{"collection":"myth-cosmogony","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_7864/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_7864","id":"gutenberg_7864","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/7864","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore","Epic literature, Sanskrit","Hinduism"],"text":"Produced by David King, Juliet Sutherland, and Charles\nFranks, John B. Hare and the Online Distributed Proofreading\nTeam\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe Mahabharata\n\nof\n\nKrishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa\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. Redaction at Distributed Proofing,\nJuliet Sutherland, Project Manager. Additional proofing and formatting at\nsacred-texts.com, by J. B. Hare. This text is in the public domain. These\nfiles may be used for any non-commercial purpose, provided this notice of\nattribution is left intact.\n\n\nTRANSLATOR'S PREFACE\n\nThe object of a translator should ever be to hold the mirror up to 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 Hindu\nideas, so as to make them agreeable to English taste. But the endeavour of\nthe present translator has been to give in the following pages as literal\na rendering as possible of the great work of Vyasa. To the purely English\nreader there is much in the following pages that will strike as ridiculous.\nThose unacquainted with any language but their own are generally very\nexclusive in matters of taste. Having no knowledge of models other than\nwhat they meet with in their own tongue, the standard they have formed of\npurity and taste in composition must necessarily be a narrow one. The\ntranslator, however, would ill-discharge his duty, if for the sake of\navoiding ridicule, he sacrificed fidelity to the original. He must\nrepresent his author as he is, not as he should be to please the narrow\ntaste of those entirely unacquainted with him. Mr. Pickford, in the\npreface to his English translation of the Mahavira Charita, ably defends a\nclose adherence to the original even at the sacrifice of idiom and taste\nagainst the claims of what has been called 'Free Translation,' which means\ndressing the author in an outlandish garb to please those to whom he is\nintroduced.\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 or great men, though it frequently\noccurs in Indian literature, will undoubtedly move the laughter of\nEnglishmen unacquainted with Sanskrit, especially if they happen to belong\nto that class of readers who revel their attention on the accidental and\nremain blind to the essential. But a certain measure of fidelity to the\noriginal even at the risk of making oneself ridiculous, is better than the\nstudied dishonesty which characterises so many translations of oriental\npoets.\"\n\nWe fully subscribe to the above although, it must be observed, the censure\nconveyed to the class of translators last indicated is rather undeserved,\nthere being nothing like a 'studied dishonesty' in their efforts which\nproceed only from a mistaken view of their duties and as such betray only\nan error of the head but not of the heart. More than twelve years ago when\nBabu Pratapa Chandra Roy, with Babu Durga Charan Banerjee, went to my\nretreat at Seebpore, for engaging me to translate the Mahabharata into\nEnglish, I was amazed with the grandeur of the scheme. My first question\nto him was,--whence was the money to come, supposing my competence for the\ntask. Pratapa then unfolded to me the details of his plan, the hopes he\ncould legitimately cherish of assistance from different quarters. He was\nfull of enthusiasm. He showed me Dr. Rost's letter, which, he said, had\nsuggested to him the undertaking. I had known Babu Durga Charan for many\nyears and I had the highest opinion of his scholarship and practical good\nsense. When he warmly took Pratapa's side for convincing me of the\npracticability of the scheme, I listened to him patiently. The two were\nfor completing all arrangements with me the very day. To this I did not\nagree. I took a week's time to consider. I consulted some of my literary\nfriends, foremost among whom was the late lamented Dr. Sambhu C.\nMookherjee. The latter, I found, had been waited upon by Pratapa. Dr.\nMookherjee spoke to me of Pratapa as a man of indomitable energy and\nperseverance. The result of my conference with Dr. Mookherjee was that I\nwrote to Pratapa asking him to see me again. In this second interview\nestimates were drawn up, and everything was arranged as far as my portion\nof the work was concerned. My friend left with me a specimen of\ntranslation which he had received from Professor Max Muller. This I began\nto study, carefully comparing it sentence by sentence with the original.\nAbout its literal character there could be no doubt, but it had no flow\nand, therefore, could not be perused with pleasure by the general reader.\nThe translation had been executed thirty years ago by a young German\nfriend of the great Pundit. I had to touch up every sentence. This I did\nwithout at all impairing faithfulness to the original. My first 'copy' was\nset up in type and a dozen sheets were struck off. These were submitted to\nthe judgment 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, arose.\nBabu Pratapa Chandra Roy was against anonymity. I was for it. The reasons\nI adduced were chiefly founded upon the impossibility of one person\ntranslating the whole of the gigantic work. Notwithstanding my resolve to\ndischarge to the fullest extent the duty that I took up, I might not live\nto carry it out. It would take many years before the end could be reached.\nOther circumstances than death might arise in consequence of which my\nconnection with the work might cease. It could not be desirable to issue\nsuccessive fasciculus with the names of a succession of translators\nappearing on the title pages. These and other considerations convinced my\nfriend that, after all, my view was correct. It was, accordingly, resolved\nto withhold the name of the translator. As a compromise, however, between\nthe two views, it was resolved to issue the first fasciculus with two\nprefaces, one over the signature of the publisher and the other headed--\n'Translator's Preface.' This, it was supposed, would effectually guard\nagainst misconceptions of every kind. No careful reader would then\nconfound 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 readily\nadmitted 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 of\nthe 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 original,\nmaking such alterations as were needed for securing a uniformity of style\nwith 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 a\nmess of by the Pundits that attacked it. Hundreds of ridiculous blunders\ncan be pointed out in both the Rajadharma and the Mokshadharma sections.\nSome 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 regards\nthe latter half, to the printed Bombay edition. Sometimes individual\nsections, as occurring in the Bengal editions, differ widely, in respect\nof the order of the verses, from the corresponding ones in the Bombay\nedition. In such cases I have adhered to the Bengal texts, convinced that\nthe sequence of ideas has been better preserved in the Bengal editions\nthan 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 at\nhand to consult. Pundit Shyama Charan Kaviratna, during my residence at\nSeebpore, assisted me in going over the Mokshadharma sections of the Santi\nParva. Unostentatious in the extreme, Kaviratna is truly the type of a\nlearned Brahman of ancient India. Babu Aghore Nath Banerjee also has from\ntime to time, rendered me valuable assistance in clearing my difficulties.\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 knew 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\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 all\nof them, and inquired about the progress of their asceticism. Then all the\nascetics being again seated, the son of Lomaharshana humbly occupied the\nseat that was assigned to him. Seeing that he was comfortably seated, and\nrecovered from fatigue, one of the Rishis beginning the conversation,\nasked him, \"Whence comest thou, O lotus-eyed Sauti, and where hast thou\nspent the time? Tell me, who ask thee, in detail.\"\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\nSauti 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 into\nyour presence. Ye reverend sages, all of whom are to me as Brahma; ye\ngreatly blessed who shine in this place of sacrifice with the splendour of\nthe solar fire: ye who have concluded the silent meditations and have fed\nthe holy fire; and yet who are sitting--without care, what, O ye Dwijas\n(twice-born), shall I repeat, shall I recount the sacred stories collected\nin the Puranas containing precepts of religious duty and of worldly profit,\nor the acts of illustrious saints and sovereigns of mankind?\"\n\nThe 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 work.\nComposed in elegant language, it includeth the subjects of other books. It\nis elucidated by other Shastras, and comprehendeth the sense of the four\nVedas. We are desirous of hearing that history also called Bharata, the\nholy composition of the wonderful Vyasa, which dispelleth the fear of evil,\njust as it was cheerfully recited by the Rishi Vaisampayana, under the\ndirection of Dwaipayana himself, at the snake-sacrifice of Raja\nJanamejaya.\"\n\nSauti then said, \"Having bowed down to the primordial being Isana, to\nwhom multitudes make offerings, and who is adored by the multitude; who is\nthe true incorruptible one, Brahma, perceptible, imperceptible, eternal;\nwho is both a non-existing and an existing-non-existing being; who is the\nuniverse and also distinct from the existing and non-existing universe;\nwho is the creator of high and low; the ancient, exalted, inexhaustible\none; who is Vishnu, beneficent and the beneficence itself, worthy of all\npreference, pure and immaculate; who is Hari, the ruler of the faculties,\nthe guide of all things moveable and immoveable; I will declare the sacred\nthoughts of the illustrious sage Vyasa, of marvellous deeds and worshipped\nhere by all. Some bards have already published this history, some are now\nteaching it, and others, in like manner, will hereafter promulgate it upon\nthe earth. It is a great source of knowledge, established throughout the\nthree regions of the world. It is possessed by the twice-born both in\ndetailed and compendious forms. It is the delight of the learned for being\nembellished with elegant expressions, conversations human and divine, and\na variety of poetical measures.\n\n\"In 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 of\nthe Yuga, in which we are told, was the true light Brahma, the eternal one,\nthe wonderful and inconceivable being present alike in all places; the\ninvisible and subtile cause, whose nature partaketh of entity and non-\nentity. 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 holy\nBrahmarshis, 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 fortnights,\ncalled Pakshas, with day and night in due succession. And thus were\nproduced all things which are known to mankind.\n\n\"And what is seen in the universe, whether animate or inanimate, of created\nthings, will at the end of the world, and after the expiration of the Yuga,\nbe again confounded. And, at the commencement of other Yugas, all things\nwill be renovated, and, like the various fruits of the earth, succeed each\nother in the due order of their seasons. Thus continueth perpetually to\nrevolve in the world, without beginning and without end, this wheel which\ncauseth the destruction of all things.\n\n\"The generation of Devas, in brief, was thirty-three thousand, thirty-three\nhundred and thirty-three. The sons of Div were Brihadbhanu, Chakshus, Atma,\nVibhavasu, Savita, Richika, Arka, Bhanu, Asavaha, and Ravi. Of these\nVivaswans of old, Mahya was the youngest whose son was Deva-vrata. The\nlatter had for his son, Su-vrata who, we learn, had three sons,--Dasa-\njyoti, Sata-jyoti, and Sahasra-jyoti, each of them producing numerous\noffspring. The illustrious Dasa-jyoti had ten thousand, Sata-jyoti ten\ntimes that number, and Sahasra-jyoti ten times the number of Sata-jyoti's\noffspring. From these are descended the family of the Kurus, of the Yadus,\nand of Bharata; the family of Yayati and of Ikshwaku; also of all the\nRajarshis. Numerous also were the generations produced, and very abundant\nwere the creatures and their places of abode. The mystery which is\nthreefold--the Vedas, Yoga, and Vijnana Dharma, Artha, and Kama--also\nvarious books upon the subject of Dharma, Artha, and Kama; also rules for\nthe conduct of mankind; also histories and discourses with various srutis;\nall of which having been seen by the Rishi Vyasa are here in due order\nmentioned as a specimen of the book.\n\n\"The Rishi Vyasa published this mass of knowledge in both a detailed and an\nabridged form. It is the wish of the learned in the world to possess the\ndetails 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 composition.\nSome are skilful in explaining it, while others, in remembering its\ncontents.\n\n\"The 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. And\nVyasa having gone round him who is called Hiranyagarbha seated on that\ndistinguished 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, said,\n'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; the\ncompilation of the Puranas and history formed by me and named after the\nthree divisions of time, past, present, and future; the determination of\nthe 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 of\nthe duties of a religious student; the dimensions of the sun and moon, the\nplanets, constellations, and stars, together with the duration of the four\nages; 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 a\ndescription 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, before\nthe whole body of celebrated Munis distinguished for the sanctity of their\nlives. I know thou hast revealed the divine word, even from its first\nutterance, in the language of truth. Thou hast called thy present work a\npoem, wherefore it shall be a poem. There shall be no poets whose works\nmay equal the descriptions of this poem, even, as the three other modes\ncalled Asrama are ever unequal in merit to the domestic Asrama. Let Ganesa\nbe thought of, O Muni, for the purpose of writing the poem.'\"\n\nSauti said, \"Brahma having thus spoken to Vyasa, retired to his own abode.\nThen Vyasa began to call to mind Ganesa. And Ganesa, obviator of obstacles,\nready to fulfil the desires of his votaries, was no sooner thought of,\nthan he repaired to the place where Vyasa was seated. And when he had been\nsaluted, and was seated, Vyasa addressed him thus, 'O guide of the Ganas!\nbe thou the writer of the Bharata which I have formed in my imagination,\nand 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; and\nby way of diversion, he knit the knots of composition exceeding close; by\ndoing which, he dictated this work according to his engagement.\n\n\"I 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 to\nconsider; while Vyasa, however, continued to compose other verses in great\nabundance.\n\n\"The 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 of\nthe water-lily, so this Purana, by exposing the light of the Sruti hath\nexpanded the human intellect. By the lamp of history, which destroyeth the\ndarkness of ignorance, the whole mansion of nature is properly and\ncompletely illuminated.\n\n\"This 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 Sambhava\nis the trunk; the books called Sabha and Aranya are the roosting perches;\nthe books called Arani is the knitting knots; the books called Virata and\nUdyoga the pith; the book named Bhishma, the main branch; the book called\nDrona, the leaves; the book called Karna, the fair flowers; the book named\nSalya, their sweet smell; the books entitled Stri and Aishika, the\nrefreshing shade; the book called Santi, the mighty fruit; the book called\nAswamedha, the immortal sap; the book denominated Asramavasika, the spot\nwhere it groweth; and the book called Mausala, is an epitome of the Vedas\nand held in great respect by the virtuous Brahmanas. The tree of the\nBharata, inexhaustible to mankind as the clouds, shall be as a source of\nlivelihood to all distinguished poets.\"\n\nSauti continued, \"I will now speak of the undying flowery and fruitful\nproductions of this tree, possessed of pure and pleasant taste, and not to\nbe destroyed even by the immortals. Formerly, the spirited and virtuous\nKrishna-Dwaipayana, by the injunctions of Bhishma, the wise son of Ganga\nand of his own mother, became the father of three boys who were like the\nthree fires by the two wives of Vichitra-virya; and having thus raised up\nDhritarashtra, Pandu and Vidura, he returned to his recluse abode to\nprosecute his religious exercise.\n\n\"It 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\n\"Vyasa 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 and\npartisans of Dhritarashtra.\n\n\"Vyasa 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 of\nthe disciples of Vyasa, a man of just principles and the first among all\nthose acquainted with the Vedas. Know that I, Sauti, have also repeated\none hundred thousand verses.\n\n\"Yudhishthira 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\n\"Pandu, after having subdued many countries by his wisdom and prowess, took\nup his abode with the Munis in a certain forest as a sportsman, where he\nbrought upon himself a very severe misfortune for having killed a stag\ncoupling with its mate, which served as a warning for the conduct of the\nprinces of his house as long as they lived. Their mothers, in order that\nthe ordinances of the law might be fulfilled, admitted as substitutes to\ntheir embraces the gods Dharma, Vayu, Sakra, and the divinities the twin\nAswins. And when their offspring grew up, under the care of their two\nmothers, in the society of ascetics, in the midst of sacred groves and\nholy recluse-abodes of religious men, they were conducted by Rishis into\nthe presence of Dhritarashtra and his sons, following as students in the\nhabit of Brahmacharis, having their hair tied in knots on their heads.\n'These our pupils', said they, 'are as your sons, your brothers, and your\nfriends; they are Pandavas.' Saying this, the Munis disappeared.\n\n\"When the Kauravas saw them introduced as the sons of Pandu, the\ndistinguished class of citizens shouted exceedingly for joy. Some, however,\nsaid, they were not the sons of Pandu; others said, they were; while a few\nasked how they could be his offspring, seeing he had been so long dead.\nStill on all sides voices were heard crying, 'They are on all accounts\nwelcome! Through divine Providence we behold the family of Pandu! Let\ntheir welcome be proclaimed!' As these acclamations ceased, the plaudits\nof invisible spirits, causing every point of the heavens to resound, were\ntremendous. There were showers of sweet-scented flowers, and the sound of\nshells and kettle-drums. Such were the wonders that happened on the\narrival of the young princes. The joyful noise of all the citizens, in\nexpression of their satisfaction on the occasion, was so great that it\nreached the very heavens in magnifying plaudits.\n\n\"Having studied the whole of the Vedas and sundry other shastras, the\nPandavas resided there, respected by all and without apprehension from any\none.\n\n\"The principal men were pleased with the purity of Yudhishthira, the\ncourage of Arjuna, the submissive attention of Kunti to her superiors, and\nthe humility of the twins, Nakula and Sahadeva; and all the people\nrejoiced in their heroic virtues.\n\n\"After 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\n\"Yudhishthira, after having, through the wise counsels of Vasudeva and by\nthe valour of Bhimasena and Arjuna, slain Jarasandha (the king of Magadha)\nand the proud Chaidya, acquired the right to perform the grand sacrifice\nof Rajasuya abounding in provisions and offering and fraught with\ntranscendent merits. And Duryodhana came to this sacrifice; and when he\nbeheld the vast wealth of the Pandavas scattered all around, the offerings,\nthe precious stones, gold and jewels; the wealth in cows, elephants, and\nhorses; the curious textures, garments, and mantles; the precious shawls\nand furs and carpets made of the skin of the Ranku; he was filled with\nenvy and became exceedingly displeased. And when he beheld the hall of\nassembly elegantly constructed by Maya (the Asura architect) after the\nfashion of a celestial court, he was inflamed with rage. And having\nstarted in confusion at certain architectural deceptions within this\nbuilding, he was derided by Bhimasena in the presence of Vasudeva, like\none of mean descent.\n\n\"And 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 exceedingly\nwroth. And being dissatisfied, he did nothing to prevent the disputes, but\noverlooked the gaming and sundry other horried unjustifiable transactions\narising therefrom: and in spite of Vidura, Bhishma, Drona, and Kripa, the\nson of Saradwan, he made the Kshatriyas kill each other in the terrific\nwar that ensued.\n\n\"And Dhritarashtra hearing the ill news of the success of the Pandavas and\nrecollecting the resolutions of Duryodhana, Karna, and Sakuni, pondered for\na 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 between\nmy own children and the children of Pandu. My own sons were prone to\nwilfulness and despised me because I am old. Blind as I am, because of my\nmiserable plight and through paternal affection, I bore it all. I was\nfoolish after 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 exertion,\nwith the help of the king of Gandhara he concerted an unfair game 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 out,\nthou shall then know me for one with a prophetic eye. When I heard that\nArjuna, having bent the bow, had pierced the curious mark and brought it\ndown to the ground, and bore away in triumph the maiden Krishna, in the\nsight of the assembled princes, then, O Sanjaya I had no hope of success.\nWhen I heard that Subhadra of the race of Madhu had, after forcible\nseizure been married by Arjuna in the city of Dwaraka, and that the two\nheroes of the race of Vrishni (Krishna and Balarama the brothers of\nSubhadra) without resenting it had entered Indraprastha as friends, then,\nO Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that Arjuna, by his\ncelestial arrow preventing the downpour by Indra the king of the gods, had\ngratified Agni by making over to him the forest of Khandava, then, O\nSanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that the five Pandavas\nwith their mother Kunti had escaped from the house of lac, and that Vidura\nwas engaged in the accomplishment of their designs, then, O Sanjaya, I had\nno hope of success. When I heard that Arjuna, after having pierced the\nmark in the arena had won Draupadi, and that the brave Panchalas had\njoined the Pandavas, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I\nheard that Jarasandha, the foremost of the royal line of Magadha, and\nblazing in the midst of the Kshatriyas, had been slain by Bhima with his\nbare arms alone, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard\nthat in their general campaign the sons of Pandu had conquered the chiefs\nof the land and performed the grand sacrifice of the Rajasuya, then, O\nSanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that Draupadi, her voice\nchoked with tears and heart full of agony, in the season of impurity and\nwith but one raiment on, had been dragged into court and though she had\nprotectors, she had been treated as if she had none, then, O Sanjaya, I\nhad no hope of success. When I heard that the wicked wretch Duhsasana, was\nstriving to strip her of that single garment, had only drawn from her\nperson a large heap of cloth without being able to arrive at its end, then,\nO Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that Yudhishthira,\nbeaten by Saubala at the game of dice and deprived of his kingdom as a\nconsequence thereof, had still been attended upon by his brothers of\nincomparable prowess, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I\nheard that the virtuous Pandavas weeping with affliction had followed\ntheir elder brother to the wilderness and exerted themselves variously for\nthe mitigation of his discomforts, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of\nsuccess.\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, I\nhad 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 that\nafterwards Arjuna had vanquished the Kalakeyas and the Paulomas proud with\nthe boon they had obtained and which had rendered them invulnerable even\nto the celestials, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard\nthat Arjuna, the chastiser of enemies, having gone to the regions of Indra\nfor the destruction of the Asuras, had returned thence successful, then, O\nSanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that Bhima and the other\nsons of Pritha (Kunti) accompanied by Vaisravana had arrived at that\ncountry which is inaccessible to man then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of\nsuccess. When I heard that my sons, guided by the counsels of Karna, while\non their journey of Ghoshayatra, had been taken prisoners by the\nGandharvas and were set free by Arjuna, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of\nsuccess. When I heard that Dharma (the god of justice) having come under\nthe form of a Yaksha had proposed certain questions to Yudhishthira then,\nO Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that my sons had failed\nto discover the Pandavas under their disguise while residing with Draupadi\nin the dominions of Virata, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success.\nWhen I heard that the principal men of my side had all been vanquished by\nthe noble Arjuna with a single chariot while residing in the dominions of\nVirata, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that\nVasudeva of the race of Madhu, who covered this whole earth by one foot,\nwas heartily interested in the welfare of the Pandavas, then, O Sanjaya, I\nhad no hope of success. When I heard that the king of Matsya, had offered\nhis virtuous daughter Uttara to Arjuna and that Arjuna had accepted her\nfor his son, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that\nYudhishthira, beaten at dice, deprived of wealth, exiled and separated\nfrom his connections, had assembled yet an army of seven Akshauhinis, then,\nO Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard Narada, declare that\nKrishna and Arjuna were Nara and Narayana and he (Narada) had seen them\ntogether in the regions of Brahma, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of\nsuccess. When I heard that Krishna, anxious to bring about peace, for the\nwelfare of mankind had repaired to the Kurus, and went away without having\nbeen able to effect his purpose, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success.\nWhen I heard that Karna and Duryodhana resolved upon imprisoning Krishna\ndisplayed in himself the whole universe, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of\nsuccess. Then I heard that at the time of his departure, Pritha (Kunti)\nstanding, full of sorrow, near his chariot received consolation from\nKrishna, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that\nVasudeva 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 Karna 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 compunction\non his chariot and ready to sink, Krishna showed him all the worlds within\nhis body, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that\nBhishma, the desolator of foes, killing ten thousand charioteers every day\nin the field of battle, had not slain any amongst the Pandavas then, O\nSanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that Bhishma, the\nrighteous son of Ganga, had himself indicated the means of his defeat in\nthe field of battle and that the same were accomplished by the Pandavas\nwith joyfulness, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard\nthat Arjuna, having placed Sikhandin before himself in his chariot, had\nwounded Bhishma of infinite courage and invincible in battle, then, O\nSanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that the aged hero Bhishma,\nhaving reduced the numbers of the race of shomaka to a few, overcome with\nvarious wounds was lying on a bed of arrows, then, O Sanjaya, I had no\nhope of success. When I heard that upon Bhishma's lying on the ground with\nthirst for water, Arjuna, being requested, had pierced the ground and\nallayed his thirst, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When Vayu\ntogether with Indra and Suryya united as allies for the success of the\nsons of Kunti, and the beasts of prey (by their inauspicious presence)\nwere putting us in fear, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When\nthe wonderful warrior Drona, displaying various modes of fight in the\nfield, did not slay any of the superior Pandavas, then, O Sanjaya, I had\nno hope of success. When I heard that the Maharatha Sansaptakas of our\narmy appointed for the overthrow of Arjuna were all slain by Arjuna\nhimself, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that our\ndisposition of forces, impenetrable by others, and defended by Bharadwaja\nhimself well-armed, had been singly forced and entered by the brave son of\nSubhadra, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that our\nMaharathas, unable to overcome Arjuna, with jubilant faces after having\njointly surrounded and slain the boy Abhimanyu, then, O Sanjaya, I had no\nhope of success. When I heard that the blind Kauravas were shouting for\njoy after having slain Abhimanyu and that thereupon Arjuna in anger made\nhis celebrated speech referring to Saindhava, then, O Sanjaya, I had no\nhope of success. When I heard that Arjuna had vowed the death of Saindhava\nand fulfilled his vow in the presence of his enemies, then, O Sanjaya, I\nhad no hope of success. When I heard that upon the horses of Arjuna being\nfatigued, Vasudeva releasing them made them drink water and bringing them\nback and reharnessing them continued to guide them as before, then, O\nSanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that while his horses were\nfatigued, Arjuna staying in his chariot checked all his assailants, then,\nO Sanjaya, 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, retired\nto where Krishna and Arjuna were, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of\nsuccess. When I heard that Karna even though he had got Bhima within his\npower 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 the\ncelestial Sakti given by Indra (to Karna) was by Madhava's machinations\ncaused to be hurled upon Rakshasa Ghatotkacha of frightful countenance,\nthen, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that in the\nencounter between Karna and Ghatotkacha, that Sakti was hurled against\nGhatotkacha by Karna, the same which was certainly to have slain Arjuna in\nbattle, then, O Sanjaya. I had no hope of success. When I heard that\nDhristadyumna, transgressing the laws of battle, slew Drona while alone in\nhis chariot and resolved on death, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of\nsuccess. When I heard that Nakula, the son of Madri, having in the\npresence of the whole army engaged in single combat with the son of Drona\nand showing himself equal to him drove his chariot in circles around, then,\nO Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When upon the death of Drona, his son\nmisused the weapon called Narayana but failed to achieve the destruction\nof the Pandavas, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard\nthat Bhimasena drank the blood of his brother Duhsasana in the field of\nbattle without anybody being able to prevent him, then, O Sanjaya, I had\nno hope of success. When I heard that the infinitely brave Karna,\ninvincible in battle, was slain by Arjuna in that war of brothers\nmysterious even to the gods, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success.\nWhen I heard that Yudhishthira, the Just, overcame the heroic son of Drona,\nDuhsasana, and the fierce Kritavarman, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of\nsuccess. When I heard that the brave king of Madra who ever dared Krishna\nin battle was slain by Yudhishthira, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of\nsuccess. When I heard that the wicked Suvala of magic power, the root of\nthe gaming and the feud, was slain in battle by Sahadeva, the son of Pandu,\nthen, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that Duryodhana,\nspent with fatigue, having gone to a lake and made a refuge for himself\nwithin its waters, was lying there alone, his strength gone and without a\nchariot, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that the\nPandavas having gone to that lake accompanied by Vasudeva and standing on\nits beach began to address contemptuously my son who was incapable of\nputting up with affronts, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When\nI heard that while, displaying in circles a variety of curious modes (of\nattack and defence) in an encounter with clubs, he was unfairly slain\naccording to the counsels of Krishna, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of\nsuccess. When I heard the son of Drona and others by slaying the Panchalas\nand the sons of Draupadi in their sleep, perpetrated a horrible and\ninfamous deed, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard\nthat Aswatthaman while being pursued by Bhimasena had discharged the first\nof weapons called Aishika, by which the embryo in the womb (of Uttara) was\nwounded, then, O Sanjaya, I had no hope of success. When I heard that the\nweapon Brahmashira (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, O\nSanjaya, 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, brothers,\nand kindred, is to be pitied. Difficult is the task that hath been\nperformed by the Pandavas: by them hath a kingdom been recovered without a\nrival.\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 darkness,\nand a fit of swoon assaileth me: consciousness leaves me, O Suta, and my\nmind is distracted.'\"\n\nSauti 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\nSauti 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 fainting, 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 arms,\nand in glory emblems of Indra; men who having conquered the world by\njustice and performed sacrifices with fit offerings (to the Brahmanas),\nobtained renown in this world and at last succumbed to the sway of time.\nSuch were Saivya; the valiant Maharatha; Srinjaya, great amongst\nconquerors; Suhotra; Rantideva, and Kakshivanta, great in glory; Valhika,\nDamana, Saryati, Ajita, and Nala; Viswamitra the destroyer of foes;\nAmvarisha, great in strength; Marutta, Manu, Ikshaku, Gaya, and Bharata;\nRama the son of Dasaratha; Sasavindu, and Bhagiratha; Kritavirya, the\ngreatly fortunate, and Janamejaya too; and Yayati of good deeds who\nperformed sacrifices, being assisted therein by the celestials themselves,\nand by whose sacrificial altars and stakes this earth with her habited and\nuninhabited regions hath been marked all over. These twenty-four Rajas\nwere formerly spoken of by the celestial Rishi Narada unto Saivya when\nmuch afflicted for the loss of his children. Besides these, other Rajas\nhad gone before, still more powerful than they, mighty charioteers noble\nin mind, and resplendent with every worthy quality. These were Puru, Kuru,\nYadu, Sura and Viswasrawa of great glory; Anuha, Yuvanaswu, Kakutstha,\nVikrami, and Raghu; Vijava, Virihorta, Anga, Bhava, Sweta, and Vripadguru;\nUsinara, Sata-ratha, Kanka, Duliduha, and Druma; Dambhodbhava, Para, Vena,\nSagara, Sankriti, and Nimi; Ajeya, Parasu, Pundra, Sambhu, and holy Deva-\nVridha; Devahuya, Supratika, and Vrihad-ratha; Mahatsaha, Vinitatma,\nSukratu, and Nala, the king of the Nishadas; Satyavrata, Santabhaya,\nSumitra, and the chief Subala; Janujangha, Anaranya, Arka, Priyabhritya,\nChuchi-vrata, Balabandhu, Nirmardda, Ketusringa, and Brhidbala;\nDhrishtaketu, Brihatketu, Driptaketu, and Niramaya; Abikshit, Chapala,\nDhurta, Kritbandhu, and Dridhe-shudhi; Mahapurana-sambhavya, Pratyanga,\nParaha and Sruti. These, O chief, and other Rajas, we hear enumerated by\nhundreds and by thousands, and still others by millions, princes of great\npower and wisdom, quitting very abundant enjoyments met death as thy sons\nhave done! 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 evil\ndisposition. 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 Providence.\nExistence and non-existence, pleasure and pain all have Time for their\nroot. Time createth all things and Time destroyeth all creatures. It is\nTime that burneth creatures and it is Time that extinguisheth the fire.\nAll states, the good and the evil, in the three worlds, are caused by Time.\nTime cutteth short all things and createth them anew. Time alone is awake\nwhen all things are asleep: indeed, Time is incapable of being overcome.\nTime passeth over all things without being retarded. Knowing, as thou dost,\nthat all things past and future and all that exist at the present moment,\nare the offspring of Time, it behoveth thee not to throw away thy reason.'\"\n\nSauti 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; from\nwhom hath proceeded the non-existent and existent-non-existent universe\nwith principles of generation and progression, and birth, death and\nrebirth. That also hath been treated of which is called Adhyatma (the\nsuperintending spirit of nature) that partaketh of the attributes of the\nfive elements. That also hath been described who is purusha being above\nsuch epithets as 'undisplayed' and the like; also that which the foremost\nyatis exempt from the common destiny and endued with the power of\nmeditation and Tapas behold dwelling in their hearts as a reflected image\nin 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 such\nact 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 the\ncow among quadrupeds; as are these (among the things mentioned) so is the\nBharata said to be among histories.\n\n\"He that causeth it, even a single foot thereof, to be recited to\nBrahmanas during a Sraddha, his offerings of food and drink to the manes of\nhis ancestors become inexhaustible.\n\n\"By the aid of history and the Puranas, the Veda may be expounded; but the\nVeda is afraid of one of little information lest he should learn 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 like.\nHe that readeth this holy chapter of the moon, readeth the whole of the\nBharata, I ween. The man who with reverence daily listeneth to this sacred\nwork 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 in\nsubstance and gravity of import it is denominated Mahabharata on account\nof such substance and gravity of import. He that knoweth its meaning is\nsaved 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\nSECTION II\n\nThe 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\nSauti said, \"Listen, O ye Brahmanas, to the sacred descriptions I utter. O\nye best of men, ye deserve to hear of the place known as Samanta-panchaka.\nIn the interval between the Treta and Dwapara Yugas, Rama (the son of\nJamadagni) great among all who have borne arms, urged by impatience of\nwrongs, repeatedly smote the noble race of Kshatriyas. And when that fiery\nmeteor, by his own valour, annihilated the entire tribe of the Kshatriyas,\nhe formed at Samanta-panchaka five lakes of blood. We are told that his\nreason being overpowered by anger he offered oblations of blood to the\nmanes of his ancestors, standing in the midst of the sanguine waters of\nthose lakes. It was then that his forefathers of whom Richika was the\nfirst having arrived there addressed him thus, 'O Rama, O blessed Rama, O\noffspring of Bhrigu, we have been gratified with the reverence thou hast\nshown for thy ancestors and with thy valour, O mighty one! Blessings be\nupon thee. O thou illustrious one, ask the boon that thou 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. The\nregion that lieth near unto those lakes of gory water, from that time hath\nbeen celebrated as Samanta-panchaka the holy. The wise have declared that\nevery 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\nThe 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\nSauti said, \"One chariot, one elephant, five foot-soldiers, and three\nhorses form one Patti; three pattis make one Sena-mukha; three sena-mukhas\nare called a Gulma; three gulmas, a Gana; three ganas, a Vahini; three\nvahinis together are called a Pritana; three pritanas form a Chamu; three\nchamus, one Anikini; and an anikini taken ten times forms, as it is styled\nby those who know, an Akshauhini. O ye best of Brahmanas, arithmeticians\nhave calculated that the number of chariots in an Akshauhini is twenty-one\nthousand eight hundred and seventy. The measure of elephants must be fixed\nat the same number. O ye pure, you must know that the number of foot-\nsoldiers is one hundred and nine thousand, three hundred and fifty, the\nnumber of horse is sixty-five thousand, six hundred and ten. These, O\nBrahmanas, as fully explained by me, are the numbers of an Akshauhini as\nsaid by those acquainted with the principles of numbers. O best of\nBrahmanas, according to this calculation were composed the eighteen\nAkshauhinis of the Kaurava and the Pandava army. Time, whose acts are\nwonderful assembled them on that spot and having made the Kauravas the\ncause, destroyed them all. Bhishma acquainted with choice of weapons,\nfought for ten days. Drona protected the Kaurava Vahinis for five days.\nKarna the desolator of hostile armies fought for two days; and Salya for\nhalf a day. After that lasted for half a day the encounter with clubs\nbetween Duryodhana and Bhima. At the close of that day, Aswatthaman and\nKripa destroyed the army of Yudishthira in the night while sleeping\nwithout 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 several\nsections; in the beginning are Paushya, Pauloma, and Astika parvas,\ndescribing in full the valour and renown of kings. It is a work whose\ndescription, diction, and sense are varied and wonderful. It contains an\naccount of various manners and rites. It is accepted by the wise, as the\nstate called Vairagya is by men desirous of final release. As Self among\nthings to be known, as life among things that are dear, so is this history\nthat furnisheth the means of arriving at the knowledge of Brahma the first\namong all the sastras. There is not a story current in this world but doth\ndepend upon this history even as the body upon the foot that it taketh. As\nmasters of good lineage are ever attended upon by servants desirous of\npreferment so is the Bharata cherished by all poets. As the words\nconstituting the several branches of knowledge appertaining to the world\nand the Veda display only vowels and consonants, so this excellent history\ndisplayeth 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 Krimira-\nbadha (destruction of Krimira). The Arjuna-vigamana (the travels of\nArjuna), Kairati. In the last hath been described the battle between\nArjuna and Mahadeva in the guise of a hunter. After this Indra-\nlokavigamana (the journey to the regions of Indra); then that mine of\nreligion and virtue, the highly pathetic Nalopakhyana (the story of Nala).\nAfter this last, Tirtha-yatra or the pilgrimage of the wise prince of the\nKurus, the death of Jatasura, and the battle of the Yakshas. Then the\nbattle with the Nivata-kavachas, Ajagara, and Markandeya-Samasya (meeting\nwith Markandeya). Then the meeting of Draupadi and Satyabhama, Ghoshayatra,\nMirga-Swapna (dream of the deer). Then the story of Brihadaranyaka and\nthen Aindradrumna. Then Draupadi-harana (the abduction of Draupadi),\nJayadratha-bimoksana (the release of Jayadratha). Then the story of\n'Savitri' illustrating the great merit of connubial chastity. After this\nlast, the story of 'Rama'. The parva that comes next is called 'Kundala-\nharana' (the theft of the ear-rings). That which comes next is 'Aranya'\nand then 'Vairata'. Then the entry of the Pandavas and the fulfilment of\ntheir promise (of living unknown for one year). Then the destruction of\nthe 'Kichakas', then the attempt to take the kine (of Virata by the\nKauravas). The next is called the marriage of Abhimanyu with the daughter\nof Virata. The next you must know is the most wonderful parva called\nUdyoga. The next must be known by the name of 'Sanjaya-yana' (the arrival\nof Sanjaya). Then comes 'Prajagara' (the sleeplessness of Dhritarashtra\nowing to his anxiety). Then Sanatsujata, in which are the mysteries of\nspiritual philosophy. Then 'Yanasaddhi', and then the arrival of Krishna.\nThen the story of 'Matali' and then of 'Galava'. Then the stories of\n'Savitri', 'Vamadeva', and 'Vainya'. Then the story of 'Jamadagnya and\nShodasarajika'. Then the arrival of Krishna at the court, and then\nBidulaputrasasana. Then the muster of troops and the story of Sheta. Then,\nmust you know, comes the quarrel of the high-souled Karna. Then the march\nto the field of the troops of both sides. The next hath been called\nnumbering the Rathis and Atirathas. Then comes the arrival of the\nmessenger Uluka which kindled the wrath (of the Pandavas). The next that\ncomes, you must know, is the story of Amba. Then comes the thrilling story\nof the installation of Bhishma as commander-in-chief. The next is called\nthe creation of the insular region Jambu; then Bhumi; then the account\nabout the formation of islands. Then comes the 'Bhagavat-gita'; and then\nthe death of Bhishma. Then the installation of Drona; then the destruction\nof the 'Sansaptakas'. Then the death of Abhimanyu; and then the vow of\nArjuna (to slay Jayadratha). Then the death of Jayadratha, and then of\nGhatotkacha. Then, must you know, comes the story of the death of Drona of\nsurprising interest. The next that comes is called the discharge of the\nweapon called Narayana. Then, you know, is Karna, and then Salya. Then\ncomes the immersion in the lake, and then the encounter (between Bhima and\nDuryodhana) with clubs. Then comes Saraswata, and then the descriptions of\nholy shrines, and then genealogies. Then comes Sauptika describing\nincidents disgraceful (to the honour of the Kurus). Then comes the\n'Aisika' of harrowing incidents. Then comes 'Jalapradana' oblations of\nwater to the manes of the deceased, and then the wailings of the women.\nThe next must be known as 'Sraddha' describing the funeral rites performed\nfor the slain Kauravas. Then comes the destruction of the Rakshasa\nCharvaka who had assumed the disguise of a Brahmana (for deceiving\nYudhishthira). Then the coronation of the wise Yudhishthira. The next is\ncalled the 'Grihapravibhaga'. Then comes 'Santi', then\n'Rajadharmanusasana', then 'Apaddharma', then 'Mokshadharma'. Those that\nfollow are called respectively 'Suka-prasna-abhigamana', 'Brahma-\nprasnanusana', the origin of 'Durvasa', the disputations with Maya. The\nnext is to be known as 'Anusasanika'. Then the ascension of Bhishma to\nheaven. Then the horse-sacrifice, which when read purgeth all sins away.\nThe next must be known as the 'Anugita' in which are words of spiritual\nphilosophy. Those that follow are called 'Asramvasa', 'Puttradarshana'\n(meeting with the spirits of the deceased sons), and the arrival of Narada.\nThe next is called 'Mausala' which abounds with terrible and cruel\nincidents. Then comes 'Mahaprasthanika' and ascension to heaven. Then\ncomes the Purana which is called Khilvansa. In this last are contained\n'Vishnuparva', Vishnu's frolics and feats as a child, the destruction of\n'Kansa', and lastly, the very wonderful 'Bhavishyaparva' (in which there\nare prophecies regarding the future).\n\n\"The 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 the\nmeeting with (the Asura-architect) Maya. The Paushya parva treats of the\ngreatness of Utanka, and the Pauloma, of the sons of Bhrigu. The Astika\ndescribes the birth of Garuda and of the Nagas (snakes), the churning of\nthe ocean, the incidents relating to the birth of the celestial steed\nUchchaihsrava, and finally, the dynasty of Bharata, as described in the\nSnake-sacrifice of king Janamejaya. The Sambhava parva narrates the birth\nof various kings and heroes, and that of the sage, Krishna Dwaipayana: the\npartial incarnations of deities, the generation of Danavas and Yakshas of\ngreat prowess, and serpents, Gandharvas, birds, and of all creatures; and\nlastly, of the life and adventures of king Bharata--the progenitor of the\nline that goes by his name--the son born of Sakuntala in the hermitage of\nthe ascetic Kanwa. This parva also describes the greatness of Bhagirathi,\nand the births of the Vasus in the house of Santanu and their ascension to\nheaven. In this parva is also narrated the birth of Bhishma uniting in\nhimself portions of the energies of the other Vasus, his renunciation of\nroyalty and adoption of the Brahmacharya mode of life, his adherence to\nhis vows, his protection of Chitrangada, and after the death of\nChitrangada, his protection of his younger brother, Vichitravirya, and his\nplacing the latter on the throne: the birth of Dharma among men in\nconsequence of the curse of Animondavya; the births of Dhritarashtra and\nPandu through the potency of Vyasa's blessings (?) and also the birth of\nthe Pandavas; the plottings of Duryodhana to send the sons of Pandu to\nVaranavata, and the other dark counsels of the sons of Dhritarashtra in\nregard to the Pandavas; then the advice administered to Yudhishthira on\nhis way by that well-wisher of the Pandavas--Vidura--in the mlechchha\nlanguage--the digging of the hole, the burning of Purochana and the\nsleeping woman of the fowler caste, with her five sons, in the house of\nlac; the meeting of the Pandavas in the dreadful forest with Hidimba, and\nthe slaying of her brother Hidimba by Bhima of great prowess. The birth of\nGhatotkacha; the meeting of the Pandavas with Vyasa and in accordance with\nhis advice their stay in disguise in the house of a Brahmana in the city\nof Ekachakra; the destruction of the Asura Vaka, and the amazement of the\npopulace at the sight; the extra-ordinary births of Krishna and\nDhrishtadyumna; the departure of the Pandavas for Panchala in obedience to\nthe injunction of Vyasa, and moved equally by the desire of winning the\nhand of Draupadi on learning the tidings of the Swayamvara from the lips\nof a Brahmana; victory of Arjuna over a Gandharva, called Angaraparna, on\nthe banks of the Bhagirathi, his contraction of friendship with his\nadversary, and his hearing from the Gandharva the history of Tapati,\nVasishtha and Aurva. This parva treats of the journey of the Pandavas\ntowards Panchala, the acquisition of Draupadi in the midst of all the\nRajas, by Arjuna, after having successfully pierced the mark; and in the\nensuing fight, the defeat of Salya, Karna, and all the other crowned heads\nat the hands of Bhima and Arjuna of great prowess; the ascertainment by\nBalarama and Krishna, at the sight of these matchless exploits, that the\nheroes were the Pandavas, and the arrival of the brothers at the house of\nthe potter where the Pandavas were staying; the dejection of Drupada on\nlearning that Draupadi was to be wedded to five husbands; the wonderful\nstory of the 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 mid-\nair, according to the wish of the rider; the departure for Indraprastha,\nwith the dower; the conception in the womb of Subhadra of that prodigy of\nprowess, Abhimanyu; Yajnaseni's giving birth to children; then follows the\npleasure-trip of Krishna and Arjuna to the banks of the Jamuna and the\nacquisition by them of the discus and the celebrated bow Gandiva; the\nburning of the forest of Khandava; the rescue of Maya by Arjuna, and the\nescape of the serpent,--and the begetting of a son by that best of Rishis,\nMandapala, in the womb of the bird Sarngi. This parva is divided by Vyasa\ninto two hundred and twenty-seven chapters. These two hundred and twenty-\nseven chapters contain eight thousand eight hundred and eighty-four slokas.\n\n\"The second is the extensive parva called Sabha or the assembly, full of\nmatter. The subjects of this parva are the establishment of the grand hall\nby the Pandavas; their review of their retainers; the description of the\nlokapalas 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 afflicted\ndaughter-in-law Draupadi plunged in the sea of distress caused by the\ngambling, as of a boat tossed about by the tempestuous waves. The\nendeavours of Duryodhana to engage Yudhishthira again in the game; and the\nexile of the defeated Yudhishthira with his brothers. These constitute\nwhat has been called by the great Vyasa the Sabha Parva. This parva is\ndivided into seventh-eight sections, O best of Brahmanas, of two thousand,\nfive hundred and seven slokas.\n\n\"Then comes the third parva called Aranyaka (relating to the forest). This\nparva treats of the wending of the Pandavas to the forest and the citizens\nfollowing the wise Yudhishthira, Yudhishthira's adoration of the god of\nday, according to the injunctions of Dhaumya, to be gifted with the power\nof maintaining the dependent Brahmanas with food and drink: the creation\nof food through the grace of the Sun: the expulsion by Dhritarashtra of\nVidura who always spoke for his master's good; Vidura's coming to the\nPandavas and his return to Dhritarashtra at the solicitation of the latter;\nthe wicked Duryodhana's plottings to destroy the forest-ranging Pandavas,\nbeing incited thereto by Karna; the appearance of Vyasa and his dissuasion\nof Duryodhana bent on going to the forest; the history of Surabhi; the\narrival of Maitreya; his laying down to Dhritarashtra the course of action;\nand his curse on Duryodhana; Bhima's slaying of Kirmira in battle; the\ncoming of the Panchalas and the princes of the Vrishni race to\nYudhishthira on hearing of his defeat at the unfair gambling by Sakuni;\nDhananjaya's allaying the wrath of Krishna; Draupadi's lamentations before\nMadhava; Krishna's cheering her; the fall of Sauva also has been here\ndescribed by the Rishi; also Krishna's bringing Subhadra with her son to\nDwaraka; and Dhrishtadyumna's bringing the son of Draupadi to Panchala;\nthe entrance of the sons of Pandu into the romantic Dwaita wood;\nconversation of Bhima, Yudhishthira, and Draupadi; the coming of Vyasa to\nthe Pandavas and his endowing Yudhishthira with the power of Pratismriti;\nthen, after the departure of Vyasa, the removal of the Pandavas to the\nforest of Kamyaka; the wanderings of Arjuna of immeasurable prowess in\nsearch of weapons; his battle with Mahadeva in the guise of a hunter; his\nmeeting with the lokapalas and receipt of weapons from them; his journey\nto the regions of Indra for arms and the consequent anxiety of\nDhritarashtra; the wailings and lamentations of Yudhishthira on the\noccasion of his meeting with the worshipful great sage Brihadaswa. Here\noccurs the holy and highly pathetic story of Nala illustrating the\npatience of Damayanti and the character of Nala. Then the acquirement by\nYudhishthira of the mysteries of dice from the same great sage; then the\narrival of the Rishi Lomasa from the heavens to where the Pandavas were,\nand the receipt by these high-souled dwellers in the woods of the\nintelligence brought by the Rishi of their brother Arjuna staying in the\nheavens; then the pilgrimage of the Pandavas to various sacred spots in\naccordance with the message of Arjuna, and their attainment of great merit\nand virtue consequent on such pilgrimage; then the pilgrimage of the great\nsage Narada to the shrine Putasta; also the pilgrimage of the high-souled\nPandavas. Here is the deprivation of Karna of his ear-rings by Indra. Here\nalso is recited the sacrificial magnificence of Gaya; then the story of\nAgastya in which the Rishi ate up the Asura Vatapi, and his connubial\nconnection with Lopamudra from the desire of offspring. Then the story of\nRishyasringa who adopted Brahmacharya mode of life from his very boyhood;\nthen the history of Rama of great prowess, the son of Jamadagni, in which\nhas been narrated the death of Kartavirya and the Haihayas; then the\nmeeting between the Pandavas and the Vrishnis in the sacred spot called\nPrabhasa; then the story of Sukanya in which Chyavana, the son of Bhrigu,\nmade the twins, Aswinis, drink, at the sacrifice of king Saryati, the Soma\njuice (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 in\nthe tank and the destruction of the flowers therein for obtaining the\nsweet-scented flower (he was in search of); his consequent battle with the\nmighty Rakshasas and the Yakshas of great prowess including Hanuman; the\ndestruction of the Asura Jata by Bhima; the meeting (of the Pandavas) with\nthe royal sage Vrishaparva; their departure for the asylum of Arshtishena\nand abode therein; the incitement of Bhima (to acts of vengeance) by\nDraupadi. Then is narrated the ascent on the hills of Kailasa by Bhimasena,\nhis terrific battle with the mighty Yakshas headed by Hanuman; then the\nmeeting of the Pandavas with Vaisravana (Kuvera), and the meeting with\nArjuna after he had obtained for the purpose of Yudhishthira many\ncelestial weapons; then Arjuna's terrible encounter with the\nNivatakavachas dwelling in Hiranyaparva, and also with the Paulomas, and\nthe Kalakeyas; their destruction at the hands of Arjuna; the commencement\nof the display of the celestial weapons by Arjuna before Yudhishthira, the\nprevention of the same by Narada; the descent of the Pandavas from\nGandhamadana; the seizure of Bhima in the forest by a mighty serpent huge\nas the mountain; his release from the coils of the snake, upon\nYudhishthira's answering certain questions; the return of the Pandavas to\nthe Kamyaka woods. Here is described the reappearance of Vasudeva to see\nthe mighty sons of Pandu; the arrival of Markandeya, and various recitals,\nthe history of Prithu the son of Vena recited by the great Rishi; the\nstories of Saraswati and the Rishi Tarkhya. After these, is the story of\nMatsya; other old stories recited by Markandeya; the stories of\nIndradyumna and Dhundhumara; then the history of the chaste wife; the\nhistory of Angira, the meeting and conversation of Draupadi and Satyabhama;\nthe return of the Pandavas to the forest of Dwaita; then the procession to\nsee the calves and the captivity of Duryodhana; and when the wretch was\nbeing carried off, his rescue by Arjuna; here is Yudhishthira's dream of\nthe deer; then the re-entry of the Pandavas into the Kamyaka forest, here\nalso is the long story of Vrihidraunika. Here also is recited the story of\nDurvasa; then the abduction by Jayadratha of Draupadi from the asylum; the\npursuit of the ravisher by Bhima swift as the air and the ill-shaving of\nJayadratha's crown at Bhima's hand. Here is the long history of Rama in\nwhich is shown how Rama by his prowess slew Ravana in battle. Here also is\nnarrated the story of Savitri; then Karna's deprivation by Indra of his\near-rings; then the presentation to Karna by the gratified Indra of a\nSakti (missile weapon) which had the virtue of killing only one person\nagainst whom it might be hurled; then the story called Aranya in which\nDharma (the god of justice) gave advice to his son (Yudhishthira); in\nwhich, besides is recited how the Pandavas after having obtained a boon\nwent towards the west. These are all included in the third Parva called\nAranyaka, consisting of two hundred and sixty-nine sections. The number of\nslokas is eleven thousand, six hundred 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 spies;\nand their despatch to all sides for tracing the Pandavas; the failure of\nthese to discover the mighty sons of Pandu; the first seizure of Virata's\nkine by the Trigartas and the terrific battle that ensued; the capture of\nVirata by the enemy and his rescue by Bhimasena; the release also of the\nkine by the Pandava (Bhima); the seizure of Virata's kine again by the\nKurus; the defeat in battle of all the Kurus by the single-handed Arjuna;\nthe release of the king's kine; the bestowal by Virata of his daughter\nUttara for Arjuna's acceptance on behalf of his son by Subhadra--Abhimanyu\n--the destroyer of foes. These are the contents of the extensive fourth\nParva--the Virata. The great Rishi Vyasa has composed in these sixty-seven\nsections. The number of slokas is two thousand 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, when\nthe 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 Sanat-\nsujata recited to the anxious and sorrowing monarch the excellent truths\nof spiritual philosophy. On the next morning Sanjaya spoke, in the court\nof the King, of the identity of Vasudeva and Arjuna. It was then that the\nillustrious Krishna, moved by kindness and a desire for peace, went\nhimself to the Kaurava capital, Hastinapura, for bringing about peace.\nThen comes the rejection by prince Duryodhana of the embassy of Krishna\nwho had come to solicit peace for the benefit of both parties. Here hath\nbeen recited the story of Damvodvava; then the story of the high-souled\nMatuli's search for a husband for his daughter: then the history of the\ngreat sage Galava; then the story of the training and discipline of the\nson of Bidula. Then the exhibition by Krishna, before the assembled Rajas,\nof his Yoga powers upon learning the evil counsels of Duryodhana and Karna;\nthen Krishna's taking Karna in his chariot and his tendering to him of\nadvice, and Karna's rejection of the same from pride. Then the return of\nKrishna, the chastiser of enemies from Hastinapura to Upaplavya, and his\nnarration to the Pandavas of all that had happened. It was then that those\noppressors of foes, the Pandavas, having heard all and consulted properly\nwith each other, made every preparation for war. Then comes the march from\nHastinapura, for battle, of foot-soldiers, horses, charioteers and\nelephants. Then the tale of the troops by both parties. Then the despatch\nby prince Duryodhana of Uluka as envoy to the Pandavas on the day previous\nto the battle. Then the tale of charioteers of different classes. Then the\nstory of Amba. These all have been described in the fifth Parva called\nUdyoga of the Bharata, abounding with incidents appertaining to war and\npeace. O ye ascetics, the great Vyasa hath composed one hundred and eighty-\nsix sections in this Parva. The number of slokas also composed in this by\nthe great Rishi is six 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 high-\nsouled Vasudeva by reasons based on the philosophy of final release drove\naway Arjuna's compunction springing from the latter's regard for his\nkindred (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 arrows.\nThis extensive Parva is known as the sixth in the Bharata. In this have\nbeen composed one hundred and seventeen sections. The number of slokas is\nfive thousand, eight hundred and eighty-four as told by Vyasa conversant\nwith the Vedas.\n\n\"Then is recited the wonderful Parva called Drona full of incidents. First\ncomes the installation in the command of the army of the great instructor\nin arms, Drona: then the vow made by that great master of weapons of\nseizing the wise Yudhishthira in battle to please Duryodhana; then the\nretreat of Arjuna from the field before the Sansaptakas, then the\noverthrow of Bhagadatta like to a second Indra in the field, with the\nelephant Supritika, by Arjuna; then the death of the hero Abhimanyu in his\nteens, alone and unsupported, at the hands of many Maharathas including\nJayadratha; then after the death of Abhimanyu, the destruction by Arjuna,\nin battle of seven Akshauhinis of troops and then of Jayadratha; then the\nentry, by Bhima of mighty arms and by that foremost of warriors-in-chariot,\nSatyaki, into the Kaurava ranks impenetrable even to the gods, in search\nof Arjuna in obedience to the orders of Yudhishthira, and the destruction\nof the remnant of the Sansaptakas. In the Drona Parva, is the death of\nAlambusha, of Srutayus, of Jalasandha, of Shomadatta, of Virata, of the\ngreat warrior-in-chariot Drupada, of Ghatotkacha and others; in this Parva,\nAswatthaman, excited beyond measure at the fall of his father in battle,\ndischarged the terrible weapon Narayana. Then the glory of Rudra in\nconnection with the burning (of the three cities). Then the arrival of\nVyasa and recital by him of the glory of Krishna and Arjuna. This is the\ngreat seventh Parva of the Bharata in which all the heroic chiefs and\nprinces mentioned were sent to their account. The number of sections in\nthis is one hundred and seventy. The number of slokas as composed in the\nDrona Parva by Rishi Vyasa, the son of Parasara and the possessor of true\nknowledge after much meditation, is eight thousand, nine hundred and nine.\n\n\"Then comes the most wonderful Parva called Karna. In this is narrated the\nappointment of the wise king of Madra as (Karna's) charioteer. Then the\nhistory of the fall of the Asura Tripura. Then the application to each\nother by Karna and Salya of harsh words on their setting out for the field,\nthen the story of the swan and the crow recited in insulting allusion:\nthen the death of Pandya at the hands of the high-souled Aswatthaman; then\nthe death of Dandasena; then that of Darda; then Yudhishthira's imminent\nrisk in single combat with Karna in the presence of all the warriors; then\nthe mutual wrath of Yudhishthira and Arjuna; then Krishna's pacification\nof Arjuna. In this Parva, Bhima, in fulfilment of his vow, having ripped\nopen Dussasana's breast in battle drank the blood of his heart. Then\nArjuna slew the great Karna in single combat. Readers of the Bharata call\nthis the eighth Parva. The number of sections in this is sixty-nine and\nthe number of slokas is four thousand, nine 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 Duryodhana\nand Bhima; then the arrival, at the time of such encounter, of Balarama:\nthen is described the sacredness of the Saraswati; then the progress of\nthe encounter with clubs; then the fracture of Duryodhana's thighs in\nbattle by Bhima with (a terrific hurl of) his mace. These all have been\ndescribed in the wonderful ninth Parva. In this the number of sections is\nfifty-nine and the number of slokas composed by the great Vyasa--the\nspreader of the fame of the Kauravas--is three thousand, two hundred and\ntwenty.\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 worship\nthe three-eyed Rudra. And then accompanied by Kritavarman and Kripa he\nslew all the sons of Draupadi, all the Panchalas with Dhrishtadyumna and\nothers, together with their relatives, slumbering unsuspectingly in the\nnight. All perished on that fatal night except the five Pandavas and the\ngreat warrior Satyaki. Those escaped owing to Krishna's counsels, then the\ncharioteer of Dhrishtadyumna brought to the Pandavas intelligence of the\nslaughter of the slumbering Panchalas by the son of Drona. Then Draupadi\ndistressed at the death of her sons and brothers and father sat before her\nlords resolved to kill herself by fasting. Then Bhima of terrible prowess,\nmoved by the words of Draupadi, resolved, to please her; and speedily\ntaking up his mace followed in wrath the son of his preceptor in arms. The\nson of Drona from fear of Bhimasena and impelled by the fates and moved\nalso by anger discharged a celestial weapon saying, 'This is for the\ndestruction of all the Pandavas'; then Krishna saying. 'This shall not be',\nneutralised Aswatthaman's speech. Then Arjuna neutralised that weapon by\none of his own. Seeing the wicked Aswatthaman's destructive intentions,\nDwaipayana and Krishna pronounced curses on him which the latter returned.\nPandava then deprived the mighty warrior-in-chariot Aswatthaman, of the\njewel on his head, and became exceedingly glad, and, boastful of their\nsuccess, made a present of it to the sorrowing Draupadi. Thus the tenth\nParva, called 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 Parva\nhas been put together by the great Rishi the two Parvas called Sauptika\nand 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 iron\ndeftly placed before him by Krishna (as substitute of Bhima). Then Vidura,\nremoving the distressed Dhritarashtra's affection for worldly things by\nreasons pointing to final release, consoled that wise monarch. Then hath\nbeen described the wending of the distressed Dhritarashtra accompanied by\nthe ladies of his house to the field of battle of the Kauravas. Here\nfollow the pathetic wailings of the wives of the slain heroes. Then the\nwrath of Gandhari and Dhritarashtra and their loss of consciousness. Then\nthe Kshatriya ladies saw those heroes,--their unreturning sons, brothers,\nand fathers,--lying dead on the field. Then the pacification by Krishna of\nthe wrath of Gandhari distressed at the death of her sons and grandsons.\nThen the cremation of the bodies of the deceased Rajas with due rites by\nthat monarch (Yudhishthira) of great wisdom and the foremost also of all\nvirtuous men. Then upon the presentation of water of the manes of the\ndeceased princes having commenced, the story of Kunti's acknowledgment of\nKarna as her son born in secret. Those have all been described by the\ngreat Rishi Vyasa in the highly pathetic eleventh Parva. Its perusal\nmoveth every feeling heart with sorrow and even draweth tears from the\neyes. The number of sections composed is twenty-seven. The number of\nslokas is seven hundred and seventy-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 supreme\nride-regarding gifts. This Parva also describes the ceremonials of\nindividual duty, the rules of conduct and the matchless merit of truth.\nThis Parva showeth the great merit of Brahmanas and kine, and unraveleth\nthe mysteries of duties in relation to time and place. These are embodied\nin the excellent Parva called Anusasana of varied incidents. In this hath\nbeen described the ascension of Bhishma to Heaven. This is the thirteenth\nParva which hath laid down accurately the various duties of men. The\nnumber of sections, in this is one hundred and forty-six. The number of\nslokas 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 composed\n(in this) by Vyasa of true knowledge is three thousand, three hundred and\ntwenty.\n\n\"Then comes the fifteenth Parva called Asramvasika. In this, Dhritarashtra,\nabdicating the kingdom, and accompanied by Gandhari and Vidura went to the\nwoods. Seeing this, the virtuous Pritha also, ever engaged in cherishing\nher superiors, leaving the court of her sons, followed the old couple. In\nthis is described the wonderful meeting through the kindness of Vyasa of\nthe king (Dhritarashtra) with the spirits of his slain children, grand-\nchildren, and other princes, returned from the other world. Then the\nmonarch abandoning his sorrows acquired with his wife the highest fruit of\nhis meritorious actions. In this Parva, Vidura after having leaned on\nvirtue all his life attaineth to 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 sway\nof all-destroying Time. In this, Arjuna the foremost among men, going to\nDwaravati (Dwaraka) and seeing the city destitute of the Vrishnis was much\naffected and became exceedingly sorry. Then after the funeral of his\nmaternal uncle Vasudeva the foremost among the Yadus (Vrishnis), he saw\nthe heroes of the Yadu race lying stretched in death on the spot where\nthey had been drinking. He then caused the cremation of the bodies of the\nillustrious Krishna and Balarama and of the principal members of the\nVrishni race. Then as he was journeying from Dwaraka with the women and\nchildren, the old and the decrepit--the remnants of the Yadu race--he was\nmet on the way by a heavy calamity. He witnessed also the disgrace of his\nbow Gandiva and the unpropitiousness of his celestial weapons. Seeing all\nthis, Arjuna became despondent and, pursuant to Vyasa's advice, went to\nYudhishthira and solicited permission to adopt the Sannyasa mode of life.\nThis is the sixteenth Parva called Maushala. The number of sections is\neight and the number of slokas composed by Vyasa cognisant of truth is\nthree 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 in\nthis is three. The number of slokas also composed by Vyasa cognisant of\ntruth 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 the\nillustrious Yudhishthira's steady adherence to virtue, Dharma (the god of\njustice) abandoning his canine form showed himself to the king. Then\nYudhishthira ascending to heaven felt much pain. The celestial messenger\nshowed him hell by an act of deception. Then Yudhishthira, the soul of\njustice, heard the heart-rending lamentations of his brothers abiding in\nthat region under the discipline of Yama. Then Dharma and Indra showed\nYudhishthira the region appointed for sinners. Then Yudhishthira, after\nleaving the human body by a plunge in the celestial Ganges, attained to\nthat region which his acts merited, and began to live in joy respected by\nIndra and all other gods. This is the eighteenth Parva as narrated by the\nillustrious Vyasa. The number of slokas composed, O ascetics, by the great\nRishi 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 contained\nin the Harivansa is twelve thousand.\n\n\"These 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 bear\nto listen to others, as, indeed, they who have listened to the sweet voice\nof the male Kokila can never hear the dissonance of the crow's cawing. As\nthe formation of the three worlds proceedeth from the five elements, so do\nthe inspirations of all poets proceed from this excellent composition. O\nye Brahman, as the four kinds of creatures (viviparous, oviparous, born of\nhot moisture and vegetables) are dependent on space for their existence,\nso the Puranas depend upon this history. As all the senses depend for\ntheir exercise upon the various modifications of the mind, so do all acts\n(ceremonials) and moral qualities depend upon this treatise. There is not\na story current in the world but doth depend on this history, even as body\nupon the food it taketh. All poets cherish the Bharata even as servants\ndesirous of preferment always attend upon masters of good lineage. Even as\nthe blessed domestic Asrama can never be surpassed by the three other\nAsramas (modes of life) so no poets can surpass 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 world.\nEven the most intelligent by cherishing wealth and wives can never make\nthese their own, nor are these possessions lasting. The Bharata uttered by\nthe lips of Dwaipayana is without a parallel; it is virtue itself and\nsacred. It destroyeth sin and produceth good. He that listeneth to it\nwhile it is being recited hath no need of a bath in the sacred waters of\nPushkara. A Brahmana, whatever sins he may commit during the day through\nhis senses, is freed from them all by reading the Bharata in the evening.\nWhatever sins he may commit also in the night by deeds, words, or mind, he\nis freed from them all by reading Bharata in the first twilight (morning).\nHe that giveth a hundred kine with horns mounted with gold to a Brahmana\nwell-posted up in the Vedas and all branches of learning, and he that\ndaily listeneth to the sacred narrations of the Bharata, acquireth equal\nmerit. As the wide ocean is easily passable by men having ships, so is\nthis extensive history of great excellence and deep import with the help\nof this chapter called Parva sangraha.\"\n\nThus endeth the section called Parva-sangraha of the Adi Parva of the\nblessed Mahabharata.\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 by\nthe brothers of Janamejaya.' And his mother replied, 'Thou hast committed\nsome fault for which hast thou been beaten!' He answered, 'I have not\ncommitted any fault. I have not touched the sacrificial butter with my\ntongue, nor have I even cast a look upon it.' His mother Sarama hearing\nthis and much distressed at the affliction of her son went to the place\nwhere Janamejaya with his brothers was at his long-extending sacrifice.\nAnd she addressed Janamejaya in anger, saying, 'This my son hath committed\nno fault: he hath not looked upon your sacrificial butter, nor hath he\ntouched it with his tongue. Wherefore hath he been beaten?' They said not\na word in reply; whereupon she said, 'As ye have beaten my son who hath\ncommitted no fault, therefore shall evil come upon ye, when ye least\nexpect 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 Ayoda-\nDhaumya had three disciples, Upamanyu, Aruni, and Veda. And the Rishi bade\none of these disciples, Aruni of Panchala, to go and stop up a breach in\nthe water-course of a certain field. And Aruni of Panchala, thus ordered\nby his preceptor, repaired to the spot. And having gone there he saw that\nhe could not stop up the breach in the water-course by ordinary means. And\nhe was distressed because he could not do his preceptor's bidding. But at\nlength he saw a way and said, 'Well, I will do it in this way.' He then\nwent down into the breach and lay down himself there. And the water was\nthus 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 preceptor\nspeedily came out of the water-course and stood before his preceptor. And\naddressing the latter, Aruni said, 'Here I am in the breach of the water-\ncourse. Not having been able to devise any other means, I entered myself\nfor the purpose of preventing the water running out. It is only upon\nhearing thy voice that, having left it and allowed the waters to escape, I\nhave stood before thee. I salute thee, Master; tell 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. And\nhis preceptor seeing him in good condition of body asked him, 'Upamanyu,\nmy child, upon what dost thou support thyself? Thou art exceedingly plump.'\nAnd he answered, 'Sir, I support myself by begging.' And his preceptor\nsaid, 'What is obtained in alms should not be used by thee without\noffering it to me.' And Upamanyu, thus told, went away. And having\nobtained alms, he offered the same to his preceptor. And his preceptor\ntook from him even the whole. And Upamanyu, thus treated, went to attend\nthe cattle. And having watched them all day, he returned in the evening to\nhis preceptor's abode. And he stood before his preceptor and saluted him\nwith respect. And his preceptor perceiving that he still continued to be\nof good condition of body said unto him, 'Upamanyu, my child, I take from\nthee even the whole of what thou obtainest in alms, without leaving\nanything for thee. How then dost thou, at present, contrive to support\nthyself?' And Upamanyu said unto his preceptor, 'Sir, having made over to\nyou all that I obtain in alms, I go a-begging a second time for supporting\nmyself.' And his preceptor then replied, 'This is not the way in which\nthou shouldst obey the preceptor. By this thou art diminishing the support\nof others that live by begging. Truly having supported thyself so, thou\nhast proved thyself covetous.' And Upamanyu, having signified his assent\nto all that his preceptor said, went away to attend the cattle. And having\nwatched them all day, he returned to his preceptor's house. And he stood\nbefore his preceptor and saluted him respectfully. And his preceptor\nobserving that he was still fat, said again unto him, 'Upamanyu, my child,\nI take from thee all thou obtainest in alms and thou dost not go a-begging\na second time, and yet art thou in healthy condition. How dost thou\nsupport thyself?' And Upamanyu, thus questioned, answered, 'Sir, I now\nlive upon the milk of these cows.' And his preceptor thereupon told him,\n'It is not lawful for thee to appropriate the milk without having first\nobtained my consent.' And Upamanyu having assented to the justice of these\nobservations, went away to tend the kine. And when he returned to his\npreceptor's abode, he stood before him and saluted him as usual. And his\npreceptor seeing that he was still fat, said, 'Upamanyu, my child, thou\neatest no longer of alms, nor dost thou go a-begging a second time, not\neven drinkest of the milk; yet art thou fat. By what means dost thou\ncontrive to live now?' And Upamanyu replied, 'Sir, I now sip the froth that\nthese calves throw out, while sucking their mother's teats.' And the\npreceptor said, 'These generous calves, I suppose, out of compassion for\nthee, throw out large quantities of froth. Wouldst thou stand in the way\nof their full meals by acting as thou hast done? Know that it is unlawful\nfor thee to drink the froth.' And Upamanyu, having signified his assent to\nthis, went as before to tend the cows. And restrained by his preceptor, he\nfeedeth not on alms, nor hath he anything else to eat; he drinketh not of\nthe milk, nor tasteth he of 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 which\nhe had eaten, he became blind. And as he was crawling about, he fell into\na pit. And upon his not returning that day when the sun was sinking down\nbehind the summit of the western mountains, the preceptor observed to his\ndisciples that Upamanyu was not yet come. And they told him that he had\ngone out with the cattle.\n\n\"The preceptor then said, 'Upamanyu being restrained by me from the use of\neverything, is, of course, tired, and therefore, doth not come home until\nit be 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 perched\non the body that is like to a tree! Ye are without the three common\nattributes of every soul! Ye are incomparable! Ye, through your spirit in\nevery created thing, pervade the Universe!\n\n\"'Ye are golden Eagles! Ye are the essence into which all things disappear!\nYe are free from error and know no deterioration! Ye are of beauteous\nbeaks that would not unjustly strike and are victorious in every\nencounter! Ye certainly prevail over time! Having created the sun, ye\nweave the wondrous cloth of the year by means of the white thread of the\nday and the black thread of the night! And with the cloth so woven, ye\nhave established two courses of action appertaining respectively to the\nDevas and the Pitris. The bird of Life seized by Time which represents the\nstrength of the Infinite soul, ye set free for delivering her unto great\nhappiness! They that are in deep ignorance, as long as they are under\ndelusions of their senses, suppose you, who are independent of the\nattributes of matter, to be gifted with form! Three hundred and sixty cows\nrepresented by three hundred and sixty days produce one calf between them\nwhich is the year. That calf is the creator and destroyer of all. Seekers\nof truth following different routes, draw the milk of true knowledge with\nits help. Ye Aswins, ye are the creators of 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, ye\nAswins, 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 and\nin the other world! Make me independent of the five elements! And though\nye are the Supreme Brahma, yet ye move over the Earth in forms enjoying\nthe delights that the senses afford.\n\n\"'In the beginning, ye created the ten points of the universe! Then have ye\nplaced the Sun and the Sky above! The Rishis, according to the course of\nthe same Sun, perform their sacrifices, and the gods and men, according to\nwhat hath been appointed for them, perform their sacrifices also enjoying\nthe 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 the\nfood which subsequently develops into the life creating fluid and blood!\nThe new-born infant sucks the teat of its mother. Indeed it is ye that\ntake the shape of the infant! Ye Aswins, grant me my sight to protect my\nlife!'\n\n\"The twin Aswins, thus invoked, appeared and said, 'We are satisfied. Here\nis a cake for thee. Take and eat it.' And Upamanyu thus addressed, replied,\n'Your words, O Aswins, have never proved untrue. But without first\noffering this cake to my preceptor I dare not take it.' And the Aswins\nthereupon told him, 'Formerly, thy preceptor had invoked us. We thereupon\ngave him a cake like this; and he took it without offering it to his\nmaster. Do thou do that which thy preceptor did.' Thus addressed, Upamanyu\nagain said unto them, 'O Aswins, I crave your pardon. Without offering it\nto my preceptor I dare not apply this cake.' The Aswins then said, 'O, we\nare pleased with this devotion of thine to thy preceptor. Thy master's\nteeth are of black iron. Thine shall be of gold. Thou shall be restored to\nsight 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 thee\nand 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 not\nlong before his preceptor was satisfied. And as a consequence of that\nsatisfaction, Veda obtained good fortune and universal knowledge. And this\nwas 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 preceptor\nhaving learnt all that had happened, became well-pleased and, addressing\nUtanka, said, 'Utanka, my child, what favour shall I bestow on thee? I\nhave been served by thee duly; therefore hath our friendship for each\nother increased. I therefore grant thee leave to depart. Go thou, and let\nthy 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, and\nenmity springeth up between the two.\" I, therefore, who have received thy\nleave to depart, am desirous of bringing thee some honorarium due to a\npreceptor.' His master, upon hearing this, replied, 'Utanka, my child, wait\na while.' Sometime after, Utanka again addressed his preceptor, saying,\n'Command me to bring that for honorarium, which you desire.' And his\npreceptor 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 bring.\nAnd bring thou that which she directs.' And thus directed by his preceptor\nUtanka addressed his preceptress, saying, 'Madam, I have obtained my\nmaster's leave to go home, and I am desirous of bringing something\nagreeable to thee as honorarium for the instruction I have received, in\norder that I may not depart as his debtor. Therefore, please command me\nwhat I am to bring.' Thus addressed, his preceptress replied, 'Go unto\nKing Paushya and beg of him the pair of ear-rings worn by his Queen, and\nbring them hither. The fourth day hence is a sacred day when I wish to\nappear before the Brahmanas (who may dine at my house) decked with these\near-rings. Then accomplish this, O Utanka! If thou shouldst succeed, good\nfortune shall attend thee; if not, what good canst thou expect?'\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 stature\nmounted thereon. And that man addressed Utanka and said, 'Eat thou of the\ndung of this bull.' Utanka, however, was unwilling to comply. The man said\nagain, 'O Utanka, eat of it without scrutiny. Thy master ate of it before.'\nAnd Utanka signified his assent and ate of the dung and drank of the\nurine of that bull, and rose respectfully, and washing his hands and mouth\nwent to where King Paushya was.\n\n\"On arriving at the palace, Utanka saw Paushya seated (on his throne). And\napproaching him Utanka saluted the monarch by pronouncing blessings and\nsaid, '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 my\npreceptor. It behoveth thee to give me the ear-rings worn by the Queen.'\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 the\nking, 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 must\nbe so. Having been in a hurry I performed my ablutions (after meal) in a\nstanding posture.' King Paushya then said, 'Here is a transgression,\npurification is not properly effected by one in a standing posture, nor by\none while he is going along.' And Utanka having agreed to this, sat down\nwith his face towards the east, and washed his face, hands, and feet\nthoroughly. And he then, without a noise, sipped thrice of water free from\nscum and froth, and not warm, and just sufficient to reach his stomach and\nwiped his face twice. And he then touched with water the apertures of his\norgans (eyes, ears, etc.). And having done all this, he once more entered\nthe apartments of the women. And this time he saw the Queen. And as the\nQueen perceived him, she saluted him respectfully and said, 'Welcome, Sir,\ncommand me what I have to do.' And Utanka said unto her, 'It behoveth thee\nto give me those ear-rings of thine. I beg them as a present for my\npreceptor.' And the Queen having been highly pleased with Utanka's conduct\nand, considering that Utanka as an object of charity could not be passed\nover, took off her ear-rings and gave them to him. And she said, 'These\near-rings are very much sought after by Takshaka, the King of the serpents.\nTherefore shouldst thou carry them with 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 me.'\nAnd having said this, and taking leave of the Queen, he went back into\nthe presence of Paushya, and said, 'Paushya, I am gratified.' Then Paushya\nsaid to Utanka, 'A fit object of charity can only be had at long intervals.\nThou art a qualified guest, therefore do I desire to perform a sraddha.\nTarry thou a little.' And Utanka replied, 'Yes, I will tarry, and beg that\nthe clean provisions that are ready may be soon brought in.' And the king\nhaving signified his assent, entertained Utanka duly. And Utanka seeing\nthat the food placed before him had hair in it, and also that it was cold,\nthought it unclean. And he said unto Paushya, 'Thou givest me food that is\nunclean, therefore shalt thou lose thy sight.' And Paushya in answer said,\n'And because dost thou impute uncleanliness to food that is clean,\ntherefore shalt thou be without issue.' And Utanka thereupon rejoined, 'It\nbehoveth thee not, after having offered me unclean food, to curse me in\nreturn. 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 as\nnew-churned butter, but his heart is like a sharp-edged tool, such being\nthe case, I am unable, because of the hardness of my heart, to neutralise\nmy curse. Then go thou thy own way.' To this Utanka made answer, 'I showed\nthee the uncleanliness of the food offered to me, and I was even now\npacified by thee. Besides, saidst thou at first that because I imputed\nuncleanliness to food that was clean I should be without issue. But the\nfood truly unclean, thy curse cannot affect me. Of this I am sure.' And\nUtanka 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 that\nhole. And Utanka began to enter the hole after the thunder-bolt. And\nhaving entered it, he beheld the region of the serpents infinite in extent,\nfilled with hundreds of palaces and elegant mansions with turrets and\ndomes and gate-ways, abounding with wonderful places for various games and\nentertainments. And Utanka then glorified the serpents by the following\nslokas:\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, ye\nare 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 very\nthoughtful. And when he saw that he obtained not the ear-rings even though\nhe had adored the serpents, he then looked about him and beheld two women\nat a loom weaving a piece of cloth with a fine shuttle; and in the loom\nwere black and white threads. And he likewise saw a wheel, with twelve\nspokes, turned by six boys. And he also saw a man with a handsome horse.\nAnd 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 spokes!\nIt is set in continual motion by six boys (the seasons)! These damsels\nrepresenting universal nature are weaving without intermission a cloth\nwith threads black and white, and thereby ushering into existence the\nmanifold 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 thy\nadoration. What good shall I do to thee?' And Utanka replied, 'Even let\nthe serpents be brought under my control.' Then the man rejoined, 'Blow\ninto this horse.' And Utanka blew into that horse. And from the horse thus\nblown into, there issued, from every aperture of his body, flames of fire\nwith smoke by which the region of the Nagas was about to be consumed. And\nTakshaka, surprised beyond measure and terrified by the heat of the fire,\nhastily came out of his abode taking the ear-rings with him, and said unto\nUtanka, 'Pray, Sir, take back the ear-rings.' And Utanka 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 assent,\nmounted 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 ear-\nrings. 'Utanka', said she, 'thou hast arrived at the proper time at the\nproper place. Welcome, my child; thou art innocent and therefore I do not\ncurse thee! Good fortune is even before thee. Let thy wishes be crowned\nwith 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 his\npreceptor, '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 too\ndoth that import? Who is also the man that I saw? And what the horse of\nextraordinary 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 eaten\nby thy master?\" So I ate of the dung of that bull according to his words.\nWho also is he? Therefore, enlightened by thee, I desire to hear all about\nthem.'\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 Indra;\nand the dung of the bull which was eaten by thee was Amrita. It was\ncertainly for this (last) that thou hast not met with death in the region\nof the Nagas; and Indra who is my friend having been mercifully inclined\nshowed thee favour. It is for this that thou returnest safe, with the ear-\nrings about thee. Then, O thou amiable one, I give thee leave to depart.\nThou 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 sides\nby his ministers. And he pronounced benedictions on him in a proper form.\nAnd Utanka addressed the monarch at the proper moment in speech of correct\naccent and melodious sounds, saying, 'O thou the best of monarchs! How is\nit that thou spendest thy time like a child when there is another matter\nthat urgently demandeth thy attention?'\"\n\nSauti said, \"The monarch Janamejaya, thus addressed, saluting that\nexcellent Brahmana replied unto him, 'In cherishing these my subjects I do\ndischarge the duties of my noble tribe. Say, what is that business to be\ndone 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 serpent.\nThe time hath come, I think, for the act of vengeance ordained by the\nFates. Go then avenge the death of thy magnanimous father who, being\nbitten without cause by that vile serpent, was reduced to five elements\neven like a tree stricken by thunder. The wicked Takshaka, vilest of the\nserpent race, intoxicated with power committed an unnecessary act when he\nbit the King, that god-like father, the protector of the race of royal\nsaints. Wicked in his deeds, he even caused Kasyapa (the prince of\nphysicians) to run back when he was coming for the relief of thy father.\nIt behoveth thee to burn the wicked wretch in the blazing fire of a snake-\nsacrifice. O King! Give instant orders for the sacrifice. It is thus thou\ncanst avenge the death of thy father. And a very great favour shall have\nalso been shown to me. For by that malignant wretch, O virtuous Prince, my\nbusiness also was, on one occasion, obstructed, while proceeding on\naccount of my preceptor.'\"\n\nSauti 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 blessed\nMahabharata.\n\n\nSECTION IV\n\n(Pauloma Parva)\n\nUgrasrava 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. Further,\nO Sauti, in this sacrifice that learned Brahmana is the chief. He is able,\nfaithful to his vows, wise, a master of the Sastras and the Aranyaka, a\nspeaker of truth, a lover of peace, a mortifier of the flesh, and an\nobserver of the penances according to the authoritative decrees. He is\nrespected by us all. It behoveth us therefore to wait for him. And when he\nis seated on his highly respected seat, thou wilt answer what that best of\nDwijas shall ask of thee.