crowned with success that can act in this way.\nAnd that intelligent and foremost of monkeys communicated his suspicions\nto Rama. And Rama also, from this, guessed that the princess of Mithila\nhad been seen. Then Hanuman and the other monkeys, having refreshed\nthemselves thus, came towards their king, who was then staying with Rama\nand Lakshmana. And, O Bharata, observing the gait of Hanuman and the\ncolour of his face, Rama was confirmed in the belief that Hanuman had\nreally seen Sita. Then those successful monkeys with Hanuman at their\nhead, duly bowed unto Rama and Lakshmana and Sugriva. And Rama then\ntaking up his bow and quiver, addressed those monkeys, saying, 'Have you\nbeen successful? Will ye impart life unto me? Will ye once more enable me\nto reign in Ayodhya after having slain my enemy in battle and rescued the\ndaughter of Janaka? With the princess of Videha unrescued, and the foe\nunslain in battle, I dare not live, robbed of wife and honour!' Thus\naddressed by Rama, the son of Pavana, replied unto him, saying, 'I bring\nthee good news, O Rama; for Janaka's daughter hath been seen by me.\nHaving searched the southern region with all its hills, forests, and\nmines for some time, we became very weary. At length we beheld a great\ncavern. And having beheld it, we entered that cavern which extended over\nmany Yojanas. It was dark and deep and overgrown with trees and infested\nby worms. And having gone a great way through it, we came upon sun-shine\nand beheld a beautiful palace. It was, O Raghava, the abode of the Daitya\nMaya. And there we beheld a female ascetic named Prabhavati engaged in\nascetic austerities. And she gave us food and drink of various kinds. And\nhaving refreshed ourselves therewith and regained our strength, we\nproceeded along the way shown by her. At last we came out of the cavern\nand beheld the briny sea, and on its shores, the Sahya, the Malaya and\nthe great Dardura mountains. And ascending the mountains of Malaya, we\nbeheld before us the vast ocean.[91] And beholding it we felt sorely\ngrieved in mind. And dejected in spirits and afflicted with pain and\nfamishing with hunger, we despaired of returning with our lives. Casting\nour eyes on the great ocean extending over many hundreds of Yojanas and\nabounding in whales and alligators and other aquatic animals, we became\nanxious and filled with grief. We then sat together, resolved to die\nthere of starvation. And in course of conversation we happened to talk of\nthe vulture Jatayu. Just then we saw a bird huge as a mountain, of\nfrightful form, and inspiring terror into every heart, like a second son\nof Vinata.[92] And coming upon us unawares for devouring us, he said,\n'Who are ye that are speaking thus of my brother Jatayu? I am his elder\nbrother, by name Sampati, and am the king of birds. Once upon a time, we\ntwo, with the desire of outstripping each other, flew towards the sun. My\nwings got burnt, but those of Jatayu were not. That was the last time I\nsaw my 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, the\npowerful Sampati heating this unpleasant news from us, was greatly\nafflicted and again enquired of us, saying, 'Who is this Rama and why was\nSita carried off and how was Jatayu slain? Ye foremost of monkeys I wish\nto hear everything in detail!' We then informed him of everything about\nthis calamity of thine and of the reason also of our vow of starvation.\nThat king of birds then urged us (to give up our vow) by these words of\nhis: 'Ravana is, indeed, known to me. Lanka is his capital. I beheld it\non the other side of the sea in a valley of the Trikuta hills! Sita must\nbe there. I have little doubt of this!' Hearing these words of his, we\nrose up quickly and began, O chastiser of foes, to take counsel of one\nanother for crossing the ocean! And when none dared to cross it, I,\nhaving recourse to my father, crossed the great ocean which is a hundred\nYojanas in width. And having slain the Rakshasis on the waters, I saw the\nchaste Sita within Ravana's harem, observing ascetic austerities, eager\nto behold her lord, with matted locks on head, and body besmeared with\nfilth, and lean, and melancholy and helpless. Recognising her as Sita by\nthose unusual signs, and approaching that worshipful lady while alone, I\nsaid, 'I am, O Sita, an emissary of Rama and monkey begotten by\nPavana![93] Desirous of having a sight of thee, hither have I come\ntravelling through the skies! Protected by Sugriva, that monarch of all\nthe monkeys, the royal brothers Rama and Lakshmana are in peace! And\nRama, O lady, with Sumitra's son, hath enquired of thy welfare! And\nSugriva also, on account of his friendship (with Rama and Lakshmana)\nenquireth of thy welfare. Followed by all the monkeys, thy husband will\nsoon be here. Confide in me, O adorable lady, I am a monkey and not a\nRakshasa!' Thus addressed by me, Sita seemed to meditate for a moment and\nthen replied to me, saying, 'From the words of Avindhya I know that thou\nart Hanuman! O mighty-armed one, Avindhya is an old and respected\nRakshasa! He told me that Sugriva is surrounded by counsellors like thee.\nThou mayst depart now!' And with these words she gave me this jewel as a\ncredential. And, indeed, it was by means of this jewel that the faultless\nSita had been able to support her existence. And the daughter of Janaka\nfurther told me as a token from her, that by thee, O tiger among men, a\nblade of grass (inspired with Mantras and thus converted into a fatal\nweapon) had once been shot at a crow while ye were on the breast of the\nmighty hill known by the name of Chitrakuta! And this she said as\nevidence of my having met her and hers being really the princess of\nVideha. I then caused myself to be seized by Ravana's soldiers, and then\nset fire to the city of Lanka!'\"\n\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 apes,\ncame to Rama. And those two foremost of monkeys endued with mighty\nenergy, viz., Gaya and Gavakshya, each accompanied by a hundred crores of\nmonkeys, showed themselves there. And, O king, Gavakshya also of terrible\nmien and endued with a bovine tail, showed himself there, having\ncollected 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 monkey\nknown by the name of Panasa mustered together fifty-two crores of\nmonkeys.[94] And that foremost and illustrious of monkeys named\nDadhimukha of mighty energy mustered a large army of monkeys possessed of\nterrible prowess. And Jamvuvan showed himself there with a hundred\nthousand crores of black bears of terrible deeds and faces having the\nTilaka mark.[95] 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 some\nrose high, and some fell down, and some cut capers, and some scattered\nthe dust, as they mustered together from various directions. And that\nmonkey army, vast as the sea at full tide, encamped there at Sugriva's\nbidding. And after those foremost of monkeys had mustered from every\ndirection, the illustrious descendant of Raghu, with Sugriva by his side,\nset out in an auspicious moment of a very fair day under a lucky\nconstellation, accompanied by that host arrayed in order of battle, as if\nfor the purpose of destroying all the worlds. And Hanuman, the son of the\nWind-god, was in the van of that host, while the rear was protected by\nthe fearless son of Sumitra. And surrounded by the monkey-chiefs, those\nprinces of Raghu's house with fingers cased in guana skin, shone, as they\nwent, like the Sun and the Moon in the midst of the planets. And that\nmonkey host armed with stones and Sala and Tala trees, looked very much\nlike a far-extending field of corn under the morning sun. And that mighty\narmy, protected by Nala and Nila and Angada and Kratha and Mainda and\nDwivida, marched forth for achieving the purpose of Raghava. And\nencamping successively, without interruption of any kind, on wide and\nhealthy tracts and valleys abounding with fruits and roots and water and\nhoney and meat, the monkey host at last reached the shores of the briny\nsea. And like unto a second ocean, that mighty army with its countless\ncolours, having reached the shores of sea, took up its abode there. Then\nthe illustrious son of Dasaratha, addressing Sugriva amongst all those\nforemost monkeys, spoke unto him these words that were suited to the\noccasion, 'This army is large. The ocean also is difficult to cross. What\ncontrivance, therefore, commends itself to thee for crossing the ocean?'\nAt these words, many vain-glorious monkeys answered, 'We are fully able\nto cross the sea.' This answer, however, was not of much use, as all\ncould not avail of that means. Some of the monkeys proposed to cross the\nsea in boats, and some in rafts of various kinds. Rama, however,\nconciliating them all, said, 'This cannot be. 'The sea here is a full\nhundred 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 carrying\nall our troops. How, again, can one like us raise such obstacles in the\nway of the merchants? Our army is very large. The foe wilt make a great\nhavoc if a hole is detected. Therefore, to cross the sea in boats and\nrafts doth not recommend itself to me. I will, however, pray to the Ocean\nfor the necessary means. Foregoing food, I will lie down on the shore. He\nwill certainly show himself to me. If, however, he doth not show himself,\nI will chastise him then by means of my great weapons that are more\nblazing than fire itself and are incapable of being baffled!' Having said\nthese words, both Rama and Lakshmana touched water[96] and duly laid\nthemselves down on a bed of kusa grass on the seashore. The divine and\nillustrious Ocean then that lord of male and female rivers, surrounded by\naquatic animals, appeared unto Rama in a vision. And addressing Rama in\nsweet accents, the genius of the Ocean, surrounded by countless mines of\ngems, said, 'O son of Kausalya, tell me what aid, O bull among men, I am\nto render thee! I also have sprung from the race of Ikshwaku[97] and am,\ntherefore, a relative of thine!' Rama replied unto him, saying, 'O lord\nof rivers, male and female, I desire thee to grant me a way for my\ntroops, passing along which I may slay the Ten-headed (Ravana), that\nwretch of Pulastya's race! If thou dost not grant the way I beg of thee,\nI will then dry thee up by means of my celestial arrows inspired with\nmantras!' And hearing these words of Rama, the genius of Varuna's abode,\njoining his hands, answered in great affliction, 'I do not desire to put\nany obstacle in thy way. I am no foe of thine! Listen, O Rama, to these\nwords, and having listened, do what is proper! If, at thy command, I get\na way for the passage of thy army, others then, from strength of their\nbows, will command me to do the same! In thy army there is a monkey of\nthe name of Nala, who is a skilful mechanic. And endued with great\nstrength, Nala is the son of Tashtri, the divine artificer of the\nUniverse. And whether it is wood, or grass or stone, that he will throw\ninto my waters, I will support the same on my surface, and thus wilt thou\nhave a bridge (over which to pass)!' And having said these words, the\ngenius of the Ocean disappeared. And Rama awaking, called Nala unto him\nand said, 'Build thou a bridge over the sea! Thou alone, I am sure, art\nable to do it!' And it was by this means that the descendant of\nKakutstha's race caused a bridge to be built that was ten Yojanas in\nwidth and a hundred Yojanas in length. And to this day that bridge is\ncelebrated over all the world by the name of Nala's bridge. And having\ncompleted that bridge, Nala, of body huge as a hill, came away at the\ncommand of Rama.\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 of\nhis 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 troops\nwere there, two of Ravana's counsellors and officers, named Suka and\nSarana, who had come as spies, having assumed the shape of monkeys, were\nseized by Vibhishana. And when those wanderers of the night assumed their\nreal 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\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 of\nmilitary science. And his city, naturally impregnable on account of its\nstrong ramparts and gate-ways, had seven trenches, that were deep and\nfull of water to the brim and that abounded with fishes and sharks and\nalligators, made more impregnable still by means of pointed stakes of\nKhadira wood. And the ramparts, heaped with stones, were made impregnable\nby means of catapults. And the warriors (who guarded the walls) were\narmed with earthen pots filled with venomous snakes, and with resinous\npowders of many kinds. And they were also armed with clubs, and\nfire-brands and arrows and lances and swords and battle-axes. And they\nhad also Sataghnis[98] and stout maces steeped in wax.[99] And at all the\ngates of the city were planted movable and immovable encampments manned\nby large numbers of infantry supported by countless elephants and horses.\nAnd Angada, having reached one of the gates of the city, was made known\nto the Rakshasas. And he entered the town without suspicion or fear. And\nsurrounded by countless Rakshasas, that hero in his beauty looked like\nthe Sun himself in the midst of masses of clouds. And having approached\nthe hero of Pulastya's race in the midst of his counsellors, the eloquent\nAngada saluted the king and began to deliver Rama's message in these\nwords, 'That descendant of Raghu, O king, who ruleth at Kosala and whose\nrenown hath spread over the whole world, sayeth unto thee these words\nsuited to the occasion. Accept thou that message and act according to it!\nProvinces and towns, in consequence of their connection with sinful kings\nincapable of controlling their souls, are themselves polluted and\ndestroyed. By the violent abduction of Sita, thou alone hast injured me!\nThou, however, wilt become the cause of death to many unoffending\npersons. Possessed of power and filled with pride, thou hast, before\nthis, slain many Rishis living in the woods, and insulted the very gods.\nThou hast slain also many great kings and many weeping women. For those\ntransgressions of thine, retribution is about to overtake thee! I will\nslay thee with thy counsellors. Fight and show thy courage![100] O\nwanderer of the night, behold the power of my bow, although I am but a\nman! Release Sita, the daughter of Janaka! If thou dost not release her,\nI shall make the Earth divested of all Rakshasas with my keen-edged\narrows!' Hearing these defiant words of the enemy, king Ravana bore them\nill, becoming senseless with wrath. And thereupon four Rakshasas skilled\nin reading every sign of their master, seized Angada like four hawks\nseizing a tiger. With those Rakshasas, however, holding him fast by his\nlimbs, Angada leaped upwards and alighted on the palace terrace. And as\nhe leaped up with a great force, those wanderers of the night fell down\nthe earth, and bruised by the violence of the fall, had their ribs\nbroken. And from the golden terrace on which he had alighted, he took a\ndownward leap. And overleaping the walls of Lanka, he alighted to where\nhis comrades were. And approaching the presence of the lord of Kosala and\ninforming him of everything, the monkey Angada endued with great energy\nretired to refresh himself, dismissed with due respect by Rama.\n\nThe 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 the\nwind. Then Lakshmana, with Vibhishana and the king of the bears marching\nin the van, blew up the southern gate of the city that was almost\nimpregnable. Rama then attacked Lanka with a hundred thousand crores of\nmonkeys, all possessed of great skill in battle, and endued with reddish\ncomplexions like those of young camels. And those crores of greyish bears\nwith long arms, and legs and huge paws, and generally supporting\nthemselves on their broad haunches, were also urged on to support the\nattack. And in consequence of those monkeys leaping up and leaping down\nand leaping in transverse directions, the Sun himself, his bright disc\ncompletely shaded, became invisible for the dust they raised. And the\ncitizens of Lanka beheld the wall of their town assume all over a tawny\nhue, covered by monkeys of complexions yellow as the ears of paddy, and\ngrey as Shirisha flowers, and red as the rising Sun, and white as flax or\nhemp. And the Rakshasas, O king, with their wives and elders, were struck\nwith wonders at that sight. And the monkey warriors began to pull down\npillars made of precious stones and the terraces and tops of palatial\nmansions. And breaking into fragments the propellers of catapults and\nother engines, they began to cast them about in all directions. And\ntaking up the Sataghnis along with the discs, the clubs, and stones, they\nthrew them down into the city with great force and loud noise. And\nattacked thus by the monkeys, those Rakshasas that had been placed on the\nwalls to guard them, fled precipitately by hundreds 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 also\nfell down to rise no more. And the monkeys and the brave Rakshasas that\ncommenced to eat up the foe, struggled, seizing one another by the hair,\nand mangling and tearing one another with their nails and teeth. And the\nmonkeys and the Rakshasas roared and yelled frightfully, and while many\nof both parties were slain and fell down to rise no more, neither side\ngave up the contest. And Rama continued all the while to shower a thick\ndownpour of arrows like the very clouds. And the arrows he shot,\nenveloping Lanka, killed large numbers of Rakshasas. And the son of\nSumitra, too, that mighty bowman incapable of being fatigued in battle,\nnaming particular Rakshasas stationed on the ramparts, slew them with his\nclothyard shafts. And then the monkey host, having achieved success was\nwithdrawn at the command of Rama, after it had thus pulled down the\nfortifications of Lanka and made all objects within the city capable of\nbeing aimed at by the besieging force.\"\n\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 owning\nRavana as their leader, penetrated amongst them. And among these were\nParvana, Patana, Jambha, Khara, Krodha-vasa, Hari, Praruja, Aruja and\nPraghasa, and others. And as these wicked ones were penetrating (the\nmonkey host) in their invisible forms, Vibhishana, who had the knowledge\nthereof, broke the spell of their invisibility. And once seen, O king, by\nthe powerful and long-leaping monkeys, they were all slain and prostrated\non the earth, deprived of life. And unable to endure this, Ravana marched\nout at the head of his troops. And surrounded by his terrible army of\nRakshasas and Pisachas, Ravana who was conversant with the rules of\nwarfare like a second Usanas invested the monkey host, having disposed\nhis troops in that array which is named after Usanas himself. And\nbeholding Ravana advancing with his army disposed in that array, Rama,\nfollowing the mode recommended by Vrihaspati, disposed his troops in\ncounter array for opposing that wanderer of the night. And coming up\nquickly, Ravana began to fight with Rama. And Lakshmana singled out\nIndrajit, and Sugriva singled out Virupakshya, and Nikharvata fought with\nTara, and Nala with Tunda, and Patusa with Panasa. And each warrior,\nadvancing up to him whom he regarded as his match, began to fight with\nhim on that field of battle, relying on the strength of his own arms, and\nthat encounter, so frightful to timid persons, soon became terrible and\nfierce like that between the gods and the Asuras in the days of old. And\nRavana covered Rama with a shower of darts and lances and swords, and\nRama also afflicted Ravana with his whetted arrows of iron furnished with\nthe sharpest points, and in the same way Lakshmana smote the contending\nIndrajit with arrows capable of penetrating into the most vital parts and\nIndrajit also smote Sumitra's son with an arrowy shower. And Vibhishana\nshowered upon Prahasta and Prahasta showered upon Vibhishana, without any\nregard for each other a thick downpour of winged arrows furnished with\nthe sharpest points. And thus between those mighty warriors there came\nabout an encounter of celestial weapons of great force, at which the\nthree worlds with their mobile and immobile creatures were sorely\ndistressed.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCLXXXIV\n\n\"Markandeya said, \"Then Prahasta, suddenly advancing up to Vibhishana and\nuttering a loud yell, struck him with his mace. But though struck with\nthat mace of terrible force, the mighty-armed Vibhishana of great wisdom,\nwithout wavering in the least, stood still as the mountains of Himavat.\nThen Vibhishana, taking up a huge and mighty javelin furnished with a\nhundred bells, inspired it with mantras and hurled it at the head of his\nadversary. And by the impetuosity of that weapon rushing with the force\nof the thunderbolt, Prahasta's head was severed off, and he thereupon\nlooked like a mighty tree broken by the wind. And beholding that wanderer\nof the night, Prahasta, thus slain in battle, Dhumraksha rushed with\ngreat impetuosity against the monkey-host. And beholding the soldiers of\nDhumraksha, looking like the clouds and endued with terrible mien,\nadvancing up towards them, the monkey-chief suddenly broke and fled. And\nseeing those foremost of monkeys suddenly give way, that tiger among\nmonkeys, Hanuman, the son of Pavana, began to advance. And beholding the\nson of Pavana staying still on the field of battle, the retreating\nmonkeys, O king, one and all quickly rallied. Then mighty and great and\nfearful was the uproar that arose there in consequence of the warriors of\nRama and Ravana rushing against each other. And in that battle which\nraged terribly the field soon became miry with blood. And Dhumraksha\nafflicted the monkey-host with volleys of winged shafts. Then that\nvanquisher 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, is desirous of defeating the\nother, was fierce and terrible, like that of Indra and Prahlada (in days\nof yore). And the Rakshasa struck the monkey with his maces and spiked\nclubs while the monkey struck the Rakshasa with trunks of trees unshorn\nof their branches. Then Hanuman, the son of Pavana, slew in great wrath\nthat Rakshasa along with his charioteer and horses and broke his chariot\nalso into pieces. And beholding Dhumraksha, that foremost of Rakshasa,\nthus slain, the monkeys, abandoning all fear, rushed against the Rakshasa\narmy with great valour. And slaughtered in large numbers by the\nvictorious and powerful monkeys, the Rakshasas became dispirited and fled\nin fear to Lanka. And the surviving wreck of the Rakshasa army, having\nreached the city, informed king Ravana of everything that had happened.