\"\n\nSauti said, \"Be it so. And when the high-souled master hath been seated I\nshall narrate, questioned by him, sacred stories on a variety of subjects.\"\nAfter a while that excellent Brahmana (Saunaka) having duly finished all\nhis duties, and having propitiated the gods with prayers and the manes\nwith oblations of water, came back to the place of sacrifice, where with\nSauti seated before was the assembly of saints of rigid vows sitting at\nease. And when Saunaka was seated in the midst of the Ritwiks and Sadhyas,\nwho were also in their seats, he spake as followeth.\n\n\nSECTION V\n\n(Pauloma Parva continued)\n\nSaunaka 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 place,\nI am desirous of hearing the history of the race of Bhrigu. Recount thou\nthat history, we shall attentively listen to thee.\"\n\nSauti 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 recount\nthe 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 Pramadvara,\nwas born a son, whose name was Sunaka. He was, O Saunaka, thy great\nancestor exceedingly virtuous in his ways. He was devoted to asceticism,\nof great reputation, proficient in law, and eminent among those having a\nknowledge of the Vedas. He was virtuous, truthful, and of well-regulated\nfare.\"\n\nSaunaka said, \"O son of Suta, I ask thee why the illustrious son of\nBhrigu was named Chyavana. Do tell me all.\"\n\nSauti 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 smiles,\nhad been betrothed by her father himself, to him, although the former\nsubsequently bestowed her, according to due rites, on Bhrigu. O thou of\nthe Bhrigu race, this wound rankled deep in the Rakshasa's mind and he\nthought the present moment very opportune for carrying the lady away.\n\n\"And the Rakshasa saw the apartment in which the sacrificial fire was kept\nburning brightly. The Rakshasa then asked the flaming element 'Tell me, O\nAgni, whose wife this woman rightfully is. Thou art the mouth of gods;\ntherefore thou art bound to answer my question. This lady of superior\ncomplexion 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\nSauti 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\nSauti 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 made\nanswer in words that came out slowly. 'This Puloma was, indeed, first\nchosen by thee, O Rakshasa, but she was not taken by thee with holy rites\nand invocations. But this far-famed lady was bestowed by her father on\nBhrigu as a gift from desire of blessing. She was not bestowed on thee O\nRakshasa, this lady was duly made by the Rishi Bhrigu his wife with Vedic\nrites 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\nSECTION VI\n\n(Pauloma Parva continued)\n\nSauti 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 Bhrigu\nlying in her body enraged at such violence, dropped from his mother's womb,\nfor which he obtained the name of Chyavana. And the Rakshasa perceiving\nthe infant drop from the mother's womb, shining like the sun, quitted his\ngrasp of the woman, fell down and was instantly converted into ashes. And\nthe beautiful Pauloma, distracted with grief, O Brahmana of the Bhrigu\nrace, took up her offspring Chyavana, the son of Bhrigu and walked away.\nAnd Brahma, the Grandfather of all, himself saw her, the faultless wife of\nhis son, weeping. And the Grandfather of all comforted her who was\nattached to her son. And the drops of tears which rolled down her eyes\nformed a great river. And that river began to follow the foot-steps of the\nwife of the great ascetic Bhrigu. And the Grandfather of the worlds seeing\nthat river follow the path of his son's wife gave it a name himself, and\nhe called it Vadhusara. And it passeth by the hermitage of Chyavana. And\nin this manner was born Chyavana of great ascetic power, the son of Bhrigu.\n\n\"And Bhrigu saw his child Chyavana and its beautiful mother. And the Rishi\nin a rage asked her, 'By whom wast thou made known to that Rakshasa who\nresolved to carry thee away? O thou of agreeable smiles, the Rakshasa\ncould not know thee as my wife. Therefore tell me who it was that told the\nRakshasa so, in order that I may curse him through anger.' And Pauloma\nreplied, 'O possessor of the six attributes! I was identified to the\nRakshasa by Agni (the god of fire). And he (the Rakshasa) bore me away,\nwho cried like the Kurari (female osprey). And it was only by the ardent\nsplendour of this thy son that I was rescued, for the Rakshasa (seeing\nthis infant) let me go and himself falling to the ground was turned into\nashes.'\"\n\nSauti 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\nSECTION VII\n\n(Pauloma Parva continued)\n\nSauti 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 was\nlabouring to do justice and speak the truth impartially? Being asked I\ngave 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. I\ncan 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, so\nplease attend! Having, by ascetic power, multiplied myself, I am present\nin various forms, in places of the daily homa, at sacrifices extending for\nyears, in places where holy rites are performed (such as marriage, etc.),\nand at other sacrifices. With the butter that is poured upon my flame\naccording to the injunctions prescribed in the Vedas, the Devas and the\nPitris are appeased. The Devas are the waters; the Pitris are also the\nwaters. The Devas have with the Pitris an equal right to the sacrifices\ncalled Darshas and Purnamasas. The Devas therefore are the Pitris and the\nPitris, the Devas. They are identical beings, worshipped together and also\nseparately at the changes of the moon. The Devas and the Pitris eat what\nis poured upon me. I am therefore called the mouth of the Devas and the\nPitris. At the new moon the Pitris, and at the full moon the Devas, are\nfed through my mouth, eating of the clarified butter that is poured on me.\nBeing, as I am, their mouth, how am I to be an eater of all things (clean\nand unclean)?'\n\n\"Then Agni, after reflecting for a while, withdrew himself from all places;\nfrom places of the daily homa of the Brahmanas, from all long-extending\nsacrifices, from places of holy rites, and from other ceremonies. Without\ntheir Oms and Vashats, and deprived of their Swadhas and Swahas\n(sacrificial mantras during offerings), the whole body of creatures became\nmuch distressed at the loss of their (sacrificial) fire. The Rishis in\ngreat anxiety went to the gods and addressed them thus, 'Ye immaculate\nbeings! The three regions of the universe are confounded at the cessation\nof their sacrifices and ceremonies in consequence of the loss of fire!\nOrdain what is to be done in this matter, so that there may be no loss of\ntime.' Then the Rishis and the gods went together to the presence of\nBrahma. And they represented to him all about the curse on Agni and the\nconsequent interruption of all ceremonies. And they said, 'O thou greatly\nfortunate! Once Agni hath been cursed by Bhrigu for some reason. Indeed,\nbeing the mouth of the gods and also the first who eateth of what is\noffered in sacrifices, the eater also of the sacrificial butter, how will\nAgni be reduced to the condition of one who eateth of all things\npromiscuously?' And the creator of the universe hearing these words of\ntheirs summoned Agni to his presence. And Brahma addressed Agni, the\ncreator of all and eternal as himself, in these gentle words, 'Thou art\nthe creator of the worlds and thou art their destroyer! Thou preserves\nthe three worlds and thou art the promoter of all sacrifices and\nceremonies! Therefore behave thyself so that ceremonies be not interrupted.\nAnd, O thou eater of the sacrificial butter, why dost thou act so\nfoolishly, being, as thou art, the Lord of all? Thou alone art always pure\nin the universe and thou art its stay! Thou shall not, with all thy body,\nbe reduced to the state of one who eateth of all things promiscuously. O\nthou of flames, the flame that is in thy viler parts shall alone eat of\nall things alike. The body of thine which eateth of flesh (being in the\nstomach of all carnivorous animals) shall also eat of all things\npromiscuously. And as every thing touched by the sun's rays becometh pure,\nso shall everything be pure that shall be burnt by thy flames. Thou art, O\nfire, the supreme energy born of thy own power. Then, O Lord, by that\npower of thine make the Rishi's curse come true. Continue to receive thy\nown portion and that of the gods, offered at thy mouth.'\"\n\nSauti 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. And\nthe Rishis began to perform as before their ceremonies and sacrifices. And\nthe gods in heaven and all creatures of the world rejoiced exceedingly.\nAnd Agni too rejoiced in that he was free from the prospect of sin.\n\n\"Thus, O possessor of the six attributes, had Agni been cursed in the days\nof yore by Bhrigu. And such is the ancient history connected with the\ndestruction 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\nSECTION VIII\n\n(Pauloma Parva continued)\n\nSauti 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 time,\nO Brahmana sage, Viswavasu, the King of the Gandharvas, it is said, had\nintimacy with Menaka, the celestial dancing-girl. And the Apsara, Menaka,\nO thou of the Bhrigu race, when her time was come, brought forth an infant\nnear the hermitage of Sthulakesa. And dropping the newborn infant on the\nbanks of the river, O Brahmana, Menaka, the Apsara, being destitute of\npity and shame, went away. And the Rishi, Sthulakesa, of great ascetic\npower, discovered the infant lying forsaken in a lonely part of the river-\nside. And he perceived that it was a female child, bright as the offspring\nof an Immortal and blazing, as it were, with beauty: And the great\nBrahmana, Sthulakesa, the first of Munis, seeing that female child, and\nfilled with compassion, took it up and reared it. And the lovely child\ngrew up in his holy habitation, the noble-minded and blessed Rishi\nSthulakesa performing in due succession all the ceremonies beginning with\nthat at birth as ordained by the divine law. And because she surpassed all\nof her sex in goodness, beauty, and every quality, the great Rishi called\nher by the name of Pramadvara. And the pious Ruru having seen Pramadvara\nin the hermitage of Sthulakesa became one whose heart was pierced by the\ngod of love. And Ruru by means of his companions made his father Pramati,\nthe son of Bhrigu, acquainted with his passion. And Pramati demanded her\nof the far-famed Sthulakesa for his son. And her foster-father betrothed\nthe virgin Pramadvara to Ruru, fixing the nuptials for the day when the\nstar Varga-Daivata (Purva-phalguni) would be 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 come,\nimpelled by fate, trod upon a serpent which she did not perceive as it lay\nin coil. And the reptile, urged to execute the will of Fate, violently\ndarted its envenomed fangs into the body of the heedless maiden. And stung\nby that serpent, she instantly dropped senseless on the ground, her colour\nfaded and all the graces of her person went off. And with dishevelled hair\nshe became a spectacle of woe to her companions and friends. And she who\nwas so agreeable to behold became on her death what was too painful to\nlook at. And the girl of slender waist lying on the ground like one\nasleep--being overcome with the poison of the snake--once more became more\nbeautiful than in life. And her foster-father and the other holy ascetics\nwho were there, all saw her lying motionless upon the ground with the\nsplendour of a lotus. And then there came many noted Brahmanas filled with\ncompassion, and they sat around her. And Swastyatreya, Mahajana, Kushika,\nSankhamekhala, Uddalaka, Katha, and Sweta of great renown, Bharadwaja,\nKaunakutsya, Arshtishena, Gautama, Pramati, and Pramati's son Ruru, and\nother inhabitants of the forest, came there. And when they saw that maiden\nlying dead on the ground overcome with the poison of the reptile that had\nbitten her, they all wept filled with compassion. But Ruru, mortified\nbeyond measure, retired from the scene.\"\n\nSo ends the eighth section of the Pauloma Parva of the Adi Parva of the\nblessed Mahabharata.\n\n\nSECTION IX\n\n(Pauloma Parva continued)\n\nSauti 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 him\nthus, 'The words thou utterest, O Ruru, in thy affliction are certainly\nineffectual. For, O pious man, one belonging to this world whose days have\nrun out can never come back to life. This poor child of a Gandharva and\nApsara has had her days run out! Therefore, O child, thou shouldst not\nconsign thy heart to sorrow. The great gods, however, have provided\nbeforehand a means of her restoration to life. And if thou compliest with\nit, thou mayest receive back thy Pramadvara.'\n\n\"And Ruru replied, 'O messenger of heaven! What is that which the gods have\nordained. Tell me in full so that (on hearing) I may comply with it. It\nbehoveth thee to deliver me from grief!' And the celestial messenger said\nunto Ruru, 'Resign half of thy own life to thy bride, and then, O Ruru of\nthe race of Bhrigu, thy Pramadvara shall rise from the ground.' 'O best of\ncelestial messengers, I most willingly offer a moiety of my own life in\nfavour of my bride. Then let my beloved one rise up once more in her dress\nand lovable form.'\"\n\nSauti 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 Ruru,\nnow lying dead, rise up with a moiety of Ruru's life.' And Dharmaraja\nanswered, 'O messenger of the gods, if it be thy wish, let Pramadvara, the\nbetrothed wife of Ruru, rise up endued with a moiety of Ruru's life.'\"\n\nSauti continued, \"And when Dharmaraja had said so, that maiden of\nsuperior complexion, Pramadvara, endued with a moiety of Ruru's life, rose\nas from her slumber. This bestowal by Ruru of a moiety of his own span of\nlife to resuscitate his bride afterwards led, as it would be seen, to a\ncurtailment of Ruru's life.\n\n\"And on an auspicious day their fathers gladly married them with due rites.\nAnd the couple passed their days, devoted to each other. And Ruru having\nobtained such a wife, as is hard to be found, beautiful and bright as the\nfilaments of the lotus, made a vow for the destruction of the serpent-race.\nAnd whenever he saw a serpent he became filled with great wrath and always\nkilled 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 slay\nme in anger?'\"\n\nSo ends the ninth section of the Pauloma Parva of the Adi Parva of the\nblessed Mahabharata.\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 quite\ndifferent in type. It behoveth thee not to slay Dundubhas who are serpents\nonly in name. Subject like other serpents to the same calamities but not\nsharing their good fortune, in woe the same but in joy different, the\nDundubhas should not be slain by thee under any misconception.'\"\n\nSauti 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 of\na Brahmana that I have been transformed into a snake.' And Ruru asked, 'O\nthou best of snakes, for what wast thou cursed by a Brahmana in wrath? And\nhow long also will thy form continue so?'\"\n\nAnd so ends the tenth section of the Pauloma Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\nSECTION XI\n\n(Pauloma Parva continued)\n\nSauti continued \"The Dundubha then said, 'In former times, I had a friend\nKhagama by name. He was impetuous in his speech and possessed of spiritual\npower by virtue of his austerities. And one day when he was engaged in the\nAgni-hotra (Fire-sacrifice), I made a mock snake of blades of grass, and\nin a frolic attempted to frighten him with it. And anon he fell into a\nswoon. On recovering his senses, that truth-telling and vow-observing\nascetic, burning with wrath, exclaimed, \"Since thou hast made a powerless\nmock snake to frighten me, thou shalt be turned even into a venomless\nserpent thyself by my curse.\" O ascetic, I well knew the power of his\npenances; therefore with an agitated heart, I addressed him thus, bending\nlow with joined hands, \"Friend, I did this by way of a joke, to excite thy\nlaughter. It behoveth thee to forgive me and revoke thy curse.\" And seeing\nme sorely troubled, the ascetic was moved, and he replied, breathing hot\nand hard. \"What I have said must come to pass. Listen to what I say and\nlay it to thy heart. O pious one! when Ruru the pure son of Pramati, will\nappear, thou shall be delivered from the curse the moment thou seest him.\"\nThou art the very Ruru and the son of Pramati. On regaining my native form,\nI will tell thee something for thy good.'\n\n\"And that illustrious man and the best of Brahmanas then left his snake-\nbody, and attained his own form and original brightness. He then addressed\nthe following words to Ruru of incomparable power, 'O thou first of\ncreated beings, verily the highest virtue of man is sparing the life of\nothers. Therefore a Brahmana should never take the life of any creature. A\nBrahmana should ever be mild. This is the most sacred injunction of the\nVedas. A Brahmana should be versed in the Vedas and Vedangas, and should\ninspire all creatures with belief in God. He should be benevolent to all\ncreatures, truthful, and forgiving, even as it is his paramount duty to\nretain the Vedas in his memory. The duties of the Kshatriya are not thine.\nTo be stern, to wield the sceptre and to rule the subjects properly are\nthe duties of the Kshatriya. Listen, O Ruru, to the account of the\ndestruction of snakes at the sacrifice of Janamejaya in days of yore, and\nthe deliverance of the terrified reptiles by that best of Dwijas, Astika,\nprofound in Vedic lore and might in spiritual energy.'\"\n\nAnd so ends the eleventh section of the Pauloma Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\nSECTION XII\n\n(Pauloma Parva continued)\n\nSauti 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\nSauti 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 greatly\nconfounded 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\nSECTION XIII\n\n(Astika Parva)\n\nSaunaka 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\nSauti said, \"O best of speakers, this story of Astika is long. I will\nduly relate it in full, O listen!\"\n\nSaunaka said, \"I am desirous of hearing at length the charming story of\nthat Rishi, that illustrious Brahmana named Astika.\"\n\nSauti 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 Brahmacharin,\nalways engaged in austere devotions. He ate sparingly, was a great ascetic,\nand had his lust under complete control. And he was known by the name of\nJaratkaru. That foremost one among the Yayavaras, virtuous and of rigid\nvows, highly blessed and endued with great ascetic power, once undertook a\njourney over the world. He visited diverse places, bathed in diverse\nsacred waters, and rested where night overtook him. Endued with great\nenergy, he practised religious austerities, hard to be practised by men of\nunrestrained souls. The sage lived upon air only, and renounced sleep for\never. Thus going about like a blazing fire, one day he happened to see his\nancestors, hanging heads down in a great hole, their feet pointing upwards.\nOn seeing them, Jaratkaru addressed them, 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 that\nhave none! O excellent one, who art thou that thus sorrowest as a friend\non our account? We desire to learn, O Brahmana, who thou art that standest\nby 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 Jaratkaru!\nO, 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\nact 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 a\nfather. 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 a\nwife for attaining the end. I shall not act otherwise. If a bride may be\nhad of the same name with me, whose friends would, besides, willingly give\nher to me as a gift in charity, I shall wed her duly. But who will give\nhis daughter to a poor man like me for wife. I shall, however, accept any\ndaughter given to me as alms. I shall endeavour, ye sires, even thus to\nwed a girl! Having given my word, I will not act otherwise. Upon her I\nwill raise offspring for your redemption, so that, ye fathers, ye may\nattain 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\nSECTION XIV\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSauti said, \"That Brahmana of rigid vows then wandered over the earth for\na 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 voice\nfor a bride. Thereupon Vasuki rose and offered his sister for the Rishi's\nacceptance. But the Brahmana hesitated to accept her, thinking her not to\nbe of the same name with himself. The high-souled Jaratkaru thought within\nhimself, 'I will take none for wife who is not of the same name with\nmyself.' Then that Rishi of great wisdom and austere penances asked him,\nsaying, 'Tell me truly what is the name of this thy sister, O snake.'\n\n\"Vasuki replied, 'O Jaratkaru, this my younger sister is called Jaratkaru.\nGiven away by me, accept this slender-waisted damsel for thy spouse. O\nbest of Brahmanas, for thee I reserved her. Therefore, take her.' Saying\nthis, he offered his beautiful sister to Jaratkaru who then espoused her\nwith ordained rites.\"\n\nSo ends the thirteenth section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\nSECTION XV\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSauti 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 line\ncelebrated a great sacrifice known as the Snake-sacrifice. After that\nsacrifice 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 sacrifices,\nat which various kinds of offerings were made, he propitiated the gods. By\npractising the Brahmacharya mode of life he conciliated the Rishis; and by\nbegetting 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 having\nacquired great religious merit, Jaratkaru, after a long course of years,\nwent to heaven, leaving Astika behind. There is the story of Astika that I\nhave related duly. Now, tell me, O tiger of Bhrigu's race, what else I\nshall narrate.\"\n\nSo ends the fifteenth section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\nSECTION XVI\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSaunaka 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. Thy\nsire was ever ready to please us. Tell us now the story as thy father had\nrelated it.\"\n\nSauti 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 her\nboon fulfilled. Kadru also obtained her thousand sons of equal splendour.\n'Bear the embryos carefully,' said Kasyapa, and then he went into the\nforest, leaving his two wives pleased with his blessings.\"\n\nSauti 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 half-\ndeveloped, by breaking it through impatience, then the illustrious child\nwithin it will deliver thee from slavery! And if thou wouldst have the\nchild strong, thou must take tender care of the egg for all this time!'\nThus cursing his mother, the child rose to the sky. O Brahmana, even he is\nthe charioteer of Surya, always seen in the hour of morning!\n\n\"Then at the expiration of the five hundred years, bursting open the other\negg, 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 assigned\nto him by the Great Ordainer of all.\".\n\nSo ends the sixteenth section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\nSECTION XVII\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSauti 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\nSaunaka 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\nSauti 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 sins.\nDreadful beasts of prey wander over its breasts, and it is illuminated by\nmany divine life-giving herbs. It stands kissing the heavens by its height\nand is the first of mountains. Ordinary people cannot even think of\nascending it. It is graced with trees and streams, and resounds with the\ncharming melody of winged choirs. Once the celestials sat on its begemmed\npeak in conclave. They who had practised penances and observed excellent\nvows for amrita now seemed to be eager seekers after amrita (celestial\nambrosia). Seeing the celestial assembly in anxious mood Narayana said to\nBrahman, 'Do thou churn the Ocean with the gods and the Asuras. By doing\nso, amrita will be obtained as also all drugs and gems. O ye gods, churn\nthe Ocean, ye will discover amrita.'\"\n\nSo ends the seventeenth section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\nSECTION XVIII\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSauti 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 came 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\nSauti 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 Tortoise-king,\nthou wilt have to hold the mountain on thy back!' The Tortoise-king agreed,\nand Indra contrived to place the mountain on the former'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 suddenly\nlowered it. And in consequence of the stretch Vasuki received at the hands\nof the gods and the Asuras, black vapours with flames issued from his\nmouth. These, turned into clouds charged with lightning, poured showers\nthat refreshed the tired gods. And flowers that also fell on all sides of\nthe celestials from the trees on the whirling Mandara, refreshed them.\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 killed.\nLarge trees with birds on the whirling Mandara were torn up by the roots\nand fell into the water. The mutual friction of those trees also produced\nfires that blazed up frequently. The mountain thus looked like a mass of\ndark clouds charged with lightning. O Brahmana, the fire spread, and\nconsumed the lions, elephants and other creatures that were on the\nmountain. Then Indra extinguished that fire by pouring down heavy showers.\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 amrita\nmingled with the waters of the Ocean. And the celestials attained to\nimmortality by drinking of the water mixed with those gums and with the\nliquid extract of gold. By degrees, the milky water of the agitated deep\nturned 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. Thereafter\nsprung forth Lakshmi dressed in white, then Soma, then the White Steed,\nand then the celestial gem Kaustubha which graces the breast of Narayana.\nThen Lakshmi, Soma and the Steed, fleet as the mind, all came before the\ngods on high. Then arose the divine Dhanwantari himself with the white\nvessel of nectar in his hand. And seeing him, the Asuras set up a loud cry,\nsaying, '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 thunderbolt.\nBut with the churning still going on, the poison Kalakuta appeared at last.\nEngulfing the Earth it suddenly blazed up like a fire attended with fumes.\nAnd by the scent of the fearful Kalakuta, the three worlds were stupefied.\nAnd then Siva, being solicited by Brahman, swallowed that poison for the\nsafety of the creation. The divine Maheswara held it in his throat, and it\nis said that from that time he is called Nilakantha (blue-throated).\nSeeing all these wondrous things, the Asuras were filled with despair, and\ngot themselves prepared for entering into hostilities with the gods for\nthe possession of Lakshmi and Amrita. Thereupon Narayana called his\nbewitching Maya (illusive power) to his aid, and assuming the form of an\nenticing female, coquetted with the Danavas. The Danavas and the Daityas\ncharmed with her exquisite beauty and grace lost their reason and\nunanimously placed the Amrita in the hands of that fair damsel.\"\n\nSo ends the eighteenth section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\nSECTION XIX\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSauti said, \"Then the Daityas and the Danavas equipped with first-class\narmours and various weapons attacked the gods. In the meantime the valiant\nLord Vishnu in the form of an enchantress accompanied by Nara deceived the\nmighty 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 it,\nafter 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 shores\nof the salt-water sea, commenced the dreadful battle of the gods and the\nAsuras. And sharp-pointed javelins and lances and various weapons by\nthousands began to be discharged on all sides. And mangled with the discus\nand wounded with swords, darts and maces, the Asuras in large numbers\nvomited blood and lay prostrate on the earth. Cut off from the trunks with\nsharp double-edged swords, heads adorned with bright gold, fell\ncontinually on the field of battle. Their bodies drenched in gore, the\ngreat Asuras lay dead everywhere. It seemed as if red-dyed mountain peaks\nlay 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. And\nthe air was filled with shrieks of distress. Everywhere were heard the\nalarming 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 Yuga,\nhurled with force from the hands of Narayana, and falling constantly\neverywhere, destroyed the Daityas and the Danavas by thousands. Sometimes\nit blazed like fire and consumed them all; sometimes it struck them down\nas it coursed through the sky; and sometimes, falling on the earth, it\ndrank 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 sky,\nand by hurling down thousands of mountains, continually harassed the gods.\nAnd those dreadful mountains, like masses of clouds, with their trees and\nflat tops, falling from the sky, collided with one another and produced a\ntremendous roar. And when thousands of warriors shouted without\nintermission in the field of battle and mountains with the woods thereon\nbegan to fall around, the earth with her forests trembled. Then the divine\nNara appeared at the scene of the dreadful conflict between the Asuras and\nthe Ganas (the followers of Rudra), and reducing to dust those rocks by\nmeans of his gold-headed arrows, he covered the heavens with dust. Thus\ndiscomfited by the gods, and seeing the furious discus scouring the fields\nof heaven like a blazing flame, the mighty Danavas entered the bowels of\nthe earth, while others plunged into the sea of salt-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 the\nheavens resound with their shouts, and went to their own abodes. And the\ngods, on returning to the heavens, rejoiced greatly, and Indra and the\nother 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\nSECTION XX\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSauti said, \"Thus have I recited to you the whole story of how Amrita was\nchurned 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 thou\nthink, sister? Say thou what is its colour. Let us lay a wager upon it.'\nKadru replied, then, 'O thou of sweet smiles, I think that horse is black\nin its tail. Beauteous one, bet with me that she who loseth will become\nthe other's slave.'\"\n\nSauti continued, \"Thus wagering with each other about menial service as a\nslave, the sisters went home, and resolved to satisfy themselves by\nexamining the horse next day. And Kadru, bent upon practising a deception,\nordered her thousand sons to transform themselves into black hair and\nspeedily cover the horse's tail in order that she might not become a slave.\nBut her sons, the snakes, refusing to do her bidding, she cursed them,\nsaying, 'During the snake-sacrifice of the wise king Janamejaya of the\nPandava race, Agni shall consume you all.' And the Grandsire (Brahman)\nhimself heard this exceedingly cruel curse pronounced by Kadru, impelled\nby the fates. And seeing that the snakes had multiplied exceedingly, the\nGrandsire, moved by kind consideration for his creatures, sanctioned with\nall the gods this curse of Kadru. Indeed, as the snakes were of virulent\npoison, great prowess and excess of strength, and ever bent on biting\nother creatures, their mother's conduct towards them--those persecutors of\nall creatures,--was very proper for the good of all creatures. Fate always\ninflicts punishment of death on those who seek the death of other\ncreatures. The gods, having exchanged such sentiments with one another,\nsupported Kadru's action (and went away). And Brahman, calling Kasyapa to\nhim, spake unto him these words, 'O thou pure one who overcomest all\nenemies, these snakes begotten by you, who are of virulent poison and huge\nbodies, and ever intent on biting other creatures, have been cursed by\ntheir mother. O son, do not grieve for it in the least. The destruction of\nthe snakes in the sacrifice hath, indeed, been ordained long ago.' Saying\nthis, the divine Creator of the Universe comforted Kasyapa and imparted to\nthat illustrious one the knowledge of neutralising poison.\"\n\nAnd so ends the twentieth section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\nSECTION XXI\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSauti said, \"Then when the night had passed away and the sun had risen in\nthe morning, O thou whose wealth is asceticism, the two sisters Kadru and\nVinata, having laid a wager about slavery, went with haste and impatience\nto view the steed Uchchaishravas from a near point. On their way they saw\nthe Ocean, that receptacle of waters, vast and deep, rolling and\ntremendously roaring, full of fishes large enough to swallow the whale,\nand 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 tortoises\nand crocodiles, the mine of all kinds of gems, the home of Varuna (the\nwater-God), the excellent and beautiful residence of the Nagas, the lord\nof all rivers, the abode of the subterranean fire, the friend (or asylum)\nof the Asuras, the terror of all creatures, the grand reservoir of water,\nand ever immutable. It is holy, beneficial to the gods, and is the great\nsource of nectar; without limits, inconceivable, sacred, and highly\nwonderful. It is dark, terrible with the sound of aquatic creatures,\ntremendously roaring, and full of deep whirl-pools. It is an object of\nterror to all creatures. Moved by the winds blowing from its shores and\nheaving high, agitated and disturbed, it seems to dance everywhere with\nuplifted hands represented by its surges. Full of swelling billows caused\nby the waxing and waning of the moon the parent of Vasudeva's great conch\ncalled Panchajanya, the great mine of gems, its waters were formerly\ndisturbed in consequence of the agitation caused within them by the Lord\nGovinda of immeasurable prowess when he had assumed the form of a wild\nboar for raising the (submerged) Earth. Its bottom, lower than the nether\nregions, the vow observing regenerate Rishi Atri could not fathom after\n(toiling for) a hundred years. It becomes the bed of the lotus-naveled\nVishnu when at the termination of every Yuga that deity of immeasurable\npower enjoys yoga-nidra, the deep sleep under the spell of spiritual\nmeditation. It is the refuge of Mainaka fearful of falling thunder, and\nthe retreat of the Asuras overcome in fierce encounters. It offers water\nas sacrificial butter to the blazing fire issuing from the mouth of Varava\n(the Ocean-mare). It is fathomless and without limits, vast and\nimmeasurable, 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\nSECTION XXII\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSauti 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 waters,\nincapable of being easily disturbed, mightily agitated all of a sudden by\nthe wind, and roaring tremendously; abounding with fishes capable of\nswallowing the whale and full of makaras; containing also creatures of\ndiverse forms counted by thousands; frightful from the presence of\nhorrible monsters, inaccessible, deep, and terrible, the mine of all kinds\nof gems, the home of Varuna (the water-god), the wonderful habitations of\nthe Nagas, the lord of rivers, the abode of the subterranean fire; the\nresidence of the Asuras and of many dreadful creatures; the reservoir of\nwater, not subject to decay, aromatic, and wonderful, the great source of\nthe amrita of the celestials; immeasurable and inconceivable, containing\nwaters that are holy, filled to the brim by many thousands of great rivers,\ndancing as it were in waves. Such was the Ocean, full of rolling waves,\nvast as the expanse of the sky, deep, of body lighted with the flames of\nsubterranean fire, and roaring, which the sisters quickly passed over.\"\n\nAnd so ends the twenty-second section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXIII\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSauti 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 moon\nbut having black hairs (in the tail). And observing many black hairs in\nthe 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 of\nfire, he shone terribly. Of lustre equal to that of the fire at the end of\nthe Yuga, his eyes were bright like the lightning-flash. And soon after\nbirth, that bird grew in size and increasing his body ascended the skies.\nFierce and vehemently roaring, he looked as terrible as second Ocean-fire.\nAnd all the deities seeing him, sought the protection of Vibhavasu (Agni).\nAnd they bowed down to that deity of manifold forms seated on his seat and\nspake unto him these words, 'O Agni, extend not thy body! Wilt thou\nconsume us? Lo, this huge heap of thy flames is spreading wide!' And Agni\nreplied, 'O, ye persecutors of the Asuras, it is not as ye imagine. This\nis Garuda of great strength and equal to me in splendour, endued with\ngreat energy, and born to promote the joy of Vinata. Even the sight of\nthis heap of effulgence hath caused this delusion in you. He is the mighty\nson of Kasyapa, the destroyer of the Nagas, engaged in the well-being of\nthe gods, and the foe of the Daityas and the Rakshasas. Be not afraid of\nit in the least. Come with me and see.' Thus he addressed the gods from a\ndistance.\n\n\"The gods said, 'Thou art a Rishi (i.e., one cognisant of all mantras),\nsharer of the largest portion in sacrifices, ever resplendent, the\ncontroller along with the Rishi wended their way towards Garuda and adored\nhim of birds, the presiding spirit of the animate and the inanimate\nuniverse. Thou art the destroyer of all, the creator of all; thou art the\nvery Hiranyagarbha; thou art the progenitor of creation in the form of\nDaksha and the other Prajapatis; thou art Indra (the king of the gods),\nthou art Hayagriva the steed necked incarnation of Vishnu; thou art the\narrow (Vishnu himself, as he became such in the hands of Mahadeva at the\nburning of Tripura); thou art the lord of the universe; thou art the mouth\nof Vishnu; thou art the four-faced Padmaja; thou art the Brahmana (i.e.,\nwise), thou art Agni, Pavana, etc. (i.e., the presiding deity of every\nobject in the universe). Thou art knowledge, thou art the illusion to\nwhich we are all subject; thou art the all-pervading spirit; thou art the\nlord of the gods; thou art the great Truth; thou art fearless; thou art\never unchanged; thou art Brahma without attributes; thou art the energy of\nthe Sun; thou art the intellectual functions; thou art our great protector;\nthou art the ocean of holiness; thou art purity; thou art bereft of the\nattributes of darkness; thou art the possessor of the six high attributes;\nthou art he who cannot be withstood in contest. From thee have emanated\nall things; thou art of excellent deeds; thou art all that hath not been\nand all that hath been. Thou art pure knowledge; thou displayest to us, as\nSurya does by his rays, this animate and inanimate universe; thou\ndarkenest the splendour of Surya at every moment, and thou art the\ndestroyer of all; thou art all that is perishable and all that is\nimperishable. O thou resplendent as Agni, thou burnest all even as Surya\nin his anger burneth all creatures. O terrible one, thou resistest even as\nthe fire that destroys everything at the time of the Universal Dissolution.\nO mighty Garuda who movest in the skies, we seek thy protection. O lord of\nbirds thy 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 withal,\nare flying along the heavens in different directions on their celestial\ncars. O thou best of birds, thou Lord of all, thou art the son of the\nmerciful and high-souled Rishi Kasyapa; therefore, be not wroth but have\nmercy on the universe. Thou art Supreme. O pacify thy anger and preserve\nus. At thy voice, loud as the roar of the thunder, the ten points, the\nskies, the heavens, the Earth and our hearts, O bird, thou art\ncontinuously shaking. O, diminish this thy body resembling Agni. At the\nsight of the splendour resembling that of Yama when in wrath, our hearts\nlose all equanimity and quake. O thou lord of birds, be propitious to us\nwho solicit thy mercy! O illustrious one, bestow on us good fortune and\njoy.'\n\n\"And 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\nSECTION XXIV\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSauti 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 the\nsight of my terrible form, I shall diminish my energy.'\"\n\nSauti 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 he\nplaced 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\nSaunaka said, \"When did the revered Surya resolve at the time to burn the\nworlds? What wrong was done to him by the gods that provoked his ire?\"\n\nSauti 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 by\nSurya and Soma, and from that time he conceived an enmity towards those\ndeities. And upon this Rahu sought to devour his afflictor (Surya), became\nwroth, and thought, 'Oh, this enmity of Rahu towards me hath sprung from\nmy desire of benefiting the gods. And this dire consequence I alone have\nto sustain. Indeed, at this pass help I obtain not. And before the very\neyes of the denizens of heaven I am going to be devoured and they brook it\nquietly. Therefore, for the destruction of the worlds must I strive.' And\nwith 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 gods,\nspake unto them, 'Lo, in the middle of the night springeth a great heat\nstriking terror into every heart, and destructive of the three worlds.'\nThen the gods, accompanied by the Rishis, wended to the Grandsire, and\nsaid unto him, 'O what is this great heat today that causeth such panic?\nSurya hath not yet risen, still the destruction (of the world) is obvious.\nO Lord, what will happen when he doth rise?' The Grandsire replied,\n'Indeed, Surya is prepared to rise today for the destruction of the world.\nAs soon as he will appear he will burn everything into a heap of ashes. By\nme, however, hath the remedy been provided beforehand. The intelligent son\nof Kasyapa is known to all by the name of Aruna. He is huge of body and of\ngreat splendour; he shall stay in front of Surya, doing the duty of his\ncharioteer and taking away all the energy of the former. And this will\nensure the welfare of the worlds, of the Rishis, and of the dwellers in\nheaven.'\"\n\nSauti 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, was\nappointed as his charioteer. Hear next of that other question asked by\nthee a little while ago.\"\n\nAnd so ends the twenty-fourth section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXV\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSauti 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 ocean,\nin a remote quarter, a delightful and fair region inhabited by the Nagas.\nBear me thither!' At this that mother of the bird of fair feathers bore\n(on her shoulders) the mother of the snakes. And Garuda also, directed by\nhis mother's words, carried (on his back) the snakes. And that ranger of\nthe skies born of Vinata began to ascend towards the Sun. And thereupon\nthe snakes, scorched by the rays of the Sun, swooned away. And Kadru\nseeing her sons in that state prayed to Indra, saying, 'I bow to thee,\nthou Lord of all the gods! I bow to thee, thou slayer of Vritra! I bow to\nthee, thou slayer of Namuchi! O thou of a thousand eyes, consort of Sachi!\nBy thy showers, be thou the protector of the snakes scorched by the Sun. O\nthou best of the deities, thou art our great protector. O Purandara, thou\nart able to grant rain in torrents. Thou art Vayu (the air), the clouds,\nfire, and the lightning of the skies. Thou art the propeller of the clouds,\nand hast been called the great cloud (i.e., that which will darken the\nuniverse at the end of Yuga). Thou art the fierce and incomparable thunder,\nand the roaring clouds. Thou art the Creator of the worlds and their\nDestroyer. Thou art unconquered. Thou art the light of all creatures,\nAditya, Vibhavasu, and the wonderful elements. Thou art the ruler of all\nthe gods. Thou art Vishnu. Thou hast a thousand eyes. Thou art a god, and\nthe final resource. Thou art, O deity, all amrita, and the most adored\nSoma. Thou art the moment, the lunar day, the bala (minute), thou art the\nkshana (4 minutes). Thou art the lighted fortnight, and also the dark\nfortnight. Thou art kala, thou kashtha, and thou Truti. Thou art the year,\nthe seasons, the months, the nights, and the days. Thou art the fair Earth\nwith her mountains and forests. Thou art also the firmament, resplendent\nwith the Sun. Thou art the great Ocean with heaving billows and abounding\nwith whales, swallowers of whales, and makaras, and various fishes. Thou\nart of great renown, always adored by the wise and by the great Rishis\nwith minds rapt in contemplation. Thou drinkest, for the good of all\ncreatures, the Soma juice in sacrifices and the clarified butter offered\nwith sacred invocation. Thou art always worshipped at sacrifices by\nBrahmanas moved by desire of fruit. O thou of incomparable mass of\nstrength, thou art sung in the Vedas and Vedangas. It is for that reason\nthat learned Brahmanas bent upon performing sacrifices, study the Vedas\nwith every care.'\"\n\nAnd so ends the twenty-fifth section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\nSECTION XXVI\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSauti 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 terribly-roaring\nclouds that were incessantly begetting vast quantities of water, looked as\nif the end of Yuga had come. And in consequence of the myriads of waves\ncaused in the falling torrents, the deep roar of the clouds, the flashes\nof lightning, the violence of the wind, and the general agitation, the sky\nlooked as if dancing in madness. The sky became overcast, and the rays of\nthe Sun and the Moon totally disappeared in consequence of that incessant\ndownpour.\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\nSECTION XXVII\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSauti 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 maddened\nwith the honey they sucked. And the sight of all this was exceedingly\ndelightful. And in consequence of many things there, capable of charming\neverybody, that forest was fair, delightful, and holy. And, echoing with\nthe notes of various birds, it delighted greatly the sons of Kadru.\n\n\"And the snakes, after arriving at that forest, began to enjoy themselves.\nAnd they commanded the lord of birds, viz., Garuda, of great energy,\nsaying, 'Convey us to some other fair island with pure water. Thou ranger\nof the skies, thou must have seen many fair regions while coursing\n(through the air).' Garuda, after reflecting for a few moments, asked his\nmother Vinata, saying, 'Why, mother, have I to do the bidding of the\nsnakes?' Vinata thus questioned by him spake unto that ranger of the skies,\nher son, invested with every virtue, of great energy, and great strength,\nas follows. Vinata said, 'O thou best of birds, I have become, from\nmisfortune, the slave of my co-wife. The snakes, by an act of deception,\ncaused me to lose my bet and have made me so.' When his mother had told\nhim the reason, that ranger of the skies, dejected with grief, addressed\nthe snakes, saying, 'Tell me, ye snakes, by bringing what thing, gaining a\nknowledge of what thing, or doing what act of prowess, we may be freed\nfrom this state of bondage to you.'\"\n\nSauti continued, \"The snakes, hearing him, said, 'Bring thou amrita by\nforce. Then O bird, shall you be freed from bondage.'\"\n\nAnd so ends the twenty-seventh section in the Astika Parva of the Adi\nParva.\n\n\nSECTION XXVIII\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSauti 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 way.\nDirect me to it.' Vinata replied, 'In a remote region in the midst of the\nocean, the Nishadas have their fair home. Having eaten the thousands of\nNishadas that live there, bring thou amrita. But let not thy heart be ever\nset on taking the life of a Brahmana. Of all creatures a Brahmana must not\nbe slain. He is, indeed, like fire. A Brahmana, when angry, becomes like\nfire or the Sun, like poison or an edged weapon. A Brahmana, it has been\nsaid, is the master of all creatures. For these and other reasons, a\nBrahmana is the adored of the virtuous. O child, he is never to be slain\nby thee even in anger. Hostility with Brahmanas, therefore, would not be\nproper under any circumstances. O sinless one, neither Agni nor Surya\ntruly can consume so much as does a Brahmana of rigid vows, when angry. By\nthese various indications must thou know a good Brahmana. Indeed, a\nbrahmana is the first-born of all creatures, the foremost of the four\norders, the father and the master of all.' Garuda then asked, 'O mother,\nof what form is a Brahmana, of what behaviour, and of what prowess? Doth\nhe shine like fire, or is he of tranquil mien? And, O mother, it behoveth\nthee to tell my inquiring self, those auspicious signs by which I may\nrecognise a Brahmana.' Vinata replied, saying, 'O child, him shouldst\nthou know as the best amongst Brahmanas who having entered thy throat\nwould torture thee as a fish-hook or burn thee as blazing charcoal. A\nBrahmana must never be slain by thee even in anger.' And Vinata out of\naffection for her son, again told him these words, 'Him shouldst thou know\nas a good Brahmana who would not be digested in thy stomach.' Although she\nknew the incomparable strength of her son, yet she blessed him heartily,\nfor, deceived by the snakes, she was very much afflicted by woe. And she\nsaid. 'Let Marut (the god of the winds) protect thy wings, and Surya and\nSoma thy vertebral regions; let Agni protect thy head, and the Vasus thy\nwhole body. I also, O child (engaged in beneficial ceremonies), shall sit\nhere for your welfare. Go then, O child, in safety to accomplish thy\npurpose.'\"\n\nSauti continued, \"Then Garuda, having heard the words of his mother,\nstretched his wings and ascended the skies. And endued with great strength,\nhe soon fell upon the Nishadas, hungry and like another Yama. And bent\nupon slaying the Nishadas, he raised a great quantity of dust that\noverspread the firmament, and sucking up water from amid the ocean, shook\nthe trees growing on the adjacent mountains. And then that lord of birds\nobstructed the principal thoroughfares of the town of the Nishadas by his\nmouth, increasing its orifice at will. And the Nishadas began to fly in\ngreat haste in the direction of the open mouth of the great serpent-eater.\nAnd as birds in great affliction ascend by thousand into the skies when\nthe trees in a forest are shaken by the winds, so those Nishadas blinded\nby the dust raised by the storm entered the wide-extending cleft of\nGaruda's mouth open to receive them. And then the hungry lord of all\nrangers of the skies, that oppressor of enemies, endued with great\nstrength, and moving with greatest celerity to achieve his end, closed his\nmouth, killing innumerable Nishadas following the occupation of\nfishermen.\"\n\nSo ends the twenty-eighth section in the Astika Parva of Adi Parva.\n\n\nSECTION XXIX\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSauti continued, \"A certain Brahmana with his wife had entered the throat\nof that ranger of the skies. The former began to burn the bird's throat\nlike a piece of flaming charcoal. Him Garuda addressed, saying, 'O best of\nBrahmanas, come out soon from my mouth which I open for thee. A Brahmana\nmust never be slain by me, although he may be always engaged in sinful\npractices.' Unto Garuda who had thus addressed him that Brahmana said, 'O,\nlet this woman of the Nishada caste, who is my wife, also come out with\nme.' And Garuda said, 'Taking the woman also of the Nishada caste with\nthee, come out soon. Save thyself without delay since thou hast not yet\nbeen digested by the heat of my stomach.'\"\n\nSauti continued, \"And then that Brahmana, accompanied by his wife of the\nNishada caste, came out, and praising Garuda wended whatever way he liked.\nAnd when that Brahmana had come out with his wife, that lord of birds,\nfleet as the mind, stretching his wings ascended the skies. He then saw\nhis father, and, hailed by him, Garuda, of incomparable prowess made\nproper answers. And the great Rishi (Kasyapa) then asked him, 'O child, is\nit well with thee? Dost thou get sufficient food every day? Is there food\nin 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 bondage.\nMy mother command me, saying, \"Eat thou the Nishadas.\" I have eaten them\nby thousands, but my hunger is not appeased. Therefore, O worshipful one,\npoint out to me some other food, by eating which, O master, I may be\nstrong enough to bring away amrita by force. Thou shouldst indicate some\nfood 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 why\nthey 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 brother\nVibhavasu told Supritika, \"It is from great foolishness that persons\nblinded by love of wealth always desire to make a partition of their\npatrimony. After effecting a partition they fight with each other, deluded\nby wealth. Then again, enemies in the guise of friends cause estrangements\nbetween ignorant and selfish men after they become separated in wealth,\nand pointing out faults confirm their quarrels, so that the latter soon\nfall one by one. Absolute ruin very soon overtakes the separated. For\nthese reasons the wise never speak approvingly of partition amongst\nbrothers who, when divided, do not regard the most authoritative Sastras\nand live always in fear of each other. But as thou, Supritika, without\nregarding my advice impelled by desire of separation, always wishest to\nmake an arrangement about your property, thou shall become an elephant.\"\nSupritika, thus cursed, then spake unto Vibhavasu, \"Thou also shall become\na 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 animals.\nAnd they are engaged in hostilities with each other, proud of their\nexcessive strength and the weight of their bodies. And in this lake those\ntwo beings of huge bodies are engaged in acts according to their former\nhostility. Look here, one amongst them, the handsome elephant of huge body,\nis even now approaching. Hearing his roar, the tortoise also of huge body,\nliving within the waters, cometh out, agitating the lake violently. And\nseeing him the elephant, curling his trunk, rusheth into the water. And\nendued with great energy, with motion of his tusks and fore-part of his\ntrunk and tail and feet, he agitates the water of the lake abounding with\nfishes. And the tortoise also of great strength, with upraised head,\ncometh forward for an encounter. And the elephant is six yojanas in height\nand twice that measure in circumference. And the height of the tortoise\nalso is three yojanas and his circumference ten. Eat thou up both of them\nthat are madly engaged in the encounter and bent upon slaying each other,\nand then accomplish the task that thou desirest. Eating that fierce\nelephant which looketh like a huge mountain and resembleth a mass of dark\nclouds, bring thou amrita.'\"\n\nSauti 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 objects,\nbless thee, thou oviparous one. And, O thou of great strength, when thou\nart engaged with the gods in combat, let the Riks, the Yajus, the Samas,\nthe sacred sacrificial butter, all the mysteries (Upanishads), constitute\nthy strength.'\n\n\"Garuda, thus addressed by his father, wended to the side of that lake. He\nsaw that expanse of clear water with birds of various kinds all around.\nAnd 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 fruits\nof gold and silver and branches of precious gems. And they were washed\nwith the water of the sea. And there was a large banian among them, which\nhad grown into gigantic proportions, that spoke unto that lord of bird\ncoursing towards it with the fleetness of the mind, 'Sit thou on this\nlarge branch of mine extending a hundred yojanas and eat the elephant and\nthe tortoise.' When that best of birds, of great swiftness and of body\nresembling a mountain, quickly alighted upon a bough of that banian tree,\nthe resort of thousands of winged creatures--that bough also full of\nleaves shook and broke down.\"\n\nSo ends the twenty-ninth section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\nSECTION XXX\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSauti 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 and\nthe tortoise still more firmly with his claws. And from fear of slaying\nthe Rishis and desire of saving them, held that bough in his beaks, and\nrose on his wings. The great Rishis were struck with wonder at the sight\nof that act of his which was beyond even the power of the gods, and gave\nthat mighty bird a name. And they said, 'As this ranger of the skies rises\non its wings bearing a heavy burden, let this foremost of birds having\nsnakes for his food be called Garuda (bearer of heavy weight).'\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 that\nforemost of mountains called Gandhamadana. There he saw his father Kasyapa\nengaged in ascetic devotions. Kasyapa also saw his son, that ranger of the\nskies, of divine form, possessed of great splendour, and energy and\nstrength, and endued with the speed of the wind or the mind, huge as a\nmountain peak, a ready smiter like the curse of a Brahmana, inconceivable,\nindescribable, frightful to all creatures, possessed of great prowess,\nterrible, of the splendour of Agni himself, and incapable of being\novercome by the deities, Danavas, and invincible Rakshasas, capable of\nsplitting mountain summits and sucking the ocean itself and destroying the\nthree worlds, fierce, and looking like Yama himself. The illustrious\nKasyapa, seeing him approach and knowing also his motive, spoke unto him\nthese 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\nSauti continued, \"Kasyapa then propitiated, for the sake of his son, the\nValakhilyas of exceeding good fortune and whose sins had been destroyed by\nascetic penances. And Kasyapa said, 'Ye whose wealth is asceticism, the\nessay of Garuda is for the good of all creatures. The task is great that\nhe is striving to accomplish. It behoveth you to accord him your\npermission.'\"\n\nSauti 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 of\nthe 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 flew\naway could not be girt round with a cord made of a hundred (cow) hides.\nGaruda, the lord of birds, then flew away for hundreds of thousand of\nyojanas within the shortest time. And going according to the directions\nof his father to that mountain almost in a moment, that ranger of the\nskies let fall the gigantic bough. And it fell with a great noise. And\nthat Prince of mountains shook, struck with the storm raised by Garuda's\nwings. And the trees thereon dropped showers of flowers. And the peaks\ndecked with gems and gold adorning that great mountain itself, were\nloosened and fell 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 mountain,\nate both the elephant and the tortoise, rose on his wings with great speed\nfrom the top of the mountain.\n\n\"And various omens began to appear among the gods foreboding fear. Indra's\nfavourite thunderbolt blazed up in a fright. Meteors with flames and smoke,\nloosened from the welkin, shot down during the day. And the weapons of the\nVasus, the Rudras, the Adityas, the Sabhyas, the Maruts, and other gods,\nbegan to spend their force against one another. Such a thing had never\nhappened even during the war between the gods and the Asuras. And the\nwinds blew accompanied with thunder, and meteors fell by thousands. And\nthe sky, though cloudless, roared tremendously. And even he who was the\ngod of gods shed showers of blood. And the flowery garlands on the necks\nof the gods faded and their prowess suffered diminution. And terrible\nmasses of clouds dropped thick showers of blood. And the dust raised by\nthe winds darkened the splendour of the very coronets of the gods. And He\nof a thousand sacrifices (Indra), with the other gods, perplexed with fear\nat the sight of those dark forebodings spoke unto Vrihaspati thus, 'Why, O\nworshipful one, have these natural disturbances suddenly arisen? No foe do\nI behold who would oppress us in war.' Vrihaspati answered, 'O chief of\nthe gods, O thou of a thousand sacrifices, it is from thy fault and\ncarelessness, and owing also to the ascetic penance of the high-souled\ngreat Rishis, the Valakhilyas, that the son of Kasyapa and Vinata, a\nranger of the skies endued with great strength and possessing the capacity\nof assuming at will any form, is approaching to take away the Soma. And\nthat bird, foremost among all endued with great strength, is able to rob\nyou of the Soma. Everything is possible with him; the unachievable he can\nachieve.'\"\n\nSauti 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 told\nme that his strength is immeasurable.' And the gods hearing of it were\namazed and took precautions. And they stood surrounding the amrita and\nIndra also of great prowess, the wielder of the thunder, stood with them.\nAnd the gods wore curious breastplates of gold, of great value, and set\nwith gems, and bright leathern armour of great toughness. And the mighty\ndeities wielded various sharp-edged weapons of terrible shapes, countless\nin number, emitting, even all of them, sparks of fire with smoke. And they\nwere also armed with many a discus and iron mace furnished with spikes,\nand trident, battle-axe, and various kinds of sharp-pointed missiles and\npolished swords and maces of terrible form, all befitting their respective\nbodies. And decked with celestial ornaments and resplendent with those\nbright arms, the gods waited there, their fears allayed. And the gods, of\nincomparable strength, energy, and splendour, resolved to protect the\namrita. Capable of splitting the towns of the Asuras, all displayed\nthemselves in forms resplendent as the fire. And in consequence of the\ngods standing there, that (would be) battle-field, owing to hundreds of\nthousands of maces furnished with iron spikes, shone like another\nfirmament illumined by the rays of the Sun.\"\n\nSo ends the thirtieth section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\nSECTION XXXI\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSaunaka 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 for\na son? Why, too, was he invincible of all creatures and unslayable of all?\nWhy also was that ranger of the skies capable of going into every place at\nwill and of mustering at will any measure of energy? If these are\ndescribed in the Purana, I should like to hear them.\"\n\nSauti said, \"What thou askest me is, indeed, the subject of the Purana. O\ntwice-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 bring\nthe sacrificial fuel; and with him those ascetics the Valakhilyas, and all\nthe other deities. And the lord Indra, taking up according to his own\nstrength, a weight that was mountain-like, brought it without any fatigue.\nAnd he saw on the way some Rishis, of bodies of the measure of the thumb,\nall together carrying one single stalk of a Palasa (Butea frondosa) leaf.\nAnd those Rishis were, from want of food, very lean and almost merged in\ntheir own bodies. And they were so weak that they were much afflicted when\nsunk in the water that collected in an indentation on the road produced by\nthe hoof of a cow. And Purandara, proud of his strength, beheld them with\nsurprise, and laughing at them in derision soon left them behind insulting\nthem, besides, by passing over their heads. And those Rishis being thus\ninsulted were filled with rage and sorrow. And they made preparations for\na great sacrifice at which Indra was terrified. Hear, O Saunaka, of the\nwish for accomplishment of which those vow-observing wise, and excellent\nascetics poured clarified butter on the sacrificial fire with loudly\nuttered mantras, 'There shall be another Indra of all gods, capable of\ngoing everywhere at will, and of mustering at will any measure of energy,\nand striking fear into the (present) king of the gods. By the fruit of our\nascetic penance, let one arise, fleet as the mind, and fierce withal.' And\nthe lord of the celestials of a hundred sacrifices, having come to know of\nthis, became very much alarmed and sought the protection of the vow-\nobserving Kasyapa. And the Prajapati Kasyapa, hearing everything from\nIndra, went to the Valakhilyas and asked them if their sacrifice had been\nsuccessful. And those truth-speaking Rishis replied to him, saying, 'Let\nit be as thou sayest!' And the Prajapati Kasyapa pacifying them, spake\nunto them as follows, 'By the word of Brahman, this one (Indra) hath been\nmade the Lord of the three worlds. Ye ascetics, ye also are striving to\ncreate another Indra! Ye excellent ones, it behoveth you not to falsify\nthe word of Brahman. Let not also this purpose, for (accomplishing) which\nye are striving, be rendered futile. Let there spring an Indra (Lord) of\nwinged creatures, endued with excess of strength! Be gracious unto Indra\nwho is a suppliant before you.' And the Valakhilyas, thus addressed by\nKasyapa, after offering reverence to that first of the Munis, viz., the\nPrajapati Kasyapa, 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\nSauti 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 great\ncare. These two will be the lords of all winged creatures. These heroic\nrangers of the skies will be respected in all the worlds, and capable of\nassuming 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. From\nthem no injury shall result unto thee. Let thy sorrow cease; thou shalt\ncontinue as the lord of all. Let not, however, the utterers of the name of\nBrahma be ever again slighted by thee. Nor let the very wrathful ones,\nwhose words are even the thunderbolt, be ever again insulted by thee.'\nIndra, thus addressed, went to heaven, his fears dispelled. And Vinata\nalso, her purpose fulfilled, was exceedingly glad. And she gave birth to\ntwo sons, Aruna and Garuda. And Aruna, of undeveloped body, became the\nfore-runner of the Sun. And Garuda was vested with the lordship over the\nbirds. O thou of Bhrigu's race, hearken now to the mighty achievement of\nGaruda.\"\n\nSo ends the thirty-first section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\nSECTION XXXII\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSauti said, \"O foremost of Brahmanas, the gods having prepared for battle\nin that way, Garuda, the king of birds, soon came upon those wise ones.\nAnd the gods beholding him of excessive strength began to quake with fear,\nand strike one another with all their weapons. And amongst those that\nguarded the Soma was Brahmana (the celestial architect), of measureless\nmight, effulgent as the electric fire and of great energy. And after a\nterrific encounter lasting only a moment, managed by the lord of birds\nwith his talons, beak, and wings, he lay as dead on the fields. And the\nranger of the skies making the worlds dark with the dust raised by the\nhurricane of his wings, overwhelmed the celestials with it. And the latter,\noverwhelmed with that dust, swooned away. And the immortals who guarded\nthe amrita, blinded by that dust, could no longer see Garuda. Even thus\ndid Garuda agitate the region of the heavens. And even thus he mangled the\ngods with the wounds inflicted by his wings and beak.\n\n\"Then the god of a thousand eyes commanded Vayu (the god of wind), saying,\n'Dispel thou this shower of dust soon. O Maruta, this is indeed, thy task.'\nThen the mighty Vayu soon drove away that dust. And when the darkness had\ndisappeared, the celestials attacked Garuda. And as he of great might was\nattacked by the gods, he began to roar aloud, like the great cloud that\nappeareth in the sky at the end of the Yuga, frightening every creature.\nAnd that king of birds, of great energy, that slayer of hostile heroes,\nthen rose on his wings. All the wise ones (the celestials) with Indra\namongst them armed with double-edged broad swords, iron maces furnished\nwith sharp spikes, pointed lances, maces, bright arrows, and many a discus\nof the form of the sun, saw him over head. And the king of birds, attacked\nthem on all sides with showers of various weapons and fought exceedingly\nhard without wavering for a moment. And the son of Vinata, of great\nprowess blazing in the sky, attacked the gods on all sides with his wings\nand breast. And blood began to flow copiously from the bodies of the gods\nmangled by the talons and the beak of Garuda. Overcome by the lord of\nbirds, the Sadhyas with the Gandharvas fled eastwards, the Vasus with the\nRudras towards the south, the Adityas towards the west, and the twin\nAswins towards the north. Gifted with great energy, they retreated\nfighting, looking back every moment on their enemy.\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, and\nbeak, 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 was.\nAnd he saw that it was surrounded on all sides by fire. And the terrible\nflames of that fire covered the entire sky. And moved by violent winds,\nthey seemed bent on burning the Sun himself. The illustrious Garuda then\nassumed ninety times ninety mouths and quickly drinking the waters of many\nrivers with those mouths and returning with great speed, that chastiser of\nenemies, having wings for his vehicle extinguished that fire with that\nwater. And extinguishing that fire, he assumed a very small form, desirous\nof 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\nSECTION XXXIII\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSanti 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 moment.\nDiminishing his body, in an instant he passed through the spokes of that\nwheel. Within the line of the wheel, he beheld, stationed there for\nguarding the Soma two great snakes of the effulgence of blazing fire, with\ntongues bright as the lightning-flash, of great energy, with mouth\nemitting fire, with blazing eyes, containing poison, very terrible, always\nin anger, and of great activity. Their eyes were ceaselessly inflamed with\nrage and were also winkless. He who may be seen by even one of the two\nwould instantly be reduced to ashes. The bird of fair feathers suddenly\ncovered their eyes with dust. And unseen by them he attacked them from all\nsides. And the son of Vinata, that ranger of the skies, attacking their\nbodies, mangled them into pieces. He then approached the Soma without loss\nof time. Then the mighty son of Vinata, taking up the Amrita from the\nplace where it was kept, rose on his wings with great speed, breaking into\npieces the machine that had surrounded it. And the bird soon came out,\ntaking the Amrita but without drinking it himself. And he then wended on\nhis way without the least fatigue, darkening the splendour 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.' Garuda,\nreceiving those two boons, told Vishnu, 'I also shall grant thee a boon;\ntherefore, let the possessor of the six attributes ask of me.' Vishnu then\nasked the mighty Garuda to become his carrier. And he made the bird sit on\nthe flagstaff of his car, saying, 'Even thus thou shalt stay above me.'\nAnd the ranger of the skies, of great speed, saying unto Narayana, 'Be it\nso,' swiftly wended on his way, mocking the wind with his fleetness.\n\n\"And while that foremost of all rangers of the skies, that first of winged\ncreatures, Garuda, was coursing through the air after wresting the Amrita,\nIndra hurled at him his thunderbolt. Then Garuda, the lord of birds,\nstruck with thunderbolt, spake laughingly unto Indra engaged in the\nencounter, in sweet words, saying, 'I shall respect the Rishi (Dadhichi)\nof whose bone the Vajra hath been made. I shall also respect the Vajra,\nand thee also of a thousand sacrifices. I cast this feather of mine whose\nend thou shalt not attain. Struck with thy thunder I have not felt the\nslightest pain.' And having said this, the king of birds cast a feather of\nhis. And all creatures became exceedingly glad, beholding that excellent\nfeather of Garuda so cast off. And seeing that the feather was very\nbeautiful, 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 great\nstrength. I also desire eternal friendship with thee.'\"\n\nSo ends the thirty-third section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\nSECTION XXXIV\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSauti continued, \"Garuda then said, 'O Purandara, let there be friendship\nbetween thee and me as thou desirest. My strength, know thou, is hard to\nbear. O thou of a thousand sacrifices, the good never approve of speaking\nhighly of their own strength, nor do they speak of their own merits. But\nbeing made a friend, and asked by thee, O friend, I will answer thee,\nalthough self-praise without reason is ever improper. I can bear, on a\nsingle feather of mine, O Sakra, this Earth, with her mountains and\nforests and with the waters of the ocean, and with thee also stationed\nthereon. Know thou, my strength is such that I can bear without fatigue\neven all the worlds put together, with their mobile and immobile objects.'\"\n\nSauti 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\nSauti 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, 'Although\nI have power over all creatures, yet I shall do your bidding. Let, O Sakra,\nthe mighty snakes become my food.' The slayer of the Danavas having said\nunto him, 'Be it so,' then went to Hari, the god of gods, of great soul,\nand the lord of Yogins. And the latter sanctioned everything that had been\nsaid by Garuda. And the illustrious lord of heaven again said unto Garuda,\n'I shall bring away the Soma when thou placest it down.' And having said\nso, he bade farewell to Garuda. And the bird of fair feathers then went to\nthe presence of his mother with great speed.\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 here,\ndrink of it after ye have performed your ablutions and religious rites. As\nsaid by you, let my mother become, from this day, free, for I have\naccomplished your bidding.' The snakes having said unto Garuda, 'Be it\nso,' then went to perform their ablutions. Meanwhile, Sakra taking up the\nAmrita, wended back to heaven. The snakes after performing their ablutions,\ntheir daily devotions, and other sacred rites, returned in joy, desirous\nof drinking the Amrita. They saw that the bed of kusa grass whereon the\nAmrita had been placed was empty, the Amrita itself having been taken away\nby a counter-act of deception. And they began to lick with their tongues\nthe kusa grass, as the Amrita had been placed thereon. And the tongues of\nthe snakes by that act became divided in twain. And the kusa grass, too,\nfrom the contact with Amrita, became sacred thenceforth. Thus did the\nillustrious Garuda bring Amrita (from the heavens) for the snakes, and\nthus were the tongues of snakes divided by what 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 of\ngood Brahmanas, must surely go to heaven, acquiring great merit from the\nrecitation of (the feats of) Garuda.\"\n\nAnd so ends the thirty-fourth section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\n\nSECTION XXXV\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSaunaka said, \"O son of Suta, thou hast told us the reason why the snakes\nwere cursed by their mother, and why Vinata also was cursed by her son.\nThou hast also told us about the bestowal of boons, by their husband, on\nKadru and Vinata. Thou hast likewise told us the names of Vinata's sons.\nBut thou hast not yet recited to us the names of the snakes. We are\nanxious to hear the names of the principal ones.\"\n\nSauti said, \"O thou whose wealth is asceticism, from fear of being lengthy,\nI shall not mention the names of all the snakes. But I will recite the\nnames 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, Samvartaka,\nPadma, Mahapadma, Sankhamukha, Kushmandaka, Kshemaka, Pindaraka, Karavira,\nPushpadanshtraka, Vilwaka, Vilwapandara, Mushikada, Sankhasiras,\nPurnabhadra, Haridraka, Aparajita, Jyotika, Srivaha, Kauravya,\nDhritarashtra, Sankhapinda, Virajas, Suvahu, Salipinda, Prabhakara,\nHastipinda, Pitharaka, Sumuksha, Kaunapashana, Kuthara, Kunjara, Kumuda,\nKumudaksha, Tittri, Halika, Kardama, Vahumulaka, Karkara, Akarkara,\nKundodara, 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 to\nthee. 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\nSECTION XXXVI\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSaunaka 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\nSauti said, \"The illustrious Sesha amongst them, of great renown, leaving\nhis mother practised hard penances, living upon air and rigidly observing\nhis vows. He practised these ascetic devotions, repairing to Gandhamadana,\nVadri, Gokarna, the woods of Pushkara, and the foot of Himavat. And he\npassed his days in those sacred regions, some of which were sacred for\ntheir water and others for their soil in the rigid observance of his vows,\nwith singleness of aim, and his passions under complete control. And the\nGrandsire of all, Brahma, saw that ascetic with knotted hair, clad in rags,\nand his flesh, skin, and sinews dried up owing to the hard penances he was\npractising. And the Grandsire addressing him, that penance-practising one\nof great fortitude, said, 'What is that thou doest, O Sesha? Let the\nwelfare of the creatures of the worlds also engage thy thoughts. O sinless\none, thou art afflicting all creatures by thy hard penances. O Sesha, tell\nme the desire implanted in 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 father,\nthe high-souled Kasyapa. For these, I engaged in ascetic penances, and I\nwill cast off this body of mine, so that I may avoid companionship with\nthem, 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 self-\ndenial and love of peace. But, at my command, let this act be done by thee\nfor the good of my creatures. Bear thou, O Sesha, properly and well this\nEarth so unsteady with her mountains and forests, her seas and towns and\nretreats, 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\nSauti 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\nSauti 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\nSECTION XXXVII\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSauti 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 to\nyou. It behoveth us to strive to neutralise it. Remedies certainly exist\nfor all curses, but no remedy can avail those cursed by their mother.\nHearing that this curse hath been uttered in the presence of the Immutable,\nthe Infinite, and the True one, my heart trembleth. Surely, our\nannihilation 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 who\nhad concealed himself within a cave, so that Janamejaya's sacrifice for\nthe destruction of the snakes may not take place, and so that we may not\nmeet with destruction.'\"\n\nSauti 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 his\nsacrifice. We will say, \"It must not be!\" And pointing to many serious\nevils in this and the next worlds, we will take care that the sacrifice\nmay not take place. Or, let one of the snakes, approaching, bite the\nperson who, intending the monarch's good, and well-acquainted with the\nrites of the snake-sacrifice, may be appointed as the sacrificial priest,\nso that he will die. The sacrificial priest dying, the sacrifice will not\nbe completed. We will also bite all those who, acquainted with the rites\nof the snake-sacrifice, may be appointed Ritwiks of the sacrifice, and by\nthat means attain our object.' Other snakes, more virtuous and kind, said,\n'O, this counsel of yours is evil. It is not meet to kill Brahmanas. In\ndanger, that remedy is proper, which is blessed on the practices of the\nrighteous. Unrighteousness finally destroyeth the world.' Other serpents\nsaid, 'We will extinguish the blazing sacrificial fire by ourselves\nbecoming clouds luminous with lightning and pouring down showers.' Other\nsnakes, the best of their kind, proposed, 'Going, by night, let us steal\naway the vessel of Soma juice. That will disturb the rite. Or, at that\nsacrifice, let the snakes, by hundreds and thousands, bite the people, and\nspread terror around. Or, let the serpents defile the pure food with their\nfood-defiling urine and dung.' Others said, 'Let us become the king's\nRitwiks, and obstruct his sacrifice by saying at the outset, \"Give us the\nsacrificial fee.\" He (the king), being placed in our power, will do\nwhatever we like.' Others there said, 'When the king will sport in the\nwaters, we will carry him to our home and bind him, so that that sacrifice\nwill not take place!' Other serpents who deemed themselves wise, said,\n'Approaching the king, let us bite him, so that our object will be\naccomplished. By his death the root of all evil will be torn up. This is\nthe final deliberation of us all, O thou who hearest with thy eyes! Then,\ndo speedily what thou deemest proper.' Having said this, they looked\nintently at Vasuki, that best of snakes. And Vasuki also, after reflecting,\nanswered saying, 'Ye snakes, this final determination of you doth not seem\nworthy of adoption. The advice of you all is not to my liking. What shall\nI say which would be for your good? I think the grace of the illustrious\nKasyapa (our father) can alone do us good. Ye snakes, my heart doth not\nknow which of all your suggestions is to be adopted for the welfare of my\nrace as also of me. That must be done by me which would be to your weal.\nIt is this that makes me so anxious, for the credit or the discredit (of\nthe measure) is mine alone.'\"\n\nSo ends the thirty-seventh section in the Astika Parva of the Adi Parva.\n\n\nSECTION XXXVIII\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSauti 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, thou\ngod of gods who else than the cruel Kadru could thus, after getting such\ndear children, curse them so, even in thy presence? And, O Grandsire, by\nthee also hath been spoken, with reference to those words of hers, 'Be it\nso.' We wish to know the reason why thou didst not prevent her.\" Brahman\nreplied, \"The snakes have multiplied. They are cruel, terrible in form and\nhighly poisonous. From desire of the good of my creatures, I did not\nprevent Kadru then. Those poisonous serpents and others who are sinful,\nbiting others for no faults, shall, indeed, be destroyed, but not they who\nare harmless and virtuous. And hear also, how, when the hour comes, the\nsnakes may escape this dreadful calamity. There shall be born in the race\nof the Yayavaras a great Rishi known by the name of Jaratkaru, intelligent,\nwith passions under complete control. That Jaratkaru shall have a son of\nthe name of Astika. He shall put a stop to that sacrifice. And those\nsnakes who shall be virtuous shall escape therefrom.\" The gods said, \"O\nthou truth-knowing one, on whom will Jaratkaru, that foremost Muni, gifted\nwith great energy and asceticism, beget that illustrious son?\" Brahman\nanswered, \"Gifted with great energy, that best Brahmana shall beget a son\npossessed of great energy on a wife of the same name as his. Vasuki, the\nking of the snakes, hath a sister of the name of Jaratkaru; the son, of\nwhom I speak, shall be born of her, and 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\nSECTION XXXIX\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSauti said, \"O best of regenerate ones, hearing these words of Elapatra,\nall the serpents, in great delight, exclaimed, 'Well said, well said!' And\nfrom that time Vasuki set about carefully bringing up that maiden, viz.,\nhis 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 foremost\nof all gifted with strength, became the churning-cord. And directly the\nwork was over, the king of the snakes presented himself before the\nGrandsire. And the gods, accompanied by Vasuki, addressed the Grandsire,\nsaying, 'O lord, Vasuki is suffering great affliction from fear of (his\nmother's curse). It behoveth thee to root out the sorrow, begotten of the\ncurse of his mother, that hath pierced the heart of Vasuki desirous of the\nweal of his race. The king of the snakes is ever our friend and benefactor.\nO Lord of the gods, be gracious unto him and assuage 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 communicated\nto him before by Elapatra. The time hath arrived. Those only shall be\ndestroyed that are wicked, not those that are virtuous. Jaratkaru hath\nbeen born, and that Brahmana is engaged in hard ascetic penances. Let\nVasuki, at the proper time, bestow on him his sister. Ye gods, what hath\nbeen spoken by the snake Elapatra for the weal of the snakes is true and\nnot otherwise.'\"\n\nSauti continued, \"Then the king of the snakes, Vasuki, afflicted with the\ncurse of his mother, hearing these words of the Grandsire, and intending\nto bestow his sister on the Rishi Jaratkaru, commanded all the serpents,\nlarge numbers of whom were ever attentive to their duties, to watch the\nRishi Jaratkaru, saying, 'When the lord Jaratkaru will ask for a wife,\ncome immediately and inform me of it. The weal of our race depends upon\nit.'\"\n\n\nSECTION XL\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSaunaka 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\nSauti 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 Ugrasravas\nsaid, \"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\nSauti 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 seek\nfor a wife. That high-souled Rishi, engaged in studies and deeply devoted\nto asceticism, his vital seed under full control, fearlessly wandered over\nthe 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 great-\ngrandfather Pandu of old, he was of mighty arms, the first of all bearers\nof bows in battle, and fond of hunting. And the monarch wandered about,\nhunting deer, and wild boars, and wolves, and buffaloes and various other\nkinds of wild animals. One day, having pierced a deer with a sharp arrow\nand slung his bow on his back, he penetrated into the deep forest,\nsearching for the animal here and there, like the illustrious Rudra\nhimself of old pursuing in the heavens, bow in hand, the deer which was\nSacrifice, itself turned into that shape, after the piercing. No deer that\nwas pierced by Parikshit had ever escaped in the wood with life. This deer,\nhowever wounded as before, fled with speed, as the (proximate) cause of\nthe king's attainment to heaven. And the deer that Parikshit--that king of\nmen--had pierced was lost to his gaze and drew the monarch far away into\nthe forest. And fatigued and thirsty, he came across a Muni, in the forest,\nseated in a cow-pen and drinking to his fill the froth oozing out of the\nmouths of calves sucking the milk of their dams. And approaching him\nhastily, the monarch, hungry and fatigued, and raising his bow, asked that\nMuni of rigid vows, saying, 'O Brahmana, I am king Parikshit, the son of\nAbhimanyu. A deer pierced by me hath been lost. Hast thou seen it?' But\nthat Muni observing then the vow of silence, spoke not unto him a word.\nAnd the king in anger thereupon placed upon his shoulder a dead snake,\ntaking it up with the end of his bow. The Muni suffered him to do it\nwithout protest. And he spoke not a word, good or bad. And the king seeing\nhim in that state, cast off his anger and became sorry. And he returned to\nhis capital but the Rishi continued in the same state. The forgiving Muni,\nknowing that the monarch who was a tiger amongst kings was true to the\nduties of his order, cursed him not, though insulted. That tiger amongst\nmonarchs, that foremost one of Bharata's race, also did not know that the\nperson whom he had so insulted was a virtuous Rishi. It was for this that\nhe had so insulted him.\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 and\nrespect his preceptor seated with ease on his seat and ever engaged in the\ngood 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 mood\nlaughingly spoke unto him. And Sringin, wrathful and like unto poison\nitself, hearing these words in reference to his father, blazed up in 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 dead\nsnake? O best of all the Munis, thy father too had done nothing to deserve\nthis treatment, and it is for this that I am particularly sorry as if the\npunishment were mine.'\"\n\n\nSECTION XLI\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSauti said, \"Being thus addressed, and hearing that his sire was bearing\na dead snake, the powerful Sringin burned with wrath. And looking at Krisa,\nand speaking softly, he asked him, 'Pray, why doth my father bear today a\ndead snake?' And Krisa replied, 'Even as king Parikshit was roving, for\npurpose of hunting, O dear one, he placed the dead snake on the shoulder\nof 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 hunting,\nhad wounded a fleet stag with an arrow and chased it alone. And the king\nlost sight of the animal in that extensive wilderness. Seeing then thy\nsire, he immediately accosted him. Thy sire was then observing the vow of\nsilence. Oppressed by hunger, thirst and labour, the prince again and\nagain asked thy sire sitting motionless, about the missing deer. The sage,\nbeing under the vow of silence, returned no reply. The king thereupon\nplaced the snake on thy sire's shoulder with the end of his bow. O Sringin,\nthy sire engaged in devotion is in the same posture still. And the king\nalso hath gone to his capital which is named after the elephant!'\"\n\nSauti continued, \"Having heard of a dead snake placed upon his (father's)\nshoulders, the son of the Rishi, his eyes reddened with anger, blazed up\nwith rage. And possessed by anger, the puissant Rishi then cursed the king,\ntouching water and overcome with wrath.\n\n\"And Sringin said, 'That sinful wretch of a monarch who hath placed a dead\nsnake 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\nSauti 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 that\nworst of Kurus hath richly deserved my potent curse. Seven days hence,\nTakshaka, the lord of snakes, shall take the sinful king to the horrible\nabode of Death.' And the father said to the enraged son, 'Child, I am not\npleased with thee. Ascetics should not act thus. We live in the domains of\nthat great king. We are protected by him righteously. In all he does, the\nreigning king should by the like of us be forgiven. If thou destroy Dharma,\nverily Dharma will destroy thee. If the king do not properly protect us,\nwe fare very ill; we cannot perform our religious rites according to our\ndesire. But protected by righteous sovereigns, we attain immense merit,\nand they are entitled to a share thereof. Therefore, reigning royalty is\nby all means to be forgiven. And Parikshit like unto his great-grandsire,\nprotecteth us as a king should protect his subjects. That penance-\npractising monarch was fatigued and oppressed with hunger. Ignorant of my\nvow (of silence) he did this. A kingless country always suffereth from\nevils. The king punisheth offenders, and fear of punishments to peace;\nand people do their duties and perform their rites undisturbed. The king\nestablisheth religion--establisheth the kingdom of heaven. The king\nprotecteth sacrifices from disturbance, and sacrifices to please the gods.\nThe gods cause rain, and rain produceth grains and herbs, which are always\nuseful to man. Manu sayeth, a ruler of the destinies of men is equal (in\ndignity) to ten Veda-studying priests. Fatigued and oppressed with hunger,\nthat penance-practising prince hath done this through ignorance of my vow.\nWhy then hast thou rashly done this unrighteous action through\nchildishness? O son, in no way doth the king deserve a curse from us.'\"\n\n\nSECTION XLII\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSauti 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 done,\nwhether thou likest it or dislikest it, the words spoken by me shall never\nbe in vain. O father, I tell thee (a curse) can never be otherwise. I have\nnever 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 for\nthose deprived of virtue, the blessed state existeth not. Peacefulness\never giveth success to forgiving ascetics. Therefore, becoming forgiving\nin thy temper and conquering thy passions, shouldst thou always live. By\nforgiveness shalt thou obtain worlds that are beyond the reach of Brahman\nhimself. Having adopted peacefulness myself, and with a desire also for\ndoing good as much as lies in my power, I must do something; even must I\nsend to that king, telling him, \"O monarch, thou hast been cursed by my\nson of tender years and undeveloped intellect, in wrath, at seeing thy act\nof disrespect towards myself.\"'\"\n\nSauti 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 pacify\nhis son possessed by anger, therefore have I been sent to thee, O king,\nfor 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, became\nexceedingly sorry. And the king, learning that foremost of Rishis in the\nforest had been observing the vow of silence, was doubly afflicted with\nsorrow and seeing the kindness of the Rishi Samika, and considering his\nown sinful act towards him, the king became very repentant. And the king\nlooking like a very god, did not grieve so much for hearing of his death\nas 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 learned\nKasyapa was coming (towards the king's residence), desirous of treating\nthe king (after the snake-bite). He had heard all that had taken place,\nviz., that Takshaka, that first of snakes, would send that best of\nmonarchs to the presence of Yama (Death). And he thought, 'I would cure the\nmonarch after he is bit by that first of snakes. By that I may have wealth\nand may acquire virtue also.' But that prince of snakes, Takshaka, in the\nform of an old Brahmana, saw Kasyapa approaching on his way, his heart set\nupon curing the king. And the prince of snakes then spake unto that bull\namong Munis, Kasyapa, saying, 'Whither dost thou go with such speed? What,\nbesides, 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 enemies.\nI go with speed, O amiable one, to cure, without loss of time, the king of\nimmeasurable prowess, the sole representative of the Pandava race, after\nhe is bit by the same Takshaka like to Agni himself in energy.' And\nTakshaka answered, 'I am that Takshaka, O Brahmana, who shall burn that\nlord of the earth. Stop, for thou art unable to cure one bit by me.' And\nKasyapa rejoined, 'I am sure that, possessed (that I am) of the power of\nlearning, going thither I shall cure that monarch bit by thee.'\"\n\n\nSECTION XLIII\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSauti 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\nSauti 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\nSauti 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 wealth\nis asceticism, desirous of what wealth, goest thou thither? The reward\nthou hopest to have from that best of monarchs, even I will give thee,\nhowever difficult it may be to obtain it. Decked with fame as thou art,\nthy success may be doubtful on that king affected by a Brahmana's curse\nand whose span of life itself hath been shortened. In that case, this\nblazing fame of thine that hath overspread the three worlds will disappear\nlike the Sun when deprived of his splendour (on the occasion of the\neclipse).'\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\nSauti continued, \"That best of Brahmanas, Kasyapa, of great prowess and\nintelligence, hearing those words of Takshaka, sat in yoga meditation over\nthe king. And that foremost of Munis, viz., Kasyapa, of great prowess and\ngifted with spiritual knowledge, ascertaining that the period of life of\nthat king of the Pandava race had really run out, returned, receiving from\nTakshaka 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\nSauti 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 taking\nwith them fruits, kusa grass, and water (as presents). And Takshaka,\naddressing them, said, 'Go ye all to the king, on the pretext of pressing\nbusiness, without any sign of impatience, as if to make the monarch only\naccept the fruits and flowers and water (that ye shall carry as presents\nunto him).'\"\n\nSauti 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 addressed\nhis ministers and friends, saying, 'Eat ye, with me, all these fruits of\nexcellent taste brought by the ascetics.' Impelled by Fate and the words\nof the Rishi, the king, with his ministers, felt the desire of eating\nthose fruits. The particular fruit, within which Takshaka had entered, was\ntaken by the king himself for eating. And when he was eating it, there\nappeared, O Saunaka, an ugly insect out of it, of shape scarcely\ndiscernible, of eyes black, and of coppery colour. And that foremost of\nkings, taking that insect, addressed his councillors, saying, 'The sun is\nsetting; today I have no more fear from poison. Therefore, let this insect\nbecome Takshaka and bite me, so that my sinful act may be expiated and the\nwords of the ascetic rendered true.' And those councillors also, impelled\nby Fate, approved of that speech. And then the monarch smiled, losing his\nsenses, his hour having come. And he quickly placed that insect on his\nneck. And as the king was smiling, Takshaka, who had (in the form of that\ninsect) come out of the fruit that had been offered to the king, coiled\nhimself round the neck of the monarch. And quickly coiling round the\nking's neck and uttering a tremendous roar, Takshaka, that lord of snakes,\nbit that protector of the earth.\"\n\n\nSECTION XLIV\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSauti 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 away\nin great grief, they saw Takshaka, the king of snakes, that wonderful\nserpent, coursing through the blue sky like a streak of the hue of the\nlotus, and looking very much like the vermilion-coloured line on a woman's\ncrown 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 with\nthe royal priest--a holy Brahmana--performed all his last rites. All the\ncitizens, assembling together, made the minor son of the deceased monarch\ntheir king. And the people called their new king, that slayer of all\nenemies, that hero of the Kuru race, by the name of Janamejaya. And that\nbest of monarchs, Janamejaya, though a child, was wise in mind. And with\nhis councillors and priest, the eldest son Parikshita, that bull amongst\nthe 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 of\nKasi, and asked him his daughter Vapushtama for a bride. And the king of\nKasi, after due inquiries, bestowed with ordained rites, his daughter\nVapushtama on that mighty hero of Kuru race. And the latter, receiving his\nbride, became exceedingly glad. And he gave not his heart at any time to\nany other woman. And gifted with great energy, he wandered in pursuit of\npleasure, with a cheerful heart, on expanses of water and amid woods and\nflowery fields. And that first of monarchs passed his time in pleasure as\nPururavas of old did, on receiving the celestial damsel Urvasi. Herself\nfairest of the fair, the damsel Vapushtama too, devoted to her lord and\ncelebrated for her beauty having gained a desirable husband, pleased him\nby the excess of her affection during the period he spent in the pursuit\nof pleasure.\"\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 thread\nwas being gradually eaten away by a large rat dwelling in that hole. And\nthe Pitris in that hole were without food, emaciated, pitiable, and\neagerly desirous of salvation. And Jaratkaru, approaching the pitiable\nones, himself in humble guise, asked them, 'Who are ye hanging by this cord\nof virana roots? The single weak root that is still left in this cord of\nvirana roots already eaten away by the rat, dwelling in this hole, is\nitself being gradually eaten away by the same rat with his sharp teeth.\nThe little that remains of that single thread will soon be cut away. It is\nclear ye shall then have to fall down into this pit with faces downwards.\nSeeing you with faces downwards, and overtaken by this great calamity, my\npity hath been excited. What good can I do to you. Tell me quickly whether\nthis calamity can be averted by a fourth, a third, or even by the\nsacrifice of a half of this my asceticism, O, relieve yourselves even with\nthe whole of my asceticism. I consent to all this. 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 a\nson is a great merit. As we are about to be cast in this hole, our ideas\nare no longer clear. Therefore, O child, we know thee not, although thy\nmanhood is well-known on earth. Venerable thou art and of good fortune,\nthou who thus from kindness grievest for us worthy of pity and greatly\nafflicted. O Brahmana, listen, who we are. We are Rishis of the Yayavara\nsect, of rigid vows. And, O Muni, from loss of children, we have fallen\ndown from a sacred region. Our severe penances have not been destroyed; we\nhave a thread yet. But we have only one thread now. It matters little,\nhowever, whether he is or is not. Unfortunate as we are, we have a thread\nin one, known as Jaratkaru. The unfortunate one has gone through the Vedas\nand their branches and is practising asceticism alone. He being one with\nsoul under complete control, desires set high, observant of vows, deeply\nengaged in ascetic penances, and free from greed for the merits of\nasceticism, we have been reduced to this deplorable state. He hath no wife,\nno son, no relatives. Therefore, do we hang in this hole, our\nconsciousness lost, like men having none to take care of them. If thou\nmeetest him, O, tell him, from thy kindness to ourselves. \"Thy Pitris, in\nsorrow, are hanging with faces downwards in a hole. Holy one, take a wife\nand beget children. O thou of ascetic wealth, thou art, O amiable one, the\nonly thread that remaineth in the line of thy ancestors.\" O Brahmana, the\ncord of virana roots that thou seest we are hanging by, is the cord\nrepresenting our multiplied race. And, O Brahmana, these threads of the\ncord of virana roots that thou seest as eaten away, are ourselves who have\nbeen eaten up by Time. This root thou seest hath been half-eaten and by\nwhich we are hanging in this hole is he that hath adopted asceticism alone.\nThe rat that thou beholdest is Time of infinite strength. And he (Time) is\ngradually weakening the wretch Jaratkaru engaged in ascetic penances\ntempted by the merits thereof, but wanting in prudence and heart. O\nexcellent one, his asceticism cannot save us. Behold, our roots being torn,\ncast down from higher regions, deprived of consciousness by Time, we are\ngoing downwards like sinful wretches. And upon our going down into this\nhole with all our relatives, eaten up by Time, even he shall sink with us\ninto hell. O child, whether it is asceticism, or sacrifice, or whatever\nelse there be of very holy acts, everything is inferior. These cannot\ncount with a son. O child, having seen all, speak unto that Jaratkaru of\nascetic wealth. Thou shouldst tell him in detail everything that thou hast\nbeheld. And, O Brahmana, from thy kindness towards us, thou shouldst tell\nhim all that would induce him to take a wife and beget children. Amongst\nhis friends, or of our own race, who art thou, O excellent one, that thus\ngrievest for us all like a friend? We wish to hear who thou art that\nstayest here.'\"\n\n\nSECTION XLVI\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSauti 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 before.\nTherefore, tell me what I must do for your welfare. I am that sinful son\nof yours, Jaratkaru! Punish me for my sinful deeds, a wretch that 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 world.\nMy mind hath been possessed with the idea that I would not take a wife.\nBut ye grandsires, having seen you hanging like birds, I have diverted my\nmind from the Brahmacharya mode of life. I will truly do what you like. I\nwill certainly marry, if ever I meet with a maiden of my own name. I shall\naccept her who, bestowing herself of her own accord, will be as alms unto\nme, and whom I shall not have to maintain. I shall marry if I get such a\none; otherwise, I shall not. This is the truth, ye grandsires! And the\noffspring that will be begot upon her shall be your salvation. And ye\nPitris of mine, ye shall live for ever in blessedness and without fear.'\"\n\nSauti continued, \"The Muni, having said so unto the Pitris, wandered over\nthe earth again. And, O Saunaka, being old, he obtained no wife. And he\ngrieved much that he was not successful. But directed (as before) by his\nancestors, he continued the search. And going into the forest, he wept\nloudly in great grief. And having gone into the forest, the wise one,\nmoved by the desire of doing good to his ancestors, said, 'I will ask for\na bride,' distinctly repeating these words thrice. And he said, 'Whatever\ncreatures are here, mobile and immobile, so whoever there be that are\ninvisible, O, hear my words! My ancestors, afflicted with grief, have\ndirected me that am engaged in the most severe penances, saying, \"Marry\nthou 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!' Then\nthose snakes that had been set upon Jaratkaru's track, ascertaining his\ninclination, 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 of\nthe snakes, having gone there, offered that maiden as alms unto that high-\nsouled Rishi. But the Rishi did not at once accept her. And the Rishi,\nthinking her not to be of the same name with himself, and seeing that the\nquestion of her maintenance also was unsettled, reflected for a few\nmoments, hesitating to accept her. And then, O son of Bhrigu, he asked\nVasuki the maiden's name, and also said unto him, 'I shall not maintain\nher.'\"\n\n\nSECTION XLVII\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSauti 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 the\nRishi replied, 'This is agreed between us that I shall not maintain her;\nand she shall not do aught that I do not like. If she do, I leave her!'\"\n\nSauti 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, I\nwill leave thee and no longer continue to stay in thy house. Bear in mind\nthese 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 the\ndesire 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 purified\nherself by a bath according to custom, approached her lord the great Muni.\nAnd thereupon she conceived. And the embryo was like unto a flame of fire,\npossessed of great energy, and resplendent as fire itself. And it grew\nlike 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 was\nabout to set. And, O Brahmana, as the day was fading, she, the excellent\nsister of Vasuki, became thoughtful, fearing the loss of her husband's\nvirtue. And she thought, 'What should I now do? Shall I wake my husband or\nnot? He is exacting and punctilious in his religious duties. How can I act\nas not to offend him? The alternatives are his anger and the loss of\nvirtue of a virtuous man. The loss of virtue, I ween, is the greater of\nthe two evils. Again, if I wake him, he will be angry. But if twilight\npasseth away without his prayers being said, he shall certainly sustain\nloss 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, I\nhave not waked thee from desire of insult; but I have done it so that thy\nvirtue 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, when\nI am gone, that I have left thee. And upon my going away, it behoveth thee\nnot 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 me\nwithout a fault. Thou treadest over the path of virtue. I too have been in\nthe same path, with heart fixed on the good of my relatives. O best of\nBrahmanas, the object for which I was bestowed on thee hath not been\naccomplished yet. Unfortunate that I am, what shall Vasuki say unto me? O\nexcellent one, the offspring desired of by my relatives afflicted by a\nmother's curse, do not yet appear! The welfare of my relatives dependeth\non the acquisition of offspring from thee. And in order that my connection\nwith thee may not be fruitless, O illustrious Brahmana, moved by the\ndesire of doing good to my race do I entreat thee. O excellent one, high-\nsouled thou art; so why shall thou leave me who am faultless? This is what\nis 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 Vedas\nand 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\nSECTION XLVIII\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSauti 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 snake-\nsacrifice. The Grandsire had said so, of old, in the midst of the gods. O\nfortunate one, hast thou conceived from thy union with that best of\nRishis? My heart's desire is that my bestowal of thee on that wise one may\nnot be fruitless. Truly, it is not proper for me to ask thee about this.\nBut from the gravity of the interests I ask thee this. Knowing also the\nobstinacy of thy lord, ever engaged in severe penances, I shall not follow\nhim, for he may curse me. Tell me in detail all that thy lord, O amiable\none, hath done, and extract that terribly afflicting dart that lies\nimplanted 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 remember\nhim to have ever before speak even in jest aught that is false. Why should\nhe, O king, speak a falsehood on such a serious occasion? He said, \"Thou\nshouldst not grieve, O daughter of the snake race, about the intended\nresult of our union. A son shall be born to thee, resplendent as the\nblazing sun.\" O brother, having said this to me, my husband of ascetic\nwealth went away--Therefore, let the deep sorrow cherished in thy heart\ndisappear.'\"\n\nSauti continued, \"Thus addressed, Vasuki, the king of the snakes,\naccepted those words of his sister, and in great joy said, 'Be it so!' And\nthe chief of the snakes then adored his sister with his best regards, gift\nof wealth, and fitting eulogies. Then, O best of Brahmanas, the embryo\nendued with great splendour, began to develop, like the moon in the\nheavens in the bright fortnight.\n\n\"And 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\nthe fears of his ancestors and maternal relatives. The child grew up there\nin the 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 world's\nindulgences, and saintliness. And the name by which he was known to the\nworld was Astika. And he was known by the name of Astika (whoever is)\nbecause his father had gone to the woods, saying. 'There is', when he was\nin the womb. Though but a boy, he had great gravity and intelligence. And\nhe was reared with great care in the palace of the snakes. And he was like\nthe illustrious lord of the celestials, Mahadeva of the golden form, the\nwielder of the trident. And he grew up day by day, the delight of all the\nsnakes.\"\n\n\nSECTION XLIX\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSaunaka said, \"Tell me again, in detail,--all that king Janamejaya had\nasked his ministers about his father's ascension to heaven.\"\n\nSauti 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 famous\nking, in time, meet with his death? Hearing from you the incidents of my\nfather'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 monarch, hear, how that high-souled one conducted\nhimself on earth. Like unto an impersonation of virtue and justice, the\nmonarch, cognisant of virtue, virtuously protected the four orders, each\nengaged in the discharge of their specified duties. Of incomparable\nprowess, and blessed with fortune, he protected the goddess Earth. There\nwas none who hated him and he himself hated none. Like unto Prajapati\n(Brahma) he was equally disposed towards all creatures. O monarch,\nBrahmanas and Kshatriyas and Vaisyas and Sudras, all engaged contentedly in\nthe practice 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. Cherishing\nhis subjects and keeping them contented, blessed with good fortune, truth-\ntelling, of immense prowess, he was the disciple of Saradwat in the\nscience of arms. And, O Janamejaya, thy father was dear unto Govinda. Of\ngreat fame, he was loved by all men. And he was born in the womb of Uttara\nwhen the Kuru race was almost extinct. And, therefore, the mighty son of\nAbhimanyu came to be called Parikshit (born in an extinct line). Well-\nversed in the interpretation of treatises on the duties of kings, he was\ngifted with every virtue. With passions under complete control,\nintelligent, possessing a retentive memory, the practiser of all virtues,\nthe conqueror of his six passions of powerful mind, surpassing all, and\nfully acquainted with the science of morality and political science, thy\nfather had ruled over these subjects for sixty years. And he then died,\nmourned by all his subjects. And, after him, O first of men, thou hast\nacquired this hereditary kingdom of the Kurus for the last thousand years.\nThou wast installed while a child, and art thus protecting every\ncreature.'\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 achievements.\nHow did my father, blessed with many virtues, meet with his death?\nDescribe everything to me as it happened. I am desirous of hearing it from\nyou!'\"\n\nSauti 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 arrow.\nAnd having pierced it he followed it quickly on foot into the deep woods,\narmed with sword and quiver. He could not, however, come upon the lost\ndeer. Sixty years of age and decrepit, he was soon fatigued and became\nhungry. He then saw in the deep woods a high-souled Rishi. The Rishi was\nthen observing the vow of silence. The king asked him about the deer, but,\nthough asked, he made no reply. At last the king, already tired with\nexertion and hunger, suddenly became angry with that Rishi sitting\nmotionless like a piece of wood in observance of his vow of silence.\nIndeed, the king knew not that he was a Muni observing the vow of silence.\nSwayed by anger, thy father insulted him. O excellent one of the Bharata\nrace, the king, thy father taking up from the ground with the end of his\nbow a dead snake placed it on the shoulders of that Muni of pure soul. But\nthe Muni spake not a word good or bad and was without anger. He continued\nin the same posture, bearing the dead snake.'\"\n\n\nSECTION L\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSauti 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 cow,\nof the name of Sringin. He was widely known, possessed of great prowess\nand energy, and very wrathful. Going (every day) to his preceptor he was\nin the habit of worshipping him. Commanded by him, Sringin was returning\nhome, when he heard from a friend of his about the insult of his father by\nthy parent. And, O tiger among kings, he heard that his father, without\nhaving committed any fault, was bearing, motionless like a statue, upon\nhis shoulders a dead snake placed thereon. O king, the Rishi insulted by\nthy father was severe in ascetic penances, the foremost of Munis, the\ncontroller of passions, pure, and ever engaged in wonderful acts. His soul\nwas enlightened with ascetic penances, and his organs and their functions\nwere under complete control. His practices and his speech were both very\nnice. He was contented and without avarice. He was without meanness of any\nkind and without envy. He was old and used to observe the vow of silence.\nAnd he was the refuge whom all creatures might seek in distress.\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 allusion\nto thy father, \"Behold the power of my asceticism! Directed by my words,\nthe snake Takshaka of powerful energy and virulent poison, shall, within\nseven nights hence, burn with his poison the wretch that hath placed the\ndead snake upon my un-offending father.\" And having said this, he went to\nwhere his father was. And seeing his father he told him of his curse. The\ntiger among Rishis thereupon sent to thy father a disciple of his, named\nGaurmukha, of amiable manners and possessed of every virtue. And having\nrested a while (after arrival at court) he told the king everything,\nsaying in the words of his master, \"Thou hast been cursed, O king, by my\nson. Takshaka shall burn thee with his poison! Therefore, O king, be\ncareful.\" O Janamejaya, hearing those terrible words, thy father took\nevery precaution against the powerful snake Takshaka.\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 than\nwhat thou expectest from that monarch, and go back!\" And Kasyapa, that\nforemost of men, thus addressed by the snake, and receiving from him as\nmuch 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 hast, 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\nSauti 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 it\nis, was afterwards revived by Kasyapa? Assuredly, my father could not have\ndied, 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 know,\nhowever, what ye saw or heard, what happened in the deep solitude of the\nforest,--viz., the words of Takshaka and the speeches of Kasyapa. Having\nknown it, I shall devise the means of exterminating the snake race.'\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 man,\na Brahmana's menial, having come to us, represented fully everything as it\nhappened between Takshaka and the Brahmana. Thus have we told thee, O king,\nall that we have seen and heard. And having heard it, O tiger among kings,\nordain that which should follow.'\"\n\nSauti 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 now\nwhat my fixed resolve is. I think no time must be lost in avenging this\ninjury upon the wretch Takshaka that killed my father. He burnt my father\nmaking Sringin only a secondary cause. From malignity alone he made\nKasyapa return. If that Brahmana had arrived, my father assuredly would\nhave lived. What would he have lost if the king had revived by the grace\nof Kasyapa and the precautionary measures of his ministers? From ignorance\nof the effects of my wrath, he prevented Kasyapa--that excellent of\nBrahmanas--whom he could not defeat, from coming to my father with the\ndesire of reviving him. The act of aggression is great on the part of the\nwretch Takshaka who gave wealth unto that Brahmana in order that he might\nnot revive the king. I must now avenge myself on my father's enemy to\nplease myself, the Rishi Utanka and you all.'\"\n\n\nSECTION LI\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSauti 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 the\naccomplishment 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 act\nby 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 is\nread of in the Puranas. O king, thou alone canst accomplish it, and no one\nelse. Men versed in the Puranas have told us, there is such a sacrifice.'\"\n\nSauti 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 sacrifice.\nTell me the things that are necessary.' And the king's Ritwiks, O\nexcellent Brahmana, versed in the Vedas and acquainted with the rites of\nthat sacrifice measured, according to the scriptures, the land for the\nsacrificial platform. And the platform was decked with valuable articles\nand with Brahmanas. And it was full of precious things and paddy. And the\nRitwika sat upon it at ease. And after the sacrificial platform had been\nthus constructed according to rule and as desired, they installed the king\nat the snake-sacrifice for the attainment of its object. And before the\ncommencement of the snake-sacrifice that was to come, there occurred this\nvery important incident foreboding obstruction to the sacrifice. For when\nthe sacrificial platform was being constructed, a professional builder of\ngreat intelligence and well-versed in the knowledge of laying foundations,\na Suta by caste, well-acquainted with the Puranas, said, 'The soil upon\nwhich and the time at which the measurement for the sacrificial platform\nhas been made, indicate that this sacrifice will not be completed, a\nBrahmana becoming the reason thereof.' Hearing this, the king, before his\ninstallation, gave orders to his gate-keepers not to admit anybody without\nhis knowledge.\"\n\n\nSECTION LII\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSauti 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 from\ncontact with smoke, poured clarified butter into the blazing fire,\nuttering the appropriate mantras. And causing the hearts of all the snakes\nto tremble with fear, they poured clarified butter into the mouth of Agni\nuttering the names of the snakes. And the snakes thereupon began to fall\ninto the blazing fire, benumbed and piteously calling upon one another.\nAnd swollen and breathing hard, and twining each other with their heads\nand tails, they came in large numbers and fell into the fire. The white,\nthe black, the blue, the old and the young--all fell alike into the fire,\nuttering various cries. Those measuring a krosa, and those measuring a\nyojana, and those of the measure of a gokarna, fell continuously with\ngreat violence into that first of all fires. And hundreds and thousands\nand tens of thousands of snakes, deprived of all control over their limbs,\nperished on that occasion. And amongst those that perished, there were\nsome that were like horses, other like trunks of elephants, and others of\nhuge bodies and strength like maddened elephants Of various colours and\nvirulent poison, terrible and looking like maces furnished with iron-\nspikes, of great strength, ever inclined to bite, the snakes, afflicted\nwith their mother's curse, fell into the fire.\"\n\n\nSECTION LIII\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSaunaka asked, \"What great Rishis became the Ritwiks at the snake-\nsacrifice of the wise king Janamejaya of the Pandava line? Who also became\nthe Sadasyas in that terrible snake-sacrifice, so frightful to the snakes,\nand begetting such sorrow in them? It behoveth thee to describe all these\nin detail, so that, O son of Suta, we may know who were acquainted with\nthe rituals of the snake-sacrifice.\"\n\nSauti replied, \"I will recite the names of those wise ones who became the\nmonarch's Ritwiks and Sadasyas. The Brahmana Chandabhargava became the\nHotri in that sacrifice. He was of great reputation, and was born in the\nrace of Chyavana and was the foremost of those acquainted with the Vedas.\nThe learned old Brahmana, Kautsa, became the Udgatri, the chanter of the\nVedic hymns. Jaimini became the Brahmana, and Sarngarva and Pingala the\nAdhvaryus, Vyasa with his son and disciples, and Uddalaka, Pramataka,\nSwetaketu, Pingala, Asita, Devala, Narada, Parvata, Atreya, Kundajathara,\nthe Brahmana Kalaghata, Vatsya, old Srutasravas ever engaged in japa and\nthe study of the Vedas, Kohala Devasarman, Maudgalya, Samasaurava, and\nmany other Brahmanas who had got through the Vedas became the Sadasyas at\nthat 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 those\nin the air about to fall into it.\n\n\"Meanwhile, Takshaka, that prince of snakes, as soon as he heard that king\nJanamejaya was engaged in the sacrifice, went to the palace of Purandara\n(Indra). And that best of snakes, having represented all that had taken\nplace, sought in terror the protection of Indra after having acknowledged\nhis fault. And Indra, gratified, told him, 'O prince of snakes, O Takshaka,\nhere thou hast no fear from that snake-sacrifice. The Grandsire was\npacified by me for thy sake. Therefore, thou hast no fear. Let this fear\nof 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 into\nthat 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\nSECTION LIV\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSauti said, \"Then the snake-dame Jaratkaru, calling her own son, told him\nthe following words according to the directions of Vasuki, the king of the\nsnakes. 'O son, the time is come for the accomplishment of that object for\nwhich I was bestowed on thy father by my brother. Therefore, do thou that\nwhich 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 of\nher 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 commencement\nof the sacrifice. And from that marriage thou art born of me. That time\nhas come. It behoveth thee to protect us from this danger. It behoveth\nthee to protect my brother and myself from the fire, so that the object,\nviz., our relief, for which I was bestowed on thy wise father, may not be\nunfulfilled. What dost thou think, O son?'\"\n\nSauti continued, \"Thus addressed, Astika said unto his mother, 'Yes, I\nwill.' And he then addressed the afflicted Vasuki, and as if infusing life\ninto him, said, 'O Vasuki, thou best of snakes, thou great being, truly do\nI say, I shall relieve thee from that curse. Be easy, O snake! There is no\nfear any longer. I shall strive earnestly so that good may come! Nobody\nhath ever said that my speech, even in jest, hath proved false. Hence on\nserious occasions like this, I need not say anything more, O uncle, going\nthither today I shall gratify, with words mixed with blessings, the\nmonarch Janamejaya installed at the sacrifice, so that, O excellent one,\nthe sacrifice may stop. O highminded one, O king of the snakes, believe\nall that I say. Believe me, my resolve can never be unfulfilled.'\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 any\nlonger. 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\nSauti continued, \"Then that best of Brahmanas, Astika, quelling the\nterrible fear of the Vasuki's heart, and taking it, as it were, on himself,\nwended, 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 best\nof Brahmanas was refused admittance by the door-keepers. And the mighty\nascetic 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 king\nof infinite achievements, Ritwiks, the Sadasyas, and also the sacred\nfire.\"\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 thine,\nO foremost one of Bharata's race, O son of Parikshit, is fully equal to\nten thousand sacrifices of Sakra. Let those dear unto us be blessed! Like\nthe sacrifice of Yama, of Harimedha, or of king Rantideva, is the\nsacrifice of thine, O foremost one of Bharata's race, O son of Parikshit.\nLet those dear unto us be blessed! Like the sacrifice of Maya, of king\nSasavindu, or of king Vaisravana, is this sacrifice of thine, O foremost\none of Bharata's race, O son of Satyavati, in which he himself was the\nchief priest, is this sacrifice of Nriga, of Ajamida, of the son of\nDasaratha, is this sacrifice of thine, O foremost one of Bharata's race, O\nson of Parikshit. Let those dear unto us be blessed! Like the sacrifice of\nking Yudhishthira, the son of a god and belonging to Ajamida race, heard\nof (even) in the heavens, is this sacrifice of thine. O foremost one of\nBharata's race, O son of Parikshit, let those dear unto us be blessed!\nLike the sacrifice of Krishna (Dwaipayana), the son of Satyavati, in which\nhe himself was the chief priest, is this sacrifice of thine, O foremost\none of Bharata's race, O son of Parikshit. Let those dear unto us be\nblessed! These (Ritwiks and Sadasyas) that are here engaged in making thy\nsacrifice, like unto that of the slayer of Vritra, are of splendour equal\nto that of the sun. There now remains nothing for them to know, and gifts\nmade to them become inexhaustible (in merit). It is my conviction that\nthere is no Ritwik in all the worlds who is equal to thy Ritwik,\nDwaipayana. His disciples, becoming Ritwiks, competent for their duties,\ntravel over the earth. The high-souled bearer of libation (viz., Agni),\ncalled also Vibhavasu and Chitrabhanu, having gold for his vital seed and\nhaving his path, marked by black smoke, blazing up with flames inclined to\nthe right, beareth these thy libations of clarified butter to the gods. In\nthis world of men there is no other monarch equal to thee in the\nprotection of subjects. I am ever well-pleased with thy abstinence. Indeed,\nthou art either Varuna, or Yama, the god of Justice. Like Sakra himself,\nthunderbolt in hand, thou art, in this world, the protector of all\ncreatures. In this earth there is no man so great as thou and no monarch\nwho is thy equal in sacrifice. Thou art like Khatwanga, Nabhaga, and\nDilipa. In prowess thou art like Yayati and Mandhatri. In splendour equal\nto the sun, and of excellent vows, thou art O monarch, like Bhishma! Like\nValmiki thou art of energy concealed. Like Vasishtha thou hast controlled\nthy wrath. Like Indra is thy lordship. Thy splendour also shines like that\nof Narayana. Like Yama art thou conversant with the dispensation of\njustice. Thou art like Krishna adorned with every virtue. Thou art the\nhome of the good fortune that belongs to the Vasus. Thou art also the\nrefuge of the sacrifices. In strength thou art equal to Damvodbhava. Like\nRama (the son of Jamadagni) thou art conversant with the scriptures and\narms. In energy thou art equal to Aurva and Trita. Thou inspirest terror\nby thy looks like Bhagiratha.'\"\n\nSauti 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\nSECTION LVI\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\n\"Janamejaya 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 bestow\non him a boon. Therefore, ye Brahmanas, give me the necessary permission.'\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\nSauti continued, \"The king, being inclined to grant the Brahmana a boon,\nsaid 'Ask thou a boon.' The Hotri, however, being rather displeased, said,\n'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\nSauti 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 with\nme in concealment, and Agni shall not burn thee.\"'\"\n\nSauti 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 by\nall 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 Indra\nhimself.'\"\n\nSauti 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, seeing\nthat sacrifice, became much alarmed, and quickly casting Takshaka off,\nwent 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 child-\nlike features, I desire to grant thee a worthy boon. Therefore, ask thou\nthat which thou desirest in thy heart. I promise thee, that I will grant\nit 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\nSauti 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\nSauti 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\nSECTION LVII\n\n(Astika Parva continued)\n\nSaunaka 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\nSauti 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 remember,\nhear the names I mention of the principal snakes cast into the fire. Hear\nfirst the names of the principal ones of Vasuki's race alone, of colour\nblue, red and white of terrible form and huge body and deadly poison.\nHelpless and miserable and afflicted with their mother's curse, they fell\ninto 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 other\nsnakes well-born, and of terrible form and great strength, were burnt in\nthe blazing fire. I shall now mention those born in the race of Takshaka.\nHear thou their names. Puchchandaka, Mandalaka, Pindasektri, Ravenaka;\nUchochikha, Carava, Bhangas, Vilwatejas, Virohana; Sili, Salakara, Muka,\nSukumara, Pravepana, Mudgara and Sisuroman, Suroman and Mahahanu. These\nsnakes born of Takshaka fell into the fire. And Paravata, Parijata,\nPandara, Harina, Krisa, Vihanga, Sarabha, Meda, Pramoda, Sauhatapana--\nthese born in the race of Airavata fell into the fire. Now hear, O best of\nBrahmanas, the names of the snakes I mention born in the race of Kauravya:\nEraka, Kundala Veni, Veniskandha, Kumaraka, Vahuka, Sringavera, Dhurtaka,\nPratara and Astaka. These born in the race of Kauravya fell into the fire.\nNow hear the names I mention, in order, of those snakes endued with the\nspeed of the wind and with virulent poison, born in the race of\nDhritarashtra: Sankukarna, Pitharaka, Kuthara, Sukhana, and Shechaka;\nPurnangada, Purnamukha, Prahasa, Sakuni, Dari, Amahatha, Kumathaka,\nSushena, Vyaya, Bhairava, Mundavedanga, Pisanga, Udraparaka, Rishabha,\nVegavat, Pindaraka; Raktanga, Sarvasaranga, Samriddha, Patha and Vasaka;\nVarahaka, Viranaka, Suchitra, Chitravegika, Parasara, Tarunaka,\nManiskandha 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 were\nburnt by thousands!\n\n\"Many others, of huge bodies, of great speed, tall as mountain summits, of\nthe length of a yama, of a yojana, and of two yojanas, capable of assuming\nat will any form and of mastering at will any degree of strength, of\npoison like unto blazing fire, afflicted by the curse of a mother, were\nburnt in that great sacrifice.\"\n\n\nSECTION LVIII\n\n(Astika Parva, continued)\n\nSauti 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\nwithout actually falling. King Janamejaya thereupon became curious, for\nTakshaka, afflicted with fear, did not at once fall into the fire although\nlibations were poured in proper form into the blazing sacrificial Agni in\nhis name.\"\n\nSaunaka said, \"Was it, O Suta, that the mantras of those wise Brahmanas\nwere not potent; since Takshaka did not fall into the fire?\"\n\nSauti replied, \"Unto the unconscious Takshaka, that best of snakes, after\nhe 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 be\nsafe, let this Astika also be gratified, O Suta, thy words also be true.'\nWhen the boon was granted to Astika, plaudits expressive of joy rang\nthrough the air. Thus the sacrifice of the son of Parikshit--that king of\nthe Pandava race--came to an end. The king Janamejaya of the Bharata race\nwas himself pleased, and on the Ritwiks with the Sadasyas, and on all who\nhad come there, the king, bestowed money by hundreds and thousands. And\nunto Suta Lohitaksha--conversant with the rules of building and\nfoundations--who had at the commencement said that a Brahmana would be the\ncause of the interruption of the snake-sacrifice, the king gave much\nwealth. The king, of uncommon kindness, also gave him various things, with\nfood and wearing apparel, according to his desire, and became very much\npleased. Then he concluded his sacrifice according to the prescribed rites,\nand after treating him with every respect, the king in joy sent home the\nwise Astika exceedingly gratified, for he had attained his object. And the\nking said unto him, 'Thou must come again to become a Sadasya in my great\nHorse-sacrifice.' And Astika said, 'yes' and then returned home in great\njoy, having achieved his great end after gratifying the monarch. And\nreturning in joy to his uncle and mother and touching their feet, he\nrecounted to them everything as it had happened.\"\n\nSauti 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 do,\nO nephew! And those also that call to mind Astika, Artiman and Sunitha, in\nthe day or in the night, shall have no fear of snakes. He again shall have\nno fear of snakes who will say, \"I call to mind the famous Astika born of\nJaratkaru, that Astika who saved the snakes from the snake-sacrifice.\nTherefore, ye snakes of great good fortune, it behoveth you not to bite me.\nBut go ye away, blessed be ye, or go away thou snake of virulent poison,\nand remember the words of Astika after the snake sacrifice of Janamejaya.\nThat snake who does not cease from biting after hearing such mention of\nAstika, shall have his hood divided a hundredfold like the fruit of Sinsa\ntree.\"'\"\n\nSauti continued, \"That first of Brahmanas, thus addressed by the foremost\nof the chief snakes assembled together, was very much gratified. And the\nhigh-souled one then set his heart upon going away.\n\n\"And that best of Brahmanas, having saved the snakes from the snake-\nsacrifice, 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 happened.\nIndeed, the recitation of this history dispelleth all fear of snakes.\"\n\nSauti 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\nSECTION LIX\n\n(Adivansavatarana Parva)\n\nSaunaka 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\nSauti said, \"The Brahmanas, in the intervals of the duties, spoke of many\nthings founded upon the Vedas. But Vyasa recited the wonderful and great\nhistory called the Bharata.\"\n\nSaunaka 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 it\nunto me, for, O son of a Suta, my thirst hath not been appeased by all\nthou hast said.\"\n\nSauti 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\nSECTION LX\n\n(Adivansavatarana Parva continued)\n\nSauti said, \"Hearing that Janamejaya was installed in the snake-sacrifice,\nthe learned Rishi Krishna-Dwaipayana went thither on the occasion. And he,\nthe grand-father of the Pandavas, was born in an island of the Yamuna, of\nthe virgin Kali by Sakti's son, Parasara. And the illustrious one\ndeveloped by his will alone his body as soon as he was born, and mastered\nthe Vedas with their branches, and all the histories. And he readily\nobtained that which no one could obtain by asceticism, by the study of the\nVedas, by vows, by fasts, by progeny, and by sacrifice. And the first of\nVeda-knowing ones, he divided the Vedas into four parts. And the Brahmana\nRishi had knowledge of the supreme Brahma, knew the past by intuition, was\nholy, and cherished truth. Of sacred deeds and great fame, he begot Pandu\nand Dhritarashtra and Vidura in order to continue the 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, by\nkings of various countries whose coronal locks had undergone the sacred\nbath, 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 joy.\nAnd the king with the approval of his Sadasyas, gave the Rishi a golden\nseat as Indra did to Vrihaspati. And when the Rishi, capable of granting\nboons and adored by the celestial Rishis themselves, had been seated, the\nking of kings worshipped him according to the rites of the scriptures. And\nthe king then offered him--his grandfather Krishna--who fully deserved\nthem, water to wash his feet and mouth, and the Arghya, and kine. And\naccepting those offerings from the Pandava Janamejaya and ordering the\nkine also not to be slain, Vyasa became much gratified. And the king,\nafter those adorations bowed to his great-grandfather, and sitting in joy\nasked him about his welfare. And the illustrious Rishi also, casting his\neyes upon him and asking him about his welfare, worshipped the Sadasyas,\nhaving been before worshipped by them all. And after all this, Janamejaya\nwith all his Sadasyas, questioned that first of Brahmanas, with joined\npalms 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 was\nthe 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\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 intelligent\nmen in the three worlds. And having got it within thy reach, O monarch,\nthou also art a fit person to hear the composition called Bharata.\nEncouraged by the command of my preceptor my heart feeleth no fear.\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 Karna,\nwith (the former's uncle) the son of Suvala began to persecute them and\ndevise means for their exile. Then the wicked Duryodhana, guided by the\ncounsels of Sakuni (his maternal uncle), persecuted the Pandavas in\nvarious ways for the acquirement of undisputed sovereignty. The wicked son\nof Dhritarashtra gave poison to Bhima, but Bhima of the stomach of the\nwolf digested the poison with the food. Then the wretch again tied the\nsleeping Bhima on the margin of the Ganges and, casting him into the water,\nwent away. But when Bhimasena of strong arms, the son of Kunti woke, he\ntore the strings with which he had been tied and came up, his pains all\ngone. And while asleep and in the water black snakes of virulent poison\nbit him in every part of his body. But that slayer of foes did not still\nperish. And in all those persecutions of the Pandavas by their cousins,\nthe Kurus, the high-minded Vidura attentively engaged himself neutralising\nthose evil designs and rescuing the persecuted ones. And as Sakra from the\nheavens keeps in happiness the world of men, so did Vidura always keep the\nPandavas 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 such\nan act the Pandavas fled in the darkness, out of fear from the sons of\nDhritarashtra. It was here that Bhima gained Hidimva (the sister of the\nRakshasa he slew) for a wife, and it was of her that Ghatotkacha was born.\nThen the Pandavas, of rigid vows, and conversant with the Vedas wended to\na 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 man-\neating Rakshasa of the name of Vaka. And Bhima, the son of Pandu, that\ntiger among men, slew him speedily with the strength of his arms and made\nthe citizens safe and free from fear. Then they heard of Krishna (the\nprincess of Panchala) having become disposed to select a husband from\namong the assembled princes. And, hearing of it, they went to Panchala,\nand there they obtained the maiden. And having obtained Draupadi (as their\ncommon wife) they then dwelt there for a year. And after they became known,\nthose chastisers of all enemies went back to Hastinapura. And they were\nthen told by king Dhritarashtra and the son of Santanu (Bhishma) as\nfollows: 'In order, O dear ones, dissensions may not take place between\nyou and your cousins, we have settled that Khandavaprastha should be your\nabode. Therefore, go ye, casting off all jealousy, to Khandavaprastha\nwhich contains many towns served by many broad roads, for dwelling there.'\nAnd accordingly the Pandavas went, with all their friends and followers,\nto Khandavaprastha taking with them many jewels and precious stones. And\nthe sons of Pritha dwelt there for many years. And they brought, by force\nof arms, many a prince under their subjection. And thus, setting their\nhearts on virtue and firmly adhering to truth, unruffled by affluence,\ncalm in deportment, and putting down numerous evils, the Pandavas\ngradually rose to power. And Bhima of great reputation subjugated the East,\nthe heroic Arjuna, the North, Nakula, the West, Sahadeva that slayer of\nall hostile heroes, the South. And this having been done, their domination\nwas spread over the whole world. And with the five Pandavas, each like\nunto the Sun, the Earth looked as if she 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, on\na 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 son\nof Kunti, with Vasudeva, gratified Agni, the carrier of the sacrificial\nbutter, in the forest of Khandava (by burning the medicinal plants in that\nwoods to cure Agni of his indigestion). And to Arjuna, assisted as he was\nby Kesava, the task did not at all appear heavy even as nothing is heavy\nto Vishnu with immense design and resources in the matter of destroying\nhis enemies. And Agni gave unto the son of Pritha the excellent bow\nGandiva and a quiver that was inexhaustible, and a war-chariot bearing the\nfigure of Garuda on its standard. And it was on this occasion that Arjuna\nrelieved the great Asura (Maya) from fear (of being consumed in the fire).\nAnd Maya, in gratitude, built (for the Pandavas) a celestial palace decked\nwith every sort of jewels and precious stones. And the wicked Duryodhana,\nbeholding that building, was tempted with the desire of possessing it. And\ndeceiving Yudhishthira by means of the dice played through the hands of\nthe son of Suvala, Duryodhana sent the Pandavas into the woods for twelve\nyears and one additional year to be passed in concealment, thus making the\nperiod full thirteen.\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\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 Brahmanas,\ndid Bhima of mighty arms and of the strength of ten thousand elephants,\ncontrol his anger, though wronged? Why also did the chaste Krishna, the\ndaughter of Drupada, wronged by those wretches and able to burn them, not\nburn the sons of Dhritarashtra with her wrathful eyes? Why also did the\ntwo other sons of Pritha (Bhima and Arjuna) and the two sons of Madri\n(Nakula and Sahadeva), themselves injured by the wretched Kurus, follow\nYudhishthira who was greatly addicted to the evil habit of gambling? Why\nalso did Yudhishthira, that foremost of all virtuous men, the son of\nDharma himself, fully acquainted with all duties, suffer that excess of\naffliction? Why also did the Pandava Dhananjaya, having Krishna for his\ncharioteer, who by his arrows sent to the other world that dauntless host\nof fighting men (suffer such persecution)? O thou of ascetic wealth, speak\nto me of all these as they took place, and everything that those mighty\ncharioteers 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 gods.\nThis 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 person,\nhowever cruel and sinful, by hearing this history, escapes from all his\nsins like the Sun from Rahu (after the eclipse is over). This history is\ncalled Jaya. It should be heard by those desirous of victory. A king by\nhearing it may bring the whole world under subjection and conquer all his\nfoes. This history in itself is a mighty act of propitiation, a mighty\nsacrifice productive of blessed fruit. It should always be heard by a\nyoung monarch with his queen, for then they beget a heroic son or a\ndaughter to occupy a throne. This history is the high and sacred science\nof Dharma, Artha, and also of Moksha; it hath been so said by Vyasa\nhimself of mind that is immeasurable. This history is recited in the\npresent age and will be recited in the future. They that hear it read,\nhave sons and servants always obedient to them and doing their behests.\nAll sins that are committed by body, word, or mind, immediately leave them\nthat hear this history. They who hear, without the spirit of fault finding,\nthe story of the birth of the Bharata princes, can have no fear of\nmaladies, 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 already\nknown in the world for their achievements, Krishna-Dwaipayana, guided also\nby the desire of doing good to the world, hath composed this work. It is\nexcellent, productive of fame, grants length of life, is sacred and\nheavenly. He who, from desire of acquiring religious merit, causeth this\nhistory to be heard by sacred Brahmanas, acquireth great merit and virtue\nthat is inexhaustible. He that reciteth the famous generation of the Kurus\nbecometh immediately purified and acquireth a large family himself, and\nbecometh respected in the world. That Brahmana who regularly studies this\nsacred Bharata for the four months of the rainy season, is cleansed from\nall his sins. He that has read the Bharata may be regarded as one\nacquainted 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 to\nbe heard by every virtuous person. That learned man who reciteth it to\nBrahmanas during the sacred lunations, becometh cleansed of all sins, and,\nnot caring for heaven as it were, attaineth to a union with Brahma. He\nthat 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 ascetic\ndevotions, he composed this Mahabharata. Therefore, this should be heard\nby Brahmanas with the formality of a vow. He who reciteth this holy\nnarration composed by Krishna (Vyasa) for the hearing of others, and they\nwho hear it, in whatever state he or they may be, can never be affected by\nthe fruit of deeds, good or bad. The man desirous of acquiring virtue\nshould hear it all. This is equivalent to all histories, and he that\nheareth it always attaineth to purity of heart. The gratification that one\nderiveth from attaining to heaven is scarcely equal to that which one\nderiveth from hearing this holy history. The virtuous man who with\nreverence heareth it or causeth it to be heard, obtaineth the fruit of the\nRajasuya and the horse-sacrifice. The Bharata is said to be as much a mine\nof gems as the vast Ocean or the great mountain Meru. This history is\nsacred and excellent, and is equivalent to the Vedas, worthy of being\nheard, pleasing to the ear, sin-cleansing, and virtue-increasing. O\nmonarch, he that giveth a copy of the Bharata to one that asketh for it\ndoth indeed make a present of the whole earth with her belt of seas. O son\nof Parikshit, this pleasant narration that giveth virtue and victory I am\nabout to recite in its entirety: listen to it. The sage Krishna-Dwaipayana\nregularly rising for three years, composed this wonderful history called\nMahabharata. O bull amongst the Bharata monarchs, whatever is spoken about\nvirtue, wealth, pleasure, and salvation may be seen elsewhere; but\nwhatever is not contained in this is not to be found anywhere.'\"\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, graced\nwith every object of enjoyment, and blessed with fertility. And, O monarch\nof Chedi, this thy dominion is full of riches, of gems and precious stones,\nand containeth, besides, much mineral wealth. The cities and towns of this\nregion are all devoted to virtue; the people are honest and contented;\nthey never lie even in jest. Sons never divide their wealth with their\nfathers and are ever mindful of the welfare of their parents. Lean cattle\nare never yoked to the plough or the cart or engaged in carrying\nmerchandise; on the other hand, they are well-fed and fattened. In Chedi\nthe four orders are always engaged in their respective vocations. Let\nnothing be unknown to thee that happens in the three worlds. I shall give\nthee a crystal car such as the celestials alone are capable of carrying\nthe car through mid air. Thou alone, of all mortals on earth, riding on\nthat best of cars, shall course through mid-air like a celestial endued\nwith a physical frame. I shall also give thee a triumphal garland of\nunfading lotuses, with which on, in battle, thou shall not be wounded by\nweapons. And, O king, this blessed and incomparable garland, widely known\non earth as Indra's garland, shall be thy distinctive badge.\"\n\n\"'The slayer of Vritra (Indra) also gave the king, for his gratification, a\nbamboo pole for protecting the honest and the peaceful. After the expiry\nof 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 it\nwith golden cloth and scents and garlands and various ornaments. And the\ngod Vasava is worshipped in due form with such garlands and ornaments. And\nthe god, for the gratification of the illustrious Vasu, assuming the form\nof a swan, came himself to accept the worship thus offered. And the god,\nbeholding the auspicious worship thus made by Vasu, that first of monarchs,\nwas delighted, and said unto him, \"Those men, and kings also, who will\nworship me and joyously observe this festival of mine like the king of\nChedi, shall have glory and victory for their countries and kingdom. Their\ncities also shall expand and be ever in joy.\"\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 and\nfounded 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 the\nupper regions, he was called Uparichara. And by his capital flowed a river\ncalled 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 the\nmountain begat on the river two children that were twins. And the river,\ngrateful to Vasu for his having set her free from Kolahala's embraces,\ngave them both to Vasu. And the son was made the generalissimo to his\nforces by Vasu, that best of royal sages and giver of wealth and punisher\nof 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 a-\nhunting thinking of Girika alone who was gifted with great beauty and like\nunto 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 and\nChandanas 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 thither,\nwhen he saw a beautiful Asoka decked with dense foliage, its branches\ncovered with flowers. And the king sat at his ease in the shade of that\ntree. And excited by the fragrance of the season and the charming odours\nof the flowers around, and excited also by the delicious breeze, the king\ncould not keep his mind away from the thought of the beautiful Girika. And\nbeholding that a swift hawk was resting very near to him, the king,\nacquainted with the subtle truths of Dharma and Artha, went unto him and\nsaid, \"Amiable one, carry thou this seed (semen) for my wife Girika and\ngive 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. And\nin those waters dwelt an Apsara of the higher rank, known by the name of\nAdrika, transformed by a Brahmana's curse into a fish. As soon as Vasu's\nseed fell into the water from the claws of the hawk, Adrika rapidly\napproached and swallowed it at once. That fish was, some time after,\ncaught by the fishermen. And it was the tenth month of the fish's having\nswallowed the seed. From the stomach of that fish came out a male and a\nfemale child of human form. The fishermen wondered much, and wending unto\nking Uparichara (for they were his subjects) told him all. They said, \"O\nking, these two beings of human shape have been found in the body of a\nfish!\" The male child amongst the two was taken by Uparichara. That child\nafterwards became the virtuous and truthful monarch 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 cursed\nher) that she would, while living in her piscatorial form, give birth to\ntwo children of human shape and then would be freed from the curse. Then,\naccording to these words, having given birth to the two children, and been\nkilled by the fishermen, she left her fish-form and assumed her own\ncelestial shape. The Apsara then rose up on the path trodden by the\nSiddhas, the Rishis and the Charanas.\n\n\"'The fish-smelling daughter of the Apsara in her piscatorial form was then\ngiven 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, owing\nto contact with fishermen, was for some time of the fishy smell. Wishing\nto serve her (foster) father she plied a boat on the waters of the 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 smiles,\nthe wise sage, as soon as he beheld her, desired to have her. And that\nbull amongst Munis addressed the daughter of Vasu of celestial beauty and\ntapering thighs, saying, \"Accept my embraces, O blessed one!\" Satyavati\nreplied, \"O holy one, behold the Rishis standing on either bank of the\nriver. Seen by them, how can I grant thy wish?\"\n\n\"'Thus addressed by her, the ascetic thereupon created a fog (which existed\nnot before and) which enveloped the whole region in darkness. And the\nmaiden, beholding the fog that was created by the great Rishi wondered\nmuch. And the helpless one became suffused with the blushes of bashfulness.\nAnd she said, \"O holy one, note that I am a maiden under the control of my\nfather. O sinless one, by accepting your embraces my virginity will be\nsullied. O best of Brahmanas, my virginity being sullied, how shall I, O\nRishi, be able to return home? Indeed, I shall not then be able to bear\nlife. Reflecting upon all this, O illustrious one, do that which should be\ndone.\" That best of Rishis, gratified with all she said, replied, \"Thou\nshall remain a virgin even if thou grantest my wish. And, O timid one, O\nbeauteous lady, solicit the boon that thou desirest. O thou of fair smiles,\nmy grace hath never before proved fruitless.\" Thus addressed, the maiden\nasked for the boon that her body might emit a sweet scent (instead of the\nfish-odour that it had). And the illustrious Rishi thereupon granted that\nwish 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 wonderful\ndeeds. And she thenceforth became known among men by the name of\nGandhavati (the sweet-scented one). And men could perceive her scent from\nthe distance of a yojana. And for this she was known by another name which\nwas Yojanagandha (one who scatters her scent for a yojana all around). And\nthe 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 the\nvery day, on an island in the Yamuna, the child begot upon her by Parasara\nand gifted with great energy. And the child, with the permission of his\nmother, set his mind on asceticism. And he went away saying, \"As soon as\nthou rememberest me when occasion comes, I shall appear unto thee.\"\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 destined\nto become lame by one leg each yuga (she having four legs in all) and that\nthe period of life and the strength of men followed the yugas, and moved\nby the desire of obtaining the favour of Brahman and the Brahmanas,\narranged the Vedas. And for this he came to be called Vyasa (the arranger\nor compiler). The boon-giving great one then taught Sumanta, Jaimini,\nPaila, his son Suka, and Vaisampayana, the Vedas having the Mahabharata\nfor their fifth. And the compilation of the Bharata was published by him\nthrough them separately.\n\n\"'Then Bhishma, of great energy and fame and of immeasurable splendour, and\nsprung 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 the\nSuta was born of Kunti in her maidenhood through Surya. And he came out of\nhis mother's womb with a natural coat of mail and face brightened by ear-\nrings. And Vishnu himself, of world-wide fame, and worshipped of all the\nworlds, was born of Devaki through Vasudeva, for the benefit of the three\nworlds. He is without birth and death, of radiant splendour, the Creator\nof the universe and the Lord of all! Indeed, he who is the invisible cause\nof all, who knoweth no deterioration, who is the all-pervading soul, the\ncentre round which everything moveth, the substance in which the three\nattributes of Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas co-inhere, the universal soul, the\nimmutable, the material out of which hath been created this universe, the\nCreator himself, the controlling lord, the invisible dweller in every\nobject, progenitor of this universe of five elements, who is united with\nthe six high attributes, is the Pranava or Om of the Vedas, is infinite,\nincapable of being moved by any force save his own will, illustrious, the\nembodiment of the mode of life called Sannyasa, who floated on the waters\nbefore the creation, who is the source whence hath sprung this mighty\nframe, who is the great combiner, the uncreate, the invisible essence of\nall, the great immutable, bereft of those attributes that are knowable by\nthe senses, who is the universe itself, without beginning, birth, and\ndecay,--is possessed of infinite wealth, that Grandsire of all creatures,\nbecame incarnate in the race of the Andhaka-Vrishnis for the increase of\nvirtue.\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 Rishi\nBharadwaja of severe penances, kept in a pot, began to develop. And from\nthat seed came Drona (the pot-born). And from the seed of Gautama, fallen\nupon a clump of reeds, were born two that were twins, the mother of\nAswatthaman (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 of\nDrona. 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 well-versed\nin the arts of acquiring worldly profits. And from Krishna was born, in\nthe soil of Vichitravirya, Dhritarashtra, the lord of men, and Pandu of\ngreat strength. And from Dwaipayana also born, in the Sudra caste, the\nwise and intelligent Vidura, conversant with both religion and profit, and\nfree from all sins. And unto Pandu by his two wives were born five sons\nlike the celestials. The eldest of them was Yudhishthira. And Yudhishthira\nwas born (of the seed) of Dharma (Yama, the god of justice); and Bhima of\nthe wolf's stomach was born of Marut (the god of wind), and Dhananjaya,\nblessed with good fortune and the first of all wielders of weapons, was\nborn of Indra; and Nakula and Sahadeva, of handsome features and ever\nengaged in the service of their superiors, were born of the twin Aswins.\nAnd unto the wise Dhritarashtra were born a hundred sons, viz., Duryodhana\nand others, and another, named Yuyutsu, who was born of a vaisya woman.\nAnd amongst those hundred and one, eleven, viz., Duhsasana, Duhsaha,\nDurmarshana, Vikarna, Chitrasena, Vivinsati, Jaya, Satyavrata, Purumitra,\nand Yuyutsu by a Vaisya wife, were all Maharathas (great car-warriors).\nAnd Abhimanyu was born of Subhadra, the sister of Vasudeva through Arjuna,\nand was, therefore, the grandson of the illustrious Pandu. And unto the\nfive Pandavas were born five sons by (their common wife) Panchali. And\nthese princes were all very handsome and conversant with all branches of\nknowledge. From Yudhishthira was born Pritivindhya; from Vrikodara,\nSutasoma; from Arjuna, Srutakirti; from Nakula, Satanika; and from\nSahadeva, Srutasena of great prowess; and Bhima, in the forest begot on\nHidimva a son named Ghatotkacha. And from Drupada was born a daughter\nSikhandin who was afterwards transformed into a male child. Sikhandini was\nso transformed into a male by Yaksha named Sthuna from the desire of doing\nher 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\nSECTION 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 Kshatriyas\nwended to that best of mountains Mahendra and there began his ascetic\npenances. And at that time when the earth was bereft of Kshatriyas, the\nKshatriya ladies, desirous of offspring, used to come, O monarch, to the\nBrahmanas and Brahmanas of rigid vows had connection with them during the\nwomanly season alone, but never, O king, lustfully and out of season. And\nKshatriya ladies by thousands conceived from such connection with\nBrahmanas. Then, O monarch, were born many Kshatriyas of greater energy,\nboys and girls, so that the Kshatriya race, might thrive. And thus sprang\nthe Kshatriya race from Kshatriya ladies by Brahmanas of ascetic penances.\nAnd the new generation, blessed with long life, began to thrive in virtue.\nAnd thus were the four orders having Brahmanas at their head re-\nestablished. And every man at that time went in unto his wife during her\nseason and never from lust and out of season. And, O bull of the Bharata\nrace, in the same way, other creatures also, even those born in the race\nof birds went in unto their wives during the season alone. And, O\nprotector of the earth, hundreds of thousands of creatures were born, and\nall were virtuous and began to multiply in virtue, all being free from\nsorrow and disease. And, O thou of the elephant's tread, this wide earth\nhaving the ocean for her boundaries, with her mountains and woods and\ntowns, was once more governed by the Kshatriyas. And when the earth began\nto be again governed virtuously by the Kshatriyas, the other orders having\nBrahmanas for their first were filled with great joy. And the kings giving\nup all vices born of lust and anger and justly awarding punishments to\nthose that deserved them protected the earth. And he of a hundred\nsacrifices, possessed also of a thousand eyes, beholding that the\nKshatriya monarchs ruled so virtuously, poured down vivifying showers at\nproper times and places and blessed all creatures. Then, O king, no one of\nimmature years died, and none knew a woman before attaining to age. And\nthus, O bull of the Bharata race, the earth, to the very coasts of the\nocean, became filled with men that were all long-lived. The Kshatriyas\nperformed great sacrifices bestowing much wealth. And the Brahmanas also\nall studied the Vedas with their branches and the Upanishads. And, O king,\nno Brahmana in those days ever sold the Vedas (i.e., taught for money) or\never read aloud the Vedas in the presence of a Sudra. The Vaisyas, with\nthe help of bullocks, caused the earth to be tilled. And they never yoked\nthe cattle themselves. And they fed with care all cattle that were lean.\nAnd men never milked kine as long as the calves drank only the milk of\ntheir dams (without having taken to grass or any other food). And no\nmerchant in those days ever sold his articles by false scales. And, O\ntiger among men, all persons, holding to the ways of virtue, did\neverything with eyes set upon virtue. And, O monarch, all the orders were\nmindful of their own respective duties. Thus, O tiger among men, virtue in\nthose days never sustained any diminution. And, O bull of the Bharata race,\nboth kine and women gave birth to their offspring at the proper time. And\ntrees bore flowers and fruit duly according to the seasons. And thus, O\nking, the krita age having then duly set in, the whole earth was filled\nwith numerous creatures.\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 heaven,\nbegan to be incarnated on the earth. And, O king, the Asuras being\npossessed of great powers, and desirous of sovereignty began to be born on\nearth amongst various creatures, such as kine, horses, asses, camels,\nbuffaloes, among creatures such as Rakshasas and others, and among\nelephants and deer. And, O protector of the earth, owing to those already\nborn and to those that were being born, the earth became incapable of\nsupporting herself. And amongst the sons of Diti and of Danu, cast out of\nheaven, some were born on the earth as kings of great pride and insolence.\nPossessed of great energy, they covered the earth in various shapes.\nCapable of oppressing all foes, they filled the earth having the ocean for\nits boundaries. And by their strength they began to oppress Brahmanas and\nKshatriyas and Vaisyas and Sudras and all other creatures also. Terrifying\nand killing all creatures, they traversed the earth, O king, in bands of\nhundreds and thousands. Devoid of truth and virtue, proud of their\nstrength, and intoxicated with (the wine of) insolence, they even insulted\nthe 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 Creator\nof the worlds who knoweth no deterioration--surrounded by the gods,\nBrahmanas, and great Rishis, of exceeding good fortune, and adored by\ndelighted 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, for\nthe 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 come\ndown on earth in their respected parts, then went to Narayana, the slayer\nof all foes, at Vaikunth--the one who has the discus and the mace in his\nhands, who is clad in purple, who is of great splendour, who hath the\nlotus on his navel, who is the slayer of the foes of the gods, who is of\neyes looking down upon his wide chest (in yoga attitude), who is the lord\nof 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. Him,\nIndra the most exalted of persons, addressed, saying, \"Be incarnate.\" And\nHari replied,--\"Let it be.\"'\"\n\n\nSECTION LXV\n\n(Sambhava Parva)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Then Indra had a consultation with Narayana about the\nlatter's descent on the earth from heaven with all the gods according to\ntheir respective parts. And, having commanded all the dwellers in heaven,\nIndra returned from the abode of Narayana. And the dwellers in heaven\ngradually became incarnate on earth for the destruction of the Asuras and\nfor the welfare of the three worlds. And then, O tiger among kings, the\ncelestials had their births, according as they pleased, in the races of\nBrahmarshis and royal sages. And they slew the Danavas, Rakshasas,\nGandharvas and Snakes, other man-eaters, and many other creatures. And, O\nbull in the Bharata race, the Danavas, Rakshasas and Gandharvas and Snakes,\ncould not slay the incarnate celestials even in their infancy, so strong\nthey 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 Self-create,\ntell thee in detail the origin of the celestials and other creatures. It\nis known that Brahman hath six spiritual sons, viz., Marichi, Atri,\nAngiras, Pulastya, Pulaha and Kratu. And Marichi's son is Kasyapa, and\nfrom Kasyapa have sprung these creatures. Unto Daksha (one of the\nPrajapatis) were born thirteen daughters of great good fortune. The\ndaughters of Daksha are, O tiger among men and prince of the Bharata race,\nAditi, Diti, Danu, Kala, Danayu, Sinhika, Krodha, Pradha, Viswa, Vinata,\nKapila, Muni, and Kadru. The sons and grandsons of these, gifted with\ngreat energy, are countless. From Aditi have sprung the twelve Adityas who\nare the lords of the universe. And, O Bharata, as they are according to\ntheir names, I shall recount them to thee. They are Dhatri, Mitra, Aryaman,\nSakra, Varuna, Ansa, Vaga, Vivaswat, Usha, Savitri, Tvashtri, and Vishnu.\nThe youngest, however, is superior to them all in merit. Diti had one son\ncalled Hiranyakasipu. And the illustrious Hiranyakasipu had five sons, all\nfamous throughout the world. The eldest of them all was Prahlada, the next\nwas Sahradha; the third was Anuhrada; and after him were Sivi and Vashkala.\nAnd, O Bharata, it is known everywhere that Prahlada had three sons. They\nwere Virochana, Kumbha, and Nikumbha. And unto Virochana was born a son,\nVali, of great prowess. And the son of Vali is known to be the great Asura,\nVana. And blessed with good fortune, Vana was a follower of Rudra, and was\nknown also by the name of Mahakala. And Danu had forty sons, O Bharata!\nThe eldest of them all was Viprachitti of great fame, Samvara, and Namuchi\nand Pauloman; Asiloman, and Kesi and Durjaya; Ayahsiras, Aswasiras, and\nthe powerful Aswasanku; also Gaganamardhan, and Vegavat, and he called\nKetumat; Swarbhanu, Aswa, Aswapati, Vrishaparvan, and then Ajaka; and\nAswagriva, and Sukshama, and Tuhunda of great strength, Ekapada, and\nEkachakra, Virupaksha, Mahodara, and Nichandra, and Nikumbha, Kupata, and\nthen Kapata; Sarabha, and Sulabha, Surya, and then Chandramas; these in\nthe race of Danu are stated to be well-known. The Surya and Chandramas\n(the Sun and the Moon) of the celestials are other persons, and not the\nsons of Danu as mentioned above. The following ten, gifted with great\nstrength and vigour, were also, O king, born in the race of Danu;--Ekaksha,\nAmritapa of heroic courage, Pralamva and Naraka, Vatrapi, Satrutapana, and\nSatha, the great Asura; Gavishtha, and Vanayu, and the Danava called\nDirghajiva. And, O Bharata, the sons and the grandsons of these were known\nto be countless. And Sinhika gave birth to Rahu, the persecutor of the Sun\nand 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 Krodhahantri,\nand Krodhasatru. And there were many others among the sons of Kala. And\nSukra, the son of a Rishi, was the chief priest of the Asuras. And the\ncelebrated Sukra had four sons who were priests of the Asuras. And they\nwere Tashtadhara and Atri, and two others of fierce deeds. They were like\nthe Sun himself in energy, and set their hearts on acquiring the regions\nof 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 not\nmuch known to fame.\n\n\"'And the sons of Vinata were Tarkhya and Arishtanemi, and Garuda and\nAruna, and Aruni and Varuni. And Sesha of Ananta, Vasuki, Takshaka, Kumara,\nand Kulika are known to be the sons of Kadru; and Bhimasena, Ugrasena,\nSuparna, Varuna, Gopati, and Dhritarashtra, and Suryavarchas the seventh,\nSatyavachas, Arkaparna, Prayuta, Bhima, and Chitraratha known to fame, of\ngreat learning, and a controller of his passions, and then Kalisiras, and,\nO king, Parjanya, the fourteenth in the list, Kali, the fifteenth, and\nNarada, the sixteenth--these Devas and Gandharvas are known to be the sons\nof Muni (Daksha's daughter as mentioned before). I shall recount many\nothers, O Bharata! Anavadya Manu, Vansa, Asura, Marganapria, Anupa,\nSubhaga, Vasi, were the daughters brought forth by Pradha, Siddha, and\nPurna, and Varhin, and Purnayus of great fame, Brahmacharin, Ratiguna, and\nSuparna who was the seventh; Viswavasu, Bhanu, and Suchandra who was the\ntenth, were also the sons of Pradha. All these were celestial Gandharvas.\nAnd it is also known that this Pradha of great fortune, through the\ncelestial Rishi (Kasyapa, her husband), brought forth the sacred of the\nApsaras, Alamvusha, Misrakesi, Vidyutparna, Tilottama, Aruna, Rakshita,\nRambha, Manorama, Kesini, Suvahu, Surata, Suraja, and Supria were the\ndaughters, and Ativahu and the celebrated Haha and Huhu, and Tumvuru were\nthe sons--the best of Gandharvas--of Pradha and Amrita. The Brahmanas,\nkine, Gandharvas, and Apsaras, 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. And\nthis account (if read) extendeth the span of life, is sacred, worthy of\nall praise, and giveth pleasure to the ear. It should be always heard and\nrecited 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\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 of\nSthanu. 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 Vedas,\ncrowned with ascetic success, and of souls in perfect peace. And, O tiger\namong kings, the sons of Pulastya of great wisdom are Rakshasas, Monkeys,\nKinnaras (half-men and half-horses), and Yakshas. And, O king, the sons of\nPulaha were, it is said, the Salabhas (the winged insects), the lions, the\nKimpurushas (half-lions and half-men), the tigers, bears, and wolves. And\nthe sons of Kratu, sacred as sacrifices, are the companions of Surya, the\nValikhilyas, known in three worlds and devoted to truth and vows. And, O\nprotector of the Earth, the illustrious Rishi Daksha, of soul in complete\npeace, and of great asceticism, sprung from the right toe of Brahman. And\nfrom the left toe of Brahman sprang the wife of the high-souled Daksha.\nAnd the Muni begat upon her fifty daughters; and all those daughters were\nof faultless features and limbs and of eyes like lotus-petals. And the\nlord Daksha, not having any sons, made those daughters his Putrikas (so\nthat their sons might belong both to himself and to their husbands). And\nDaksha bestowed, according to the sacred ordinance, ten of his daughters\non Dharma, twenty-seven on Chandra (the Moon), and thirteen on Kasyapa.\nListen as I recount the wives of Dharma according to their names. They are\nten in all--Kirti, Lakshmi, Dhriti, Medha, Pushti, Sraddha, Kria, Buddhi,\nLajja, and Mali. These are the wives of Dharma as appointed by the Self-\ncreate. It is known also throughout the world that the wives of Soma\n(Moon) are twenty-seven. And the wives of Soma, all of sacred vows, are\nemployed in indicating time; and they are the Nakshatras and the Yoginis\nand they became so for assisting the courses of the worlds.\n\n\"'And Brahman had another son named Manu. And Manu had a son of the name of\nPrajapati. And the sons of Prajapati were eight and were called Vasus whom\nI shall name in detail. They were Dhara, Dhruva, Soma, Aha, Anila, Anala,\nPratyusha, and Prabhasa. These eight are known as the Vasus. Of these,\nDhara and the truth-knowing Dhruva were born of Dhumra; Chandramas (Soma)\nand Swasana (Anila) were born of the intelligent Swasa; Aha was the son of\nRata; and Hutasana (Anala) of Sandilya; and Pratyusha and Prabhasa were\nthe sons of Prabhata. And Dhara had two sons, Dravina and Huta-havya-vaha.\nAnd the son of Dhruva is the illustrious Kala (Time), the destroyer of the\nworlds. And Soma's son is the resplendent Varchas. And Varchas begot upon\nhis wife Manohara two sons--Sisira, and Ramana. And the sons of Aha were\nJyotih, Sama, Santa, and also Muni. And the son of Agni is the handsome\nKumara born in a forest of reeds. And, he is also called Kartikeya because\nhe was reared by Krittika and others. And, after Kartikeya, there were\nborn his three brothers Sakha, Visakha, Naigameya. And the wife of Anila\nis Siva, and Siva's son were Manojava and Avijnataagati. These two were\nthe sons of Anila. The son of Pratyusha, you must know, is the Rishi named\nDevala; and Devala had two sons who were both exceedingly forgiving and of\ngreat mental power. And the sister of Vrihaspati, the first of women,\nuttering the sacred truth, engaged in ascetic penances, roamed over the\nwhole earth; and she became the wife of Prabhasa, the eighth Vasu. And she\nbrought forth the illustrious Viswakarman, the founder of all arts. And he\nwas the originator of a thousand arts, the engineer of the immortals, the\nmaker of all kinds of ornaments, and the first of artists. And he it was\nwho constructed the celestial cars of the gods, and mankind are enabled to\nlive in consequence of the inventions of that illustrious one. And he is\nworshipped, for that reason, by men. And he is eternal and immutable, this\nViswakarman.\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 by\ntheir energy they are supporting the worlds. And the wife of Kama is Rati,\nof Sama is Prapti; and the wife of Harsha is Nanda. And upon them, indeed,\nare 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. And\nthe 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 and\nengaged 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, through\nthe skies. And the learned Sukra, of great intelligence and wisdom, of\nrigid vows, leading the life of a Brahmacharin, divided himself in twain\nby power of asceticism, and became the spiritual guide of both the Daityas\nand the gods. And after Sukra was thus employed by Brahman in seeking the\nwelfare (of the gods and the Asuras), Bhrigu begot another excellent son.\nThis was Chyavana who was like the blazing sun, of virtuous soul, and of\ngreat fame. And he came out of his mother's womb in anger and became the\ncause of his mother's release, O king (from the hands of the Rakshasas).\nAnd Arushi, the daughter of Manu, became the wife of the wise Chyavana.\nAnd on her was begotten Aurva of great reputation. And he came out,\nripping open the thigh of Arushi. And Aurva begot Richika. And Richika\neven in his boyhood became possessed of great power and energy, and of\nevery virtue. And Richika begot Jamadagni. And the high-souled Jamadagni\nhad four sons. And the youngest of them all was Rama (Parasurama). And\nRama was superior to all his brothers in the possession of good qualities.\nAnd he was skilful in all weapons, and became the slayer of the Kshatriyas.\nAnd he had his passions under complete control. And Aurva had a hundred\nsons with Jamadagni the eldest. And these hundred sons had offspring by\nthousands spread over this earth.\n\n\"'And Brahman had two other sons, viz., Dhatri and Vidhatri who stayed with\nManu. Their sister is the auspicious Lakshmi having her abode amid lotuses.\nAnd the spiritual sons of Lakshmi are the sky-ranging horses. And the\ndaughter born of Sukra, named Divi, became the eldest wife of Varuna. Of\nher were born a son named Vala and a daughter named Sura (wine), to the\njoy of the gods. And Adharma (Sin) was born when creatures (from want of\nfood) began to devour one another. And Adharma always destroys every\ncreature. And Adharma hath Niriti for his wife, whence the Rakshasas who\nare called Nairitas (offspring of Niriti). And she hath also three other\ncruel sons always engaged in sinful deeds. They are Bhaya (fear),\nMahabhaya (terror), and Mrityu (Death) who is always engaged in slaying\nevery created thing. And, as he is all-destroying, he hath no wife, and no\nson. And Tamra brought forth five daughters known throughout the worlds.\nThey are Kaki (crow), Syeni (hawk), Phasi (hen), Dhritarashtri (goose),\nand Suki (parrot). And Kaki brought forth the crows; Syeni, the hawks, the\ncocks and vultures; Dhritarashtri, all ducks and swans; and she also\nbrought forth all Chakravakas; and the fair Suki, of amiable qualities,\nand possessing all auspicious signs brought forth all the parrots. And\nKrodha gave birth to nine daughters, all of wrathful disposition. And\ntheir names were Mrigi, Mrigamanda, Hari, Bhadramana, Matangi, Sarduli,\nSweta, Surabhi, and the agreeable Surasa blessed with every virtue. And, O\nforemost of men, the offspring of Mrigi are all animals of the deer\nspecies. And the offspring of Mrigamanda are all animals of the bear\nspecies and those called Srimara (sweet-footed). And Bhadramana begot the\ncelestial elephants, Airavata. And the offspring of Hari are all animals\nof the simian species endued with great activity, so also all the horses.\nAnd those animals also, that are called Go-langula (the cow-tailed), are\nsaid to be the offspring of Hari. And Sarduli begot lions and tigers in\nnumbers, and also leopards and all other strong animals. And, O king, the\noffspring of Matangi are all the elephants. And Sweta begat the large\nelephant known by the name of Sweta, endued with great speed. And, O king,\nSurabhi gave birth to two daughters, the amiable Rohini and the far-famed\nGandharvi. And, O Bharata, she had also two other daughters named Vimala\nand Anala. From Rohini have sprung all kine, and from Gandharvi all\nanimals of the horse species. And Anala begat the seven kinds of trees\nyielding pulpy fruits. (They are the date, the palm, the hintala, the tali,\nthe little date, the nut, and the cocoanut.) And she had also another\ndaughter called Suki (the mother of the parrot species). And Surasa bore a\nson called Kanka (a species of long-feathered birds). And Syeni, the wife\nof Aruna, gave birth to two sons of great energy and strength, named\nSampati and the mighty Jatayu. Surasa also bore the Nagas, and Kadru, the\nPunnagas (snakes). And Vinata had two sons Garuda and Aruna, known far and\nwide. And, O king of men, O foremost of intelligent persons, thus hath the\ngenealogy of all the principal creatures been fully described by me. By\nlistening to this, a man is fully cleansed of all his sins, and acquireth\ngreat knowledge, and finally attaineth to the first of states in after-\nlife!'\"\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 Sisupala.\nHe who had been known as Samhlada, the younger brother of Prahlada, became\namong men the famous Salya, that bull amongst Valhikas. The spirited\nAnuhlada who had been the youngest became noted in the world as\nDhrishtaketu. 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 Aysanku,\nGaganamurdhan, and Vegavat, were all born in the royal line of Kekaya and\nall became great monarchs. That other Asura of mighty energy who was known\nby the name of Ketumat became on earth the monarch Amitaujas of terrible\ndeeds. That great Asura who was known as Swarbhanu became on earth the\nmonarch Ugrasena of fierce deeds. That great Asura who was known as Aswa\nbecame on earth the monarch Asoka of exceeding energy and invincible in\nbattle. And, O king, the younger brother of Aswa who was known as Aswapati,\na son of Diti, became on earth the mighty monarch Hardikya. The great and\nfortunate Asura who was known as Vrishaparvan became noted on earth as\nking Dirghaprajna. And, O king, the younger brother of Vrishaparvan who\nwas known by the name of Ajaka became noted on earth as king Salwa. The\npowerful and mighty Asura who was known as Aswagriva became noted on earth\nas king Rochamana. And, O king, the Asura who was known as Sukshma, endued\nwith great intelligence and whose achievements also were great, became on\nearth the famous king Vrihadratha. And that first of Asuras who was known\nby the name of Tuhunda, became noted on earth as the monarch, Senavindu.\nThat Asura of great strength who was known as Ishupa became the monarch\nNagnajita of famous prowess. The great Asura who was known as Ekachakra\nbecame noted on earth as Pritivindhya. The great Asura Virupaksha capable\nof displaying various modes of fight became noted on earth as king\nChitravarman. The first of Danavas, the heroic Hara, who humbled the pride\nof all foes became on earth the famous and fortunate Suvahu. The Asura\nSuhtra of great energy and the destroyer of foemen, became noted on earth\nas the fortunate monarch, Munjakesa. That Asura of great intelligence\ncalled Nikumbha, who was never vanquished in battle was born on earth as\nking Devadhipa, the first among monarchs. That great Asura known amongst\nthe sons of Diti by the name of Sarabha became on earth the royal sage\ncalled Paurava. And, O king, the great Asura of exceeding energy, the\nfortunate Kupatha, was born on earth as the famous monarch Suparswa. The\ngreat Asura, O king, who was called Kratha, was born on earth as the royal\nsage Parvateya of form resplendent like a golden mountain. He amongst the\nAsura who was known as Salabha the second, became on earth the monarch\nPrahlada in the country of the Valhikas. The foremost, among the sons of\nDiti known by the name of Chandra and handsome as the lord of the stars\nhimself, became on earth noted as Chandravarman, the king of the Kamvojas.\nThat bull amongst the Danavas who was known by the name of Arka became on\nearth, O king, the royal sage Rishika. That best of Asuras who was known\nas Mritapa became on earth, O best of kings, the monarch, Pascimanupaka.\nThat great Asura of surpassing energy known as Garishtha became noted on\nearth as king Drumasena. The great Asura who was known as Mayura became\nnoted on earth as the monarch Viswa. He who was the younger brother of\nMayura and called Suparna became noted on earth as the monarch, Kalakirti.\nThe mighty Asura who was known as Chandrahantri became on earth the royal\nsage Sunaka. The great Asura who was called Chandravinasana became noted\non earth as the monarch, Janaki. That bull amongst the Danavas, O prince\nof the Kuru race, who was called Dhirghajihva, became noted on earth as\nKasiraja. The Graha who was brought forth by Sinhika and who persecuted\nthe Sun and the Moon became noted on earth as the monarch Kratha. The\neldest of the four sons of Danayu, who was known by the name of Vikshara,\nbecame known on earth the spirited monarch, Vasumitra. The second brother\nof Vikshara, the great Asura, was born on earth as the king of the country,\ncalled Pandya. That best of Asuras who was known by the name of Valina\nbecame on earth the monarch Paundramatsyaka. And, O king, that great Asura\nwho was known as Vritra became on earth the royal sage known by the name\nof Manimat. That Asura who was the younger brother of Vritra and known as\nKrodhahantri became noted on earth as king Danda. That other Asura who was\nknown by the name Krodhavardhana became noted on earth as the monarch,\nDandadhara. The eight sons of the Kaleyas that were born on earth all\nbecame great kings endued with the prowess of tigers. The eldest of them\nall became king Jayatsena in Magadha. The second of them, in prowess, like\nIndra, became noted on earth as Aparajita. The third of them, endued with\ngreat energy and power of producing deception, was born on earth as the\nking of the Nishadas gifted with great prowess. That other amongst them\nwho was known as the fourth was noted on earth as Srenimat, that best of\nroyal sages. That great Asura amongst them who was the fifth, became noted\non earth 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 Kalingas;\nand Matimat, and he was known as king Iswara; these first of kings were\nall 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 known\namong the Asuras by the name of Devaka and was besides in splendour like\nunto 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. Thou\nshouldst know he was also well-acquainted with the Vedas and the science\nof arms. And he was of wonderful deeds and the pride of his race. And, O\nking, his son the heroic Aswatthaman, of eyes like the lotus-petals,\ngifted with surpassing energy, and the terror of all foes, the great\noppressor of all enemies, was born on earth, of the united portions of\nMahadeva, Yama, Kama, and Krodha. And from the curse of Vasishtha and the\ncommand also of Indra, the eight Vasus were born of Ganga by her husband\nSantanu. The youngest of them was Bhishma, the dispeller of the fears of\nthe Kurus, gifted with great intelligence, conversant with the Vedas, the\nfirst speakers, and the thinner of the enemy's ranks. And possessed of\nmighty energy and the first of all persons acquainted with weapons, he\nencountered the illustrious Rama himself, the son of Jamadagni of the\nBhrigu race. And, O king, that Brahman sage who, on earth, was known by\nthe name of Kripa and was the embodiment of all manliness was born of the\ntribe of the Rudras. And the mighty chariot-fighter and king who on earth\nwas known by the name of Sakuni, that crusher of foes, thou shouldst know,\nO king, was Dwapara himself (the third yuga). And he who was Satyaki of\nsure aim, that upholder of the pride of Vrishni race, that oppressor of\nfoes, begotten of the portion of gods called the Maruts. And that royal\nsage Drupada who on earth was a monarch, the first among all persons\nbearing arms, was also born of the same tribe of the celestials. And, O\nking, thou shouldst also know that Kritavarman, that prince among men, of\ndeeds unsurpassed by any one, and the foremost of all bulls amongst\nKshatriyas, was born of the portion of the same celestials. And that royal\nsage also, Virata by name, the scorcher of the kingdoms of others, and the\ngreat oppressor of all foes, was born of the portion of the same gods.\nThat son of Arishta who was known by the name of Hansa, was born in the\nKuru race and became the monarch of the Gandharvas. He who was known as\nDhritarashtra born of the seed of Krishna-Dwaipayana, and gifted with long\narms and great energy, also a monarch, of the prophetic eye, became blind\nin consequence of the fault of his mother and the wrath of the Rishi. His\nyounger brother who was possessed of great strength and was really a great\nbeing known as Pandu, devoted to truth and virtue, was Purity's self. And,\nO king, 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, was\nthe excellent and greatly fortunate son of the Rishi Atri. The evil-minded\nand wicked king Duryodhana, the destroyer of the fair fame of the Kurus,\nwas born of a portion of Kali on earth. He it was who caused all creatures\nto be slain and the earth to be wasted; and he it was who fanned the flame\nof hostility that ultimately consumed all. They who had been the sons of\nPulastya (the Rakshasas) were born on earth among men of Duryodhana's\nbrothers, that century of wicked individuals commencing with Duhsasana as\ntheir first. And, O bull among the Bharata princes, Durmukha, Duhsaha, and\nothers whose names I do not mention, who always supported Duryodhana (in\nall his schemes), were, indeed, the sons of Pulastya. And over and above\nthese hundred, Dhritarashtra had one son named Yuyutsu born of a Vaisya\nwife.'\n\n\"Janamejaya said, 'O illustrious one, tell me the names of Dhritarashtra's\nsons according to the order of their birth beginning from the eldest.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'O king, they are as follows: Duryodhana, and Yuyutsu,\nand also Duhsasana; Duhsaha and Duhshala, and then Durmukha; Vivinsati,\nand Vikarna, Jalasandha, Sulochna, Vinda and Anuvinda, Durdharsha, Suvahu,\nDushpradharshana; Durmarshana, and Dushkarna, and Karna; Chitra and\nVipachitra, Chitraksha, Charuchitra, and Angada, Durmada, and\nDushpradharsha, Vivitsu, Vikata, Sama; Urananabha, and Padmanabha, Nanda\nand Upanandaka; Sanapati, Sushena, Kundodara; Mahodara; Chitravahu, and\nChitravarman, Suvarman, Durvirochana; Ayovahu, Mahavahu, Chitrachapa and\nSukundala, Bhimavega, Bhimavala, Valaki, Bhimavikrama, Ugrayudha,\nBhimaeara, Kanakayu, Dridhayudha, Dridhavarman, Dridhakshatra Somakirti,\nAnadara; Jarasandha, Dridhasandha, Satyasandha, Sahasravaeh; Ugrasravas,\nUgrasena, and Kshemamurti; Aprajita, Panditaka, Visalaksha, Duradhara,\nDridhahasta, and Suhasta, Vatavega, and Suvarchasa; Adityaketu, Vahvasin,\nNagadatta and Anuyaina; Nishangi, Kuvachi, Dandi, Dandadhara, Dhanugraha;\nUgra, Bhimaratha, Vira, Viravahu, Alolupa; Abhaya, and Raudrakarman, also\nhe who was Dridharatha; Anadhrishya, Kundaveda, Viravi, Dhirghalochana;\nDirghavahu; Mahavahu; Vyudhoru, Kanakangana; Kundaja and Chitraka. There\nwas also a daughter named Duhsala who was over and above the hundred. And\nYuyutsu who was Dhritarashtra's son by a Vaisya wife, was also over and\nabove the hundred. Thus, O king, have I recited the names of the hundred\nsons and also that of the daughter (of Dhritarashtra). Thou hast now known\ntheir names according to the order of their births. All of them were\nheroes and great car-warriors, and skilled in the art of warfare. Besides,\nall of them were versed in the Vedas, and, O king, all of them had got\nthrough the scriptures. All of them were mighty in attack and defence, and\nall were graced with learning. And, O monarch, all of them had wives\nsuitable to them in grace and accomplishments. And, O king, when the time\ncame, the Kaurava monarch bestowed his daughter Duhsala on Jayadratha, the\nking of 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, in\ncourse of half a day, unto the regions of the king of the dead. Then when\nnumberless heroes and mighty car-warriors will return to the charge\ntowards the close of the day, my boy of mighty arms, shall reappear before\nme. And he shall beget one heroic son in his line, who shall continue the\nalmost extinct Bharata race.