\nAnd hearing from them that Prahasta and that mighty archer Dhumraksha,\nhad both, with their armies, been slain by the powerful monkeys, Ravana\ndrew a deep sigh and springing up from his excellent seat, said,--the\ntime is come for Kumbhakarna to act.--And having said this, he awake, by\nmeans of various loud-sounding instruments, his brother Kumbhakarna from\nhis deep and prolonged slumbers. And having awaked him with great\nefforts, the Rakshasa king, still afflicted with anxiety, addressed the\nmighty Kumbhakarna and said unto him when seated at his ease on his bed,\nhaving perfectly recovered consciousness and self-possession, these\nwords, 'Thou, indeed, art happy, O Kumbhakarna, that canst enjoy profound\nand undisturbed repose, unconscious of the terrible calamity that hath\novertaken us! Rama with his monkey host hath crossed the Ocean by a\nbridge and disregarding us all is waging a terrible war (against us). I\nhave stealthily brought away his wife Sita, the daughter of Janaka. and\nit is to recover her that he hath come hither, after having made a bridge\nover the great Ocean. Our great kinsmen also, Prahasta and others, have\nalready been slain by him. And, O scourge of thy enemies, there is not\nanother person, save thee, that can slay Rama! Therefore, O warrior,\nputting on thy armour, do thou set out this day for the purpose of\nvanquishing Rama and his followers! The two younger brothers of Dushana,\nviz., Vajravega and Promathin, will join thee with their forces!' And\nhaving said this unto the mighty Kumbhakarna. the Rakshasa king gave\ninstructions to Vajravega and Promathin as to what they should do. And\naccepting his advice, those two warlike brothers of Dushana quickly\nmarched out of the city, preceded by Kumbhakarna.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCLXXXV\n\n\"Markandeya said, \"Then Kumbhakarna set out from the city, accompanied by\nhis followers. And soon he beheld the victorious monkey troops encamped\nbefore him. And passing them by with the object of seeking out Rama, he\nbeheld the son of Sumitra standing at his post, bow in hand. Then the\nmonkey warriors, speedily advancing towards him, surrounded him on all\nsides. And then they commenced to strike him with numberless large trees.\nAnd many amongst them fearlessly began to tear his body with their nails.\nAnd those monkeys began to fight with him in various ways approved by the\nlaws of warfare. And they soon overwhelmed that chief of the Rakshasas\nwith a shower of terrible weapons of various kinds. And attacked by them\nthus, Kumbhakarna only laughed at them and began to eat them up. And he\ndevoured those foremost of monkeys known by the name of Chala, and\nChandachala, and Vajravahu. And beholding that fearful act of the\nRakshasa, other monkeys were frightened and set forth a loud wail of\nfear. And hearing the screams of those monkey-leaders, Sugriva boldly\nadvanced towards Kumbhakarna. And that high-souled king of the monkeys\nswiftly approaching the Rakshasa, violently struck him on the head with\nthe trunk of a Sala tree. And though the high-souled Sugriva always\nprompt in action broke that Sala tree on the head of Kumbhakarna, he\nfailed to make any impression on that Rakshasa. And then, as if roused\nfrom his torpor by that blow, Kumbhakarna stretching forth his arms\nseized Sugriva by main force. And beholding Sugriva dragged away by the\nRakshasa, the heroic son of Sumitra, that delighter of his friends,\nrushed towards Kumbhakarna. And that slayer of hostile heroes, Lakshmana,\nadvancing towards Kumbhakarna, discharged at him an impetuous and mighty\narrow furnished with golden wings. And that arrow, cutting through his\ncoat of mail and penetrating into his body, passed through it outright\nand struck into the earth, stained with the Rakshasa's blood. Kumbhakarna\nthen, having his breast thus bored through, released the king of monkeys.\nAnd taking up a huge mass of stone as his weapon, the mighty warrior\nKumbhakarna then rushed towards the son of Sumitra, aiming it at him. And\nas the Rakshasa rushed towards him, Lakshmana cut off his upraised arms\nby means of a couple of keen-edged shafts furnished with heads resembling\nrazors. But as soon as the two arms of the Rakshasa were thus cut off,\ndouble that number of arms soon appeared on his person. Sumitra's son,\nhowever, displaying his skill in weapon, soon by means of similar arrows\ncut off those arms also, each of which had seized a mass of stone. At\nthis, that Rakshasa assumed a form enormously huge and furnished with\nnumerous heads and legs and arms. Then the son of Sumitra rived, with a\nBrahma weapon, that warrior looking like an assemblage of hill. And rent\nby means 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 those\ntwo Rakshasa heroes, on the other hand, both of them excited with fury,\ncovered Lakshmana with an arrowy hail. And that terrible encounter\nbetween Vajravega and Promathin and the mighty-armed Lakshmana lasted for\na short while. And Hanumana, the son of Pavana, taking up a mountain\npeak, rushed towards one of the brothers, and with that weapon took the\nlife of the Rakshasa Vajravega. And that mighty monkey, Nala, also, with\na large mass of rock, crushed Promathin, that other younger brother of\nDushana. The deadly struggle, however, between the soldiers of Rama and\nRavana, rushing against one another, instead of coming to an end even\nafter this, raged on as before. And hundreds of Rakshasas were slain by\nthe denizens of the forest, while many of the latter were slain by the\nformer. The loss, however, in killed, of the Rakshasas was far greater\nthan that of the monkeys.\n\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. My\ngood son, it was by thee that this blazing fame of mine had been acquired\nby 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 brought\nabout by either Prahasta or Kumbhakarna in battle, be it thine, O\nmighty-armed one, to bring about! Slaying my enemies with all their army\nby means of thy keen-edged shafts, enhance my joy to-day, O son, as thou\ndidst once before by vanquishing Vasava!' Thus addressed by him. Indrajit\nsaid--So be it,--and encased in mail he quickly ascended his chariot, and\nproceeded, O king, towards the field of battle. And then that bull\namongst Rakshasas loudly announcing his own name, challenged Lakshmana\nendued with auspicious marks, to a single combat. And Lakshmana, thus\nchallenged, rushed towards that Rakshasa, with his bow and arrows, and\nstriking terror into his adversary's heart by means of the flapping of\nhis bow-string on the leathern case of his left hand. And the encounter\nthat took place between those warriors that defied each other's prowess\nand each of whom was desirous of vanquishing the other, and both of whom\nwere conversant with celestial weapons, was terrible in the extreme. But\nwhen the son of Ravana found that he could not by his arrows gain any\nadvantage over his adversary, that foremost of mighty warriors mustered\nall his energy. And Indrajit then began to hurl at Lakshmana with great\nforce numberless javelins. The son of Sumitra, however, cut them into\nfragments by means of his own keen-edged arrows. And those javelins, thus\ncut into pieces by the keen-edged arrows of Lakshmana, dropped down upon\nthe ground. Then the handsome Angada, the son of Vali, taking up a large\ntree, rushed impetuously at Indrajit and struck him with it on the head.\nUndaunted at this, Indrajit of mighty energy sought to smite Angada with\na lance. Just at that juncture, however, Lakshmana cut into pieces the\nlance taken up by Ravana's son. The son of Ravana then took up a mace and\nstruck on the left flank that foremost of monkeys, the heroic Angada who\nwas then staying close beside him. Angada, the powerful son of Vali,\nlittle recking that stroke, hurled at Indrajit a mighty Sal stem. And\nhurled in wrath by Angada for the destruction of Indrajit, that tree, O\nson of Pritha, 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 of\nillusion. And beholding that Rakshasa, abundantly endued with powers of\nillusion, disappear so suddenly, Rama proceeded towards that spot and\nbegan to protect his troops with care. Indrajit, however, with arrows,\nobtained as boons from the gods, began to pierce both Rama and mighty\nLakshmana 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 by\nhis powers of illusion, furiously attacked the monkey host. And the\nheroic brothers Rama and Lakshmana, pierced all over with arrows, dropped\ndown on the ground like the Sun and the Moon fallen down from the\nfirmament.'\"\n\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 the\nking of the monkeys stood there, accompanied by Sushena and Mainda and\nDwivida, and Kumuda and Angada and Hanuman and Nila and Tara and Nala.\nAnd Vibhishana, having achieved success in another part of the field,\nsoon arrived at that spot, and roused those heroes from insensibility,\nawakening them by means of the weapon called, Prajna.[101] Then Sugriva\nsoon extracted the arrows from their bodies. And by means of that most\nefficacious medicine called the Visalya[102], applied with celestial\nmantras, those human heroes regained their consciousness. And the arrow\nhaving been extracted from their bodies, those mighty warriors in a\nmoment rose from their recumbent posture, their pains and fatigue\nthoroughly alleviated. And beholding Rama the descendant of Ikshwaku's\nrace, quite at his ease, Vibhishana, O son of Pritha, joining his hands;\ntold him these words, 'O chastiser of foes, at the command of the king of\nthe Guhyakas, a Guhyaka hath come from the White mountains, bringing with\nhim his water![103] O great king, this water is a present to thee from\nKuvera, so that all creatures that are invisible may, O chastiser of\nfoes, become visible to thee! This water laved over the eyes will make\nevery invisible creature visible to thee, as also to any other person to\nwhom thou mayst give it!'--Saying--So be it,--Rama took that sacred\nwater, and sanctified his own eyes therewith. And the high-minded\nLakshmana also did the same. And Sugriva and Jambuvan, and Hanuman and\nAngada, and Mainda and Dwivida, and Nila and many other foremost of the\nmonkeys, laved their eyes with that water. And thereupon it exactly\nhappened as Vibhishana had said, for, O Yudhishthira, soon did the eyes\nof all these became capable of beholding things that could not be seen by\nthe unassisted eye!\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 son\nof Sumitra with arrows penetrating into his very vitals. And the son of\nSumitra 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 the\nsecond he caused that other arm which had held the arrows, to drop down\non 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 bright\nwith ear-rings. And shorn of arms and head, the trunk became fearful to\nbehold. And having slain the foe thus, that foremost of mighty men then\nslew with his arrows the charioteer of his adversary. And the horses then\ndragged away the empty chariot into the city. And Ravana then beheld that\ncar without his son on it. And hearing that his son had been slain,\nRavana suffered his heart to be overpowered with grief. And under the\ninfluence of extreme grief and affliction, the king of the Rakshasas\nsuddenly cherished the desire of killing the princess of Mithila. And\nseizing a sword, the wicked Rakshasa hastily ran towards that lady\nstaying within the Asoka wood longing to behold her lord. Then Avindhya\nbeholding that sinful purpose of the wicked wretch, appeased his fury.\nListen, O Yudhishthira, to the reasons urged by Avindhya! That wise\nRakshasa said, 'Placed as thou art on the blazing throne of an empire, it\nbehoveth thee not to slay a woman! Besides, this woman is already slain,\nconsidering that she is a captive in thy power! I think, she would not be\nslain if only her body were destroyed. Slay thou her husband! He being\nslain, she will be slain too! Indeed, not even he of an hundred\nsacrifices (Indra) is thy equal in prowess! The gods with Indra at their\nhead, had repeatedly been affrighted by thee in battle!' With these and\nmany other words of the same import, Avindhya succeeded in appeasing\nRavana. And the latter did, indeed, listen to his counsellor's speech.\nAnd that wanderer of the night, then, resolved to give battle himself\nsheathed his sword, and issued orders for preparing his chariot.'\"\n\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 their\nhands, Ravana rushed towards Rama, fighting with numerous monkey-chief.\nAnd beholding him rushing in wrath towards the monkey army, Mainda and\nNila and Nala and Angada, and Hanuman and Jamvuman, surrounded him with\nall their troops. And those foremost of monkeys and bears began to\nexterminate with trunks of trees, the soldiers of the Ten-necked\n(Ravana), in his every sight. And beholding the enemy slaughtering his\ntroops, the Rakshasa king, Ravana, possessed of great powers of illusion,\nbegan to put them forth. And forth from his body began to spring hundreds\nand thousands of Rakshasas armed with arrows and lances and double-edged\nswords in hand. Rama, however, with a celestial weapon slew all those\nRakshasas. The king of the Rakshasas then once more put forth his prowess\nof illusion. The Ten-faced, producing from his body numerous warriors\nresembling, O Bharata, both Rama and Lakshmana, rushed towards the two\nbrothers. And then those Rakshasas, hostile to Rama and Lakshmana and\narmed with bows and arrows, rushed towards Rama, and beholding that power\nof illusion put forth by the king of Rakshasas, that descendant of\nIkshwaku's race, the son of Sumitra, addressed Rama in these heroic\nwords, 'Slay those Rakshasas, those wretches with forms like thy own!'\nAnd Rama, thereupon slew those and other Rakshasas of forms resembling\nhis own. And that time Matali, the charioteer of Indra, approached Rama\non the field of battle, with a car effulgent as the Sun and unto which\nwere yoked 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, belonging 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 thou,\nriding on the car driven by me, quickly slay Ravana in battle! Do not\ndelay 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. And\nRakshasa hurled at Rama a terrible javelin looking like Indra's\nthunderbolt and resembling a Brahmana's curse on the point of\nutterance.[104] Rama, however, quickly cut into fragments that javelin by\nmeans of his sharp arrows. And beholding that most difficult feat, Ravana\nwas struck with fear. But soon his wrath was excited and the Ten-necked\nhero began to shower on Rama whetted arrows by thousands and tens of\nthousands and countless weapons of various kinds, such as rockets and\njavelins and maces and battle-axes and darts of various kinds and\nShataghnis and whetted shafts. And beholding that terrible form of\nillusion displayed by the Ten-necked Rakshasa, the monkeys fled in fear\nin all directions. Then the descendant of Kakutstha, taking out of his\nquiver an excellent arrow furnished with handsome wings and golden\nfeathers and a bright and beautiful head, fixed it on the bow with\nBrahmastra mantra. And beholding that excellent arrow transformed by\nRama, with proper mantras into a Brahma weapon, the celestials and the\nGandharvas with Indra at their head, began to rejoice. And the gods and\nthe Danavas and the Kinnaras were led by the display of that Brahma\nweapon to regard the life of their Rakshasa foe almost closed. Then Rama\nshot that terrible weapon of unrivalled energy, destined to compass\nRavana's death, and resembling the curse of a Brahmana on the point of\nutterance. And as soon, O Bharata, as that arrow was shot by Rama from\nhis bow drawn to a circle, the Rakshasa king with his chariot and\ncharioteer and horses blazed up, surrounded on all sides by a terrific\nfire. And beholding Ravana slain by Rama of famous achievements, the\ncelestials, with the Gandharvas and the Charanas, rejoiced exceedingly.\nAnd deprived of universal dominion by the energy of the Brahma weapon,\nthe five elements forsook the illustrious Ravana. And were consumed by\nthe Brahma weapon, the physical ingredients of Ravana's body. His flesh\nand blood were all reduced to nothingness,--so that the ashes even could\nnot be seen.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCLXXXIX\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'Having slain Ravana, that wretched king of the\nRakshasas and foe of the celestials, Rama with his friends and Sumitra's\nson rejoiced exceedingly. And after the Ten-necked (Rakshasa) hath been\nslain, the celestials with the Rishis at their head, worshipped Rama of\nmighty arms, blessing and uttering the word Jaya repeatedly. And all the\ncelestials and the Gandharvas and the denizens of the celestial regions\ngratified Rama of eyes like lotus leaves, with hymns and flowery showers.\nAnd having duly worshipped Rama, they all went away to those regions\nwhence they had come. And, O thou of unfading glory, the firmament at\nthat time looked as if a great festival was 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 these\nwords, the descendant of Ikshwaku's race alighted from his excellent\nchariot and beheld Sita bathed in tears. And beholding that beautiful\nlady seated within her vehicle, afflicted with grief, besmeared with\nfilth, with matted locks on head, and attired in dirty robes, Rama,\nafraid of the loss of his honour, said unto her, 'Daughter of Videha, go\nwithersover thou likest! Thou art now free! What should have been done by\nme, hath been done! O blessed lady, owning me for thy husband, it is not\nmeet that thou shouldst grow old in the abode of the Rakshasa! It is for\nthis I have slain that wanderer of the night! But how can one like us,\nacquainted with every truth of morality embrace even for a moment a woman\nthat had fallen into other's hands? O princess of Mithila whether thou\nart chaste or unchaste, I dare not enjoy thee, now that thou art like\nsacrificial butter lapped by a dog!' Hearing these cruel words, that\nadorable girl suddenly fell down in great affliction of heart, like a\nplantain tree severed from its roots. And the colour that was suffusing\nher face in consequence of the joy she had felt, quickly disappeared,\nlike watery particles on a mirror blown thereon by the breath of the\nmouth. And hearing these words of Rama, all the monkeys also with\nLakshmana became still as dead. Then the divine and pure-souled Brahma of\nfour faces, that Creator of the Universe himself sprung from a lotus,\nshowed himself on his car to Raghu's son. And Sakra and Agni and Vayu,\nand Yama and Varuna and the illustrious Lord of the Yakshas, and the holy\nRishis, and king Dasaratha also in a celestial and effulgent form and on\ncar drawn by swans, showed themselves. And then the firmament crowded\nwith celestials and Gandharvas became as beautiful as the autumnal welkin\nspangled with stars. And rising up from the ground, the blessed and\nfamous princess of Videha, in the midst of those present spoke unto Rama\nof wide chest, these words, 'O prince, I impute no fault to thee, for\nthou art well acquainted with the behaviour that one should adopt towards\nboth men and women. But hear thou these words of mine! The ever-moving\nAir is always present within every creature. If I have sinned, let him\nforsake my vital forces! If I have sinned, Oh, then let Fire, and Water,\nand Space, and Earth, like Air (whom I have already invoked), also\nforsake my vital forces! And as, O hero, I have never, even in my dreams,\ncherished the image of any other person, so be thou my lord as appointed\nby the gods.' After Sita had spoken, a sacred voice, resounding through\nthe whole of that region, was heard in the skies, gladdening the hearts\nof the high-souled monkeys. And the Wind-god was heard to say, O son of\nRaghu, what 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 that\nart honest and pure and conversant with the duties of royal sages, this\nconduct is not strange. Listen, however, to these words of mine! Thou\nhast, O hero, slain this enemy of the gods, the Gandharvas, the Nagas,\nthe Yakshas, the Danavas, and the great Rishis! It was through my grace\nthat he had hitherto been unslayable of all creatures. And indeed, it was\nfor some reason that I had tolerated him for some time! The wretch,\nhowever, abducted Sita for his own destruction. And as regards Sita, I\nprotected her through Nalakuvera's curse. For that person had cursed\nRavana of old, saying, that if he ever approached an unwilling woman, his\nhead should certainly be split into a hundred fragments. Let no\nsuspicion, therefore, be thine! O thou of great glory, accept thy wife!\nThou hast indeed, achieved a mighty feat for the benefit of the gods, O\nthou that art of divine effulgence!' And last of all Dasaratha said, 'I\nhave been gratified with thee, O child! Blessed be thou, I am thy father\nDasaratha! I command thee to take back thy wife, and rule thy kingdom, O\nthou foremost of men!' Rama then replied, 'If thou art my father, I\nsalute thee with reverence, O king of kings! I shall indeed, return, at\nthy command, to the delightful city of Ayodhya!'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Thus addressed, his father, O bull of the Bharata\nrace, gladly answered Rama, the corners of whose eyes were of a reddish\nhue, saying, 'Return to Ayodhya and rule thou that kingdom! O thou of\ngreat glory, thy fourteen years (of exile) have been completed.' Thus\naddressed by Dasaratha, Rama bowed to the gods, and saluted by his\nfriends he was united with his wife, like the Lord of the celestials with\nthe daughter of Puloman. And that chastiser of foes then gave a boon to\nAvindhya. And he also bestowed both riches and honours on the Rakshasa\nwoman named Trijata. And when Brahma with all the celestials having India\nat their head, said unto Rama, 'O thou that ownest Kausalya for thy\nmother, what boons after thy heart shall we grant thee?' Rama, thereupon,\nprayed them to grant him firm adherence to virtues and invincibility in\nrespect of all foes. And he also asked for the restoration to life of all\nthose monkeys that had been slain by the Rakshasas, and after Brahma had\nsaid--So be it, those monkeys, O king, restored to life, rose up from the\nfield of battle, and Sita too, of great good fortune, granted unto\nHanuman a boon, saying, 'Let thy life, O son, last as long as (the fame\nof) Rama's achievements! And, O Hanuman of yellow eyes, let celestial\nviands and drinks be ever available to thee through my grace!'