\" Hearing these words of Soma, the dwellers in\nheaven replied, \"So be it.\" And then all together applauded and worshipped\n(Soma) the king of stars. Thus, O king, have I recited to thee the\n(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 side)\nwhatever celestials thou likest. And, by their grace, shall thou also\nobtain children.\" Thus addressed, the girl (a little while after), seized\nwith curiosity, summoned, during the period of her maiden-hood, the god\nSurya. And the lord of light thereupon made her conceive and begot on her\na son who became the first of all wielders of weapons. From fear of\nrelatives she brought forth in secrecy that child who had come out with\near-rings and coat of mail. And he was gifted with the beauty of a\ncelestial infant, and in splendour was like unto the maker of day himself.\nAnd every part of his body was symmetrical and well-adorned. And Kunti\ncast the handsome child into the water. But the child thus thrown into the\nwater was taken up by the excellent husband of Radha and given by him to\nhis wife to be adopted by her as their son. And the couple gave him the\nname of Vasusena, by which appellation the child soon became known all\nover the land. And, as he grew up, he became very strong and excelled in\nall weapons. The first of all successful persons, he soon mastered the\nsciences. And when the intelligent one having truth for his strength\nrecited the Vedas, there was nothing he would not then give to the\nBrahmanas. At that time Indra, the originator of all things, moved by the\ndesire of benefiting his own son Arjuna, assumed the guise of a Brahmana,\ncame to him, and begged of the hero his ear-rings and natural armour. And\nthe hero taking off his ear-rings and armour gave them unto the Brahmana.\nAnd Sakra (accepting the gift) presented to the giver a dart, surprised\n(at his open handedness), and addressed him in these words, \"O invincible\none, amongst the celestials, Asuras, men, Gandharvas, Nagas, and Rakshasas,\nhe at whom thou hurlest (this weapon), that one shall certainly be slain.\"\nAnd the son of Surya was at first known in the world by the name of\nVasusena. But, for his deeds, he subsequently came to be called Karna. And\nbecause that hero of great fame had taken off his natural armour,\ntherefore was he--the first son of Pritha--called Karna. And, O best of\nkings, the hero began to grow up in the Suta caste. And, O king, know thou\nthat Karna--the first of all exalted men--the foremost of all wielders of\nweapons--the slayer of foes--and the best portion of the maker of day--was\nthe friend and counsellor of Duryodhana. And he, called Vasudeva, endued\nwith great valour, was among men a portion of him called Narayana--the god\nof gods--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 king,\nin this world of men, the wives of Vasudeva. And a portion of Sri herself\nbecame incarnate on earth, for the gratification of Narayana, in the line\nof Bhishmaka. And she was by name the chaste Rukmini. And the faultless\nDraupadi, slender-waisted like the wasp, was born of a portion of Sachi\n(the queen of the celestials), in the line of Drupada. And she was neither\nlow nor tall in stature. And she was of the fragrance of the blue lotus,\nof eyes large as lotus-petals, of thighs fair and round, of dense masses\nof black curly hair. And endued with every auspicious feature and of\ncomplexion like that of the emerald, she became the charmer of the hearts\nof five foremost of men. And the two goddesses Siddhi and Dhriti became\nthe mothers of those five, and were called Kunti and Madri. And she who\nwas Mati became the daughter (Gandhari) of Suvala.\n\n\"'Thus, O king, have I recited to thee all about the incarnation, according\nto their respective portions, of the gods, the Asuras, the Gandharvas, the\nApsaras, and of the Rakshasas. They who were born on earth as monarchs\ninvincible in battle, those high-souled ones who were born in the wide\nextended line of the Yadus, they who were born as mighty monarchs in other\nlines, they who were born as Brahmanas and Kshatriyas and Vaisyas, have\nall been recited by me duly. And this account of the incarnation (of\nsuperior beings according to their respective portions) capable of\nbestowing wealth, fame, offspring, long life, and success, should always\nbe listened to in a proper frame of mind. And having listened to this\naccount of incarnation, according to their portions, of gods, Gandharvas,\nand Rakshasas, the hearer becoming acquainted with the creation,\npreservation, and destruction of the universe and acquiring wisdom, is\nnever cast down even under the most engrossing sorrows.'\"\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 various\nregions in the midst of the sea. And that great oppressor of all foes had\nsway 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 men.\nThere was no fear of thieves, O dear one, no fear of famine, no fear of\ndisease. 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 fear.\nAnd Parjanya (Indra) poured showers at the proper time, and the produce of\nthe fields was always pulpy and juicy. And the earth was full of all kinds\nof wealth and all kinds of animals. And the Brahmanas were always engaged\nin their duties and they were always truthful. And the youthful monarch\nwas endued with wonderful prowess and a physical frame hard as the\nthunderbolt, so that he could, taking up the mountain Mandara with its\nforests and bushes, support it on his arms. And he was well-skilled in\nfour kinds of encounters with the mace (hurling it at foes at a distance,\nstriking at those that are near, whirling it in the midst of many, and\ndriving the foe before). And he was skilled also in the use of all kinds\nof weapons and in riding elephants and horses. And in strength he was like\nunto Vishnu, in splendour like unto the maker of day, in gravity like unto\nthe ocean, and in patience, like unto the earth. And the monarch was loved\nby all his subjects, and he ruled his contented people virtuously.'\"\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, I\nalso desire to hear all about Dushmanta--that lion among men--and how the\nhero obtained Sakuntala. It behoveth thee, O knower of truth and the first\nof 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 himself.\nAnd they said, \"This is that tiger among men who in battle is equal unto\nthe Vasus in prowess, and in consequence of the might of whose arms no\nfoes are left.\" And saying this, the ladies from affection gratified the\nmonarch by showering flowers on his head. And followed by foremost of\nBrahmanas uttering blessings all the way, the king in great gladness of\nheart went towards the forest, eager for slaying the deer. And many\nBrahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas, and Sudras, followed the monarch who was\nlike unto the king of the celestials seated on the back of a proud\nelephant. The citizens and other classes followed the monarch for some\ndistance. And they at last refrained from going farther at the command of\nthe king. And the king, then, ascending his chariot of winged speed,\nfilled the whole earth and even the heavens, with the rattle of his\nchariot 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 animals.\nAnd Dushmanta, piercing them with his arrows, felled numerous tigers that\nwere within shooting range. And the king wounded many that were too\ndistant, and killed many that were too near with his heavy sword. And that\nforemost of all wielders of darts killed many by hurling his darts at them.\nAnd well-conversant with the art of whirling the mace, the king of\nimmeasurable prowess fearlessly wandered over the forest. And the king\nroamed about, killing the denizens of the wilderness sometimes with his\nsword and sometimes by fast-descending blows of his mace and heavy 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 down\non all sides, unable to slake their thirst, having reached river-beds that\nwere perfectly dry. And many so falling were eaten up by the hungry\nwarriors, while others were eaten up after having been duly quartered and\nroasted in fires lit up by them. And many strong elephants, maddened with\nthe wounds they received and alarmed beyond measure, fled with trunks\nraised on high. And those wild elephants, betraying the usual symptoms of\nalarm by urinating and ejecting the contents of their stomachs and\nvomiting blood in large quantities, trampled, as they ran, many warriors\nto death. And that forest which had been full of animals, was by the king\nwith his bands of followers and with sharp weapons soon made bereft of\nlions and tigers and other monarchs of the wilderness.'\"\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 came\nupon a large desert on the frontiers of the forest. And having crossed\nthis herbless plain, the king came upon another forest full of the\nretreats of ascetics, beautiful to look at, delightful to the heart and of\ncool agreeable breezes. And it was full of trees covered with blossoms,\nthe soil overgrown with the softest and greenest grass, extending for many\nmiles around, and echoing with the sweet notes of winged warblers. And it\nresounded with the notes of the male Kokila and of the shrill cicala. And\nit was full of magnificent trees with outstretched branches forming a\nshady canopy overhead. And the bees hovered over flowery creepers all\naround. And there were beautiful bowers in every place. And there was no\ntree without fruits, none that had prickles on it, none that had no bees\nswarming around it. And the whole forest resounded with the melody of\nwinged choristers. And it was decked with the flowers of every season. And\nthere were refreshing shades of blossoming 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 sweet-\nthroated warblers perched on them, stood there in rows with heads touching\nthe very heavens. And around their branches hanging down with the weight of\nflowers the bees tempted by the honey hummed in sweet chorus. And the king,\nendued with great energy, beholding innumerable spots covered with bowers\nof creepers decked with clusters of flowers, from excess of gladness,\nbecame very much charmed. And the forest was exceedingly beautiful in\nconsequence of those trees ranged around with flowery branches twining with\neach other and looking like so many rainbows for gaudiness and variety of\ncolour. And it was the resort of bands of Siddhas, of the Charanas, of\ntribes of Gandharvas, and Apsaras, of monkeys and Kinnaras drunk with\ndelight. Delicious cool, and fragrant breezes, conveying the fragrance from\nfresh flowers, blew in all directions as if they had come there to sport\nwith the trees. And the king saw that charming forest gifted with such\nbeauties. And it was situated in a delta of the river, and the cluster of\nhigh trees standing together lent the place the look of a gaudy pole\nerected to Indra's honour.\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 the\nhearts of the ascetics who resorted to it for purposes of ablutions. And\nthe king beheld on its banks many innocent animals of the deer species and\nwas 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 in\nnumbers. 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 by\nthe water of the Ganga--the king resolved to enter into that sacred abode.\nAnd that bull among men, desirous of beholding the great Rishi of ascetic\nwealth, the illustrious Kanwa of the race of Kasyapa, one who possessed\nevery virtue and who, for his splendour, could be gazed at with difficulty,\napproached that forest resounding with the notes of maddened peacocks and\nlike unto the gardens of the great Gandharva, Chitraratha, himself. And\nhalting his army consisting of flags, cavalry, infantry, and elephants at\nthe entrance of the forest, the monarch spoke as follows, \"I shall go to\nbehold the mighty ascetic of Kasyapa's race, one who is without darkness.\nStay 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 reciting\nmantras of other kinds. In fact, that sacred retreat resounding with these\nholy notes was like unto a second region of Brahman himself. And there\nwere many Brahmanas skilled in the art of making sacrificial platforms and\nin the rules of Krama in sacrifices, conversant with logic and the mental\nsciences, and possessing a complete knowledge of the Vedas. There were\nthose also who were fully acquainted with the meanings of all kinds of\nexpressions; those that were conversant with all special rites, those also\nthat were followers of Moksha-Dharma; those again that were well-skilled\nin establishing propositions, rejecting superfluous causes, and drawing\nright conclusions. There were those having a knowledge of the science of\nwords (grammar), of prosody, of Nirukta; those again that were conversant\nwith astrology and learned in the properties of matter and the fruits of\nsacrificial rites, possessing a knowledge of causes and effects, capable\nof understanding the cries of birds and monkeys, well-read in large\ntreatises, and skilled in various sciences. And the king, as he proceeded,\nheard their voices. And the retreat resounded also with voice of men\ncapable of charming human hearts. And the slayer of hostile heroes also\nsaw around him learned Brahmanas of rigid vows engaged in Japa (the\nrepeated muttering of the names of gods) and Homa (burnt-offering). And\nthe king wondered much on beholding the beautiful carpets which those\nBrahmanas offered to him respectfully. And that best of monarchs, at the\nsight of the rites with which those Brahmanas worshipped the gods and the\ngreat Rishis, thought within himself that he was in the region of Brahman.\nAnd the more the king saw that auspicious and sacred asylum of Kasyapa\nprotected by that Rishi's ascetic virtues and possessing all the\nrequisites of a holy retreat, the more he desired to see it. In fact, he\nwas not satisfied with his short survey. And the slayer of heroes at last,\naccompanied by his minister and his priest, entered that charming and\nsacred retreat of Kasyapa inhabited all around by Rishis of ascetic wealth\nand exalted vows.'\"\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 alone\nhe saw not the Rishi (Kanwa) of rigid vows. And not seeing the Rishi and\nfinding that the abode was empty, he called loudly, saying, \"What ho, who\nis here?\" And the sound of his voice was echoed back. And hearing the\nsound of his voice, there came out of the Rishi's abode a maiden beautiful\nas Sri herself but dressed as an ascetic's daughter. And the black-eyed\nfair one, as she saw king Dushmanta, bade him welcome and received him\nduly. And, showing him due respect by the offer of a seat, water to wash\nhis feet, and Arghya, she enquired about the monarch's health and peace.\nAnd having worshipped the king and asked him about his health and peace,\nthe maiden reverentially asked, \"What must be done, O king! I await your\ncommands.\" The king, duly worshipped by her, said unto that maiden of\nfaultless features and sweet speech, \"I have come to worship the highly-\nblessed Rishi Kanwa. Tell me, O amiable and beautiful one, where has the\nillustrious 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 thus\nby her, beheld that the maiden was exceedingly beautiful and endued with\nperfect symmetry of shape. And he saw that she was of sweet smiles. And\nshe stood decked with the beauty of her faultless features, her ascetic\npenances, and her humility. And he saw that she was in the bloom of youth.\nHe therefore asked her, \"Who art thou? And whose daughter, O beautiful\none? Why hast thou come into the woods also? O handsome one, gifted with\nso much beauty and such virtues, whence hast thou come? O charming one, at\nthe very first glance hast thou stolen my heart! I desire to learn all\nabout thee; therefore tell me all.\" And thus addressed by the monarch, the\nmaiden smilingly replied in these sweet words, \"O Dushmanta, I am the\ndaughter of the virtuous, wise, high-souled, and illustrious ascetic\nKanwa.\"\n\n\"'Dushmanta, hearing this, replied, \"The universally-worshipped and highly-\nblessed Rishi is one whose seed hath been drawn up. Even Dharma himself\nmight fall off from his course but an ascetic of rigid vows can never fall\noff so. Therefore, O thou of the fairest complexion, how hast thou been\nborn as his daughter? This great doubt of mine it behoveth thee to\ndispel.\"\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 a\ntime, a Rishi came here and asked about my birth. All that the illustrious\none (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 heaven.\nIndra, thus alarmed, summoned Menaka and told her, \"Thou, O Menaka, art\nthe first of celestial Apsaras. Therefore, O amiable one, do me this\nservice. Hear what I say. This great ascetic Viswamitra like unto the Sun\nin splendour, is engaged in the most severe of penances. My heart is\ntrembling 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. Go\nand tempt him and frustrating his continued austerities accomplish my good.\nWin him away from his penances, O beautiful one, by tempting him with thy\nbeauty, youth, agreeableness, arts, smiles and speech.\" Hearing all this,\nMenaka replied, \"The illustrious Viswamitra is endued with great energy\nand is a mighty ascetic. He is very short-tempered too, as is known to\nthee. The energy, penances, and wrath of the high-souled one have made\neven thee anxious. Why should I not also be anxious? He it was who made\neven the illustrious Vasishtha bear the pangs of witnessing the premature\ndeath of his children. He it was who, though at first born as Kshatriya,\nsubsequently became a Brahmana by virtue of his ascetic penances. He it\nwas who, for purposes of his ablutions, created a deep river that can with\ndifficulty be forded, and which sacred stream is known by the name of the\nKausiki. It was Viswamitra whose wife, in a season of distress, was\nmaintained by the royal sage Matanga (Trisanku) who was then living under\na father's curse as a hunter. It was Viswamitra who, on returning after\nthe famine was over, changed the name of the stream having his asylum from\nKausik into Para. It was Viswamitra who in return for the services of\nMatanga, himself became the latter's priest for purposes of a sacrifice.\nThe lord of the celestials himself went through fear to drink the Soma\njuice. It was Viswamitra who in anger created a second world and numerous\nstars beginning with Sravana. He it was who granted protection to Trisanku\nsmarting under a superior's curse. I am frightened to approach him of such\ndeeds. Tell me, O Indra, the means that should be adopted so that I may\nnot be burnt by his wrath. He can burn the three worlds by his splendour,\ncan, by a stamp (of his foot), cause the earth to quake. He can sever the\ngreat Meru from the earth and hurl it to any distance. He can go round the\nten points of the earth in a moment. How can a woman like me even touch\nsuch a one full of ascetic virtues, like unto a blazing fire, and having\nhis passions under complete control? His mouth is like unto a blazing fire;\nthe pupils of his eyes are like the Sun and the Moon; his tongue is like\nunto Yama himself. How shall, O chief of the celestials, a woman like me\neven touch him? At the thought of his prowess Yama, Soma, the great Rishis,\nthe Saddhyas, the Viswas, Valakhilyas, are terrified! How can a woman like\nme gaze at him without alarm? Commanded, however, by thee, O king of the\ncelestials, I shall somehow approach that Rishi. But, O chief of the gods,\ndevise thou some plan whereby protected by thee, I may safely move about\nthat Rishi. I think that when I begin to play before the Rishi, Marut (the\ngod of wind) had better go there and rob me of my dress, and Manmatha (the\ngod of love) had also, at thy command, better help me then. Let also Marut\non that occasion bear thither fragrance from the woods to tempt the\nRishi.\" Saying this and seeing that all she had spoken about had been\nduly provided, Menaka went to the retreat of the great Kausika.'\"'\n\n\nSECTION LXXII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"'\"Kanwa 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 had\nburnt, by his penances, all his sins, and was engaged still in ascetic\npenances. And saluting the Rishi, she then began to sport before him. And\njust at that time Marut robbed her of her garments that were white as the\nMoon. And she thereupon ran, as if in great bashfulness, to catch hold of\nher attire, and as if she was exceedingly annoyed with Marut. And she did\nall this before the very eyes of Viswamitra who was endued with energy\nlike that of fire. And Viswamitra saw her in that attitude. And beholding\nher divested of her robes, he saw that she was of faultless feature. And\nthat best of Munis saw that she was exceedingly handsome, with no marks of\nage on her person. And beholding her beauty and accomplishments that bull\namongst Rishis was possessed with lust and made a sign that he desired her\ncompanionship. And he invited her accordingly, and she also of faultless\nfeatures expressed her acceptance of the invitation. And they then passed\na long time there in each other's company. And sporting with each other,\njust as they pleased, for a long time as if it were only a single day, the\nRishi begat on Menaka a daughter named Sakuntala. And Menaka (as her\nconception advanced) went to the banks of the river Malini coursing along\na valley of the charming mountains of Himavat. And there she gave birth to\nthat daughter. And she left the new-born infant on the bank of that river\nand went away. And beholding the new-born infant lying in that forest\ndestitute of human beings but abounding with lions and tigers, a number of\nvultures sat around to protect it from harm. No Rakshasas or carnivorous\nanimals took its life. Those vultures protected the daughter of Menaka. I\nwent there to perform my ablution and beheld the infant lying in the\nsolitude of the wilderness surrounded by vultures. Bringing her hither I\nhave made her my daughter. Indeed, the maker of the body, the protector of\nlife, the giver of food, are all three, fathers in their order, according\nto the scriptures. 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\nSECTION LXXIII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'King Dushmanta, hearing all this, said, \"Well-\nspoken, O princess, this that thou hast said! Be my wife, O beautiful one!\nWhat shall I do for thee? Golden garlands, robes, ear-rings of gold, white\nand handsome pearls, from various countries, golden coins, finest carpets,\nI shall present thee this very day. Let the whole of my kingdom be thine\ntoday, O beautiful one! Come to me, O timid one, wedding me, O beautiful\none, according to the Gandharva form. O thou of tapering thighs, of all\nforms of marriage, the Gandharva one is regarded 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 may\ndepend upon one's own self. Therefore, according to the ordinance, thou\ncanst 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, hath\nspoken of the appropriateness of all these forms according to their order.\nKnow, O faultless one, that the first four of these are fit for Brahmanas,\nand the first six for Kshatriyas. As regards kings, even the Rakshasa form\nis permissible. The Asura form is permitted to Vaisyas and Sudras. Of the\nfirst five the three are proper, the other two being improper. The\nPaisacha and the Asura forms should never be practised. These are the\ninstitutes of religion, and one should act according to them. The\nGandharva and the Rakshasa form are consistent with the practices of\nKshatriyas. Thou needst not entertain the least fear. There is not the\nleast doubt that either according to any one of these last-mentioned forms,\nor according to a union of both of them, our wedding may take place. O\nthou of the fairest complexion, full of desire I am, thou also in a\nsimilar mood mayst become my wife according to the Gandharva 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 of\nKasyapa. 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 virtuous.\nThou hast, O Sakuntala, accepted him for thy husband. The son that shall\nbe born of thee shall be mighty and illustrious in this world. And he\nshall have sway over the sea. And the forces of that illustrious king of\nkings, 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 Dushmanta\nwhom 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\nSECTION LXXIV\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'After Dushmanta had left the asylum having made those\npromises unto Sakuntala, the latter of tapering thighs brought forth a boy\nof immeasurable energy. And when the child was three years old, he became\nin splendour like the blazing fire. And, O Janamejaya, he was possessed of\nbeauty and magnanimity and every accomplishment. And that first of\nvirtuous men, Kanwa, caused all the rites of religion to be performed in\nrespect of that intelligent child thriving day by day. And the boy gifted\nwith pearly teeth and shining locks, capable of slaying lions even then,\nwith all auspicious signs on his palm, and broad expansive forehead, grew\nup in beauty and strength. And like unto a celestial child in splendour,\nhe began to grow up rapidly. And when he was only six years of age, endued\nwith great strength he used to seize and bind to the trees that stood\naround that asylum, lions and tigers and bears and buffaloes and elephants.\nAnd he rode on some animals, and pursued others in sportive mood. The\ndwellers at Kanwa's asylum thereupon bestowed on him a name. And they said,\nbecause he seizes and restrains an animals however strong, let him be\ncalled Sarvadamana (the subduer of all). And it was thus that the boy came\nto be named Sarvadamana, endued as he was with prowess, and energy and\nstrength. And the Rishi seeing the boy and marking also his extraordinary\nacts, told Sakuntala that the time had come for his installation as the\nheir-apparent. And beholding the strength of the boy, Kanwa commanded his\ndisciples, saying, \"Bear ye without delay this Sakuntala with her son from\nthis abode to that of her husband, blessed with every auspicious sign.\nWomen should not live long in the houses of their paternal or maternal\nrelations. Such residence is destructive of their reputation, their good\nconduct, their virtue. Therefore, delay not in bearing her hence.\" These\ndisciples of the Rishi thereupon, saying \"So be it,\" went towards the city\nnamed after an elephant (Hastinapura) with Sakuntala and her son ahead of\nthem. And then she of fair eye-brows, taking with her that boy of\ncelestial beauty, endued with eyes like lotus petals, left the woods where\nshe had been first known by Dushmanta. And having approached the king, she\nwith her boy resembling in splendour the rising sun was introduced to him.\nAnd the disciples of the Rishi having introduced her, returned to the\nasylum. And Sakuntala having worshipped the king according to proper form,\ntold him, \"This is thy son, O king! Let him be installed as thy heir-\napparent. O king, this child, like unto a celestial, hath been begotten by\nthee upon me. Therefore, O best of men, fulfil now the promise thou gavest\nme. Call to mind, O thou of great good fortune, the agreement thou hadst\nmade on the 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\nof consciousness 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 thou, like an inferior person, thus say that thou knowest\nit not? Thy heart is a witness to the truth or falsehood of this matter.\nTherefore, speak truly without degrading thyself. He who being one thing\nrepresenteth himself as another thing to others, is like a thief and a\nrobber of his own self. Of what sin is he not capable? Thou thinkest\nthat thou alone hast knowledge of thy deed. But knowest thou not that\nthe Ancient, Omniscient one (Narayana) liveth in thy heart? He knoweth\nall thy sins, and thou sinnest in His presence. He that sins thinks that\nnone observes him. But he is observed by the gods and by Him also who is\nin every heart. The Sun, the Moon, the Air, the Fire, the Earth, the\nSky, Water, the heart, Yama, the day, the night, both twilights, and\nDharma, all witness the acts of man. Yama, the son of Surya, takes no\naccount of the sins of him with whom Narayana the witness of all acts,\nis gratified. But he with whom Narayana is not gratified is tortured for\nhis sins by Yama. Him who degradeth himself by representing his self\nfalsely, the gods never bless. Even his own soul blesseth him not. I am\na wife devoted to my husband. I have come of my own accord, it is true.\nBut do not, on that account, treat me with disrespect. I am thy wife\nand, therefore, deserve to be treated respectfully. Wilt thou not treat\nme so, because I have come hither of my own accord? In the presence of\nso 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 called Put, therefore, hath he been\ncalled by the Self-create himself as Puttra (the rescuer from Put). By a\nson one conquereth the three worlds. By a son's son, one enjoyeth\neternity. And by a grandson's son great-grand-fathers enjoy everlasting\nhappiness. She is a true wife who is skilful in household affairs. She\nis a true wife who hath borne a son. She is a true wife whose heart is\ndevoted to her lord. She is a true wife who knoweth none but her lord.\nThe wife is a man's half. The wife is the first of friends. The wife is\nthe root of religion, profit, and desire. The wife is the root of\nsalvation. They that have wives can perform religious acts. They that\nhave wives can lead domestic lives. They that have wives have the means\nto be cheerful. They that have wives can achieve good fortune.\nSweet-speeched wives are friends on occasions of joy. They are as\nfathers on occasions of religious acts. They are mothers in sickness and\nwoe. Even in the deep woods to a traveller a wife is his refreshment and\nsolace. He that hath a wife is trusted by all. A wife, therefore, is\none's most valuable possession. Even when the husband leaving this world\ngoeth into the region of Yama, it is the devoted wife that accompanies\nhim thither. A wife going before waits for the husband. But if the\nhusband goeth before, the chaste wife followeth close. For these\nreasons, O king, doth marriage exist. The husband enjoyeth the\ncompanionship of the wife both in this and in the other worlds. It hath\nbeen said by learned persons that one is himself born as one's son.\nTherefore, a man whose wife hath borne a son should look upon her as his\nmother. Beholding the face of the son one hath begotten upon his wife,\nlike his own face in a mirror, one feeleth as happy as a virtuous man,\non attaining to heaven. Men scorched by mental grief, or suffering under\nbodily pain, feel as much refreshed in the companionship of their wives\nas a perspiring person in a cool bath. No man, even in anger, should\never do anything that is disagreeable to his wife, seeing that\nhappiness, joy, and virtue,--everything dependeth on the wife. A wife is\nthe sacred field in which the husband is born himself. Even Rishis\ncannot create creatures without women. What happiness is greater than\nwhat the father feeleth when the son running towards him, even though\nhis body be covered with dust, claspeth his limbs? Why then dost thou\ntreat with indifference such a son, who hath approached thee himself and\nwho casteth wistful glances towards thee for climbing thy knees? Even\nants support their own eggs without destroying them; then why shouldst\nnot thou, a virtuous man that thou art, support thy own child? The touch\nof soft sandal paste, of women, of (cool) water is not so agreeable as\nthe touch of one's own infant son locked in one's embrace. As a Brahmana\nis the foremost of all bipeds, a cow, the foremost of all quadrupeds, a\nprotector, the foremost of all superiors, so is the son the foremost of\nall objects, agreeable to the touch. Let, therefore, this handsome child\ntouch thee in embrace. There is nothing in the world more agreeable to\nthe touch than the embrace of one's son. O chastiser of foes, I have\nbrought forth this child, O monarch, capable of dispelling all thy\nsorrows after bearing him in my womb for full three years. O monarch of\nPuru's race, 'He shall perform a hundred horse-sacrifices'--these were\nthe words uttered from the sky when I was in the lying-in room. Indeed,\nmen going into places remote from their homes take up there others'\nchildren on their laps and smelling their heads feel great happiness.\nThou knowest that Brahmanas repeat these Vedic mantras on the occasion\nof the consecrating rites of infancy.--Thou art born, O son, of my body!\nThou art sprung from my heart. Thou art myself in the form of a son.\nLive thou to a hundred years! My life dependeth on thee, and the\ncontinuation of my race also, on thee. Therefore, O son, live thou in\ngreat happiness to a hundred years. He hath sprung from thy body, this\nsecond being from thee! Behold thyself in thy son, as thou beholdest thy\nimage in the clear lake. As the sacrificial fire is kindled from the\ndomestic one, so hath this one sprung from thee. Though one, thou hast\ndivided thyself. In course of hunting while engaged in pursuit of the\ndeer, I was approached by thee, O king, I who was then a virgin in the\nasylum of my father. Urvasi, Purvachitti, Sahajanya, Menaka, Viswachi\nand Ghritachi, these are the six foremost of Apsaras. Amongst them\nagain, Menaka, born of Brahman, is the first. Descending from heaven on\nEarth, after intercourse with Viswamitra, she gave birth to me. That\ncelebrated Apsara, Menaka, brought me forth in a valley of Himavat.\nBereft of all affection, she went away, cast me there as if I were the\nchild of somebody else. What sinful act did I do, of old, in some other\nlife that I was in infancy cast away by my parents and at present am\ncast away by thee! Put away by thee, I am ready to return to the refuge\nof my father. But it behoveth thee not to cast off this child who is thy\nown.\"\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 Rishis.\nBeing their daughter, why dost thou speak like a lewd woman? Thy words\ndeserve no credit. Art thou not ashamed to speak them, especially before\nme? Go hence, O wicked woman in ascetic guise. Where is that foremost of\ngreat Rishis, where also is that Apsara Menaka? And why art thou, low as\nthou art, in the guise of an ascetic? Thy child too is grown up. Thou\nsayest he is a boy, but he is very strong. How hath he soon grown like a\nSala sprout? Thy birth is low. Thou speakest like a lewd woman. Lustfully\nhast thou been begotten by Menaka. O woman of ascetic guise, all that thou\nsayest is quite unknown to me. I don't know thee. Go withersoever thou\nchoosest.\"\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 upon\nthe Earth, O king, but I roam in the skies! Behold, the difference between\nourselves is as that between (the mountain) Meru and a mustard seed!\nBehold my power, O king! I can repair to the abodes of Indra, Kuvera, Yama,\nand Varuna! The saying is true which I shall refer to before thee, O\nsinless one! I refer to it for example's sake and not from evil motives.\nTherefore, it behoveth thee to pardon me after thou hast heard it. An ugly\nperson considereth himself handsomer than others until he sees his own\nface in the mirror. But when he sees his own ugly face in the mirror, it\nis then that he perceiveth the difference between himself and others. He\nthat is really handsome never taunts anybody. And he that always talketh\nevil becometh a reviler. And as the swine always look for dirt and filth\neven when in the midst of a flower-garden, so the wicked always choose the\nevil out of both evil and good that others speak. Those, however, that are\nwise, on hearing the speeches of others that are intermixed with both good\nand evil, accept only what is good, like geese that always extract the\nmilk only, though it be mixed with water. As the honest are always pained\nat speaking ill of others, so do the wicked always rejoice in doing the\nsame thing. As the honest always feel pleasure in showing regard for the\nold, so do the wicked always take delight in aspersing the good. The\nhonest are happy in not seeking for faults. The wicked are happy in\nseeking for them. The wicked ever speak ill of the honest. But the latter\nnever injure the former, even if injured by them. What can be more\nridiculous in the world than that those that are themselves wicked should\nrepresent the really honest as wicked? When even atheists are annoyed with\nthose that have fallen off from truth and virtue and who are really like\nangry snakes of virulent poison, what shall I say of myself who am\nnurtured in faith? He that having begotten a son who is his own image,\nregardeth him not, never attaineth to the worlds he coveteth, and verily\nthe gods destroy his good fortune and possessions. The Pitris have said\nthat the son continueth the race and the line and is, therefore, the best\nof all religious acts. Therefore, none should abandon a son. Manu hath\nsaid that there are five kinds of sons: those begotten by one's self upon\nhis own wife, those obtained (as gift) from others, those purchased for a\nconsideration, those reared with affection and those begotten upon other\nwomen than upon wedded wives. Sons support the religion and achievements\nof men, enhance their joys, and rescue deceased ancestors from hell. It\nbehoveth thee not, therefore, O tiger among kings, to abandon a son who is\nsuch. Therefore, O lord of Earth, cherish thy own self, truth, and virtue\nby cherishing thy son. O lion among monarchs, it behoveth thee not to\nsupport this deceitfulness. The dedication of a tank is more meritorious\nthan that of a hundred wells. A sacrifice again is more meritorious than\nthe dedication of a tank. A son is more meritorious than a sacrifice.\nTruth is more meritorious than a hundred sons. A hundred horse-sacrifices\nhad once been weighed against Truth, and Truth was found heavier than a\nhundred horse-sacrifices. O king, Truth, I ween, may be equal to the study\nof the 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 (ancestors)\nfrom the region of Yama. Thou art the progenitor of this boy. Sakuntala\nhath spoken the truth. The husband, dividing his body in twain, is born\nof his wife in the form of son. Therefore, O Dushmanta, cherish, O monarch,\nthy son born of Sakuntala. To live by forsaking one's living son is a\ngreat misfortune. Therefore, O thou of Puru's race, cherish thy high-\nsouled son born of Sakuntala--And because this child is to be cherished by\nthee even at our word, therefore shall this thy son be known by the name\nof Bharata (the cherished).\" Hearing these words uttered by the dwellers\nin heaven, the monarch of Puru's race became overjoyed and spoke as\nfollows unto his priests and ministers, \"Hear ye these words uttered by\nthe celestial messenger? I myself know this one to be my son. If I had\ntaken him as my son on the strength of Sakuntala's words alone, my people\nwould have been suspicious and my son also would not have been regarded as\npure.\"\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 that wife of his with affection. And he told her these\nwords, pacifying her affectionately, \"O goddess, my union with thee 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 as\nthe 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 the\nson 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 were\ngreat. And the blessed monarch performed both the cow and the horse-\nsacrifices. And Bharata gave unto Kanwa a thousand gold coins as the\nsacerdotal fee. It is that Bharata from whom have emanated so many mighty\nachievements. It is from him that the great race called after him in his\nrace are called after him. And in the Bharata race there have been born\nmany godlike monarchs gifted with great energy, and like unto Brahman\nhimself. Their number cannot be counted. But, O thou of Bharata's race, I\nshall name the principal ones that were blessed with great good fortune,\nlike unto the gods, and devoted to truth and honesty.'\"\n\n\nSECTION LXXV\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Hear now, as I recite the recorded genealogy, that is\nsacred and subservient to religion, profit and pleasure, of these royal\nsages--Daksha, the lord of creation, Manu, the son of Surya, Bharata, Ruru,\nPuru, and Ajamidha. I shall also recite to thee, O sinless one, the\ngenealogies of the Yadavas and of the Kurus and of the king of the Bharata\nline. These genealogies are sacred and their recitation is a great act of\npropitiation. That recitation conferreth wealth, fame and long life. And,\nO sinless one, all these I have named shone in their splendour and were\nequal 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 twenty-\nseven to Chandra, who are all engaged in indicating time. And Kasyapa, the\nson of Marichi, begat on the eldest of his thirteen wives, the Adityas,\nthe celestials endued with great energy and having Indra as their head and\nalso Vivaswat (the Sun). And of Vivaswat was born the lord Yama. And\nMartanda (Vivaswat) also begat another son after Yama, gifted with great\nintelligence and named Manu. And Manu was endued with great wisdom and\ndevoted to virtue. And he became the progenitor of a line. And in Manu's\nrace have been born all human beings, who have, therefore, been called\nManavas. And it is of Manu that all men including Brahmanas, Kshatriyas,\nand others have been descended, and are, therefore, all called Manavas.\nSubsequently, O monarch, the Brahmanas became united with the Kshatriyas.\nAnd those sons of Manu that were Brahmanas devoted themselves to the study\nof the Vedas. And Manu begat ten other children named Vena, Dhrishnu,\nNarishyan, Nabhaga, Ikshvaku, Karusha, Saryati, the eighth, a daughter\nnamed Ila, Prishadhru the ninth, and Nabhagarishta, the tenth. They all\nbetook themselves to the practices of Kshatriyas. Besides these, Manu had\nfifty other sons on Earth. But we heard that they all perished,\nquarrelling with one another. The learned Pururavas was born of Ila. It\nhath been heard by us that Ila was both his mother and father. And the\ngreat Pururavas had sway over thirteen islands of the sea. And, though a\nhuman being, he was always surrounded by companions that were superhuman.\nAnd Pururavas intoxicated with power quarrelled with the Brahmanas and\nlittle caring for their anger robbed them of their wealth. Beholding all\nthis Sanatkumara came from the region of Brahman and gave him good counsel,\nwhich was, however, rejected by Pururavas. Then the wrath of the great\nRishis was excited, and the avaricious monarch, who intoxicated with power,\nhad lost his reason, was immediately destroyed 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 were\ncalled Ayus, Dhimat, Amavasu and Dhridhayus, and Vanayus, and Satayus. And\nit is said that Ayus begat four sons named Nahusha, Vriddhasarman,\nRajingaya, and Anenas, on the daughter of Swarbhanu. And, O monarch,\nNahusha, of all the sons of Ayus, being gifted with great intelligence and\nprowess ruled his extensive kingdom virtuously. And king Nahusha supported\nevenly the Pitris, the celestials, the Rishis, the Brahmanas, the\nGandharvas, the Nagas, the Rakshasas, the Kshatriyas, and the Vaisyas. And\nhe suppressed all robber-gangs with a mighty hand. But he made the Rishis\npay tribute and carry him on their backs like bests of burden. And,\nconquering the very gods by the beauty of his person, his asceticism,\nprowess, and energy, he ruled as if he were Indra himself. And Nahusha\nbegat six sons, all of sweet speech, named Yati, Yayati, Sanyati, Ayati,\nand Dhruva. Yati betaking himself to asceticism became a Muni like unto\nBrahman himself. Yayati became a monarch of great prowess and virtue. He\nruled the whole Earth, performed numerous sacrifices, worshipped the\nPitris with great reverence, and always respected the gods. And he brought\nthe whole world under his sway and was never vanquished by any foe. And\nthe sons of Yayati were all great bowmen and resplendent with every virtue.\nAnd, O king, they were begotten upon (his two wives) Devayani and\nSarmishtha. And of Devayani were born Yadu and Turvasu, and of Sarmishtha\nwere born Drahyu, Anu, and Puru. And, O king, having virtuously ruled his\nsubjects for a long time, Yayati was attacked with a hideous decrepitude\ndestroying his personal beauty. And attacked by decrepitude, the monarch\nthen spoke, O Bharata, unto his sons Yadu and Puru and Turvasu and Drahyu\nand Anu these words, \"Ye dear sons, I wish to be a young man and to\ngratify my appetites in the company of young women. Do you help me\ntherein.\" To him his eldest son born of Devayani then said, \"What needest\nthou, O king? Dost thou want to have your youth?\" Yayati then told him,\n\"Accept thou my decrepitude, O son! With thy youth I would enjoy myself.\nDuring the time of a great sacrifice I have been cursed by the Muni\nUsanas (Sukra). O son, I would enjoy myself with your youth. Take any of\nyou this my decrepitude and with my body rule ye my kingdom. I would\nenjoy myself with a renovated body. Therefore, ye my sons, take ye my\ndecrepitude.\" But none of his sons accepted his decrepitude. Then his\nyoungest son Puru said unto him, \"O king, enjoy thyself thou once again\nwith a renovated body and returned youth! I shall take thy decrepitude\nand at thy command rule thy kingdom.\" Thus addressed, the royal sage, by\nvirtue of his ascetic power then transferred his own decrepitude unto\nthat high-souled son of his and with the youth of Puru became a youth;\nwhile with the monarch's age Puru ruled his 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 of\nthe 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 fire,\nthey flame up with indulgence. Even if one enjoyed the whole Earth with\nits 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 to\npurity 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 wise\nmonarch seeing this and satisfied that one's appetites are never satiated,\nset his mind at rest by meditation, and took back from his son his own\ndecrepitude. And giving him back his youth, though his own appetites were\nunsatiated, and installing him on the throne, he spoke unto Puru thus,\n\"Thou art my true heir, thou art my true son by whom my race is to be\ncontinued. 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\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 them.\nThe gods, then, from desire of victory, installed the son of Angiras\n(Vrihaspati) as their priest to conduct their sacrifices; while their\nopponents 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 gods\nwere all revived by the seer Sukra by the power of his knowledge. And then\nstarting again, into life,--these fought with the gods. The Asuras also\nslew on the field of battle many of the celestials. But the open-minded\nVrihaspati could not revive them, because he knew not the science called\nSanjivani (re-vivification) which Kavya endued with great energy knew so\nwell. And the gods were, therefore, in great sorrow. And the gods, in\ngreat anxiety of heart and entertaining a fear of the learned Usanas, then\nwent to Kacha, the eldest son of Vrihaspati, and spoke unto him, saying,\n\"We pay court to thee, be kind to us and do us a service that we regard as\nvery great. That knowledge which resides in Sukra, that Brahmana of\nimmeasurable prowess, make thy own as soon as thou canst. Thou shalt find\nthe Brahmana in the court of Vrishaparvan. He always protects the Danavas\nbut never us, their opponents. Thou art his junior in age, and, therefore,\ncapable of adoring him with reverence. Thou canst also adore Devayani, the\nfavourite daughter of that high-souled Brahmana. Indeed, thou alone art\ncapable of propitiating them both by worship. There is none else that can\ndo so. By gratifying Devayani with thy conduct, liberality, sweetness, and\ngeneral behaviour, thou canst certainly obtain that knowledge.\" The son of\nVrihaspati, thus solicited by the gods, said \"So be it,\" and went to where\nVrishaparvan was. Kacha, thus sent by the gods, soon went to the capital\nof the chief of the Asuras, and beheld Sukra there. And beholding him, he\nthus spoke unto him, \"Accept me as thy disciple. I am the grandson of the\nRishi Angiras 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. And,\nO Bharata, with his whole heart set upon it, he soon gratified the maiden\nDevayani who was then a young lady, by presents of flowers and fruits and\nservices rendered with alacrity. And Devayani also with her songs and\nsweetness of manners used, while they were alone, to attend upon that\nyouth carrying out his vow. And when five hundred years had thus passed of\nKacha's vow, the Danavas came to learn his intention. And having no\ncompunctions about slaying a Brahmana, they became very angry with him.\nAnd one day they saw Kacha in a solitary part of the woods engaged in\ntending (his preceptor's) kine. They then slew Kacha from their hatred of\nVrihaspati and also from their desire of protecting the knowledge of\nreviving the dead from being conveyed by him. And having slain him, they\nhacked his body into pieces and gave them to be devoured by jackals and\nwolves. And (when twilight came) the kine returned to the fold without him\nwho tended them. And Devayani, seeing the kine returned from the woods\nwithout 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 say,\nO 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\nthe bodies of the wolves (that had devoured him). And asked about the\ncause of his delay, he thus spoke unto Bhargava's daughter. Indeed,\nasked by that Brahman's daughter, he told her, \"I was dead. O thou of\npure manners, burdened with sacrificial fuel, Kusa grass, and logs of\nwood, I was coming towards our abode. I sat under a banian tree. The\nkine also, having been brought together, were staying under the shade\nof that same banian tree. The Asuras, beholding me, asked 'Who art\nthou?' They heard me answer, 'I am the son of Vrihaspati.' As soon as\nI said this, the Danavas slew me, and hacking my body into pieces gave\nmy remains to jackals and wolves. And they then went home in the\ngladness of heart. O amiable one, summoned by the high-souled\nBhargava, I after all come before 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 by\nthe 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 his\nwine. And Devayani again spoke unto her father, saying, \"O father, Kacha\nwas sent to gather flowers. But he is not to be seen. It is plain he hath\nbeen lost, or has died. I tell thee truly, I would not live without 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 participate\nin their crime. Truly, this crime hath a terrible end. The crime of\nslaying a Brahmana would even burn Indra himself.\" Having said this, the\nBrahmana Sukra, urged by Devayani, began to summon Kacha who had entered\nthe jaws of Death. But Kacha, summoned with the aid of science, and afraid\nof the consequence to his preceptor, feebly replied from within the\nstomach of his preceptor, saying, \"Be graceful unto me, O lord! I am Kacha\nthat worshippeth thee. Behave unto me as to thy own dearly-loved son.\"'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Sukra then said, \"By what path, O Brahmana, hast\nthou entered my stomach, where thou stayest now? Leaving the Asuras this\nvery moment, I shall go over to the gods.\" Kacha replied, \"By thy grace,\nmemory hath not failed me. Indeed, I do recollect everything as it hath\nhappened. My ascetic virtues have not been destroyed. It is, therefore,\nthat I am able to bear this almost insufferable pain. O Kavya, slain by\nthe Asuras and burnt and reduced to powder, I have been given to thee with\nthy wine. When thou art present, O Brahmana, the art of the Asuras will\nnever 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 life.\nA Brahmana, however, must not be slain, therefore, accept thou the science\nI impart to thee. Start thou into life as my son. And possessed of the\nknowledge received from me, and revived by me, take care that, on coming\nout 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 of\nknowledge into one's ears, even as thou hast done into those of myself who\nwas void of knowledge, him do I regard both as my father and mother. And\nremembering the immense service done by him, who is there so ungrateful as\nto injure him? They that, having acquired knowledge, injure their\npreceptor who is always an object of worship, who is the giver of\nknowledge, who is the most precious of all precious objects on Earth, come\nto 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 their\nsuperiors, let the gods, let the three worlds, listen!\" Having said these\nwords that high-souled one, that ascetic of ascetics, then summoning the\nDanavas who had been deprived by fate of the good sense, told them these\nwords, \"Ye foolish Danavas, know ye that Kacha hath obtained his wishes. He\nwill henceforth dwell with me. Having obtained the valuable knowledge of\nreviving the dead, that Brahmana hath, indeed, become in prowess even as\nBrahman 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\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 of\nthe celestials, when Devayani, addressing him, said, \"O grandson of the\nRishi Angiras, in conduct and birth, in learning, asceticism and humility,\nthou shinest most brightly. As the celebrated Rishi Angiras is honoured\nand regarded by my father, so is thy father regarded and worshipped by me.\nO thou of ascetic wealth, knowing this, listen to what I say. Recollect my\nconduct towards thee during the period of thy vow (Brahmacharya). Thy vow\nhath now been over. It behoveth thee to fix thy affections on me. O accept\nmy 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 object\nof 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 deserving\nof my regards, so art thou, O Devayani! Therefore, it behoveth thee not to\nsay so.\" Hearing this, Devayani replied, \"Thou, too, art the son of my\nfather's preceptor's son. Therefore, O best of Brahmanas, thou art\ndeserving of my regards and worship. O Kacha, when thou wert slain so many\ntimes by the Asuras, recollect today the affection I showed for thee.\nRemembering my friendship and affection for thee, and, indeed, my devoted\nregard also, O virtuous one, it behoveth thee not to abandon me without\nany 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 the 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 upon\nmy 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. Nor\nhath 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, having\nfirst worshipped him, spoke unto him as follows, \"Thou hast indeed,\nperformed 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\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, Maghavat,\nthen accompanied by the celestials, set out, saying, \"So be it.\" But on\nhis way he saw a number of damsels. These maidens were sporting in a lake\nin the gardens of the Gandharva Chitraratha. Changing himself into wind,\nhe soon mixed up the garments of those maidens which they had laid on the\nbank. A little while after, the maidens, getting up from the water,\napproached their garments that had, indeed, got mixed up with one another.\nAnd it so happened that from the intermingled heap, the garments of\nDevayani were appropriated by Sarmishtha, the daughter of Vrishaparvan,\nfrom ignorance that it was not hers. And, O king, thereupon, between them,\nDevayani and Sarmishtha, then ensued a dispute. And Devayani said, \"O\ndaughter of the Asura (chief), why dost thou take my attire, being, as\nthou art, my disciple? As thou art destitute of good behaviour, nothing\ngood can happen to thee!\" Sarmishtha, however, quickly replied, \"Thy\nfather occupying a lower seat, always adoreth with downcast looks, like a\nhired chanter of praises, my father, whether he sitteth at his ease or\nreclineth at full length! Thou art the daughter of one that chanteth the\npraises of others, of one that accepteth alms. I am the daughter of one\nwho is adored, of one who bestoweth alms instead of ever accepting them!\nBeggar-woman as thou art, thou art free to strike thy breast, to use ill\nwords, to vow enmity to me, to give way to thy wrath. Acceptress of alms,\nthou weepest tears of anger in vain! If so minded, I can harm thee, but\nthou canst not. Thou desirest to quarrel. But know thou that I do not\nreckon thee as my equal!\"'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these words, Devayani became exceedingly\nangry and began to pull at her clothes. Sarmishtha thereupon threw her\ninto a well and went home. Indeed, the wicked Sarmishtha believing that\nDevayani was dead, bent her steps home-wards in a wrathful mood.\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, the\nblessed 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 celestial\ngems? Thou seemest to be greatly perturbed. Why dost thou weep in\naffliction? 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 me.\nThis is my right hand, O king, with nails bright as burnished copper. Thou\nart well-born; I ask thee, to take and raise me up! I know thou art of\ngood 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 not\nnow 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 forest\nby Sarmishtha, the daughter of Vrishaparvan.\" And Kavya, hearing that his\ndaughter had been ill-used by Sarmishtha speedily went out with a heavy\nheart, seeking her in the woods. And when he found her in the woods, he\nclasped her with affection and spoke unto her with voice choked with grief,\n\"O daughter, the weal or woe that befalleth people is always due to their\nown faults. Thou hast therefore some fault, I ween, which hath been\nexpiated thus.\" Hearing this Devayani replied, \"Be it a penalty or not,\nlisten to me with attention. O, hear that all Sarmishtha, the daughter of\nVrishaparvan, hath said unto me. Really hath she said that thou art only\nthe hired chanter of the praises of the Asura king! Even thus hath she--\nthat Sarmishtha, Vrishaparvan's daughter,--spoken to me, with reddened\neyes, these piercing and cruel words, 'Thou art the daughter of one that\never chanteth for hire the praises of others, of one that asketh for\ncharities, of one that accepteth alms; whereas I am the daughter of one\nthat receiveth adorations, of one that giveth, of one that never accepteth\nanything as gift!' These have been the words repeatedly spoken unto me by\nthe proud Sarmishtha, the daughter of Vrishaparvan, with eyes red with\nanger. If, O father, I am really the daughter of a hired chanter of\npraises, of one that accepteth gifts, I must offer my adorations in the\nhope of obtaining her grace! Oh, of this I 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 one\nthat adores none, but of one that is adored by all! Vrishaparvan himself\nknoweth it, and Indra, and king Yayati too. That inconceivable Brahma,\nthat unopposable Godhead, is my strength! The self-create, himself,\ngratified by me, hath said that I am for aye the lord of that which is in\nall things on Earth or in Heaven! I tell thee truly that it is I who pour\nrain for the good of creatures and who nourish the annual plants that\nsustain 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\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 in\nhis 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 a\nsnake 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, and\nhim that never feeleth angry at anything, he that feeleth not wrath is\ncertainly the higher. Boys and girls, unable to distinguish between right\nand wrong, quarrel with each other. The wise never imitate them.\" Devayani,\non hearing this speech of her father, said, \"O father, I know, also what\nthe difference is between anger and forgiveness as regards the power of\neach. But when a disciple behaveth disrespectfully, he should never be\nforgiven by the preceptor if the latter is really desirous of benefiting\nthe former. Therefore, I do not desire to live any longer in a country\nwhere evil behaviour is at a premium. The wise man desirous of good,\nshould not dwell among those sinfully inclined men who always speak ill of\ngood behaviour and high birth. But there should one live,--indeed, that\nhath been said to be the best of dwelling places,--where good behaviour\nand purity of birth are known and respected. The cruel words uttered by\nVrishaparvan's daughter burn my heart even as men, desirous of kindling a\nfire, burn the dry fuel. I do not think anything more miserable for a man\nin the three worlds than to adore one's enemies blessed with good fortune,\nhimself possessing none. It hath been indeed said by the learned that for\nsuch a man even death would be better.\"'\"\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 gradually\nand secretly do they extirpate their doers. Such fruit visiteth either in\none's own self, one's son, or one's grandson. Sins must bear their fruit.\nLike rich food they can never be digested. And because ye slew the\nBrahmana Kacha, the grandson of Angiras, who was virtuous, acquainted with\nthe precepts of religion, and attentive to his duties, while residing in\nmy abode, even for this act of slaughter--and for the mal-treatment of my\ndaughter too, know, O Vrishaparvan, I shall leave thee and thy relatives!\nIndeed, O king, for this, I can no longer stay with thee! Dost thou, O\nAsura chief, think that I am a raving liar? Thou makest light of thy\noffence without seeking to correct it!\"\n\n\"'Vrishaparvan then said, \"O son of Bhrigu, never have I attributed want of\nvirtue, of falsehood, to thee. Indeed, virtue and truth ever dwell in thee.\nBe kind to me! O Bhargava, if, leaving us, thou really goest hence, we\nshall then go into the depths of the ocean. Indeed, there is nothing else\nfor 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 my\ndaughter's grief. My daughter is ever dear to me. My life dependeth on her.\nSeek ye to please her. As Vrihaspati ever seeketh the good of Indra, so do\nI 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 of\nall 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, however,\nquickly replied, \"O Bhargava, if thou art truly the lord of the Asura king\nhimself and of all his wealth, then let the king himself come to me and\nsay so in my presence.\" Vrishaparvan then approached Devayani and told her,\n\"O Devayani of sweet smiles, whatever thou desirest I am willing to give\nthee, however difficult it may be to grant the same.\" Devayani answered,\n\"I desire Sarmishtha with a thousand maids to wait on me! She must also\nfollow 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 and\ntold her, \"O amiable Sarmishtha, rise and follow me. Accomplish the good\nof thy relatives. Urged by Devayani, the Brahmana (Sukra) is on the point\nof leaving his disciples (the Asuras). O sinless one, thou must do what\nDevayani 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 alms;\nthou, on the other hand, art the daughter of one who is adored. How canst\nthou 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\nSECTION LXXXI\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana 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 hearts,\nthey began drinking the honey in flowers, eating various kinds of fruit\nand biting some. And just at that time, king Yayati, the son of Nahusha,\nagain came there tired and thirsty, in course of his wanderings, in search\nof deer. And the king saw Devayani and Sarmishtha, and those other maidens\nalso, all decked with celestial ornaments and full of voluptuous languor\nin consequence of the flower-honey they drank. And Devayani of sweet\nsmiles, unrivalled for beauty and possessed of the fairest complexion\namongst them all, was reclining at her ease. And she was waited upon by\nSarmishtha 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 the\nAsura chief thy waiting-maid!\" Devayani replied, \"O best of king,\neverything resulteth from Fate. Knowing this also to be the result of Fate,\nwonder not at it. Thy feature and attire are both like a king's. Thy\nspeech also is fair and correct as that of the Vedas. Tell me thy name,\nwhence 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. I\nam 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 Brahmanas.\nThou art the son of a Rishi and thyself a Rishi. Therefore, O son of\nNahusha, marry me.\" Yayati, however, replied, \"O thou of the handsomest\nfeatures, the four orders have, indeed, sprung from one body. But their\nduties and purity are not the same, the Brahmana being truly superior to\nall.\" Devayani answered, \"This hand of mine hath never been touched before\nby any man save thee. Therefore, do I accept thee for my lord. How, indeed,\nshall any other man touch my hand which had before been touched by thyself\nwho art a Rishi?\" Yayati then said, \"The wise know that a Brahmana is more\nto be avoided than an angry snake of virulent poison, or a blazing fire of\nspreading flames.\" Devayani then told the monarch, \"O bull amongst men,\nwhy dost thou, indeed, say that Brahmana should be more avoided than an\nangry snake of virulent poison or a blazing fire of spreading flames?\" The\nmonarch answered, \"The snake killeth only one. The sharpest weapon slayeth\nbut a single person. The Brahmana, when angry destroyeth whole cities and\nkingdoms! Therefore, O timid one, do I deem a Brahmana as more to be\navoided than either. I cannot hence wed thee, O amiable one, unless thy\nfather bestoweth thee on me.\" Devayani then said, \"Thou art, indeed,\nchosen by me. And, O king, it is understood that thou wilt accept me if\nmy father bestoweth me on thee. Thou needst not fear to accept my poor\nself bestowed on thee. Thou dost not, 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 happened.\nAnd as soon as he had heard all, Bhargava came and saw Yayati. And\nbeholding Bhargava come, Yayati worshipped and adored that Brahmana, and\nstood 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 him.\nI shall not wed any other person in the world.\" Sukra exclaimed, \"O thou\nof splendid courage, thou hast, indeed, been accepted as her lord by this\nmy 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, assured\nhim by saying, \"I shall absolve thee from the sin. Ask thou the boon that\nthou desirest. Fear not to wed her. I grant thee absolution. Maintain\nvirtuously thy wife--the slender-waisted Devayani. Transports of happiness\nbe thine in her company. This other maiden, Vrishaparvan's daughter,\nSarmishtha should ever be regarded by thee. But thou shall not summon her\nto thy bed.\"'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed by Sukra, Yayati then walked\nround the Brahmana. And the king then went through the auspicious ceremony\nof marriage according to the rites of the scriptures. And having received\nfrom Sukra this rich treasure of the excellent Devayani with Sarmishtha\nand those two thousand maidens, and duly honoured also by Sukra himself\nand the Asuras, the best of monarchs, then, commanded by the high-souled\nBhargava, returned to his capital with a joyous heart.'\"\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 it\nwas with Devayani that the royal son of Nahusha sported like a celestial\nfor many years in joy and bliss. And when her season came, the fair\nDevayani conceived. And she brought forth as her first child a fine boy.\nAnd 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 private\ninterview?\"'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'While Sarmishtha was thus busy with her thoughts,\nthe king wandering listlessly came to that very wood of Asokas, and\nbeholding Sarmishtha before him, stood there in silence. Then Sarmishtha\nof sweet smiles seeing the monarch before her with nobody to witness what\nmight pass, approached him and said with joined palms, \"O son of Nahusha,\nno one can behold the ladies that dwell in the inner apartments of Soma,\nof Indra, of Vishnu, of Yama, of Varuna, and of thee! Thou knowest, O king,\nthat I am both handsome and well-born. I solicit thee, O king! My season\nhath 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 be 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 enjoyed,\non occasions of marriage, in peril of immediate death and of the loss of\none's whole fortune. Lying is excusable on these five occasions. O king,\nit is not true that he is fallen who speaks not the truth when asked. Both\nDevayani and myself have been called hither as companions to serve the\nsame purpose. When, therefore, thou hadst said that you wouldst confine\nthyself to one only amongst as, that was a lie thou hadst spoken.\" Yayati\nreplied, \"A king should ever be a model in the eyes of his people. That\nmonarch certainly meets with destruction who speaks an untruth. As for\nmyself, I dare not speak an untruth even if the greatest loss threatens\nme!\" Sarmishtha answered, \"O monarch, one may look upon her friend's\nhusband as her own. One's friend's marriage is the same as one's own. Thou\nhast been chosen by my friend as her husband. Thou art as much my husband,\ntherefore.\" Yayati then said, \"It is, indeed my vow always to grant what\none asketh. As thou askest me, tell me then what I am to do.\" Sarmishtha\nthen said, \"Absolve me, O king, from sin. Protect my virtue. Becoming a\nmother by thee, let me practise the highest virtue in this world. It is\nsaid, O king, that a wife, a slave, and a son can never earn wealth for\nthemselves. What they earn always belongeth to him who owneth them. I am,\nindeed, the slave of Devayani. Thou art Devayani's master and lord. Thou\nart, therefore, O king, my master and lord as much as Devayani's! I\nsolicit 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\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 object\nof her unpleasant reflections. And Devayani, repairing to her, addressed\nher thus, \"O thou of fair eye-brows, what sin is this thou hast committed\nby yielding to the influence of lust?\" Sarmishtha replied, \"A certain\nRishi of virtuous soul and fully conversant with the Vedas came to me.\nCapable of granting boons he was solicited by me to grant my wishes that\nwere based on considerations of virtue. O thou of sweet smiles, I would\nnot seek the sinful fulfilment of my desires. I tell thee truly that this\nchild of mine is by that Rishi!\" Devayani answered, \"It is all right if\nthat be the case, O timid one! But if the lineage, name, and family of\nthat Brahmana be known to thee, I should like to hear them.\" Sarmishtha\nreplied, \"O thou of sweet smiles, in asceticism and energy, that Rishi is\nresplendent like the Sun himself. Beholding him, I had not, any need to\nmake these enquiries--\" Devayani then said, \"If this is true, if indeed,\nthou hast obtained thy child from such a superior Brahmana, then, O\nSarmishtha, 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,\nby Yayati, went into a solitary part of the woods, (in the king's\nextensive park). And there she saw three children of celestial beauty\nplaying with perfect trustfulness. And Devayani asked in surprise, \"Whose\nchildren are they, O king, who are so handsome and so like unto the\nchildren of the celestials? In splendour and beauty they are like thee, I\nshould 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.\" Those\nchildren then pointed at the king (with their forefingers) and spoke of\nSarmishtha 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 Rishi\nis perfectly true. I have acted rightly and according to the precepts of\nvirtue, and therefore, do I not fear thee. When thou hadst chosen the king\nfor thy husband, I, too, chose him as mine. O beautiful one, a friend's\nhusband is, according to usage, one's own husband as well. Thou art the\ndaughter of a Brahmana and, therefore, deservest my worship and regard.\nBut dost thou not know that this royal sage is held by me in greater\nesteem still?\"'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Devayani then, hearing those words of hers, exclaimed,\nO king, thus, \"Thou hast wronged me, O monarch! I shall not live here any\nlonger.\" And saying this, she quickly rose, with tearful eyes, to go to\nher father. And the king was grieved to see her thus, and alarmed greatly,\nfollowed in her foot-steps, endeavouring to appease her wrath. But\nDevayani, with eyes red with anger, would not desist. Speaking not a word\nto the king, with eyes bathed in tears, she soon reached the side of her\nfather Usanas, the son of Kavi. And beholding her father, she stood before\nhim, after due salutations. And Yayati also, immediately after, saluted\nand 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 of\nthe precepts of religion. But, O Kavya, I tell thee that he hath deviated\nfrom 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 reasons,\nand anxious to avoid sin, I went into Sarmishtha.\" Sukra then replied,\n\"Thou art dependent on me. Thou shouldst have awaited my command. Having\nacted falsely in the matter of thy duty, O son of Nahusha, thou hast been\nguilty 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 decrepitude.\nBut if thou likest, thou art competent to transfer this thy decrepitude to\nanother.\" Yayati said, \"O Brahmana, let it be commanded by thee that that\nson of mine who giveth me his youth shall enjoy my kingdom, and shall\nachieve both virtue and fame.\" Sukra replied, \"O son of Nahusha, thinking\nof me thou mayst transfer this thy decrepitude to whomsoever thou likest.\nThat son who shall give thee his youth shall become thy successor to the\nthrone. He shall also have long life, wide fame, and numerous progeny!\"'\"\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. I\nshall 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, defeat\nat the hands of friends and companions--these are the consequences of\ndecrepitude. Therefore, O king, I desire not to take it. O king, thou hast\nmany sons some of whom are dearer to thee. Thou art acquainted with the\nprecepts of virtue. Ask some other son of thine to take thy decrepitude.\"\n\n\"'Yayati replied, \"Thou art sprung from my heart, O son, but thou givest me\nnot 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 and\ndecrepitude.\"\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! But\nthou 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 children\nupon women of blue blood, who live on meat, who are mean, who hesitate not\nto appropriate the wives of their superiors, whose practices are those of\nbirds 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\nregion where there are no roads for (the passage of) horses and cars\nand elephants, and good vehicles, and asses, and goats and bullocks,\nand palanquins; where there is swimming only by rafts and floats.\"\nYayati next addressed Anu and said, \"O Anu, take my weakness and\ndecrepitude. I shall with thy youth enjoy the pleasures of life for a\nthousand years.\" To this Anu replied, \"Those that are decrepit always\neat like children and are always impure. They cannot pour libations\nupon fire in proper times. Therefore, I do not like to take thy\ndecrepitude.\" Yayati said to him, \"Thou art sprung from my heart, thou\ngivest not thy youth. Thou findest so many faults in decrepitude.\nTherefore, decrepitude shall overcome thee! And, O Anu, thy progeny also\nas soon as they attain to youth, shall die. And thou shalt also not be\nable to perform sacrifices before 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 pleasures\nof life. And when a thousand years have passed away, I shall give back to\nthee 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 king,\nthy weakness and decrepitude. Take thou my youth and enjoy as thou listest\nthe pleasures of life. Covered with thy decrepitude and becoming old, I\nshall, as thou commandest, continue to live, giving thee my youth.\" Yayati\nthen said, \"O Puru, I have been gratified with thee. And being gratified,\nI tell thee that the people in thy kingdom shall have all their desires\nfulfilled.\"\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\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 he\nonce more began to indulge in his favourite pursuits to the full extent of\nhis desires and to the limit of his powers, according to seasons, so as to\nderive the greatest pleasure therefrom. And, O king, in nothing that he\ndid, he acted against the precepts of his religion as behoved him well. He\ngratified the gods by his sacrifices; the pitris, by Sraddhas; the poor,\nby his charities; all excellent Brahmanas, by fulfilling their desires;\nall persons entitled to the rites of hospitality, with food and drink; the\nVaisyas, by protection; and the Sudras, by kindness. And the king\nrepressed all criminals by proper punishments. And Yayati, gratifying all\nsections of his subjects, protected them virtuously like another Indra.\nAnd the monarch possessed of the prowess of a lion, with youth and every\nobject of enjoyment under control, enjoyed unlimited happiness without\ntransgressing the precepts of religion. And the king became very happy in\nthus being able to enjoy all the excellent objects of his desires. And he\nwas only sorry when he thought that those thousand years would come to an\nend. And having obtained youth for a thousand years, the king acquainted\nwith the mysteries of time, and watching proper Kalas and Kashthas sported\nwith (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, are\nnever gratified by indulgence. On the other hand, with indulgence, they\nonly flame up like fire with libations of sacrificial butter. If a single\nperson were owner of everything on Earth--all her yields of paddy and\nbarley, her silver, gold, and gems, her animals and women, he would not\nstill 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 years\nbeen fixed upon the objects of desires. My thirst for these, however,\nincreaseth day by day without abating. Therefore, I shall cast it off, and\nfixing my mind on Brahma I shall pass the rest of my days with the\ninnocent deer in the forest peacefully and with no heart for any worldly\nobjects. 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 thy\neldest 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 prosperity\neven if he be the youngest. Therefore, doth Puru, who hath done thee good,\ndeserve the crown. And as Sukra himself hath commanded it, we have nothing\nto 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 capital,\nfollowed 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 the\nBhojas, while those of Anu, the Mlechchhas. The progeny of Puru, however,\nare the Pauravas, amongst whom, O monarch, thou art born, in order to rule\nfor a thousand years with thy passions under complete control.'\"\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, Yayati,\nwithout reaching the surface of the Earth, stayed in the firmament. I have\nheard that some time after he again entered the region of the celestials\nin company with Vasuman, Ashtaka, Pratarddana, and Sivi.'\n\n\"Janamejaya said, 'I desire to hear from thee in detail why Yayati, having\nfirst obtained admission into heaven, was hurled therefrom, and why also\nhe gained re-admittance. Let all this, O Brahmana, be narrated by thee in\nthe presence of these regenerate sages. Yayati, lord of Earth, was, indeed,\nlike the chief of the celestials. The progenitor of the extensive race of\nthe Kurus, he was of the splendour of the Sun. I desire to hear in full\nthe story of his life both in heaven and on Earth, as he was illustrious,\nand of world-wide celebrity and of wonderful achievements.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Indeed, I shall recite to thee the excellent story of\nYayati'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, Puru,\non the throne after casting his sons with Yadu for their eldest amongst\nthe Mlechchhas, entered the forest to lead the life of a hermit. And the\nking eating fruits and roots lived for some time in the forest. Having his\nmind and passions under complete control, the king gratified by sacrifices\nthe Pitris and the gods. And he poured libations of clarified butter upon\nthe fire according to the rites prescribed for those leading the\nVanaprastha mode of life. And the illustrious one entertained guests and\nstrangers with the fruit of the forest and clarified butter, while he\nhimself supported life by gleaning scattered corn seeds. And the king led\nthis sort of life for a full thousand years. And observing the vow of\nsilence and with mind under complete control he passed one full year,\nliving upon air alone and without sleep. And he passed another year\npractising the severest austerities in the midst of four fires around and\nthe Sun overhead. And, living upon air alone, he stood erect upon one leg\nfor six months. And the king of sacred deeds ascended to heaven, covering\nheaven as well as the Earth (with the fame of his achievements).'\"\n\n\nSECTION LXXXVII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'While that king of kings dwelt in heaven--the home of\nthe celestials, he was reverenced by the gods, the Sadhyas, the Maruts,\nand the Vasus. Of sacred deeds, and mind under complete control, the\nmonarch used to repair now and then from the abode of the celestials unto\nthe region of Brahman. And it hath been heard by me that he dwelt for a\nlong 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 Earth,\nwhile the out-lying regions are to be the dominions of thy brothers. I\nalso told him that those without anger were ever superior to those under\nits sway, those disposed to forgive were ever superior to the unforgiving.\nMan is superior to the lower animals. Among men again the learned are\nsuperior to the un-learned. If wronged, thou shouldst not wrong in return.\nOne's wrath, if disregarded, burneth one's own self; but he that regardeth\nit not taketh away all the virtues of him that exhibiteh it. Never\nshouldst thou pain others by cruel speeches. Never subdue thy foes by\ndespicable means; and never utter such scorching and sinful words as may\ntorture others. He that pricketh as if with thorns men by means of hard\nand cruel words, thou must know, ever carrieth in his mouth the Rakshasas.\nProsperity and luck fly away at his very sight. Thou shouldst ever keep\nthe virtuous before thee as thy models; thou shouldst ever with\nretrospective eye compare thy acts with those of the virtuous; thou\nshouldst ever disregard the hard words of the wicked. Thou shouldst ever\nmake the conduct of the wise the model upon which thou art to act thyself.\nThe man hurt by the arrows of cruel speech hurled from one's lips, weepeth\nday and night. Indeed, these strike at the core of the body. Therefore the\nwise never fling these arrows at others. There is nothing in the three\nworlds by which thou canst worship and adore the deities better than by\nkindness, friendship, charity and sweet speeches unto all. Therefore,\nshouldst thou always utter words that soothe, and not those that scorch.\nAnd thou shouldst regard those that deserve thy regards, and shouldst\nalways give but never beg!\"'\"\n\n\nSECTION LXXXVIII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'After 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 ascetic\nausterities.\" Yayati answered, \"O Vasava, I do not, in the matter of\nascetic 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 celestials,\nthat I may at least fall among the virtuous and the honest.\" Indra replied,\n\"O king, thou shall fall among those that are virtuous and wise, and thou\nshall acquire also much renown. And after this experience of thine, O\nYayati, never again disregard those that are thy superiors or even thy\nequals.\"'\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 royal\nsages, viz., Ashtaka, the protector of his own religion. Ashtaka beholding\nhim, enquired, \"Who art thou, O youth of a beauty equal to that of Indra,\nin splendour blazing as the fire, thus falling from on high? Art thou that\nforemost of sky-ranging bodies--the sun--emerging from, dark masses of\nclouds? Beholding thee falling from the solar course, possessed of\nimmeasurable energy and the splendour of fire or the sun, every one is\ncurious as to what it is that is so falling, and is, besides, deprived of\nconsciousness! Beholding thee in the path of the celestials, possessed of\nenergy like that of Sakra, or Surya, or Vishnu, we have approached thee to\nascertain the truth. If thou hadst first asked us who we were, we would\nnever have been guilty of the incivility of asking thee first. We now ask\nthee who thou art and why thou approachest hither. Let thy fears be\ndispelled; let thy woes and afflictions cease. Thou art now in the\npresence of the virtuous and the wise. Even Sakra himself--the slayer of\nVala--cannot here do thee any injury. O thou of the prowess of the chief\nof the celestials, the wise and the virtuous are the support of their\nbrethren in grief. Here there are none but the wise and virtuous like thee\nassembled together. Therefore, stay thou here in peace. Fire alone hath\npower to give heat. The Earth alone hath power to infuse life into the\nseed. The sun alone hath power to illuminate everything. So the guest\nalone hath power to command the virtuous and the wise.\"'\"\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 who\nis 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 to\nhell. The virtuous never follow in the footsteps of the vicious. They act\nin such a way that their religious merit always increaseth. I myself had\ngreat religious merit, but all that, however, is gone. I will scarcely be\nable to regain it even by my best exertions. Beholding my fate, he that is\nbent upon (achieving) his own good, will certainly suppress vanity. He who\nhaving acquired great performeth meritorious sacrifices, who having\nacquired all kinds of learning remaineth humble, and who having studied\nthe entire Vedas devoteth himself to asceticism with a heart withdrawn\nfrom all mundane enjoyments, goeth to heaven. None should exult in having\nacquired great wealth. None should be vain of having studied the entire\nVedas. In the world men are of different dispositions. Destiny is supreme.\nBoth power and exertion are all fruitless. Knowing Destiny to be all-\npowerful, the wise, whatever their portions may be, should neither exult\nnor boast. When creatures know that their weal and woe are dependent on\nDestiny and not on their own exertion or power, they should neither grieve\nnor exult, remembering that Destiny is all powerful. The wise should ever\nlive contented, neither grieving at woe nor exulting at weal. When Destiny\nis supreme, both grief and exultation are one. 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, as\nwell as the period for which thou hast enjoyed each. Thou speakest of the\nprecepts of religion even like the clever masters acquainted with the acts\nand sayings of great beings!\" Yayati replied, \"I was a great king on Earth,\nowning the whole world for my dominion. Leaving it, I acquired by dint of\nreligious merit many high regions. There I dwelt for a full thousand years,\nand then I attained to a very high region the abode of Indra, of\nextraordinary beauty having a thousand gates, and extending over a hundred\nyojanas all round. There too, I dwelt a full thousand years and then\nattained to a higher region still. That is the region of perfect beatitude,\nwhere decay never exists, the region, viz., that of the Creator and the\nLord of Earth, so difficult of attainment. There also I dwelt for a full\nthousand years, and then attained to another very high region viz., that\nof the god of gods (Vishnu) where, too, I had lived in happiness. Indeed,\nI dwelt in various regions, adored by all the celestials, and possessed of\nprowess and splendour equal unto those of the celestials themselves.\nCapable of assuming any form at will, I lived for a million years in the\ngardens of Nandana sporting with the Apsaras and beholding numberless\nbeautiful trees clad in flowery vesture and sending forth delicious\nperfume all round. And after many, many years had elapsed, while still\nresiding there in enjoyment of perfect beatitude, the celestial messenger\nof grim visage, one day, in a loud and deep voice, thrice shouted to me--\nRuined! Ruined! Ruined!--O lion among kings, this much do I remember. I\nwas then fallen from Nandana, my religious merits gone! I heard in the\nskies, O king, the voices of the celestials exclaiming in grief,--Alas!\nWhat a misfortune! Yayati, with his religious merits destroyed, though\nvirtuous and of sacred deeds, is falling!--And as I was falling, I asked\nthem loudly, 'Where, ye celestials, are those wise ones amongst whom I am\nto fall?' They pointed out to me this sacred sacrificial region belonging\nto you. Beholding the curls of smoke blackening the atmosphere and\nsmelling the perfume of clarified butter poured incessantly upon fire, and\nguided thereby, I am approaching this region of yours, glad at heart that\nI come amongst you.\"'\"\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 the\nother world, the celestials with Indra as their chief, forsake him who\nhath lost his righteousness.\" Ashtaka said, \"I am extremely anxious to\nknow 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 acquainted,\nI 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 lean,\nthey appear to grow on Earth (in the shape of their sons and grandsons)\nonly to become food for vultures, dogs, and jackals. Therefore, O king,\nthis highly censurable and wicked vice should be repressed. I have now, O\nking, told thee all. Tell me what more I shall say.\"\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 Earth-\nhell (Bhauma) where he falleth, for he beholdeth not the termination of\nhis existence and acteth not towards his emancipation. Some dwell for\nsixty thousand years, some, for eighty thousand years in heaven, and then\nthey fall. And as they fall, they are attacked by certain Rakshasas in the\nform of sons, grandsons, and other relatives, that withdraw their hearts\nfrom 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 subtile\nsubstance living in water. This water becometh the semen whence is the\nseed of vitality. Thence entering the mother's womb in the womanly season,\nit developeth into the embryo and next into visible life like the fruit\nfrom the flower. Entering trees, plants, and other vegetable substances,\nwater, air, earth, and space, that same watery seed of life assumeth the\nquadrupedal or bipedal form. This is the case with all creatures that you\nsee.\"\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 great\nbeings.\" Yayati answered, \"According to the merits of one's acts, the\nbeing that in a subtile form co-inheres in the seed that is dropped into\nthe womb is attracted by the atmospheric force for purposes of re-birth.\nIt then developeth there in course of time; first it becomes the embryo,\nand is next provided with the visible physical organism. Coming out of the\nwomb in due course of time, it becometh conscious of its existence as man,\nand with his ears becometh sensible of sound; with his eyes, of colour and\nform; with his nose, of scent; with his tongue, of taste; by his whole\nbody, of touch; and by his mind, of ideas. It is thus, O Ashtaka, that the\ngross and visible body developeth from the subtile 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 a\nsubtil form; and retaining consciousness of all his acts as in a dream, he\nenters some other form with a speed quicker than that of air itself. The\nvirtuous 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 creatures\nand 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 through\nwhich 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 sacrifices,\nthese four remove all fear. When, however, these are mixed with vanity,\ninstead of removing it, they cause fear. The wise should never exult at\n(receiving) honours nor should they grieve at insults. For it is the wise\nalone that honour the wise; the wicked never act like the virtuous. I have\ngiven away so much--I have performed so many sacrifices,--I have studied\nso much,--I have observed these vows,--such vanity is the root of fear.\nTherefore, thou must not indulge in such feelings. Those learned men who\naccept as their support the unchangeable, inconceivable Brahma alone that\never showereth blessings on persons virtuous like thee, enjoy perfect\npeace here and hereafter.\"'\"\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 are\nprocurable in an inhabited place, he might yet obtain them all by virtue\nof his ascetic power. He may truly be said to dwell in the woods having an\ninhabited place near to himself. Again a wise man withdrawn from all\nearthly objects, might live in a hamlet leading the life of a hermit. He\nmay never exhibit the pride of family, birth or learning. Clad in the\nscantiest robes, he may yet regard himself as attired in the richest\nvestments. He may rest content with food just enough for the support of\nlife. Such a person, though dwelling in an inhabited place, liveth yet in\nthe 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, who\nis free from the leaden weight of desire, who abstaineth from injury even\nwhen sanctioned by religion? Emaciated by austerities and reduced in flesh,\nmarrow and blood, such a one conquereth not only this but the highest\nworld. And when the Muni sits in yoga meditation, becoming indifferent to\nhappiness and misery, honour and insult, he then leaveth the world and\nenjoyeth communion with Brahma. When the Muni taketh food like wine and\nother animals, i. e., without providing for it beforehand and without any\nrelish (like a sleeping infant feeding on the mother's lap), then like the\nall-pervading spirit he becometh identified with the whole universe and\nattaineth to salvation.\"'\"\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 realises\nthe Supreme Spirit as the sole existent independent essence. While they\nthat devote themselves to Yoga meditation take time to acquire the same\nknowledge, for it is by practice alone that these latter divest themselves\nof the consciousness of quality. Hence the wise attain to salvation first.\nThen again if the person devoted to Yoga find not sufficient time in one\nlife to attain success, being led astray by the attractions of the world,\nin his next life he is benefited by the progress already achieved, for he\ndevoteth himself regretfully to the pursuit of success. But the man of\nknowledge ever beholdeth the indestructible unity, and is, therefore,\nthough steeped in worldly enjoyments, never affected by them at heart.\nTherefore, there is nothing to impede his salvation. He, however, who\nfaileth to attain to knowledge, should yet devote himself to piety as\ndependent on action (sacrifices). But he that devoteth himself to such\npiety, moved thereto by desire of salvation, can never achieve success.\nHis sacrifices bear no fruit and partake of the nature of cruelty. Piety\nwhich is dependent on action that proceedeth not from the desire of fruit,\nis, in case of such men Yoga itself.