\n\n\"Then the celestials with Indra at their head all disappeared in the very\nsight of those warriors of spotless achievements. And beholding Rama\nunited 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 Nagas,\nand human beings! As long, therefore, as the Earth will hold together, so\nlong will all creatures with the celestials, the Asuras, the Gandharvas,\nthe Yakshas, the Rakshasas, and the Pannagas, speak of thee.' And having\nsaid these words unto Rama, Matali worshipped that son of Raghu, and\nhaving obtained the leave of that foremost of wielders of weapons, he\nwent away, on that same chariot of solar effulgence. And Rama also, with\nSumatra's son and Vibhishana, and accompanied by all the monkeys with\nSugriva at their head, placing Sita in the van and having made\narrangements for the protection of Lanka, recrossed the ocean by the same\nbridge. And he rode on that beautiful and sky-ranging chariot called the\nPushpaka that was capable of going everywhere at the will of the rider.\nAnd that subduer of passions was surrounded by his principal counsellors\nin order of precedence. And arriving at that part of the sea-shore where\nhe had formerly laid himself down, the virtuous king, with all the\nmonkeys, pitched his temporary abode. And the son of Raghu then, bringing\nthe monkeys before him in due time, worshipped them all, and gratifying\nthem with presents of jewels and gems, dismissed them one after another.\nAnd after all the monkey-chiefs, and the apes with bovine tails, and the\nbears, had gone away, Rama re-entered Kishkindhya with Sugriva. And\naccompanied by both Vibhishana and Sugriva, Rama re-entered Kishkindhya\nriding on the Pushpaka car and showing the princess of Videha the woods\nalong the way. And having arrived at Kishkindhya, Rama, that foremost of\nall smiters, 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 come.\nAnd having reached the city of Ayodhya, the king despatched Hanuman\nthence as envoy to Bharata. And Hanuman, having ascertained Bharata's\nintentions from external indications, gave him the good news (of Rama's\narrival). And after the son of Pavana had come back, Rama entered\nNandigrama. And having entered that town, Rama beheld Bharata besmeared\nwith filth and attired in rags and seated with his elder brother's\nsandals placed before him. And being united, O bull of Bharata race, with\nboth Bharata and Shatrughna, the mighty son of Raghu, along with\nSumitra's son, began to rejoice exceedingly. And Bharata and Shatrughna\nalso, united with their eldest brother, and beholding Sita, both derived\ngreat pleasure. And Bharata then, after having worshipped his returned\nbrother, made over to him with great pleasure, the kingdom that had been\nin his hands as a sacred trust. And Vasishtha and Vamadeva then together\ninstalled that hero in the sovereignty (of Ayodhya) at the eighth\nMuhurta[105] of the day under the asterism called Sravana. And after his\ninstallation was over, Rama gave leave to well-pleased Sugriva the king\nof the monkeys, along with all his followers, as also to rejoicing\nVibhishana of Pulastya's race, to return to their respective abodes. And\nhaving worshipped them with various articles of enjoyment, and done\neverything that was suitable to the occasion, Rama dismissed those\nfriends of his with a sorrowful heart. And the son of Raghu then, having\nworshiped that Pushpaka chariot, joyfully gave it back unto Vaisravana.\nAnd then assisted by the celestial Rishi (Vasishtha), Rama performed on\nthe banks of the Gomati ten horse-sacrifices without obstruction of any\nkind and with treble presents unto Brahmanas.'\"\n\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 leadeth\nto tangible rewards. Thou hast not even a particle of sin. Even the\ncelestials with Indra at their head, and the Asuras have to tread in the\npath that is trod by thee! It was after such afflictions that the wielder\nof the thunderbolt, aided by the Maruts, slew Vritra, and the invincible\nNamuchi and the Rakshasi of long tongue! He that hath assistance, always\nsecureth the accomplishment of all his purposes! What is that which\ncannot be vanquished in battle by him that hath Dhananjaya for his\nbrother? This Bhima, also, of terrible prowess, is the foremost of mighty\npersons. The heroic and youthful sons of Madravati again are mighty\nbowmen. With allies such as these, why dost thou despair, O chastiser of\nfoes? These are capable of vanquishing the army of the wielder himself of\nthe thunderbolt with the Maruts in the midst. Having these mighty bowmen\nof celestial forms for thy allies, thou, O bull of Bharata race, art sure\nto conquer in battle all thy foes! Behold, this Krishna, the daughter of\nDrupada, forcibly abducted by the wicked-minded Saindhava from pride of\nstrength and energy, hath been brought back by these mighty warriors\nafter achieving terrible feats! Behold, king Jayadratha was vanquished\nand lay powerless before thee! The princess of Videha was rescued with\nalmost no allies by Rama after the slaughter in battle of the Ten-necked\nRakshasa of terrible prowess! Indeed, the allies of Rama (in that\ncontest) were monkeys and black-faced bears, creatures that were not even\nhuman! Think of all this, O king in thy mind! Therefore, O foremost of\nKurus, grieve not for all (that hath occurred), O bull of the Bharata\nrace! Illustrious persons like thee never indulge in sorrow, O smiter of\nfoes!'\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\n\nSECTION CCLXLI\n\n(Pativrata-mahatmya Parva)\n\n\"Yudhishthira said, 'O mighty sage, I do not so much grieve for myself or\nthese my brothers or the loss of my kingdom as I do for this daughter of\nDrupada. 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 of\nSavitri[106] 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\nBrahmacharya practices, thy purity and self-restraint and observance of\nvows, and all thy endeavours and veneration! Do thou, O mighty king. O\nAswapati, ask for the boon that thou desirest! Thou ought, however, by no\nmeans show any disregard for virtue.' Thereat Aswapati said, 'It is with\nthe desire of attaining virtue that I have been engaged in this task. O\ngoddess, may many sons be born unto me worthy of my race! If thou art\npleased with me, O goddess, I ask for this boon. The twice-born ones have\nassured me that great merit lieth in having offspring!' Savitri replied,\n'O king, having already learnt this thy intention, I had spoken unto that\nlord, the Grandsire, about thy sons. Through the favour granted by the\nSelf-create, there shall speedily be born unto thee on earth a daughter\nof great energy. It behoveth thee not to make any reply. Well-pleased, I\ntell thee this at the command of the Grandsire.'\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\nSavitri vanishing away, the monarch entered his own city. And that hero\nbegan to live in his kingdom, ruling his subjects righteously. And when\nsome time had elapsed, that king, observant of vows, begat offspring on\nhis eldest queen engaged in the practice of virtue. And then, O bull of\nthe Bharata race, the embryo in the womb of the princess of Malava\nincreased like the lord of stars in the heavens during the lighted\nfortnight. And when the time came, she brought forth a daughter furnished\nwith lotus-like eyes. And that best of monarchs, joyfully performed the\nusual ceremonies on her behalf. And as she had been bestowed with delight\nby the goddess Savitri by virtue of the oblations offered in honour of\nthat goddess, both her father, and the Brahmanas named her Savitri. And\nthe king's daughter grew like unto Sree herself in an embodied form. And\nin due time, that damsel attained her puberty. And beholding that\ngraceful maiden of slender waist and ample hips, and resembling a golden\nimage, people thought, 'We have received a goddess.' And overpowered by\nher energy, none could wed that girl of eyes like lotus-leaves, and\npossessed of a burning splendour.'\n\n'And it came to pass that once on the occasion of a parva, having fasted\nand bathed her head, she presented herself before the (family) deity and\ncaused the Brahmanas to offer oblations with due rites to the sacrificial\nfire. And taking the flowers that had been offered to the god, that lady,\nbeautiful as Sree herself, went to her high-souled sire. And having\nreverenced the feet of her father and offering him the flowers she had\nbrought, that maiden of exceeding grace, with joined hands, stood at the\nside of the king. And seeing his own daughter resembling a celestial\ndamsel arrived at puberty, and unsought by people, the king became sad.\nAnd the king said, 'Daughter, the time for bestowing thee is come! Yet\nnone asketh thee. Do thou (therefore) thyself seek for a husband equal to\nthee in qualities! That person who may be desired by thee should be\nnotified to me. Do thou choose for thy husband as thou listest. I shall\nbestow thee with deliberation. Do thou, O auspicious one, listen to me as\nI tell thee the words which I heard recited by the twice-born ones. The\nfather that doth not bestow his daughter cometh by disgrace. And the\nhusband that knoweth not his wife in her season meeteth with disgrace.\nAnd the son that doth not protect his mother when her husband is dead,\nalso suffereth disgrace. Hearing these words of mine, do thou engage\nthyself in search of a husband. Do thou act in such a way that we may not\nbe 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 went\nout without hesitation, in compliance with the words of her sire. And\nascending a golden car, she went to the delightful asylum of the royal\nsages, 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 sacred\nregions, ranged the various places belonging to the foremost of the\ntwice-born ones.'\"\n\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, 'Whither\nhad this thy daughter gone? And, O king, whence also doth she come? Why\nalso dost thou not bestow her on a husband, now that she hath arrived at\nthe age of puberty?' Aswapati answered, saying, 'Surely it was on this\nvery business that she had been sent, and she returneth now (from her\nsearch). Do thou, O celestial sage, listen, even from her as to the\nhusband 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 into\nthe woods. And having retired into the forests, he adopted great vows and\nbegan to practise ascetic austerities. And his son, born in the city,\nbegan to grow in the hermitage. That youth, fit to be my husband, I have\naccepted in my heart for my lord!' At these words of hers, Narada said,\n'Alas, O king, Savitri hath committed a great wrong, since, not knowing,\nshe hath accepted for her lord this Satyavan of excellent qualities! His\nfather speaketh the truth and his mother also is truthful in her speech.\nAnd it is for this that the Brahmanas have named the son Satyavan. In his\nchildhood he took great delight in horses, and used to make horses of\nclay. And he used also to draw pictures of horses. And for this that\nyouth is sometimes called by the name of Chitraswa.' The king then asked,\n'And is prince Satyavan, who is devoted to his father, endued with energy\nand intelligence and forgiveness and courage?' Narada replied, saying,\n'In energy Satyavan is like unto the sun, and in wisdom like unto\nVrihaspati! And he is brave like unto the lord of the celestials and\nforgiving like unto the Earth herself!' Aswapati then said, 'And is the\nprince Satyavan liberal in gifts and devoted to the Brahmanas? Is he\nhandsome and magnanimous and lovely to behold?' Narada said, 'In bestowal\nof gifts according to his power, the mighty son of Dyumatsena is like\nunto Sankriti's son Rantideva. In truthfulness of speech and devotion\nunto Brahmanas, he is like Sivi, the son of Usinara. And he is\nmagnanimous like Yayati, and beautiful like the Moon. And in beauty of\nperson he is like either of the twin Aswins. And with senses under\ncontrol, 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, he\nhath 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 cast\noff his body!' Hearing these words of the sage, the king said, 'Come, O\nSavitri, go thou and choose another for thy lord, O beautiful damsel!\nThat one great defect (in this youth) existeth, covering all his merits.\nThe illustrious Narada honoured by even the gods, sayeth, that Satyavan\nwill have to cast off his body within a year, his days being numbered!'\nAt these words of her father, Savitri said, 'The death can fall but once;\na daughter can be given away but one; and once only can a person say, I\ngive away! These three things can take place only once. Indeed, with a\nlife short or long, possessed of virtues or bereft of them, I have, for\nonce, selected my husband. Twice I shall not select. Having first settled\na thing mentally, it is expressed in words, and then it is carried out\ninto practice. Of this my mind is an example!' Narada then said, 'O best\nof men, the heart of thy daughter Savitri wavereth not! It is not\npossible by any means to make her swerve from this path of virtue! In no\nother person are those virtues that dwell in Satyavan. The bestowal of\nthy daughter, therefore, is approved by me!' The king said, 'What thou\nhast said, O illustrious one, should never be disobeyed, for thy words\nare true! And I shall act as thou hast said, since thou art my\npreceptor!' Narada said, 'May the bestowal of thy daughter Savitri be\nattended with peace! I shall now depart. Blessed be all of ye!'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Having said this, Narada rose up into the sky and\nwent to heaven. On the other hand, the king began to make preparations\nfor his daughter's wedding!'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCLXLIII\n\n\"Markandeya said, 'Having pondered over these words (of Narada) about his\ndaughter's marriage, the king began to make arrangements about the\nnuptials. And summoning all the old Brahmanas, and Ritwijas together with\nthe 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 cushion\nof Kusa grass spread under Sala tree. And after duly reverencing the\nroyal sage, the king in an humble speech introduced himself. Thereupon,\noffering him the Arghya, a seat, and a cow, the monarch asked his royal\nguest,--Wherefore is this visit?--Thus addressed the king disclosed\neverything about his intentions and purpose with reference to Satyavan.\nAnd Aswapati said, 'O royal sage, this beautiful girl is my daughter\nnamed Savitri. O thou versed in morality, do thou, agreeably to the\ncustoms of our order, take her from me as thy daughter-in-law!' Hearing\nthese words, Dyumatsena said, 'Deprived of kingdom, and taking up our\nabode in the woods, we are engaged in the practice of virtue as ascetics\nwith regulated lives. Unworthy of a forest life, how will thy daughter,\nliving in the sylvan asylum, bear this hardship?' Aswapati said, 'When my\ndaughter knoweth, as well as myself, that happiness and misery come and\ngo (without either being stationary), such words as these are not fit to\nbe used towards one like me! O king, I have come hither, having made up\nmy mind! I have bowed to thee from friendship; it behoveth thee not,\ntherefore, to destroy my hope! It behoveth thee not, also, to disregard\nme who, moved by love, have come to thee! Thou art my equal and fit for\nan alliance with me, as indeed, I am thy equal and fit for alliance with\nthee! Do thou, therefore, accept my daughter for thy daughter-in-law and\nthe wife of the good Satyavan!' Hearing these words Dyumatsena said,\n'Formerly I had desired an alliance with thee. But I hesitated, being\nsubsequently deprived of my kingdom. Let this wish, therefore, that I had\nformerly entertained, be accomplished this very day. Thou art, indeed, a\nwelcome guest 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 rites.\nAnd having bestowed his daughter with suitable robes and ornaments,\nAswapati went back to his abode in great joy. And Satyavan, having\nobtained a wife possessed of every accomplishment, became highly glad,\nwhile she also rejoiced exceedingly upon having gained the husband after\nher own heart. And when her father had departed, she put off all her\nornaments, and clad herself in barks and cloths dyed in red. And by her\nservices 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, they\ncontinued for some time to practise ascetic austerities. But the words\nspoken by Narada were present night and day in the mind of the sorrowful\nSavitri.'\"\n\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 mind\nof 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 of\nher vow, the king became exceedingly sorrow and rising up soothed Savitri\nand said these words, 'This vow that thou hast begun to observe, O\ndaughter of a king, is exceedingly hard; for it is extremely difficult to\nfast for three nights together!' And hearing these words, Savitri said,\n'Thou needst not be sorry, O father! This vow I shall be able to observe!\nI 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, thinking\nthat her husband would die on the morrow, the woe-stricken Savitri,\nobserving a fast, spent that night in extreme anguish. And when the Sun\nhad risen about a couple of hand Savitri thinking within herself--To-day\nis that day, finished her morning rites, and offered oblations to the\nflaming fire. And bowing down unto the aged Brahmanas, and her\nfather-in-law, and mother-in-law, she stood before them with joined\nhands, concentrating her senses. And for the welfare of Savitri, all the\nascetics dwelling in that hermitage, uttered the auspicious benediction\nthat she should never suffer widowhood. And Savitri immersed in\ncontemplation accepted those words of the ascetics, mentally saying,--So\nbe it!--And the king's daughter, reflecting on those words of Narada,\nremained, expecting the hour and the moment.\n\nThen, 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 goes\ndown. 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 wouldst\nthou, therefore, be able to walk on foot?' Thus addressed, Savitri said,\n'I do not feel langour because of the fast, nor do I feel exhaustion. And\nI have made up my mind to go. It behoveth thee not, therefore, to prevent\nme!' At this, Satyavan said, 'If thou desirest to go, I will gratify that\ndesire of thine. Do thou, however, take the permission of my parents, so\nthat 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 went\ninto the forest on any other errand. Do ye not prevent me! I will go into\nthe forest with him. It is a little less than a year that I have not gone\nout of the asylum. Indeed, I am extremely desirous of beholding the\nblossoming woods!' Hearing these words Dyumatsena said, 'Since Savitri\nhath been bestowed by her father as my daughter-in-law, I do not remember\nthat 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 of\nsacred currents and these excellent trees decked with flowers!' But the\nfaultless 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\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 fell\nbranches of trees. And as he was hewing them, he began to perspire. And\nin consequence of that exercise his head began to ache. And afflicted\nwith toil, he approached his beloved wife, and addressed her, saying, 'O\nSavitri, owing to this hard exercise my head acheth, and all my limbs and\nmy heart also are afflicted sorely! O thou of restrained speech, I think\nmyself unwell, I feel as if my head is being pierced with numerous darts.\nTherefore, O auspicious lady, I wish to sleep, for I have not the power\nto stand.' Hearing these words, Savitri quickly advancing, approached her\nhusband, and sat down upon the ground, placing his head upon her lap. And\nthat helpless lady, thinking of Narada's words, began to calculate the\n(appointed) division of the day, the hour, and the moment. The next\nmoment she saw a person clad in red attire with his head decked with a\ndiadem. And his body was of large proportions and effulgent as the Sun.\nAnd he was of a darkish hue, had red eyes, carried a noose in his hand,\nand was dreadful to behold. And he was standing beside Satyavan and was\nsteadfastly gazing at him. And seeing him, Savitri gently placed her\nhusband's head on the ground, and rising suddenly, with a trembling\nheart, spake these words in distressful accents, 'Seeing this thy\nsuperhuman form, I take thee to be a deity. If thou will, tell me, O\nchief of the gods, who thou art and what also thou intendst to do!'\nThereat, Yama replied, 'O Savitri, thou art ever devoted to thy husband,\nand thou art also endued with ascetic merit. It is for this reason that I\nhold converse with thee. Do thou, O auspicious one, know me for Yama.\nThis thy lord Satyavan, the son of a king, hath his days run out. I\nshall, therefore, take him away binding him in this noose. Know this to\nbe my errand!' At these words Savitri said, 'I had heard that thy\nemissaries come to take away mortals, O worshipful one! Why then, O lord,\nhast thou come in person?'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Thus addressed by her, the illustrious lord of\nPitris, with a view to oblige her, began to unfold to her truly all about\nhis intentions. And Yama said, 'This prince is endued with virtues and\nbeauty of person, and is a sea of accomplishments. He deserveth not to be\nborne 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 taken\nout, the body, deprived of breath, and shorn of lustre, and destitute of\nmotion, became unsightly to behold. And binding Satyavan's vital essence,\nYama proceeded in a southerly direction. Thereupon, with heart\noverwhelmed in grief, the exalted Savitri, ever devoted to her lord and\ncrowned with success in respect of her vows, began to follow Yama. And at\nthis, Yama said, 'Desist, O Savitri! Go back, and perform the funeral\nobsequies of thy lord! Thou art freed from all thy obligations to thy\nlord. Thou hast come as far as it is possible to come'. Savitri replied,\n'Whither my husband is being carried, or whither he goeth of his own\naccord, I will follow him thither. This is the eternal custom. By virtue\nof my asceticism, of my regard for my superiors, of my affection for my\nlord, of my observance of vows, as well as of thy favour, my course is\nunimpeded. It hath been declared by wise men endued with true knowledge\nthat by walking only seven paces with another, one contracteth a\nfriendship with one's companion. Keeping that friendship (which I have\ncontracted with thee) in view, I shall speak to thee something. Do thou\nlisten to it. They that have not their souls under control, acquire not\nmerit by leading the four successive modes of life, viz.,--celibacy with\nstudy, domesticity, retirement into the woods, and renunciation of the\nworld. That which is called religious merit is said to consist of true\nknowledge. The wise, therefore, have declared religious merit to be the\nforemost of all things and not the passage through the four successive\nmodes. By practising the duties of even one of these four modes agreeable\nto the directions of the wise, we have attained to true merit, and,\ntherefore, we do not desire the second or the third mode, viz., celibacy\nwith study or renunciation. It is for this again that the wise have\ndeclared religious merit to be the foremost of all things!' Hearing these\nwords of hers, Yama said, 'Do thou desist! I have been pleased with these\nwords of thine couched in proper letters and accents, and based on\nreason. Do thou ask for a boon! Except the life of thy husband, O thou of\nfaultless features, I will bestow on thee any boon that thou mayst\nsolicit!' Hearing these words, Savitri said, 'Deprived of his kingdom and\nbereft also of sight, my father-in-law leadeth a life of retirement in\nour sylvan asylum. Let that king through thy favour attain his eye-sight,\nand become strong 'like either fire or the Sun!' Yama said, 'O thou of\nfaultless features, I grant thee this boon! It will even be as thou hast\nsaid! It seems that thou art fatigued with thy journey. Do thou desist,\ntherefore, and return! Suffer not thyself to be weary any longer!'\nSavitri said, 'What weariness can I feel in the presence of my husband?\nThe lot that is my husband's is certainly mine also. Whither thou\ncarriest my husband, thither will I also repair! O chief of the\ncelestials, do thou again listen to me! Even a single interview with the\npious is highly desirable; friendship with them is still more so. And\nintercourse with the virtuous can never be fruitless. Therefore, one\nshould live in the company of the righteous!' Yama said, 'These words\nthat thou hast spoken, so fraught with useful instruction, delight the\nheart and enhance the wisdom of even the learned. Therefore, O lady,\nsolicit thou a second boon, except the life of Satyavan!' Savitri said,\n'Sometime before, my wise and intelligent father-in-law was deprived of\nhis kingdom. May that monarch regain his kingdom. And may that superior\nof mine 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 I\nfulfilled thy desire. Do thou now desist! Return! Do not take any future\ntrouble!' Savitri said, 'Thou hast restrained all creatures by thy\ndecrees, 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 duty\nof the good towards all creatures is never to injure them in thought,\nword, and deed, but to bear them love and give them their due. As regards\nthis world, everything here is like this (husband of mine). Men are\ndestitute of both devotion and skill. The good, however, show mercy to\neven their foes when these seek their protection. Yama said, 'As water to\nthe thirsty soul, so are these words uttered by thee to me! Therefore, do\nthou, O fair lady, if thou will, once again ask for any boon except\nSalyavana's life!' At these words Savitri replied, That lord of earth, my\nfather, is without sons. That he may have a hundred sons begotten of his\nloins, so that his line may be perpetuated, is the third boon I would ask\nof thee!' Yama said, Thy sire, O auspicious lady, shall obtain a hundred\nillustrious sons, who will perpetuate and increase their father's race!\nNow, O daughter of a king, thou hast obtained thy wish. Do thou desist!\nThou hast come far enough.' Savitri said, 'Staying by the side of my\nhusband, I am not conscious of the length of the way I have walked.\nIndeed, my mind rusheth to yet a longer way of. Do thou again, as thou\ngoest on, listen to the words that I will presently utter! Thou art the\npowerful son of Vivaswat. It is for this that thou art called Vaivaswata\nby the wise. And, O lord, since thou dealest out equal law unto all\ncreated things, thou hast been designated the lord of justice! One\nreposeth not, even in one's own self, the confidence that one doth in the\nrighteous. Therefore, every one wisheth particularly for intimacy with\nthe righteous. It is goodness of heart alone that inspireth the\nconfidence of all creatures. And it is for this that people rely\nparticularly on the righteous.' And hearing these words, Yama said, 'The\nwords that thou utterest, O fair lady, I have not heard from any one save\nthee; I am highly pleased with this speech of thine. Except the life of\nSatyavan, solicit thou, therefore, a fourth boon, and then go thy way!'\nSavitri then said, 'Both of me and Satyavan's loins, begotten by both of\nus, let there be a century of sons possessed of strength and prowess and\ncapable of perpetuating our race! Even this is the fourth boon that I\nwould beg of thee!' Hearing these words of hers, Yama replied, 'Thou\nshalt, O lady, obtain a century of sons, possessed of strength and\nprowess, and causing thee great delight, O daughter of a king, let no\nmore weariness be thine! Do thou desist! Thou hast already come too far!'\nThus addressed, Savitri said, 'They that are righteous always practise\neternal morality! And the communion of the pious with the pious is never\nfruitless! Nor is there any danger to the pious from those that are\npious. And verily it is the righteous who by their truth make the Sun\nmove in the heaven. And it is the righteous that support the earth by\ntheir austerities! And, O king, it is the righteous upon whom both the\npast and the future depend! Therefore, they that are righteous, are never\ncheerless in the company of the righteous. Knowing this to be the eternal\npractice of the good and righteous, they that are righteous continue to\ndo good to others without expecting any benefit in return. A good office\nis never thrown away on the good and virtuous. Neither interest nor\ndignity suffereth any injury by such an act. And since such conduct ever\nadheres to the righteous, the righteous often become the protectors of\nall.' Hearing these words of hers, Yama replied, 'The more thou utterest\nsuch speeches that are pregnant with great import, full of honeyed\nphrases, instinct with morality, and agreeable to mind, the more is the\nrespect that I feel for thee! O thou that art so devoted to thy lord, ask\nfor some incomparable 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 of\nmy 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 will\nbe 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 heart\nsaid these words to Savitri, 'Thus, O auspicious and chaste lady, is thy\nhusband 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 brothers,\nresembling the celestials, will be widely known along with their sons and\ndaughters!' And having bestowed these boons on Savitri and having thus\nmade her desist, Yama departed for his abode. Savitri, after Yama had\ngone away, went back to the spot where her husband's ash-coloured corpse\nlay, and seeing her lord on the ground, she approached him, and taking\nhold of him, she placed his head on her lap and herself sat down on the\nground. Then Satyavan regained his consciousness, and affectionately\neyeing Savitri again and again, like one come home after a sojourn in a\nstrange land, he addressed her thus, 'Alas, I have slept long! Wherefore\ndidst thou not awake me? And where is that same sable person that was\ndragging me away?' At these words of his, Savitri said, 'Thou hast, O\nbull among men, slept long on my lap! That restrainer of creatures, the\nworshipful Yama, had gone away. Thou art refreshed, O blessed one, and\nsleep hath forsaken thee, O son of a king! If thou art able, rise thou\nup! 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 head.\nAnd on account of that intense pain about my head I was unable to stand\nfor any length of time, and, therefore, I lay on thy lap and slept. All\nthis, O auspicious lady, I remember. Then, as thou didst embrace me,\nsleep stole away my senses. I then saw that it was dark all around. In\nthe midst of it I saw a person of exceeding effulgence. If thou knowest\neverything, do thou then, O girl of slender waist, tell me whether what I\nsaw was only a dream or a reality!' Thereupon, Savitri addressed him,\nsaying, The night deepens. I shall, O prince, relate everything unto thee\non the morrow. Arise, arise, may good betide thee! And, O thou of\nexcellent vows, come and behold thy parents! The sun hath set a long\nwhile ago and the night deepens. Those rangers of the night, having\nfrightful voices, are walking about in glee. And sounds are heard,\nproceeding from the denizens of the forest treading through the woods.\nThese terrible shrieks of jackals that are issuing from the south and the\neast make my heart tremble (in fear)!' Satyavan then said, 'Covered with\ndeep darkness, the wilderness hath worn a dreadful aspect. Thou wilt,\ntherefore, not be able to discern the tract, and consequently wilt not be\nable to go!' Then Savitri replied, 'In consequence of a conflagration\nhaving taken place in the forest today a withered tree standeth aflame,\nand the flames being stirred by the wind are discerned now and then. I\nshall fetch some fire and light these faggots around. Do thou dispel all\nanxiety. I will do all (this) if thou darest not go, for I find thee\nunwell. Nor wilt thou be able to discover the way through this forest\nenveloped in darkness. Tomorrow when the woods become visible, we will go\nhence, if thou please! If, O sinless one, it is thy wish, we shall pass\nthis night even here!' At these words of hers, Satyavan replied, 'The\npain in my head is off; and I feel well in my limbs. With thy favour I\nwish to behold my father and mother. Never before did I return to the\nhermitage after the proper time had passed away. Even before it is\ntwilight my mother confineth me within the asylum. Even when I come out\nduring the day, my parents become anxious on my account, and my father\nsearcheth for me, together with all the inhabitants of the sylvan\nasylums. Before this, moved by deep grief, my father and mother had\nrebuked me many times and often, saying,--Thou comest having tarried\nlong! I am thinking of the pass they have today come to on my account,\nfor, surely, great grief will be theirs when they miss me. One night\nbefore this, the old couple, who love me dearly, wept from deep sorrow\nand said into me, 'Deprived of thee, O son, we cannot live for even a\nmoment. As long as thou livest, so long, surely, we also will live. Thou\nart the crutch of these blind ones; on thee doth perpetuity of our race\ndepend. On thee also depend our funeral cake, our fame and our\ndescendants! My mother is old, and my father also is so. I am surely\ntheir crutch. If they see me not in the night, what, oh, will be their\nplight! I hate that slumber of mine for the sake of which my unoffending\nmother and my father have both been in trouble, and I myself also, am\nplaced in such rending distress! Without my father and mother, I cannot\nbear to live. It is certain that by this time my blind father, his mind\ndisconsolate with grief, is asking everyone of the inhabitants of the\nhermitage about me! I do not, O fair girl, grieve so much for myself as I\ndo for my sire, and for my weak mother ever obedient to her lord! Surely,\nthey will be afflicted with extreme anguish on account of me. I hold my\nlife so long as they live. And I know that they should be maintained by\nme 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 sight\nof my father and mother! Therefore, O Savitri, proceed without delay. O\nbeautiful damsel, I swear by my own self that if I find any evil to have\nbefallen my father and mother, I will not live. If thou hast any regard\nfor virtue, if thou wishest me to live, if it is thy duty to do what is\nagreeable to me, proceed thou to the hermitage!' The beautiful Savitri\nthen rose and tying up her hair, raised her husband in her arms. And\nSatyavan having risen, rubbed his limbs with his hands. And as he\nsurveyed all around, his eyes fell upon his wallet. Then Savitri said\nunto him, 'Tomorrow thou mayst gather fruits. And I shall carry thy axe\nfor thy ease.' Then hanging up the wallet upon the bough of a tree, and\ntaking up the axe, she re-approached her husband. And that lady of\nbeautiful thighs, placing her husband's left arm upon her left shoulder,\nand embracing him with her right arms, proceeded with elephantic gait.\nThen Satyavan said, 'O timid one, by virtue of habit, the (forest) paths\nare known to me. And further, by the light of the moon between the trees,\nI can see them. We have now reached the same path that we took in the\nmorning for gathering fruits. Do thou, O auspicious one, proceed by the\nway that we had come: thou needst not any longer feel dubious about our\npath. Near that tract overgrown with Palasa tree, the way diverges into\ntwo. Do thou proceed along the path that lies to the north of it. I am\nnow well and have got back my strength. I long to see my father and\nmother!' Saying this Satyavan hastily proceeded towards the hermitage.'\"\n\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 heads,\nanxiously thinking that their son was coming, and said, 'O yonder cometh\nSatyavan with Savitri!' And they rushed hither and thither like maniacs,\ntheir feet torn, cracked, wounded, and bleeding, pierced with thorns and\nKusa blades. Then all the Brahmanas dwelling in that hermitage came unto\nthem, and surrounding them on all sides, comforted them, and brought them\nback to their own asylum. And there Dyumatsena with his wife surrounded\nby aged ascetics, was entertained with stories of monarchs of former\ntimes. And although that old couple desirous of seeing their son, was\ncomforted, yet recollecting the youthful days of their son, they became\nexceedingly sorry. And afflicted with grief, they began to lament in\npiteous accents, saying, 'Alas, O son, alas, O chaste daughter-in-law,\nwhere are you?' Then a truthful Brahmana of the name of Suvarchas spake\nunto them, saying, 'Considering the austerities, self-restraint, and\nbehaviour of his wife Savitri, there can be no doubt that Satyavan\nliveth!' And Gautama said, 'I have studied all the Vedas with their\nbranches, and I have acquired great ascetic merit. And I have led a\ncelibate existence, practising also the Brahmacharya mode of life. I have\ngratified Agni and my superiors. With rapt soul I have also observed all\nthe vows: and I have according to the ordinance, frequently lived upon\nair alone. By virtue of this ascetic merit, I am cognisant of all the\ndoings of others. Therefore, do thou take it for certain that Satyavan\nliveth.' Thereupon his disciple said, 'The words that have fallen from\nthe lips of my preceptor can never be false. Therefore, Satyavan surely\nliveth.' And the Rishi said, 'Considering the auspicious marks that his\nwife Savitri beareth and all of which indicate immunity from widowhood,\nthere can be no doubt that Satyavan liveth!' And Varadwaja said, 'Having\nregard to the ascetic merit, self-restraint, and conduct of his wife\nSavitri, there can be no doubt that Satyavan liveth.' And Dalbhya said,\n'Since thou hast regained thy sight, and since Savitri hath gone away\nafter completion of the vow, without taking any food, there can be no\ndoubt that Satyavan liveth.' And Apastamba said, 'From the manner in\nwhich the voices of birds and wild animals are being heard through the\nstillness of the atmosphere on all sides, and from the fact also of thy\nhaving regained the use of thy eyes, indicating thy usefulness for\nearthly purposes once more, there can be no doubt that Satyavan liveth.'\nAnd Dhauma said, 'As thy son is graced with every virtue, and as he is\nthe beloved of all, and as he is possessed of marks betokening a long\nlife, there can be no doubt that Satyavan liveth.'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Thus cheered by those ascetics of truthful\nspeech, Dyumatsena pondering over those points, attained a little ease. A\nlittle 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 of\nthis. Henceforth thou shalt rapidly grow in prosperity.' Then, O Pritha's\nson, the twice-born ones lighted a fire and sat themselves down before\nking Dyumatsena. And Saivya, and Satyavan, and Savitri who stood apart,\ntheir hearts free from grief, sat down with the permission of them all.\nThen, O Partha, seated with the monarch those dwellers of the woods,\nactuated by curiosity, asked the king's son, saying, 'Why didst thou not,\nO illustrious one, come back earlier with thy wife? Why hast thou come so\nlate in the night? What obstacle prevented thee! We do not know, O son of\na king, why thou hast caused such alarm to us, and to thy father and\nmother. It behoveth thee to tell us all about this,' Thereupon, Satyavan\nsaid, 'With the permission of my father, I went to the woods with\nSavitri. There, as I was hewing wood in the forest, I felt a pain in my\nhead. And in consequence of the pain, I fell into a deep sleep.--This is\nall that I remember. I had never slept so long before I have come so late\nat night, in order that ye might not grieve (on my account). There is no\nother reason for this.' Gautama then said, 'Thou knowest not then the\ncause of thy father's sudden restoration to sight. It, therefore,\nbehoveth Savitri to relate it. I wish to hear it (from thee), for surely\nthou art conversant with the mysteries of good and evil. And, O Savitri,\nI know thee to be like the goddess Savitri herself in splendour. Thou\nmust know the cause of this. Therefore, do thou relate it truly! If it\nshould not be kept a secret, do thou unfold it unto us!' At these words\nof Gautama Savitri said, 'It is as ye surmise. Your desire shall surely\nnot be unfulfilled. I have no secret to keep. Listen to the truth then!\nThe high-souled Narada had predicted the death of my husband. To-day was\nthe appointed time. I could not, therefore, bear to be separated from my\nhusband's company. And after he had fallen asleep, Yama, accompanied by\nhis messengers, presented himself before him, and tying him, began to\ntake him away towards the region inhabited by the Pitris. Thereupon I\nbegan to praise that august god, with truthful words. And he granted me\nfive boons, of which do ye hear from me! For my father-in-law I have\nobtained these two boons, viz., his restoration to sight as also to his\nkingdom. My father also hath obtained a hundred sons. And I myself have\nobtained a hundred sons. And my husband Satyavan hath obtained a life of\nfour hundred years. It was for the sake of my husband's life that I had\nobserved that vow. Thus have I narrated unto you in detail the cause by\nwhich this mighty misfortune of mine was afterwards turned into\nhappiness. The Rishis said, 'O chaste lady of excellent disposition,\nobservant of vows and endued with virtue, and sprung from an illustrious\nline, by thee hath the race of this foremost of kings, which was\noverwhelmed with calamities, and was sinking in an ocean of darkness,\nbeen rescued.'\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'Then having applauded and reverenced that best of\nwomen, those Rishis there assembled bade farewell to that foremost of\nkings as well as to his son. And having saluted them thus, they speedily\nwent, in peace with cheerful hearts, to their respective abodes.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCLXLVII\n\n\"Markandeya continued, 'When the night had passed away, and the solar orb\nhad risen, those ascetics, having performed their morning rites,\nassembled together. And although those mighty sages again and again spake\nunto Dyumatsena of the high fortune of Savitri, yet they were never\nsatisfied. And it so happened, O king, that there came to that hermitage\na large body of people from Salwa. And they brought tidings of the enemy\nof Dyumatsena having been slain by his own minister. And they related\nunto him all that had happened, viz., how having heard that the usurper\nhad been slain with all his friends and allies by his minister, his\ntroops had all fled, and how all the subjects had become unanimous (on\nbehalf of their legitimate king), saying, 'Whether possessed of sight or\nnot, even he shall be our king!' And they said, 'We have been sent to\nthee in consequence of that resolve. This car of thine, and this army\nalso consisting of four kinds of forces, have arrived for thee! Good\nbetide thee, O King! Do thou come! Thou hast been proclaimed in the city.\nDo thou for ever occupy the station belonging to thy lather and\ngrand-father!' And beholding the king possessed of sight and able-bodied,\nthey bowed down their heads, their eyes expanded with wonder. Then having\nworshipped those old and Brahmanas dwelling in the hermitage and honoured\nby them in return, the king set out for his city. And surrounded by the\nsoldiers, Saivya also accompanied by Savitri, went in a vehicle furnished\nwith shining sheets and borne on the shoulders of men. Then the priests\nwith joyful hearts installed Dyumatsena on the throne with his\nhigh-souled son as prince-regent. And after the lapse of a long time,\nSavitri gave birth to a century of sons, all warlike and unretreating\nfrom battle, and enhancing the fame of Salwa's race. And she also had a\ncentury of highly powerful uterine brothers born unto Aswapati, the lord\nof the Madras, by Malavi. Thus, O son of Pritha, did Savitri raise from\npitiable plight to high fortune, herself, and her father and mother, her\nfather-in-law and mother-in-law, as also the race of her husband. And\nlike that gentle lady Savitri, the auspicious daughter of Drupada, endued\nwith excellent character, will rescue you all.\"\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 excellent\nstory of Savitri, attaineth to happiness, and success in everything, and\nnever meeteth with misery!\"\n\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 relate\nthat 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 Brahmanas\nand truthful in speech was lying down at night at his ease on a rich bed\noverlaid with a costly sheet, the effulgent deity, filled with kindness\nand affection for his son, showed himself, O Bharata, unto him in his\ndreams. And assuming from ascetic power the form of a handsome Brahmana\nversed in the Vedas, Surya sweetly said unto Karna these words for his\nbenefit, 'O son, do thou O Karna, listen to these words of mine, O thou\nforemost of truthful persons! O mighty-armed one, I tell thee to-day from\naffection, what is for thy great good! With the object, O Karna, of\nobtaining thy ear-rings, Sakra, moved by the desire of benefiting the\nsons of Pandu, will come unto thee, disguised as a Brahmana! He, as Well\nas all the world, knoweth thy character, viz., that when solicited by\npious people, thou givest away but never takest in gift! Thou, O son,\ngivest unto Brahmanas wealth or any other thing that is asked of thee and\nnever refusest anything to anybody. Knowing thee to be such, the subduer\nhimself of Paka will come to beg of thee thy ear-rings and coat of mail.\nWhen he beggeth the ear-rings of thee, it behoveth thee not to give them\naway, but to gratify him with sweet speeches to the best of thy power.