\"\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 going\ndown 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 after\nI have finished my discourse with you. Even now the regents of the points\nof the universe command me to hasten thither. And, O king, I have obtained\nit as a boon from Indra that though fall I must upon the earth, yet I\nshould fall amidst the wise and the virtuous. Ye are all wise and virtuous\nthat 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. Therefore,\nthough falling, thou shalt not fall. O, take thou soon all those, wherever\nthey be, in heaven or in the firmament. Let thy sorrow cease.\"\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 like\nthe 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 falling,\nthou must not fall. Let the worlds that are mine be thine, whether they be\nin the firmament or heaven. O, soon take them. Let thy woes 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 for\never 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\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 one,\nacquainted 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 gift 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 fruit\nof 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\n\"'Yayati answered, \"O Sivi, thou hast indeed, obtained for thyself,\npossessed of the prowess of Indra, infinite worlds. But I do not desire to\nenjoy 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, illuminating\nthe 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 hath\nalready 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 us.\nBesides, 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 son\nof Nahusha and the father of Puru. I was lord of all the Earth. Ye are my\nrelatives; I tell thee truly, I am the maternal grandfather of you all.\nHaving conquered the whole earth, I gave clothes to Brahmanas and also a\nhundred handsome horses fit for sacrificial offering. For such acts of\nvirtue, the gods became propitious to those that perform them. I also gave\nto Brahmanas this whole earth with her horses and elephants and kine and\ngold, all kinds of wealth, along with a hundred Arbudas of excellent milch\ncows. Both the earth and the firmament exist owing to my truth and virtue;\nfire yet burneth in the world of men owing to my truth and virtue. Never\nhath a word spoken by me been untrue. It is for this that the wise adore\nTruth. O Ashtaka, all I have told thee, Pratardana, and Vasumat, is Truth\nitself. I know it for certain that the gods and the Rishis and all the\nmansions of the blessed are adorable only because of Truth that\ncharacteriseth them all. He that will without malice duly read unto good\nBrahmanas his account of our ascension to heaven shall himself attain to\nthe 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\nSECTION XCIV\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Janamejaya said, 'O adorable one, I desire to hear the histories of those\nkings who were descended from Puru. O tell me of each as he was possessed\nof prowess and achievements. I have, indeed, heard that in Puru's line\nthere was not a single one who was wanting in good behaviour and prowess,\nor who was without sons. O thou of ascetic wealth, I desire to hear the\nhistories in detail of those famous monarchs endued with learning and all\naccomplishments.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Asked by thee, I shall tell thee all about the heroic\nkings in Puru's line, all equal unto Indra in prowess, possessing great\naffluence and commanding the respect of all for their accomplishments.\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 Sauviri.\nAnd he begat upon her three sons called Sakta, Sahana, and Vagmi. And they\nwere heroes in battle and mighty car-warriors. The intelligent and\nvirtuous Kaudraswa begat upon the Apsara Misrakesi ten sons who were all\ngreat bowmen. And they all grew up into heroes, performing numerous\nsacrifices in honour of the gods. And they all had sons, were learned in\nall branches of knowledge and ever devoted to virtue. They are Richeyu,\nand Kaksreyu and Vrikeyu of great prowess; Sthandileyu, and Vaneyu, and\nJaleyu of great fame; Tejeyu of great strength and intelligence; and\nSatyeyu of the prowess of Indra; Dharmeyu, and Sannateyu the tenth of the\nprowess of the celestials. Amongst them all, Richeyu became the sole\nmonarch of the whole earth and was known by the name of Anadhrishti. And\nin prowess he was like unto Vasava amongst the celestials. And Anadhristi\nhad a son of the name of Matinara who became a famous and virtuous king\nand performed the Rajasuya and the horse-sacrifice. And Matinara had four\nsons of immeasurable prowess, viz., Tansu, Mahan, Atiratha, and Druhyu of\nimmeasurable glory. (Amongst them, Tansu of great prowess became the\nperpetrator of Puru's line). And he subjugated the whole earth and\nacquired great fame and splendour. And Tansu begat a son of great prowess\nnamed Ilina. And he became the foremost of all conquerors and brought the\nwhole world under his subjection. And Ilina begat upon his wife Rathantara\nfive sons with Dushmanta at their head, all equal in might unto the five\nelements. They were Dushmanta, Sura, Bhima, Pravasu, and Vasu. And, O\nJanamejaya, the eldest of them, Dushmanta, became king. And Dushmanta had\nby his wife Sakuntala an intelligent son named Bharata who became king.\nAnd Bharata gave his name to the race of which he was the founder. And it\nis from him that the fame of that dynasty hath spread so wide. And Bharata\nbegat upon his three wives nine sons in all. But none of them were like\ntheir father and so Bharata was not at all pleased with them. Their\nmothers, therefore, became angry and slew them all. The procreation of\nchildren by Bharata, therefore, became vain. The monarch then performed a\ngreat sacrifice 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 Bharata's\nrace, that son as his heir-apparent. And Bhumanyu begat upon his wife,\nPushkarini, six sons named Suhotra, Suhotri, Suhavih, Sujeya, Diviratha and\nKichika. The eldest of them all, Suhotra, obtained the throne and\nperformed many Rajasuyas and horse-sacrifices. And Suhotra brought under\nhis sway the whole earth surrounded by her belt of seas and full of\nelephants, kine and horses, and all her wealth of gems and gold. And the\nearth afflicted with the weight of numberless human beings and elephants,\nhorses, and cars, was, as it were, about to sink. And during the virtuous\nreign of Suhotra the surface of the whole earth was dotted all over with\nhundreds and thousands of sacrificial stakes. And the lord of the earth,\nSuhotra, begat, upon his wife Aikshaki three sons, viz., Ajamidha, Sumidha,\nand Purumidha. The eldest of them, Ajamidha, was the perpetuator of the\nroyal line. And he begat six sons,--Riksha was born of the womb of Dhumini,\nDushmanta and Parameshthin, of Nili, and Jahnu, Jala and Rupina were born\nin that of Kesini. All the tribes of the Panchalas are descended from\nDushmanta and Parameshthin. And the Kushikas are the sons of Jahnu of\nimmeasurable prowess. And Riksha who was older than both Jala and Rupina\nbecame king. And Riksha begat Samvarana, the perpetuator of the royal line.\nAnd, O king, it hath been heard by us that while Samvarana, the son of\nRiksha, was ruling the earth, there happened a great loss of people from\nfamine, pestilence, drought, and disease. And the Bharata princes were\nbeaten by the troops of enemies. And the Panchalas setting out to invade\nthe whole earth with their four kinds of troops soon brought the whole\nearth under their sway. And with their ten Akshauhinis the king of the\nPanchalas defeated the Bharata prince. Samvarana then with his wife and\nministers, sons and relatives, fled in fear, and took shelter in the\nforest on the banks of the Sindhu extending to the foot of the mountains.\nThere the Bharatas lived for a full thousand years, within their fort. And\nafter they had lived there a thousand years, one day the illustrious Rishi\nVasishtha approached the exiled Bharatas, who, on going out, saluted the\nRishi and worshipped him by the offer of Arghya. And entertaining him with\nreverence, they represented everything unto that illustrious Rishi. And\nafter he was seated on his seat, the king himself approached the Rishi and\naddressed him, saying, \"Be thou our priest, O illustrious one! We will\nendeavour to regain our kingdom.\" And Vasishtha answered the Bharatas by\nsaying, \"Om\" (the sign of consent). It hath been heard by us that\nVasishtha then installed the Bharata prince in the sovereignty of all the\nKshatriyas on earth, making by virtue of his Mantras this descendant of\nPuru the veritable horns of the wild bull or the tusks of the wild\nelephants. And the king retook the capital that had been taken away from\nhim and once more made all monarchs pay tribute to him. The powerful\nSamvarana, thus installed once more in the actual sovereignty of the whole\nearth, performed many sacrifices at which the presents to the Brahmanas\nwere great.\n\n\"'Samvarana begat upon his wife, Tapati, the daughter of Surya, a son named\nKuru. This Kuru was exceedingly virtuous, and therefore, he was installed\non the throne by his people. It is after his name that the field called\nKuru-jangala has become so famous in the world. Devoted to asceticism, he\nmade that field (Kurukshetra) sacred by practising asceticism there. And\nit has been heard by us that Kuru's highly intelligent wife, Vahini,\nbrought forth five sons, viz., Avikshit, Bhavishyanta, Chaitraratha, Muni\nand the celebrated Janamejaya. And Avikshit begat Parikshit the powerful,\nSavalaswa, Adhiraja, Viraja, Salmali of great physical strength,\nUchaihsravas, Bhangakara and Jitari the eighth. In the race of these were\nborn, as the fruit of their pious acts seven mighty car-warriors with\nJanamejaya at their head. And unto Parikshit were born sons who were all\nacquainted with (the secrets of) religion and profit. And they were named\nKakshasena and Ugrasena, and Chitrasena endued with great energy, and\nIndrasena and Sushena and Bhimasena. And the sons of Janamejaya were all\nendued with great strength and became celebrated all over the world. And\nthey were Dhritarashtra who was the eldest, and Pandu and Valhika, and\nNishadha endued with great energy, and then the mighty Jamvunada, and then\nKundodara and Padati and then Vasati the eighth. And they were all\nproficient in morality and profit and were kind to all creatures. Among\nthem Dhritarashtra became king. And Dhritarashtra had eight sons, viz.,\nKundika, Hasti, Vitarka, Kratha the fifth, Havihsravas, Indrabha, and\nBhumanyu the invincible, and Dhritarashtra had many grandsons, of whom\nthree only were famous. They were, O king, Pratipa, Dharmanetra, Sunetra.\nAmong these three, Pratipa became unrivalled on earth. And, O bull in\nBharata's race, Pratipa begat three sons, viz., Devapi, Santanu, and the\nmighty car-warrior Valhika. The eldest Devapi adopted the ascetic course\nof life, impelled thereto by the desire of benefiting his brothers. And\nthe kingdom was obtained by Santanu 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\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 to\ncover the three worlds. Having listened to the history, sweet as nectar,\nof their liberality, prowess, physical strength, mental vigour, energy,\nand 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 then\nhe entered into the woods. And Janamejaya had married Ananta, the daughter\nof Madhava, and begat upon her a son called Prachinwat. And the prince was\nso called because he had conquered all the eastern countries up to the\nvery confines of the region where the Sun rises. And Prachinwat married\nAsmaki, a daughter of the Yadavas and begat upon her a son named Sanyati.\nAnd Sanyati married Varangi, the daughter of Drishadwata and begat upon\nher a son named Ahayanti. And Ahayanti married Bhanumati, the daughter of\nKritavirya and begat upon her a son named Sarvabhauma. And Sarvabhauma\nmarried Sunanda, the daughter of the Kekaya prince, having obtained her by\nforce. And he begat upon her a son named Jayatsena, who married Susrava,\nthe daughter of the Vidarbha king and begat upon her Avachina. And\nAvachina also married another princess of Vidarbha, Maryada by name. And\nhe begat on her a son named Arihan. And Arihan married Angi and begat on\nher Mahabhauma. And Mahabhauma married Suyajna, the daughter of Prasenajit.\nAnd of her was born Ayutanayi. And he was so called because he had\nperformed a sacrifice at which the fat of an Ayuta (ten thousands) of male\nbeings was required. And Ayutanayi took for a wife Kama, the daughter of\nPrithusravas. And by her was born a son named Akrodhana, who took to wife\nKarambha, the daughter of the king of Kalinga. And of her was born\nDevatithi, and Devatithi took for his wife Maryada, the princess of Videha.\nAnd of her was born a son named Arihan. And Arihan took to wife Sudeva,\nthe princess of Anga, and upon her he begat a son named Riksha. And Riksha\nmarried Jwala, the daughter of Takshaka, and he begat upon her a son of\nthe name of Matinara, who performed on the bank of Saraswati the twelve\nyears' sacrifice said to be so efficacious. On conclusion of the sacrifice,\nSaraswati appeared in person before the king and chose him for husband.\nAnd he begat upon her a son named Tansu. Here occurs a sloka descriptive\nof 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, support\nthy son and insult not Sakuntala. O god among men, the father himself\nbecoming the son rescueth himself from hell. Sakuntala hath truly said that\nthou 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 Ikshvaku.\nTo her was born a son named Hasti who founded this city, which has,\ntherefore, 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 sons.\nBut amongst them all, Samvarana became the perpetuator of the dynasty. And\nSamvarana took for his wife Tapati, the daughter of Vivaswat. And of her\nwas born Kuru, who married Subhangi, the princess of Dasarha. And he begat\non her a son named Viduratha, who took to wife Supriya, the daughter of\nthe Madhavas. And he begat upon her a son named Anaswan. And Anaswan\nmarried Amrita, the daughter of the Madhavas. And of her was born a son\nnamed Parikshit, who took for his wife Suvasa, the daughter of the Vahudas,\nand begat upon her a son named Bhimasena. And Bhimasena married Kumari,\nthe princess of Kekaya and begat upon her Pratisravas whose son was\nPratipa. And Pratipa married Sunanda, the daughter of Sivi, and begat upon\nher three sons, viz., Devapi, Santanu and Valhika. And Devapi, while still\na boy, entered the woods as a hermit. And Santanu became king. Here occurs\na sloka in respect of Santanu.\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 Gandhakali.\nAnd in her maidenhood she had a son by Parasara, named Dwaipayana. And\nupon her Santanu begat two other sons named Chitrangada and Vichitravirya.\nAnd before they attained to majority, Chitrangada had been slain by the\nGandharvas. But Vichitravirya became king, and married the two daughters\nof the king of Kasi, named Amvika and Amvalika. But Vichitravirya died\nchildless. Then Satyavati began to think as to how the dynasty of\nDushmanta might be perpetuated. Then she recollected the Rishi Dwaipayana.\nThe latter coming before her, asked, \"What are thy commands?\" She said,\n\"Thy brother Vichitravirya hath gone to heaven childless. Beget virtuous\nchildren for him.\" Dwaipayana, consenting to this, begat three children,\nviz., Dhritarashtra, Pandu, and Vidura. King Dhritarashtra had a hundred\nsons by his wife, Gandhari, in consequence of the boon granted by\nDwaipayana. And amongst those hundred sons of Dhritarashtra, four became\ncelebrated. They are Duryodhana, Duhsasana, Vikarna, and Chitrasena. And\nPandu had two jewels of wives, viz., Kunti, also called Pritha, and Madri.\nOne day Pandu, while out a-hunting, saw a deer covering its mate. That was\nreally a Rishi in the form of a deer. Seeing the deer in that attitude, he\nkilled it with his arrows, before its desire was gratified. Pierced with\nthe king's arrow, the deer quickly changed its form and became a Rishi,\nand said unto Pandu, \"O Pandu, thou art virtuous and acquainted also with\nthe pleasure derived from the gratification of one's desire. My desire\nunsatisfied, thou hast slain me! Therefore, thou also, when so engaged and\nbefore thou art gratified, shalt die!\" Pandu, hearing this curse, became\npale, and from that time would not go in unto his wives. And he told them\nthese words, \"Through my own fault, I have been cursed! But I have heard\nthat for the childless there are no regions hereafter.\" Therefore, he\nsolicited Kunti to have offspring raised for him. And Kunti said, \"Let it\nbe.\" So she raised up offspring. By Dharma she had Yudhishthira; by Maruta,\nBhima: and by Sakra, Arjuna. And Pandu, well-pleased with her, said, \"This\nthy co-wife is also childless. Therefore, cause her also to bear children.\"\nKunti saying, \"So be it,\" imparted unto Madri the mantra of invocation.\nAnd on Madri were raised by the twin Aswins, the twins Nakula and Sahadeva.\nAnd (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 ascetics\ndisappeared in the very sight of all. And after the conclusion of the\nspeech of those ascetics, flowers were showered down upon the spot, and\nthe celestial drums also were beaten in the skies. The Pandavas were then\ntaken (by Bhishma). They then represented the death of their father and\nperformed his last honours duly. And as they were brought up there,\nDuryodhana became exceedingly jealous of them. And the sinful Duryodhana\nacting like Rakshasa tried various means to drive them away. But what must\nbe can never be frustrated. So all Duryodhana's efforts proved futile.\nThen Dhritarashtra sent them, by an act of deception to Varanavata, and\nthey went there willingly. There an endeavour was made to burn them to\ndeath; but it proved abortive owing to the warning counsels of Vidura.\nAfter that the Pandavas slew Hidimva, and then they went to a town called\nEkachakra. There also they slew a Rakshasa of the name of Vaka and then\nwent to Panchala. And there obtaining Draupadi for a wife they returned to\nHastinapura. And there they dwelt for some time in peace and begat\nchildren. And Yudhishthira begat Prativindhya; Bhima, Sutasoma; Arjuna,\nSrutakriti; Nakula, Satanika; and Sahadeva, Srutakarman. Besides these,\nYudhishthira, 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, and\nreturned in happiness to Hastinapura. And he begat upon her a son named\nAbhimanyu endued with all accomplishments and dear to Vasudeva himself.\nAnd Nakula obtaining for his wife Karenumati, the princess of Chedi, begat\nupon her a son named Niramitra. And Sahadeva also married Vijaya, the\ndaughter of Dyutimat, the king of Madra, obtaining her in a self-choice\nceremony and begat upon her a son named Suhotra. And Bhimasena had some\ntime before begat upon Hidimva a son named Ghatotkacha. These are the\neleven sons of the Pandavas. Amongst them all, Abhimanyu was the\nperpetuator of the family. He married Uttara, the daughter of Virata, who\nbrought forth a dead child whom Kunti took up on her lap at the command of\nVasudeva who said, \"I will revive this child of six months.\" And though\nborn before time, having been burnt by the fire of Aswatthaman's weapon\nand, therefore, deprived of strength and energy he was revived by Vasudeva\nand endued with strength, energy and prowess. And after reviving him,\nVasudeva said, \"Because this child hath been born in an extinct race,\ntherefore, he shall be called Parikshit.\" And Parikshit married Madravati,\nthy mother, O king, and thou art born to her, O Janamejaya! Thou hast also\nbegotten two sons on thy wife Vapushtama, named Satanika and Sankukarna.\nAnd Satanika also hath begotten one son named Aswamedhadatta upon the\nprincess 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, conquer\nthe heavens and attain to the abode of the blessed. They are also always\nrespected and adored by the gods, Brahamanas, and other men. This holy\nhistory of Bharata hath been composed by the sacred and illustrious Vyasa.\nVeda-knowing Brahmanas and other persons who with reverence and without\nmalice hear it recited, earn great religious merits and conquer the\nheavens. Though sinning, they are not disregarded by any one. Here occurs\na sloka, \"This (Bharata) is equal unto the Vedas: it is holy and excellent.\nIt bestoweth wealth, fame, and life. Therefore, it should be listened to\nby men with rapt attention.\"'\"\n\n\nSECTION XCVI\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'There was a king known by the name of Mahabhisha born\nin 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 you?\"\nThose celestials, the Vasus, answered her, saying, \"O queen of rivers, we\nhave been cursed, for a venial fault, by the illustrious Vasishtha in\nanger. The foremost of excellent Rishis, Vasishtha, had been engaged in\nhis twilight adorations and seated as he was, he could not be seen by us.\nWe crossed him in ignorance. Therefore, in wrath he hath cursed us, saying,\n'Be ye born among men!' It is beyond our power to frustrate what hath been\nsaid by that utterance of Brahma. Therefore, O river, thyself becoming a\nhuman female make us the Vasus, thy children. O amiable one, we are\nunwilling to enter the womb of any human female.\" Thus addressed, the\nqueen of rivers told them, \"Be it so\" and asked them, \"On earth, who is\nthat 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\nSECTION XCVII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said. 'There was a king of the name of Pratipa, who was kind\nto all creatures. He spent many years in ascetic penances at the source of\nthe river Ganga. The accomplished and lovely Ganga, one day, assuming the\nform of a beautiful female, and rising from the waters, made up to the\nmonarch. The celestial maiden, endued with ravishing beauty, approached\nthe royal sage engaged in ascetic austerities, and sat upon his right\nthigh that was, for manly strength, a veritable Sala tree. When the maiden\nof handsome face had so sat upon his lap, the monarch said unto her, \"O\namiable one, what dost thou desire? What shall I do?\" The damsel answered,\n\"I desire thee, O king, for my husband! O foremost one of the Kurus, be\nmine! To refuse a woman coming of her own accord is never applauded by the\nwise.\" Pratipa answered, \"O thou of the fairest complexion, moved by lust,\nI never go in unto others' wives or women that are not of my order. This,\nindeed, is my virtuous vow.\" The maiden rejoined, \"I am not inauspicious\nor ugly. I am every way worthy of being enjoyed. I am a celestial maiden\nof rare beauty; I desire thee for my husband. Refuse me not, O king.\" To\nthis Pratipa answered, \"I am, O damsel, abstaining from that course to\nwhich thou wouldst incite me. If I break my vow, sin will overwhelm and\nkill me. O thou of the fairest complexion, thou hast embraced me, sitting\non my right thigh. But, O timid one, know that this is the seat for\ndaughters and daughters-in-law. The left lap is for the wife, but thou\nhast not accepted that. Therefore, O best of women, I cannot enjoy thee as\nan object of desire. Be my daughter-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 the\ncelebrated Bharata race. Ye (of the Bharata race) are the refuge of all\nthe monarchs on earth! I am incapable of numbering the virtues of this\nrace 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 his\nson 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. When\nSantanu grew up into a youth, Pratipa addressed him and said, \"Some time\nago, 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 or\nwhence, but accept her as thy wife at my command!\"' Vaisampayana continued,\n\"Pratipa, having thus commanded his son Santanu and installed him on his\nthrone, retired into the woods. And king Santanu endued with great\nintelligence and equal unto Indra himself in splendour, became addicted to\nhunting and passed much of his time in the woods. And the best of monarchs\nalways slew deer and buffaloes. And one day, as he was wandering along the\nbank of the Ganges, he came upon a region frequented by Siddhas and\nCharanas. And there he saw a lovely maiden of blazing beauty and like unto\nanother Sri herself; of faultless and pearly teeth and decked with\ncelestial ornaments, and attired in garments of fine texture that\nresembled in splendour the filaments of the lotus. And the monarch, on\nbeholding that damsel, became surprised, and his raptures produced instant\nhorripilation. With steadfast gaze he seemed to be drinking her charms,\nbut repeated draughts failed to quench his thirst. The damsel also\nbeholding the monarch of blazing splendour moving about in great agitation,\nwas moved herself and experienced an affection for him. She gazed and\ngazed and longed to gaze on him evermore. The monarch then in soft words\naddressed her and said, \"O slender-waisted one, be thou a goddess or the\ndaughter of a Danava, be thou of the race of the Gandharvas, or Apsaras,\nbe thou of the Yakshas or the Nagas, or be thou of human origin, O thou of\ncelestial beauty, I solicit thee to be my wife!\"'\"\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 king,\nI shall become thy wife and obey thy commands. But, O monarch, thou must\nnot interfere with me in anything I do, be it agreeable or disagreeable.\nNor shall thou ever address me unkindly. As long as thou shalt behave\nkindly I promise to live with thee. But I shall certainly leave thee the\nmoment thou interferest with me or speakest to me an unkind word.\" The\nking answered, \"Be it so.\" And thereupon the damsel obtaining that\nexcellent monarch, that foremost one of the Bharata race for her husband,\nbecame highly pleased. And king Santanu also, obtaining her for his wife,\nenjoyed to the full the pleasure of her company. And adhering to his\npromise, he refrained from asking her anything. And the lord of earth,\nSantanu, became exceedingly gratified with her conduct, beauty,\nmagnanimity, and attention to his comforts. And the goddess Ganga also, of\nthree courses (celestial, terrestrial, and subterranean) assuming a human\nform of superior complexion and endued with celestial beauty, lived\nhappily as the wife of Santanu, having as the fruit of her virtuous acts,\nobtained for her husband, that tiger among kings equal unto Indra himself\nin splendour. And she gratified the king by her attractiveness and\naffection, by her wiles and love, by her music and dance, and became\nherself gratified. And the monarch was so enraptured with his beautiful\nwife that months, seasons, and years rolled on without his being conscious\nof them. And the king, while thus enjoying himself with his wife, had\neight children born unto him who in beauty were like the very celestials\nthemselves. But, O Bharata, those children, one after another, as soon as\nthey were born, were thrown into the river by Ganga who said, \"This is for\nthy good.\" And the children sank to rise no more. The king, however, could\nnot be pleased with such conduct. But he spoke not a word about it lest\nhis wife should leave him. But when the eighth child was born, and when\nhis wife as before was about to throw it smilingly into the river, the\nking with a sorrowful countenance and desirous of saving it from\ndestruction, addressed her and said, \"Kill it not! Who art thou and whose?\nWhy dost thou kill thy own children? Murderess of thy sons, the load of\nthy sins is great!\" His wife, thus addressed, replied, \"O thou desirous\nof offspring, thou hast already become the first of those that have\nchildren. I shall not destroy this child of thine. But according to our\nagreement, the period of my stay with thee is at an end. I am Ganga, the\ndaughter of Jahnu. I am ever worshipped by the great sages; I have lived\nwith thee so long for accomplishing the purposes of the celestials. The\neight illustrious Vasus endued with great energy had, from Vasishtha's\ncurse, to assume human forms. On earth, besides thee, there was none else\nto deserve the honour of being their begetter. There is no woman also on\nearth except one like me, a celestial of human form, to become their\nmother. I assumed a human form to bring them forth. Thou also, having\nbecome the father of the eight Vasus, hast acquired many regions of\nperennial bliss. It was also agreed between myself and the Vasus that I\nshould free them from their human forms as soon as they would be born. I\nhave thus freed them from the curse of the Rishi Apava. Blest be thou; I\nleave thee, O king! But rear thou this child of rigid vows. That I should\nlive with thee so long was the promise I gave to the Vasus. And let this\nchild be called Gangadatta.\"'\"\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 Jahnu,\nGanga, then replied unto the monarch, her husband, that bull amongst men,\nsaying, \"O best of Bharata's race, he who was obtained as son by Varuna\nwas called Vasishtha, the Muni who afterwards came to be known as Apava.\nHe had his asylum on the breast of the king of mountains called Meru. The\nspot was sacred and abounded with birds and beasts. And there bloomed at\nall times of the year flowers of every season. And, O best of Bharata's\nrace, that foremost of virtuous men, the son of Varuna, practised his\nascetic penances in those woods abounding with sweet roots and 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 connection\nwith Kasyapa, a daughter (Nandini) in the form of a cow. That foremost of\nall kine, Nandini, was the cow of plenty (capable of granting every\ndesire). The virtuous son of Varuna obtained Nandini for his Homa rites.\nAnd Nandini, dwelling in that hermitage which was adored by Munis, roamed\nabout 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 slender-\nwaisted wife of one of the Vasus, O thou of the prowess of Indra, saw in\nthose woods Nandini, the cow of plenty. And seeing that cow possessing the\nwealth of all accomplishments, large eyes, full udders, fine tail,\nbeautiful hoofs, and every other auspicious sign, and yielding much milk,\nshe showed the animal to her husband Dyu. O thou of the prowess of the\nfirst of elephants, when Dyu was shown that cow, he began to admire her\nseveral qualities and addressing his wife, said, 'O black-eyed girl of\nfair thighs, this excellent cow belongeth to that Rishi whose is this\ndelightful asylum. O slender-waisted one, that mortal who drinketh the\nsweet milk of this cow remaineth in unchanged youth for ten thousand\nyears.' O best of monarchs, hearing this, the slender-waisted goddess of\nfaultless features then addressed her lord of blazing splendour and said,\n'There is on earth a friend of mine, Jitavati by name, possessed of great\nbeauty and youth. She is the daughter of that god among men, the royal\nsage Usinara, endued with intelligence and devoted to truth. I desire to\nhave this cow, O illustrious one, with her calf for that friend of mine.\nTherefore, O best of celestials, bring that cow so that my friend drinking\nof her milk may alone become on earth free from disease and decrepitude. O\nillustrious and blameless one, it behoveth thee to grant me this desire of\nmine. There is nothing that would be more agreeable to me.' On hearing\nthese words of his wife, Dyu, moved by the desire of humouring her, stole\nthat cow, aided by his brothers Prithu and the others. Indeed, Dyu,\ncommanded by his lotus-eyed wife, did her bidding, forgetting at the\nmoment the high ascetic merits of the Rishi who owned her. He did not\nthink at the time that he was going to fall by committing the sin of\nstealing 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 and\nhe 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, O\nking, coming to know of it, speedily came into his asylum. And addressing\nthe Rishi, O bull among kings, they endeavoured to pacify him. But they\nfailed, O tiger among men, to obtain grace from Apava--that Rishi\nconversant, with all rules of virtue. The virtuous Apava, however, said,\n'Ye Vasus, with Dhava and others, ye have been cursed by me. But ye shall\nbe freed from my curse within a year of your birth among men. But he for\nwhose deed ye have been cursed by me he, viz., Dyu, shall for his sinful\nact, have to dwell on earth for a length of time. I shall not make futile\nthe words I have uttered in wrath. Dyu, though dwelling on Earth, shall\nnot beget children. He shall, however, be virtuous and conversant with the\nscriptures. He shall be an obedient son to his father, but he shall have\nto 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, they 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 race.\nIndeed, it is this splendid history that is called the Mahabharata.'\"\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 beings.\nHis neck was marked with (three) lines, like a conch-shell; his shoulders\nwere broad, and he resembled in prowess an infuriated elephant. It would\nseem that all the auspicious signs of royalty dwelt in his person,\nconsidering that to be their fittest abode. Men, seeing the behaviour of\nthat monarch of great achievements came to know that virtue was ever\nsuperior to pleasure and profit. These were the attributes that dwelt in\nthat great being--that bull among men--Santanu. And truly there was never\na king like Santanu. All the kings of the earth, beholding him devoted to\nvirtue, bestowed upon that foremost of virtuous men the title of King of\nkings. And all the kings of the earth during the time of that lord-\nprotector of the Bharata race, were without woe and fear and anxiety of\nany kind. And they all slept in peace, rising from bed every morning after\nhappy 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 the\nearth, no deer, boars, birds, or other animals were needlessly slain. In\nhis dominions the great virtue of kindness to all creatures prevailed, and\nthe king himself, with the soul of mercy, and void of desire and wrath,\nextended equal protection unto all creatures. Then sacrifices in honour of\nthe gods, the Rishis, and Pitris commenced, and no creature was deprived\nof life sinfully. And Santanu was the king and father of all--of those\nthat were miserable and those that had no protectors, of birds and beasts,\nin fact, of every created thing. And during the rule of the best of Kurus--\nof that king of kings--speech became united with truth, and the minds of\nmen were directed towards liberality and virtue. And Santanu, having\nenjoyed domestic felicity for six and thirty years, retired into the 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 weapon,\nchecked the flow of the river. And the king, beholding this extraordinary\nfeat of the river Ganga having been checked in her course near where that\nyouth stood, became very much surprised. This youth was no other than\nSantanu's son himself. But as Santanu had seen his son only once a few\nmoments after his birth, he had not sufficient recollection to identify\nthat infant with the youth before his eyes. The youth, however, seeing his\nfather, knew him at once, but instead of disclosing himself, he clouded\nthe king's perception by his celestial powers of illusion and disappeared\nin his very sight.\n\n\"'King Santanu, wondering much at what he saw and imagining the youth to be\nhis own son then addressed Ganga and said, \"Show me that child.\" Ganga\nthus addressed, assuming a beautiful form, and holding the boy decked with\nornaments in her right arm, showed him to Santanu. And Santanu did not\nrecognise that beautiful female bedecked with ornaments and attired in\nfine robes of white, although he had known her before. And Ganga said, \"O\ntiger among men, that eighth son whom thou hadst some time before begat\nupon me is this. Know that this excellent child is conversant with all\nweapons. O monarch, take him now. I have reared him with care. And go home,\nO tiger among men, taking him with thee. Endued with superior intelligence,\nhe has studied with Vasishtha the entire Vedas with their branches.\nSkilled in all weapons and a mighty bowman, he is like Indra in battle.\nAnd, O Bharata, both the gods and the Asuras look upon him with favour.\nWhatever branches of knowledge are known to Usanas, this one knoweth\ncompletely. And so is he the master of all those Sastras that the son of\nAngiras (Vrihaspati) adored by the gods and the Asuras, knoweth. And all\nthe weapons known to the powerful and invincible Rama, the son of\nJamadagni are known to this thy son of mighty arms. O king of superior\ncourage, take this thy own heroic child given unto thee by me. He is a\nmighty bowman and conversant with the interpretation of all treatises on\nthe duties of a king.\" Thus commanded by Ganga, Santanu took his child\nresembling the Sun himself in glory and returned to his capital. And\nhaving reached his city that was like unto the celestial capital, that\nmonarch of Puru's line regarded himself greatly fortunate. And having\nsummoned all the Pauravas together, for the protection of his kingdom he\ninstalled his son as his heir-apparent. And O bull of Bharata's race, the\nprince soon gratified by his behaviour his father and the other members of\nthe Paurava race: in fact, all the subjects of the kingdom. And the king\nof incomparable prowess lived happily with that son of 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, he\nperceived a sweet scent coming from an unknown direction. And the monarch,\nimpelled by the desire of ascertaining the cause, wandered hither and\nthither. And in course of his ramble, he beheld a black-eyed maiden of\ncelestial beauty, the daughter of a fisherman. The king addressing her,\nsaid, \"Who art thou, and whose daughter? What dost thou do here, O timid\none?\" She answered, \"Blest be thou! I am the daughter of the chief of the\nfishermen. At his command, I am engaged for religious merit, in rowing\npassengers across this river in my boat.\" And Santanu, beholding that\nmaiden of celestial form endued with beauty, amiableness, and such\nfragrance, desired her for his wife. And repairing unto her father, the\nking solicited his consent to the proposed match. But the chief of the\nfishermen replied to the monarch, saying, \"O king, as soon as my daughter\nof superior complexion was born, it was of course, understood that she\nshould be bestowed upon a husband. But listen to the desire I have\ncherished all along in my heart. O sinless one, thou art truthful: if thou\ndesirest to obtain this maiden as a gift from me, give me then this\npledge. If, indeed, thou givest the pledge, I will of course bestow my\ndaughter upon thee for truly I can never obtain a husband for her equal to\nthee.\"\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 from,\nso that I may endeavour to apply a remedy.\" Thus addressed by his son,\nSantanu answered, \"Thou sayest truly, O son, that I have become melancholy.\nI will also tell thee why I am so. O thou of Bharata's line, thou art the\nonly scion of this our large race. Thou art always engaged in sports of\narms and achievements of prowess. But, O son, I am always thinking of the\ninstability of human life. If any danger overtake thee, O child of Ganga,\nthe result is that we become sonless. Truly thou alone art to me as a\ncentury of sons. I do not, therefore, desire to wed again. I only desire\nand pray that prosperity may ever attend thee so that our dynasty may be\nperpetuated. The wise say that he that hath one son hath no son.\nSacrifices before fire and the knowledge of the three Vedas yield, it is\ntrue, everlasting religious merit, but all these, in point of religious\nmerit, do not come up to a sixteenth part of the religious merit\nattainable on the birth of a son. Indeed, in this respect, there is hardly\nany difference between men and the lower animals. O wise one, I do not\nentertain a shadow of doubt that one attains to heaven in consequence of\nhis 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 intelligence,\nhaving ascertained all this from the king, reflected within himself for a\nwhile. He then went to the old minister devoted to his father's welfare\nand asked him about the cause of the king's grief. O bull of Bharata's\nrace, when the prince questioned the minister, the latter told him about\nthe boon that was demanded by the chief of the fishermen in respect of his\ndaughter Gandhavati. Then Devavrata, accompanied by many Kshatriya chiefs\nof venerable age, personally repaired to the chief of the fishermen and\nbegged of him his daughter on behalf of the king. The chief of the\nfishermen received him with due adorations, and, O thou of Bharata's race,\nwhen the prince took his seat in the court of the chief, the latter\naddressed him and said, \"O bull among the Bharatas, thou art the first of\nall wielders of weapons and the only son of Santanu. Thy power is great.\nBut I have something to tell thee. If the bride's father was Indra himself,\neven then he would have to repent of rejecting such an exceedingly\nhonourable and desirable proposal of marriage. The great man of whose seed\nthis celebrated maiden named Satyavati was born, is, indeed, equal to you\nin virtue. He hath spoken to me on many occasions of the virtues of thy\nfather and told me that, the king alone is worthy of (marrying) Satyavati.\nLet me tell you that I have even rejected the solicitations of that best\nof Brahmarshis--the celestial sage Asita--who, too, had often asked for\nSatyavati's hand in marriage. I have only one word to say on the part of\nthis maiden. In the matter of the proposed marriage there is one great\nobjection founded on the fact of a rival in the person of a co-wife's son.\nO oppressor of all foes, he hath no security, even if he be an Asura or a\nGandharva, who hath a rival in thee. There is this only objection to the\nproposed marriage, and nothing else. Blest be thou! But this is all I have\nto say in 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 on\nbehalf of thy father Santanu of immeasurable glory; be thou also the sole\nmanager on my behalf in the matter of the bestowal of this my daughter.\nBut, O amiable one, there is something else to be said, something else to\nbe reflected upon by thee. O suppressor of foes, those that have daughters,\nfrom the very nature of their obligations, must say what I say. O thou\nthat art devoted to truth, the promise thou hast given in the presence of\nthese chiefs for the benefit of Satyavati, hath, indeed, been worthy of\nthee. O thou of mighty arms, I have not the least doubt of its ever being\nviolated by thee. But I have my doubts in respect of the children thou\nmayst 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 fishermen,\nthou best of men, listen to what I say in the presence of these assembled\nkings. Ye kings, I have already relinquished my right to the throne, I\nshall now settle the matter of my children. O fisherman, from this day I\nadopt the vow of Brahmacharya (study and meditation in celibacy). If I die\nsonless, I shall yet attain to regions of perennial bliss 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\nSECTION CI\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'O monarch, after the nuptials were over, king Santanu\nestablished his beautiful bride in his household. Soon after was born of\nSatyavati an intelligent and heroic son of Santanu named Chitrangada. He\nwas endued with great energy and became an eminent man. The lord Santanu\nof great prowess also begat upon Satyavati another son named Vichitravirya,\nwho became a mighty bowman and who became king after his father. And\nbefore that bull among men, viz., Vichitravirya, attained to majority, the\nwise king Santanu realised the inevitable influence of Time. And after\nSantanu had ascended to heaven, Bhishma, placing himself under the command\nof Satyavati, installed that suppressor of foes, viz., Chitrangada, on the\nthrone, who, having soon vanquished by his prowess all monarchs,\nconsidered not any man as his equal. And beholding that he could vanquish\nmen, Asuras, and the very gods, his namesake, the powerful king of the\nGandharvas, approached him for an encounter. Between that Gandharva and\nthat foremost one of the Kurus, who were both very powerful, there\noccurred on the field of Kurukshetra a fierce combat which lasted full\nthree years on the banks of the Saraswati. In that terrible encounter\ncharacterised by thick showers of weapons and in which the combatants\nground each other fiercely, the Gandharva, who had greater prowess or\nstrategic deception, slew the Kuru prince. Having slain Chitrangada--that\nfirst of men and oppressor of foes--the Gandharva ascended to heaven. When\nthat tiger among men endued with great prowess was slain, Bhishma, the son\nof Santanu, performed, O king, all his obsequies. He then installed the\nboy Vichitravirya of mighty arms, still in his minority, on the throne of\nthe Kurus. And Vichitravirya, placing himself under the command of Bhishma,\nruled the ancestral kingdom. And he adored Santanu's son Bhishma who was\nconversant with all the rules of religion and law; so, indeed, Bhishma\nalso protected him that was so obedient to the dictates of duty.'\"\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 their\nhusbands at a self-choice ceremony. Then that foremost of car-warriors,\nthat vanquisher of all foes, at the command of his mother, went to the\ncity of Varanasi in a single chariot. There Bhishma, the son of Santanu,\nsaw that innumerable monarchs had come from all directions; and there he\nalso saw those three maidens that would select their own husbands. And\nwhen the (assembled) kings were each being mentioned by name, Bhishma\nchose those maidens (on behalf of his brother). And taking them upon his\nchariot, Bhishma, that first of smiters in battle, addressed the kings, O\nmonarch, and said in a voice deep as the roar of the clouds, \"The wise\nhave directed that when an accomplished person has been invited, a maiden\nmay be bestowed on him, decked with ornaments and along with many valuable\npresents. Others again may bestow their daughters by accepting a couple of\nkine. Some again bestow their daughters by taking a fixed sum, and some\ntake away maidens by force. Some wed with the consent of the maidens, some\nby drugging them into consent, and some by going unto the maidens' parents\nand obtaining their sanction. Some again obtain wives as presents for\nassisting at sacrifices. Of these, the learned always applaud the eighth\nform of marriage. Kings, however, speak highly of the Swyamvara (the fifth\nform as 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 kings\ninvited to a self-choice ceremony. Therefore, ye monarchs, I bear away\nthese maidens hence by force. Strive ye, to the best of your might, to\nvanquish me or to be vanquished. Ye monarchs, I stand here resolved to\nfight!\" The 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 biting\ntheir nether lips in wrath. And loud was the din produced, as, in a great\nhurry, they began to cast off their ornaments and put on their armour. And\nthe motion of their ornaments and armour, O Janamejaya, brilliant as these\nwere, resembled meteoric flashes in the sky. And with brows contracted and\neyes red with rage, the monarchs moved in impatience, their armour and\nornaments dazzling or waving with their agitated steps. The charioteers\nsoon brought handsome cars with fine horses harnessed thereto. Those\nsplendid warriors then, equipped with all kinds of weapons, rode on those\ncars, and with uplifted weapons pursued the retreating chief of the Kurus.\nThen, O Bharata, occurred the terrible encounter between those innumerable\nmonarchs on one side and the Kuru warrior alone on the other. And the\nassembled monarchs threw at their foe ten thousand arrows at the same time.\nBhishma, however speedily checked those numberless arrows before they\ncould come at him by means of a shower of his own arrows as innumerable as\nthe down on the body. Then those kings surrounded him from all sides and\nrained arrows on him like masses of clouds showering on the mountain-\nbreast. But Bhishma, arresting with his shafts the course of that arrowy\ndownpour, pierced each of the monarchs with three shafts. The latter, in\ntheir turn pierced Bhishma, each with five shafts. But, O king, Bhishma\nchecked those by his prowess and pierced each of the contending kings with\ntwo shafts. The combat became so fierce with that dense shower of arrows\nand other missiles that it looked very much like the encounter between the\ncelestials and the Asuras of old, and men of courage who took no part in\nit were struck with fear even to look at the scene. Bhishma cut off, with\nhis arrows, on the field of battle, bows, and flagstaffs, and coats of\nmail, and human heads by hundreds and thousands. And such was his terrible\nprowess and extraordinary lightness of hand, and such the skill with which\nhe protected himself, that the contending car-warriors, though his enemies,\nbegan to applaud him loudly. Then that foremost of all wielders of weapons\nhaving vanquished in battle all those monarchs, pursued his way towards\nthe 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 encounter.\nAnd desirous of obtaining the maidens, he came upon Bhishma like a mighty\nleader of a herd of elephants rushing upon another of his kind, and\ntearing with his tusks the latter's hips at the sight of a female elephant\nin heat. And Salya of mighty arms, moved by wrath addressed Bhishma and\nsaid, \"Stay, Stay.\" Then Bhishma, that tiger among men, that grinder of\nhostile armies, provoked by these words, flamed up in wrath like a blazing\nfire. Bow in hand, and brow furrowed into wrinkles, he stayed on his car,\nin obedience to Kshatriya usage having checked its course in expectation\nof the enemy. All the monarchs seeing him stop, stood there to become\nspectators of the coming encounter between him and Salya. The two then\nbegan to exhibit their prowess (upon each other) like roaring bulls of\ngreat strength at the sight of a cow in rut. Then that foremost of men,\nking Salya covered Bhishma, the son of Santanu with hundreds and thousands\nof swift-winged shafts. And those monarchs seeing Salya thus covering\nBhishma at the outset with innumerable shafts, wondered much and uttered\nshouts of applause. Beholding his lightness of hand in combat, the crowd\nof regal spectators became very glad and applauded Salya greatly. That\nsubjugator of hostile towns, Bhishma, then, on hearing those shouts of the\nKshatriyas, became very angry and said, \"Stay, Stay.\" In wrath, he\ncommanded his charioteer, saying, \"Lead thou my car to where Salya is, so\nthat I may slay him instantly as Garuda slays a serpent.\" Then the Kuru\nchief fixed the Varuna weapon on his bow-string, and with it afflicted the\nfour steeds of king Salya. And, O tiger among kings, the Kuru chief, then,\nwarding off with his weapons those of his foe, slew Salya's charioteer.\nThen that first of men, Bhishma, the son of Santanu, fighting for the sake\nof those damsels, slew with the Aindra weapon the noble steeds of his\nadversary. He then vanquished that best of monarchs but left him with his\nlife. O bull of Bharata's race, Salya, after his defeat, returned to his\nkingdom and continued to rule it virtuously. And O conqueror of hostile\ntowns, the other kings also, who had come to witness the self-choice\nceremony returned 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., his\nfather Santanu. And, O king, passing through many forests, rivers, hills,\nand woods abounding with trees, he arrived (at the capital) in no time. Of\nimmeasurable prowess in battle, the son of the ocean-going Ganga, having\nslain numberless foes in battle without a scratch on his own person,\nbrought the daughters of the king of Kasi unto the Kurus as tenderly if\nthey were his daughters-in-law, or younger sisters, or daughters. And\nBhishma of mighty arms, impelled by the desire of benefiting his brother,\nhaving by his prowess brought them thus, then offered those maidens\npossessing every accomplishment unto Vichitravirya. Conversant with the\ndictates of virtue, the son of Santanu, having achieved such an\nextraordinary feat according to (kingly) custom, then began to make\npreparations for his brother's wedding. And when everything about the\nwedding had been settled by Bhishma in consultation with Satyavati, the\neldest daughter of the king of Kasi, with a soft smile, told him these\nwords, \"At heart I had chosen the king of Saubha for my husband. He had,\nin his heart, accepted me for his wife. This was also approved by my\nfather. At the self-choice ceremony also I would have chosen him as my\nlord. Thou art conversant with all the dictates of virtue, knowing all\nthis, do as thou likest.\" Thus addressed by that maiden in the presence of\nthe Brahmanas, the heroic Bhishma began to reflect as to what should be\ndone. As he was conversant with the rules of virtue, he consulted with the\nBrahmanas who had mastered the Vedas, and permitted Amba, the eldest\ndaughter of the ruler of Kasi to do as she liked. But he bestowed with due\nrites the two other daughters, Ambika and Ambalika on his younger brother\nVichitravirya. And though Vichitravirya was virtuous and abstemious, yet,\nproud of youth and beauty, he soon became lustful after his marriage. And\nboth Ambika and Ambalika were of tall stature, and of the complexion of\nmolten gold. And their heads were covered with black curly hair, and their\nfinger-nails were high and red; their hips were fat and round, and their\nbreasts full and deep. And endued with every auspicious mark, the amiable\nyoung ladies considered themselves to be wedded to a husband who was every\nway worthy of themselves, and extremely loved and respected Vichitravirya.\nAnd Vichitravirya 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\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 daughters-in-\nlaw the funeral rites of the deceased, consoled, as best she could, her\nweeping daughters-in-law and Bhishma, that foremost of all wielders of\nweapons. And turning her eyes to religion, and to the paternal and\nmaternal lines (of the Kurus), she addressed Bhishma and said \"The funeral\ncake, the achievements, and the perpetuation of the line of the virtuous\nand celebrated Santanu of Kuru's race, all now depend on thee. As the\nattainment of heaven is inseparable from good deeds, as long life is\ninseparable from truth and faith, so is virtue inseparable from thee. O\nvirtuous one, thou art well-acquainted, in detail and in the abstract,\nwith the dictates of virtue, with various Srutis, and with all the\nbranches of the Vedas; know very well that thou art equal unto Sukra and\nAngiras as regards firmness in virtue, knowledge of the particular customs\nof families, and readiness of inventions under difficulties. Therefore, O\nforemost of virtuous men, relying on thee greatly, I shall appoint thee in\na certain matter. Hearing me, it behoveth thee to do my bidding. O bull\namong men, my son and thy brother, endued with energy and dear unto thee,\nhath gone childless to heaven while still a boy. These wives of thy\nbrother, the amiable daughters of the ruler of Kasi, possessing beauty and\nyouth, have become desirous of children. Therefore, O thou of mighty arms,\nat my command, raise offspring on them for the perpetuation of our line.\nIt behoveth thee to guard virtue against loss. Install thyself on the\nthrone and rule the kingdom of the Bharatas. Wed thou duly a wife. Plunge\nnot thy ancestors into 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 touch,\nthe sun may renounce his glory, fire, its heat, the moon, his cooling rays,\nspace, its capacity of generating sound, the slayer of Vritra, his prowess,\nthe god of justice, his impartiality; but I cannot renounce truth.\" Thus\naddressed by her son endued wealth of energy, Satyavati said unto Bhishma,\n\"O thou whose prowess is truth, I know of thy firmness in truth. Thou\ncanst, if so minded, create, by the help of thy energy, three worlds other\nthan those that exist. I know what thy vow was on my account. But\nconsidering this emergency, bear thou the burden of the duty that one\noweth to his ancestors. O punisher of foes, act in such a way that the\nlineal link may not be broken and our friends and relatives may not\ngrieve.\" Thus urged by the miserable and weeping Satyavati speaking such\nwords inconsistent with virtue from grief at the loss of her son, Bhishma\naddressed her again and said, \"O Queen, turn not thy eyes away from virtue.\nO, destroy us not. Breach of truth by a Kshatriya is never applauded in\nour treatises on religion. I shall soon tell thee, O Queen, what the\nestablished Kshatriya usage is to which recourse may be had to prevent\nSantanu's line becoming extinct on earth. Hearing me, reflect on what\nshould be done in consultation with learned priests and those that are\nacquainted with practices allowable in times of emergency and distress,\nforgetting not at the same time what the ordinary course of social conduct\nis.\"'\"\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 a\nwife of the name Mamata whom he dearly loved. One day Utathya's younger\nbrother Vrihaspati, the priest of the celestials, endued with great energy,\napproached Mamata. The latter, however, told her husband's younger\nbrother--that foremost of eloquent men--that she had conceived from her\nconnection with his elder brother and that, therefore, he should not then\nseek for the consummation of his wishes. She continued, 'O illustrious\nVrihaspati, the child that I have conceived hath studied in his mother's\nwomb the Vedas with the six Angas, Semen tuum frustra perdi non potest. How\ncan then this womb of mine afford room for two children at a time?\nTherefore, it behoveth thee not to seek for the consummation of thy desire\nat such a time.' Thus addressed by her, Vrihaspati, though possessed of\ngreat wisdom, succeeded not in suppressing his desire. Quum auten jam cum\nilla coiturus esset, the child in the womb then addressed him and said, 'O\nfather, cease from thy attempt. There is no space here for two. O\nillustrious one, the room is small. I have occupied it first. Semen tuum\nperdi non potest. It behoveth thee not to afflict me.' But Vrihaspati\nwithout listening to what that child in the womb said, sought the embraces\nof Mamata possessing the most beautiful pair of eyes. Ille tamen Muni qui\nin venture erat punctum temporis quo humor vitalis jam emissum iret\nprovidens, viam per quam semen intrare posset pedibus obstruxit. Semen ita\nexhisum, excidit et in terram projectumest. And the illustrious\nVrihaspati, beholding this, became indignant, and reproached Utathya's\nchild and cursed him, saying, 'Because thou hast spoken to me in the way\nthou hast at a time of pleasure that is sought after by all creatures,\nperpetual darkness shall overtake thee.' And from this curse of the\nillustrious Vrishaspati Utathya's child who was equal unto Vrihaspati in\nenergy, was born blind and came to be called Dirghatamas (enveloped in\nperpetual darkness). And the wise Dirghatamas, possessed of a knowledge\nof the Vedas, though born blind, succeeded yet by virtue of his learning,\nin obtaining for a wife a young and handsome Brahmana maiden of the name\nof Pradweshi. And having married her, the illustrious Dirghatamas, for the\nexpansion of Utathya's race, begat upon her several children with Gautama\nas their eldest. These children, however, were all given to covetousness\nand folly. The virtuous and illustrious Dirghatamas possessing complete\nmastery over the Vedas, soon after learnt from Surabhi's son the practices\nof their order and fearlessly betook himself to those practices, regarding\nthem with reverence. (For shame is the creature of sin and can never be\nwhere there is purity of intention). Then those best of Munis that dwelt\nin the same asylum, beholding him transgress the limits of propriety\nbecame indignant, seeing sin where sin was not. And they said, 'O, this\nman, transgresseth the limit of propriety. No longer doth he deserve a\nplace amongst us. Therefore, shall we all cast this sinful wretch off.'\nAnd they said many other things regarding the Muni Dirghatamas. And his\nwife, too, having obtained children, 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 husband\nis called the Bhartri because he supporteth the wife. He is called Pati\nbecause he protecteth her. But thou art neither, to me! O thou of great\nascetic merit, on the other hand, thou hast been blind from birth, it is I\nwho have supported thee and thy children. I shall not do so 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 then\nbe rich.' His wife replied (by saying), 'I desire not wealth that may be\nprocured 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 ever\ndog her.' Hearing these words of her husband Pradweshi became very angry,\nand commanded her sons, saying, 'Throw him into the waters of Ganga!' And\nat the command of their mother, the wicked Gautama and his brothers, those\nslaves of covetousness and folly, exclaiming, 'Indeed, why should we\nsupport this old man?' tied the Muni to a raft and committing him to the\nmercy of the stream returned home without compunction. The blind old man\ndrifting along the stream on that raft, passed through the territories of\nmany kings. One day a king named Vali conversant with every duty went to\nthe Ganges to perform his ablutions. And as the monarch was thus engaged,\nthe raft to which the Rishi was tied, approached him. And as it came, the\nking took the old man. The virtuous Vali, ever devoted to truth, then\nlearning who the man was that was thus saved by him, chose him for raising\nup offspring. And Vali said, 'O illustrious one, it behoveth thee to raise\nupon my wife a few sons that shall be virtuous and wise.' Thus addressed,\nthe Rishi endued with great energy, expressed his willingness. Thereupon\nking Vali sent his wife Sudeshna unto him. But the queen knowing that the\nlatter was blind and old went not unto him, she sent unto him her nurse.\nAnd upon that Sudra woman the virtuous Rishi of passions under full\ncontrol begat eleven children of whom Kakshivat was the eldest. And\nbeholding those eleven sons with Kakshivat as the eldest, who had studied\nall the Vedas and who like Rishis were utterers of Brahma and were\npossessed of great power, king Vali one day asked the Rishi saying, 'Are\nthese children mine?' The Rishi replied, 'No, they are mine. Kakshivat and\nothers have been begotten by me upon a Sudra woman. Thy unfortunate queen\nSudeshna, seeing me blind and old, insulted me by not coming herself but\nsending unto me, instead, her nurse.' The king then pacified that best of\nRishis and sent unto him his queen Sudeshna. The Rishi by merely touching\nher person 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. It\nis 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 car-\nwarriors wedded to virtue, sprung in the Kshatriya race from the seed of\nBrahmanas. Hearing this, O mother, do as thou likest, as regards the\nmatter in hand.\"'\"\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 be\ninvited by an offer of wealth, and let him raise offspring upon the wives\nof Vichitravirya.\"'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Satyavati, then, smiling softly and in voice\nbroken in bashfulness, addressed Bhishma saying, \"O Bharata of mighty arms,\nwhat thou sayest is true. From my confidence in thee I shall now indicate\nthe means of perpetuating our line. Thou shall not be able to reject it,\nbeing conversant, as thou art, with the practices permitted in seasons of\ndistress. In our race, thou art Virtue, and thou art Truth, and thou art,\ntoo, our sole refuge. Therefore hearing what I say truly, do what may be\nproper.\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 Yamuna.\nAs I was rowing him across the river, the Rishi became excited with desire\nand began to address me in soft words. The fear of my father was uppermost\nin my mind. But the terror of the Rishi's curse at last prevailed. And\nhaving obtained from him a precious boon, I could not refuse his\nsolicitations. The Rishi by his energy brought me under his complete\ncontrol, and gratified his desire then and there, having first enveloped\nthe region in a thick fog. Before this there was a revolting fishy odour\nin my body; but the Rishi dispelled it and gave me my present fragrance.\nThe Rishi also told me that by bringing forth his child in an island of\nthe river, I would still continue (to be) a virgin. And the child of\nParasara so born of me in my maidenhood hath become a great Rishi endued\nwith large ascetic powers and known by the name of Dwaipayana (the island-\nborn). That illustrious Rishi having by his ascetic power divided the\nVedas into four parts hath come to be called on earth by the name of Vyasa\n(the divider or arranger), and for his dark colour, Krishna (the dark).\nTruthful in speech, free from passion, a mighty ascetic who hath burnt all\nhis sins, he went away with his father immediately after his birth.\nAppointed by me and thee also, that Rishi of incomparable splendour will\ncertainly beget good children upon the wives of thy brother. He told me\nwhen he went away, 'Mother, think of me when thou art in difficulty.' I\nwill now call him up, if thou, O Bhishma of mighty arms so desirest. If\nthou art willing, O Bhishma, I am sure that great ascetic will beget\nchildren 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 with\npatience, acteth in such a way that virtue may lead to future virtue,\nprofit to future profit and pleasure to future pleasure. Therefore, that\nwhich hath been said by thee and which, besides being beneficial to us, is\nconsistent with virtue, is certainly the best advice and hath my full\napproval.\" And when Bhishma had said this, O thou of Kuru's race, Kali\n(Satyavati) thought of the Muni Dwaipayana and Dwaipayana who was then\nengaged in interpreting the Vedas, learning that he was being called up by\nhis mother, came instantly unto her without anybody's knowing it.\nSatayavati then duly greeted her son and embraced him with arms, bathing\nhim in her tears, for the daughter of the fisherman wept bitterly at the\nsight of her son after so long a time. And her first son, the great Vyasa,\nbeholding her weeping, washed her with cool water, and bowing unto her,\nsaid, \"I have come, O mother, to fulfil thy wishes. Therefore, O virtuous\none, command me without delay. I shall accomplish thy desire.\" The family\npriest of the Bharatas then worshipped the great Rishi duly, and the\nlatter accepted the offerings of worship, uttering the usual mantras. And\ngratified with the worship he received, he took his seat. Satyavati,\nbeholding him seated at his ease, after the usual inquiries, addressed him\nand said, \"O learned one, sons derive their birth both from the father and\nthe mother. They are, therefore, the common property of both parents.\nThere cannot be the least doubt about it that the mother hath as much\npower over them as the father. As thou art, indeed, my eldest son\naccording to the ordinance, O Brahmarshi, so is Vichitravirya my youngest\nson. And as Bhishma is Vichitravirya's brother on the father's side, so\nart thou his brother on the same mother's side. I do not know what you may\nthink, but this is what, O son, I think. This Bhishma, the son of Santanu,\ndevoted to truth, doth not, for the sake of truth, entertain the desire\nof either begetting children or ruling the kingdom. Therefore, from\naffection for thy brother Vichitravirya, for the perpetuation of our\ndynasty, for the sake of this Bhishma's request and my command, for\nkindness to all creatures, for the protection of the people and from the\nliberality of thy heart, O sinless one, it behoveth thee to do what I say.\nThy younger brother hath left two widows like unto the daughters of the\ncelestials themselves, endued with youth and great beauty. For the sake of\nvirtue and religion, they have become desirous of offspring. Thou art the\nfittest person to be appointed. Therefore beget upon them children worthy\nof our race and for the continuance of our line.\"\n\n\"'Vyasa, hearing this, said, \"O Satyavati, thou knowest what virtue is both\nin 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 such\nsteps that the ladies may conceive immediately. In a kingdom where there\nis no king, the people perish from want of protection; sacrifices and\nother holy acts are suspended; the clouds send no showers; and the gods\ndisappear. How can a kingdom be protected that hath no king? Therefore,\nsee thou that the ladies conceive. Bhishma will watch over the children as\nlong as they are in their mother's wombs.\"\n\n\"'Vyasa replied, \"If I am to give unto my brother children so unseasonably,\nthen let the ladies bear my ugliness. That in itself shall, in their case,\nbe the austerest of penances. If the princess of Kosala can bear my strong\nodour, my ugly and grim visage, my attire and body, she shall then\nconceive 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 daughter-in-\nlaw and seeing her in private spoke to her these words of beneficial and\nvirtuous import, \"O princess of Kosala, listen to what I say. It is\nconsistent with virtue. The dynasty of the Bharatas hath become extinct\nfrom my misfortune. Beholding my affliction and the extinction of his\npaternal line, the wise Bhishma, impelled also by the desire of\nperpetuating our race, hath made me a suggestion, which suggestion,\nhowever, for its accomplishment is dependent on thee. Accomplish it, O\ndaughter, and restore the lost line of the Bharatas. O thou of fair hips,\nbring thou forth a child equal in splendour unto the chief of the\ncelestials. He shall bear the onerous burden of this our hereditary\nkingdom.\"\n\n\"'Satyavati having succeeded with great difficulty in procuring the assent\nof her virtuous daughter-in-law to her proposal which was not inconsistent\nwith virtue, then fed Brahmanas and Rishis and numberless guests who\narrived on the occasion.'\"\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 bath,\nled her into the sleeping apartment. There seating her upon a luxurious\nbed, she addressed her, saying, \"O Princess of Kosala, thy husband hath an\nelder brother who shall this day enter thy womb as thy child. Wait for him\ntonight without dropping off to sleep.\" Hearing these words of her mother-\nin-law, the amiable princess, as she lay on her bed, began to think of\nBhishma and the other elders of the Kuru race. Then the Rishi of truthful\nspeech, who had given his promise in respect of Amvika (the eldest of the\nprincesses) in the first instance, entered her chamber while the lamp was\nburning. The princess, seeing his dark visage, his matted locks of copper\nhue, blazing eyes, his grim beard, closed her eyes in fear. The Rishi,\nfrom desire of accomplishing his mother's wishes, however knew her. But\nthe latter, struck with fear, opened not her eyes even once to look at him.\nAnd when Vyasa came out, he was met by his mother, who asked him, \"Shall\nthe princess have an accomplished son?\" Hearing her, he replied, \"The son\nof the princess she will bring forth shall be equal in might unto ten\nthousand elephants. He will be an illustrious royal sage, possessed of\ngreat learning and intelligence and energy. The high-souled one shall have\nin his time a century of sons. But from the fault of his mother he shall\nbe blind.\" At these words of her son, Satyavati said, \"O thou of ascetic\nwealth, how can one that is blind become a monarch worthy of the Kurus?\nHow can one that is blind become the protector of his relatives and family,\nand the glory of his father's race? It behoveth thee to give another king\nunto the Kurus.\" Saying, \"So be it,\" Vyasa went away. And the first\nprincess of Kosala in due time brought 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 and\nstrong odour of the Rishi. She, however, sent unto him a maid of hers,\nendued with the beauty of an Apsara and decked with her own ornaments. And\nwhen the Vyasa arrived, the maid rose up and saluted him. And she waited\nupon him respectfully and took her seat near him when asked. And, O king,\nthe great Rishi of rigid vows, was well-pleased with her, and when he rose\nto go away, he addressed her and said, \"Amiable one, thou shalt no longer\nbe a slave. Thy child also shall be greatly fortunate and virtuous, and\nthe foremost of all intelligent men on earth!\" And, O king, the son thus\nbegotten upon her by Krishna-Dwaipayana was afterwards known by the name\nof Vidura. He was thus the brother of Dhritarashtra and the illustrious\nPandu. And Vidura was free from desire and passion and was conversant with\nthe rules of government, and was the god of justice born on earth under\nthe curse of the illustrious Rishi Mandavya. And Krishna-Dwaipayana, when\nhe met his mother as before, informed her as to how he had been deceived\nby the seniormost of the princesses and how he had begotten a son upon a\nSudra woman. And having spoken thus unto his mother the Rishi disappeared\nfrom 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 Kuru\nrace.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CVII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Janamejaya said, 'What did the god of justice do for which he was cursed?\nAnd who was the Brahmana ascetic from whose curse the god had to be born\nin 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 hermitage\nat the foot of a tree, with his arms upraised in the observance of the vow\nof silence. And as he sat there for years together, one day there came\ninto his asylum a number of robbers laden with spoil. And, O bull in\nBharata's race, those robbers were then being pursued by a superior body\nas guardians of the peace. The thieves, on entering that asylum, hid their\nbooty there, and in fear concealed themselves thereabout before the guards\ncame. But scarcely had they thus concealed themselves when the constables\nin pursuit came to the spot. The latter, observing the Rishi sitting under\nthe tree, questioned him, O king, saying, \"O best of Brahmanas, which way\nhave the thieves taken? Point it out to us so that we may follow it\nwithout loss of time.\" Thus questioned by the guardians of peace the\nascetic, O king, said not a word, good or otherwise, in reply. The\nofficers of the king, however, on searching that asylum soon discovered\nthe thieves concealed thereabout together with the plunder. Upon this,\ntheir suspicion fell upon the Muni, and accordingly they seized him with\nthe thieves and brought him before the king. The king sentenced him to be\nexecuted along with his supposed associates. And the officers, acting in\nignorance, carried out the sentence by impaling the celebrated Rishi. And\nhaving impaled him, they went to the king with the booty they had\nrecovered. But the virtuous Rishi, though impaled and kept without food,\nremained in that state for a long time without dying. And the Rishi by his\nascetic power not only preserved his life but summoned other Rishi to the\nscene. And they came there in the night in the forms of birds, and\nbeholding him engaged in ascetic meditation though fixed on that stake,\nbecame plunged into grief. And telling that best of Brahmanas who they\nwere, they asked him saying, \"O Brahmana, we desire to know what hath been\nthy sin for which thou hast thus been made to suffer the tortures of\nimpalement!\"'\"\n\n\nSECTION CVIII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Thus asked, the tiger among Munis then answered those\nRishis of ascetic wealth, \"Whom shall I blame for this? In fact, none else\n(than my own self) hath offended against me!\" After this, O monarch, the\nofficers of justice, seeing him alive, informed the king of it. The latter\nhearing what they said, consulted with his advisers, and came to the place\nand began to pacify the Rishi, fixed on the stake. And the king said, \"O\nthou best of Rishis, I have offended against thee in ignorance. I beseech\nthee to pardon me for the same. It behoveth thee not to be angry with me.\"\nThus addressed by the king, the Muni was pacified. And beholding him free\nfrom wrath, the king took him up with the stake and endeavoured to extract\nit from his body. But not succeeding therein, he cut it off at the point\njust outside the body. The Muni, with a portion of the stake within his\nbody, walked about, and in that state practised the austerest of penances\nand conquered numberless regions unattainable by others. And for the\ncircumstances of a part of the stake being within his body, he came to be\nknown in the three worlds by the name of Ani-Mandavya (Mandavya with the\nstake within). And one day that Brahamana acquainted with the highest\ntruth of religion went unto the abode of the god of justice. And beholding\nthe god there seated on his throne, the Rishi reproached him and said,\n\"What, pray, is that sinful act committed by me unconsciously, for which I\nam bearing this punishment? O, tell me soon, and behold the power of my\nasceticism.\"\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 bearest\nnow the consequence of the act. O Rishi, as a gift, however small,\nmultiplieth 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 other\nliving being. Thou shall, therefore, O god of justice, have to be born\namong men even in the Sudra order. And from this day I establish this\nlimit 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 committed\nby one above that age, it shall be regarded as sin.\"'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Cursed for this fault by that illustrious Rishi,\nthe god of justice had his birth as Vidura in the Sudra order. And Vidura\nwas well-versed in the doctrines of morality and also politics and worldly\nprofit. And he was entirely free from covetousness and wrath. Possessed of\ngreat foresight and undisturbed tranquillity of mind, Vidura was ever\ndevoted to the welfare of the Kurus.'\"\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, artisans,\ntraders and artists of every description. And the people became brave,\nlearned, honest and happy. And there were no robbers then, nor anybody who\nwas sinful. And it seemed that the golden age had come upon every part of\nthe kingdom. And the people devoted to virtuous acts, sacrifices and truth,\nand regarding one another with love and affection grew in prosperity. And\nfree from pride, wrath and covetousness, they rejoiced in perfectly\ninnocent sports. And the capital of the Kurus, full as the ocean, was a\nsecond Amaravati, teeming with hundreds of palaces and mansions, and\npossessing gates and arches dark as the clouds. And men in great\ncheerfulness sported constantly on rivers, lakes and tanks, and in fine\ngroves and charming woods. And the southern Kurus, in their virtuous\nrivalry with their northern kinsmen, walked about in the company of\nSiddhas and Charanas and Rishis. And all over that delightful country\nwhose prosperity was thus increased by the Kurus, there were no misers and\nno 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 the\nhouse of the Kuru chiefs as also of the principal citizens, \"give\", \"eat\"\nwere the only words constantly heard. And Dhritarashtra and Pandu and\nVidura of great intelligence were from their birth brought up by Bhishma,\nas if they were his own sons. And the children, having passed through the\nusual rites of their order, devoted themselves to vows and study. And they\ngrew up into fine young men skilled in the Vedas and all athletic sports.\nAnd they became well-skilled in the practice of bow, in horsemanship, in\nencounters with mace, sword and shield, in the management of elephants in\nbattle, and in the science of morality. Well-read in history and the\nPuranas and various branches of learning, and acquainted with the truths\nof the Vedas and their branches they acquired knowledge, which was\nversatile and deep. And Pandu, possessed of great prowess, excelled all\nmen in archery while Dhritarashtra excelled all in personal strength,\nwhile in the three worlds there was no one equal to Vidura in devotion to\nvirtue and in the knowledge of the dictates of morality. And beholding the\nrestoration of the extinct line of Santanu, the saying became current in\nall countries that among mothers of heroes, the daughters of the king of\nKasi were the first; that among countries Kurujangala was the first; that\namong virtuous men, Vidura was the first; that among cities Hastinapura\nwas the first. Pandu became king, for Dhritarashtra, owing to the\nblindness, and Vidura, for his birth by a Sudra woman, did not obtain the\nkingdom. One day Bhishma, the foremost of those acquainted with the duties\nof a statesman and dictates of morality, properly addressing Vidura\nconversant with the truth of religion and virtue, said as follows.'\"\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 race.\nTell me what thou thinkest.\" Thus addressed, Vidura replied, \"Thou art our\nfather and thou art our mother, too. Thou art our respected spiritual\ninstructor. Therefore, do thou what may be best for us in thy eyes.\"'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Soon after Bhishma heard from the Brahmanas that\nGandhari, the amiable daughter of Suvala, having worshipped Hara (Siva)\nhad obtained from the deity the boon that she should have a century of\nsons. Bhishma, the grandfather of the Kurus, having heard this, sent\nmessengers unto the king of Gandhara. King Suvala at first hesitated on\naccount of the blindness of the bridegroom, but taking into consideration\nthe blood of the Kurus, their fame and behaviour, he gave his virtuous\ndaughter unto Dhritarashtra and the chaste Gandhari hearing that\nDhritarashtra was blind and that her parents had consented to marry her to\nhim, from love and respect for her future husband, blindfolded her own\neyes. Sakuni, the son of Suvala, bringing unto the Kurus his sister endued\nwith youth and beauty, formally gave her away unto Dhritarashtra. And\nGandhari was received with great respect and the nuptials were celebrated\nwith great pomp under Bhishma's directions. And the heroic Sakuni, after\nhaving bestowed his sister along with many valuable robes, and having\nreceived Bhishma's adorations, returned to his own city. And, O thou of\nBharata's race, the beautiful Gandhari gratified all the Kurus by her\nbehaviour and respectful attentions. And Gandhari, ever devoted to her\nhusband, 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\nSECTION CXI\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'There was amongst the Yadavas a chief named Sura.\nHe was the father of Vasudeva. And he had a daughter called Pritha, who\nwas unrivalled for beauty on earth. And, O thou of Bharata's race, Sura,\nalways truthful in speech, gave from friendship this his firstborn\ndaughter unto his childless cousin and friend, the illustrious Kuntibhoja--\nthe son of his paternal aunt--pursuant to a former promise. And Pritha in\nthe house of her adoptive father was engaged in looking after the duties\nof hospitality to Brahmanas and other guests. Once she gratified by her\nattentions the terrible Brahmana of rigid vows, who was known by the name\nof Durvasa and was well-acquainted with the hidden truths of morality.\nGratified with her respectful attentions, the sage, anticipating by his\nspiritual power the future (season of) distress (consequent upon the curse\nto be pronounced upon Pandu for his unrighteous act of slaying a deer\nwhile serving its mate) imparted to her a formula of invocation for\nsummoning any of the celestials she liked to give her children. And the\nRishi said, \"Those celestials that thou shall summon by this Mantra shall\ncertainly approach thee and give thee children.\" Thus addressed by the\nBrahmana, the amiable Kunti (Pritha) became curious, and in her maidenhood\nsummoned the god Arka (Sun). And as soon as she pronounced the Mantra, she\nbeheld that effulgent deity--that beholder of everything in the world--\napproaching her. And beholding that extraordinary sight, the maiden of\nfaultless features was overcome with surprise. But the god Vivaswat (Sun)\napproaching her, said, \"Here I am, O black-eyed girl! Tell me what I am to\ndo 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, \"I\nknow that Durvasa hath granted this boon. But cast off thy fears, timid\nmaiden, and grant me thy embraces. Amiable one, my approach cannot be\nfutile; 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 bull\nof Bharata's race, Arka addressed her again and said, \"O princess, for my\nsake, it shall not be sinful for thee to grant my wish.\" Thus speaking\nunto the daughter of Kuntibhoja, the illustrious Tapana--the illuminator\nof the universe--gratified his wish. And of this connection there was\nimmediately born a son known all over the world as Karna accoutred with\nnatural armour and with face brightened by ear-rings. And the heroic Karna\nwas the first of all wielders of weapons, blessed with good fortune, and\nendued with the beauty of a celestial child. And after the birth of this\nchild, the illustrious Tapana granted unto Pritha her maidenhood and\nascended to heaven. And the princess of the Vrishni race beholding with\nsorrow that son born of her, reflected intently upon what was then the\nbest for her to do. And from fear of her relatives she resolved to conceal\nthat evidence of her folly. And she cast her offspring endued with great\nphysical strength into the water. Then the well-known husband of Radha, of\nthe Suta caste, took up the child thus cast into the water, and he and his\nwife brought him up as their own son. And Radha and her husband bestowed\non him the name of Vasusena (born with wealth) because he was born with a\nnatural armour and ear-rings. And endued as he was born with great\nstrength, as he grew up, he became skilled in all weapons. Possessed of\ngreat energy, he used to adore the sun until his back was heated by his\nrays (i.e., from dawn to midday), and during the hours of worship, there\nwas nothing on earth that the heroic and intelligent Vasusena would not\ngive unto the Brahmanas. And Indra desirous of benefiting his own son\nPhalguni (Arjuna), assuming the form of a Brahmana, approached Vasusena on\none occasion and begged of him his natural armour. Thus asked Karna took\noff his natural armour, and joining his hands in reverence gave it unto\nIndra in the guise of a Brahmana. And the chief of the celestials accepted\nthe gift and was exceedingly gratified with Karna's liberality. He\ntherefore, gave unto him a fine dart, saying, \"That one (and one only)\namong the celestials, the Asuras, men, the Gandharvas, the Nagas, and the\nRakshasas, whom thou desirest to conquer, shall be certainly slain with\nthis dart.\"\n\n\"'The son of Surya was before this known by the name of Vasusena. But since\nhe cut off his natural armour, he came to be called Karna (the cutter or\npeeler of his own cover).'\"\n\n\nSECTION CXII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said. 'The large-eyed daughter of Kuntibhoja, Pritha by name,\nwas endued with beauty and every accomplishment. Of rigid vows, she was\ndevoted to virtue and possessed of every good quality. But though endued\nwith beauty and youth and every womanly attribute, yet it so happened that\nno king asked for her hand. Her father Kuntibhoja seeing this, invited, O\nbest of monarchs, the princes and kings of other countries and desired his\ndaughter to select her husband from among her guests. The intelligent\nKunti, entering the amphitheatre, beheld Pandu--the foremost of the\nBharatas--that tiger among kings--in that concourse of crowned heads.\nProud as the lion, broad-chested, bull-eyed, endued with great strength,\nand outshining all other monarchs in splendour, he looked like another\nIndra in that royal assemblage. The amiable daughter of Kuntibhoja, of\nfaultless features, beholding Pandu--that best of men--in that assembly,\nbecame very much agitated. And advancing with modesty, all the while\nquivering with emotion, she placed the nuptial garland about Pandu's neck.\nThe other monarchs, seeing Kunti choose Pandu for her lord, returned to\ntheir respective kingdoms on elephants, horses and cars, as they had come.\nThen, O king, the bride's father caused the nuptial rites to be performed\nduly. The Kuru prince blessed with great good fortune and the daughter of\nKuntibhoja formed a couple like Maghavat and Paulomi (the king and queen\nof the celestials). And, O best of Kuru monarchs, king Kuntibhoja, after\nthe nuptials were over, presented his son-in-law with much wealth and sent\nhim back to his capital. Then the Kuru prince Pandu, accompanied by a\nlarge force bearing various kinds of banners and pennons, and eulogised by\nBrahmanas and great Rishis pronouncing benedictions, reached his capital.\nAnd after arriving at his own palace, he established his queen therein.'\"\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 him\nwith respect, he got him to enter his palace. Arriving there, the king of\nMadra offered unto Bhishma a white carpet for a seat, water to wash his\nfeet with, and usual oblation of various ingredients indicative of respect.\nAnd when he was seated at ease, the king asked him about the reason of his\nvisit. Then Bhishma--the supporter of the dignity of the Kurus--addressed\nthe king of Madra and said, \"O oppressor of all foes, know that I have\ncome for the hand of a maiden. It hath been heard by us that thou hast a\nsister named Madri celebrated for her beauty and endued with every virtue;\nI would chose her for Pandu. Thou art, O king, in every respect worthy of\nan alliance with us, and we also are worthy of thee. Reflecting upon all\nthis, O king of Madra, accept us duly.\" The ruler of Madra, thus addressed\nby Bhishma, replied, \"To my mind, there is none else than one of thy\nfamily with whom I can enter into an alliance. But there is a custom in\nour family observed by our ancestors, which, be it good or bad, I am\nincapable of transgressing. It is well-known, and therefore is known to\nthee as well, I doubt not. Therefore, it is not proper for thee to say to\nme,--Bestow thy sister. The custom to which I allude is our family custom.\nWith us that is a virtue and worthy of observance. It is for this only, O\nslayer of foes, I cannot give thee any assurance in the matter of thy\nrequest.\" On hearing this, Bhishma answered the king of Madra, saying, \"O\nking, this, no doubt, is a virtue. The self-create himself hath said it.\nThy ancestors were observant of custom. There is no fault to find with it.\nIt is also well-known, O Salya, that this custom in respect of family\ndignity hath the approval of the wise and the good.\" Saying this Bhishma\nof great energy gave unto Salya much gold both coined and uncoined, and\nprecious stones of various colours by thousands, and elephants and horses\nand cars, and much cloth and many ornaments, and gems and pearls and\ncorals. And Salya accepting with a cheerful heart those precious gifts\nthen gave away his sister decked in ornaments unto that bull of the Kuru\nrace. Then the wise Bhishma, the son of the oceangoing Ganga, rejoiced at\nthe issue of his mission, took Madri with him, and returned to the Kuru\ncapital named after the elephant.\n\n\"'Then selecting an 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 gave\nhimself up to enjoyment in the company of his two wives as best he liked\nand to the limit of his desires. And after thirty days had elapsed, the\nKuru king, O monarch, started from his capital for the conquest of the\nworld. And after reverentially saluting and bowing to Bhishma and the\nother elders of the Kuru race, and with adieus to Dhritarashtra and others\nof the family, and obtaining their leave, he set out on his grand campaign,\naccompanied by a large force of elephants, horses, and cars, and well-\npleased with the blessings uttered by all around and the auspicious rites\nperformed by the citizens for his success. And Pandu, accompanied by such\na strong force marched against various foes. And that tiger among men--\nthat spreader of the fame of the Kurus--first subjugated the robber tribes\nof asarna. He next turned his army composed of innumerable elephants,\ncavalry, infantry, and charioteers, with standards of various colours\nagainst Dhirga--the ruler of the kingdom of Maghadha who was proud of his\nstrength, and offended against numerous monarchs. And attacking him in his\ncapital, Pandu slew him there, and took everything in his treasury and\nalso vehicles and draught animals without number. He then marched into\nMithila and subjugated the Videhas. And then, O bull among men, Pandu led\nhis army against Kasi, Sumbha, and Pundra, and by the strength and prowess\nof his arms spread the fame of the Kurus. And Pandu, that oppressor of\nfoes, like unto a mighty fire whose far-reaching flames were represented\nby his arrows and splendour by his weapons, began to consume all kings\nthat came in contact with him. These with their forces, vanquished by\nPandu at the head of his army, were made the vassals of the Kurus. And all\nkings of the world, thus vanquished by him, regarded him as the one single\nhero on earth even as the celestials regard Indra in heaven. And the kings\nof earth with joined palms bowed to him and waited on him with presents of\nvarious kinds of gems and wealth, precious stones and pearls and corals,\nand much gold and silver, and first-class kine and handsome horses and\nfine cars and elephants, and asses and camels and buffaloes, and goats and\nsheep, and blankets and beautiful hides, and cloths woven out of furs. And\nthe king of Hastinapura accepting those offerings retraced his steps\ntowards his capital, to the great delight of his subjects. And the\ncitizens and others filled with joy, and kings and ministers, all began to\nsay, \"O, the fame of the achievements of Santanu, that tiger among kings,\nand of the wise Bharata, which were about to die, hath been revived by\nPandu. They who robbed before the Kurus of both territory and wealth have\nbeen subjugated by Pandu--the tiger of Hastinapura--and made to pay\ntribute.\" And all the citizens with Bhishma at their head went out to\nreceive the victorious king. They had not proceeded far when they saw the\nattendants of the king laden with much wealth, and the train of various\nconveyances laden with all kinds of wealth, and of elephants, horses, cars,\nkine, camels and other animals, was so long that they saw not its end.\nThen Pandu, beholding Bhishma, who was a father to him, worshipped his\nfeet and saluted the citizens and others as each deserved. And Bhishma,\ntoo, embracing 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 kettle-\ndrums, entered his capital.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CXIV\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Pandu, then, at the command of Dhritarashtra, offered\nthe wealth he had acquired by the prowess of his arms to Bhishma, their\ngrand-mother Satyavati and their mothers. And he sent portion of his\nwealth 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 Brahmanas\nwere 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 in\naccomplishments.'\"\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 the\nperpetuation of the Kuru line.'\n\n\"Janamejaya said, 'O best of Brahmanas, how did Gandhari bring forth those\nhundred sons and in how many years? What were also the periods of life\nallotted to each? How did Dhritarashtra also beget another son in a Vaisya\nwife? How did Dhritarashtra behave towards his loving, obedient, and\nvirtuous wife Gandhari? How were also begotten the five sons of Pandu,\nthose mighty charioteers, even though Pandu himself laboured under the\ncurse of the great Rishi (he slew)? Tell me all this in detail, for my\nthirst for hearing everything relating to my own ancestor hath not been\nslaked.'