\nEven this, is for thy supreme good! While asking thee for the ear-rings,\nthou shalt, with various reasons, repeatedly refuse Purandara who is\ndesirous of obtaining them, offering him, instead, various other kinds of\nwealth, such as gems and women and kine, and citing various precedents.\nIf thou, O Kama, givest away thy beautiful ear-rings born with thee, thy\nlife being shortened, thou wilt meet with death! Arrayed in thy mail and\near-rings, thou wilt, O bestower of honours, be incapable of being slain\nby foes in battle! Do thou lay to heart these words of mine! Both these\njewelled ornaments have sprung from Amrita. Therefore, they should be\npreserved by thee, if thy life is at all dear to thee.\"\n\n\"Hearing these words, Kama 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!' Kama 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 vow!\nO thou that are possessed of the wealth of effulgence, the whole world\nknoweth this to be my vow that, of a verity, I am prepared to give away\nlife itself unto superior Brahmanas! If, O best of all rangers of the\nsky, Sakra cometh to me, disguised as a Brahmana, to beg for the benefit\nof the sons of Pandu, I will, O chief of the celestials, give him the\near-rings and the excellent mail, so that my fame which hath spread over\nthe three worlds may not suffer any diminution! For persons like us, it\nis not fit to save life by a blame-worthy act. On the contrary, it is\neven proper for us to meet death with the approbation of the world and\nunder circumstances bringing fame. Therefore, will I bestow upon Indra\nthe ear-rings with my coat of mail! If the slayer himself of Vala and\nVritra cometh to ask for the ear-rings for the benefit of the sons of\nPandu, that will conduce to my fame, leading at the same time to his\ninfamy! O thou possessed of splendour, I wish for fame in this world,\neven if it is to be purchased with life itself, for they that have fame\nenjoy the celestial regions, while they that are destitute of it are\nlost. Fame keepeth people alive in this world even like a mother, while\ninfamy killeth men even though they may move about with bodies\nundestroyed. O lord of the worlds, O thou possessed of the wealth of\neffulgence, that fame is the life of men is evidenced by an ancient sloka\nsung by the Creator himself,--In the next world it is fame that is the\nchief support of a person, while in this world pure fame lengthens life.\nTherefore, by giving away my ear-rings and mail with both of which I was\nborn I will win eternal fame! And by duly giving away the same to\nBrahmanas according to the ordinance, by offering up my body (as a gift\nto the gods) in the sacrifice of war, by achieving feats difficult of\nperformance, and by conquering my foes in fight, I will acquire nothing\nbut renown. And by dispelling on the field of battle the fears of the\naffrighted that may beg for their lives, and relieving old men and boys\nand Brahmanas from terror and anxiety, I will win excellent fame and the\nhighest heaven. My fame is to be protected with the sacrifice of even my\nlife. Even this, know thou, is my vow! By giving away such a valuable\ngift to Maghavan disguised as a Brahmana, I will, O god, acquire in this\nworld the most exalted state.'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCLXLIX\n\n\"Surya said, 'Never do, O Karna, anything that is harmful to thy self and\nthy friends; thy sons, thy wives, thy father, and thy mother; O thou best\nof those that bear life, people desire renown (in this world) and lasting\nfame in heaven, without wishing to sacrifice their bodies. But as thou\ndesirest undying fame at the expense of thy life, she will, without\ndoubt, snatch away thy life! O bull among men, in this world, the father,\nthe mother, the son, and other relatives are of use only to him that is\nalive. O tiger among men, as regard kings, it is only when they are alive\nthat prowess can be of any use to them. Do thou understand this? O thou\nof exceeding splendour, fame is for the good of these only that are\nalive! Of what use is fame to the dead whose bodies have been reduced to\nashes? One that is dead cannot enjoy renown. It is only when one is alive\nthat one can enjoy it. The fame of one that is dead is like a garland of\nflowers around the neck of a corpse. As thou reverest me, I tell thee\nthis for thy benefit, because thou art a worshipper of mine! They that\nworship me are always protected by me. That also is another reason for my\naddressing thee thus! Thinking again, O mighty-armed one, that this one\nrevereth me with great reverence, I have been inspired with love for\nthee! Do thou, therefore, act according to my words! There is, besides\nsome profound mystery in all this, ordained by fate. It is for this, that\nI tell thee so. Do thou act without mistrust of any kind! O bull among\nmen, it is not fit for thee to know this which is a secret to the very\ngods. Therefore, I do not reveal that secret unto thee. Thou wilt,\nhowever, understand it in time. I repeat what I have already said. Do\nthou, O Radha's son, lay my words to heart! When the wielder of the\nthunder-bolt asketh thee for them, do thou never give him thy ear-rings!\nO thou of exceeding splendour, with thy handsome ear-rings, thou lookest\nbeautiful, even like the Moon himself in the clear firmament, between the\nVisakha constellation! Dost thou know that fame availeth only the person\nthat is living. Therefore, when the lord of the celestials will ask the\near-rings, thou shouldst, O son, refuse him! Repeating again and again\nanswers fraught with various reasons, thou wilt, O sinless one, be able\nto remove the eagerness of the lord of the celestial for the possession\nof the ear-rings. Do thou, O Karna, after Purandara's purpose by urging\nanswers fraught with reason and grave import and adorned with sweetness\nand suavity. 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 Arjuna\nin battle, these handsome ear-rings of thine should never be parted with\nto Sakra.'\"\n\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, said\nunto me what is for my benefit. Yet, O thou of bright rays, again do I\nbeseech thee with bended head, again do I place myself in thy hands. I\nwill repeat the answer I have already given. It behoveth thee to forgive\nme! Death itself is not fraught with such terrors for me as untruth! As\nregards especially the Brahmanas, again, I do not hesitate to yield up my\nlife even for them! And, O divine one, respecting what thou hast said\nunto me of Phalguna, the son of Pandu, let thy grief born of thy anxiety\nof heart, O lord of splendour, be dispelled touching him and myself; for\nI shall surely conquer Arjuna in battle! Thou knowest, O deity, that I\nhave great strength of weapons obtained from Jamadagnya and the\nhigh-souled Drona. Permit me now, O foremost of celestials, to observe my\nvow, so that unto him of the thunderbolt coming to beg of me, I may give\naway 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 hundred\nsacrifices, I shall give thee ear-rings under a condition.--Furnished\nwith the ear-rings, thou art certainly incapable of being slain by any\nbeing. Therefore, it is, O son, that desirous of beholding thee slain in\nbattle by Arjuna, the destroyer of the Danavas desireth to deprive thee\nof thy ear-rings. Repeatedly adoring with truthful words that lord of the\ncelestials, viz., Purandara armed with weapons incapable of being\nfrustrated, do thou also beseech him, saying, 'Give me an infallible dart\ncapable of slaying all foes, and I will, O thousand-eyed deity, give the\near-rings with the excellent coat of mail!' On this condition shouldst\nthou give the ear-rings unto Sakra. With that dart, O Karna, thou wilt\nslay foes in battle: for, O mighty-armed one, that dart of the chief of\nthe celestials doth not return to the hand that hurleth it, without\nslaying enemies by hundreds and 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 even\nso!' Then Radha's son, that slayer of hostile heroes, knowing all about\nthe matter, and desirous of obtaining the dart, remained in expectation\nof Vasava.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCCI\n\nJanamejaya said, \"What was that secret which was not revealed to Karna by\nthe 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 a\nstaff 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 the\nVedas. 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 his\ndaughter Pritha of large eyes, and spake thus unto her, 'O child, this\neminently pious Brahmana is desirous of dwelling in my house! I have\naccepted his proposal, saying,--So be it, relying, O child, on thy\naptitude and skill in ministering unto Brahmanas. It, therefore, behoveth\nthee to act in such a manner that my words may not be untrue. Do thou\ngive him with alacrity whatever this reverend Brahmana possessed of\nascetic merit and engaged in the study of the Vedas, may want. Let\neverything that this Brahmana asketh for be giver 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 curse\nof the Brahmanas. For the present, O child, it is a highly virtuous one\nof that order that is entrusted to thy keep. Thou shouldst always tend\nthis Brahmana with concentrated mind. O daughter, I know that, from\nchildhood upwards, thou hast ever been attentive to Brahmanas, and\nsuperiors, and relatives, and servants, and friends, to thy mothers and\nmyself. I know thou bearest thyself well, bestowing proper regard upon\neveryone. And, O thou of faultless limbs, in the city of the interior of\nmy palace, on account of thy gentle behaviour, there is not one, even\namong the servants, that is dissatisfied with thee. I have, therefore,\nthought thee fit to wait upon all Brahmanas of wrathful temper. Thou art,\nO Pritha, a girl and has been adopted as my daughter. Thou art born in\nthe race of the Vrishnis, and art the favourite daughter of Sura. Thou\nwert, O girl, given to me gladly by thy father himself. The sister of\nVasudeva by birth, thou art (by adoption) the foremost of my children.\nHaving promised me in these words,--I will give my first born,--thy\nfather gladly gave thee to me while thou wert yet in thy infancy. It is\nfor this reason that thou art my daughter. Born in such a race and reared\nin such a race, thou hast come from one happy state to another like a\nlotus transferred from one lake to another. O auspicious girl, women,\nspecially they that are of mean extraction, although they may with\ndifficulty be kept under restraint, become in consequence of their unripe\nage, generally deformed in character. But thou, O Pritha, art born in a\nroyal race, and thy beauty also is extraordinary. And then, O girl, thou\nart endued with every accomplishment. Do thou, therefore, O damsel,\nrenouncing pride and haughtiness and a sense of self-importance, wait\nupon and worship the boon-giving Brahmana, and thereby attain, O Pritha,\nto an auspicious state! By acting thus, O auspicious and sinless girl,\nthou wilt surely attain to auspiciousness! But if on the contrary, thou\nstirest up the anger of this best of the twice-born ones, my entire race\nwill be consumed by him!'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCCII\n\n\"Kunti said, 'According to thy promise, I will, O king, with concentrated\nmind, serve that Brahmana. O foremost of kings, I do not say this\nfalsely. It is my nature to worship Brahmanas. And, as in the present\ncase, my doing so would be agreeable to thee, even this would be highly\nconducive to my welfare. Whether that worshipful one cometh in the\nevening, or in morning, or at night or even at midnight, he will have no\nreason to be angry with me! O foremost of kings, to do good by serving\nthe twice-born ones, observing all thy commands, is what I consider to be\nhighly profitable to me, O best of men! Do thou, therefore, O foremost of\nmonarchs rely on me! That best of Brahmanas, while residing in thy house,\nshall never have cause for dissatisfaction. I tell thee truly. I shall, O\nking, be always attentive to that which is agreeable to this Brahmana,\nand what is fraught also with good to thee. O sinless one! I know full\nwell that Brahmanas that are eminently virtuous, when propitiated bestow\nsalvation, and when displeased, are capable of bringing about destruction\nupon the offender. Therefore, I shall please this foremost of Brahmanas.\nThou wilt not, O monarch, come to any grief from that best of regenerate\npersons, owing to any act of mine. In consequence of the transgressions\nof monarchs, Brahmanas, O foremost of kings, became the cause of evil to\nthem, as Chyavana had become, in consequence of the act of Sukanya. I\nwill, therefore, O king, with great regularity, wait upon that best of\nBrahmanas according to thy instructions in that respect!' And when she\nhad thus spoken at length, the king embraced and cheered her, and\ninstructed her in detail as to what should be done by her. And the king\nsaid, 'Thou shall, O gentle maid, act even thus, without fear, for my\ngood as also thy own, and for the good of thy race also, O thou of\nfaultless limbs!' And having said this the illustrious Kuntibhoja, who\nwas devoted to the Brahmanas, made over the girl Pritha to that Brahmana,\nsaying, 'This my daughter, O Brahmana, is of tender age and brought up in\nluxury. If, therefore, she transgresses at any time, do thou not take\nthat to heart! Illustrious Brahmanas are never angry with old men,\nchildren, and ascetics, even if these transgress frequently. In respect\nof even a great wrong forgiveness is due from the regenerate. The\nworship, therefore, O best of Brahmanas, that is offered to the best of\none's power and exertion, should be acceptable!' Hearing these words of\nthe monarch, the Brahmana said, 'So be it!' Thereupon, the king became\nhighly pleased and assigned unto him apartments that were white as swans\nor the beams of the moon. And in the room intended for the sacrificial\nfire, the king placed a brilliant seat especially constructed for him.\nAnd the food and other things that were offered unto the Brahmana were of\nthe same excellent kind. And casting aside idleness and all sense of\nself-importance, the princess addressed herself with right good will to\nwait upon the Brahmana. And the chaste Kunti, endued with purity of\nconduct, went thither for serving the Brahmana. And duly waiting upon\nthat Brahmana as if he were a very god, she gratified him highly.\"\n\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. And\non many occasions the Brahmana came back after the appointed hour had\nlong passed away. And on many occasions (such as the depth of night) when\nfood 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 girl\nwith a devoted heart, O king, gratified that foremost of Brahmanas. And\nthat 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\nVedas, 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 mantra\nfrom me for invoking the celestials! Any one amongst the celestials whom\nthou mayst invoke by uttering this mantra, will appear before thee and be\nunder thy power. Willing or not, by virtue of this mantra, that deity in\ngentle guise, and assuming the obedient attitude of slave, will become\nsubject to thy power!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thus addressed, that faultless maiden could-not,\nO king, from fear of a curse, refuse tor the second time compliance with\nthe wishes of that best of the twice-born ones. Then, O king, that\nBrahmana imparted unto that girl of faultless limbs those mantras which\nare recited in the beginning of the Atharvan Veda. And, O king, having\nimparted unto her those mantras, he said unto Kuntibhoja. 'I have, O\nmonarch, dwelt happily in thy house, always worshipped with due regard\nand gratified by thy daughter. I shall now depart.' And saying this, he\nvanished there and then. And beholding that Brahmana vanish there and\nthen, the king was struck with amazement. And the monarch then treated\nhis daughter Pritha with proper regard.\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCCIV\n\nVaisampayana said, \"When that foremost of Brahmanas had gone away on some\nother errand, the maiden began to ponder over the virtue of those\nmantras. And she said to herself, 'Of what nature are those mantras that\nhave been bestowed on me by that high-souled one? I shall without delay\ntest their power'. And as she was thinking in this way, she suddenly\nperceived indications of the approach of her season. And her season\nhaving arrived, while she was yet unmarried, she blushed in shame. And it\ncame to pass that as she was seated in her chamber on a rich bed, she\nbeheld the solar orb rising in the east. And both the mind and the eyes\nof that maiden of excellent waist became rivetted fast upon the solar\norb. And she gazed and gazed on that orb without being satiated with the\nbeauty of the morning Sun. And she suddenly became gifted with celestial\nsight. And then she beheld that god of divine form accoutred in mail and\nadorned with ear-rings. And at sight of the god, O lord of men, she\nbecame curious as to the (potency of the) mantras. And thereupon that\nmaiden resolved to invoke him. And having recourse to Pranayama, she\ninvoked the Maker of day. And thus invoked by her, O king, the Maker of\nday speedily presented himself. And he was of a yellowish hue like honey,\nand was possessed of mighty arms, and his neck was marked with lines like\nthose of a conchshell. And furnished with armlets, and decked with a\ndiadem, he came smiling, and illumining all the directions. And it was by\nYoga power that he divided himself in twain, one of which continued to\ngive heat, and the other appeared before Kunti. And he addressed Kunti in\nwords that were exceedingly sweet, saying, 'O gentle maiden, over-powered\nby the mantras, I come hither obedient to thee. Subject as I am to thy\npower, what shall I do, O queen? Tell me, for I shall do whatever thou\nmayst command? Hearing these words of the deity, Kunti said, 'O\nworshipful one, go thou back to the place thou hast come from! I invoked\nthee from curiosity alone. Pardon me, O worshipful one!' Surya then said,\n'O damsel of slender waist, I will, even as thou hast said, return to the\nplace I have come from! Having called a celestial, it is not, however,\nproper to send him away in vain. Thy intention, O blessed one, it is to\nhave from Surya a son furnished with a coat of mail and ear-rings, and\nwho in point of prowess would be beyond compare in this world! Do thou,\ntherefore, O damsel of elephantine gait, surrender thy person to me! Thou\nshall then have, O lady, a son after thy wish! O gentle girl, O thou of\nsweet smiles, I will go back after having known thee! If thou do not\ngratify me to-day by obeying my word, I shall in anger curse thee, thy\nfather and that Brahmana also. For thy fault, I will surely consume them\nall, and I shall inflict condign punishment on that foolish father of\nthine that knoweth not this transgression of thine and on that Brahmana\nwho hath 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[107], even as she\nsaw before her that highly resplendent deity furnished with rays, viz.,\nSurya himself. And beholding them all, the girl became frightened and her\nface was suffused with blushes of shame. And then she addressed Surya,\nsaying, 'O lord of rays, go thou back to thy own region. On account of my\nmaidenhood, this outrage of thine is fraught with woe to me! It is only\none's father, mother, and other superiors, that are capable of giving\naway their daughter's body. Virtue I shall never sacrifice, seeing that\nin this world the keeping of their persons inviolate is deemed as the\nhighest duty of women, and is held in high regard! O thou possessed of\nwealth of splendour, it is only to test the power of my mantras that I\nhave, from mere childishness, summoned thee. Considering that this hath\nbeen done by a girl of tender years, it behoveth thee, O lord, to forgive\nher!' Then Surya said, 'It is because I consider thee a girl that, O\nKunti, I am speaking to thee so mildly. To one that is not so I would not\nconcede this. Do thou, O Kunti, surrender thyself! Thou shalt surely\nattain happiness thereby. Since, O timid maiden, thou hast invoked me\nwith mantras, it is not proper for me to go away without any purpose\nbeing attained, for, if I do so I shall then. O thou of faultless limbs,\nbe the object of laughter in the world, and, O beauteous damsel, a\nbye-word with all the celestials. Do thou, therefore, yield to me! By\nthat thou shalt obtain a son even like myself, and thou shalt also be\nmuch praised in all the world.'\"\n\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 much\nwithin herself, an utter stupefaction of the senses came upon her. And\nshe was so confounded that she could not settle what to do. Afraid, on\nthe one hand, O king, of the reproach of friends if she obeyed the deity,\nand, on the other, of his curse if she disobeyed him, the damsel at last,\nO foremost of kings, said these words unto that god, in accents tremulous\nwith bashfulness, 'O god, as my father and mother and friends are still\nliving, this violation of duty on my part should not take place. If; O\ngod, I commit this unlawful act with thee, the reputation of this race\nshall be sacrificed in this world on my account. If thou, however, O thou\nforemost of those that impart heat, deem this to be a meritorious act, I\nshall then fulfil thy desire even though my relatives may not have\nbestowed me on thee! May I remain chaste after having surrendered my\nperson to thee! Surely, the virtue, the reputation, the fame, and the\nlife of every creature are established in thee!' Hearing these words of\nhers, Surya replied, 'O thou of sweet smiles, neither thy father, nor thy\nmother, nor any other superior of thine, is competent to give thee away!\nMay good betide thee, O beauteous damsel! Do thou listen to my words! It\nis because a virgin desireth the company of every one, that she hath\nreceived the appellation of Kanya, from the root kama meaning to desire.\nTherefore, O thou of excellent hips and the fairest complexion, a virgin\nis, by nature, free in this world. Thou shalt not, O lady, by any means,\nbe guilty of any sin by complying with my request. And how can I, who am\ndesirous of the welfare of all creatures, commit an unrighteous act? That\nall men and women should be bound by no restraints, is the law of nature.\nThe opposite condition is the perversion of the natural state. Thou shalt\nremain a virgin after having gratified me. And thy son shall also be\nmighty-armed and illustrious.' Thereupon Kunti said, 'If, O dispeller of\ndarkness, I obtain a son from thee, may he be furnished with a coat of\nmail and ear-rings, and may he be mighty-armed and endued with great\nstrength!' Hearing these words of hers, Surya answered, 'O gentle maiden,\nthy son shall be mighty-armed and decked with ear-rings and a celestial\ncoat of mail. And both his ear-rings and coat of mail will be made of\nAmrita, and his coat will also be invulnerable.' Kunti then said, 'If the\nexcellent mail and ear-rings of the son thou wilt beget on me, be,\nindeed, made of Amrita, then, O god, O worshipful deity, let thy purpose\nbe fulfilled! May he be powerful, strong, energetic, and handsome, even\nlike thee, and may he also be endued with virtue!' Surya then said, 'O\nprincess, O excellent damsel, these ear-rings had been given to me by\nAditi. O timid lady, I will bestow them, as also this excellent mail, on\nthy son!' Kunti then said, 'Very well, O worshipful one! If my son, O\nlord of light, 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\nYoga power, and placed his own self within her womb. The deity, however,\ndid not sully her by deflowering her in the flesh. And after Surya had\ngone away, that girl regained her consciousness.\"\n\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 encased\nin a rich cover. And with tears in her eyes, she carried the infant to\nthe river Aswa, and consigned the basket to its waters. And although she\nknew it to be improper for an unmarried girl to bear offspring, yet from\nparental affection, O foremost of kings, she wept piteously. Do thou\nlisten to the words Kunti weepingly uttered, while consigning the box to\nthe waters of the river Aswa, 'O child, may good betide thee at the hands\nof all that inhabit the land, the water, the sky, and the celestial\nregions. May all thy paths be auspicious! May no one obstruct thy way!\nAnd, O son, may all that come across thee have their hearts divested of\nhostility towards thee: And may that lord of waters, Varuna. protect thee\nin water! And may the deity that rangeth the skies completely protect\nthee in the sky. And may, O son, that best of those that impart heat,\nviz., Surya, thy father, and from whom I have obtained thee as ordained\nby Destiny, protect thee everywhere! And may the Adityas and the Vasus,\nthe Rudras and the Sadhyas, the Viswadevas and the Maruts, and the\ncardinal points with the great Indra and the regents presiding over them,\nand, indeed, all the celestials, protect thee in every place! Even in\nforeign lands I shall be able to recognise thee by this mail of thine!\nSurely, thy sire, O son, the divine Surya possessed of the wealth of\nsplendour, is blessed, for he will with his celestial sight behold thee\ngoing down the current! Blessed also is that lady who will, O thou that\nare begotten by a god, take thee for her son, and who will give thee suck\nwhen thou art thirsty! And what a lucky dream hath been dreamt by her\nthat will adopt thee for her son, thee that is endued with solar\nsplendour, and furnished with celestial mail, and adorned with celestial\near-rings, thee that hast expansive eyes resembling lotuses, a complexion\nbright as burnished copper or lotus leaves, a fair forehead, and hair\nending in beautiful curls! O son, she that will behold thee crawl on the\nground, begrimed with dust, and sweetly uttering inarticulate words, is\nsurely blessed! 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 palate, fearing lest her\nfather should come to know of what had happened. Meanwhile, the basket\nfloated from the river Aswa to the river Charmanwati, and from the\nCharmanwati it passed to the Yamuna, and so on to the Ganga. And carried\nby the waves of the Ganga, the child contained in the basket came to the\ncity of Champa ruled by a person of the Suta tribe. Indeed, the excellent\ncoat of mail and those ear-rings made of Amrita that were born with his\nbody, as also the ordinance of Destiny, kept the child alive.\"\n\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 brought\nbefore her by the waves of the Janhavi. And attracted by curiosity, the\nlady caused it to be seized. And she then related all unto Adhiratha of\nthe charioteer caste. And hearing this Adhiratha took away the box from\nthe water-side, and opened it by means of instruments. And then he beheld\na boy resembling the morning Sun. And the infant was furnished with\ngolden mail, and looked exceedingly beautiful with a face decked in\near-rings. And thereupon the charioteer, together with his wife, was\nstruck with such astonishment that their eyes expanded in wonder. And\ntaking the infant on his lap, Adhiratha said unto his wife, 'Ever since I\nwas born, O timid lady, I had never seen such a wonder. This child that\nhath come to us must be of celestial birth. Surely, sonless as I am, it\nis the gods that have sent him unto me!' Saying this, O lord of earth, he\ngave the infant to Radha. And thereat, Radha adopted, according to the\nordinance, that child of celestial form and divine origin, and possessed\nof the splendour of the filaments of the lotus and furnished with\nexcellent grace. And duly reared by her, that child endued with great\nprowess began to grow up. And after Karna's adoption, Adhiratha had other\nsons begotten by himself. And seeing the child furnished with bright mail\nand golden ear-rings, the twice-born ones named him Vasusena. And thus\ndid that child endued with great splendour and immeasurable prowess\nbecame the son of the charioteer, and came to be known as Vasusena and\nVrisha. And Pritha learnt through spies that her own son clad in\ncelestial mail was growing up amongst the Angas as the eldest son of a\ncharioteer (Adhiratha). And seeing that in process of time his son had\ngrown up, Adhiratha sent him to the city named after the elephant. And\nthere Karna put up with Drona, for the purpose of learning arms. And that\npowerful youth contracted a friendship with Duryodhana. And having\nacquired all the four kinds of weapons from Drona, Kripa, and Rama, he\nbecame famous in the world as a mighty bowman. And after having\ncontracted a friendship with Dhritarashtra's son, he became intent on\ninjuring the sons of Pritha. And he was always desirous of fighting with\nthe high-souled Falguna. And, O king, ever since they first saw each\nother, Karna always used to challenge Arjuna, and Arjuna, on his part,\nused to challenge him. This, O foremost of kings, was without doubt, the\nsecret known to the Sun, viz., begot by himself on Kunti, Karna was being\nreared in the race of the Sutas. And beholding him decked with his\near-rings and mail, Yudhishthira thought him to be unslayable in fight,\nand was exceedingly pained at it. And when, O foremost of monarchs, Karna\nafter rising from the water, used at mid-day to worship the effulgent\nSurya with joined hands, the Brahmanas used to solicit him for wealth.\nAnd at that time there was nothing that he would not give away to the\ntwice-born ones. And Indra, assuming the guise of a Brahmana, appeared\nbefore him (at such a time) and said, 'Give me!' And thereupon Radha's\nson replied unto him, 'Thou art welcome!'\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCCVIII\n\nVaisampayana said, \"And when the king of the celestials presented himself\nin the guise of a Brahmana, beholding him, Kama said, 'Welcome!' And not\nknowing his intention, Adhiratha's son addressed the Brahmana, saying,\n'Of a necklace of gold, and beauteous damsels, and villages with plenty\nof kine, which shall I give thee?' Thereupon the Brahmana replied, 'I ask\nthee not to give me either a necklace of gold, or fair damsels, or any\nother agreeable object. To those do thou give them that ask for them. If,\nO sinless one, thou art sincere in thy vow, then wilt thou, cutting off\n(from thy person) this coat of mail born with thy body, and these\near-rings also, bestow them on me! I desire, O chastiser of foes, that\nthou mayst speedily give me these; for, this one gain of mine will be\nconsidered as superior to every other gain!' Hearing these words, Kama,\nsaid, 'O Brahmana, I will give thee homestead land, and fair damsels, and\nkine, and fields; but my mail and ear-rings I am unable to give thee!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Although thus urged with various words by Karna,\nstill, O chief of the Bharata race, that Brahmana did not ask for any\nother boon. And although Karna sought to pacify him to the best of his\npower, and worshipped him duly, yet that best of Brahmanas did not ask\nfor any other boon. And when that foremost of Brahmanas did not ask for\nany other boon, Radha's son again spake unto him with a smile, 'My mail,\nO regenerate one, hath been born with my body, and this pair of ear-rings\nhath arisen from Amrita. It is for these that I am unslayable in the\nworlds. Therefore, I cannot part with them. Do thou, O bull among\nBrahmanas, accept from me the entire kingdom of the earth, rid of enemies\nand full of prosperity! O foremost of regenerate ones, if I am deprived\nof my ear-rings, and the mail born with my body, I shall be liable to be\nvanquished by the foes!'\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"When the illustrious slayer of Paka refused to\nask for any other boon, Kama with a smile again addressed him, saying, 'O\ngod of gods, even before this, I had recognised thee, O Lord! O Sakra, it\nis not proper for me to confer on thee any unprofitable boon, for thou\nart the very lord of the celestials! On the contrary, being as thou art\nthe Creator and lord of all beings, it is thou that shouldst confer boons\non me! If, O god, I give thee this coat of mail and ear-rings, then I am\nsure to meet with destruction, and thou shalt also undergo ridicule!\nTherefore, O Sakra, take my earrings and excellent mail in exchange for\nsomething conferred by thee on me! Otherwise, I will not bestow them on\nthee!' Thereupon Sakra replied, 'Even before I had come to thee, Surya\nhad known of my purpose and without doubt, it is he that hath unfolded\neverything unto thee! O Karna, be it as thou wishest! O son, except the\nthunder-bolt alone, tell me what it is that thou 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 baffled,\nand competent to destroy hosts of enemies when arrayed in order of\nbattle!' Thereupon, O ruler of earth, fixing his mind for a moment on the\ndart (for bringing it there), Vasava thus spake unto Karna, 'Do thou give\nme thy ear-rings, and the coat of mail born with thy body, and in return\ntake this dart on these terms! When I encounter the Daitya in battle,\nthis 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, 'I\ndesire 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 invincible\nBoar,' and 'the incomprehensible Narayana,' even that Krishna himself, is\nprotecting him!' Thereupon Karna replied, 'Even if this be so, do thou, O\nillustrious one give me the weapon that will destroy only one powerful\nfoe! I shall, on my part, bestow on thee my mail and ear-rings, cutting\nthem off my person. Do thou, however, grant that my body, thus wounded,\nmay not be unsightly!' Hearing this, Indra said, 'As thou, O Karna, art\nbent upon observing the truth, thy person shall not be unsightly, or\nshall any scar remain on it. And, O thou best of those that are graced\nwith speech, O Karna, thou shall be possessed of complexion and energy of\nthy father him self. And if, maddened by wrath, thou hurlest this dart,\nwhile there are still other weapons with thee, and when thy life also is\nnot in imminent peril, it will fall even on thyself.' Karna answered, 'As\nthou directest me, O Sakra, I shall hurl this Vasavi dart only when I am\nin imminent peril! Truly I tell thee this!'\"\n\nVaisampayana continued, \"Thereupon, O king, taking the blazing dart,\nKarna began to peel off his natural mail. And beholding Karna cutting his\nown body, the entire host of celestials and men and Danavas set up a\nleonine roar. And Karna betrayed no contortions of face while peeling his\nmail. And beholding that hero among men thus cutting his body with an\nweapon, smiling ever and anon, celestial kettle-drums began to be played\nupon and celestial flowers began to be showered on him. And Karna cutting\noff 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, \"When 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 gods\nand Rishis recited by Markandeya, those heroes among men returned from\ntheir asylum in Kamyaka to the sacred Dwaitavana, with all their cars,\nand followers, and accompanied by their charioteers, their kine, and the\ncitizens who had followed them.\"\n\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 fruits\nand roots. And the sons of Pandu with their wife Krishna began to reside\nthere, living frugally on fruits and practising rigid vows. And while\nthose repressers of foes, the virtuous king Yudhishthira, the son of\nKunti, and Bhimasena, and Arjuna, and those other sons of Pandu born of\nMadri, were dwelling in Dwaitavana, practising rigid vows, they\nunderwent, for the sake of a Brahmana, great trouble, which, however, was\ndestined to bring about their future happiness. I will tell thee all\nabout the trouble which those foremost of Kurus underwent while living in\nthose woods, and which in the end brought about their happiness. Do thou\nlisten to it! Once on a time, as a deer was butting about, it chanced\nthat the two sticks for making fire and a churning staff belonging to a\nBrahmana devoted to ascetic austerities, struck fast into its antlers.\nAnd, thereupon, O king, that powerful deer of exceeding fleetness with\nlong bounds, speedily went out of the hermitage, taking those articles\naway. And, O foremost of Kurus, seeing those articles of his thus carried\naway, the Brahmana, anxious on account of his Agnihotra, quickly came\nbefore the Pandavas. And approaching without loss of time Ajatasatru\nseated in that forest with his brothers, the Brahmana, in great distress,\nspake these words, 'As a deer was butting about, it happened, O king,\nthat my fire-sticks and churning staff which had been placed against a\nlarge tree stuck fast to its antlers. O king, that powerful deer of\nexceeding fleetness hath speedily gone out of the hermitage with long\nbounds, taking those articles away. Tracking that powerful deer, O king,\nby its foot-prints, do ye, ye sons of Pandu, bring back those articles of\nmine, so that my Agnihotra may not be stopped!' Hearing these words of\nthe Brahmana, Yudhishthira became exceedingly concerned. And the son of\nKunti taking up his bow sallied out with his brothers. And putting on\ntheir corselets and equipped with their bows, those bulls among men,\nintent upon serving the Brahmana, swiftly sallied out in the wake of the\ndeer. And descrying the deer at no great distance, those mighty warriors\ndischarged at it barbed arrows and javelins and darts, but the sons of\nPandu could not pierce it by any means. And as they struggled to pursue\nand slay it, that powerful deer became suddenly invisible. And losing\nsight of the deer, the noble-minded sons of Pandu, fatigued and\ndisappointed and afflicted with hunger and thirst, approached a banian\ntree in that deep forest, and sat down in its cool shade. And when they\nhad sat down, Nakula stricken with sorrow and urged by impatience,\naddressed his eldest brother of the Kuru race, saying, 'In our race, O\nking, virtue hath never been sacrificed, nor hath there been loss of\nwealth from insolence. And being asked, we have never said to any\ncreature, Nay! Why then in the present case have we met with this\ndisaster?\"\n\n\n\nSECTION CCCX\n\nYudhishthira 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 as\na slave into the assembly. And Arjuna said, 'Surely, this calamity hath\nbefallen us because I resented not those biting words piercing the very\nbones, uttered by the Suta's son!' And Sahadeva said, 'Surely, O Bharata,\nthis calamity hath befallen us because I did not slay Sakuni when he\ndefeated 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 cries\nof cranes. Therefore, without doubt, water must be somewhere here.'\nHearing these words, Kunti's son Yudhishthira, firm in truth, said, 'O\namiable one, go thou and fetch water in these quivers!' Saying, 'So be\nit,' at the command of his eldest brother Nakula quickly proceeded\ntowards the place where there was water and soon came upon it. And\nbeholding a crystal lake inhabited by cranes he desired to drink of it,\nwhen he heard these words from the sky, 'O child, do not commit this rash\nact! This lake hath already been in my possession. Do thou, O son of\nMadri, first answer my questions and then drink of this water and take\naway (as much as thou requirest). Nakula, however, who was exceedingly\nthirsty, disregarding these words, drank of the cool water, and having\ndrunk of it, dropped down dead. And, O represser of foes, seeing Nakula's\ndelay, Yudhishthira the son of Kunti said unto Sahadeva, the heroic\nbrother of Nakula, 'O Sahadeva, it is long since our brother, he who was\nborn immediately before thee, hath gone from hence! Do thou, therefore,\ngo and bring back thy uterine brother, together with water.' At this,\nSahadeva, saying, 'So be it,' set out in that direction; and coming to\nthe spot, beheld his brother lying dead on the ground. And afflicted at\nthe death of his brother, and suffering severely from thirst, he advanced\ntowards the water, when these words were heard by him, 'O child, do not\ncommit this rash act! This lake hath already been in my possession. First\nanswer my question, and then drink of the water and take away as much as\nthou mayst require.' Sahadeva, however, who was extremely thirsty,\ndisregarding these words, drank of the water, and having drunk of it,\ndropped down dead. Then Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, said unto Vijaya,\n'It is long since, O Vibhatsu, that thy two brothers have gone, O\nrepresser of foes! Blessed be thou! Do thou bring them back, together\nwith water. Thou art, O child, the refuge of us all when plunged in\ndistress!' Thus addressed, the intelligent Gudakesa, taking his bow and\narrows and also his naked sword, set out tor that lake of waters. And\nreaching that spot, he whose car was drawn by white steeds beheld those\ntigers among men, his two younger brothers who had come to fetch water,\nlying dead there. And seeing them as if asleep, that lion among men,\nexceedingly aggrieved, raised his bow and began to look around that wood.\nBut he found none in that mighty forest. And, being fatigued, he who was\ncapable of drawing the bow by his left hand as well, rushed in the\ndirection of the water. And as he was rushing (towards the water), he\nheard these words from the sky, 'Why dost thou approach this water? Thou\nshalt not be able to drink of it by force. If thou, O Kaunteya, can\nanswer the question I will put to thee, then only shalt thou drink of the\nwater and take away as much as thou requirest, O Bharata!' Thus\nforbidden, the son of Pritha said, 'Do thou forbid me by appearing before\nme! And when thou shalt be sorely pierced with my arrows, thou wilt not\nthen again speak in this way!' Having said this, Partha covered all sides\nwith arrows inspired by mantras. And he also displayed his skill in\nshooting at an invisible mark by sound alone. And, O bull of the Bharata\nrace, sorely afflicted with thirst, he discharged barbed darts and\njavelins and iron arrows, and showered on the sky innumerable shafts\nincapable of being baffled. Thereupon, the invisible Yaksha said, 'What\nneed of all this trouble, O son of Pritha? Do thou drink only after\nanswering my questions! If thou drink, however, without answering my\nquestions, thou shalt die immediately after.' Thus addressed, Pritha's\nson Dhananjaya capable of drawing the bow with his left hand as well,\ndisregarding those words, drank of the water, and immediately after\ndropped down dead. And (seeing Dhananjaya's delay) Kunti's son\nYudhishthira addressed Bhimasena, saying, 'O represser of foes, it is a\nlong while that Nakula and Sahadeva and Vibhatsu have gone to fetch\nwater, and they have not come yet, O Bharata! Good betide thee! Do thou\nbring them back, together with water!' Thereupon saying, 'So be it,'\nBhimasena 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 Gandiva\ndelay? And why doth Bhima too, endued with great strength, delay? I shall\ngo to search for them!' And resolved to do this, the mighty-armed\nYudhishthira then rose up, his heart burning in grief. And that bull\namong men, the royal son of Kunti thought within himself. 'Is this forest\nunder some malign influence? Or, is it infested by some wicked beasts?\nOr, have they all fallen, in consequence of having disregarded some\nmighty being? Or, not finding water in the spot whither those heroes had\nfirst repaired, they have spent all this time in search through the\nforest? What is that reason for which those bulls among men do not come\nback?' And speaking in this strain, that foremost of monarchs, the\nillustrious Yudhishthira, entered into that mighty forest where no human\nsound was heard and which was inhabited by deer and bears and birds, and\nwhich was adorned with trees that were bright and green, and which echoed\nwith the hum of the black-bee and the notes of winged warblers. As he was\nproceeding along, he beheld that beautiful lake which looked as if it had\nbeen made by the celestial artificer himself. And it was adorned with\nflowers of a golden hue and with lotuses and Sindhuvars. And it abounded\nwith canes and Ketakas and Karaviras and Pippalas, and fatigued with\ntoil, Yudhishthira saw that tank and was struck with wonder.\"\n\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 death,\nO mighty-armed and high-souled one, all that hath become fruitless now!\nThe promises of men may be ineffectual; but why have the words of the\ngods uttered in respect of thee been thus fruitless? O Dhananjaya, while\nthou wert in thy mother's lying-in-room, the gods had said,--O Kunti,\nthis thy son shall not be inferior to him of a thousand eyes! And in the\nnorthern Paripatra mountains, all beings had sung, saying,--The\nprosperity (of this race), robbed by foes will be recovered by this one\nwithout delay. No one will be able to vanquish him in battle, while there\nwill be none whom he will not be able to vanquish. Why then hath that\nJishnu endued with great strength been subject to death? Oh, why doth\nthat Dhananjaya, relying on whom we had hitherto endured all this misery,\nlie on the ground blighting[108] all my hopes! Why have those heroes,\nthose mighty sons of Kunti, Bhimasena and Dhananjaya, came under the\npower of the enemy,--those who themselves always slew their foes, and\nwhom no weapons could resist! Surely, this vile heart of mine must be\nmade of adamant, since, beholding these twins lying today on the ground\nit doth not split! Ye bulls among men, versed in holy writ and acquainted\nwith the properties of time and place, and endued with ascetic merit, ye\nwho duly performed all sacred rites, why lie ye down, without performing\nacts deserving of you? Alas, why lie ye insensible on the earth, with\nyour bodies unwounded, ye unvanquished ones, and with your vows\nuntouched?' And beholding his brothers sweetly sleeping there as (they\nusually did) on mountain slopes, the high souled king, overwhelmed with\ngrief and bathed in sweat, came to a distressful condition. And\nsaying,--It is even so--that virtuous lord of men, immersed in an ocean\nof grief anxiously proceeded to ascertain the cause (of that\ncatastrophe). And that mighty-armed and high-souled one, acquainted with\nthe divisions of time and place, could not settle his course of action.