\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 was\nlike unto the morning sun. Impatient of the period of gestation which had\nprolonged so long, and deprived of reason by grief, she struck her womb\nwith great violence without the knowledge of her husband. And thereupon\ncame out of her womb, after two years' growth, a hard mass of flesh like\nunto an iron ball. When she was about to throw it away, Dwaipayana,\nlearning everything by his spiritual powers, promptly came there, and that\nfirst of ascetics beholding that ball of flesh, addressed the daughter of\nSuvala thus, \"What hast thou done?\" Gandhari, without endeavouring to\ndisguise her feelings, addressed the Rishi and said, \"Having heard that\nKunti had brought forth a son like unto Surya in splendour, I struck in\ngrief at my womb. Thou hadst, O Rishi, granted me the boon that I should\nhave a hundred sons, but here is only a ball of flesh for those hundred\nsons!\" Vyasa then said, \"Daughter of Suvala, it is even so. But my words\ncan never be futile. I have not spoken an untruth even in jest. I need not\nspeak of other occasions. Let a hundred pots full of clarified butter be\nbrought instantly, and let them be placed at a concealed spot. In the\nmeantime, let cool water be sprinkled over 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 watched\nwith care. The illustrious Vyasa then said unto the daughter of Suvala\nthat she should open the covers of the pots after full two years. And\nhaving said this and made these arrangements, the wise Dwaipayana went to\nthe 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 Duryodhana's\nbirth was carried to Bhishma and the wise Vidura. The day that the haughty\nDuryodhana was born was also the birth-day of Bhima of mighty arms and\ngreat prowess.\n\n\"'As soon as Duryodhana was born, he began to cry and bray like an ass. And\nhearing that sound, the asses, vultures, jackals and crows uttered their\nrespective cries responsively. Violent winds began to blow, and there were\nfires in various directions. Then king Dhritarashtra in great fear,\nsummoning Bhishma and Vidura and other well-wishers and all the Kurus, and\nnumberless Brahmanas, addressed them and said, \"The oldest of those\nprinces, Yudhishthira, is the perpetuator of our line. By virtue of his\nbirth he hath acquired the kingdom. We have nothing to say to this. But\nshall this my son born after him become king? Tell me truly what is lawful\nand right under these circumstances.\" As soon as these words were spoken,\nO Bharata, jackals and other carnivorous animals began to howl ominously.\nAnd marking those frightful omens all around, the assembled Brahmanas and\nthe wise Vidura replied, \"O king, O bull among men, when these frightful\nomens are noticeable at the birth of thy eldest son, it is evident that he\nshall be the exterminator of thy race. The prosperity of all dependeth on\nhis abandonment. Calamity there must be in keeping him. O king, if thou\nabandonest him, there remain yet thy nine and ninety sons. If thou\ndesirest the good of thy race, abandon him, O Bharata! O king, do good to\nthe world and thy own race by casting off this one child of thine. It hath\nbeen said that an individual should be cast off for the sake of the family;\nthat a family should be cast off for the sake of a village; that a village\nmay be abandoned for the sake of the whole country; and that the earth\nitself may be abandoned for the sake of the soul.\" When Vidura and those\nBrahmanas had stated so, king Dhritarashtra out of affection for his son\nhad not the heart to follow that advice. Then, O king, within a month,\nwere born a full hundred sons unto Dhritarashtra and a daughter also in\nexcess of this hundred. And during the time when Gandhari was in a state\nof advanced pregnancy, there was a maid servant of the Vaisya class who\nused to attend on Dhritarashtra. During that year, O king, was begotten\nupon her by the illustrious Dhritarashtra a son endued with great\nintelligence who was afterwards named Yuyutsu. And because he was begotten\nby a Kshatriya upon a Vaisya woman, 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 upon\na Vaisya woman.'\"\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 the\nboon 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, how\nwas 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 clarified\nbutter. While this process was going on, the beautiful and chaste Gandhari\nof rigid vows, realising the affection that one feeleth for a daughter,\nbegan to think within herself, \"There is no doubt that I shall have a\nhundred sons, the Muni having said so. It can never be otherwise. But I\nshould be very happy if a daughter were born of me over and above these\nhundred sons and junior to them all. My husband then may attain to those\nworlds that the possession of a daughter's sons conferreth. Then again,\nthe affection the women feel for their sons-in-law is great. If, therefore,\nI obtain a daughter over and above my hundred sons, then, surrounded by\nsons and daughter's sons, I may feel supremely blest. If I have ever\npractised ascetic austerities, if I have ever given anything in charity,\nif I have ever performed the homa (through Brahamanas), if I have ever\ngratified my superiors by respectful attentions, then (as the fruit of\nthose acts) let a daughter be born unto me.\" All this while that\nillustrious and best of Rishis, Krishna-Dwaipayana himself was dividing\nthe ball of flesh; and counting a full hundred of the parts, he said unto\nthe daughter of Suvala, \"Here are thy hundred sons. I did not speak aught\nunto thee that was false. Here, however, is one part in excess of the\nhundred, intended for giving thee a daughter's son. This part shall\ndevelop into an amiable and fortunate daughter, as thou hast desired.\"\nThen that great ascetic brought another pot full of clarified butter, and\nput the part intended for a daughter into 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\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 birth,\nare Duryodhana, Yuyutsu, Duhsasana, Duhsaha, Duhsala, Jalasandha, Sama,\nSaha, 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; Dridhasandha,\nJarasandha, Satyasandha, Sada, Suvak, Ugrasravas, Ugrasena, Senani,\nDushparajaya, Aparajita, Kundasayin, Visalaksha, Duradhara; Dridhahasta,\nSuhasta, Vatavega, and Suvarchas; Adityaketu, Vahvashin, Nagadatta,\nAgrayayin; Kavachin, Krathana, Kunda, Kundadhara, Dhanurdhara; the heroes,\nUgra and Bhimaratha, Viravahu, Alolupa; Abhaya, and Raudrakarman, and\nDridharatha; Anadhrishya, Kundabhedin, Viravi, Dhirghalochana Pramatha,\nand Pramathi and the powerful Dhirgharoma; Dirghavahu, Mahavahu, Vyudhoru,\nKanakadhvaja; Kundasi and Virajas. Besides these hundred sons, there was a\ndaughter named Duhsala. All were heroes and Atirathas, and were well-\nskilled in warfare. All were learned in the Vedas, and all kinds of\nweapons. And, O, king, worthy wives were in time selected for all of them\nby Dhritarashtra after proper examination. And king Dhritarashtra, O\nmonarch, also bestowed Duhsala, in proper time and with proper rites, upon\nJayadratha (the king of Sindhu).'\"\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 are,\naccording to the order of their birth. O Brahmana, I have heard all these\nfrom thee. But tell me now all about the Pandavas. While reciting the\nincarnations 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 monarch\npierced them both with five of his sharp and swift arrows winged with\ngolden feathers. O monarch, that was no deer that Pandu struck at, but a\nRishi's son of great ascetic merit who was enjoying his mate in the form\nof a deer. Pierced by Pandu, while engaged in the act of intercourse, he\nfell down to the ground, uttering cries that were of a man and began to\nweep bitterly.\n\n\"'The deer then addressed Pandu and said, \"O king, even men that are slaves\nto lust and wrath, and void of reason, and ever sinful, never commit such\na cruel act as this. Individual judgment prevaileth not against the\nordinance, the ordinance prevaileth against individual judgment. The wise\nnever sanction anything discountenanced by the ordinance. Thou art born, O\nBharata, in a race that hath ever been virtuous. How is it, therefore,\nthat even thou, suffering thyself to be overpowered by passion and wrath\nlosest thy reason?\" Hearing this, Pandu replied, \"O deer, kings behave in\nthe matter of slaying animals of thy species exactly as they do in the\nmatter of slaying foes. It behoveth thee not, therefore, to reprove me\nthus from ignorance. Animals of thy species are slain by open or covert\nmeans. This, indeed, is the practice of kings. Then why dost thou reprove\nme? Formerly, the Rishi Agastya, while engaged in the performance of a\ngrand sacrifice, chased the deer, and devoted every deer in the forest\nunto the gods in general. Thou hast been slain, pursuant to the usage\nsanctioned by such precedent. Wherefore reprovest us then? For his\nespecial sacrifices Agastya performed the homa with 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 mate\nI was engaged in the gratification of my sexual desire. But that effort of\nmine hath been rendered futile by thee. O king of the Kurus, as thou art\nborn in the race of the Pauravas ever noted for white (virtuous) deeds,\nsuch an act hath scarcely been worthy of thee. O Bharata, this act must be\nregarded as extremely cruel, deserving of universal execration, infamous,\nand sinful, and certainly leading to hell. Thou art acquainted with the\npleasures of sexual intercourse. Thou art acquainted also with the\nteaching of morality and dictates of duty. Like unto a celestial as thou\nart, it behoveth thee not to do such an act as leadeth to hell. O best of\nkings, thy duty is to chastise all who act cruelly, who are engaged in\nsinful practices and who have thrown to the winds religion, profit, and\npleasure as explained in the scriptures. What hast thou done, O best of\nmen, in killing me who have given thee no offence? I am, O king, a Muni\nwho liveth on fruits and roots, though disguised as a deer. I was living\nin the woods in peace with all. Yet thou hast killed me, O king, for which\nI will curse thee certainly. As thou hast been cruel unto a couple of\nopposite sexes, death shall certainly overtake thee as soon as thou\nfeelest the influence of sexual desire. I am a Muni of the name of Kindama,\npossessed of ascetic merit. I was engaged in sexual intercourse with this\ndeer, because my feelings of modesty did not permit me to indulge in such\nan act in human society. In the form of a deer I rove in the deep woods in\nthe company of other deer. Thou hast slain me without knowing that I am a\nBrahmana, the sin of having slain a Brahmana shall not, therefore, be\nthine. But senseless man, as you have killed me, disguised as a deer, at\nsuch a time, thy fate shall certainly be even like mine. When, approaching\nthy wife lustfully, thou wilt unite with her even as I had done with mine,\nin that very state shalt thou have to go to the world of the spirits. And\nthat wife of thine with whom thou mayst be united in intercourse at the\ntime of thy death shall also follow thee with affection and reverence to\nthe domains of the king of the dead. Thou hast brought me grief when I was\nhappy. So shall grief come to thee when thou 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\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 cut\noff while still a youth, only because he had become a slave to his lust.\nIn the soil of that lustful king, the illustrious Rishi Krishna-Dwaipayana\nhimself, of truthful speech, begot me. A son though I am of such a being,\nwith my wicked heart wedded to vice, I am yet leading a wandering life in\nthe woods in the chase of the deer. Oh, the very gods have forsaken me! I\nshall seek salvation now. The great impediments to salvation are the\ndesire to beget children, and other concerns of the world. I shall now\nadopt the Brahmacharya mode of life and follow in the imperishable wake of\nmy father. I shall certainly bring my passions under complete control by\nsevere ascetic penances. Forsaking my wives and other relatives and\nshaving my head, alone shall I wander over the earth, begging for my\nsubsistence from each of these trees standing here. Forsaking every object\nof affection and aversion, and covering my body with dust, I shall make\nthe shelter of trees or deserted houses my home. I shall never yield to\ninfluence of sorrow or joy, and I shall regard slander and eulogy in the\nsame light. I shall not seek benedictions or bows. I shall be at peace\nwith all, and shall not accept gifts. I shall not mock anybody, nor shall\nI knit my brows at any one, but shall be ever cheerful and devoted to the\ngood of all creatures. I shall not harm any of the four orders of life\ngifted with power of locomotion or otherwise, viz., oviparous and\nviviparous creatures and worms and vegetables. But on the contrary,\npreserve an equality of behaviour towards all, as if they were, my own\nchildren. Once a day shall I beg of five or ten families at the most, and\nif I do not succeed in obtaining alms, I shall then go without food. I\nshall rather stint myself than beg more than once of the same person. If I\ndo not obtain anything after completing my round of seven or ten houses,\nmoved by covetousness, I shall not enlarge my round. Whether I obtain or\nfail to obtain alms, I shall be equally unmoved like a great ascetic. One\nlopping off an arm of mine with a hatchet, and one smearing another arm\nwith sandal-paste, shall be regarded by me equally. I shall not wish\nprosperity to the one or misery to the other. I shall not be pleased with\nlife or displeased with death. I shall neither desire to live nor to die.\nWashing my heart of all sins, I shall certainly transcend those sacred\nrites productive of happiness, that men perform in auspicious moments,\ndays, and periods. I shall also abstain from all acts of religion and\nprofit and also those that lead to the gratification of the senses. Freed\nfrom all sins and snares of the world, I shall be like the wind subject to\nnone. Following the path of fearlessness and bearing myself in this way I\nshall at last lay down my life. Destitute of the power of begetting\nchildren, firmly adhering to the line of duty I shall not certainly\ndeviate therefrom in order to tread in the vile path of the world that is\nso full of misery. Whether respected or disrespected in the world that man\nwho from covetousness casteth on others a begging look, certainly behaveth\nlike a dog. (Destitute as I am of the power of procreation, I should not\ncertainly, from desire of offspring, solicit others to give me\nchildren.)\"'\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 friends,\nthe venerable Satyavati, Bhishma, the priests of our family, illustrious\nSoma-drinking Brahmanas of rigid vows and all elderly citizens depending\non us be informed, after being prepared for it, that Pandu hath retired\ninto the woods to lead a life of asceticism.\" Hearing these words of their\nlord who had set his heart on a life of asceticism in the woods, both\nKunti and Madri addressed him in these proper words, \"O bull of Bharata's\nrace, there are many other modes of life which thou canst adopt and in\nwhich thou canst undergo the severest penances along with us, thy wedded\nwives--in which for the salvation of thy body (freedom from re-birth),\nthou mayest obtain heaven. We also, in the company of our lord, and for\nhis benefit, controlling our passions and bidding adieu to all luxuries,\nshall subject ourselves to the severest austerities. O king, O thou of\ngreat wisdom, if thou abandonest us, we shall then this very day truly\ndepart from this world.\"\n\n\"'Pandu 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 and\ndishes.\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\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 friend,\nwhile others cherished him as their son. And, O bull of Bharata's race,\nhaving 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 of\nstarting on their expedition. Seeing them about to start, Pandu asked\nthose ascetics, saying, \"Ye first of eloquent men, where shall we go?\" The\nRishis answered, \"There will be a great gathering today, in the abode of\nBrahman, of celestials, Rishis and Pitris. Desirous of beholding the Self-\ncreate 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 him\nsaying, \"In our northward march, while gradually ascending the king of\nmountains, we have seen on its delightful breast many regions inaccessible\nto ordinary mortals; retreats also of the gods, and Gandharvas and Apsaras,\nwith palatial mansions by hundreds clustering thick around and resounding\nwith the sweet notes of celestial music, the gardens of Kuvera laid out on\neven and uneven grounds, banks of mighty rivers, and deep caverns. There\nare many regions also on those heights that are covered with perpetual\nsnow and are utterly destitute of vegetable and animal existence. In some\nplaces the downpour of rain is so heavy that they are perfectly\ninaccessible and incapable of being utilised for habitation. Not to speak\nof other animals, even winged creatures cannot cross them. The only thing\nthat can go there is air, and the only beings, Siddhas and great Rishis.\nHow shall these princesses ascend those heights of the king of mountains?\nUnaccustomed to pain, shall they not droop in affliction? Therefore, come\nnot with us, O bull of 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! 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, viz.\nthose due unto the (deceased) ancestors, the gods, the Rishis, and other\nmen. In justice these must be discharged. The wise have declared that no\nregions of bliss exist for them that neglect to pay these debts in due\ntime. The gods are paid (gratified) by sacrifices, the Rishis, by study,\nmeditation, 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 are\nsure to perish with the dissolution of my body! Ye ascetics, I am not yet\nfreed from the debt I owe to my (deceased) ancestors. The best of men are\nborn in this world to beget children for discharging that debt. I would\nask you, should children be begotten in my soil (upon my wives) as I\nmyself 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 one,\nwretch that I was and addicted to cruel deeds, as a consequence of the\npolluted life I led, my power of procreation hath been destroyed by the\ncurse of the deer. The religious institutes mention six kinds of sons that\nare heirs and kinsmen, and six other kinds that are not heirs but kinsmen.\nI shall speak of them presently. O Pritha, listen to me. They are: 1st,\nthe son begotten by one's own self upon his wedded wife; 2nd, the son\nbegotten upon one's wife by an accomplished person from motives of\nkindness; 3rd, the son begotten upon one's wife by a person for pecuniary\nconsideration; 4th, the son begotten upon the wife after the husband's\ndeath; 5th, the maiden-born son; 6th, the son born of an unchaste wife;\n7th, the son given; 8th, the son bought for a consideration; 9th, the son\nself-given; 10th, the son received with a pregnant bride; 11th, the\nbrother's son; and 12th, the son begotten upon a wife of lower caste. On\nfailure of offspring of a prior class, the mother should desire to have\noffspring of the next class. In times of distress, men solicit offspring\nfrom accomplished younger brothers. The self-born Manu hath said that men\nfailing to have legitimate offspring of their own may have offspring\nbegotten upon their wives by others, for sons confer the highest religious\nmerit. Therefore, O Kunti, being destitute myself of the power of\nprocreation, I command thee to raise good offspring through some person\nwho is either equal or superior to me. O Kunti, listen to the history of\nthe daughter of Saradandayana who was appointed by her lord to raise\noffspring. That warrior-dame, when her monthly season arrived, bathed duly\nand in the night went out and waited on a spot where four roads met. She\ndid not wait long when a Brahmana crowned with ascetic success came there.\nThe daughter of Saradandayana solicited him for offspring. After pouring\nlibations of clarified butter on the fire (in the performance of the\nsacrifice known by the name of Punsavana) she brought forth three sons\nthat were mighty car-warriors and of whom Durjaya was the eldest, begotten\nupon her by that Brahmana. O thou of good fortune, do thou follow that\nwarrior-dame's example at my command, and speedily raise offspring out of\nthe seed of some Brahmana of high ascetic merit.\"'\"\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, in\nrighteousness, 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 me,\nand 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 all\nmen like the Sun appearing in double splendour after the season of frost\nis over. And the powerful Vyushitaswa, who was endued with the strength of\nten elephants very soon performed the horse-sacrifice, overthrowing, O\nbest of monarchs, all the kings of the East, the North, the West and the\nSouth, and exacted tributes from them all. There is an anecdote, O best of\nthe Kurus, that is sung by all reciters of the Puranas, in connection with\nthat first of all men, the illustrious Vyushitaswa.--Having conquered the\nwhole Earth up to the coast of the sea, Vyushitaswa protected every class\nof his subjects as a father does his own begotten sons.--Performing many\ngreat sacrifices he gave away much wealth to the Brahmanas. After\ncollecting unlimited jewels and precious stones he made arrangements for\nperforming still greater ones. And he performed also the Agnishtoma, and\nother special Vedic sacrifices, extracting great quantities of Soma juice.\nAnd, O king, Vyushitaswa had for his dear wife, Bhadra, the daughter of\nKakshivat, unrivalled for beauty on earth. And it hath been heard by us\nthat the couple loved each other deeply. King Vyushitaswa was seldom\nseparated from his wife. Sexual excess, however, brought on an attack of\nphthisis and the king died within a few days, sinking like the Sun in his\nglory. Then Bhadra, his beautiful queen, was plunged into woe, and as she\nwas sonless, O tiger among men, she wept in great affliction. Listen to me,\nO king, as I narrate to you all that Bhadra said with bitter tears\ntrickling down her cheeks. 'O virtuous one', she said, 'Women serve no\npurpose when their husbands are dead. She who liveth after her husband is\ndead, draggeth on a miserable existence that can hardly be called life. O\nbull of the Kshatriya order, death is a blessing to women without husbands.\nI wish to follow the way thou hast gone. Be kind and take me with thee. In\nthy absence, 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 thee\nover the even and uneven ground. Thou hast gone away, O lord, never to\nreturn. I shall follow thee, O king, as thy own shadow. O tiger among men,\nI will obey thee (as thy slave) and will ever do what is agreeable to thee\nand what is for thy good. O thou of eyes like lotus-petals, without thee,\nfrom this day, mental agonies will overwhelm me and eat into my heart. A\nwretch that I am, some loving couple had doubtless been separated by me in\na former life, for which, in this life, I am made to suffer the pangs of\nseparation from thee. O king, that wretched woman who liveth even for a\nmoment separated from her lord, liveth in woe and suffereth the pangs of\nhell even here. Some loving couple had doubtless been separated by me in a\nformer life, for which sinful act I am suffering this torture arising from\nmy separation from thee. O king, from this day I will lay myself down on a\nbed of Kusa grass and abstain from every luxury, hoping to behold thee\nonce more. O tiger among men, show thyself to me. O king, O lord, command\nonce more thy wretched and bitterly 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 the\ncorpse in anguish of heart. Then she was addressed by an incorporeal voice\nin these words, \"Rise up, O Bhadra, and leave this place. O thou of sweet\nsmiles, I grant thee this boon. I will beget offspring upon thee. Lie thou\ndown with me on thy own bed, after the catamenial bath, on the night of\nthe eighth or the fourteenth day of the moon.\" Thus addressed by the\nincorporeal 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\nSECTION CXXII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Thus addressed by his loving wife, king Pandu, well-\nacquainted with all rules of morality, replied in these words of virtuous\nimport, \"O Kunti, what thou hast said is quite true. Vyushitaswa of old\ndid even as thou hast said. Indeed he was equal unto the celestials\nthemselves. But I shall now tell thee about the practices of old indicated\nby illustrious Rishis, fully acquainted with every rule of morality. O\nthou of handsome face and sweet smiles, women formerly were not immured\nwithin houses and dependent on husbands and other relatives. They used to\ngo about freely, enjoying themselves as best as they liked. O thou of\nexcellent qualities, they did not then adhere to their husbands faithfully,\nand yet, O handsome one, they were not regarded sinful, for that was the\nsanctioned usage of the times. That very usage is followed to this day by\nbirds and beasts without any (exhibition of) jealousy. That practice,\nsanctioned by precedent, is applauded by great Rishis. O thou of tapering\nthighs, the practice is yet regarded with respect amongst the Northern\nKurus. Indeed, that usage, so lenient to women, hath the sanction of\nantiquity. The present practice, however (of women's being confined to one\nhusband for life) hath been established but lately. I shall tell thee in\ndetail 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 Rishi's\nson, Swetaketu, however, disapproved of the usage and established in the\nworld the present practice as regards men and women. It hath been heard by\nus, O thou of great virtue, that the existing practice dates from that\nperiod among human beings but not among beings of other classes.\nAccordingly, since the establishment of the present usage, it is sinful\nfor women not to adhere to their husbands. Women transgressing the limits\nassigned by the Rishi became guilty of slaying the embryo. And, men, too,\nviolating a chaste and loving wife who hath from her maidenhood observed\nthe vow of purity, became guilty of the same sin. The woman also who,\nbeing 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\ntapering thighs, 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 son\nnamed 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 season\ncometh, must ever seek her husband, though at other times she deserveth\nliberty. The wise have declared this to be the ancient practice. But, be\nthe act sinful or sinless, those acquainted with the Vedas have declared\nthat it is the duty of wives to do what their husbands bid them do.\nEspecially, O thou of faultless features, I, who am deprived of the power\nof procreation, having yet become desirous of beholding offspring, deserve\nthe more to be obeyed by thee. O amiable one, joining my palms furnished\nwith rosy fingers, and making of them a cup as of lotus leaves, I place\nthem on my head to propitiate thee. O thou of fair looks, it behoveth thee\nto raise offspring, at my command, through some Brahmana possessed of high\nascetic merit. For then, owing to thee, O thou of fair hips, I may go the\nway that is reserved for those that 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 girlhood,\nO lord, I was in my father's house engaged in attending upon all guests. I\nused to wait respectfully upon Brahmanas of rigid vows and great ascetic\nmerit. One day I gratified with my attentions that Brahmana whom people\ncall Durvasa, of mind under full control and possessing knowledge of all\nthe mysteries of religion. Pleased with my services, that Brahmana gave me\na boon in the form of a mantra (formula of invocation) for calling into my\npresence any one of the celestials I liked. And the Rishi, addressing me,\nsaid, 'Anyone among the celestials whom thou callest by this shall, O girl,\napproach thee and be obedient to thy will, whether he liketh it or not.\nAnd, O princess, thou shall also have offspring through his grace.' O\nBharata, that Brahmana told me this when I lived in my father's house. The\nwords uttered by the Brahmana can never be false. The time also hath come\nwhen they may yield fruit. Commanded by thee, O royal sage, I can by that\nmantra summon any of the celestials, so that we may have good children. O\nforemost of all truthful men, tell me which of the celestials I shall\nsummon. Know that, as regards 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 will\nnever be able to pollute us with sin. The world also, O beautiful princess,\nwill then think that what we do can never be unholy. The son also that we\nshall obtain from him shall in virtue be certainly the foremost among the\nKurus. Begotten by the god of justice and morality, he would never set his\nheart upon anything that is sinful or unholy. Therefore, O thou of sweet\nsmiles, steadily keeping virtue before thy eyes, and duly observing holy\nvows, summon thou the god of justice and virtue by the help of thy\nsolicitations 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\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 me\noffspring.\" Then the handsome Kunti was united (in intercourse) with the\ngod of justice in his spiritual form and obtained from him a son devoted\nto the good of all creatures. And she brought his excellent child, who\nlived to acquire a great fame, at the eighth Muhurta called Abhijit, of\nthe hour of noon of that very auspicious day of the seventh month\n(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 ruler\nof the earth. And this first child of Pandu shall be known by the name of\nYudhishthira. Possessed of prowess and honesty of disposition, he shall be\na 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 after 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 thunderbolt,\nfalling down upon the mountain breast, broke into a hundred fragments the\nrocky mass upon which he fell. And beholding this, Pandu wondered much.\nAnd it so happened that that very day on which Vrikodara was born, was\nalso, O best of Bharatas, the birthday of Duryodhana who afterwards became\nthe 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 thing\nin the world dependeth on destiny and exertion. But destiny can never be\nsuccessful except by timely exertion. We have heard it said that Indra is\nthe chief of the gods. Indeed, he is endued with immeasurable might and\nenergy and prowess and glory. Gratifying him with my asceticism, I shall\nobtain from him a son of great strength. Indeed, the son he giveth me must\nbe superior to all and capable of vanquishing in battle all men and\ncreatures other than men. I shall, therefore, practise the severest\nausterities, 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 virtuous\nking of the Kuru race, well-recollecting those words, said unto Kunti, \"O\nfortunate one, thy vow hath become successful. The lord of the celestials\nhath been gratified, and is willing to give thee a son such as thou\ndesirest, 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 of\ngreat 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 lord,\ninvoked Sakra (the king of the gods) who thereupon came unto her and begat\nhim that was afterwards called Arjuna. And as soon as this child was born,\nan incorporeal voice, loud and deep as that of the clouds and filling the\nwhole welkin, distinctly said, addressing Kunti in the hearing of every\ncreature dwelling in that asylum, \"This child of thine, O Kunti, will be\nequal unto Kartavirya in energy and Siva in prowess. Invincible like Sakra\nhimself he will spread thy fame far and wide. As Vishnu (the youngest of\nAditi's sons) had enhanced Aditi's joy, so shall this child enhance thy\njoy. Subjugating the Madras, the Kurus along with the Somakas, and the\npeople of Chedi, Kasi and Karusha, he will maintain the prosperity of the\nKurus. (Surfeited with libations at the sacrifice of king Swetaketu), Agni\nwill derive great gratification from the fat of all creatures dwelling in\nthe Khandava woods (to be burnt down) by the might of this one's arms.\nThis mighty hero, vanquishing all the monarchs of the earth, will with\nhis brothers perform three great sacrifices. In prowess, O Kunti, he will\nbe even as Jamadagnya or Vishnu. The foremost of all men endued with\nprowess, he will achieve great fame. He will gratify in battle (by his\nheroism) Sankara, the god of gods (Mahadeva), and will receive from him\nthe great weapon named Pasupata. This thy son of mighty arms will also\nslay, at the command of Indra, those Daityas called the Nivatakavachas who\nare the enemies of the gods. He will also acquire all kinds of celestial\nweapons, and this bull among men will also retrieve the fortunes of his\nrace.\"\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 Ugrasena,\nUrnayus and Anagha, Gopati and Dhritarashtra and Suryavarchas the eighth,\nYugapa and Trinapa, Karshni, Nandi, and Chitraratha, Salisirah the\nthirteenth, Parjanya the fourteenth, Kali the fifteenth, and Narada the\nsixteenth in this list, Vrihatta, Vrihaka, Karala of great soul,\nBrahmacharin, 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, Marichi\nand Suchika, Vidyutparna and Tilottama and Ambika, Lakshmana, Kshema Devi,\nRambha, Manorama, Asita, Suvahu, Supriya, Suvapuh, Pundarika, Sugandha,\nSurasa, Pramathini, Kamya and Saradwati, all danced there together. And\nMenaka, Sahajanya, Karnika, Punjikasthala, Ritusthala, Ghritachi, Viswachi,\nPurvachiti, the celebrated Umlocha, Pramlocha the tenth and Urvasi the\neleventh,--these large-eyed dancing girls of heaven,--came there and sang\nin chorus. And Dharti and Aryaman and Mitra and Varuna, Bhaga and Indra,\nVivaswat, Pushan, Tvastri and Parjanya or Vishnu, these twelve Adityas\ncame there to glorify Pandu's son. And, O king, Mrigavyadha, Sarpa, the\ncelebrated Niriti, Ajaikapada, Ahivradhna, Pinakin, Dahana, Iswara,\nKapalin, Sthanu and the illustrious Bhaga--these eleven Rudras,--also came\nthere. And the twin Aswins, the eight Vasus, the mighty Maruts, the\nViswedevas, and the Sadhyas, also came there. And Karkotaka, Vasuki,\nKachchhapa, Kunda and the great Naga Takshaka,--these mighty and wrathful\nsnakes possessed of high ascetic merit also came there. And Tarkshya,\nArishtanemi, Garuda, Asitadvaja,--these and many other Nagas, came there,\nso also Aruna and Aruni of Vinata's race also came there. And only great\nRishis crowned with ascetic success and not others saw those celestials\nand other beings seated in their cars or waiting on the mountain peaks.\nThose best of Munis beholding that wonderful sight, became amazed, and\ntheir love and affection for the children of Pandu was in consequence\nenhanced.\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 (wanton), while she having\nintercourse with five becometh a harlot. Therefore, O learned one, as thou\nart well-acquainted with the scripture on this subject, why dost thou,\nbeguiled by desire of offspring, tell me so in seeming forgetfulness of\nthe ordinance?\"'\"\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 to\nher in station. I do not grieve, O thou of Kuru's race, that Gandhari hath\nobtained a hundred sons. This, however, is my great grief that while Kunti\nand I are equal, I should be childless, while it should so chance that\nthou shouldst have offspring by Kunti alone. If the daughter of Kuntibhoja\nshould so provide that I should have offspring, she would then be really\ndoing me a great favour and benefiting thee likewise. She being my rival,\nI feel a delicacy in soliciting any favour of her. If thou beest, O king,\npropitiously disposed to me, then ask her to grant my desire.\"\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 are,\nI shall certainly strive after that end. I think that, asked by me, Kunti\nwill 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. Behold,\nIndra, even though he hath obtained the sovereignty of the celestials,\ndoth yet, for fame alone, perform sacrifices. O handsome one, Brahmanas,\nwell-acquainted with the Vedas, and having achieved high ascetic merit, do\nyet, for fame alone, approach their spiritual masters with reverence. So\nalso all royal sages and Brahmanas possessed of ascetic wealth have\nachieved, for fame only, the most difficult of ascetic feat. Therefore, O\nblameless one, rescue this Madri as by a raft (by granting her the means\nof obtaining offspring), and achieve thou imperishable fame by making her\na 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, an\nincorporeal voice said, \"In energy and beauty these twins shall transcend\neven the twin Aswins themselves.\" Indeed possessed of great energy and\nbeauty, 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 was\ncalled Nakula and the next Sahadeva. And those foremost sons born at an\ninterval of one year after one another, looked like an embodied period of\nfive years. And king Pandu, beholding his children of celestial beauty and\nof super-abundant energy, great strength and prowess, and of largeness of\nsoul, rejoiced exceedingly. And the children became great favourites of\nthe Rishis, as also of their wives, dwelling on the mountain of a hundred\npeaks.\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, indeed,\nis the way of all wicked women. Fool that I was, I did not know that by\ninvoking the twin gods I could obtain at one birth twin children. I\nbeseech thee, O king, do not command me any further. Let this be the boon\ngranted (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 auspicious\nmark on his person, handsome like Soma, proud as the lion, well-skilled in\nthe use of the bow, and of leonine tread, breast, heart, eyes, neck and\nprowess, those foremost of men, resembling the celestials themselves in\nmight, began to grow up. And beholding them and their virtues growing with\nyears, the great Rishis dwelling on that snowcapped sacred mountain were\nfilled with wonder. And the five Pandavas and the hundred sons of\nDhritarashtra--that propagator of the Kuru race--grew up rapidly like a\ncluster of lotuses in a lake.'\"\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\nvast 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. He\nbeheld 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 of\nwater overgrown with hundreds of fragrant lotuses. Beholding all these,\nPandu felt the soft influence of desire. Roving like a celestial with a\nlight heart amidst such scenery, Pandu was alone with his wife Madri in\nsemi-transparent attire. And beholding the youthful Madri thus attired,\nthe king's desire flamed up like a forest-fire. And ill-able to suppress\nhis desire thus kindled at the sight of his wife of eyes like lotus-petals,\nhe was completely overpowered. The king then seized her against her will,\nbut Madri trembling in fear resisted him to the best of her might.\nConsumed by desire, he forgot everything about his misfortune. And, O thou\nof Kuru's race, unrestrained by the fear of (the Rishi's) curse and\nimpelled by fate, the monarch, overpowered by passion, forcibly sought the\nembraces of Madri, as if he wished to put an end to his own life. His\nreason, thus beguiled by the great Destroyer himself by intoxicating his\nsenses, was itself lost with his life. And the Kuru king Pandu, of\nvirtuous soul, thus succumbed to the inevitable influence of Time, while\nunited in intercourse with his wife.\n\n\"'Then Madri, clasping the body of her senseless lord, began to weep aloud.\nAnd Kunti with her sons and the twins of Madri, hearing those cries of\ngrief, came to the spot where the king lay in that state. Then, O king,\nMadri addressing Kunti in a piteous voice, said, \"Come hither alone, O\nKunti, and let the children stay there.\" Hearing these words, Kunti, the\nchildren leaving, ran with speed, exclaiming, \"Woe to me!\" And beholding\nboth Pandu and Madri lying prostrate on the ground she went in grief and\naffliction, saying, \"Of passions under complete control, this hero, O\nMadri, had all along been watched by me with care. How did he then\nforgetting the Rishi's curse, approach thee with enkindled desire? O Madri,\nthis foremost of men should have been protected by thee. Why didst thou\ntempt him into solitude? Always melancholy at the thought of the Rishi's\ncurse, how came he to be merry with thee in solitude? O princess of\nValhika, more fortunate than myself, thou art really to be envied, for\nthou hast seen the face of our lord suffused 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 religious\nmerit must be mine. Therefore, O Madri, prevent me not from achieving that\nwhich must be achieved. I must follow our lord to the region of the dead.\nRise up, O Madri, and yield me his body. Rear thou these children.\" Madri\nreplied, saying, \"I do clasp our lord yet, and have not allowed him to\ndepart; therefore, I shall follow him. My appetite hath not been appeased.\nThou art my older sister, O let me have thy sanction. This foremost one of\nthe Bharata princes had approached me, desiring to have intercourse. His\nappetite unsatiated, shall I not follow him in the region of Yama to\ngratify him? O revered one, if I survive thee, it is certain I shall not\nbe able to rear thy children as if they were mine. Will not sin touch me\non that account? But thou, O Kunti, shall be able to bring my sons up as\nif they were thine. The king, in seeking me wishfully, hath gone to the\nregion of spirits; therefore, my body should be burnt with his. O revered\nsister, withhold not thy sanction to this which is agreeable to me. Thou\nwilt certainly bring up the children carefully. That indeed, would be very\nagreeable to me. I have 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\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 to\nhis kingdom with these his offspring, and his wife.\"'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then those godlike Rishis of magnanimous hearts,\nand crowned with ascetic success, summoning one another, resolved to go to\nHastinapura with Pandu's children ahead, desiring to place them in the\nhands of Bhishma and Dhritarashtra. The ascetics set out that very moment,\ntaking with them those children and Kunti and the two dead bodies. And\nthough unused to toil all her life, the affectionate Kunti now regarded as\nvery short the really long journey she had to perform. Having arrived at\nKurujangala within a short time, the illustrious Kunti presented herself\nat the principal gate. The ascetics then charged the porters to inform the\nking of their arrival. The men carried the message in a trice to the court.\nAnd the citizens of Hastinapura, hearing of the arrival of thousands of\nCharanas and Munis, were filled with wonder. And it was soon after sunrise\nthat they began to come out in numbers with their wives and children to\nbehold those ascetics. Seated in all kinds of cars and conveyances by\nthousands, vast numbers of Kshatriyas with their wives, and Brahmanas with\ntheirs came out. And the concourse of Vaisyas and Sudras too was as large\non the occasion. The vast assemblage was very peaceful, for every heart\nthen was inclined to piety. And there also came out Bhishma, the son of\nSantanu, and Somadatta or Valhika and the royal sage (Dhritarashtra)\nendued with the vision of knowledge and Vidura himself and the venerable\nSatyavati and the illustrious princess of Kosala and Gandhari accompanied\nby the other ladies of the royal household. And the hundred sons of\nDhritarashtra, decked with various ornaments, 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, seeing 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, spoke\nas follows, \"You all know that that possessor of the sovereignty of the\nKurus who was called king Pandu, had, after abandoning the pleasures of\nthe world, repaired hence to dwell on the mountain of a hundred peaks. He\nadopted the Brahmacharya mode of life, but for some inscrutable purpose\nthe gods have in view, this his eldest son, Yudhishthira, was born there,\nbegotten by Dharma himself. Then that illustrious king obtained from Vayu\nthis other son--the foremost of all mighty men--called Bhima. This other\nson, begotten upon Kunti by Indra, is Dhananjaya whose achievements will\nhumble all bowmen in the world. Look here again at these tigers among men,\nmighty in the use of the bow, the twin children begotten upon Madri by the\ntwin Aswins. Leading in righteousness the life of a Vanaprastha in the\nwoods, illustrious Pandu hath thus revived the almost extinct line of his\ngrandfather. The birth, growth, and Vedic studies of these children of\nPandu, will, no doubt, give you great pleasure. Steadily adhering to the\npath of the virtuous and the wise, and leaving behind him these children,\nPandu departed hence seventeen days ago. His wife Madri, beholding him\nplaced in the funeral pyre and about to be consumed, herself ascended the\nsame pyre, and sacrificing her life thus, hath gone with her lord to the\nregion reserved for chaste wives. Accomplish now whatever rites should be\nperformed for their benefit. These are (the unburnt portions of) their\nbodies. Here also are their children--these oppressors of foes--with their\nmother. Let these be now received with due honours. After the completion\nof the first rites in honour of the dead, let the virtuous Pandu, who had\nall along been the supporter of the dignity of the Kurus, have the first\nannual Sraddha (sapindakarana) performed with a view to installing him\nformally among the Pitris.\"'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'The ascetics with Guhyakas, having said this\nunto the Kurus, instantly disappeared in the very sight of the people. And\nbeholding the Rishis and the Siddhas thus vanish in their sight like\nvapoury forms appearing and disappearing in the skies, the citizens filled\nwith wonder returned to their homes.'\"\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 cattle,\ncloths, gems and diverse kinds of wealth, every one receiving as much as\nhe asketh for. Make arrangements also for Kunti's performing the last\nrites of Madri in such a style as pleaseth her. And let Madri's body be so\ncarefully wrapped up that neither the Sun nor Vayu (god of wind) may\nbehold it. Lament not for the sinless Pandu. He was a worthy king and hath\nleft behind him five heroic sons equal unto the celestials themselves.\"'\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 whole\nscene looked bright and grand. Hundreds of people began to distribute gems\namong the crowd on the occasion of the funeral rites of the king. At\nlength some beautiful robes, and white umbrellas and larger yak-tails,\nwere brought for the great ceremony. The priests clad in white walked in\nthe van of the procession pouring libations of clarified butter on the\nsacred fire blazing in an ornamental vessel. And Brahmanas, and Kshatriyas,\nand Vaisyas, and Sudras by thousands followed the deceased king, loudly\nwailing in these accents, \"O prince, where dost thou go, leaving us behind,\nand making us forlorn and wretched for ever?\" And Bhishma, and Vidura, and\nthe Pandavas, also all wept aloud. At last they came to a romantic wood on\nthe banks of the Ganga. There they laid down the hearse on which the\ntruthful and lion-hearted prince and his spouse lay. Then they brought\nwater in many golden vessels, washed the prince's body besmeared before\nwith several kinds of fragrant paste, and again smeared it over with\nsandal paste. They then dressed it in a white dress made of indigenous\nfabrics. And with the new suit on, the king seemed as if he was living and\nonly 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 of\nthe king and the queen, bringing lotuses, sandal-paste, and other fragrant\nsubstances to the pyre.\n\n\"'Then seeing the bodies aflame, Kausalya burst out, \"O my son, my son!\"--\nand fell down senseless on the ground. And seeing her down the citizens\nand the inhabitants of the provinces began to wail from grief and\naffection for their king. And the birds of the air and the beasts of the\nfield were touched by the lamentations of Kunti. And Bhishma, the son of\nSantanu, and the wise Vidura, and the others also that were there, became\ndisconsolate.\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 sleep\non the ground. Seeing this the Brahmanas and the other citizens also\nrenounced their beds. Young and old, all the citizens grieved on account\nof the sons of king Pandu, and passed twelve days in mourning with the\nweeping Pandavas.'\"\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 of\nPandu, now that they had been cleansed from the impurity incident to the\ndemise of their father. All then fell to weeping for the departed king. It\nseemed 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 days\nof calamity have succeeded. Sin beginneth to increase day by day. The\nworld 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 apartments\nand addressed her daughter-in-law, saying, \"O Ambika, I hear that in\nconsequence of the deeds of your grandsons, this Bharata dynasty and its\nsubjects will perish. If thou permit, I would go to the forest with\nKausalya, so grieved at the loss of her son.\" O king, saying this the\nqueen, 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 through\nall the purifying rites prescribed in the Vedas, began to grow up in\nprincely style in the home of their father. Whenever they were engaged in\nplay with the sons of Dhritarashtra, their superiority of strength became\nmarked. In speed, in striking the objects aimed at, in consuming articles\nof food, and scattering dust, Bhimasena beat all the sons of Dhritarashtra.\nThe son of the Wind-god pulled them by the hair and made them fight with\none another, laughing all the while. And Vrikodara easily defeated those\nhundred and one children of great energy as if they were one instead of\nbeing a hundred and one. The second Pandava used to seize them by the hair,\nand throwing them down, to drag them along the earth. By this, some had\ntheir knees broken, some their heads, and some their shoulders. That youth,\nsometimes holding ten of them, drowned them in water, till they were\nnearly dead. When the sons of Dhritarashtra got up to the boughs of a tree\nfor plucking fruits, Bhima used to shake that tree, by striking it with\nhis foot, so that down came the fruits and the fruitpluckers at the same\ntime. In fact, those princes were no match for Bhima in pugilistic\nencounters, in speed, or in skill. Bhima used to make a display of his\nstrength by thus tormenting them in childishness but not from 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 no\nother individual who can compare with Bhima, the second son of Pandu, in\npoint of prowess. I shall have to destroy him by artifice. Singly, Bhima\ndares a century of us to the combat. Therefore, when he shall sleep in the\ngarden, I shall throw him into the current of the Ganga. Afterwards,\nconfining his eldest brother Yudhishthira and his younger brother Arjuna,\nI shall reign sole king without molestation.\" Determined thus, the wicked\nDuryodhana was ever on the watch to find out an opportunity for injuring\nBhima. And, O Bharata, at length at a beautiful place called Pramanakoti\non the banks of the Ganga, he built a palace decorated with hangings of\nbroad-cloth and other rich stuffs. And he built this palace for sporting\nin the water there, and filled it with all kinds of entertaining things\nand choice viands. Gay flags waved on the top of this mansion. The name of\nthe house was \"the water-sport house.\" Skilful cooks prepared various\nkinds of viands. When all was ready, the officers gave intimation to\nDuryodhana. Then the evil-minded prince said unto the Pandavas, \"Let us\nall go to the banks of the Ganga graced with trees and crowned with\nflowers and sport there in the water.\" And upon Yudhishthira agreeing to\nthis, the sons of Dhritarashtra, taking the Pandavas with them, mounted\ncountry-born elephants of great size and cars resembling towns, and left\nthe 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 them.\nThey became engaged in play and began to exchange morsels of food with one\nanother. Meanwhile the wicked Duryodhana had mixed a powerful poison with\na quantity of food, with the object of making away with Bhima. That wicked\nyouth who had nectar in his tongue and a razor in his heart, rose at\nlength, and in a friendly way fed Bhima largely with that poisoned food,\nand thinking himself lucky in having compassed his end, was exceedingly\nglad at heart. Then the sons of Dhritarashtra and Pandu together became\ncheerfully engaged in sporting in the water. Their sport having been\nfinished, they dressed themselves in white habiliments, and decked\nthemselves with various ornaments. Fatigued with play, they felt inclined\nin the evening to rest in the pleasurehouse belonging to the garden.\nHaving made the other youths take exercise in the waters, the powerful\nsecond Pandava was excessively fatigued. So that on rising from the water,\nhe lay down on the ground. He was weary and under the influence of the\npoison. And the cool air served to spread the poison over all his frame,\nso that he lost his senses at once. Seeing this Duryodhana bound him with\nchords of shrubs, and threw him into the water. The insensible son of\nPandu sank down till he reached the Naga kingdom. Nagas, furnished with\nfangs containing virulent venom, bit him by thousands. The vegetable\npoison, mingled in the blood of the son of the Wind god, was neutralised\nby the snake-poison. The serpents had bitten all over his frame, except\nhis chest, the skin of which was so tough that their fangs could not\npenetrate it.\n\n\"'On regaining consciousness, the son of Kunti burst his bands and began to\npress the snakes down under the ground. A remnant fled for life, and going\nto their king Vasuki, represented, \"O king of snakes, a man drowned under\nthe water, bound in chords of shrubs; probably he had drunk poison. For\nwhen he fell amongst us, he was insensible. But when we began to bite him,\nhe regained his senses, and bursting his fetters, commenced laying at us.\nMay it please Your Majesty to enquire who is.\"\n\n\"'Then Vasuki, in accordance with the prayer of the inferior Nagas, went to\nthe place and saw Bhimasena. Of the serpents, there was one, named Aryaka.\nHe was the grandfather of the father of Kunti. The lord of serpents saw\nhis relative and embraced him. Then, Vasuki, learning all, was pleased\nwith Bhima, and said to Aryaka with satisfaction, \"How are we to please\nhim? 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 to\ndrink of rasakunda (nectar-vessels) and thus immeasurable strength. There\nis the strength of a thousand elephants in each one of those vessels. Let\nthis 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, till\nhe was full. At length, the serpents prepared an excellent bed for him, on\nwhich he lay down at ease.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CXXIX\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Meanwhile the Kauravas and the Pandavas, after having\nthus sported there, set out, without Bhima, for Hastinapura, some on\nhorses, 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 wickedness,\nregarded others to be as honest as himself. The eldest son of Pritha,\nfilled with fraternal love, going unto his mother, said, after making\nobeisance to her, \"O mother, hath Bhima come? O good mother, I don't find\nhim here. Where may he have gone? We long sought for him everywhere in the\ngardens and the beautiful woods; but found him nowhere. At length, we\nthought that the heroic Bhima preceded us all. O illustrious dame, we came\nhither in great anxiety. Arrived here, where hath he gone? Have you sent\nhim anywhere? O tell me, I am full of doubts respecting the mighty Bhima.\nHe had been asleep and hath not come. I conclude 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 not\ncome to me. O, return in haste, and with your brothers search for him.\"\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 darling.\nThis 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 sons.\nThe great sage hath said that all thy sons will be long-lived. Therefore,\nBhima 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 at\nhome 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 nether\nregion. Bearing up the lotus-eyed Pandava from under the waters, the Nagas\nplaced him in the selfsame gardens wherein he had been sporting, and\nvanished in his very sight.\n\n\"'The mighty Bhimasena, arrived on the surface of the earth, ran with speed\nto his mother. And bowing down unto her and his eldest brother, and\nsmelling the heads of his younger brothers, that oppressor of all foes was\nhimself embraced by his mother and every one of those bulls among men.\nAffectionate unto one another, they all repeatedly exclaimed, \"What is our\njoy 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, and\ndigested 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 of\nits effect, Duryodhana, Karna and Sakuni, without giving up their wicked\ndesign had recourse to numerous other contrivances for accomplishing the\ndeath of the Pandavas. And though every one of these contrivances was\nfully known to the Pandavas, yet in accordance with the advice of Vidura\nthey 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\nSECTION CXXX\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Janamejaya said, 'O Brahmana, it behoveth thee to relate to me everything\nabout the birth of Kripa. How did he spring from a clump of heath? Whence\nalso 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 all\nhis 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 figure\nunrivalled on earth for beauty, alone in those woods and clad in a single\npiece of cloth, Saradwat's eyes expanded with delight. At the sight of the\ndamsel, his bow and arrows slipped from his hand and his frame shook all\nover with emotion; but possessed of ascetic fortitude and strength of soul,\nthe sage mustered sufficient patience to bear up against the temptation.\nThe suddenness, however, of his mental agitation, caused an unconscious\nemission of his vital fluid. Leaving his bow and arrows and deer-skin\nbehind, he went away, flying from the Apsara. His vital fluid, however,\nhaving fallen upon a clump of heath, was divided into two parts, whence\nsprang 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. Deciding\nthus, he took up the children along with the bow and arrows, and showed\nwhat he had to the king. Beholding them the king was moved with pity, and\nsaying, \"Let these become my children,\" brought them to his palace. Then\nthat first of men, Santanu, the son of Pratipa having brought Gautama's\ntwins into his house, performed in respect of them the usual rites of\nreligion. And he began to bring them up and called them Kripa and Kripi,\nin allusion to the fact that he brought them up from motives of pity\n(Kripa). The son of Gotama having left his former asylum, continued his\nstudy of the science of arms in right earnest. By his spiritual insight he\nlearnt that his son and daughter were in the palace of Santanu. He\nthereupon went to the monarch and represented everything about his lineage.\nHe then taught Kripa the four branches of the science of arms, and various\nother branches of knowledge, including all their mysteries and recondite\ndetails. In a short time Kripa became an eminent professor of the science\n(of arms). And the hundred sons of Dhritarashtra, and the Pandavas along\nwith the Yadavas, and the Vrishnis, and many other princes from various\nlands, began to receive lessons from him in that science.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CXXXI\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Desirous of giving his grandsons a superior education,\nBhishma was on the look-out for a teacher endued with energy and well-\nskilled in the science of arms. Deciding, O chief of the Bharatas, that\nnone who was not possessed of great intelligence, none who was not\nillustrious or a perfect master of the science of arms, none who was not\nof godlike might, should be the instructor of the Kuru (princes), the son\nof Ganga, O tiger among men, placed the Pandavas and the Kauravas under\nthe tuition of Bharadwaja's son, the intelligent Drona skilled in all the\nVedas. Pleased with the reception given him by the great Bhishma, that\nforemost of all men skilled in arms, viz., illustrious Drona of world-wide\nfame, accepted the princes as his pupils. And Drona taught them the\nscience of arms in all its branches. And, O monarch, both the Kauravas and\nthe Pandavas endued with immeasurable power, in a short time became\nproficient 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\nendued 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 all\nthe Vedas and their branches. Before now Bharadwaja of great prowess and\nthe foremost of those possessing a knowledge of arms, had communicated to\nthe illustrious Agnivesa, a knowledge of the weapon called Agneya. O\nforemost one of Bharata's race, the Rishi (Agnivesa) sprung from fire now\ncommunicated the knowledge of that great weapon to Drona the son of his\npreceptor.\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 his\ncompany. O monarch, when Prishata was dead, this Drupada of mighty arms\nbecame the king of the northern Panchalas. About this time the illustrious\nBharadwaja also ascended to heaven. Drona continuing to reside in his\nfather's hermitage devoted himself to ascetic austerities. Having become\nwell-versed in the Vedas and their branches and having burnt also all his\nsins by asceticism, the celebrated Drona, obedient to the injunctions of\nhis father and moved by the desire of offspring married Kripi, the\ndaughter of Saradwat. And this woman, ever engaged in virtuous acts and\nthe Agnihotra, and the austerest of penances, obtained a son named\nAswatthaman. And as soon as Aswatthaman was born, he neighed like the\n(celestial) steed Ucchaihsravas. Hearing that cry, an invisible being in\nthe skies said, \"The voice of this child hath, like the neighing of a\nhorse, been audible all around. The child shall, therefore, be known by\nthe name of Aswatthaman, (the horse-voiced).\" The son of Bharadwaja\n(Drona) was exceedingly glad at having obtained that child. Continuing\nto reside in that hermitage he devoted himself to the study of the\nscience of 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. Then\nDrona of mighty arms, endued with high ascetic virtues, accompanied by\ndisciples who were all devoted to vows and ascetic austerities, set out for\nthe 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,\n\"Thou 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 of\nascetic wealth,\" returned Rama, \"My gold and whatever other wealth I had,\nhave all been given away unto Brahmanas! This earth also, to the verge of\nthe sea, decked with towns and cities, as with a garland of flowers, I\nhave given unto Kasyapa. I have now my body only and my various valuable\nweapons left. I am prepared to give either my body or my weapons. Say,\nwhich 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 Drona,--\nindeed, the whole science of arms with its rules and mysteries. Accepting\nthem all, and thinking himself amply rewarded that best of Brahmanas then,\nglad at heart, set out, for (the city of) his friend Drupada.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CXXXII\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Then, O king, the mighty son of Bharadwaja 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 unto\nme, all on a sudden, that thou art my friend! O thou of dull apprehension,\ngreat kings can never be friends with such luckless and indigent wights as\nthou! It is true there had been friendship between thee and me before, for\nwe were then both equally circumstanced. But Time that impaireth\neverything in its course, impaireth friendship also. In this world,\nfriendship never endureth for ever in any heart. Time weareth it off and\nanger destroyeth it too. Do not stick, therefore, to that worn-off\nfriendship. Think not of it any longer. The friendship I had with thee, O\nfirst of Brahmanas, was for a particular purpose. Friendship can never\nsubsist between a poor man and a rich man, between a man of letters and an\nunlettered mind, between a hero and a coward. Why dost thou desire the\ncontinuance of our former friendship? There may be friendship or hostility\nbetween persons equally situated as to wealth or might. The indigent and\nthe affluent can neither be friends nor quarrel with each other. One of\nimpure birth can never be a friend to one of pure birth; one who is not a\ncar-warrior can never be a friend to one who is so; and one who is not a\nking never have a king for his friend. Therefore, why dost thou desire the\ncontinuance 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 after\nthe elephant.'\"\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 none\nknew 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. And\ncoming out of the city, they began to play with a ball and roam about in\ngladness of heart. And it so happened that the ball with which they had\nbeen playing fell into a well. And thereupon the princes strove their best\nto 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 Kripa's\npermission, obtain of us that which would last thee for life!\" Thus\naddressed, Drona with smiles replied unto the Bharata princes, saying,\n\"This handful of long grass I would invest, by my mantras, with the virtue\nof weapons. Behold these blades possess virtues that other weapons, have\nnot! I will, with one of these blades, pierce the ball, and then pierce\nthat blade with another, and that another with a third, and thus shall I,\nby a chain, bring up the ball.\"'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then Drona did exactly what he had said. And the\nprinces 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 recovered,\nsaid, \"We bow to thee, O Brahmana! None else owneth such skill. We long to\nknow who thou art and whose son. What also can we do for 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 princes,\nwent in person unto him and welcoming him respectfully, brought him over\nto the palace. Then Bhishma, that foremost of all wielders of arms,\nadroitly asked him the cause of his arrival at Hastinapura. Asked by him,\nDrona represented everything as it had happened, saying, \"O sir, in times\npast I went to the great Rishi Agnivesa for obtaining from him his weapons,\ndesirous also of learning the science of arms. Devoted to the service of\nmy preceptor, I lived with him for many years in the humble guise of a\nBrahmacharin, with matted locks on my head. At that time, actuated by the\nsame motives, the prince of Panchala, the mighty Yajnasena, also lived in\nthe same asylum. He became my friend, always seeking my welfare. I liked\nhim much. Indeed, we lived together for many, many years. O thou of Kuru's\nrace, from our earliest years we had studied together and, indeed, he was\nmy friend from boyhood, always speaking and doing what was agreeable to me.\nFor gratifying me, O Bhishma, he used to tell me, 'O Drona, I am the\nfavourite child of my illustrious father. When the king installeth me as\nmonarch of the Panchalas, the kingdom shall be thine. O friend, this,\nindeed, is my solemn promise. My dominion, wealth and happiness, shall all\nbe dependent on thee.' At last the time came for his departure. Having\nfinished his studies, he bent his steps towards his country. I offered him\nmy regards at the time, and, indeed, I remembered his words ever\nafterwards.\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, who\ngifted with great intelligence, had observed many rigid vows, and was ever\nengaged 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 longer\nbe able to perform his sacrifices and thus sustain a loss of virtue), I was\ndesirous of obtaining a cow from one who had many, and for that I wandered\nfrom country to country. But my wanderings proved unsuccessful, for I\nfailed to obtain a milch cow. After I had come back unsuccessful, some of\nmy son's playmates gave him water mixed with powdered rice. Drinking this,\nthe poor boy, was deceived into the belief that he had taken milk, and\nbegan to dance in joy, saying, 'O, I have taken milk. I have taken milk!'\nBeholding him dance with joy amid these playmates smiling at his\nsimplicity, I was exceedingly touched. Hearing also the derisive speeches\nof busy-bodies who said, 'Fie upon the indigent Drona, who strives not to\nearn wealth, whose son drinking water mixed with powdered rice mistaketh\nit for milk and danceth with joy, saying, \"I have taken milk,--I have\ntaken milk!\"'--I was quite beside myself. Reproaching myself much, I at\nlast resolved that even if I should have to live cast off and censured by\nBrahmanas, I would not yet, from desire of wealth, be anybody's servant,\nwhich is ever hateful. Thus resolved, O Bhishma, I went, for former\nfriendship, unto the king of the Somakas, taking with me my dear child and\nwife. Hearing that he had been installed in the sovereignty (of the\nSomakas), I regarded myself as blessed beyond compare. Joyfully I went\nunto that dear friend of mine seated on the throne, remembering my former\nfriendship with him and also his own words to me. And, O illustrious one,\napproaching Drupada, I said, 'O tiger among men, know me for thy friend!'--\nSaying this, I approached him confidently as a friend should. But Drupada,\nlaughing in derision cast me off as if I were a vulgar fellow. Addressing\nme he said, 'Thy intelligence scarcely seemeth to be of a high order\ninasmuch as approaching me suddenly, thou sayest thou art my friend! Time\nthat impaireth everything, impaireth friendship also. My former friendship\nwith thee was for a particular purpose. One of impure birth can never be a\nfriend of one who is of pure birth. One who is not a car-warrior can never\nbe 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 impaireth\nfriendships, as also anger destroyeth them. Do thou not stick, therefore,\nto that worn-off friendship between us. Think not of it any longer. The\nfriendship I had with thee, O best of Brahmanas, was for a special purpose.\nThere cannot be friendship between a poor man and a rich man, between an\nunlettered kind and a man of letters, between a coward and a hero. Why\ndost thou, therefore, desire the revival of our former friendship? O thou\nof simple understanding, great kings can never have friendship with such\nindigent and luckless wight as thou. One who is not a king can never have\na king for his friend. I do not remember ever having promised thee my\nkingdom. But, O Brahmana, I can now give thee food and shelter for one\nnight.'--Thus addressed by him, I left his presence quickly with my wife,\nvowing to do that which I will certainly do soon enough. Thus insulted by\nDrupada, O Bhishma, I have been filled with wrath, I have come to the\nKurus, desirous of obtaining intelligent and docile pupils. I come to\nHastinapura to gratify thy wishes. O, tell me what I am to do.\"'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed by the son of Bharadwaja, Bhishma\nsaid unto him, \"String thy bow, O Brahmana, and make the Kuru princes\naccomplished in arms. Worshipped by the Kurus, enjoy with a glad heart to\nthy fill every comfort in their abode. Thou art the absolute lord, O\nBrahmana, of what ever wealth the Kurus have and of their sovereignty and\nkingdom! The Kurus are thine (from this day). Think that as already\naccomplished which may be in thy heart. Thou art, O Brahmana, obtained by\nus as the fruit of our great good luck. Indeed, the favour thou hast\nconferred upon me by thy arrival is great.\"'\"\n\n\nSECTION CXXXIV\n\n(Sambhava Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Thus worshipped by Bhishma, Drona, that first of men,\nendued with great energy, took up his quarters in the abode of the Kurus\nand continued to live there, receiving their adorations. After he had\nrested 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 head\nrepeatedly, shedding tears of joy all the while. Then Drona endued with\ngreat prowess taught the sons of Pandu (the use of) many weapons both\ncelestial and human. And, O bull of the Bharata race, many other princes\nalso flocked to that best of Brahmanas for instruction in arms. The\nVrishnis 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 Pandavas.\nArjuna, however, from devotion to the science of arms, always stayed by\nthe 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 vessel,\nso that, filling it quickly, he might return soon enough. And in the\nintervals so gained, Drona used to instruct his own son in several\nsuperior methods (of using weapons). Jishnu (Arjuna) came to know of this,\nand thereupon filling his narrow-mouthed vessel with water by means of the\nVaruna weapon he used to come unto his preceptor at the same time with his\npreceptor's son. And accordingly the intelligent son of Pritha, that\nforemost of all men possessing a knowledge of weapons, had no inferiority\nto his preceptor's son in respect of excellence. Arjuna's devotion to the\nservice of his preceptor as also to arms was very great and he soon became\nthe favourite of his preceptor. And Drona, beholding his pupil's devotion\nto arms, summoned the cook, and told him in secret, \"Never give Arjuna his\nfood in the dark, nor tell him that I have told thee this.\" A few days\nafter, however, when Arjuna was taking his food, a wind arose, and\nthereupon the lamp that had been burning went out. But Arjuna, endued with\nenergy, continued eating in the dark, his hand, from habit, going to his\nmouth. His attention being thus called to the force of habit, the strong-\narmed son of Pandu set his heart upon practising with his bow in the night.\nAnd, O Bharata, Drona, hearing the twang of his bowstring in the night,\ncame to him, and clasping him, said, \"Truly do I tell thee that I shall do\nthat unto thee by which there shall not be an archer equal to thee in this\nworld.\"'\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 the\nson 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 might\n(in time) excel all his high-born pupils. But, O oppressor of all enemies,\nthe Nishada prince, touching Drona's feet with bent head, wended his way\ninto the forest, and there he made a clay-image of Drona, and began to\nworship it respectfully, as if it was his real preceptor, and practised\nweapons before it with the most rigid regularity. In consequence of his\nexceptional reverence for his preceptor and his devotion to his purpose,\nall the three processes of fixing arrows on the bowstring, aiming, and\nletting 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 dark\nhue, of body besmeared with filth, dressed in black and bearing matted\nlocks 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 dog,\nthus pierced with seven arrows, came back to the Pandavas. Those heroes,\nwho beheld that sight, were filled with wonder, and, ashamed of their own\nskill, began to praise the lightness of hand and precision of aim by\nauricular precision (exhibited by the unknown archer). And they thereupon\nbegan to seek in those woods for the unknown dweller therein that had\nshown such skill. And, O king, the Pandavas soon found out the object of\ntheir search ceaselessly discharging arrows from the bow. And beholding\nthat man of grim visage, who was totally a stranger to them, they asked,\n\"Who art thou and whose son?\" Thus questioned, the man replied, \"Ye heroes,\nI am the son of Hiranyadhanus, king of the Nishadas. Know me also for a\npupil of Drona, labouring for the mastery of the art of arms.\"'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'The Pandavas then, having made themselves\nacquainted with everything connected with him, returned (to the city), and\ngoing unto Drona, told him of that wonderful feat of archery which they\nhad witnessed in the woods. Arjuna, in particular, thinking all the while,\nO king, \"Ekalavya,\" saw Drona in private and relying upon his preceptor's\naffection for him, said, \"Thou hadst lovingly told me, clasping me, to thy\nbosom, that no pupil of thine should be equal to me. Why then is there a\npupil of thine, the mighty son of the Nishada king, superior 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 pupil,\nand 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 foremost\nof all persons conversant with the Vedas, that I may not give unto my\npreceptor.\" Drona answered, \"O Ekalavya, if thou art really intent on\nmaking me a gift, I should like then to have the thumb of thy right 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 and\ndesirous 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 help\nof his remaining fingers, he found, O king, that he had lost his former\nlightness 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 Duryodhana and Bhima, who were, however, always jealous of each\nother. Aswatthaman excelled everyone (in the mysteries of the science of\narms). The twins (Nakula and Sahadeva) excelled everybody in handling the\nsword. Yudhishthira surpassed everybody as a car-warrior; but Arjuna,\nhowever, outdistanced everyone in every respect--in intelligence,\nresourcefulness, strength and perseverance. Accomplished in all weapons,\nArjuna became the foremost of even the foremost of car-warriors; and his\nfame spread all over the earth to the verge of the sea. And although the\ninstruction was the same, the mighty Arjuna excelled all (the princes in\nlightness of hand). Indeed, in weapons as in devotion to his preceptor, he\nbecame the foremost of them all. And amongst all the princes, Arjuna alone\nbecame an Atiratha (a car-warrior capable of fighting at one time with\nsixty thousand foes). And the wicked sons of Dhritarashtra, beholding\nBhimasena endued with great strength and Arjuna accomplished in all arms,\nbecame 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 bird.\nBut, O bull of Bharata's race, Drona in an instant, addressing the Kuru\nprince standing with bow in hand, said, \"Behold, O prince, that bird on\ntop of the tree.\" Yudhishthira replied unto his preceptor, saying, \"I do.\"\nBut the next instant Drona again asked him, \"What dost thou see now, O\nprince? 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, as\nalso with his other pupils, Bhima and the rest, including the princes that\nhad come unto him from other lands. But the answer in every case was the\nsame as Yudhishthira's viz., \"We behold the tree, thyself, our fellow-\npupils, and the bird.\" And reproached by their preceptor, they were all\nordered, one after another, to stand apart.'\"\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 not 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 (on\nDrona's body) stood on end from delight. He then said to Partha, \"Shoot.\"\nAnd the latter instantly let fly (his arrow) and with his sharp shaft\nspeedily struck off the head of the vulture on the tree and brought it\ndown 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 it\nwere, by Death himself seized him by the thigh. And though himself quite\ncapable, Drona in a seeming hurry asked his pupil to rescue him. And he\nsaid, \"O, kill this monster and rescue me.\" Contemporaneously with this\nspeech, Vibhatsu (Arjuna) struck the monster within the water with five\nsharp arrows irresistible in their course, while the other pupils stood\nconfounded, 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. The\nson of Bharadwaja then addressed the illustrious and mighty car-warrior\nArjuna and said, \"Accept, O thou of mighty arms, this very superior and\nirresistible weapon called Brahmasira with the methods of hurling and\nrecalling it. Thou must not, however, ever use it against any human foe,\nfor if hurled at any foe endued with inferior energy, it might burn the\nwhole universe. It is said, O child, that this weapon hath not a peer in\nthe three worlds. Keep it, therefore, with great care, and listen to what\nI say. If ever, O hero, any foe, not human, contendeth against thee thou\nmayst then employ it against him for compassing his death in battle.\"\nPledging himself to do what he was bid, Vibhatsu then, with joined hands,\nreceived that great weapon.\n\n\"'The preceptor then, addressing him again, said, \"None else in this world\nwill ever become a superior bowman to thee. Vanquished thou shall never be\nby any foe, and thy achievements will be great.\"'\"\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 wise\nson of Ganga (Bhishma), Vyasa, and Vidura, and said, \"O best of Kuru kings,\nthy children have completed their education. With thy permission, O king,\nlet them now show their proficiency.\" Hearing him, the king said with a\ngladdened heart, \"O best of Brahmanas, thou hast, indeed, accomplished a\ngreat deed. Command me thyself as to the place and the time where and when\nand the manner also in which the trial may be held. Grief arising from my\nown blindness maketh me envy those who, blessed with sight, will behold my\nchildren's prowess in arm. O Kshatri (Vidura), do all that Drona sayeth. O\nthou devoted to virtue, I think there is nothing that can be more\nagreeable to me.\" Then Vidura, giving the necessary assurance to the king,\nwent out to do what he was bid. And Drona endued with great wisdom, then\nmeasured out a piece of land that was void of trees and thickets and\nfurnished with wells and springs. And upon the spot of land so measured\nout, Drona, that first of eloquent men, selecting a lunar day when the\nstar ascendant was auspicious, offered up sacrifice unto the gods in the\npresence of the citizens assembled by proclamation to witness the same.\nAnd then, O bull among men, the artificers of the king built thereon a\nlarge and elegant stage according to the rules laid down in the scriptures,\nand it was furnished with all kinds of weapons. They also built another\nelegant hall for the lady-spectators. And the citizens constructed many\nplatforms while the wealthier of them pitched many spacious and high tents\nall 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 Yudhishthira\nat their head, the valiant princes entered in order of age and began to\nshow wonderful skill with their weapons. Some of the spectators lowered\ntheir heads, apprehending fall of arrows while others fearlessly gazed on\nwith wonder. And riding swiftly on horses and managing them \"dexterously\"\nthe princes began to hit marks with shafts engraved with their respective\nnames. And seeing the prowess of the princes armed with bows and arrows,\nthe spectators thought that they were beholding the city of the Gandharvas,\nbecame filled with amazement. And, O Bharata, all on a sudden, some\nhundreds and thousands, with eyes wide open in wonder, exclaimed, \"Well\ndone! Well done!\" And having repeatedly displayed their skill and\ndexterity in the use of bows and arrows and in the management of cars, the\nmighty warriors took up their swords and bucklers, and began to range the\nlists, playing their weapons. The spectators saw (with wonder) their\nagility, the symmetry of their bodies, their grace, their calmness, the\nfirmness of their grasp and their deftness in the use of sword and buckler.\nThen Vrikodara and Suyodhana, internally delighted (at the prospect of\nfight), entered the arena, mace in hand, like two single-peaked mountains.\nAnd those mighty-armed warriors braced their loins, and summoning all\ntheir energy, roared like two infuriate elephants contending for a cow-\nelephant; and like two infuriated elephants those mighty heroes\nfaultlessly (in consonance with the dictates of the science of arm)\ncareered right and left, circling the lists. And Vidura described to\nDhritarashtra and the mother of the Pandavas (Kunti) and Gandhari, all the\nfeats of the princes.'\"\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 Kurus!\"--some--\n\"Behold Bhima!\"--And on account of these cries, there was, all on a sudden,\na loud uproar. And seeing the place become like a troubled ocean, the\nintelligent Bharadwaja said unto his dear son, Aswatthaman, \"Restrain both\nthese mighty warriors so proficient in arms. Let not the ire of the\nassembly be provoked by this combat of Bhima and Duryodhana.\"\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 than\nmy own son, the master of all arms, the son of Indra himself, and like\nunto the younger brother of Indra, (Vishnu)!\" And having performed the\npropitiatory 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 Kurus\"--\"This\nis the foremost of those versed in arms!\"--\"This is the foremost of all\ncherishers of virtue!\"--\"This is the foremost of the persons of correct\nbehaviour, the great repository of the knowledge of manners!\" At those\nexclamations, the tears of Kunti, mixing with the milk of her breast,\nwetted her bosom. And his ears being filled with that uproar, that first\nof men, Dhritarashtra, asked Vidura in delight, \"O Kshatri, what is this\ngreat uproar for, like unto that of the troubled ocean, arising all on a\nsudden and rending the very heavens?\" Vidura replied, \"O mighty monarch,\nthe son of Pandu and Pritha, Phalguna, clad in mail hath entered the lists.\nAnd hence this uproar!\" Dhritarashtra said, \"O thou of soul so great, by\nthe three fires sprung from Pritha who is even like the sacred fuel, I\nhave, indeed, been blessed, favoured and protected!\"'\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 and\nnow 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 by\nhis 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, betokening\nmight and strength, and even like unto the roar of the thunder. And, O\nking, as soon as this sound was heard, the assembled multitude instantly\nthought, \"Are the mountains splitting or is the earth itself rending\nasunder, or is the welkin resounding with the roar of gathering clouds?\"\nAnd then all the spectators turned their eyes towards the gate. And Drona\nstood, surrounded by the five brothers, the sons of Pritha, and looked\nlike the moon in conjunction with the five-starred constellation Hasta.\nAnd Duryodhana, that slayer of foes, stood up in haste and was surrounded\nby his century of haughty brothers with Aswatthaman amongst them. And that\nprince, mace in hand, thus surrounded by his hundred brothers with\nuplifted weapons appeared like Purandara in days of yore, encircled by the\ncelestial host on the occasion of the battle with the Danavas.'\"\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 hot-\nbeamed Sun and his energy and prowess were like unto those of the lion, or\nthe bull, or the leader of a herd of elephants. In splendour he resembled\nthe Sun, in loveliness the Moon, and in energy the fire. Begotten by the\nSun himself, he was tall in stature like a golden palm tree, and, endued\nwith the vigour of youth, he was capable of slaying a lion. Handsome in\nfeatures, he was possessed of countless accomplishments. The mighty-armed\nwarrior, eyeing all around the arena, bowed indifferently to Drona and\nKripa. And the entire assembly, motionless and with steadfast gaze,\nthought, \"Who is he?\" And they became agitated in their curiosity to know\nthe warrior. And that foremost of eloquent men, the offspring of the Sun,\nin a voice deep as that of the clouds, addressed his unknown brother, the\nson of the subduer of the Asura, Paka (Indra), saying, \"O Partha, I shall\nperform feats before this gazing multitude, excelling all thou hast\nperformed! Beholding them, thou shall be amazed.\" And, O thou best of\nthose blest with speech, he had hardly done when the spectators stood up\nall at once, uplifted by some instrument, as it were. And, O tiger among\nmen, Duryodhana was filled with delight, while Vibhatsu was instantly all\nabashment and anger. Then with the permission of Drona, the mighty Karna,\ndelighting in battle, there did all that Partha had done before. And, O\nBharata, Duryodhana with his brothers thereupon embraced Karna in joy and\nthen addressed him saying, \"Welcome O mighty-armed warrior! I have\nobtained thee by good fortune, O polite one! Live thou as thou pleasest,\nand command me, and the kingdom of the Kurus.\" Karna replied, \"When thou\nhast said it, I regard it as already accomplished. I only long for thy\nfriendship. And, O lord, my wish is even for a single combat with Arjuna.\"\nDuryodhana said, \"Do thou with me enjoy the good things of life! Be thou\nthe benefactor of thy friend, and, O represser of enemies, place thou thy\nfeet on the heads of all foes.\"\n\n\"'Arjuna, after this, deeming himself disgraced, said unto Karna\nstationed amidst the brothers like unto a cliff, \"That path which the\nunwelcome intruder and the uninvited talker cometh to, shall be thine,\nO Karna, for thou shall be slain by me.\" Karna replied, \"This arena is\nmeant for all, not for thee alone, O Phalguna! They are kings who are\nsuperior in energy; and verily the Kshatriya regardeth might and might\nalone. What need of altercation which is the exercise of the weak? O\nBharata, speak then in arrows until with arrows I strike off thy head\ntoday 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 arena\nfrom affection (for his son), the sun too dispersed the clouds from over\nhis 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 Kripa\nand Bhishma remained with Partha. And the assembly was divided, as also\nthe female spectators. And knowing the state of things, Kunti the daughter\nof Bhoja, swooned away. And by the help of female attendants, Vidura,\nversed 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., Kripa,\nknowing all duties and cognisant of the rules regulating duels, addressed\nKarna, saying \"This Pandava, who is the youngest son of Kunti, belongeth\nto the Kaurava race: he will engage in combat with thee. But, O mighty-\narmed one, thou too must tell us thy lineage and the names of thy father\nand mother and the royal line of which thou art the ornament. Learning all\nthis, Partha will fight with thee or not (as he will think fit). Sons of\nkings 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 royalty,\nviz., persons of the blood royal, heroes, and lastly, those that lead\narmies. If Phalguna is unwilling to fight with one who is not a king, I\nwill 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 king,\nI will do all thou biddest!\" And Suyodhana said unto him, \"I eagerly wish\nfor thy friendship.\" Thus spoken to, Karna replied, \"Be it so.\" And they\nembraced each other in joy, and experienced great happiness.'\"\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 then the charioteer,\nhurriedly covering his feet with the end of his sheet, addressed Karna\ncrowned with success as his son. And the charioteer embraced Karna and\nfrom excess of affection bedewed his head with tears, that head still wet\nwith the water sprinkled over it on account of the coronation as king of\nAnga. Seeing the charioteer, the Pandava Bhimasena took Karna for a\ncharioteer's son, and said by way of ridicule, \"O son of a charioteer,\nthou dost not deserve death in fight at the hands of Partha. As befits thy\nrace take thou anon the whip. And, O worst of mortals, surely thou art not\nworthy to sway the kingdom of Anga, even as a dog doth not deserve the\nbutter placed before the sacrificial fire.\" Karna, thus addressed, with\nslightly quivering lips fetched a deep sigh, looked at the God of the day\nin the skies. And even as a mad elephant riseth from an assemblage of\nlotuses, the mighty Duryodhana rose in wrath from among his brothers, and\naddressed that performer of dreadful deeds, Bhimasena, present there, \"O\nVrikodara, it behoveth thee not to speak such words. Might is the cardinal\nvirtue of a Kshatriya, and even a Kshatriya of inferior birth deserveth to\nbe fought with. The lineage of heroes, like the sources of a lordly river,\nis ever unknown. The fire that covereth the whole world riseth from the\nwaters. The thunder that slayeth the Danavas was made of a bone of (a\nmortal named) Dadhichi. The illustrious deity Guha, who combines in his\ncomposition the portions of all the other deities is of a lineage unknown.\nSome call him the offspring of Agni; some, of Krittika, some, of Rudra,\nand some of Ganga. It hath been heard by us that persons born in the\nKshatriya order have become Brahmanas. Viswamitra and others (born\nKshatriyas) have obtained the eternal Brahma. The foremost of all wielders\nof weapons, the preceptor Drona hath been born in a waterpot and Kripa of\nthe race of Gotama hath sprung from a clump of heath. Your own births, ye\nPandava princes, 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 mark,\nand born also with a natural mail and ear-rings? This prince among men\ndeserveth the sovereignty of the world, not of Anga only, in consequence\nof the might of his arm and my swearing to obey him in everything. If\nthere be anybody here to whom all that I have done unto Karna hath become\nintolerable, let him ascend his chariot and bend his bow with the help of\nhis 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 lighted\nwith countless lamps. And, O king, the Pandavas also, accompanied by Drona\nand Kripa and Bhishma, returned to their abodes. And the people, too, came\naway, some naming Arjuna, some Karna, and some Duryodhana (as the victor\nof the day). And Kunti, recognising her son in Karna by the various\nauspicious 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, while\nYudhishthira was impressed with the belief that there was no warrior on\nearth like unto Karna.'\"\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. That\nshall be the most acceptable fee.\" Those warriors then answering, \"So be\nit\", speedily mounted up on their chariots, and for bestowing upon their\npreceptor the fee he had demanded, marched out, accompanied by him. Those\nbulls among men, smiting the Panchalas on their way, laid siege to the\ncapital 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 Brahmanas,\nDrona, and said, \"We shall exert ourselves after these have displayed\ntheir prowess. The king of Panchala can never be taken on the field of the\nbattle by any of these.\" Having said this, the sinless son of Kunti\nsurrounded by his brothers, waited outside the town at a distance of a\nmile from it. Meanwhile Drupada beholding the Kuru host, rushed forward\nand pouring a fierce shower of arrows around, terribly afflicted the Kuru\nranks. And such was his lightness of motion on the field of battle that,\nthough he was fighting unsupported on a single chariot, the Kurus from\npanic supposed that there were many Drupadas opposed to them. And the\nfierce arrows of that monarch fell fast on all sides, till conchs and\ntrumpets and drums by thousands began to be sounded by the Panchalas from\ntheir houses (giving the alarm). Then there arose from the mighty Panchala\nhost a roar terrible as that of the lion, while the twang of their bow-\nstrings seemed to rend the very heavens. Then Duryodhana and Vikarna,\nSuvahu and Dirghalochana and Duhsasana becoming furious, began to shower\ntheir arrows upon the enemy. But the mighty bowman, Prishata's son,\ninvincible in battle, though very much pierced with the arrows of the\nenemy, instantly began, O Bharata, to afflict the hostile ranks with\ngreater vigour. And careering over the field of battle like a fiery wheel,\nking Drupada with his arrows smote Duryodhana and Vikarna and even the\nmighty Karna and many other heroic princes and numberless warriors, and\nslaked their thirst for battle. Then all the citizens showered upon the\nKurus various missiles like clouds showering rain-drops upon the earth.\nYoung and old, they all rushed to battle, assailing the Kurus with vigour.\nThe Kauravas, then, O Bharata, beholding the battle become frightful,\nbroke and fled wailing towards the Pandavas.\n\n\"'The Pandavas, hearing the terrible wail of the beaten host, reverentially\nsaluted Drona and ascended their chariots. Then Arjuna hastily bidding\nYudhishthira not to engage in the fight, rushed forward, appointing the\nsons of Madri (Nakula and Sahadeva) the protectors of his chariot-wheels,\nwhile Bhimasena ever fighting in the van, mace in hand, ran ahead. The\nsinless Arjuna, thus accompanied by his brothers, hearing the shouts of\nthe enemy, advanced towards them, filling the whole region with the rattle\nof his chariot-wheels. And like a Makara entering the sea, the mighty-\narmed Bhima, resembling a second Yama, mace in hand, entered the Panchala\nranks, fiercely roaring like the ocean in a tempest. And Bhima, mace in\nhand, first rushed towards the array of elephants in the hostile force,\nwhile Arjuna, proficient in battle, assailed that force with the prowess\nof his arms. And Bhima, like the great Destroyer himself, began to slay\nthose elephants with his mace. Those huge animals, like unto mountains,\nstruck with Bhima's mace, had their heads broken into pieces. Covered with\nstream of blood, they began to fall upon the ground like cliffs loosened\nby thunder. And the Pandavas prostrated on the ground elephants and horses\nand cars by thousands and slew many foot-soldiers and many car-warriors.\nIndeed, as a herdsman in the woods driveth before him with his staff\ncountless cattle with ease, so did Vrikodara drive before him the chariots\nand elephants of the hostile force.\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 and\nfelled 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 hand,\nthus assailed by the Pandava, met him with a perfect shower of weapons of\nvarious kinds. And they sent up a loud shout and fought desperately with\nArjuna. The battle became furious and terrible to behold. Hearing the\nenemy's shouts, the son of Indra was filled with wrath and assailing the\nhostile host with a thick shower of arrows, rushed towards it furiously\nafflicting it with renewed vigour. They who observed the illustrious\nArjuna at that time could not mark any interval between his fixing the\narrows on the bowstring and letting them off. Loud were the shouts that\nrose there, mingled with cheers of approval. Then the king of the\nPanchalas, accompanied by (the generalissimo of his forces) Satyajit,\nrushed with speed at Arjuna like the Asura Samvara rushing at the chief of\nthe celestials (in days of yore). Then Arjuna covered the king of Panchala\nwith a shower of arrows. Then there arose a frightful uproar among the\nPanchala host like unto the roar of a mighty lion springing at the leader\nof a herd of elephants. And beholding Arjuna rushing at the king of\nPanchala to seize him, Satyajit of great prowess rushed at him. And the\ntwo warriors, like unto Indra and the Asura Virochana's son (Vali),\napproaching each other for combat, began to grind each other's ranks. Then\nArjuna with great force pierced Satyajit with ten keen shafts at which\nfeat the spectators were all amazed. But Satyajit, without losing any time,\nassailed Arjuna with a hundred shafts. Then that mighty car-warrior,\nArjuna, endued with remarkable lightness of motion, thus covered by that\nshower of arrows, rubbed his bow-string to increase the force and velocity\nof his shafts. Then cutting in twain his antagonist's bow, Arjuna rushed\nat the king of the Panchalas, but Satyajit, quickly taking up a tougher\nbow, pierced with his arrows Partha, his chariot, charioteer, and horses.\nArjuna, thus assailed in battle by the Panchala warrior, forgave not his\nfoe. Eager to slay him at once, he pierced with a number of arrows his\nantagonist's horses, flags, bow, clenched (left) fist, charioteer, and the\nattendant at his back. Then Satyajit, finding his bows repeatedly cut in\ntwain and his horses slain, 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 shout,\nleaped from his own chariot upon that of his foe. And standing there with\nperfect fearlessness he seized Drupada as Garuda seizeth a huge snake\nafter agitating the waters of the ocean. At the sight of this, the\nPanchala 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 said,\n\"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 foe.\nDost thou now desire to revive thy friendship (with me)?\" Having said this,\nhe smiled a little and again said, \"Fear not for thy life, brave king! We,\nBrahmanas, are ever forgiving. And, O bull among Kshatriyas, my affection\nand love for thee have grown with me in consequence of our having sported\ntogether in childhood in the hermitage. Therefore, O king, I ask for thy\nfriendship again. And as a boon (unasked), I give thee half the kingdom\n(that was thine). Thou toldest me before that none who was not a king\ncould be a king's friend. Therefore is it, O Yajnasena, that I retain half\nthy kingdom. Thou art the king of all the territory lying on the southern\nside of the Bhagirathi, while I become king of all the territory on the\nnorth of that river. And, O Panchala, if it pleaseth thee, know me hence\nfor 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 much\nhis inferior in Brahma (spiritual) power. And he, therefore, began to\nwander over the whole earth to find out the means of obtaining a son (who\nwould 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\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 Dyumatsena\nhimself and continuing to live in harmony with his brothers, he began to\nexert his prowess. And Arjuna became celebrated for the firmness of his\ngrasp (of weapons), for his lightness of motion, precision of aim, and his\nproficiency in the use of the Kshura, Naracha, Vala and Vipatha weapons,\nindeed, of all weapons, whether straight or crooked or heavy. And Drona\ncertified that there was none in the world who was equal to Arjuna in\nlightness 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 there\narose a loud shout covering the whole earth bounded by her belt of seas to\nthe effect that there was no bowman in the whole world like unto Arjuna.\nAnd, indeed, Dhananjaya, in encounters with the mace and the sword and on\nthe chariot as also with the bow, acquired wonderful proficiency. Sahadeva\nobtained the whole science of morality and duties from (Vrihaspati) the\nspiritual chief of celestials, and continued to live under the control of\nhis brothers. And Nakula, the favourite of his brothers taught by Drona,\nbecame known as a skilful warrior and a great car-warrior (Ati-ratha).\nIndeed, Arjuna and the other Pandava princes became so powerful that they\nslew in battle the great Sauvira who had performed a sacrifice extending\nover three years, undaunted by the raids of the Gandharvas. And the king\nof the Yavanas himself whom the powerful Pandu even had failed to bring\nunder subjection was brought by Arjuna under control. Then again Vipula,\nthe king of the Sauviras, endued with great prowess, who had always shown\na disregard for the Kurus, was made by the intelligent Arjuna to feel the\nedge of his power. And Arjuna also repressed by means of his arrows (the\npride of) king Sumitra of Sauvira, also known by the name of Dattamitra\nwho had resolutely sought an encounter with him. The third of the Pandava\nprinces, assisted by Bhima, on only a single car subjugated all the kings\nof the East backed by ten thousand cars. In the same way, having conquered\non a single car the whole of the south, Dhananjaya sent unto the kingdom\nof the Kurus a large booty.\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\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 very\nmiserable with anxiety. Then summoning unto his side Kanika, that foremost\nof minister, well-versed in the science of politics and an expert in\ncounsels the king said, \"O best of Brahmanas, the Pandavas are daily\novershadowing the earth. I am exceedingly jealous of them. Should I have\npeace or war with them? O Kanika, advise me truly, for I shall do as thou\nbiddest.\"'\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 necessary),\nand they should ever increase their prowess. Carefully avoiding all faults\nthemselves they should ceaselessly watch over the faults of their foes and\ntake advantage of them. If the king is always ready to strike, everybody\nfeareth him. Therefore the king should ever have recourse to chastisement\nin all he doeth. He should so conduct himself that his foe may not detect\nany weak side in him. But by means of the weakness he detecteth in his foe\nhe should pursue him (to destruction). He should always conceal, like the\ntortoise concealing its body, his means and ends, and he should always\nkeep back his own weakness from the sight of others. And having begun a\nparticular act, he should ever accomplish it thoroughly. Behold, a thorn,\nif not extracted wholly, produceth a festering sore. The slaughter of a\nfoe who doeth thee evil is always praiseworthy. If the foe be one of great\nprowess, one should watch for the hour of his disaster and then kill him\nwithout any scruples. If he should happen to be a great warrior, his hour\nof disaster also should be watched and he should then be induced to fly. O\nsire, an enemy should never be scorned, however contemptible. A spark of\nfire is capable of consuming an extensive forest if only it can spread\nfrom one object to another in proximity. Kings should sometimes feign\nblindness and deafness, for if impotent to chastise, they should pretend\nnot to notice 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 that\nhath 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 partisans\ncan never exist if the principal be destroyed. If the root of the tree is\ntorn up, the branches and twigs can never exist as before. Carefully\nconcealing thy own means and ends, thou shouldst always watch thy foes,\nalways seeking their flaws. Thou shouldst, O king, rule thy kingdom,\nalways anxiously watching thy foes. By maintaining the perpetual fire by\nsacrifices, by brown cloths, by matted locks, and by hides of animals for\nthy bedding, shouldst thou at first gain the confidence of thy foes, and\nwhen thou has gained it thou shouldst then spring upon them like a wolf.\nFor it hath been said that in the acquisition of wealth even the garb of\nholiness might be employed as a hooked staff to bend down a branch in\norder to pluck the fruits that are ripe. The method followed in the\nplucking 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 stony\nsurface. The foe must never be let off even though he addresseth thee most\npiteously. No pity thou show him but slay him at once. By the arts of\nconciliation or the expenditure of money should the foe be slain. By\ncreating disunion amongst his allies, or by the employment of force,\nindeed 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 arts\nof conciliation or the expenditure of money, or by producing disunion or\nby 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 the\njackal, they all set to work very cautiously as he directed. And the mouse\nate into the feet of the deer and the tiger killed it as anticipated. And\nbeholding the body of the deer lying motionless on the ground, the jackal\nsaid unto his companions, 'Blessed be ye! Go and perform your ablutions.\nIn the meantime I will look after the deer.' Hearing what the jackal said,\nthey all went into a stream. And the jackal waited there, deeply\nmeditating upon what he should do. The tiger endued with great strength,\nreturned first of all to the spot after having performed his ablutions.\nAnd he saw the jackal there plunged in meditation. The tiger said, 'Why\nart thou so sorrowful, O wise one! Thou art the foremost of all\nintelligent beings. Let us enjoy ourselves today by feasting on this\ncarcass.' The jackal said, 'Hear, O mighty-armed one, what the mouse hath\nsaid. He hath even said, \"O, fie on the strength of the king of the\nbeasts! This deer hath been slain by me. By might of my arm he will today\ngratify his hunger.\" When he hath boasted in such a language, I, for my\npart, do not wish to touch this food.' The tiger replied, 'If, indeed,\nthe mouse hath said so, my sense is now awakened. I shall, from this day,\nslay with the might of my own arms, creatures ranging the forest and then\nfeast on their flesh.' Having said this, the tiger 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, I\nwill even slay the mouse and feast on him.\"' Hearing this the mouse became\nalarmed and quickly entered his hole. And after the mouse had gone, the\nwolf, O king, came there having performed his ablutions. And seeing the\nwolf come, the jackal said unto him, 'The king of the beasts hath been\nangry with thee. Evil is certain to overtake thee. He is expected here\nwith his wife. Do as thou pleasest.' Thus was the wolf also, fond of\nanimal flesh, got rid of by the jackal. And the wolf fled, contracting his\nbody into the smallest dimensions. It was then that the mongoose came. And,\nO king, the jackal, seeing him come, said, 'By the might of my arm have I\ndefeated the others who have already fled. Fight with me first and then\neat of this flesh as you please.' The mongoose replied, 'When, indeed, the\ntiger, the wolf, and the intelligent mouse have all been defeated by thee,\nheroes as they are, thou seemest to be a greater hero still. I do not\ndesire to fight with thee.' Saying this, the mongoose 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 so,\nspeaking even then with a smile on thy lips. Never reprove any one with\nindications of anger (in thy speech). And O Bharata, speak soft words\nbefore thou smitest and even while thou art smiting! After the smiting is\nover, pity the victim, and grieve for him, and even shed tears. Comforting\nthy foe by conciliation, by gift of wealth, and smooth behaviour, thou\nmust smite him when he walketh not aright. Thou shouldst equally smite the\nheinous offender who liveth by the practice of virtue, for the garb of\nvirtue simply covereth his offences like black clouds covering the\nmountains. Thou shouldst burn the house of that person whom thou punishest\nwith death. And thou shouldst never permit beggars and atheists and\nthieves to dwell in thy kingdom. By a sudden sally or pitched battle, by\npoison or by corrupting his allies, by gift of wealth, by any means in thy\npower, thou shouldst destroy thy foe. Thou mayest act with the greatest\ncruelty. Thou shouldst make thy teeth sharp to give a fatal bite. And thou\nshould ever smite so effectually that thy foe may not again raise his head.\nThou shouldst ever stand in fear of even one from whom there is no fear,\nnot to speak of him from whom there is such. For if the first be ever\npowerful he may destroy thee to the root (for thy unpreparedness). Thou\nshouldst never trust the faithless, nor trust too much those that are\nfaithful, for if those in whom thou confidest prove thy foes, thou art\ncertain to be annihilated. After testing their faithfulness thou shouldst\nemploy spies in thy own kingdom and in the kingdoms of others. Thy spies\nin foreign kingdoms should be apt deceivers and persons in the garb of\nascetics. Thy spies should be placed in gardens, places of amusement,\ntemples and other holy places, drinking halls, streets, and with the\n(eighteen) tirthas (viz., the minister, the chief priest, the heir-\npresumptive, the commander-in-chief, the gate-keepers of the court,\npersons in the inner apartments, the jailor, the chief surveyor, the head\nof the treasury, the general executant of orders, the chief of the town\npolice, the chief architect, the chief justice, the president of the\ncouncil, the chief of the punitive department, the commander of the fort,\nthe chief of the arsenal, the chief of the frontier guards, and the keeper\nof the forests), and in places of sacrifice, near wells, on mountains and\nin rivers, in forests, and in all places where people congregate. In\nspeech thou shouldst ever be humble, but let thy heart be ever sharp as\nrazor. And when thou art engaged in doing even a very cruel and terrible\nact, thou shouldst talk with smiles on thy lips. If desirous of prosperity,\nthou shouldst adopt all arts--humility, oath, conciliation, worshipping\nthe feet of others by lowering thy head, inspiring hope, and the like. And,\na person conversant with the rules of policy is like a tree decked with\nflowers but bearing no fruit; or, if bearing fruit, these must be at a\ngreat height not easily attainable from the ground; and if any of these\nfruits seem to be ripe care must be taken to make it appear raw.\nConducting himself in such a way, he shall never fade. Virtue, wealth and\npleasure have both their evil and good effects closely knit together.\nWhile extracting the effects that are good, those that are evil should be\navoided. Those that practise virtue (incessantly) are made unhappy for\nwant of wealth and the neglect of pleasure. Those again in pursuit of\nwealth are made unhappy for the neglect of two others. And so those who\npursue pleasure suffer for their inattention to virtue and wealth.\nTherefore, thou shouldst pursue virtue, wealth and pleasure, in such a way\nthat thou mayest not have to suffer therefrom. With humiliation and\nattention, without jealousy and solicitous of accomplishing thy purpose,\nshouldst thou, in all sincerity, consult with the Brahmanas. When thou art\nfallen, thou shouldst raise thyself by any means, gentle or violent; and\nafter thou hast thus raised thyself thou shouldst practise virtue. He that\nhath never been afflicted with calamity can never have prosperity. This\nmay be seen in the life of one who surviveth his calamities. He that is\nafflicted with sorrow should be consoled by the recitation of the history\nof persons of former times (like those of Nala and Rama). He whose heart\nhath been unstrung by sorrow should be consoled with hopes of future\nprosperity. He again who is learned and wise should be consoled by\npleasing offices presently rendered unto him. He who, having concluded a\ntreaty with an enemy, reposeth at ease as if he hath nothing more to do,\nis very like a person who awaketh, fallen down from the top of a tree\nwhereon he had slept. A king should ever keep to himself his counsels\nwithout fear of calumny, and while beholding everything with the eyes of\nhis spies, he should take care to conceal his own emotions before the\nspies of his enemies. Like a fisherman who becometh prosperous by catching\nand killing fish, a king can never grow prosperous without tearing the\nvitals of his enemy and without doing some violent deeds. The might of thy\nfoe, as represented by his armed force, should ever be completely\ndestroyed, by ploughing it up (like weeds) and mowing it down and\notherwise afflicting it by disease, starvation, and want of drink. A\nperson in want never approacheth (from love) one in affluence; and when\none's purpose hath been accomplished, one hath no need to approach him\nwhom he had hitherto looked to for its accomplishment. Therefore, when\nthou doest anything never do it completely, but ever leave something to be\ndesired for by others (whose services thou mayest need). One who is\ndesirous of prosperity should with diligence seek allies and means, and\ncarefully conduct his wars. His exertions in these respects should always\nbe guided by prudence. A prudent king should ever act in such a way that\nfriends and foes may never know his motive before the commencement of his\nacts. Let them know all when the act hath been commenced or ended, and as\nlong as danger doth not come, so long only shall thou act as if thou art\nafraid. But when it hath overtaken thee, thou must grapple with it\ncourageously. He who trusteth in a foe who hath been brought under\nsubjection by force, summoneth his own death as a crab by her act of\nconception. Thou shouldst always reckon the future act as already arrived\n(and concert measures for meeting it), else, from want of calmness caused\nby haste, thou mayest overlook an important point in meeting it when it is\nbefore thee. A person desirous of prosperity should always exert with\nprudence, adopting his measures to time and place. He should also act with\nan eye to destiny as capable of being regulated by mantras and sacrificial\nrites; and to virtue, wealth, and pleasure. It is well-known that time and\nplace (if taken into consideration) always produce the greatest good. If\nthe foe is insignificant, he should not yet be despised, for he may soon\ngrow like a palmyra tree extending its roots or like a spark of fire in\nthe deep woods that may soon burst into an extensive conflagration. As a\nlittle fire gradually fed with faggots soon becometh capable of consuming\neven the 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; unpitying\nas these are sharp, hiding their intents as these are concealed in their\nleathern cases, striking when the opportunity cometh as these are used on\nproper occasions, sweeping off their foes with all their allies and\ndependants as these shave the head or the chin without leaving a single\nhair. O supporter of the dignity of the Kurus, bearing thyself towards the\nPandavas and others also as policy dictateth, act in such a way that thou\nmayest not have to grieve in future. Well do I know that thou art endued\nwith every blessing, and possessed of every mark of good fortune.\nTherefore, O king, protect thyself from the sons of Pandu! O king, the\nsons of Pandu are stronger than their cousins (thy sons); therefore, O\nchastiser of foes, I tell thee plainly what thou shouldst do. Listen to it,\nO king, with thy children, and having listened to it, exert yourselves (to\ndo the needful). O king, act in such a way that there may not be any fear\nfor thee from the Pandavas. Indeed, adopt such measures consonant with the\nscience of policy that thou mayest not have to grieve in the future.\"\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Having delivered himself thus Kanika returned to\nhis abode, while the Kuru king Dhritarashtra became pensive and\nmelancholy.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CXLIII\n\n(Jatugriha Parva)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Then the son of Suvala (Sakuni), king Duryodhana,\nDuhsasana and Karna, 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 addressed\nKunti and said, \"This Dhritarashtra hath been born for destroying the fame\nand offspring of the (Kuru) race. Of wicked soul, he is about to cast off\neternal virtue. O blessed one, I have kept ready on the stream a boat\ncapable of withstanding both wind and wave. Escape by it with thy children\nfrom 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 to\nthe advice of Vidura, the Pandavas took with them the wealth that had been\ngiven to them (while at Varanavata) by their enemies and safely entered\nthe deep woods. In the house of lac, however, that had been prepared for\nthe destruction of the Pandavas, an innocent Nishada woman who had come\nthere for some purpose, was, with her children burnt to death. And that\nworst of Mlechchhas, the wretched Purochana (who was the architect\nemployed in building the house of lac) was also burnt in the conflagration.\nAnd thus were the sons of Dhirtarashtra with their counsellors deceived in\ntheir expectations. And thus also were the illustrious Pandavas, by the\nadvice of Vidura, saved with their mother. But the people (of Varanavata)\nknew not of their safety. And the citizens of Varanavata, seeing the house\nof lac consumed (and believing the Pandavas to have been burnt to death)\nbecame exceedingly sorry. And they sent messengers unto king Dhritarashtra\nto represent everything that had happened. And they said to the monarch,\n\"Thy great end hath been achieved! Thou hast at last burnt the Pandavas to\ndeath! Thy desire fulfilled, enjoy with thy children. O king of the Kurus,\nthe kingdom.\" Hearing this, Dhritarashtra with his children, made a show\nof grief, and along with his relatives, including Kshattri (Vidura) and\nBhishma the foremost of the Kurus, performed the last honours of the\nPandavas.'\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 son\nof 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 sons 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. We\nshall, therefore, now install (on the throne) with proper ceremonies the\neldest of the Pandavas endued with youth, accomplished in battle, versed\nin the Vedas, and truthful and kind. Worshipping Bhishma, the son of\nSantanu and Dhritarashtra conversant with the rules of morality, he will\ncertainly maintain the former and the latter with his children in every\nkind 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, that\nthe citizens are endeavouring to inflict a great injury on us. Pandu\nobtained of old the ancestral kingdom by virtue of his own accomplishments,\nbut thou, from blindness, didst not obtain the kingdom, though fully\nqualified to have it. If Pandu's son now obtaineth the kingdom as his\ninheritance from Pandu, his son will obtain it after him and that son's\nson also, and so on will it descend in Pandu's line. In that case, O king\nof the world, ourselves with our children, excluded from the royal line,\nshall certainly be disregarded by all men. Therefore, O monarch, adopt\nsuch counsels that we may not suffer perpetual distress, becoming\ndependent on others for our food. O king, if thou hadst obtained the\nsovereignty before, we would certainly have succeeded to it, however much\nthe people might be unfavourable to us.\"'\"\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 also\nthereupon began to waver. Then Duryodhana and Karna, and Sakuni, the son\nof Suvala, and Duhsasana as their fourth, held a consultation together.\nPrince Duryodhana said unto Dhritarashtra, \"Send, O father, by some clever\ncontrivance, the Pandavas to the town of Varanavata. We shall then have no\nfear of them.\" Dhritarashtra, on hearing these words uttered by his son,\nreflected for a moment and replied unto Duryodhana, saying, \"Pandu, ever\ndevoted to virtue, always behaved dutifully towards all his relatives but\nparticularly towards me. He cared very little for the enjoyments of the\nworld, but devotedly gave everything unto me, even the kingdom. His son is\nas much devoted to virtue as he, and is possessed of every accomplishment.\nOf world-wide fame, he is again the favourite of the people. He is\npossessed of allies; how can we by force exile him from his ancestral\nkingdom? The counsellors and soldiers (of the state) and their sons and\ngrandsons have all been cherished and maintained by Pandu. Thus benefited\nof old by Pandu, shall not, O child, the citizens slay us with all our\nfriends 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 ministers\nof state, O king, are at this moment under our control. Therefore, it\nbehoveth thee now to banish, by some gentle means, the Pandavas to the\ntown of Varanavata; O king, when the sovereignty shall have been vested in\nme, then, O Bharata, may Kunti with her children come back from that\nplace.\"\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 the\nKurus 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 is,\nthere the father will be. Kripa, the son of Saradwat, must be on the side\non which Drona and Aswatthaman are. He will never abandon Drona and his\nsister's son (Aswatthaman). Kshattri (Vidura) is dependent on us for his\nmeans of life, though he is secretly with the foe. If he sides with the\nPandavas, he alone can do us no injury, Therefore, exile thou the Pandavas\nto Varanavata without any fear. And take such steps that they may go\nthither this very day. By this act, O father, extinguish the grief that\nconsumeth me like a blazing fire, that robbeth me of sleep, and that\npierces my heart even like a terrible dart.\"'\"\n\n\nSECTION CXLV\n\n(Jatugriha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Then prince Duryodhana, along with his brothers\nbegan to gradually win over the people to his side by grants of wealth\nand honours. Meanwhile, some clever councillors, instructed by\nDhritarashtra, one day began to describe (in court) the town of\nVaranavata as a charming place. And they said, \"The festival of Pasupati\n(Siva) hath commenced in the town of Varanavata. The concourse of people\nis great and the procession is the most delightful of all ever witnessed\non earth. Decked with every ornament, it charmed the hearts of all\nspectators.\" Thus did those councillors, instructed by Dhritarashtra,\nspeak of Varanavata, and whilst they were so speaking, the Pandavas, O\nking, felt the desire of going to that delightful town. And when the\nking (Dhritarashtra) ascertained that the curiosity of the Pandavas had\nbeen awakened, the son of Ambika addressed them, saying, \"These men of\nmine often speak of Varanavata as the most delightful town in the world.\nIf therefore, ye children, ye desire to witness that festival, go to\nVaranavata with your followers and friends and enjoy yourselves there\nlike the celestials. And give ye away pearls and gems unto the Brahmanas\nand the musicians (that may be assembled there). And sporting there for\nsome time as ye please like the resplendent celestials and enjoying as\nmuch pleasure as ye like, return ye to Hastinapura again.\"'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Yudhishthira, fully understanding the motives of\nDhritarashtra 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 go\nto 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 the\neldest 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\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 the Pandavas. And, O bull of Bharata's\nrace, Duryodhana, then, summoning his counsellor Purochana in private, took\nhold of his right hand and said, \"O Purochana, this world, so full of\nwealth, 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 to\nthat mansion beginning at the outer door. The Pandavas thereupon must be\nburnt to death, but the people will say that they have been burnt in (an\naccidental) conflagration of their house.\"\n\n\"'Saying, \"So be it\" unto the Kuru prince, Purochana repaired to Varanavata\nin a car drawn by fleet mules. And going thither, O king, without loss of\ntime, obedient to the instructions of Duryodhana, did everything that the\nprince had bid him do.'\"\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 on\nthe point of entering their cars, they touched, in great sorrow, the feet\nof Bhishma, of king Dhritarashtra, of the illustrious Drona, of Kripa, of\nVidura and of the other elders of the Kuru race. Then saluting with\nreverence all the older men, and embracing their equals, receiving the\nfarewell 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 Dhananjaya\nthe (youngest) son of Kunti, will ever be guilty (of the sin of waging a\nrebellious war). When these will remain quiet, how shall the illustrious\nson of Madri do anything? Having inherited the kingdom from their father,\nDhritarashtra could not bear them. How is that Bhishma who suffers the\nexile of the Pandavas to that wretched place, sanctions this act of great\ninjustice? Vichitravirya, the son of Santanu, and the royal sage Pandu of\nKuru's race both cherished us of old with fatherly care. But now that\nPandu that tiger among men, hath ascended to heaven, Dhritarashtra cannot\nbear with these princes his children. We who do not sanction this exile\nshall all go, leaving this excellent town and our own homes, where\nYudhishthira 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 these\nwords. The learned Vidura, conversant with the jargon (of the Mlechchhas),\naddressed the learned Yudhishthira who also was conversant with the same\njargon, in the words of the Mlechchha tongue, so as to be unintelligible\nto all except Yudhishthira. He said, \"He that knoweth the schemes his foes\ncontrive in accordance with the dictates of political science, should,\nknowing them, act in such a way as to avoid all danger. He that knoweth\nthat there are sharp weapons capable of cutting the body though not made\nof steel, and understandeth also the means of warding them off, can never\nbe injured by foes. He liveth who protecteth himself by the knowledge that\nneither the consumer of straw and wood nor the drier of the dew burneth\nthe inmates of a hole in the deep woods. The blind man seeth not his way:\nthe blind man hath no knowledge of direction. He that hath no firmness\nnever acquireth prosperity. Remembering this, be upon your guard. The man\nwho taketh a weapon not made of steel (i.e., an inflammable abode) given\nhim by his foes, can escape from fire by making his abode like unto that\nof a jackal (having many outlets). By wandering a man may acquire the\nknowledge of ways, and by the stars he can ascertain the direction, and he\nthat keepeth his five (senses) under control can never be oppressed by his\nenemies.\"\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 anything,\nand thy reply also to him in similar words and voice, we have not\nunderstood. If it is not improper for us to know them I should then like\nto 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 they beheld the town and the people.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CXLVIII\n\n(Jatugriha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Then all the citizens (of Varanavata) on hearing that\nthe son of Pandu had come, were filled with joy at the tidings, speedily\ncame out of Varanavata, in vehicles of various kinds numbering by\nthousands, taking with them every auspicious article as directed by the\nSastras, for receiving those foremost of men. And the people of Varanavata,\napproaching the sons of Kunti blessed them by uttering the Jaya and stood\nsurrounding them. That tiger among men, viz., the virtuous Yudhishthira\nthus surrounded by them looked resplendent like him having the thunderbolt\nin his hands (viz., Indra) in the midst of the celestials. And those\nsinless ones, welcomed by the citizens and welcoming the citizens in\nreturn, then entered the populous town of Varanavata decked with every\nornament. Entering the town those heroes first went, O monarch, to the\nabodes of Brahmanas engaged in their proper duties. Those foremost of men\nthen went to the abodes of the officials of the town, and then of the\nSutas and the Vaisyas and then to those of even the Sudras. O bull of\nBharata's race, thus adored by the citizens, the Pandavas at last went\nwith Purochana going before them, to the palace that had been built for\nthem. Purochana then began to place before them food and drink and beds\nand carpets, all of the first and most agreeable order. The Pandavas\nattired in costly robes, continued to live there, adored by Purochana and\nthe people having their homes in Varanavata.\n\n\"'After the Pandavas had thus lived for ten nights, Purochana spoke to them\nof the mansion (he had built) called \"The Blessed Home,\" but in reality\nthe cursed house. Then those tigers among men, attired in costly dress,\nentered that mansion at the instance of Purochana like Guhyakas entering\nthe palace (of Siva) on the Kailasa mount. The foremost of all virtuous\nmen, Yudhishthira, inspecting the house, said unto Bhima that it was\nreally built of inflammable materials. Smelling the scent of fat mixed\nwith clarified butter and preparations of lac, he said unto Bhima, \"O\nchastiser of foes, this house is truly built of inflammable materials!\nIndeed, it is apparent that such is the case! The enemy, it is evident, by\nthe aid of trusted artists well-skilled in the construction of houses,\nhave finely built this mansion, after procuring hemp, resin, heath, straw,\nand bamboos, all soaked in clarified butter. This wicked wretch, Purochana,\nacting under the instruction of Duryodhana, stayeth here with the object\nof burning me to death when he seeth me trustful. But, O son of Pritha,\nVidura of great intelligence, knew of this danger, and, therefore, hath\nwarned me of it beforehand. Knowing it all, that youngest uncle of ours,\never wishing our good from affection hath told us that this house, so full\nof danger, hath been constructed by the wretches under Duryodhana acting\nin 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 all\nthe 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 a\nsinful act to be virtuous, may become wrathful. If however, from fear of\nbeing burnt, we fly from here, Duryodhana, ambitious of sovereignty will\ncertainly compass our death by means of spies. While we have no rank and\npower, 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 live\nhere, actively doing everything for our safety but with such privacy that\nneither Purochana nor any of the citizens of Varanavata may know what we\nare after.\"'\"\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 me\nwhat I am to do for ye. From the trust he reposeth in me Vidura hath said\nunto me, 'Go thou unto the Pandavas and accomplish thou their good.' What\nshall I do for you? Purochana will set fire to the door of thy house on\nthe fourteenth night of this dark fortnight. To burn to death those tigers\namong men, the Pandavas, with their mother, is the design of that wicked\nwretch, the son of Dhritarashtra. O son of Pandu, Vidura also told thee\nsomething in the Mlechchha tongue to which thou also didst reply in same\nlanguage. I state these particulars as my credentials.\" Hearing these\nwords, Yudhishthira, the truthful son of Kunti replied, \"O amiable one, I\nnow know thee as a dear and trusted friend of Vidura, true and ever\ndevoted to him. There is nothing that the learned Vidura doth not know. As\nhis, so ours art thou. Make no difference between him and us. We are as\nmuch thine as his. O, protect us as the learned Vidura ever protecteth us.\nI know that this house, so inflammable, hath been contrived for me by\nPurochana at the command of Dhritarashtra's son. That wicked wretch\ncommanding wealth and allies pursueth us without intermission. O, save us\nwith a little exertion from the impending conflagration. If we are burnt\nto death here, Duryodhana's most cherished desire will be satisfied. Here\nis that wretch's well-furnished arsenal. This large mansion hath been\nbuilt abutting the high ramparts of the arsenal without any outlet. But\nthis unholy contrivance of Duryodhana was known to Vidura from the first,\nand he it was who enlightened us beforehand. The danger of which Kshattri\nhad foreknowledge is now at our door. Save us from it without Purochana's\nknowledge thereof.\" On hearing these words, the miner said, \"So be it,\"\nand carefully beginning his work of excavation, made a large subterranean\npassage. And the mouth of that passage was in the centre of that house,\nand it was on a level with the floor and closed up with planks. The mouth\nwas so covered from fear of Purochana, that wicked wretch who kept a\nconstant watch at the door of the house. The Pandavas used to sleep within\ntheir chambers with arms ready for use, while, during the day, they went a-\nhunting from forest to forest. Thus, O king, they lived (in that mansion)\nvery guardedly, deceiving Purochana by a show of trustfulness and\ncontentment while in reality they were trustless and discontented. Nor did\nthe citizens of Varanavata know anything about these plans of the Pandavas.\nIn fact, none else knew of them except Vidura's friend, that good miner.'\"\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 Kunti,\naddressing Bhima and Arjuna and the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva) said, \"The\ncruel-hearted wretch hath been well-deceived. I think the time is come for\nour escape. Setting fire to the arsenal and burning Purochana to death and\nletting his body lie here, let us, six persons, fly hence unobserved by\nall!\"'\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 children,\nintoxicated with the wine they drank, became incapable. Deprived of\nconsciousness and more dead than alive, she with all her sons lay down in\nthat mansion to sleep. Then when all the inmates of the house lay down to\nsleep, there began to blow a violent wind in the night. Bhima then set\nfire to the house just where Purochana was sleeping. Then the son of Pandu\nset fire to the door of that house of lac. Then he set fire to the mansion\nin several parts all around. Then when the sons of Pandu were satisfied\nthat the house had caught fire in several parts those chastisers of foes\nwith their mother, entered the subterranean passage without losing any\ntime. Then the heat and the roar of the fire became intense and awakened\nthe townspeople. Beholding the house in flames, the citizens with\nsorrowful faces began to say, \"The wretch (Purochana) of wicked soul had\nunder the instruction of Duryodhana built his house for the destruction of\nhis employer's relatives. He indeed hath set fire to it. O, fie on\nDhritarashtra's heart which is so partial. He hath burnt to death, as if\nhe were their foe, the sinless heirs of Pandu! O, the sinful and wicked-\nsouled (Purochana) who hath burnt those best of men, the innocent and\nunsuspicious princes, hath himself been burnt to death as fate would have\nit.\"'\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 chastisers\nof foes, for sleepiness and fear, could not with their mother proceed in\nhaste. But, O monarch, Bhimasena, endued with terrible prowess and\nswiftness of motion took upon his body all his brothers and mother and\nbegan to push through the darkness. Placing his mother on his shoulder,\nthe twins on his sides, and Yudhishthira and Arjuna on both his arms,\nVrikodara of great energy and strength and endued with the speed of the\nwind, commenced his march, breaking the trees with his breast and pressing\ndeep the earth with his stamp.'\"\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 in\nthe forest employed in a certain place in measuring the depth of a river.\nThe design that the wicked Duryodhana had formed had been, through his\nspies, known to Vidura of great intelligence, and, therefore, he had sent\nthat prudent person unto the Pandavas. Sent by Vidura unto them, he showed\nthe Pandavas on the sacred banks of the Ganga a boat with engines and\nflags, constructed by trusted artificers and capable of withstanding wind\nand wave and endued with the speed of the tempest or of thought. He then\naddressed the Pandavas in these words to show that he had really been sent\nby Vidura, \"O Yudhishthira,\" he said, \"listen to these words the learned\nVidura had said (unto thee) as a proof of the fact that I come from him.\nNeither the consumer of straw and the wood nor the drier of dew ever\nburneth the inmates of a hole in the forest. He escapeth from death who\nprotecteth himself knowing this, etc. By these credentials know me to be\nthe person who has been truly sent by Vidura and to be also his trusted\nagent. Vidura, conversant with everything, hath again said, 'O son of\nKunti, thou shalt surely defeat in battle Karna, and Duryodhana with his\nbrothers, and Sakuni.' This boat is ready on the waters, and it will glide\npleasantly thereon, and shall certainly bear you all from these regions!\"\n\n\"'Then beholding those foremost of men with their mother pensive and sad he\ncaused 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 your\nauspicious 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 boat.\nAnd 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 to\nVidura, began, after having crossed the Ganga, to proceed with haste and\nin great secrecy.'\"\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 Pandu.\nAfter extinguishing the fire, they saw that the house just burnt down had\nbeen built of lac in materials and that (Duryodhana's) counsellor\nPurochana had been burnt to death. And the people began to bewail aloud\nsaying, \"Indeed, this had been contrived by the sinful Duryodhana for the\ndestruction of the Pandavas. There is little doubt that Duryodhana hath,\nwith Dhritarashtra's knowledge, burnt to death the heirs of Pandu, else\nthe prince would have been prevented by his father. There is little doubt\nthat even Bhishma, the son of Santanu, and Drona and Vidura and Kripa and\nother Kauravas have not, any of them, followed the dictates of duty. Let\nus now send to Dhritarashtra to say, 'Thy great desire hath been achieved!\nThou 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 burnt\nto death. Then the miner sent by Vidura, while removing the ashes, covered\nthe hole he had dug with those ashes in such a way that it remained\nunnoticed 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 Pandavas,\nwept in great sorrow. And he said, \"King Pandu, my brother of great fame,\nhath, indeed, died today when those heroic sons of his together with their\nmother have been burnt to death. Ye men, repair quickly to Varanavata and\ncause the funeral rites to be performed of those heroes and of the\ndaughter of Kuntiraj! Let also the bones of the deceased be sanctified\nwith the usual rites, and let all the beneficial and great acts (usual on\nsuch occasions) be performed. Let the friends and relatives of those that\nhave been burnt to death repair thither. Let also all other beneficial\nacts that ought, under the circumstances, to be performed by us for the\nPandavas 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, \"Oh,\nBhima!--O Phalguna!\"--while some again,--\"Oh, the twins!--Oh, Kunti!\"--\nThus did they sorrow for the Pandavas and offer oblations of water unto\nthem. The citizens also wept for the Pandavas but Vidura did not weep much,\nbecause 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 aided\nby the strength of the boatmen's arms, the rapidity of the river's current,\nand a favourable wind. Leaving the boat, they proceeded in the southern\ndirection finding their way in the dark by the light of the stars. After\nmuch suffering they at last reached, O king, a dense forest. They were\nthen tired and thirsty; sleep was closing their eyes every moment. Then\nYudhishthira, addressing Bhima endued with great energy, said, \"What can\nbe more painful than this? We are now in the deep woods. We know not which\nside is which, nor can we proceed much further. We do not know whether\nthat wretch Purochana hath or hath not been burnt to death. How shall we\nescape from these dangers unseen by others? O Bharata, taking us on\nthyself, proceed thou as before. Thou alone amongst us art strong and\nswift 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\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 June).\nAnd the mighty Bhima proceeded, making a path for himself, but treading\ndown the trees and creepers before him. In fact, he broke (by the pressure\nof his body) the large trees and plants, with their flowers and fruits,\nstanding on his way. Even so passeth through the woods breaking down\nmighty trees, the leader of a herd of elephants, of the age of sixty years,\nangry and endued with excess of energy, during the season of rut when the\nliquid juice trickle down the three parts of his body. Indeed, so great\nwas the force with which Bhima endued with the speed of Garuda or of Marut\n(the god of wind), proceeded that the Pandavas seemed to faint in\nconsequence. Frequently swimming across streams difficult of being crossed,\nthe Pandavas disguised themselves on their way from fear of the sons of\nDhritarashtra. And Bhima carried on his shoulder his illustrious mother of\ndelicate sensibilities along the uneven banks of rivers. Towards the\nevening, O bull of Bharata's race, Bhima (bearing his brothers and mother\non his back) reached a terrible forest where fruits and roots and water\nwere scarce and which resounded with the terrible cries of birds and\nbeasts. The twilight deepened the cries of birds and beasts became fiercer,\ndarkness shrouded everything from the view and untimely winds began to\nblow that broke and laid low many a tree large and small and many creepers\nwith dry leaves and fruits. The Kaurava princes, afflicted with fatigue\nand thirst, and heavy with sleep, were unable to proceed further. They\nthen all sat down in that forest without food and drink. Then Kunti,\nsmitten with thirst, said unto her sons, \"I am the mother of the five\nPandavas and am now in their midst. Yet I am burning with thirst!\" Kunti\nrepeatedly said this unto her sons. Hearing these words, Bhima's heart,\nfrom affection for his mother, was warmed by compassion and he resolved to\ngo (along as before). Then Bhima, proceeding through that terrible and\nextensive forest without a living soul, saw a beautiful banian tree with\nwidespreading branches. Setting down there his brothers and mother, O bull\nof Bharata's race, he said unto them, \"Rest you here, while I go in quest\nof water. I hear the sweet cries of aquatic fowls. I think there must be a\nlarge pool here.\" Commanded, O Bharata, by his elder brother who said unto\nhim, \"Go\", Bhima proceeded in the direction whence the cries of those\naquatic fowls were coming. And, O bull of Bharata's race, he soon came\nupon a lake and bathed and slaked his thirst. And affectionate unto his\nbrothers, he brought for them, O Bharata, water by soaking his upper\ngarments. Hastily retracing his way over those four miles he came unto\nwhere his mother was and beholding her he was afflicted with sorrow and\nbegan to sigh like a snake. Distressed with grief at seeing his mother and\nbrothers asleep on the bare ground, Vrikodara began to weep, \"Oh, wretch\nthat I am, who behold my brothers asleep on the bare ground, what can\nbefall me more painful than this? Alas, they who formerly at Varanavata\ncould not sleep on the softest and costliest beds are now asleep on the\nbare ground! Oh, what more painful sight shall I ever behold than that of\nKunti--the sister of Vasudeva, that grinder of hostile hosts--the daughter\nof Kuntiraja,--herself decked with every auspicious mark, the daughter-in-\nlaw of Vichitravirya,--the wife of the illustrious Pandu,--the mother of\nus (five brothers),--resplendent as the filaments of the lotus and\ndelicate and tender and fit to sleep on the costliest bed--thus asleep, as\nshe should never be, on the bare ground! Oh, she who hath brought forth\nthese sons by Dharma and Indra and Maruta--she who hath ever slept within\npalaces--now sleepeth, fatigued, on the bare ground! What more painful\nsight shall ever be beheld by me than that of these tigers among men (my\nbrothers) asleep on the ground! Oh, the virtuous Yudhishthira, who\ndeserveth the sovereignty of the three worlds, sleepeth, fatigued, like an\nordinary man, on the bare ground! This Arjuna of the darkish hue of blue\nclouds, and unequalled amongst men sleepeth on the ground like an ordinary\nperson! Oh, what can be more painful than this? Oh the twins, who in\nbeauty are like the twin Aswins amongst the celestials, are asleep like\nordinary mortals on the bare ground! He who hath no jealous evil-minded\nrelatives, liveth in happiness in this world like a single tree in a\nvillage. The tree that standeth single in a village with its leaves and\nfruits, from absence of other of the same species, becometh sacred and is\nworshipped and venerated by all. They again that have many relatives who,\nhowever, are all heroic and virtuous, live happily in the world without\nsorrow of any kind. Themselves powerful and growing in prosperity and\nalways gladdening their friends and relatives, they live, depending on\neach other, like tall trees growing in the same forest. We, however, have\nbeen forced in exile by the wicked Dhritarashtra and his sons having\nescaped with difficulty, from sheer good fortune, a fiery death. Having\nescaped from that fire, we are now resting in the shade of this tree.\nHaving already suffered so much, where now are we to go? Ye sons of\nDhritarashtra of little foresight, ye wicked fellows, enjoy your temporary\nsuccess. The gods are certainly auspicious to you. But ye wicked wretches,\nye are alive yet, only because Yudhishthira doth not command me to take\nyour lives. Else this very day, filled with wrath, I would send thee, (O\nDuryodhana), to the of Yama (Pluto) with thy children and friends and\nbrothers, and Karna, and (Sakuni) the son of Suvala! But what can I do,\nfor, ye sinful wretches, the virtuous king Yudhishthira, the eldest of the\nPandavas, is not yet angry 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 mother\nand brothers.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CLIV\n\n(Hidimva-vadha Parva)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Not far from the place where the Pandavas were asleep,\na Rakshasa by name Hidimva dwelt on the Sala tree. Possessed of great\nenergy and prowess, he was a cruel cannibal of visage that was grim in\nconsequence of his sharp and long teeth. He was now hungry and longing for\nhuman flesh. Of long shanks and a large belly, his locks and beard were\nboth red in hue. His shoulders were broad like the neck of a tree; his\nears were like unto arrows, and his features were frightful. Of red eyes\nand grim visage, the monster beheld, while casting his glances around, the\nsons of Pandu sleeping in those woods. He was then hungry and longing for\nhuman flesh. Shaking his dry and grizzly locks and scratching them with\nhis fingers pointed upwards, the large-mouthed cannibal repeatedly looked\nat the sleeping sons of Pandu yawning wistfully at times. Of huge body and\ngreat strength, of complexion like the colour of a mass of clouds, of\nteeth long and sharp-pointed and face emitting a sort of lustre, he was\never pleased with human flesh. And scenting the odour of man, he addressed\nhis sister, saying, \"O sister, it is after a long time that such agreeable\nfood hath approached me! My mouth waters at the anticipated relish of such\nfood. My eight teeth, so sharp-pointed and incapable of being resisted by\nany substance, I shall, today, after a long time, put into the most\ndelicious flesh. Attacking the human throat and even opening the veins, I\nshall (today) drink a plentiful quantity of human blood, hot and fresh and\nfrothy. Go and ascertain who these are, lying asleep in these woods. The\nstrong scent of man pleaseth my nostrils. Slaughtering all these men,\nbring them unto me. They sleep within my territory. Thou needest have no\nfear from them. Do my bidding soon, for we shall then together eat their\nflesh, tearing off their bodies at pleasure. And after feasting to our\nfill on human flesh we shall 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 spot\nwhere 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 for\nher brother. If I slay him, my brother's gratification as well as mine\nwill only be momentary. But if I slay him not, I can enjoy with him for\never and ever.\" Thus saying, the Rakshasa woman, capable of assuming form\nat will, assumed an excellent human form and began to advance with slow\nsteps towards Bhima of mighty arms. Decked with celestial ornaments she\nadvanced with smiles on her lips and a modest gait, and addressing Bhima\nsaid, \"O bull among men, whence hast thou come here and who art thou? Who,\nbesides, are these persons of celestial beauty sleeping here? Who also, O\nsinless one, is this lady of transcendent beauty sleeping so trustfully in\nthese woods as if she were lying in her own chamber? Dost thou not know\nthat this forest is the abode of a Rakshasa. Truly do I say, here liveth\nthe wicked Rakshasa called Hidimva. Ye beings of celestial beauty, I have\nbeen sent hither even by that Rakshasa--my brother--with the cruel intent\nof killing you for his food. But I tell thee truly that beholding thee\nresplendent as a celestial, I would have none else for my husband save\nthee! Thou who art acquainted with all duties, knowing this, do unto me\nwhat is proper. My heart as well as my body hath been pierced by (the\nshafts of) Kama (Cupid). O, as I am desirous of obtaining thee, make me\nthine. O thou of mighty arms, I will rescue thee from the Rakshasa who\neateth human flesh. O sinless one, be thou my husband. We shall then live\non the breasts of mountains inaccessible to ordinary mortals. I can range\nthe air and I do so at pleasure. Thou mayest enjoy great felicity with me\nin 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 all\nthat 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. And,\nO thou of handsome eyes, neither men, nor Gandharvas, nor Yakshas are able\nto bear my might. O amiable one, thou mayst stay or go as thou likest, or\nmayst even send thy cannibal brother, O thou of delicate shape. I care\nnot.\"'\"\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 quickly\nto the spot where the Pandavas were. Of red eyes and strong arms and the\narms and the hair of his head standing erect, of large open mouth and body\nlike unto a mass of dark clouds, teeth long and sharp-pointed, he was\nterrible to behold. And Hidimva, beholding her brother of frightful visage\nalight from the tree, became very much alarmed, and addressing Bhima said,\n\"The wicked cannibal is coming hither in wrath. I entreat thee, do with\nthy brothers, as I bid thee. O thou of great courage, as I am endued with\nthe powers of a Rakshasa, I am capable of going whithersoever I like.\nMount ye on my hips, I will carry you all through the skies. And, O\nchastiser of foes, awaken these and thy mother sleeping in comfort. Taking\nthem all on my body, I will convey you through 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 elephant.\nBehold also these thighs of mine like unto iron maces, and this broad and\nadamantine chest. O beautiful one, thou shall today behold my prowess like\nunto that of Indra. O thou of fair hips, hate me not, thinking that I am a\nman.\"\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 desirous\nof carnal intercourse and became indignant. And, O best of the Kurus,\nbecoming angry with his sister, the Rakshasa dilated his eyes and\naddressing her said, \"What senseless creature wishes to throw obstacles in\nmy path now that I am so hungry? Hast thou become so senseless, O Hidimva,\nthat thou fearest not my wrath? Fie on thee, thou unchaste woman! Thou art\neven now desirous of carnal intercourse and solicitous of doing me an\ninjury. Thou art ready to sacrifice the good name and honour of all the\nRakshasas, thy ancestors! Those with whose aid thou wouldst do me this\ngreat injury, I will, even now, slay along with thee.\" Addressing his\nsister thus, Hidimva, with eyes red with anger and teeth pressing against\nteeth, ran at her to kill her then and there. But beholding him rush at\nhis sister, Bhima, that foremost of smiters, endued with great energy,\nrebuked him and said, \"Stop--Stop!\"'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'And Bhima, beholding the Rakshasa angry with his\nsister, smiled (in derision), and said, addressing him, \"O Hidimva, what\nneed is there for thee to awaken these persons sleeping so comfortably? O\nwicked cannibal, approach me first without loss of time. Smite me first,--\nit behoveth thee not to kill a woman, especially when she hath been sinned\nagainst instead of sinning. This girl is scarcely responsible for her act\nin desiring intercourse with me. She hath, in this, been moved by the\ndeity of desire that pervadeth every living form. Thou wicked wretch and\nthe most infamous of Rakshasas, thy sister came here at thy command.\nBeholding my person, she desireth me. In that the timid girl doth no\ninjury to thee. It is the deity of desire that hath offended. It behoveth\nthee not to injure her for this offence. O wicked wretch, thou shalt not\nslay a woman when I am here. Come with me, O cannibal, and fight with\nmyself singly. Singly shall I send thee today to the abode of Yama (Pluto).\nO Rakshasa, let thy head today, pressed by my might, be pounded to pieces,\nas though pressed by the tread of a mighty elephant. When thou art slain\nby me on the field of battle, let herons and hawks and jackals tear in\nglee thy limbs today on the ground. In a moment I shall today make this\nforest destitute of Rakshasas,--this forest that had so long been ruled by\nthee, devourer of human beings! Thy sister, O Rakshasa, shall today behold\nthyself, huge though thou art like a mountain, like a huge elephant\nrepeatedly dragged by a lion. O worst of Rakshasas, thyself slain by me,\nmen ranging these woods will henceforth do 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 these\n(thy brothers). Let them sleep comfortably. But I will, as thou art a fool\nand the utterer of evil speeches, slay thee first. After drinking thy\nblood, I will slay these also, and then last of all, this (sister of mine)\nthat 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, the\nextended 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 Rakshasa,\nthus made to feel the weight of Bhima's strength, became very angry and\nclasping the Pandava, sent forth a terrible yell. The mighty Bhima then\ndragged with force the Rakshasa to a greater distance, lest his yells\nshould awaken his brothers sleeping in comfort. Clasping and dragging each\nother with great force, both Hidimva and Bhimasena put forth their prowess.\nFighting like two full-grown elephants mad with rage, they then began to\nbreak down the trees and tear the creepers that grew around. And at those\nsounds, those tigers among men (the sleeping Pandavas) woke up with their\nmother, and saw Hidimva sitting before them.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CLVI\n\n(Hidimva-vadha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Roused from sleep, those tigers among men, with their\nmother, beholding the extraordinary beauty of Hidimva, were filled with\nwonder. And Kunti, gazing at her with wonder at her beauty, addressed her\nsweetly and gave her every assurance. She asked, \"O thou of the splendour\nof a daughter of the celestials, whose art thou and who art thou? O thou\nof the fairest complexion, on what business hast thou come hither and\nwhence hast thou come? If thou art the deity of these woods or an Apsara,\ntell me all regarding thyself and also why thou stayest here?\" Thereupon\nHidimva replied, \"This extensive forest that thou seest, of the hue of\nblue cloud, is the abode of a Rakshasa of the name of Hidimva. O handsome\nlady, know me as the sister of that chief of the Rakshasa. Revered dame, I\nhad been sent by that brother of mine to kill thee with all thy children.\nBut on arriving here at the command of that cruel brother of mine, I\nbeheld thy mighty son. Then, O blessed lady, I was brought under the\ncontrol of thy son by the deity of love who pervadeth the nature of every\nbeing, and I then (mentally) chose that mighty son of thine as my husband.\nI tried my best to convey you hence, but I could not (because of thy son's\nopposition). Then the cannibal, seeing my delay, came hither to kill all\nthese thy children. But he hath been dragged hence with force by that\nmighty and intelligent son of thine--my husband. Behold now that couple--\nman and Rakshasa--both endued with great strength and prowess, engaged in\ncombat, grinding each other and filling the whole region with their\nshouts.\"'\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 forest-\nconflagration. Covered with that dust their huge bodies resembled two tall\ncliffs enveloped in mist. Then Arjuna, beholding Bhima rather oppressed in\nthe fight by the Rakshasa, slowly said with smiles on his lips, \"Fear not,\nO Bhima of mighty arms! We (had been asleep and therefore) knew not that\nthou wast engaged with a terrible Rakshasa and tired in fight. Here do I\nstand to help thee, let me slay the Rakshasa, and let Nakula and Sahadeva\nprotect our mother.\" Hearing him, Bhima said, \"Look on this encounter, O\nbrother, like a stranger. Fear not for the result. Having come within the\nreach of my arms, he shall not escape with life.\" Then Arjuna said, \"What\nneed, O Bhima, for keeping the Rakshasa alive so long? O oppressor of\nenemies, we are to go hence, and cannot stay here longer. The east is\nreddening, the morning twilight is about to set in. The Rakshasa become\nstronger by break of day, therefore, hasten, O Bhima! Play not (with thy\nvictim), but slay the terrible Rakshasa soon. During the two twilights\nRakshasas always put forth their powers of deception. Use all the strength\nof 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 of\nthe universal dissolution. And filled with rage, he quickly raised high in\nthe air the Rakshasa's body, blue as the clouds of heaven, and whirled it\na hundred times. Then addressing the cannibal, Bhima said, \"O Rakshasa,\nthy intelligence was given thee in vain, and in vain hast thou grown and\nthriven on unsanctified flesh. Thou deservest, therefore, an unholy death\nand I shall reduce thee today to nothing. I shall make this forest blessed\ntoday, like one without prickly plants. And, O Rakshasa, thou shalt no\nlonger slay human beings for thy food.\" Arjuna at this juncture, said, \"O\nBhima, if thou thinkest it a hard task for thee to overcome this Rakshasa\nin combat, let me render thee help, else, slay him thyself without loss of\ntime. Or, O Vrikodara, let me alone slay the Rakshasa. Thou art tired, and\nhast almost finished the affair. Well dost thou 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 a\nwet drum. Then the mighty Bhima, holding the body with his hands, bent it\ndouble, 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\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 of\nthat 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 of\nlove. Blessed dame, these pangs, of which Bhimasena hath been the cause,\nare torturing me. I had hitherto borne these insufferable pangs, waiting\nfor the time (when thy son could assuage them). That time is now come,\nwhen 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 again\nbring him back unto you all. When you think of me I will come to you\nimmediately and convey you whithersoever ye may command. I will rescue you\nfrom all dangers and carry you across inaccessible and uneven regions. I\nwill carry you on my back whenever ye desire to proceed with swiftness. O,\nbe gracious unto me and make Bhima accept me. It hath been said that in a\nseason of distress one should protect one's life by any means. He, that\nseeketh to discharge that duty should not scruple about the means. He,\nthat in a season of distress keepeth his virtue, is the foremost of\nvirtuous men. Indeed, distress is the greatest danger to virtue and\nvirtuous men. It is virtue that protecteth life; therefore is virtue\ncalled 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 night-\nfall.\"'\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 skies.\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 of\nforests, and on mountain-breasts overgrown with blossoming trees on lakes\nresplendent with lotuses and lilies, islands of rivers and their pebbly\nbanks, on sylvan streams with beautiful banks and mountain-currents, in\npicturesque woods with blossoming trees and creepers in Himalayan bowers,\nand various caves, on crystal pools smiling with lotuses, on sea-shores\nshining with gold and pearls, in beautiful towns and fine gardens, in\nwoods sacred to the gods and on hill-sides, in the regions of Guhyakas and\nascetics, on the banks of Manasarovara abounding with fruits and flowers\nof every season Hidimva, assuming the handsomest form, sported with Bhima\nand studied to make him happy. Endued with the speed of the mind, she\nsported with Bhima in all these regions, till in time, she conceived and\nbrought forth a mighty son begotten upon her by the Pandava. Of terrible\neyes and large mouth and straight arrowy ears, the child was terrible to\nbehold. Of lips brown as copper and sharp teeth and loud roar, of mighty\narms and great strength and excessive prowess, this child became a mighty\nbowman. Of long nose, broad chest, frightfully swelling calves, celerity\nof motion and excessive strength, he had nothing human in his countenance,\nthough born of man. And he excelled (in strength and prowess) all Pisachas\nand kindred tribes as well as all Rakshasas. And, O monarch, though a\nlittle child, he grew up a youth the very hour he was born. The mighty\nhero soon acquired high proficiency in the use of all weapons. The\nRakshasa women bring forth the very day they conceive, and capable of\nassuming any forms at will, they always change their forms. And the bald-\nheaded child, that mighty bowman, soon after his birth, bowing down to his\nmother, touched her feet and the feet also of his father. His parents then\nbestowed upon him a name. His mother having remarked that his head was\n(bald) like unto a Ghata (water-pot), both his parents thereupon called\nhim Ghatotkacha (the pot-headed). And Ghatotkacha who was exceedingly\ndevoted to the Pandavas, became a great favourite with them, indeed almost\none 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\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, and\nalso many beautiful woods and lakes therein. And they all had matted locks\non their heads and were attired in barks of trees and the skins of animals.\nIndeed, with Kunti in their company those illustrious heroes were attired\nin the garbs of ascetics. And those mighty car-warriors sometimes\nproceeded in haste, carrying their mother on their backs; and sometimes\nthey proceeded in disguise, and sometimes again with great celerity. And\nthey used to study the Rik and the other Vedas and also all the Vedangas\nas well as the sciences of morals and politics. And the Pandavas,\nconversant with the science of morals, met, in course of their wanderings\ntheir grandfather (Vyasa). And saluting the illustrious Krishna-Dwaipayana,\nthose chastisers of enemies, with their mother, stood before him with\njoined 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 you\nare all equal in my eye. But men are always partial to those who are in\nmisfortune or of tender years. It is therefore, that my affection for you\nis greater now. And in consequence of that affection, I desire to do you\ngood. Listen to me! Not far off before you is a delightful town where no\ndanger can overtake you. Live ye there in disguise, waiting for my\nreturn.\"'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Vyasa, the son of Satyavati, thus comforting the\nPandavas, 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 of\nseas, he will enjoy the sovereignty thereof. Thy sons as well as those of\nMadri--mighty car-warriors all--will cheerfully sport as pleaseth them in\ntheir 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 luxury\nand 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\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 beheld (in course of their wanderings)\nvarious delightful forests and earthly regions, and many rivers and lakes,\nand they became great favourites of the inhabitants of that town in\nconsequence of their own accomplishments. At nightfall they placed before\nKunti all they gathered in their mendicant tours, and Kunti used to divide\nthe whole amongst them, each taking what was allotted to him. And those\nheroic chastisers of foes, with their mother, together took one moiety of\nthe whole, while the mighty Bhima alone took the other moiety. In this way,\nO bull of Bharata's race, the illustrious Pandavas lived there for some\ntime.\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 heart,\ncould not bear it with indifference. Afflicted with sorrow, the amiable\nPritha, addressing Bhima, said these words full of compassion. \"Our woes\nassuaged, we are, O son, living happily in the house of this Brahmana,\nrespected by him and unknown to Dhritarashtra's son. O son, I always think\nof the good I should do to this Brahmana, like what they do that live\nhappily in others' abodes! O child, he is a true man upon whom favours are\nnever lost. He payeth back to others more than what he receiveth at their\nhands. There is no doubt, some affliction hath overtaken this Brahmana. If\nwe could be of any help to him, we should then 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. Learning\nall about it, relieve it I will however difficult may the task prove.\"\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 apartments\nof that illustrious Brahmana, like unto a cow running towards her tethered\ncalf. She beheld the Brahmana with his wife, son and daughter, sitting\nwith a woeful face, and she heard the Brahmana say, \"Oh, fie on this\nearthly life which is hollow as the reed and so fruitless after all which\nis based on sorrow and hath no freedom, and which hath misery for its lot!\nLife is sorrow and disease; life is truly a record of misery! The soul is\none: but it hath to pursue virtue, wealth and pleasure. And because these\nare pursued at one and the same time, there frequently occurs a\ndisagreement that is the source of much misery. Some say that salvation is\nthe highest object of our desire. But I believe it can never be attained.\nThe acquisition of wealth is hell; the pursuit of wealth is attended with\nmisery; there is more misery after one has acquired it, for one loves\none's possessions, and if any mishap befalls them, the possessor becomes\nafflicted with woe. I do not see by what means I can escape from this\ndanger, nor how I can fly hence, with my wife to some region free from\ndanger. Remember, O wife, that I endeavoured to migrate to some other\nplace where we would be happy, but thou didst not then listen to me.\nThough frequently solicited by me, thou, O simple woman, said to me, 'I\nhave been born here, and here have I grown old; this is my ancestral\nhomestead.' Thy venerable father, O wife, and thy mother also, have, a\nlong time ago, ascended to heaven. Thy relations also had all been dead.\nOh why then didst thou yet like to live here? Led by affection for thy\nrelatives thou didst not then hear what I said. But the time is now come\nwhen thou art to witness the death of a relative. Oh, how sad is that\nspectacle for me! Or perhaps the time is come for my own death, for I\nshall never be able to abandon cruelly one of my own as long as I myself\nam alive. Thou art my helpmate in all good deeds, self-denying and always\naffectionate unto me as a mother. The gods have given thee to me as a true\nfriend and thou art ever my prime stay. Thou hast, by my parents, been\nmade the participator in my domestic concerns. Thou art of pure lineage\nand good disposition, the mother of children, devoted to me, and so\ninnocent; having chosen and wedded thee with due rites, I cannot abandon\nthee, my wife, so constant in thy vows, to save my life. How shall I\nmyself be able to sacrifice my son a child of tender years and yet without\nthe hirsute appendages (of manhood)? How shall I sacrifice my daughter\nwhom I have begotten myself, who hath been placed, as a pledge, in my\nhands by the Creator himself for bestowal on a husband and through whom I\nhope to enjoy, along with my ancestors, the regions attainable by those\nonly that have daughters' sons? Some people think that the father's\naffection for a son is greater; others, that his affection for a daughter\nis greater; mine, however, is equal. How can I be prepared to give up the\ninnocent daughter upon whom rest the regions of bliss obtainable by me in\nafter life and my own lineage and perpetual happiness? If, again, I\nsacrifice myself and go to the other world, I should scarcely know any\npeace, for, indeed, it is evident that, left by me these would not be able\nto support life. The sacrifice of any of these would be cruel and\ncensurable. On the other hand, if I sacrifice myself, these, without me,\nwill certainly perish. The distress into which I have fallen is great; nor\ndo I know the means of escape. Alas, what course shall I take today with\nmy near ones. It is well that I should die with all these, for I can live\nno longer.\"'\"\n\n\nSECTION CLX\n\n(Vaka-vadha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'On hearing these words of the Brahmana, his wife said,\n\"Thou shouldst not, O Brahmana, grieve like an ordinary man. Nor is this\nthe time for mourning. Thou hast learning; thou knowest that all men are\nsure to die; none should grieve for that which is inevitable. Wife, son,\nand 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 go\nthere. This indeed, is the highest and the eternal duty of a woman, viz.,\nthat by sacrificing her life she should seek the good of her husband. Such\nan act done by me will make thee happy, and bring me fame in this world\nand eternal bliss hereafter. This, indeed, is the highest virtue that I\ntell thee, and thou mayest, by this, acquire both virtue and happiness.\nThe object for which one desireth a wife hath already been achieved by\nthee through me. I have borne thee a daughter and a son and thus been\nfreed from the debt I had owed thee. Thou art well able to support and\ncherish the children, but I however, can never support and cherish them\nlike thee. Thou art my life, wealth, and lord; bereft of thee, how shall\nthese children of tender years--how also shall I myself, exist? Widowed\nand masterless, with two children depending on me, how shall I, without\nthee, keep alive the pair, myself leading an honest life? If the daughter\nof thine is solicited (in marriage) by persons dishonourable and vain and\nunworthy of contracting an alliance with thee, how shall I be able to\nprotect the girl? Indeed, as birds seek with avidity for meat that hath\nbeen thrown away on the ground, so do men solicit a woman that hath lost\nher husband. O best of Brahmanas, solicited by wicked men, I may waver and\nmay not be able to continue in the path that is desired by all honest men.\nHow shall I be able to place this sole daughter of thy house--this\ninnocent girl--in the way along which her ancestors have always walked?\nHow shall I then be able to impart unto this child every desirable\naccomplishment to make him virtuous as thyself, in that season of want\nwhen I shall become masterless? Overpowering myself who shall be\nmasterless, unworthy persons will demand (the hand of) this daughter of\nthine, like Sudras desiring to hear the Vedas. And if I bestow not upon\nthem this girl possessing thy blood and qualities, they may even take her\naway by force, like crows carrying away the sacrificial butter. And\nbeholding thy son become so unlike to thee, and thy daughter placed under\nthe control of some unworthy persons, I shall be despised in the world by\neven persons that are dishonourable, and I will certainly die. These\nchildren also, bereft of me and thee, their father, will, I doubt not,\nperish like fish when the water drieth up. There is no doubt that bereft\nof thee the three will perish: therefore it behoveth thee to sacrifice me.\nO Brahmana, persons conversant with morals have said that for women that\nhave borne children, to predecease their lords is an act of the highest\nmerit. Ready am I to abandon this son and this daughter, these my\nrelations, and life itself, for thee. For a woman to be ever employed in\ndoing agreeable offices to her lord is a higher duty than sacrifices,\nasceticism, vows, and charities of every description. The act, therefore,\nwhich I intend to perform is consonant with the highest virtue and is for\nthy good and that of thy race. The wise have declared that children and\nrelatives and wife and all things held dear are cherished for the purpose\nof liberating one's self from danger and distress. One must guard one's\nwealth for freeing one's self from danger, and it is by his wealth that he\nshould cherish and protect his wife. But he must protect his own self both\nby (means of) his wife and his wealth. The learned have enunciated the\ntruth that one's wife, son, wealth, and house, are acquired with the\nintention of providing against accidents, foreseen or unforeseen. The wise\nhave also said that all one's relations weighed against one's own self\nwould not be equal unto one's self. Therefore, revered sir, protect thy\nown self by abandoning me. O, give me leave to sacrifice myself, and\ncherish thou my children. Those that are conversant with the morals have,\nin their 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 borne\nthee children and have also grown old; I am ever desirous of doing good to\nthee; remembering all these I have come to this resolution. O revered sir,\nabandoning me thou mayest obtain another wife. By her thou mayest again\nacquire religious merit. There is no sin in this. For a man polygamy is an\nact of merit, but for a woman it is very sinful to betake herself to a\nsecond husband after the first. Considering all this, and remembering too\nthat sacrifice of thy own self is censurable, O, liberate today without\nloss of time thy own self, thy race, and these thy children (by abandoning\nme).\"'\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\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 after\nyou? O, listen to me and do what may be proper. There is little doubt that\nyou are bound in duty to abandon me at a certain time. Sure to abandon me\nonce, O, abandon me now and save every thing at the expense of me alone.\nMen desire to have children, thinking that children would save them (in\nthis world as well as in the region hereafter). O, cross the stream of\nyour difficulties by means of my poor self, as if I were a raft. A child\nrescueth his parents in this and the other regions; therefore is the child\ncalled by the learned Putra (rescuer). The ancestors desire daughter's\nsons from me (as a special means of salvation). But (without waiting for\nmy children) I myself will rescue them by protecting the life of my father.\nThis my brother is of tender years, so there is little doubt that he will\nperish if thou diest now. If thou, my father, diest and my brother\nfolloweth thee, the funeral cake of the Pitris will be suspended and they\nwill be greatly injured. Left behind by my father and brother, and by my\nmother also (for she will not survive her husband and son) I shall be\nplunged deeper and deeper in woe and ultimately perish in great distress.\nThere can be little doubt that if thou escape from this danger as also my\nmother and infant brother, then thy race and the (ancestral) cake will be\nperpetuated. The son is one's own self; the wife is one's friend; the\ndaughter, however, is the source of trouble. Do thou save thyself,\ntherefore, by removing that source of trouble, and do thou thereby set me\nin the path of virtue. As I am a girl, O father, destitute of thee, I\nshall be helpless and plunged in woe, and shall have to go everywhere. It\nis therefore that I am resolved to rescue my father's race and share the\nmerit of that act by accomplishing this difficult task. If thou, O best of\nBrahmanas, goest thither (unto the Rakshasa), leaving me here, then I\nshall be very much pained. Therefore, O father, be kind to me. O thou best\nof men, for our sake, for that of virtue and also thy race, save thyself,\nabandoning me, whom at one time thou shall be constrained to part from.\nThere need be no delay, O father, in doing that which is inevitable. What\ncan be more painful than that, when thou hast ascended to heaven, we shall\nhave to go about begging our food, like dogs, from strangers. But if thou\nart with thy relations from these difficulties, I shall then live happily\nin the region of the celestials. It hath been heard by us that if after\nbestowing thy daughter in this way, thou offerest oblations to the gods\nand the celestials, they will certainly be propitious.\"'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'The Brahmana and his wife, hearing these various\nlamentations of their daughter, became sadder than before and the three\nbegan to weep together. Their son, then, of tender years, beholding them\nand their daughter thus weeping together, lisped these words in a sweet\ntone, his eyes having dilated with delight, \"Weep not, O father, nor thou,\nO mother, nor thou O sister!\" And smilingly did the child approach each of\nthem, and at last taking up a blade of grass said in glee, \"With this will\nI slay the Rakshasa who eateth human beings!\" Although all of them had\nbeen plunged in woe, yet hearing what the child lisped so sweetly, joy\nappeared on their faces. Then Kunti thinking that to be the proper\nopportunity, approached the group and said these words. Indeed, her words\nrevived them as nectar reviveth a person that is dead.'\"\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 Vaka,\nwhich cannibal is the lord of this country and town. Thriving on human\nflesh, that wretched Rakshasa endued with great strength ruleth this\ncountry. He being the chief of the Asuras, this town and the country in\nwhich it is situate are protected by his might. We have no fear from the\nmachinations of any enemy, or indeed from any living soul. The fee,\nhowever, fixed for that cannibal is his food, which consists of a cart-\nload of rice, two buffaloes, and a human being who conveyeth them unto him.\nOne after another, the house-holders have to send him this food. The turn,\nhowever, cometh to a particular family at intervals of many long years. If\nthere are any that seek to avoid it, the Rakshasa slayeth them with their\nchildren and wives and devoureth them all. There is, in this country, a\ncity called Vetrakiya, where liveth the king of these territories. He is\nignorant of the science of government, and possessed of little\nintelligence, he adopts not with care any measure by which these\nterritories may be rendered safe for all time to come. But we certainly\ndeserve it all, inasmuch as we live within the dominion of that wretched\nand weak monarch in perpetual anxiety. Brahmanas can never be made to\ndwell permanently within the dominions of any one, for they are dependent\non nobody, they live rather like birds ranging all countries in perfect\nfreedom. It hath been said that one must secure a (good) king, then a wife,\nand then wealth. It is by the acquisition of these three that one can\nrescue his relatives and sons. But as regards the acquisition of these\nthree, the course of my actions hath been the reverse. Hence, plunged into\na sea of danger, I am suffering sorely. That turn, destructive of one's\nfamily, hath now devolved upon me. I shall have to give unto the Rakshasa\nas his fee the food of the aforesaid description and one human being to\nboot. I have no wealth to buy a man with. I cannot by any means consent to\npart with any one of my family, nor do I see any way of escape from (the\nclutches of) that Rakshasa. I am now sunk in an ocean of grief from which\nthere is no escape. I shall go to that Rakshasa today, attended by all my\nfamily in order that that wretch might devour us all at once.'\"\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 one\nof 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 and\nof sinful practices refuse to do (what thou askest me to do). It is said\nthat one should sacrifice one's self and one's offspring for the benefit\nof a Brahmana. I regard this advice excellent and I like to follow it too.\nWhen I have to choose between the death of a Brahmana and that of my own,\nI would prefer the latter. The killing of a Brahmana is the highest sin,\nand there is no expiation for it. I think a reluctant sacrifice of one's\nown self is better than the reluctant sacrifice of a Brahmana. O blessed\nlady, in sacrificing myself I do not become guilty of self-destruction. No\nsin can attach to me when another will take my life. But if I deliberately\nconsent to the death of a Brahmana, it would be a cruel and sinful act,\nfrom the consequence of which there is no escape. The learned have said\nthat the abandonment of one who hath come to thy house or sought thy\nprotection, as also the killing of one who seeketh death at thy hands, is\nboth cruel and sinful. The illustrious among those conversant with\npractices allowable in seasons of distress, have before now said that one\nshould never perform an act that is cruel and censurable. It is well for\nme that I should today perish myself with my wife, but I would never\nsanction 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 of\nobtaining this power, will, from curiosity, always trouble my sons. The\nwise have said that if my son imparteth any knowledge, without the assent\nof his preceptor, unto any person, my son himself will no longer be able\nto 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\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 Bhima\nof terrible prowess seeketh to accomplish? Doth he do so at thy command or\nof his own accord?\" Kunti replied, \"Bhima, that chastiser of foes, will at\nmy command, do this great deed for the good of the Brahmana and the\nliberation 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 mother,\nwish to sacrifice thy own child for the sake of another's? Thou hast, O\nmother, by this abandonment of thy child, acted not only against the\ncourse of human practices but also against the teachings of the Vedas.\nThat Bhima, relying on whose arms we sleep happily in the night and hope\nto recover the kingdom of which we have been deprived by the covetous son\nof Dhritarashtra, that hero of immeasurable energy, remembering whose\nprowess Duryodhana and Sakuni do not sleep a wink during the whole night\nand by whose prowess we were rescued from the palace of lac and various\nother dangers, that Bhima who caused the death of Purochana, and relying\non whose might we regard ourselves as having already slain the sons of\nDhritarashtra and acquired the whole earth with all her wealth, upon what\nconsiderations, O mother, hast thou resolved upon abandoning him? Hast\nthou been deprived of thy reason? Hath thy understanding been clouded by\nthe 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, and\nwith our sorrows assuaged, we have, O son, been living in the house of\nthis Brahmana, unknown to the sons of Dhritarashtra. For requiting, O son,\nthat Brahmana, I have resolved to do this. He, indeed, is a man upon whom\ngood offices are never lost. The measure of his requital becometh greater\nthan the measure of the services he receiveth. Beholding the prowess of\nBhima on the occasion of (our escape from) the house of lac, and from the\ndestruction also of Hidimva, my confidence in Vrikodara is great. The\nmight of Bhima's arms is equal unto that of ten thousand elephants. It was,\ntherefore, that he succeeded in carrying you all, each heavy as an\nelephant, from Varanavata. There is no one on earth equal unto Bhima in\nmight; he may even overcome that foremost of warriors, the holder of the\nthunderbolt himself. Soon after his birth he fell from my lap on the\nbreast of the mountain. By the weight of his body the mass of stone on\nwhich he fell down broke in pieces. From this also, O son of Pandu, I have\ncome to know Bhima's might. For this reason have I resolved to set him\nagainst the Brahmana's foe. I have not acted in this from foolishness or\nignorance or from motive of gain. I have deliberately resolved to do this\nvirtuous deed. By this act, O Yudhishthira, two objects will be\naccomplished; one is a requital of the services rendered by the Brahmana\nand the other is the acquisition of high religious merit. It is my\nconviction that the Kshatriya who rendereth help unto a Brahmana in\nanything 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\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, the\nson of Pandu, taking with him the Rakshasa's food set out for the place\nwhere the cannibal lived. The mighty son of Pandu, approaching the forest\nwhere the Rakshasa dwelt, began to eat himself the food he carried,\ncalling loudly to the Rakshasa by name. The Rakshasa, inflamed with anger\nat Bhima's words, came out and approached the place where Bhima was.\n\n\"'Of huge body and great strength, of red eyes, red beard, and red hair, he\nwas 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 cannibal\nuttered a frightful yell and with both arms upraised ran at Bhima desiring\nto kill him, there and then. Even then disregarding the Rakshasa and\ncasting only a single glance at him, Vrikodara, that slayer of hostile\nheroes continued to eat the Rakshasa's food. Filled with wrath at this,\nthe Rakshasa struck from behind with both his arms a heavy blow on the\nback of Vrikodara, the son of Kunti. But Bhima, though struck heavily by\nthe mighty Rakshasa, with both his hands, did not even look up at the\nRakshasa 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 eaten\nup the whole of that food and washing himself stood cheerfully for fight.\nThen, O Bharata, possessed of great energy, Bhima, smiling in derision,\ncaught with his left hand the tree hurled at him by the Rakshasa in wrath.\nThen that mighty Rakshasa, tearing up many more trees, hurled them at\nBhima, and the Pandava also hurled as many at the Rakshasa. Then, O king,\nthe combat with trees between that human being and the Rakshasa, became so\nterrible that the region around soon became destitute of trees. Then the\nRakshasa, saying that he was none else than Vaka, sprang upon the Pandava\nand seized the mighty Bhima with his arms. That mighty hero also clasping\nwith his own strong arms the strong-armed Rakshasa, and exerting himself\nactively, began to drag him violently. Dragged by Bhima and dragging Bhima\nalso, the cannibal was overcome with great fatigue. The earth began to\ntremble in consequence of the strength they both exerted, and large trees\nthat stood there broke in pieces. Then Bhima, beholding the cannibal\novercome with fatigue, pressed him down on the earth with his knees and\nbegan to strike him with great force. Then placing one knee on the middle\nof the Rakshasa's back, Bhima seized his neck with his right hand and the\ncloth on his waist with his left, and bent him double with great force.\nThe cannibal then roared frightfully. And, O monarch, he also began to\nvomit blood while he was being thus broken on Bhima's knee.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXVI\n\n(Vaka-vadha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said 'Then Vaka, huge as a mountain, thus broken (on Bhima's\nknee), died, uttering frightful yells. Terrified by these sounds, the\nrelatives of that Rakshasa came out, O king, with their attendants. Bhima,\nthat foremost of smiters, seeing them so terrified and deprived of reason,\ncomforted them and made them promise (to give up cannibalism), saying, \"Do\nnot ever again kill human beings. If ye kill men, ye will have to die even\nas Vaka.