\nHaving thus bewailed much in this strain, the virtuous Yudhishthira, the\nson of Dharma or Tapu, restrained his soul and began to reflect in his\nmind as to who had slain those heroes. 'There are no strokes of weapons\nupon these, nor is any one's foot-print here. The being must be mighty I\nween, by whom my brothers have been slain. Earnestly shall I ponder over\nthis, or, let me first drink of the water, and then know all. It may be\nthat the habitually crooked-minded Duryodhana hath caused this water to\nbe secretly placed here by the king of the Gandharvas. What man of sense\ncan trust wicked wight of evil passions with whom good and evil are\nalike? Or, perhaps, this may be an act of that wicked-souled one through\nsecret messengers of his.' And it was thus that that highly intelligent\none gave way to diverse reflections. He did not believe that water to\nhave been tainted with poison, for though dead no corpse-like pallor was\non them. 'The colour on the faces of these my brothers hath not faded!'\nAnd it was thus that Yudhishthira thought. And the king continued, 'Each\nof these foremost of men was like unto a mighty cataract. Who, therefore,\nsave Yama himself who in due time bringeth about the end of all things,\ncould have baffled them thus.' And having concluded this for certain, he\nbegan to perform his ablutions in that lake. And while he descended into\nit, he heard these words from the sky, uttered by the Yaksha,--'I am a\ncrane, living on tiny fish. It is by me that thy younger brothers have\nbeen brought under the sway of the lord of departed spirits. If, thou, O\nprince, answer not the questions put by me, even thou shalt number the\nfifth corpse. Do not, O child, act rashly! This lake hath already been in\nmy possession. Having answered my questions first, do thou, O Kunti's\nson, drink and carry away (as much as thou requirest)!' Hearing these\nwords, Yudhishthira 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 Malaya?\nGreat is the feat done by thee, thou foremost of strong persons! Those\nwhom neither gods, nor Gandharvas nor Asuras, nor Rakshasas could endure\nin mighty conflict, have been slain by thee! Therefore, exceedingly\nwonderful is the deed done by thee! I do not know what thy business may\nbe, nor do I know thy purpose. Therefore, great is the curiosity and fear\nalso that have taken possession of me? My mind is greatly agitated, and\nas my head also is aching, I ask thee, therefore, O worshipful one, who\nart thou that stayest here?' Hearing these words the Yaksha said, 'I am,\ngood betide thee, a Yaksha, and not an amphibious bird. It is by me that\nall these brothers of thine, endued with mighty prowess, have been slain!'\n\nVaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these accursed words couched in harsh\nsyllabus,[109] 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 the\nclouds. And the Yaksha said, 'These thy brothers, O king, repeatedly\nforbidden by me, would forcibly take away water. It is for this that they\nhave been slain by me! He that wisheth to live, should not, O king, drink\nthis water! O son of Pritha, act not rashly! This lake hath already been\nin my possession. Do thou, O son of Kunti, first answer my questions, and\nthen take away as much as thou likest!' Yudhishthira said, 'I do not, O\nYaksha, covet, what is already in thy possession! O bull among male\nbeings, virtuous persons never approve that one should applaud his own\nself (without boasting, I shall, therefore, answer thy questions,\naccording to my intelligence). Do thou ask me!' The Yaksha then said,\n'What is it that maketh the Sun rise? Who keeps him company? Who causeth\nhim to set? And in whom is he established?' Yudhishthira answered,\n'Brahma maketh the Sun rise: the gods keep him company: Dharma causeth\nhim to set: and he is established in truth.'[110] The Yaksha asked, 'By\nwhat doth one become learned? By what doth he attain what is very great?\nHow can one have a second? And, O king, how can one acquire\nintelligence?' Yudhishthira answered, 'It is by the (study of the) Srutis\nthat a person becometh learned; it is by ascetic austerities that one\nacquireth what is very great: it is by intelligence that a person\nacquireth a second and it is by serving the old that one becometh\nwise.'[111] The Yaksha asked, 'What constituteth the divinity of the\nBrahmanas? What even is their practice that is like that of the pious?\nWhat also is the human attribute of the Brahmanas? And what practice of\ntheirs is like that of the impious?' Yudhishthira answered, 'The study of\nthe Vedas constitutes their divinity: their asceticism constitutes\nbehaviour that is like that of the pious; their liability to death is\ntheir human attribute and slander is their impiety.' The Yaksha asked,\n'What institutes the divinity of the Kshatriyas? What even is their\npractice that is like that of the pious? What is their human attribute?\nAnd what practice of theirs is like that of the impious?' Yudhishthira\nanswered, 'Arrows and weapons are their divinity: celebration of\nsacrifices is that act which is like that of the pious: liability to fear\nis their human attribute; and refusal of protection is that act of theirs\nwhich is like that of the impious.' The Yaksha asked, 'What is that which\nconstitutes the Sama of the sacrifice? What the Yajus of the sacrifice?\nWhat is that which is the refuge of a sacrifice? And what is that which\nsacrifice cannot do without?' Yudhishthira answered, 'Life is the Sama of\nthe sacrifice; the mind is the Yajus of the sacrifice: the Rik is that\nwhich is the refuge of the sacrifice; and it is Rik alone which sacrifice\ncannot do without.'[112] The Yaksha asked, 'What is of the foremost value\nto those that cultivate? What is of the foremost value to those that sow?\nWhat is of the foremost value to those that wish for prosperity in this\nworld? And what is of the foremost value to those that bring forth?'\nYudhishthira answered, 'That which is of the foremost value to those that\ncultivate is rain: that of the foremost value to those that sow is seed:\nthat of the foremost value to those that bring forth is offspring.[113]'\nThe Yaksha asked, 'What person, enjoying all the objects of the senses,\nendued with intelligence, regarded by the world and liked by all beings,\nthough breathing, doth not offer anything to these five, viz., gods,\nguests, servants, Pitris, and himself, though endued with breath, is not\nyet alive.' The Yaksha asked, 'What is weightier than the earth itself?\nWhat is higher than the heavens?' What is fleeter than the wind? And what\nis more numerous than grass?' Yudhishthira answered, 'The mother is\nweightier than the earth; the father is higher than the heaven; the mind\nis fleeter than the wind; and our thoughts are more numerous than grass.'\nThe Yaksha asked, 'What is that which doth not close its eyes while\nasleep; What is that which doth not move after birth? What is that which\nis without heart? And what is that which swells with its own impetus?'\nYudhishthira answered, 'A fish doth not close its eyes while asleep: an\negg doth not move after birth: a stone is without heart: and a river\nswelleth with its own impetus.' The Yaksha asked, 'Who is the friend of\nthe exile? Who is the friend of the householder? Who is the friend of him\nthat ails? And who is the friend of one about to die?' Yudhishthira\nanswered, 'The friend of the exile in a distant land is his companion,\nthe friend of the householder is the wife; the friend of him that ails is\nthe physician: and the friend of him about to die is charity. The Yaksha\nasked,--'Who is the guest of all creatures? What is the eternal duty?\nWhat, O foremost of kings, is Amrita? And what is this entire Universe?'\nYudhishthira answered,--Agni is the guest of all creatures: the milk of\nkine is amrita: Homa (therewith) is the eternal duty: and this Universe\nconsists of air alone.'[114] 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 answered,--'The\nson is a man's soul: the wife is the friend bestowed on man by the gods;\nthe clouds are his chief support; and gift is his chief refuge.' The\nYaksha asked,--'What is the best of all laudable things? What is the most\nvaluable of all his possessions? What is the best of all gains? And what\nis the best of all kinds of happiness?' Yudhishthira answered,--\"The best\nof all laudable things is skill; the best of all possessions is\nknowledge: the best of all gains is health: and contentment is the best\nof all kinds of happiness.' The Yaksha asked,--'What is the highest duty\nin the world? What is that virtue which always beareth fruit? What is\nthat which if controlled, leadeth not to regret? And who are they with\nwhom an alliance cannot break?' Yudhishthira answered,--'The highest of\nduties is to refrain from injury: the rites ordained in the Three (Vedas)\nalways bear fruit: the mind, if controlled, leadeth to no regret: and an\nalliance with the good never breaketh.' The Yaksha asked,--'What is that\nwhich, if renounced, maketh one agreeable? What is that which, if\nrenounced, leadeth to no regret? What is that which, if renounced, maketh\none wealthy? And what is that which if renounced, maketh one happy?'\nYudhishthira answered,--'Pride, if renounced, maketh one agreeable;\nwrath, if renounced leadeth to no regret: desire, if renounced, maketh\none wealthy: 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 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 obtaining\nrelief from fear that one giveth to kings.' The Yaksha asked,--'With what\nis the world enveloped? What is that owing to which a thing cannot\ndiscover itself? For what are friends forsaken? And for what doth one\nfail to go to heaven?' Yudhishthira answered,--'The world is enveloped\nwith darkness. Darkness doth not permit a thing to show itself. It is\nfrom avarice that friends are forsaken. And it is connection with the\nworld for which one faileth to go to heaven.' The Yaksha asked,--'For\nwhat may one be considered as dead? For what may a kingdom be considered\nas dead? For what may a Sraddha be considered as dead? And for what, a\nsacrifice?' Yudhishthira answered,--'For want of wealth may a man be\nregarded as dead. A kingdom for want of a king may be regarded as dead. A\nSraddha that is performed with the aid of a priest that hath no learning\nmay be regarded as dead. And a sacrifice in which there are no gifts to\nBrahmanas is dead.' The Yaksha asked,--'What constitutes the way? What,\nhath been spoken of as water? What, as food? And what, as poison? Tell us\nalso what is the proper time of a Sraddha, and then drink and take away\nas much as thou likest!' Yudhishthira answered,--'They that are good\nconstitute the way.[115] Space hath been spoken of as water.[116] The cow\nis food.[117] A request is poison. And a Brahmana is regarded as the\nproper time of a Sraddha.[118] I do not know what thou mayst think of all\nthis, O Yaksha?' The Yaksha asked,--'What hath been said to be the sign\nof asceticism? 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 constitutes\nan incurable disease for man? What sort of a man is called honest and\nwhat dishonest?' Yudhishthira answered,--'Anger is an invincible enemy.\nCovetousness constitutes an incurable disease. He is honest that desires\nthe weal of all creatures, and he is dishonest who is unmerciful.' The\nYaksha asked,--'What, O king, is ignorance? And what is pride? What also\nis to be understood by idleness? And what hath been spoken of as grief?'\nYudhishthira answered,--'True ignorance consists in not knowing one's\nduties. Pride is a consciousness of one's being himself an actor or\nsufferer in life. Idleness consists in not discharging one's duties, and\nignorance in grief.' The Yaksha asked,--'What hath steadiness been said\nby the Rishis to be? And what, patience? What also is a real ablution?\nAnd what is charity?' Yudhishthira answered,--'Steadiness consists in\none's staying in one's own religion, and true patience consists in the\nsubjugation of the senses. A true bath consists in washing the mind clean\nof all impurities, and charity consists in protecting all creatures.' The\nYaksha asked,--'What man should be regarded as learned, and who should be\ncalled 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, and\nwhat 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 is\nthe 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, the\nBrahmanas, the gods, and the ceremonies in honour of the Pitris, He also\ngoeth to everlasting hell who though in possession of wealth, never\ngiveth away nor enjoyeth himself from avarice, saying, he hath none.' The\nYaksha asked,--'By what, O king, birth, behaviour, study, or learning\ndoth a person become a Brahmana? Tell us with certitude!' Yudhishthira\nanswered,-'Listen, O Yaksha! It is neither birth, nor study, nor\nlearning, that is the cause of Brahmanahood, without doubt, it is\nbehaviour 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 his\nconduct be not correct). He only who performeth the Agnihotra and hath\nhis senses under control, is called a Brahmana!' The Yaksha asked,--'What\ndoth one gain that speaketh agreeable words? What doth he gain that\nalways acteth with judgment? What doth he gain that hath many friends?\nAnd what he, that is devoted to virtue?'--Yudhishthira answered,--'He\nthat speaketh agreeable words becometh agreeable to all. He that acteth\nwith judgment obtaineth whatever he seeketh. He that hath many friends\nliveth happily. And he that is devoted to virtue obtaineth a happy state\n(in the next world).' The Yaksha asked,--'Who is truly happy? What is\nmost wonderful? What is the path? And what is the news? Answer these four\nquestions of mine and let thy dead brothers revive.' Yudhishthira\nanswered,--'O amphibious creature, a man who cooketh in his own house, on\nthe fifth or the sixth part of the day, with scanty vegetables, but who\nis not in debt and who stirreth not from home, is truly happy. Day after\nday countless creatures are going to the abode of Yama, yet those that\nremain behind believe themselves to be immortal. What can be more\nwonderful than this? Argument leads to no certain conclusion, the Srutis\nare different from one another; there is not even one Rishi whose opinion\ncan be accepted by all; the truth about religion and duty is hid in\ncaves: therefore, that alone is the path along which the great have trod.\nThis world full of ignorance is like a pan. The sun is fire, the days and\nnights are fuel. The months and the seasons constitute the wooden ladle.\nTime is the cook that is cooking all creatures in that pan (with such\naids); this is the news.' The Yaksha asked,--'Thou hast, O represser of\nfoes, truly answered all my questions! Tell us now who is truly a man,\nand what man truly possesseth every kind of wealth.' Yudhishthira\nanswered,--'The report of one's good action reacheth heaven and spreadeth\nover the earth. As long as that report lasteth, so long is a person to\nwhom the agreeable and the disagreeable, weal and woe, the past and the\nfuture, are the same, is said to possess every kind of wealth.' The\nYaksha said,--'Thou hast, O king truly answered who is a man, and what\nman possesseth every kind of wealth. Therefore, let one only amongst thy\nbrothers, whom thou mayst wish, get up with life!' Yudhishthira\nanswered,--'Let this one that is of darkish hue, whose eyes are red, who\nis tall like a large Sala tree, whose chest is broad and arms long, let\nthis Nakula, O Yaksha, get up with life! The Yaksha rejoined,-'This\nBhimasena is dear unto thee, and this Arjuna also is one upon whom all of\nyou depend! Why, then, O king dost thou, wish a step-brother to get up\nwith his life! How canst thou, forsaking Bhima whose strength is equal to\nthat of ten thousand elephants, wish Nakula to live? People said that\nthis Bhima was dear to thee. From what motive then dost thou wish a\nstep-brother to revive? Forsaking Arjuna the might of whose arm is\nworshipped by all the sons of Pandu, why dost thou wish Nakula to\nrevive?' Yudhishthira said,--'If virtue is sacrificed, he that\nsacrificeth it, is himself lost. So virtue also cherisheth the cherisher.\nTherefore taking care that virtue by being sacrificed may not sacrifice\nus, I never forsake virtue. Abstention from injury is the highest virtue,\nand is, I ween, even higher than the highest object of attainment. I\nendeavour to practise that virtue. Therefore, let Nakula, O Yaksha,\nrevive! Let men know that the king is always virtuous! I will never\ndepart from my duty. Let Nakula, therefore, revive! My father had two\nwives, Kunti and Madri. Let both of them have children. This is what I\nwish. As Kunti is to me, so also is Madri. There is no difference between\nthem in my eye. I desire to act equally towards my mothers. Therefore,\nlet Nakula live?' The Yaksha said,--'Since abstention from injury is\nregarded by thee as higher than both profit and pleasure, therefore, let\nall thy brothers live, O bull of Bharata race!\"\n\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 have\nrefreshed, as if they have sweetly awaked from slumber. Art thou a friend\nof ours, or even our father himself? At this the Yaksha replied,-'O\nchild, I am even thy father, the Lord of justice, possessed of great\nprowess! Know, bull of the Bharata race, that I came hither desirous of\nbeholding thee! Fame, truth, self-restraint, purity, candour, modesty,\nsteadiness, charity, austerities and Brahmacharya, these are my body! And\nabstention from injury, impartiality, peace, penances, sanctity, and\nfreedom from malice are the doors (through which I am accessible). Thou\nart always dear to me! By good luck thou art devoted to the five;[119]\nand by good luck also thou hast conquered the six.[120] Of the six, two\nappear in the first part of life; two in the middle part thereof; and the\nremaining two at the end, in order to make men repair to the next world.\nI am, good betide thee, the lord of justice! I came hither to test thy\nmerit. I am well-pleased to witness thy harmlessness; and, O sinless one,\nI will confer boons on thee. Do thou, O foremost of kings, ask of me\nboons. I shall surely confer them, O sinless one! Those that revere me,\nnever come by distress!' Yudhishthira said,--'A deer was carrying away\nthe Brahmana's fire-sticks. Therefore, the first boon that I shall ask,\nis, may that Brahmana's adorations to Agni be not interrupted!' The\nYaksha said,--'O Kunti's son endued with splendour, it was I who for\nexamining thee, was carrying away, in the guise of a deer, that\nBrahmana's fire-sticks!\"\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 attain\nwhat thou asked for!\"\n\nVaisampayana continued,--\"Having said these words, the worshipful Lord of\njustice, who is the object of contemplation of all the worlds, vanished\ntherefrom; and the high-souled Pandavas after they had slept sweetly were\nunited with one another. And their fatigue dispelled, those heroes\nreturned to the hermitage, and gave back that Brahmana his firesticks.\nThat man who pursueth this illustrious and fame-enhancing story of the\nrevival (of the Pandavas) and the meeting of father and son (Dharma and\nYudhishthira), obtaineth perfect tranquillity of mind, and sons and\ngrandsons, and also a life extending over a hundred years! And the mind\nof that man that layeth this story to heart, never delighteth in\nunrighteousness, or in disunion among friends, or misappropriation of\nother person's property, or staining other people's wives, or in foul\nthoughts!\n\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 kingdom,\nand have also done us many other wrongs! We have passed twelve years in\nthe forest in great affliction. The thirteenth year only, which we are to\nspend unrecognised, yet remaineth. It behoveth you to permit us now to\nspend this year in concealment! Those rancorous enemies of ours\nSuyodhana, the wicked-minded Kama, and Suvala's son should they discover\nus, would do mighty wrong to the citizens and our friends! Shall we all\nwith the Brahmanas, be again established in our own kingdom? Having said\nthis, that pure-spirited son of Dharma king Yudhishthira, overwhelmed\nwith grief and with accents choked in tears, swooned away. Thereupon the\nBrahmanas, together with his brothers began to cheer him up. Then Dhaumya\nspake unto the king these words fraught with mighty meaning,--'O king,\nthou art learned and capable of bearing privations, art firm in promise,\nand of subdued sense! Men of such stamp are not overwhelmed by any\ncalamity whatever. Even the high-souled gods themselves have wandered\nover various places in disguise, for the purpose of overcoming foes.\nIndra for the purpose of overcoming his toes, dwelt in disguise in the\nasylum of Giriprastha, in Nishadha and thus attained his end. Before\ntaking his birth in the womb of Aditi, Vishnu for the purpose of\ndestroying the Daityas passed a long time unrecognised, assuming the form\nof the Haya-griba (Horse-necked). Then how disguising himself in the form\nof a dwarf, he by his prowess deprived Vali of his kingdom, hath been\nheard by thee! And thou hast also heard how Hutasana entering into water\nand remaining in concealment, achieved the purpose of the gods. And O\nthou versed in duty, thou hast heard how Hari with the view of overcoming\nhis foes, entered into Sakra's thunder-bolt, and lay concealed there.\nAnd, O sinless one, thou hast heard of the office the regenerate Rishi\nAurva at one time performed for the gods, remaining concealed in his\nmother's womb. And O child, living in concealment in every part of the\nearth, Vivaswat, endued with excellent energy, at last entirely burnt up\nall his 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 according\nto his sense of duty hath not yet, O king, shown any rashness! And\nalthough fully able to destroy the foe, Nakula and Sahadeva of dreadful\nprowess have been ever prevented by me! Never shall we swerve from that\nin which thou wilt engage us! Do thou tell us what is to be done! We\nshall speedily conquer our enemies! When Bhimasena had said this, the\nBrahmanas uttered benedictions on the Bharatas, and then obtaining their\npermission, went to their respective quarters. And all those foremost of\nYatis and Munis versed in the Vedas, exceedingly desirous of again\nbeholding the Pandavas, went back to their homes. And accompanied by\nDhaumya, these heroes, the five learned Pandavas equipped in vows set out\nwith Krishna. And each versed in a separate science, and all proficient\nin mantras and cognisant of when peace was to be concluded and when war\nwas to be waged those tigers among men, about to enter upon a life of\nnon-recognition, the next day proceeded for a Krose and then sat\nthemselves down with the view of taking counsel of each other.\n\nThe End of Vana Parva\n\nFOOTNOTES\n\n1. This seems to be the obvious. There is a different reading however.\nFor Drie--cyate-seen, some texts have Sasyate--applauded. Nilakantha\nimagines that the meaning is \"As distribution (of food) amongst the\nvarious classes of beings like the gods, the Pitris, &c., is applauded\n&c., &c.\"\n\n2. A form of sacrifice which consists in pouring oblations of clarified\nbutter with prayers into a blazing fire. It is obligatory on Brahmanas\nand Kshatriyas, except those that accept certain vows of great austerity.\n\n3. The Viswedeva sacrifice is the offer of food to all creatures of the\nearth (by scattering a portion).\n\n4. A gift. It may be of various kinds. The fees paid to Brahmanas\nassisting at sacrifices and religious rites, such as offering oblations\nto the dead, are Dakshinas, as also gifts to Brahmanas on other occasions\nparticularly when they are fed, it bring to this day the custom never to\nfeed a Brahmana without paying him a pecuniary fee. There can be no\nsacrifice, no religious rite, without Dakshina.\n\n5. Reference to self, i.e. without the motive of bettering one's own\nself, or without any motive at all. (This contains the germ of the\ndoctrine preached more elaborately in the Bhagavad gita).\n\n6. This Yoga consists, in their case, of a combination of attributes by\nnegation of the contrary ones, i.e. by renunciation of motives in all\nthey do.\n\n7. A form of Yoga that is said to consist in the mingling of some of the\nair supposed to exist in every animal body. These airs are five: Prana,\nApana, Samana, Udana, and Vyana.\n\n8. The 8 Vasus, the 11 Rudras, the 12 Adityas, Prajapati, and Vashatkara.\n\n9. An order of celestials.\n\n10. Celestial flowers of much fragrance.\n\n11. The ascetic properties are Anima, Laghima, etc.\n\n12. The bow of Vishnu, as that of Siva is called Pinaka.\n\n13. The words of the text are Adhana, Pashubandha, Ishti Mantra, Yajana\nand Tapa-kriya.\n\n14. Dhritarashtra being blind is described as Pragnachakshu, i.e. having\nknowledge for his eye. It may also mean. \"Of the prophetic eye.\"\n\n15. The great preceptor of the Asuras, viz., Sukra, possessing the\nhighest intelligence as evidenced by his various works on all manner of\nsubjects particularly, the Sukra-niti.\n\n16. Also called Vadarika, a hermitage on the Himalaya near the sources of\nthe Ganges.\n\n17. Nilakantha explains kshetra as including Mahabhuta, consciousness,\nintellect, the unmanifest (primordial elements), the ten senses, the five\nobjects of the senses, viz., earth, water, &c., desire, aversion,\npleasure, pain, the combinations of elements, and chaitanya.\n\n18. Hari here means the developed seed that is to expand into the vast\nwhole of the universe.\n\n19. This wheel is the wheel of Time--i.e., measured according to the\nsolar, lunar and astral revolutions. The importance of Ashtavakra's reply\nis this: May the meritorious deeds performed at proper times, during the\nrevolution of this wheel of Time protect thee.\n\n20. Thunder and lightning or misery and death.\n\n21. Cloud or the mind.\n\n22. The male being that is ever conscious.\n\n23. The mundane egg.\n\n24. The soul that has renounced connection with the body.\n\n25. The heart of a Yogi.\n\n26. Ashtavakra comes to Janaka's sacrifice with the object of proving the\nunity of the Supreme Being. Vandin avails himself of various system of\nPhilosophy to combat his opponent. He begins with the Buddhistic system.\nThe form of the dialogue is unique in literature being that of enigmas\nand the latent meaning is in a queer way hid under the appearance of\npuerile and heterogeneous combinations of things.\n\nVandin opens the controversy by saying that as the number of each of\nthese is one, so one only intellect is the lord, leader and guide of the\nsenses.\n\n27. There is a Vedic revelation that two birds live together on a tree as\nfriends--one of these eats the fruits and the other looks at the former.\nFrom this it is manifest that two are the lords, leaders, and guides of\nthe senses. That there is a second faculty besides the intellect is also\nproved by the fact that in sleep when the intellect is inactive that\nfaculty continues in action, for if it were not so we could not remember\nhaving slept, nor connect the state after awaking with that preceding\nsleep. Accordingly by citing the number two Ashtavakra assets that\nbesides intellect there is another faculty--consciousness that these two\nare jointly the lords, leaders and guides of the senses and that they act\ntogether as Indra and Agni, etc.\n\n28. By citing the number three Vandin means to say that as it is Acts\nthat produce the three kinds of born beings, etc., so Acts are supreme\nand that everything else be it intellect alone, or intellect and\nconsciousness together is subservient to Acts.\n\n29. Ashtavakra here advances the thesis that even if Acts be supreme\nstill when the (fourth) or Supreme Being becomes manifest to the soul, it\nstands in no further needs to Acts.\n\n30. By bringing in the quinquennial series, Vandin wishes to assert that\nthe five senses are competent to cognise their respective objects and\nthat besides these senses and their objects there is neither any other\nsense to perceive nor any other object of perception. He also cites the\nauthority of the Veda according to which the Apsaras (or consciousness)\nhave five \"locks\" on their hands--i.e., five objects of perception.\n\n31. Besides the five senses Ashtavakra contends for an additional sense\nnamely the Mind and accordingly cites the number six.\n\n32. Vandin admits the existence of the six senses but says that the soul\nexperiences happiness and misery through those as well as through the\nintellect.\n\n33. Ashtavakra advances an eighth element, namely, the knowledge of the\nego.\n\n34. Each of the three qualities (existence, foulness and ignorance) of\nprakriti (the passive or material cause of the world) mixing with each of\nthe three corresponding qualities of pradhana (the active or spiritual\ncause of the world) in various proportions produces the mundane order of\nthings. Thus is proved the eternity of prakriti or nature and is also\nestablished the doctrine of duality.\n\n35. Prakriti does not really create. It is the Supreme Being who through\nthe medium of illusion in contract with the ten organs (viz., the five\nlocomotive organs and the five organs of sense) makes manifest the system\nof things. Prakriti therefore has no real existence--her existence is\nonly apparent in the real existence of the soul.\n\n36. Yupas (stakes) mean here, feelings, etc, which keep men bound to the\nworld. Rudras are those who makes others cry.\n\nVandin means to say that the soul is not essential free from the fetters\nof happiness and misery arising from the eleven objects of perception. In\nthis world all men are subject to happiness and misery. We also hear that\nthere are Rudras in heaven.\n\n37. The supreme soul unaffected by happiness and misery really\nexists--but His existence is not susceptible of being proved--nor can the\nignorant ever perceive Him. Men attain that condition through these\ntwelve, viz., virtue, true, self-restraint, penances, good-will, modesty,\nforgiveness, exemption from envy, sacrifice, charity, concentration and\ncontrol over the senses.\n\n38. According to some, endeavours to attain emancipation can be\nsuccessful not in this world but in the world of Brahma. Others say that\nto that end a special yoga is necessary. By bringing forward the objects\nnumbering thirteen. Vandin advances the opinion that, virtue, etc., are\nnot sufficient for purposes of emancipation but that suitable time and\nplace are also essential.\n\n39. Ashtavakra concludes by citing the same number thirteen. The soul\nwhich is essentially unaffected, becomes subject to happiness and misery\nthrough, the thirteen, viz., the ten organs of locomotion and sense, and\nintellect mind and egoism. But Atichhanadas, i.e., those that have\nsurmounted ignorance, namely, the twelve, virtue, etc. destroy those\nthirteen and that is emancipation.\n\n40. Su means excellent, and uta, sacrifice. The compound accordingly\nmeans,--performer of excellent sacrifice.\n\n41. Iti means these six things, unfavourable to crops--excessive rain,\ndrought, rats, locusts, birds, and a neighbouring hostile king.\n\n42. In as much as the rites performed by the Sudras have their origin in\nthe Vedas.\n\n43. More literally, the state of the gods. It may appropriately be\nremarked here that the ordinary Hindu gods, of the post-Vedic period,\nlike the gods of Ancient Greece and Italy, were simply a class of\nsuperhuman beings, distinctly contra-distinguished from the Supreme\nSpirit, the Paramatman or Parabrahma. After death, a virtuous man was\nsupposed to be transformed into one of these so-called gods.\n\n44. This is the well-known and popular doctrine of transmigration of\nsouls.\n\n45. The word in the text is Kora-dushakas, supposed by Wilson to be the\nPaspalum frumentacea (vide Dict.).\n\n46. The word in the text is mlecchibhutam. The Sanskrit grammar affords a\ngreat facility for the formation of verbs from substantives. Mlecchify\nmay be hybrid, but it correctly and shortly signifies the Sanskrit word.\n\n47. Pushya is the eighth lunar asterism consisting of three stars, of\nwhich one is, the Cancer. (Vide Wilson's Diet.).\n\n48. An Indian creeper of the order of Goertnera racemosa. It bears large\nwhite flowers of much fragrance.\n\n49. They, therefore, that lead deathless lives can enjoy this bliss from\nday to day for ever.\n\n50. It is difficult to understand how all that Vaka says can be an answer\nto Indra's question. The chief of the gods enquires: What are the joys of\nthose that lead deathless lives? Vaka breaks away unto a confused\nrigmarole about the merits of independence and the religious merit of\nentertaining guests and servants. All the printed editions have the\npassage as rendered here.\n\n51. The ceremony of Swastivachana is described to be \"a religious rite,\npreparatory to any important observance, in which the Brahmanas strew\nboiled rice on the ground, and invoke the blessings of the gods on the\nceremony about to commence\" (Vide Wilson's Dict).\n\nA flowery car was, probably, one of celestial make that the kings,\nprocured from heaven by performing costly rites and ceremonies. These\nwere sometimes exhibited to the people, and prior to these exhibitions,\nthe ceremony of Swastivachana was performed.\n\n52. A man is said to sell the Vedas who lectures on the Vedas taking fees\nfrom the hearers.\n\n53. Japa is the silent recitation of particular Mantras.\n\n54. Mantras are particular formulae of worship. They are for the most\npart rhythmic compositions, believed to be of great efficacy.\n\n55. The Homa is that sacrificial rite which consists of pouring libations\nof clarified butter into fire.\n\n56. Vedamayi nou. Lit, a boat made of the Vedas.\n\n57. Vishada is the original. It means discontent, but here it means more\na mixture of discontent, perplexity and confusion than mere discontent.\n\n58. A form of Hindu etiquette at parting.\n\n59. It is so very difficult to translate the word Karma,--religion and\nmorals were invariably associated with each other in ancient Hindu mind.\n\n60. Agni or fire was supposed to convey the oblations offered by men to\nthe gods.\n\n61. Kumara means a boy, hence a prince. Here Kartika the war-god is meant.\n\n62. By carrying their oblations to the gods.\n\n63. Portions of the Vedas.\n\n64. Raga means love.\n\n65. Kama is the name of the god of love, Indian Cupid.\n\n66. The body, the exciting Cause of our actions is an uktha, the soul of\nthe vivifier of the body is the second uktha, and the Supreme Spirit, the\ninciter of the soul is the third.\n\n67. The word of God.\n\n68. In Hindu Mythology there are no gods who destroy sacrifices. It is\nonly the Asuras who do so. The Burdwan translator renders this\npassage,--\"fifteen other gods belonging to western nations or Asuras.\" It\nis noticeable that the beings that were denounced as Asuras by the Hindus\nwere worshipped as Gods (Asuras) by the followers of Zarathustra.\n\n69. In connection with the names of these Mitra-gods, it is to be\nremembered that Mitra was the name of the principal god of the ancient\nPersians.\n\n70. Avala is a common name of women. It means one who has no vala or\nstrength or power. The word is also used as an adjective.\n\n71. According to the Hindus, the sun rises from and sets behind two hills\nrespectively. He rises from the Udaya or Sun-rise hill and sets behind\nthe Asta or sun-set hill.\n\n72. Raudra--belonging to Rudra, the god of fury, violence, war, &c.\n\n73. Devasena literally means the celestial army. This fable seems to be\nan allegorical representation of the attempts made by Indra to procure a\nleader for the celestial host.\n\n74. Anger personified is a deity.\n\n75. Another name of gods, so named from their having only three stages of\nlife--viz., infancy, childhood, and youth--and being exempt from the\nfourth--old age.\n\n76. i.e., good and evil spirits.\n\n77. One of the ensigns of royalty in Hindustan.\n\n78. Brahma.\n\n79. Devasenapati is the original. It may mean either the pati (leader) of\nthe sena (forces) of devas or the pati (husband) of Devasena.\n\n80. A kind of missile.\n\n81. Another kind of weapon.\n\n82. The word in the text is \"Agrahara,\" which, as Nilakantha explains,\nmeans here, \"That which is first taken from a heap after the dedication\nof a portion to the \"Viswadevas.\" What Draupadi means to say is, that she\nalways took care to feed those Brahmanas with food \"first\" taken from the\nstores, without, in fact, having taken anything there from the use of\nanybody else.\n\n83. Lit, Soldiers that have sworn to conquer or die. A full Akshauhini of\nthese soldiers was owned by Krishna, who gave them to Duryodhana to fight\nfor him. The story of Krishna's offering to Duryodhana the choice between\nthese soldiers on the one side, and himself sworn not to fight but only\nto aid with his counsels on the other, is given in full in the Udyoga\nParva. Duryodhana, from folly, accepted the former, who were all slain by\nArjuna.\n\n84. The vow of the Asuras was (according to the Burdwan Pundits) never to\ndrink wine. It is more rational to suppose that Karna swears to give up\nthe refined manners and practices of the Aryas and adopt those of the\nAsuras till the consummation of the cherished desire.\n\n85. A very small measure.\n\n86. Picking up for support (1) ears of corn and (2) individual grains,\nleft on the field by husbandmen after they have gathered and carried away\nthe sheaves, are called the Sila and the Unchha modes of life.\n\n87. Naked.\n\n88. Both these words are of doubtful meaning. It seems they are employed\nin the Vedas to denote the faculties of knowledge and the moral sense\nrespectively.\n\n89. The six acts of a king are peace, war, marching, halting, sowing\ndissention, and seeking protection.\n\n90. Tard-mrigam. Formerly Prajapati, assuming the Form of a deer,\nfollowed his daughter from lust, and Rudra, armed with a trident, pursued\nPrajapati and struck off his head. That deer-head of Prajapati severed\nfrom the trunk, became the star, or rather constellation, called\nMrigasiras.\n\n91. Abode of Varuna in the original.\n\n92. Garuda.\n\n93. Pavana, the God of the wind.\n\n94. There is a difference of reading here. Some texts read fifty seven,\n\n95. A difference of reading is observable here.\n\n96. As a purificatory ceremony, called the Achamana. To this day, no\nHindu can perform any ceremony without going through the Achamana in the\nfirst instance.\n\n97. Traditions represents the sons of king Sagara of the Ikshwaku race as\nthe excavator of the ocean. Hence the ocean is called Sagara.\n\n98. Lit. an engine killing a hundred. Perhaps, some kind of rude cannon.\n\n99. Perhaps, brands or torches steeped in wax, intended to be thrown in a\nburning state, amongst the foe. Readers of Indian history know how Lord\nLake was repulsed from Bharatpore by means of huge bales of cotton,\nsteeped in oil, rolled from the ramparts of that town, in a burning\nstate, towards the advancing English.\n\n100. Lit. be a Purusha (male)! Manhood would not be appropriate in\nconnection with a Rakshasa.\n\n101. This weapon could restore an insensible warrior to consciousness, as\nthe Sam-mohana weapon could deprive one of consciousness.\n\n102. Visalya a medicinal plant of great efficacy in healing cuts and\nwounds. It is still cultivated in several parts of Bengal. A medical\nfriend of the writer tested the efficacy of the plant known by that name\nand found it to be much superior to either gallic acid or tannic acid in\nstopping blood.\n\n103. The Guhyakas occupy, in Hindu mythology, a position next only to\nthat of the gods, and superior to that of the Gandharvas who are the\ncelestial choristers. The White mountain is another name of Kailasa, the\npeak where Siva hath his abode.\n\n104. According to both Vyasa and Valmiki, there is nothing so fierce as a\nBrahmana's curse. The very thunderbolt of Indra is weak compared to a\nBrahmana's curse. The reason is obvious. The thunder smites the\nindividual at whom it may be aimed. The curse of Brahmana smites the\nwhole race, whole generation, whole country.\n\n105. Abhijit is lit, the eighth muhurta of the day, a muhurta being equal\nto an hour of 48 minutes, i.e. the thirtieth part of a whole day and\nnight. The Vaishnava asterism is as explained by Nilakantha, the Sravava.\n\n106. Also called Gayatri, the wife of Brahma.\n\n107. In the original., Vimanam, i. e., a car.\n\n108. Samhritya--killing.\n\n109. Lit. Letters.\n\n110. Behind the plain and obvious meanings of the words employed both in\nthe question and the answer, there is a deeper signification of a\nspiritual kind. I think Nilakantha has rightly understood the passage. By\nAditya, which of course commonly means the Sun, is indicated the\nunpurified soul (from adatte sabdadin indriadivis &c.). The first\nquestion then, becomes, 'Who is it that exalteth the unpurified soul?'\nThe act of exaltation implies a raising of the soul from its earthly\nconnections. The answer to this is, 'Brahma, i.e., Veda or\nself-knowledge.' The second question--'What are those that keep company\nwith the soul during its progress of purification?' The answer is,\nSelf-restraint and other qualities, which are all of a god-like or divine\nnature.' The third question is.--Who lead the soul to its place (state)\nof rest? The answer is, Dharma, i.e., restitude, morality, and religious\nobservances.' It is often asserted that one must pass through the\nobservances (Karma) before attaining to a state of Rest or Truth or Pure\nKnowledge. The last question is,--'On what is the soul established!' The\nanswer, according to all that has been previously said, is 'Truth or Pure\nKnowledge.' For the soul that is emancipated from and raised above all\ncarnal connections, is no longer in need of observances and acts (Karma)\nbut stays unmoved in True Knowledge (Janana).\n\n111. Nilakantha explains both Dhriti and Dwitiya in a spiritual sense.\nThere is no need, however, of a spiritual explanation here. By Dhriti is\nmeant steadiness of intelligence; by Dwitiya lit, a second. What\nYudhishthira says is that a steady intelligence serves the purposes of a\nhelpful companion.\n\n112. Nilakantha explains this correctly, as I imagine, by supposing that\nby 'sacrifice' is meant the spiritual sacrifice for the acquisition of\npure knowledge. In the objective sacrifice which one celebrates, the\nSama, the Yajus, and the Rik mantras are all necessary. In the subjective\nsacrifice the acquisition of true knowledge, life and mind are as\nnecessary as the mantras from the Sama and the Yajur Vedas in an\nobjective one. And as no objective sacrifice can do without the Riks,\nbeing principally dependent on them, so the subjective sacrifices for\nacquiring true knowledge can never do without prayerfulness, which, I\nimagine, is represented as the Riks. To understand this passage\nthoroughly would require an intimate acquaintance with the ritual of a\nsacrifice like the Agnishtoma or any other of that kind.\n\n113. Some texts read apatatam for uvapatam. If the former be the correct\nreading, the meaning would be--'What is the best of things that fall?'\nNilakantha explains both avapatam nivapatam in a spiritual sense. By the\nfirst he understands--'They that offer oblation to the gods,' and by the\nsecond, 'They that offer oblations to the Pitris.' The necessity of a\nspiritual interpretation, however, is not very apparent.\n\n114. Yudhishthira has the authority of the Srutis for saying that the one\npervading element of the universe is air.\n\n115. The word used in the question is dik, literally, direction.\nObviously, of course, it means in this connection way. Yudhishthira\nanswers that the way which one is to tread along is that of the good.\n\n116. Footnote 2: The Srutis actually speak of space as water. These are\nquestions to test Yudhishthira's knowledge of the Vedic cosmogony.\n\n117. The Srutis speak of the cow as the only food, in the following\nsense. The cow gives milk. The milk gives butter. The butter is used in\nHoma. The Homa is the cause of the clouds. The clouds give rain. The rain\nmakes the seed to sprout forth and produce food. Nilakantha endeavours to\nexplain this in a spiritual sense. There is however, no need of such\nexplanation here.\n\n118. What Yudhishthira means to say is that there is no special time for\na Sraddha. It is to be performed whenever a good and able priest may be\nsecured.\n\n119. That is, tranquillity of mind, self-restraint, abstention from\nsensual pleasures, resignation, and Yoga meditation.\n\n120. That is, hunger, thirst, sorrow, bluntness of mortal feeling,\ndecrepitude, and death","title":"The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 1: Books 1, 2 and 3","tradition":"myth-cosmogony","translated_text":null,"word_count":631898}