\" Those Rakshasas hearing this speech of Bhima, said, \"So be it,\"\nand gave, O king, the desired promise. From that day, O Bharata, the\nRakshasas (of the region) were seen by the inhabitants of that town to be\nvery peaceful towards mankind. Then Bhima, dragging the lifeless cannibal,\nplaced him at one of the gates of the town and went away unobserved by any\none. The kinsmen of Vaka, beholding him slain by the might of Bhima,\nbecame 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 the\nground, the hair of the spectators stood erect. Returning to Ekachakra,\nthey soon gave the intelligence. Then, O king, the citizens by thousands\naccompanied by their wives, young and old, all began to come to the spot\nfor beholding the Vaka and they were all amazed at seeing that superhuman\nfeat. Instantly, O monarch, they began to pray to their gods. Then they\nbegan to calculate whose turn it had been the day before to carry food to\nthe Rakshasa. And ascertaining this, they all came to that Brahmana and\nasked him (to satisfy their curiosity). Thus asked by them repeatedly,\nthat bull among Brahmanas, desirous of concealing the Pandavas, said these\nwords unto all the citizens, \"A certain high-souled Brahmana, skilled in\nmantras, beheld me weeping with my relatives after I had been ordered to\nsupply the Rakshasa's food. Asking me the cause and ascertaining the\ndistress of the town, that first of Brahmanas gave me every assurance and\nwith smiles said, 'I shall carry the food for that wretched Rakshasa today.\nDo not fear for me.' Saying this he conveyed the food towards the forest\nof Vaka. This deed, so beneficial unto us all, hath very certainly been\ndone by him.\"\n\n\"'Then 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\nSECTION CLXVII\n\n(Chaitraratha Parva)\n\n\"'After 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 Vaka,\ncontinued to dwell in the abode of that Brahmana, employed in the study of\nthe Vedas. Within a few days there came a Brahmana of rigid vows unto the\nabode of their host to take up his quarters there. Their host, that bull\namong Brahmanas, ever hospitable unto all guests, worshipping the newly-\narrived Brahmana with due ceremonies, gave him quarters in his own abode.\nThen those bulls among men, the Pandavas, with their mother Kunti,\nsolicited the new lodger to narrate to them his interesting experiences.\nThe Brahmana spake to them of various countries and shrines and (holy)\nrivers, of kings and many wonderful provinces and cities. And after this\nnarration was over, that Brahmana, O Janamejaya, also spoke of the\nwonderful self-choice of Yajnasena's daughter, the princess of Panchala,\nand of the births of Dhrishtadyumna and Sikhandi, and of the birth,\nwithout the intervention of a woman, of Krishna (Draupadi) at the great\nsacrifice 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 concluded,\nto satisfy their curiosity. The Pandavas said, \"How, O Brahmana, did the\nbirth of Dhrishtadyumna the son of Drupada, take place from the\n(sacrificial) fire? How also did the extraordinary birth of Krishna take\nplace from the centre of the sacrificial platform? How also did Drupada's\nson learn all weapons from the great bowman Drona? And, O Brahmana, how\nand for whom and for what reason was the friendship between Drona and\nDrupada broken off?\"'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus questioned, O monarch, by those bulls among\nmen, the Brahmana narrated all the particulars about the birth of\nDraupadi.'\"\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 out.\nAnd as it came out, he held it in a pot (drana), and of that fluid thus\npreserved in a pot was born a son who came to be called Drona (the pot-\nborn). And Drona studied all the Vedas and their several branches. And\nBharadwaja had a friend named Prishata who was the king of Panchalas. And\nabout the time that Drona was born, Prishata also obtained a son named\nDrupada. And that bull amongst Kshatriyas, Prishata's son, going every day\nto that asylum of Bharadwaja, played and studied with Drona. And after\nPrishata's death, Drupada succeeded him on the throne. Drona about this\ntime heard that (the great Brahmana hero) Rama (on the eve of his retiring\ninto the woods) was resolved to give away all his wealth. Hearing this,\nthe son of Bharadwaja repaired unto Rama who was about to retire into the\nwoods and addressing him, said, 'O best of Brahmanas, know me to be Drona\nwho hath come to thee to obtain thy wealth.' Rama replied, saying, 'I have\ngiven away everything. All that I now have is this body of mine and my\nweapons. O Brahmana, thou mayest ask of me one of these two, either my\nbody or my weapons.' Then Drona said, 'It behoveth thee, sir, to give me\nall thy weapons together with (the mysteries of) their use and\nwithdrawal.'\"\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 said,\n'One of low birth can never be the friend of one whose lineage is pure,\nnor can one who is not a car-warrior have a car-warrior for his friend. So\nalso one who is not a king cannot have a king as his friend. Why dost thou,\ntherefore, 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 it.'--\nAfter a time when the Pandavas became skilled in arms and sure aims,\ndemanding of them his fee, he again told them these words, 'Drupada, the\nson of Prishata, is the king of Chhatravati. Take away from him his\nkingdom, and give it unto me.' Then the Pandavas, defeating Drupada in\nbattle and taking him prisoner along with his ministers, offered him unto\nDrona, who beholding the vanquished monarch, said, 'O king, I again\nsolicit thy friendship; and because none who is not a king deserveth to be\nthe friend of a king, therefore, O Yajnasena, I am resolved to divide thy\nkingdom amongst ourselves. While thou art the king of the country to the\nsouth of Bhagirathi (Ganga), I will rule the country to the north.'\"\n\n\"'The Brahmana continued, \"The king of the Panchalas, thus addressed by the\nwise son of Bharadwaja, told that best of Brahmanas and foremost of all\npersons 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 single\nmoment. Sad at heart, the king began to waste away.\"'\"\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. Wandering\nalong the banks of the Yamuna and the Ganga, the monarch once came upon a\nsacred asylum of Brahmanas. There was in that asylum no Brahmana who was\nnot a Snataka, no one who was not of rigid vows, and none who was not\nvirtuous to a high degree. And the king saw there two Brahmana sages named\nYaja and Upayaja, both of rigid vows and souls under complete control and\nbelonging to the most superior order. They were both devoted to the study\nof the ancient institutes and sprung from the race of Kasyapa. And those\nbest of Brahmanas were well able to help the king in the attainment of his\nobject. The king then, with great assiduity and singleness of purpose,\nbegan to court this pair of excellent Brahmanas. Ascertaining the superior\naccomplishments of the younger of the two the king courted in private\nUpayaja of rigid vows, by the offer of every desirable acquisition.\nEmployed in paying homage to the feet of Upayaja, always addressing in\nsweet words and offering him every object of human desire, Drupada, after\nworshipping that Brahmana, addressed him (one day), saying, 'O Upayaja, O\nBrahmana, if thou, performest those sacrificial rites by (virtue of) which\nI may obtain a son who may slay Drona, I promise thee ten thousand kine,\nor whatever else may be agreeable to thee, O first of Brahmanas, truly am\nI ready to make gifts to thee.' Thus addressed by the king, the Rishi\nreplied, saying, 'I cannot (perform such rites).' But Drupada without\naccepting this reply as final, once more began to serve and pay homage\nunto that Brahmana. Then, after the expiration of a year, Upayaja, that\nfirst of Brahmanas, O monarch, addressing Drupada in sweet tone, said, 'My\nelder brother (Yaja), one day, while wandering through the deep woods,\ntook up a fruit that had fallen upon a spot the purity of which he cared\nnot to enquire about. I was following him (at the time) and observed this\nunworthy act of his. Indeed, he entertains no scruples in accepting things\nimpure. In accepting that (particular) fruit he saw not any impropriety of\nsinful nature: Indeed, he who observeth not purity (in one instance) is\nnot very likely to observe it in the other instances. When he lived in the\nhouse of his preceptor, employed in studying the institutes, he always\nused to eat (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 of\nYaja, nevertheless went to his abode. Worshipping Yaja who was (still)\nworthy of homage, Drupada said unto him, 'O master, perform thou spiritual\noffices for me and I will give thee eighty thousand kine! Enmity with\nDrona burneth my heart; it behoveth thee therefore to cool that heart of\nmine. Foremost of those conversant with the Vedas, Drona is also skilled\nin the Brahma weapon and for this, Drona hath overcome me in a contest\narising from (impaired) friendship. Gifted with great intelligence, the\nson of Bharadwaja is (now) the chief preceptor of the Kurus. There is no\nKshatriya in this world superior to him. His bow is full six cubits long\nand looks formidable, and his shafts are capable of slaying every living\nbeing. That great bowman, the high-souled son of Bharadwaja, habited as a\nBrahmana, is destroying the Kshatriya power all over the earth. Indeed, he\nis like a second Jamadagnya intended for the extermination of the\nKshatriya race. There is no man on earth who can overcome the terrible\nforce of his weapons. Like a blazing fire fed with clarified butter, Drona,\npossessed of Brahma might and uniting it with Kshatriya might, consumeth\nevery antagonist in battle. But (thy) Brahma force is greater in itself\nthan (Drona's) Brahma force united with Kshatriya might. Therefore, as I\nam inferior (to Drona) in consequence of my possession of Kshatriya might\nalone, I solicit the aid of thy Brahma force, having obtained thee so\nsuperior to Drona in knowledge of Brahma. O Yaja, perform that sacrifice\nby means of which I may obtain a son invincible in battle and capable of\nslaying Drona. Ready am I to give thee ten thousand kine.' Hearing these\nwords of Drupada, Yaja said, 'So be it.' Yaja then began to recollect the\nvarious ceremonies appertaining to the particular sacrifice. And knowing\nthe affair to be a very grave one, he asked the assistance of Upayaja who\ncoveted nothing. Then Yaja promised to perform the sacrifice for the\ndestruction of Drona. Then the great ascetic Upayaja spoke unto king\nDrupada of everything required for the grand sacrifice (by aid of fire)\nfrom which the king was to obtain offspring. And he said, 'O king, a child\nshall be born unto thee, endued, as thou desirest, with great prowess,\ngreat 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 wish,\nto make the necessary preparations. (And when everything was complete)\nYaja, after having poured libations of clarified butter on the sacrificial\nfire, commanded Drupada's queen, saying, 'Come hither, O queen, O daughter-\nin-law of Prishata! A son and a daughter have arrived for thee!' Hearing\nthis, the queen said, 'O Brahmana, my mouth is yet filled with saffron and\nother perfumed things. My body also beareth many sweet scents; I am hardly\nfit for accepting (the sanctified butter which is to give me offspring).\nWait for me a little, O Yaja! Wait for that happy consummation.' Yaja,\nhowever, replied, 'O lady, whether thou comest or waitest, why should not\nthe object of this sacrifice be accomplished when the oblation hath\nalready been prepared by me and sanctified by Upayaja'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 resembling\na celestial who possessing the effulgence of fire, was terrible to behold.\nWith a crown on this head and his body encased in excellent armour, sword\nin hand, and bearing a bow and arrows, he frequently sent forth loud roars.\nAnd immediately after his birth, he ascended an excellent chariot and went\nabout in it for some time. Then the Panchalas in great joy shouted,\n'Excellent, Excellent.' The very earth seemed at that time unable to bear\nthe weight of the Panchalas mad with joy. Then, marvellous to say, the\nvoice of some invisible spirit in the skies said, 'This prince hath been\nborn for the destruction of Drona. He shall dispel all the fears of the\nPanchalas and spread their fame. He shall also remove the sorrow of the\nking.' And there arose, after this from the centre of the sacrificial\nplatform, a daughter also, called Panchali, who, blest with great good\nfortune, was exceedingly handsome. Her eyes were black, and large as lotus-\npetals, her complexion was dark, and her locks were blue and curly. Her\nnails were beautifully convex, and bright as burnished copper; her eye-\nbrows were fair, and bosom was deep. Indeed, she resembled the veritable\ndaughter of a celestial born among men. Her body gave out fragrance like\nthat of a blue lotus, perceivable from a distance of full two miles. Her\nbeauty was such that she had no equal on earth. Like a celestial herself,\nshe could be desired (in marriage) by a celestial, a Danava, or a Yaksha.\nWhen this girl of fair hips was born an incorporeal voice said, 'This dark-\ncomplexioned girl will be the first of all women, and she will be the\ncause of the destruction of many Kshatriyas. This slender-waisted one will,\nin time, accomplish the purpose of the gods, and along with her many a\ndanger will overtake the Kauravas.' On hearing these words, the Panchalas\nuttered a loud leonine roar, and the earth was unable to bear the weight\nof that joyous 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, be\ncalled Dhrishtadyumna, because of his excessive audacity and because of\nhis being born like Dyumna with a natural mail and weapon.' And they also\nsaid, '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 kingdom\nhe had formerly taken from Drupada. The high-souled son of Bharadwaja,\nregarding destiny to be inevitable, did what would perpetuate his own\ngreat deeds.\"'\"\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, beholding\nall her sons listless and inattentive, addressed Yudhishthira and said,\n\"We have now lived many nights in the abode of this Brahmana. We have\npassed our time pleasantly in this town, living on the alms obtained from\nmany honest and illustrious persons. O oppressor of foes, as we have now\nseen often and often all the agreeable woods and gardens that are in this\npart of the country, seeing them again would no longer give any pleasure.\nO heroic scion of Kuru's race, alms also are not now obtainable here as\neasily as before. If thou wishest it would be well for us now to go to\nPanchala; we have not seen that country, it will, no doubt, O hero, prove\ndelightful to us. O crusher of foes, it hath been heard by us that alms\nare obtainable in the country of the Panchala, and that Yajnasena, the\nking thereof, is devoted to Brahmanas. I am of opinion that it is not good\nto live long in one place. Therefore, O son, if thou likest, it is good\nfor 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\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 the\npath 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 the god Sankara (Mahadeva),\nwho became propitious unto her and said unto that illustrious damsel, 'Ask\nthou the boon thou desirest! Blest be thou! I am Sankara prepared to give\nthee what thou wilt ask.' Desirous of benefiting herself, the maid\nrepeatedly said unto the supreme lord, 'O give me, a husband endued with\nevery accomplishment.' Then Isana (Mahadeva), that foremost of all\nspeakers, replied unto her, saying, 'O blessed one, thou shall have five\nhusbands from among the Bharata princes.' Thus told, the maiden said unto\nthe god who had given her that boon, 'O lord, I desire to have only one\nhusband through thy grace.' The god then addressed her again and said\nthese excellent words, 'Thou hast, O girl, said full five times, \"Give me\n(a) husband.\" Thou shalt, therefore, in another life have five husbands!'\nYe princes of Bharata's line, that damsel of celestial beauty hath been\nborn in the line of Drupada. The faultless Krishna of Prishata's line hath\nbeen appointed to be the wife of you all. Ye mighty ones, go therefore, to\nthe capital of the Panchalas and dwell ye there. There is no doubt that\nhaving obtained her as wife ye shall be very happy.\"'\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\nSECTION CLXXII\n\n(Chaitraratha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'After Vyasa had gone away, those bulls among men, the\nPandavas, saluted the Brahmana and bade him farewell, and proceeded\n(towards Panchala) with joyous hearts and with their mother walking before\nthem. Those slayers of all foes, in order to reach their destination,\nproceeded in a due northerly direction, walking day and night till they\nreached a sacred shrine of Siva with the crescent mark on his brow. Then\nthose tigers among men, the sons of Pandu, arrived at the banks of the\nGanga, Dhananjaya, that mighty car-warrior, walking before them, torch in\nhand, for showing the way and guarding them (against wild animals). And it\nso happened that at that time the proud king of the Gandharvas, with his\nwives, was sporting in that solitary region in the delightful waters of\nthe Ganga. The king of the Gandharvas heard the tread of the Pandavas as\nthey approached the river. On hearing the sounds of their foot-steps, the\nmighty Gandharvas were inflamed with wrath, and beholding those chastisers\nof foes, the Pandavas, approach towards him with their mother, he drew his\nfrightful bow to a circle and said, \"It is known that excepting the first\nforty seconds the grey twilight preceding nightfall hath been appointed\nfor the wandering of the Yakshas, the Gandharvas and the Rakshasas, all of\nwhom are capable of going everywhere at will. The rest of the time hath\nbeen appointed for man to do his work. If therefore, men, wandering during\nthose moments from greed of gain, come near us, both we and the Rakshasas\nslay those fools. Therefore, persons acquainted with the Vedas never\napplaud those men--not even kings at the head of their troops--who\napproach any pools of water at such a time. Stay ye at a distance, and\napproach me not. Know ye not that I am bathing in the waters of the\nBhagirathi? Know that I am Angaraparna the Gandharva, ever relying on my\nown strength! I am proud and haughty and am the friend of Kuvera. This my\nforest on the banks of the Ganga, where I sport to gratify all my senses,\nis called Angaraparna after my own name. Here neither gods, nor Kapalikas,\nnor Gandharvas nor Yakshas, can come. How dare ye approach me who am the\nbrightest jewel on the diadem of Kuvera?\"\n\n\"'Hearing these words of the Gandharva, Arjuna said, \"Blockhead, whether it\nbe day, night, or twilight, who can bar others from the ocean, the sides\nof the Himalayas, and this river? O ranger of the skies, whether the\nstomach be empty or full, whether it is night or day, there is no special\ntime for anybody to come to the Ganga--that foremost of all rivers. As\nregards ourselves endued with might, we care not when we disturb thee.\nWicked being, those who are weak in fighting worship thee. This Ganga,\nissuing out of the golden peaks of Himavat, falleth into the waters of the\nocean, being distributed into seven streams. They who drink the waters of\nthese seven streams, viz., Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, Vitashtha, Sarayu,\nGomati, and Gandaki, are cleansed of all their sins. O Gandharva, this\nsacred Ganga again, flowing through the celestial region is called there\nthe Alakananda. It hath again in the region of the Pitris become the\nVaitarani, difficult of being crossed by sinners, and, Krishna-Dwaipayana\nhimself hath said so. The auspicious and celestial river, capable of\nleading to heaven (them that touch its waters), is free from all dangers.\nWhy dost thou then desire to bar us from it? This act of thine is not in\nconsonance with eternal virtue. Disregarding thy words, why shall we not\ntouch the sacred waters of the Bhagirathi free from all dangers and from\nwhich 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, warded\noff all those arrows and addressing the Gandharva again said, \"O Gandharva,\nseek not to terrify those that are skilled in weapons, for weapons hurled\nat them vanish like froth. I think, O Gandharva, that ye are superior (in\nprowess) to men; therefore shall I fight with thee, using celestial\nweapons and not with any crooked means. This fiery weapon (that I shall\nhurl at thee), Vrihaspati the revered preceptor of Indra, gave unto\nBharadwaja, from whom it was obtained by Agnivesya, and from Agnivesya by\nmy preceptor, that foremost of Brahmanas, Drona, who gave it away 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 his\nbrothers. Beholding this, that Gandharva's wife Kumbhinasi, desirous of\nsaving her husband, ran towards Yudhishthira and sought his protection.\nThe Gandharvi said, \"O exalted one, extend to me thy protection! O, set my\nhusband free! O lord, I am Kumbhinasi by name, the wife of this Gandharva,\nwho seeketh thy protection!\" Beholding her (so afflicted), the mighty\nYudhishthira addressed Arjuna and said, \"O slayer of foes, O child, who\nwould slay a foe who hath been vanquished in fight, who hath been deprived\nof fame, who is protected by a woman, and who hath no prowess?\" Arjuna\nreplied, saying, \"Keep thou thy life, O Gandharva! Go hence, and grieve\nnot I. Yudhishthira, the king of the Kurus, commandeth me to show thee\nmercy.\"\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 obtained\nthee, O Arjuna, that wielder of celestial weapons! I like to impart to\nthee the power of (producing) illusions which Gandharvas alone have. My\nexcellent and variegated chariot hath been burnt by means of thy fiery\nweapon. I who had formerly been called after my excellent chariot should\nnow be called after my burnt chariot. The science of producing illusions\nthat I have spoken of was formerly obtained by me by ascetic penances.\nThat science I will today impart to the giver of my life--thy illustrious\nself! What good luck doth he not deserve who, after overcoming a foe by\nhis might, giveth him life when that foe asketh for it? This science is\ncalled Chakshushi. It was communicated by Manu unto Soma and by Soma unto\nViswavasu, and lastly by Viswavasu unto me. Communicated by my preceptor,\nthat science, having come unto me who am without energy, is gradually\nbecoming fruitless. I have spoken to thee about its origin and\ntransmission. Listen now to its power! One may see (by its aid) whatever\none wisheth to see, and in whatever way he liketh (generally or\nparticularly). One can acquire this science only after standing on one leg\nfor six months. I shall however, communicate to thee this science without\nthyself being obliged to observe any rigid vow. O king, it is for this\nknowledge that we are superior to men. And as we are capable of seeing\neverything by spiritual sight, we are equal to the gods. O best of men, I\nintend to give thee and each of thy brothers a hundred steeds born in the\ncountry of the Gandharvas. Of celestial colour and endued with the speed\nof the mind, those horses are employed in bearing the celestial, and the\nGandharvas. They may be lean-fleshed but they tire not, nor doth their\nspeed suffer on that account. In days of yore the thunderbolt was created\nfor the chief of the celestials in order that he might slay (the Asura)\nVritra with it. But hurled at Vritra's head it broke in a thousand pieces.\nThe celestials worship with reverence those fragments of the thunderbolt.\nThat which is known in the three worlds as glory is but a portion of the\nthunderbolt. The hand of the Brahmana with which he poureth libations on\nthe sacrificial fire, the chariot upon which the Kshatriya fighteth, the\ncharity of the Vaisya, and the service of the Sudra rendered unto the\nthree other classes, are all fragments of the thunderbolt. It hath been\nsaid that horses, forming as they do a portion of the Kshatriya's chariot,\nare, on that account, unslayable. Again horses which form a portion of the\nKshatriya's chariot, are the offspring of Vadava. Those amongst them that\nare born in the region of the Gandharvas can go everywhere and assume any\nhue and speed at the will of their owners. These horses of mine that I\ngive thee will always 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 thee,\nO Vibhatsu, O bull in Bharata's race, thy excellent and eternal weapon of\nfire!\"\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, Gandharvas,\nPisachas, Uragas and Danavas, are possessed of wisdom and intelligence,\nand acquainted with the history of the Kuru race. O hero, I have heard too\nfrom Narada and other celestial Rishis about the good deeds of your wise\nancestors. I myself, too, while roaming over the whole earth bounded by\nher belt of seas, have witnessed the prowess of thy great race. O Arjuna,\nI have personal knowledge of thy preceptor, the illustrious son of\nBharadwaja, celebrated throughout the three worlds for his knowledge of\nthe Vedas and the science of arms. O tiger in Kuru's race, O son of Pritha,\nI also know Dharma, Vayu, Sakra, the twin Aswins, and Pandu,--these six\nperpetuators of Kuru race,--these excellent celestials and human\nprogenitors of you all. I also know that you five brothers are learned and\nhigh-souled, that ye are foremost of all wielders of weapons, that ye are\nbrave and virtuous and observant of vows. Knowing that your understanding\nand hearts are excellent and your behaviour faultless, I have yet censured\nyou. For, O thou of Kuru's race, it behoveth no man endued with might of\narms to bear with patience any ill usage in the sight of his wife.\nEspecially as, O son of Kunti, our might increaseth during the hours of\ndarkness, accompanied by my wife I was filled with wrath. O best of vow-\nobserving men, I have, however, been vanquished by thee in battle. Listen\nto me as I tell thee the reasons that have led to my discomfiture. The\nBrahmacharya is a very superior mode of life, and as thou art in that mode\nnow, it is for this, O Partha, that I have been defeated by thee in battle.\nO chastiser of foes, if any married Kshatriya fight with us at night, he\ncan never escape, with life. But, O Partha, a married Kshatriya, who is\nsanctified with Brahma, and who hath assigned the cares of his State to a\npriest, might vanquish all wanderers in the night. O child of Tapati, men\nshould therefore, ever employ learned priests possessing self-command for\nthe acquisition of every good luck they desire. That Brahmana is worthy of\nbeing the king's priest who is learned in the Vedas and the six branches\nthereof, who is pure and truthful, who is of virtuous soul and possessed\nof self-command. The monarch becometh ever victorious and finally earneth\nheaven who hath for his priest a Brahmana conversant with the rules of\nmorality, who is a master of words, and is pure and of good behaviour. The\nking should always select an accomplished priest in order to acquire what\nhe hath not and protect what he hath. He who desireth his own prosperity\nshould ever be guided by his priest, for he may then obtain ever the whole\nearth surrounded by her belt of seas. O son of Tapati, a king, who is\nwithout a Brahmana, can never acquire any land by his bravery or glory of\nbirth alone. Know, therefore, O perpetuator of Kuru's race, that the\nkingdom lasteth for ever in which Brahmanas have power.\"'\"\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 firmament\nhad a daughter named Tapati equal unto himself. Tapati, the daughter of\nthe god Vivaswat, was the younger sister of Savitri, and she was\ncelebrated throughout the three worlds and devoted to ascetic penances.\nThere was no woman amongst the celestials, the Asuras, the Yakshas, the\nRakshasas, the Apsaras, and the Gandharvas, who was equal to her in beauty.\nOf perfect and faultless features, of black and large eyes, and in\nbeautiful attire, the girl was chaste and of perfect conduct. And, O\nBharata, seeing her Savitri (the sun) thought that there was none in the\nthree worlds who, for his beauty, accomplishments, behaviour, and learning,\ndeserved to be her husband. Beholding her attain the age of puberty and,\ntherefore, worthy of being bestowed on a husband, her father knew no peace\nof mind, always thinking of the person he should select. At that time, O\nson of Kunti, Riksha's son, that bull amongst the Kurus, the mighty king\nSamvarana, was duly worshipping Surya with offerings of Arghya and flower-\ngarlands and scents, and with vows and fasts and ascetic penances of\nvarious kinds. Indeed, Samvarana was worshipping Surya constantly in all\nhis glory, with devotion and humility and piety. And beholding Samvarana\nconversant with all rules of virtue and unequalled on earth for beauty,\nSurya regarded him as the fit husband for his daughter, Tapati. And, O\nthou of Kuru's race, Vivaswat then resolved to bestow his daughter on that\nbest of kings, viz., Samvarana, the scion of a race of world-wide fame. As\nSurya himself in the heavens filleth the firmament with his splendour, so\ndid king Samvarana on earth fill every region with the splendour of his\ngood achievements. 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 some\nmoment believed her to be (the goddess) Sri herself. Next he regarded her\nto be the embodiment of the rays emanating from Surya. In splendour of her\nperson she resembled a flame of fire, though in benignity and loveliness\nshe resembled a spotless digit of the moon. And standing on the mountain-\nbreast, the black-eyed maiden appeared like a bright statue of gold. The\nmountain itself with its creepers and plants, because of the beauty and\nattire of that damsel, seemed to be converted into gold. The sight of that\nmaiden inspired the monarch with a contempt for all women that he had seen\nbefore. By beholding her, the king regarded his eye-sight truly blessed.\nNothing the king had seen from the day of his birth could equal, he\nthought, the beauty of that girl. The king's heart and eyes were\ncaptivated by that damsel, as if they were bound with a cord and he\nremained rooted to that spot, deprived of his senses. The monarch thought\nthat the artificer of so much beauty had created it only after churning\nthe whole world of gods, Asuras, and human beings. Entertaining these\nvarious thoughts, king Samvarana regarded that maiden as unrivalled in the\nthree 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, still\ninnocent, though in her full youth, saying, 'Who art thou and whose? Why\nalso dost thou stay here? O thou of sweet smiles, why dost thou wander\nalone in these solitary woods? Of every feature perfectly faultless, and\ndecked with every ornament, thou seemest to be the coveted ornament of\nthese ornaments themselves! Thou seemest not to be of celestial or Asura\nor Yaksha or Rakshasa or Naga or Gandharva or human origin. O excellent\nlady, the best of women that I have ever seen or heard of would not\ncompare with thee in beauty! O thou of handsome face, at sight of thee\nlovelier than the moon and graced with eyes like lotus-petals, the god of\ndesire 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 the\nvery sight of the monarch. The king then wandered through the whole forest,\nlike one out of his senses, in search of that girl of eyes like lotus-\npetals. Failing to find her, that best of monarchs indulged in copious\nlamentations and for a time stood motionless with grief.\"'\"\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 smiling\nsweetly, said unto that perpetuator of Kuru's race these honeyed words,\n'Rise, rise, O chastiser of foes! Blest be thou; it behoveth thee not, O\ntiger among kings, to lose thy reason, a celebrated man as thou art in the\nworld.' Addressed in these honeyed words, the king opened his eyes and saw\nbefore him that selfsame girl of swelling hips. The monarch who was\nburning with the flame of desire then addressed that black-eyed damsel in\naccents, weak with emotion, and said, 'Blest be thou O excellent woman of\nblack eyes! As I am burning with desire and paying thee court, O, accept\nme! My life is ebbing away. O thou of large eyes, for thy sake it is, O\nthou of the splendour of the filaments of the lotus, that Kama is\nincessantly piercing me with his keen shafts without stopping for a\nmoment! O amiable and cheerful girl, I have been bitten by Kama who is\neven like a venomous viper. O thou of swelling and large hips, have mercy\non me! O thou of handsome and faultless features, O thou of face like unto\nthe lotus-petal or the moon, O thou of voice sweet as that of singing\nKinnaras, my life now depends on thee! Without thee, O timid one, I am\nunable to live! O thou of eyes like lotus-petals, Kama is piercing me\nincessantly! O large-eyed girl, be merciful unto me! It becometh thee not,\nO black-eyed maid, to cast me off; O handsome girl, it behoveth thee to\nrelieve me from such affliction by giving me thy love! At first sight thou\nhast attracted my heart. My mind wandereth! Beholding thee I like not to\ncast my eyes on any other woman! Be merciful! I am thy obedient slave--thy\nadorer! O, accept me! O beautiful lady, O large-eyed girl at the sight of\nthee, the god of desire hath entered my heart, and is piercing me with his\nshafts! O thou of lotus-eyes, the flame of desire burneth within me! O,\nextinguish that flame with the water of thy love poured on it! O beautiful\nlady, by becoming mine, pacify thou the irrepressible god of desire that\nhath appeared here armed with his deadly bow and arrows and that is\npiercing me incessantly with those keen shafts of his! O thou of the\nfairest complexion, wed me according to the Gandharva form, for, O thou of\ntapering hips, of all forms of marriage the Gandharva hath been said to be\nthe best.'\"\n\n\"'The Gandharva continued, \"Hearing those words of the monarch, Tapati made\nanswer, 'O king, I am not the mistress of my own self! Be it known that I\nam a maiden under the control of my father. If thou really entertainest an\naffection for me, demand me of my father. Thou sayest, O king, that thy\nheart hath been robbed by me. But thou also hast, at first sight, robbed\nme of my heart; I am not the mistress of my body, and therefore, O best of\nkings, I do not approach thee; women are never independent. What girl is\nthere in the three worlds that would not desire thee for her husband, as\nthou art kind unto all thy dependents and as thou art born in a pure race?\nTherefore, when the opportunity comes, ask my father Aditya for my hand\nwith worship, ascetic penances, and vows. If my father bestoweth me upon\nthee, then, O king, I shall ever be thy obedient wife. My name is Tapati\nand I am the younger sister of Savitri, and the daughter, O bull amongst\nKshatriyas of Savitri, of (Sun) the illuminator of the universe.\"'\"\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 like\na rainbow dropped from the firmament, his minister-in-chief became like\none burnt by a flame of fire. Advancing hastily with affection and respect,\nthe minister raised that best of monarchs lying prostrate on the ground\nand deprived of his senses by desire. Old in wisdom as in age, old in\nachievements as in policy, the minister, after having raised the prostrate\nmonarch, became easy (in mind). Addressing the king in sweet words that\nwere also for his good, he said, 'Blest be thou, O sinless one! Fear not,\nO tiger among kings!' The minister thought that the monarch, that great\nfeller of hostile ranks in battle, had been lying on the ground overcome\nwith hunger, thirst, and fatigue. The old man then sprinkled over the\ncrownless head of the monarch water that was cold and rendered fragrant\nwith lotus-petals. Slowly regaining his consciousness, the mighty monarch\nsent away all his attendants with the exception of his minister only.\nAfter those attendants had retired at his command, the king sat upon the\nmountain-breast. Having purified himself duly, the king sat upon that\nchief of mountains, and began, with joined palms and upturned face, to\nworship Surya. King Samvarana, that smiter of all foes, thought also of\nhis chief priest Vasishtha, that best of Rishis. The king continued to sit\nthere day and night without intermission. The Brahmana sage Vasishtha came\nthere on the twelfth day: that great Rishi of soul under perfect command\nknew at once by his ascetic power that the monarch had lost his senses in\nconsequence of Tapati. And that virtuous and best of Munis, as soon as he\nknew this, desirous of benefiting the monarch who was ever observant of\nvows, addressed him and gave him every assurance. The illustrious Rishi,\nin the very sight of that monarch, ascended upward to interview Surya,\nhimself possessed of the splendour of that luminary. The Brahmana then\napproached with joined hands the god of a thousand rays and introduced\nhimself cheerfully unto him, saying, 'I am Vasishtha.' Then Vivaswat of\ngreat energy said unto that best of Rishis, 'Welcome art thou, O great\nRishi! Tell me what is in thy mind. O thou of great good fortune, whatever\nthou demandest of me, O foremost of eloquent men, I will confer on thee,\nhowever difficult it may be for me!' Thus addressed by Surya, the Rishi of\ngreat ascetic merit, bowing unto the god of light, replied, saying, 'O\nVibhavasu, this thy daughter, Tapati, the younger sister of Savitri, I ask\nof thee for Samvarana! That monarch is of mighty achievements, conversant\nwith virtue, and of high soul. O firmament-ranger, Samvarana will make a\nworthy husband for thy daughter.' Thus addressed by the Rishi Vibhakara,\nresolved upon bestowing his daughter upon Samvarana, saluted the Rishi,\nand replied unto him, saying, 'Oh, Samvarana is the best of monarchs, thou\nart the best of Rishis, Tapati is the best of women. What should we do,\ntherefore, but bestow her on Samvarana?' With these words, the god Tapana,\nmade over his daughter, Tapati, of every feature perfectly faultless, unto\nthe illustrious Vasishtha to bestow her upon Samvarana. And the great\nRishi then accepted the girl, Tapati, and taking leave of Surya, came back\nto the spot, where that bull amongst the Kurus, of celestial achievements,\nwas. King Samvarana, 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 firmament\nlike lightning from the clouds, dazzling the ten points of the heavens.\nAnd the illustrious Rishi Vasishtha of pure soul approached the monarch\nafter the latter's twelve nights' vow was over. It was thus that king\nSamvarana obtained a wife after having worshipped with ascetic\npenances 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, Vasishtha\nleft him and went away. Samvarana, who sported on that mountain like a\ncelestial, sported with his wife in the woods and the under-woods on that\nmountain for twelve full years. And, O best of the Bharatas, the god of a\nthousand eyes poured no rain for twelve years on the capital and on the\nkingdom of that monarch. Then, O chastiser of enemies, when that season of\ndrought broke out, the people of that kingdom, as also the trees and lower\nanimals began to die fast. And during the continuance of that dreadful\ndrought, not even a drop of dew fell from the skies and no corn grew. And\nthe inhabitants in despair, and afflicted with the fear of hunger, left\ntheir homes and fled away in all directions. And the famished people of\nthe capital and the country began to abandon their wives and children and\ngrew reckless of one another. The people being afflicted with hunger,\nwithout a morsel of food and reduced to skeletons, the capital looked very\nmuch like the city of the king of the dead, full of only ghostly beings.\nOn beholding the capital reduced to such a state, the illustrious and\nvirtuous and best of Rishis, Vasishtha was resolved upon applying a remedy\nand brought back unto the city that tiger among kings, Samvarana, along\nwith his wife, after the latter had passed so long a period in solitude\nand seclusion. After the king had entered his capital, things became as\nbefore, for, when that tiger among kings came back to his own, the god of\na thousand eyes, the slayer of Asuras, poured rain in abundance and caused\ncorn to grow. Revivified by the foremost of virtuous souls the capital and\nthe country became animated with extreme joy. The monarch, with his wife,\nTapati, once more performed sacrifices for twelve years, like the lord\nIndra (god of rain) performing sacrifices with 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\nSECTION CLXXVI\n\n(Chaitraratha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'That bull among the Bharatas, Arjuna, hearing\nthese words of the Gandharva, was inspired with feelings of devotion, and\nstood comfortably like the full moon. And that mighty bowman, that\nforemost one in Kuru's race having his curiosity greatly excited\nby what he heard of Vasishtha's ascetic power, asked the Gandharva,\nsaying, \"I desire to hear of the Rishi whom thou hast mentioned\nas Vasishtha. O, tell me in full about him! O chief of the Gandharvas,\ntell me who this illustrious Rishi was that was the priest of our\nforefathers.\" 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 of)\nYama by bringing back his children from the domains of the king of the\ndead. It was by obtaining that illustrious one who had conquered his own\nself that Ikshvaku and other great monarchs acquired the whole earth. And,\nO 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, desirous\nof extending his dominions by conquering the earth, should, O Partha,\nfirst appoint a priest. He who is desirous of conquering the earth should\nhave a Brahmana before him. Therefore, O Arjuna, let some accomplished and\nlearned Brahmana, who has his senses under complete control and who is\nconversant with religion, profit and pleasure, be your priest.\"'\"\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 in\na celestial hermitage? O, tell us all about it.\"\n\n\"'The Gandharva replied, \"O Partha, the story of Vasishtha is regarded as a\nPurana (legend) in all the three worlds. Listen to me as I recite it fully.\nThere was, in Kanyakuvja, O bull of Bharata's race, a great king of\nworldwide fame named Gadhi, the son of Kusika. The virtuous Gadhi had a\nson 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\nmarshes, killing deer and wild boars. Once on a time, while king Viswamitra\nwent in 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 that\nbest of men, king Viswamitra. And O Bharata, the Rishi saluted the monarch\nby offering him water to wash his face and feet with, and Arghya, and wild\nfruits, and clarified butter. For the illustrious Rishi had a cow yielding\nanything that was desired of her. When she was addressed, saying, 'O give',\nshe always yielded the article that was sought. And she yielded various\nfruits and corn, wild or grown in gardens and fields, and milk, and many\nexcellent nutritive viands full of six different kinds of juice (taste?)\nand like unto nectar itself, and various other kinds of enjoyable things,\nO Arjuna, of ambrosial taste for drinking and eating, and for licking and\nsucking, and also many precious gems and robes of various kinds. With\nthese desirable objects in profusion the monarch was worshipped. And the\nking with his minister and troops became highly pleased. And the monarch\nwondered much, beholding that cow with six elevated limbs and the\nbeautiful flanks and hips, and five limbs that were broad, and eyes\nprominent like those of the frog and beautiful in size, and high udders,\nand faultless make, and straight and uplifted ears, and handsome horns,\nand 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 Brahmana,\nO great Muni, give me thy Nandini in exchange for ten thousand kine, or my\nkingdom. 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 Pitris,\nas also for my sacrifices. I cannot give Nandini in exchange for even thy\nkingdom.' Viswamitra replied, 'I am a Kshatriya, but thou art a Brahmana\ndevoted to asceticism and study. Is there any energy in Brahmanas who are\npeaceful and who have their souls under perfect command? When thou givest\nme not what I desire in exchange even for ten thousand cows, I will not\nabandon the practice of my order; I will take thy 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 to\nconsider 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, the\ngreat Rishi lost not his patience nor turned from his vow of forgiveness.\nHe replied, 'The Kshatriya's might lies in physical strength, the\nBrahmana's in forgiveness. Because I cannot give up forgiveness, go thou,\nO Nandini, if thou choosest.' Nandini answered, 'Castest thou me away, O\nillustrious one, that thou sayest so? If thou dost not cast me off, I\ncannot, O Brahmana, be taken away by force.' Vasishtha said, 'O blessed\none, I do not cast thee off! Stay if thou canst! O, yonder is thy calf,\ntied with a stout cord, and even now being weakened 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. With\neyes red with rage and lowing repeatedly, she then attacked Viswamitra's\ntroops on all sides. Afflicted with their stripes and running hither and\nthither with those red eyes of hers, her wrath increased. Blazing with\nrage, she soon became terrible to behold like unto the sun in his midday\nglory. And from her tail she began to rain showers of burning coals all\naround. And some moments after, from her tail she brought forth an army of\nPalhavas, and from her udders, an army of Dravidas and Sakas; and from her\nwomb, an army of Yavanas, and from her dung, an army of Savaras; and from\nher urine, an army of Kanchis; and from her sides, an army of Savaras. And\nfrom the froth of her mouth came out hosts of Paundras and Kiratas,\nYavanas and Sinhalas, and the barbarous tribes of Khasas and Chivukas and\nPulindas and Chinas and Hunas with Keralas, and numerous other Mlechchhas.\nAnd that vast army of Mlechchhas in various uniforms, and armed with\nvarious weapons, as soon as it sprang into life, deploying in the very\nsight of Viswamitra, attacked that monarch's soldiers. And so numerous was\nthat Mlechchha host that each particular soldier of Viswamitra was\nattacked by a band of six or seven of their enemies. Assailed with a\nmighty shower of weapons, Viswamitra's troops broke and fled, panic-\nstricken, in all directions, before his very eyes. But, O bull in\nBharata's race, the troops of Vasishtha, though excited with wrath, took\nnot the life of any of Viswamitra's troops. Nandini simply caused the\nmonarch's army to be routed and driven off. And driven (from the asylum)\ntwenty-seven full miles, panic-stricken, they shrieked aloud and beheld\nnot anyone that could protect them. Viswamitra, beholding this wonderful\nfeat that resulted from Brahmana prowess, became disgusted with Kshatriya\nprowess and said, 'O, fie on Kshatriya prowess! Brahmana prowess is true\nprowess! In judging of strength and weakness, I see that asceticism is\ntrue strength.' 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\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 of\nSaktri, that illustrious propagator of Vasishtha's race, the eldest of the\nhigh-souled Vasishtha's hundred sons, coming along from opposite direction.\nThe king, beholding him said, 'Stand out of our way.' The Rishi,\naddressing the monarch in a conciliatory manner, said unto him sweetly, 'O\nking, this is my way. This is the eternal rule of morality indicated in\nevery treatise on duty and religion, viz., that a king should ever make\nway for Brahmanas.' Thus did they address each other respecting their\nright of way. 'Stand aside, stand aside', were the words they said unto\neach other. The Rishi, who was in the right, did not yield, nor did the\nking yield to him from pride and anger. That best of monarchs, enraged at\nthe Rishi, refusing to yield him the way, acted like a Rakshasa, striking\nhim with his whip. Thus whipped by the monarch, that best of Rishis, the\nson of Vasishtha, was deprived of his senses by anger, and speedily cursed\nthat first of monarchs, saying, 'O worst of kings, since thou persecutest\nlike a Rakshasa an ascetic, thou shalt from this day, became a Rakshasa\nsubsisting on human flesh! Hence, thou worst of kings! thou shalt wander\nover the earth, affecting human form!' Thus did the Rishi Sakti, endued\nwith great prowess, speak unto king Kalmashapada. At this time Viswamitra,\nbetween whom and Vasishtha there was a dispute about the discipleship of\nKalmashapada, approached the place where that monarch and Vasishtha's son\nwere. And, O Partha, that Rishi of severe ascetic penances, viz.,\nViswamitra of great energy, approached the pair (knowing by his spiritual\ninsight that they had been thus quarrelling with each other). After the\ncurse had been pronounced, that best of monarchs knew that Rishi to be\nVasishtha's son and equal unto Vasishtha himself in energy. And, O Bharata,\nViswamitra, desirous of benefiting himself, remained on that spot,\nconcealed from the sight of both by making himself invisible. Then that\nbest of monarchs, thus cursed by Saktri, desiring to propitiate the Rishi\nbegan to humbly beseech him. And, O chief of the Kurus, Viswamitra,\nascertaining the disposition of the king (and fearing that the difference\nmight be made up), ordered a Rakshasa to enter the body of the king. And a\nRakshasa of the name of Kinkara then entered the monarch's body in\nobedience to Saktri's curse and Viswamitra's command. And knowing, O\nchastiser of foes, that the Rakshasa had possessed himself of the monarch,\nthat best of Rishis, Viswamitra, 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 for\nme 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 flesh.'\nThe cook, saying, 'So be it,' went to the place where the (king's)\nexecutioners were, and thence taking human flesh and washing and cooking\nit duly and covering it with boiled rice offered it unto that hungry\nBrahmana devoted to ascetic penances. But that best of Brahmanas, seeing\nwith his spiritual sight that the food was unholy and, therefore, unworthy\nof being eaten, said these words with eyes red with anger, 'Because that\nworst of kings offereth me food that is unholy and unworthy of being taken,\ntherefore that wretch shall have himself a fondness for such food. And\nbecoming fond of human flesh as cursed by Saktri of old, the wretch shall\nwander over the earth, alarming and otherwise troubling all creatures.'\nThe curse, therefore, on that king, thus repeated a second time, became\nvery strong, and the king, possessed by a Rakshasa disposition, soon lost\nall 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 him,\nsaid, 'Because thou hast pronounced on me this extraordinary curse,\ntherefore, I shall begin my life of cannibalism by devouring thee.' Having\nsaid this, the king immediately slew Saktri and ate him up, like a tiger\neating the animal it was fond of. Beholding Saktri thus slain and devoured,\nViswamitra repeatedly urged that Rakshasa (who was within the monarch)\nagainst the other sons of Vasishtha. Like a wrathful lion devouring small\nanimals, that Rakshasa soon devoured the other sons of the illustrious\nVasishtha that were junior to Saktri in age. But Vasishtha, learning that\nall his sons had been caused to be slain by Viswamitra, patiently bore his\ngrief like the great mountain that bears the earth. That best of Munis,\nthat foremost of intelligent men, was resolved rather to sacrifice his own\nlife than exterminate (in anger) the race of Kusikas. The illustrious\nRishi threw himself down from the summit of Meru, but he descended on the\nstony ground as though on a heap of cotton. And, O son of Pandu, when the\nillustrious one found that death did not result from that fall, he kindled\na huge fire in the forest and entered it with alacrity. But that fire,\nthough burning brightly, consumed him not. O slayer of foes, that blazing\nfire seemed to him cool. Then the great Muni under the influence of grief,\nbeholding the sea, tied a stony weight to his neck and threw himself into\nits waters. But the waves soon cast him ashore. At last when that Brahmana\nof rigid vows succeeded not in killing himself by any means, he returned,\nin distress of heart, to his asylum.\"'\"\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 himself,\nunder the influence of grief, into the current of that mighty stream. But,\nO slayer of foes, that stream soon cut those cords and cast the Rishi\nashore. And the Rishi rose from the bank, freed from the cords with which\nhe had tied himself. And because his cords were thus broken off by the\nviolence of the current, the Rishi called the stream by the name of Vipasa\n(the cord-breaker). For his grief the Muni could not, from that time, stay\nin one place; he began to wander over mountains and along rivers and lakes.\nAnd beholding once again a river named Haimavati (flowing from Himavat) of\nterrible aspect and full of fierce crocodiles and other (aquatic) monsters,\nthe Rishi threw himself into it, but the river mistaking the Brahmana for\na mass of (unquenchable) fire, immediately flew in a hundred different\ndirections, and hath been known ever since by the name of the Satadru (the\nriver of a hundred courses). Seeing himself on the dry land even there he\nexclaimed, 'O, I cannot die by my own hands!' Saying this, the Rishi once\nmore bent his steps towards his asylum. Crossing numberless mountains and\ncountries, as he was about to re-enter his asylum, he was followed by his\ndaughter-in-law named Adrisyanti. As she neared him, he heard the sound\nfrom behind of a very intelligent recitation of the Vedas with the six\ngraces of elocution. Hearing that sound, the Rishi asked, 'Who is it that\nfolloweth me?' His daughter-in-law then answered, 'I am Adrisyanti, the\nwife of Saktri. I am helpless, though devoted to asceticism.' Hearing her,\nVasishtha said, 'O daughter, whose is this voice that I heard, repeating\nthe Vedas along with the Angas like unto the voice of Saktri reciting the\nVedas with the Angas?' Adrisyanti answered, 'I bear in my womb a child by\nthy son Saktri. He hath been here full twelve years. The voice thou\nhearest is that of the Muni, who is reciting the Vedas.'\"\n\n\"'The Gandharva continued, \"Thus addressed by her the illustrious Vasishtha\nbecame exceedingly glad. And saying, 'O, there is a child (of my race)!'--\nhe refrained, O Partha, from self-destruction. The sinless one accompanied\nby his daughter-in-law, then returned to his asylum. And the Rishi saw one\nday in the solitary woods (the Rakshasa) Kalmashapada. The king, O Bharata,\npossessed by fierce Rakshasa, as he saw the Rishi, became filled with\nwrath and rose up, desiring to devour him. And Adrisyanti beholding before\nher that the Rakshasa of cruel deeds, addressed Vasishtha in these words,\nfull of anxiety and fear, 'O illustrious one, the cruel Rakshasa, like\nunto Death himself armed with (his) fierce club, cometh towards us with a\nwooden club in hand! There is none else on earth, except thee, O\nillustrious one, and, O foremost of all that are conversant with the Vedas\nto restrain him today. Protect me, O illustrious one, from this cruel\nwretch of terrible mien. Surely, the Rakshasa cometh hither to devour us!'\nVasishtha, hearing this, said, 'Fear not, O daughter, there is no need of\nany fear from any Rakshasa. This one is no Rakshasa from whom thou\napprehendest such imminent danger. This is king Kalmashapada endued with\ngreat energy and celebrated on earth. That terrible man dwelleth in these\nwoods.'\"\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 Vasishtha's\nson like Surya seized by the planet (Rahu) during the season of an eclipse.\nFreed from the Rakshasa the monarch illumined that large forest by his\nsplendour like the sun illumining the evening clouds. Recovering his power\nof reason, the king saluted that best of Rishis with joined palms and said,\n'O illustrious one, I am the son of Sudasa and thy disciple, O best of\nMunis! O, tell me what is thy pleasure and what I am to do.' Vasishtha\nreplied, saying, 'My desire hath already been accomplished. Return now to\nthy kingdom and rule thy subjects. And, O chief of men, never insult\nBrahmanas any more.' The monarch replied, 'O illustrious one, I shall\nnever more insult superior Brahmanas. In obedience to thy command I shall\nalways worship Brahmanas. But, O best of Brahmanas, I desire to obtain\nfrom thee that by which, O foremost of all that are conversant with the\nVedas, I may be freed from the debt I owe to the race of Ikshvaku! O best\nof men, it behoveth thee to grant me, for the perpetuation of Ikshvaku's\nrace, a desirable son possessing beauty and accomplishments and good\nbehaviour.'\"\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 by\nhis 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 monarch's\nheart. And, O prince of Kuru's race, the city filled as it was with joyous\nand healthy souls, in consequence of his presence, looked gay like\nAmaravati with the presence of the chief of the celestials. After the\nroyal 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 while,\nwhen the queen conceived, that best of Rishis, receiving the reverential\nsalutations of the king, went back to his asylum. The queen bore the\nembryo in her womb for a long time. When she saw that she did not bring\nforth anything, she tore open her womb by a piece of stone. It was then\nthat at the twelfth year (of the conception) was born Asmaka, that bull\namongst men, that royal sage who founded (the city of) Paudanya.\"'\"\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 self-\ndestruction 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 Brahmana\nsages, as father, in the presence of his mother Adrisyanti. Adrisyanti,\nhearing the very intelligible sound 'father' sweetly uttered by her son,\naddressed him with tearful eyes and said, 'O child, do not address this\nthy grandfather as father. Thy father, O son, has been devoured by a\nRakshasa in a different forest. O innocent one, he is not thy father whom\nthou regardest so. The revered one is the father of that celebrated father\nof thine.' Thus addressed by his mother that best of Rishis of truthful\nspeech, gave way to sorrow, but soon fired up and resolved to destroy the\nwhole creation. Then that illustrious and great ascetic Vasishtha, that\nforemost of all persons conversant with Brahma, that son of Mitravaruna,\nthat Rishi acquainted with positive truth, addressed his grandson who had\nset his heart upon the destruction of the world. Hear, O Arjuna, the\narguments by which Vasishtha succeeded in driving out that resolution from\nhis 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 was\nthe disciple of the Veda-knowing Bhrigus. That king, O child, after\nperforming the Soma sacrifice, gratified the Brahmanas with great presents\nof rice and wealth. After that monarch had ascended to heaven, an occasion\ncame when his descendants were in want of wealth. And knowing that the\nBhrigus were rich, those princes went unto those best of Brahmanas, in the\nguise of beggars. Some amongst the Bhrigus, to protect their wealth,\nburied it under earth; and some from fear of the Kshatriyas, began to give\naway their wealth unto (other) Brahmanas; while some amongst them duly\ngave unto the Kshatriyas whatever they wanted. It happened, however, that\nsome Kshatriyas, in digging as they pleased at the house of particular\nBhargava, came upon a large treasure. And the treasure was seen by all\nthose bulls among Kshatriyas who had been there. Enraged at what they\nregarded as the deceitful behaviour of the Bhrigus, the Kshatriyas\ninsulted the Brahmanas, though the latter asked for mercy. And those\nmighty bowmen began to slaughter the Bhrigus with their sharp arrows. And\nthe Kshatriyas wandered over the earth, slaughtering even the embryos that\nwere in the wombs of the women of the Bhrigu race. And while the Bhrigu\nrace was thus being exterminated, the women of that tribe fled from fear\nto the inaccessible mountains of Himavat. And one amongst these women, of\ntapering thighs, desiring to perpetuate her husband's race, held in one of\nher thighs an embryo endued with great energy. A certain Brahmana woman,\nhowever, who came to know this fact, went from fear unto the Kshatriyas\nand reported the matter unto them. And the Kshatriyas then went to destroy\nthat embryo. Arrived at the place, they beheld the would-be mother blazing\nwith inborn energy, and the child that was in her thigh came out tearing\nup the thigh and dazzling the eyes of those Kshatriyas like the midday sun.\nThus deprived of their eyes, the Kshatriyas began to wander over those\ninaccessible mountains. And distressed at the loss of sight, the princes\nwere afflicted with woe, and desirous of regaining the use of their eyes\nthey resolved to seek the protection of that faultless woman. Then those\nKshatriyas, afflicted with sorrow, and from loss of sight like unto a fire\nthat hath gone out, addressed with anxious hearts that illustrious lady,\nsaying, \"By thy grace. O lady, we wish to be restored to sight. We shall\nthen return to our homes all together and abstain for ever from our sinful\npractice. O handsome one, it behoveth thee with thy child to show us mercy.\nIt behoveth thee to favour these kings by granting them their\neye-sight.'\"'\"\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 with\nyou. This child, however, of the Bhrigu race hath certainly been angry\nwith you. There is little doubt, ye children, that ye have been robbed of\nyour sight by that illustrious child whose wrath hath been kindled at the\nremembrance of the slaughter of his race. Ye children, while ye were\ndestroying even the embryos of the Bhrigu race, this child was held by me\nin my thigh for a hundred years! And in order that the prosperity of\nBhrigu's race might be restored, the entire Vedas with their branches came\nunto this one even while he was in the womb. It is plain that this scion\nof the Bhrigu race, enraged at the slaughter of his fathers, desireth to\nslay you! It is by his celestial energy that your eyes have been scorched.\nTherefore, ye children, pray ye unto this my excellent child born of my\nthigh. Propitiated by your homage he may restore 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!\" And\nthe child became propitious unto them. And that best of Brahmana Rishis, in\nconsequence of his having been born after tearing open his mother's thigh,\ncame to be known throughout the three worlds by the name of Aurva (thigh-\nborn). And those princes regaining their eye-sight went away. But the Muni\nAurva of the Bhrigu race resolved upon overcoming the whole world. And the\nhigh-souled Rishi set his heart, O child, upon the destruction of every\ncreature in the world. And that scion of the Bhrigu race, for paying\nhomage (as he regarded) unto his slaughtered ancestors, devoted himself to\nthe austerest of penances with the object of destroying the whole world.\nAnd desirous of gratifying his ancestors, the Rishi afflicted by his\nsevere asceticism the three worlds with the celestials, the Asuras and\nhuman beings. The Pitris, then, learning what the child of their race was\nabout, all came from their own region unto the Rishi and addressing him\nsaid:\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 under\ncomplete control were, all of them, indifferent to their own destruction\nat the hands of the murderous Kshatriyas. O child, when we grew weary of\nthe long periods of life alloted to us, it was then that we desired our\nown destruction through the instrumentality of the Kshatriyas. The wealth\nthat the Bhrigus had placed in their house underground had been placed\nonly with the object of enraging the Kshatriyas and picking a quarrel with\nthem. O thou best of Brahmanas, as we were desirous of heaven, of what use\ncould wealth be to us? The treasurer of heaven (Kuvera) had kept a large\ntreasure for us. When we found that death could not, by any means,\novertake us all, it was then, O child, that we regarded this as the best\nmeans (of compassing our desire). They who commit suicide never attain to\nregions that are blessed. Reflecting upon this, we abstained from self-\ndestruction. That which therefore thou desirest to do is not agreeable to\nus. Restrain thy mind, therefore, from the sinful act of destroying the\nwhole world. O child, destroy not the Kshatriyas nor the seven worlds. O,\nkill this wrath of thine that staineth thy ascetic energy.\"'\"'\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXXXII\n\n(Chaitraratha Parva continued)\n\n\"'The Gandharva said, \"Vasishtha after this, continued the narration\nsaying, 'Hearing words of the Pitris, Aurva, O child, replied unto them to\nthis effect:\n\n\"'\"'\"Ye Pitris, the vow I have made from anger for the destruction of all\nthe worlds, 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 Pitris,\nwhen those wretches of Kshatriyas began to exterminate the Bhrigus\ntogether with unborn children of their race, it was then that wrath filled\nmy soul. My mother and the other women of our race, each in an advanced\nstate of pregnancy, and my father, while terribly alarmed, found not in\nall the worlds a single protector. Then when the Bhrigu women found not a\nsingle protector, my mother held me in one of her thighs. If there be a\npunisher of crimes in the worlds no one in all the worlds would dare\ncommit a crime; if he findeth not a punisher, the number of sinners\nbecometh large. The man who having the power to prevent or punish sin doth\nnot do so knowing that a sin hath been committed, is himself defiled by\nthat sin. When kings and others, capable of protecting my fathers, protect\nthem not, postponing that duty preferring the pleasures of life, I have\njust cause to be enraged with them. I am the lord of the creation, capable\nof punishing its iniquity. I am incapable of obeying your command. Capable\nof punishing this crime, if I abstain from so doing, men will once more\nhave to undergo a similar persecution. The fire of my wrath too that is\nready to consume the worlds, if repressed, will certainly consume by its\nown energy my own self. Ye masters, I know that ye ever seek the good of\nthe worlds: direct me, therefore, as to what may benefit both myself and\nthe worlds.'\n\n\"'\"Vasishtha continued, 'The Pitris replied saying, \"O, throw this fire\nthat is born of thy wrath and that desireth to consume the worlds, into\nthe waters. That will do thee good. The worlds, indeed, are all dependent\non water (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\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 worlds.\nBut the Rishi Parasara endued with great energy--the son of Saktri--the\nforemost of all persons acquainted with the Vedas--performed a grand\nRakshasa sacrifice. And remembering the slaughter of (his father) Saktri,\nthe great Muni began to consume the Rakshasas, young and old, in the\nsacrifice 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 desirous\nof ending that sacrifice, an achievement highly difficult for others,--\ncame to that place. And there also came, O thou slayer of all foes,\nPulastya and Pulaha, and Kratu the performer of many great sacrifices, all\ninfluenced by the desire of saving the Rakshasas. And, O thou bull of the\nBharata race, Pulastya then, seeing that many Rakshasas had already been\nslain, told these words unto Parasara that oppressor of all 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? It\nbehoveth not thee to transgress against Saktri himself who was well-\nacquainted with all rules of morality. It behoveth not thee to extirpate\nany creatures. O descendant of Vasishtha's race, that which befell thy\nfather was brought about by his own curse. It was for his own fault that\nSaktri was taken hence unto heaven. O Muni, no Rakshasa was capable of\ndevouring Saktri; he himself provided for his own death. And, O Parasara,\nViswamitra was only a blind instrument in that matter. Both Saktri and\nKalmashapada, having ascended to heaven are enjoying great happiness. And,\nthe other sons also of the great Rishi Vasishtha who were younger than\nSaktri, are even now enjoying themselves with the celestials. And, O child,\nO offspring of Vasishtha's son, thou hast also been, in this sacrifice,\nonly an instrument in the destruction of these innocent Rakshasas. O,\nblest be thou! Abandon this sacrifice of thine. Let 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\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 Vedas--\nthe master Vasishtha? Why also did that illustrious and great Rishi\nVasishtha himself who was acquainted with every rule of morality know a\nwoman he should not have known? O friend, was this an act of sin on the\npart of Vasishtha? It behoveth thee to remove the doubts I entertain and\nrefer 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 resounding\nwith terrible cries, he became exceedingly hungry. And the monarch\nthereupon began to search for some food. Pinched with hunger, the king at\nlast saw, in a very solitary part of the woods, a Brahmana and his wife\nenjoying each other. Alarmed at beholding the monarch the couple ran away,\ntheir desire ungratified. Pursuing the retreating pair, the king forcibly\nseized the Brahmana. Then the Brahmani, beholding her lord seized,\naddressed the monarch, saying, 'Listen to what I say, O monarch of\nexcellent vows! It is known all over the world that thou art born in the\nsolar race, and that thou art ever vigilant in the practice of morality\nand devoted to the service of thy superiors. It behoveth thee not to\ncommit sin, O thou irrepressible one, deprived though thou hast been of\nthy senses by (the Rishi's) curse. My season hath come, and wishful of my\nhusband's company I was connected with him. I have not been gratified yet.\nBe propitious unto us, O thou best of kings! Liberate my husband.' The\nmonarch, however, without listening to her cries cruelly devoured her\nhusband like a tiger devouring its desirable prey. Possessed with wrath at\nthis sight, the tears that that woman shed blazed up like fire and\nconsumed everything in that place. Afflicted with grief at the calamity\nthat overtook her lord, the Brahmani in anger cursed the royal sage\nKalmashapada, 'Vile wretch, since thou hast today cruelly devoured under\nmy very nose my illustrious husband dear unto me, even before my desires\nhave been gratified, therefore shall thou, O wicked one afflicted by my\ncurse, meet with instant death when thou goest in for thy wife in season.\nAnd thy wife, O wretch, shall bring forth a son uniting herself with that\nRishi Vasishtha whose children have been devoured by thee. And that child,\nO worst of kings, shall be the perpetuator of thy race.' And cursing the\nmonarch thus, that lady of Angira's house bearing every auspicious mark,\nentered the blazing fire in the very sight of the monarch. And, O thou\noppressor of all foes, the illustrious and exalted Vasishtha by his\nascetic power and spiritual insight immediately knew all. And long after\nthis, when the king became freed from his curse, he approached his wife\nMadayanati when her season came. But Madayanati softly sent him away.\nUnder the influence of passion the monarch had no recollection of that\ncurse. Hearing, however, the words of his wife, the best of kings became\nterribly alarmed. And recollecting the curse he repented bitterly of what\nhe had done. It was for this reason, O thou best of men, that the monarch\ninfected with the Brahmani's curse, appointed Vasishtha to beget a son\nupon his queen.\"'\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXXXV\n\n(Chaitraratha Parva continued)\n\n\"'Arjuna asked, \"O Gandharva, thou art acquainted with everything. Tell us,\ntherefore, which Veda-knowing Brahmana is worthy to be appointed as our\npriest.\"\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 of\nwild fruits and (edible) roots, consented to become their priest. And the\nPandavas 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 their\nown accomplishments to their sovereignty and kingdom. Then those kings of\nmen, having had benedictions uttered upon them by that Brahmana, resolved\nto go, accompanied by him, to the Swayamvara of the Princess of\nPanchala.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXXXVI\n\n(Swayamvara Parva)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Then those tigers among men--those brothers--the five\nPandavas, set out for Panchala to behold that country and Draupadi and the\nfestivities (in view of her marriage). And those tigers among men--those\noppressors of all enemies--in going along with their mother, saw on the\nway numerous Brahmanas proceeding together. And those Brahmanas who were\nall Brahmacharis beholding the Pandavas, O king, asked them, \"Where are ye\ngoing to? Whence also are ye come?\" And Yudhishthira replied unto them,\nsaying, \"Ye bulls among Brahmanas, know ye that we are uterine brothers\nproceeding together with our mother. We are coming even from Ekachakra.\"\nThe Brahmanas then said, \"Go ye this very day to the abode of Drupada in\nthe country of the Panchalas. A great Swayamvara takes place there, on\nwhich a large sum of money will be spent. We also are proceeding thither.\nLet us all go together. Extraordinary festivities will take place (in\nDrupada's abode). The illustrious Yajnasena, otherwise called Drupada, had\na daughter risen from the centre of the sacrificial altar. Of eyes like\nlotus-petals and of faultless features endued with youth and intelligence,\nshe is extremely beautiful. And the slender-waisted Draupadi of every\nfeature perfectly faultless, and whose body emitteth a fragrance like unto\nthat of the blue lotus for two full miles around, is the sister of the\nstrong-armed Dhrishtadyumna gifted with great prowess--the (would-be)\nslayer of Drona--who was born with natural mail and sword and bow and\narrows from the blazing fire, himself like unto the second Fire. And that\ndaughter of Yajnasena will select a husband from among the invited princes.\nAnd we are repairing thither to behold her and the festivities on the\noccasion, like unto the festivities of heaven. And to that Swayamvara will\ncome from various lands kings and princes who are performers of sacrifices\nin which the presents to the Brahmanas are large: who are devoted to study,\nare holy, illustrious, and of rigid vows; who are young and handsome; and\nwho are mighty car-warriors and accomplished in arms. Desirous of winning\n(the hand of) the maiden those monarchs will all give away much wealth and\nkine and food and other articles of enjoyment. And taking all they will\ngive away and witnessing the Swayamvara, and enjoying the festivities, we\nshall go wheresoever we like. And there will also come unto that\nSwayamvara, from various countries, actors, and bards singing the\npanegyrics of kings, and dancers, and reciters of Puranas, and heralds,\nand powerful athletes. And beholding all these sights and taking what will\nbe given away to illustrious ones, ye will return with us. Ye are all\nhandsome and like unto the celestials! Beholding you, Krishna may, by\nchance, choose some one amongst you superior to the rest. This thy brother\nof mighty arms and handsome and endued with beauty also, engaged in\n(athletic) encounters, may, 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 Swayamvara--\nthat excellent jubilee.\"'\"\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. And\nduly saluting the Rishi and saluted by him, after their conversation was\nover, commanded by him they proceeded to Drupada's abode. And those mighty\nchariot-fighters proceeded by slow stages staying for some time within\nthose beautiful woods and by fine lakes that they beheld along their way.\nDevoted to study, pure in their practices, amiable, and sweet-speeched,\nthe Pandavas at last entered the country of the Panchalas. And beholding\nthe capital, as also the fort, they took up their quarters in the house of\na potter. Adopting the Brahmanical profession, they began to lead an\neleemosynary life. And no men recognised those heroes during their stay in\nDrupada's capital.\n\n\"'Yajnasena always cherished the desire of bestowing his daughter on Kiriti\n(Arjuna), the son of Pandu. But he never spoke of it to anybody. And, O\nJanamejaya, the king of Panchala thinking of Arjuna caused a very stiff\nbow to be made that was incapable of being bent by any except Arjuna.\nCausing some machinery to be erected in the sky, the king set up a mark\nattached to that machinery. And Drupada said, \"He that will string this\nbow and with these well-adorned arrows shoot the mark above the machine\nshall 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 Karna. 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 Swayamvara,\nthe citizens, roaring like the sea, all took their seats on the platforms\nthat were erected around the amphitheatre. The monarch entered the grand\namphitheatre by the north-eastern gate. And the amphitheatre which itself\nhad been erected on an auspicious and level plain to the north-east of\nDrupada's capital, was surrounded by beautiful mansions. And it was\nenclosed on all sides with high walls and a moat with arched doorways here\nand there. The vast amphitheatre was also shaded by a canopy of various\ncolours. And resounding with the notes of thousands of trumpets, it was\nscented with black aloes and sprinkled all over with water mixed with\nsandal-paste and decorated with garlands of flowers. It was surrounded\nwith high mansions perfectly white and resembling the cloud-kissing peaks\nof Kailasa. The windows of those mansions were covered with net works of\ngold; the walls were set with diamonds and precious costly carpets and\ncloths. All those mansions adorned with wreaths and garlands of flowers\nand rendered fragrant with excellent aloes, were all white and spotless,\nlike unto the necks of swans. And the fragrance therefrom could be\nperceived from the distance of a Yojana (eight miles). And they were each\nfurnished with a hundred doors wide enough to admit a crowd of persons;\nthey were adorned with costly beds and carpets, and beautified with\nvarious metals; they resembled the peaks of the Himavat. And in those\nseven-storied houses of various sizes dwelt the monarchs invited by\nDrupada whose persons were adorned with every ornament and who were\npossessed with the desire of excelling one another. And the inhabitants of\nthe city and the country who had come to behold Krishna and taken their\nseats on the excellent platforms erected around, beheld seated within\nthose mansions those lions among kings who were all endued with the energy\nof great souls. And those exalted sovereigns were all adorned with the\nfragrant paste of the black aloe. Of great liberality, they were all\ndevoted to Brahma and they protected their kingdoms against all foes. And\nfor their own good deeds they were loved by the whole world.\n\n\"'The Pandavas, too, entering that amphitheatre, sat with the Brahmanas and\nbeheld the unequalled affluence of the king of the Panchalas. And that\nconcourse of princes, Brahmanas, and others, looking gay at the\nperformances of actors and dancers (large presents of every kind of wealth\nbeing constantly made), began to swell day by day. And it lasted, O king,\nseveral days, till on the sixteenth day when it was at its full, the\ndaughter 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 amphitheatre,\nO monarch, became perfectly still, Dhrishtadyumna possessed of a voice\ndeep as the sound of the kettledrum or the clouds, taking hold of his\nsister's arm, stood in the midst of that concourse, and said, with a voice\nloud and deep as the roar of the clouds, these charming words of excellent\nimport, \"Hear ye assembled kings, this is the bow, that is the mark, and\nthese are the arrows. Shoot the mark through the orifice of the machine\nwith these five sharpened arrows. Truly do I say that, possessed of\nlineage, beauty of persons, and strength whoever achieveth this great feat\nshall obtain today this my sister, Krishna for his wife.\" Having thus\nspoken unto the assembled monarchs Drupada's son then addressed his sister,\nreciting unto her the names and lineages and achievements of those\nassembled lords of the earth.'\"\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 weapons\n--the illustrious Aswatthaman and Bhoja, adorned with every ornament have\nalso come for thee. Vrihanta, Manimana, Dandadhara, Sahadeva, Jayatsena,\nMeghasandhi, Virata with his two sons Sankha and Uttara, Vardhakshemi,\nSusarma, Senavindu, Suketu with his two sons Sunama and Suvarcha, Suchitra,\nSukumara, Vrika, Satyadhriti, Suryadhwaja, Rochamana, Nila, Chitrayudha,\nAgsuman, Chekitana, the mighty Sreniman, Chandrasena the mighty son of\nSamudrasena, Jarasandha, Vidanda, and Danda--the father and son, Paundraka,\nVasudeva, Bhagadatta endued with great energy, Kalinga, Tamralipta, the\nking of Pattana, the mighty car-warrior Salya, the king of Madra, with his\nson, the heroic Rukmangada, Rukmaratha, Somadatta of the Kuru race with\nhis three sons, all mighty chariot-fighters and heroes, viz., Bhuri,\nBhurisrava, and Sala, Sudakshina, Kamvoja of the Puru race, Vrihadvala,\nSushena, Sivi, the son of Usinara, Patcharanihanta, the king of Karusha,\nSankarshana (Valadeva), Vasudeva (Krishna) the mighty son of Rukmini,\nSamva, Charudeshna, 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 other\ngreat kings--all Kshatriyas celebrated throughout the world--have come, O\nblessed one, for thee. Endued with prowess, these will shoot the mark. And\nthou shalt choose him for thy husband who amongst these will shoot the\nmark.\"'\"\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 and\ngifted with might, stood up brandishing their weapons. And intoxicated\nwith pride of beauty, prowess, lineage, knowledge, wealth, and youth, they\nwere like Himalayan elephants in the season of rut with crowns split from\nexcess of temporal juice. And beholding each other with jealousy and\ninfluenced by the god of desire, they suddenly rose up from their royal\nseats, exclaiming \"Krishna shall be mine.\" And the Kshatriyas assembled in\nthat amphitheatre, each desirous of winning the daughter of Drupada,\nlooked like the celestial (of old) standing round Uma, the daughter of the\nKing of mountains. Afflicted with the shafts of the god of the flowery bow\nand with hearts utterly lost in the contemplation of Krishna, those\nprinces descended into the amphitheatre for winning the Panchala maiden\nand began to regard even their best friends with jealousy. And there came\nalso the celestials on their cars, with the Rudras and the Adityas, the\nVasus and the twin Aswins, the Swadhas and all the Marutas, and Kuvera\nwith Yama walking ahead. And there came also the Daityas and the Suparnas,\nthe great Nagas and the celestial Rishis, the Guhyakas and the Charanas\nand Viswavasu and Narada and Parvata, and the principal Gandharvas with\nApsaras. And Halayudha (Valadeva) and Janardana (Krishna) and the chief of\nthe Vrishni, Andhaka, and Yadava tribes who obeyed the leadership of\nKrishna were also there, viewing the scene. And beholding those elephants\nin rut--the five (Pandavas)--attracted towards Draupadi like mighty\nelephants towards a lake overgrown with lotuses, or like fire covered with\nashes, Krishna the foremost of Yadu heroes began to reflect. And he said\nunto Rama (Valadeva), \"That is Yudhishthira; that is Bhima with Jishnu\n(Arjuna); and those are the twin heroes.\" And Rama surveying them slowly\ncast a glance of satisfaction at Krishna. Biting their nether lips in\nwrath, the other heroes there--sons and grandsons of kings--with their\neyes and hearts and thoughts set on Krishna, looked with expanded eyes on\nDraupadi alone without noticing the Pandavas. And the sons of Pritha also,\nof mighty 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, garlands,\nbracelets, and other ornaments, endued with mighty arms, possessed of\nprowess and vigour and bursting with strength and energy, those princes\ncould not, even in imagination, string that bow of extraordinary\nstiffness.\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 time.\nTheir strength spent and their crowns and garlands loosened from their\npersons, they began to pant for breath and their ambition of winning that\nfair maiden was cooled. Tossed by that tough bow, and their garlands and\nbracelets and other ornaments disordered, they began to utter exclamations\nof woe. And that assemblage of monarchs, their hope of obtaining Krishna\ngone, looked sad and woeful. And beholding the plight of those monarchs,\nKarna that foremost of all wielders of the bow went to where the bow was,\nand quickly raising it strung it and placed the arrows on the string. And\nbeholding the son of Surya--Karna of the Suta tribe--like unto fire, or\nSoma, or Surya himself, resolved to shoot the mark, those foremost of\nbowmen--the sons of Pandu--regarded the mark as already shot and brought\ndown upon the ground. But seeing Karna, Draupadi loudly said, \"I will not\nselect a Suta for my lord.\" Then Karna, laughing in vexation and casting\nglance at the Sun, threw aside the bow already drawn to a circle.\n\n\"'Then 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, himself\nfell upon his knees on the ground. Then king Jarasandha endued with great\nstrength and powers, approaching the bow stood there for some moment,\nfixed and motionless like a mountain. Tossed by the bow, he too fell upon\nhis knees on the ground, and rising up, the monarch left the amphitheatre\nfor (returning to) his kingdom. Then the great hero Salya, the king of\nMadra, endued with great strength, in endeavouring to string the bow fell\nupon his knees on the ground. At last when in that assemblage consisting\nof highly respectable people, all the monarchs had become subjects of\nderisive talk that foremost of heroes--Jishnu, the son of Kunti--desired\nto string the bow and placed the arrows on the bow-string.'\"\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 untried\ntask which he hath undertaken from a spirit of boyish unsteadiness, the\nentire body of Brahmanas here will be rendered ridiculous in the eyes of\nthe assembled monarchs. Therefore, forbid this Brahmana that he may not go\nto string the bow which he is even now desirous of doing from vanity,\nor mere childish daring.\" Others replied, \"We shall not be made\nridiculous, nor shall we incur the disrespect of anybody or the\ndispleasure of the sovereigns.\" Some remarked, \"This handsome youth is even\nlike the trunk of a mighty elephant, whose shoulders and arms and thighs\nare so well-built, who in patience looks like the Himavat, whose gait is\neven like that of the lion, and whose prowess seems to be like that of an\nelephant in rut, and who is so resolute, that it is probable that he will\naccomplish this feat. He has strength and resolution. If he had none, he\nwould never go of his own accord. Besides, there is nothing in the three\nworlds that Brahmanas of all mortal men cannot accomplish. Abstaining from\nall food or living upon air or eating of fruits, persevering in their vows,\nand emaciated 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 that\nbow, and bending his head unto that giver of boons--the lord Isana--and\nremembering Krishna also, he took it up. And that bow which Rukma, Sunitha,\nVakra, Radha's son, Duryodhana, Salya, and many other kings accomplished\nin the science and practice of arms, could not even with great exertion,\nstring, Arjuna, the son of Indra, that foremost of all persons endued with\nenergy and like unto the younger brother of Indra (Vishnu) in might,\nstrung in the twinkling of an eye. And taking up the five arrows he shot\nthe mark and caused it to fall down on the ground through the hole in the\nmachine above which it had been placed. Then there arose a loud uproar in\nthe firmament, and the amphitheatre also resounded with a loud clamour.\nAnd the gods showered celestial flowers on the head of Partha the slayer\nof foes. And thousands of Brahmanas began to wave their upper garments in\njoy. And all around, the monarchs who had been unsuccessful, uttered\nexclamations of grief and despair. And flowers were rained from the skies\nall over the amphitheatre. And the musicians struck up in concert. Bards\nand heralds began to chant in sweet tones the praises (of the hero who\naccomplished the feat). And beholding Arjuna, Drupada--that slayer of\nfoes,--was filled with joy. And the monarch desired to assist with his\nforces the hero if the occasion arose. And when the uproar was at its\nheight, Yudhishthira, the foremost of all virtuous men, accompanied by\nthose first of men the twins, hastily left the amphitheatre for returning\nto his temporary home. And Krishna beholding the mark shot and beholding\nPartha also like unto Indra himself, who had shot the mark, was filled with\njoy, and approached the son of Kunti with a white robe and a garland of\nflowers. And Arjuna the accomplisher of inconceivable feats, having won\nDraupadi by his success in the amphitheatre, was saluted with reverence by\nall the Brahmanas. And he soon after left the lists followed close by her\nwho thus became his wife.'\"\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 those\nmonarchs who had been invited to the Swayamvara, looking at one another,\nwere suddenly filled with wrath. And they said, \"Passing us by and\ntreating the assembled monarchs as straw this Drupada desireth to bestow\nhis daughter--that first of women,--on a Brahmana! Having planted the tree\nhe cutteth it down when it is about to bear fruit. The wretch regardeth us\nnot: therefore let us slay him. He deserveth not our respect nor the\nveneration due to age. Owing to such qualities of his, we shall, therefore,\nslay this wretch that insulteth all kings, along with his son. Inviting\nall 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 of\nmaintaining what properly belongeth unto each order, other Swayamvaras may\nnot 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 at\nDrupada to slay him then and there. And Drupada beholding those monarchs\nall at once rushing towards him in anger with bows and arrows, sought,\nfrom fear, the protection of the Brahmanas. But those mighty bowmen (Bhima\nand Arjuna) of the Pandavas, capable of chastising all foes, advanced to\noppose those monarchs rushing towards them impetuously like elephants in\nthe season of rut. Then the monarchs with gloved fingers and upraised\nweapons rushed in anger at the Kuru princes, Bhima and Arjuna, to slay\nthem. Then the mighty Bhima of extraordinary achievements, endued with the\nstrength of thunder, tore up like an elephant a large tree and divested it\nof its leaves. And with that tree, the strong-armed Bhima, the son of\nPritha, that grinder of foes, stood, like unto the mace-bearing king of\nthe dead (Yama) armed with his fierce mace, near Arjuna that bull amongst\nmen. And beholding that feat of his brother, Jishnu of extraordinary\nintelligence, himself also of inconceivable feats, wondered much. And\nequal unto Indra himself in achievements, shaking off all fear he stood\nwith his bow ready to receive those assailants. And beholding those feats\nof both Jishnu and his brother, Damodara (Krishna) of superhuman\nintelligence and inconceivable feats, addressing his brother, Halayudha\n(Valadeva) of fierce energy, said, \"That hero there, of tread like that of\na mighty lion, who draweth the large bow in his hand four full cubits in\nlength, is Arjuna! There is no doubt, O Sankarshana, about this, if I am\nVasudeva. That other hero who having speedily torn up the tree hath\nsuddenly become ready to drive off the monarchs is Vrikodara! For no one\nin the world, except Vrikodara, could today perform such a feat in the\nfield of battle. And that other youth of eyes like unto lotus-petals, of\nfull four cubits height, of gait like that of a mighty lion, and humble\nwithal, of fair complexion and prominent and shining nose, who had, a\nlittle before, left the amphitheatre, is Dharma's son (Yudhishthira). The\ntwo other youths, like unto Kartikeya, are, I suspect, the sons of the\ntwin Aswins. I heard that the sons of Pandu along with their mother Pritha\nhad all escaped from the conflagration of the house of lac.\" Then\nHalayudha of complexion like unto that of clouds uncharged with rain,\naddressing his younger brother (Krishna), said with great satisfaction, \"O,\nI am happy to hear, as I do from sheer good fortune, that our father's\nsister Pritha with the foremost of the Kaurava princes have all escaped\n(from death)!\"'\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXLII\n\n(Swayamvara Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Then those bulls among Brahmanas shaking their deer-\nskins and water-pots made of cocoanut-shells exclaimed, \"Fear not, we will\nfight the foe!\" Arjuna smilingly addressing those Brahmanas exclaiming\nthus, said, \"Stand ye aside as spectators (of the fray). Showering hundreds\nof arrows furnished with straight points even I shall check, like snakes\nwith mantras, all those angry monarchs.\" Having said this, the mighty\nArjuna taking up the bow he had obtained as dower accompanied by his\nbrother Bhima stood immovable as a mountain. And beholding those\nKshatriyas who were ever furious in battle with Karna ahead, the heroic\nbrothers rushed fearlessly at them like two elephants rushing against a\nhostile elephant. Then those monarchs eager for the fight fiercely\nexclaimed, \"The slaughter in battle of one desiring to fight is\npermitted.\" And saying this, the monarchs suddenly rushed against the\nBrahmanas. And Karna endued with great energy rushed against Jishnu for\nfight. And Salya the mighty king of Madra rushed against Bhima like an\nelephant rushing against another for the sake of a she-elephant in heat;\nwhile Duryodhana and others engaged with the Brahmanas, skirmished with\nthem lightly and carelessly. Then the illustrious Arjuna beholding Karna,\nthe son of Vikartana (Surya), advancing towards him, drew his tough bow\nand pieced him with his sharp arrows. And the impetus of those whetted\narrows furnished with fierce energy made Radheya (Karna) faint.\nRecovering consciousness Karna attacked Arjuna with greater care than\nbefore. 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 their\nencounter). \"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 impetuous\narrows shot at him by Arjuna, Karna sent up a loud shout. And this feat of\nhis was applauded by all the warriors. Then addressing his antagonist,\nKarna said, \"O thou foremost of Brahmanas, I am gratified to observe the\nenergy of thy arms that knoweth no relaxation in battle and thy weapons\nthemselves fit for achieving victory. Art thou the embodiment of the\nscience of weapons, or art thou Rama that best of Brahmanas, or Indra\nhimself, or Indra's younger brother Vishnu called also Achyuta, who for\ndisguising himself hath assumed the form of a Brahmana and mustering such\nenergy 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, O\nhero, 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 on,\nstriking each other at times with their clenched fists. And encountering\neach other with blows hard as the clash of two masses of granite, the\nlists rang with the sounds of their combat. Fighting with each other thus\nfor a few seconds, Bhima the foremost of the Kuru heroes taking up Salya\non his arms hurled him to a distance. And Bhimasena, that bull amongst men,\nsurprised all (by the dexterity of his feat) for though he threw Salya on\nthe ground he did it without hurting him much. And when Salya was thus\nthrown down and Karna was struck with fear, the other monarchs were all\nalarmed. And they hastily surrounded Bhima and exclaimed, \"Surely these\nbulls amongst Brahmanas are excellent (warriors)! Ascertain in what race\nthey have been born and where they abide. Who can encounter Karna, the son\nof Radha, in fight, except Rama or Drona, or Kiriti, the son of Pandu? Who\nalso can encounter Duryodhana in battle except Krishna, the son of Devaki,\nand Kripa, the son of Saradwan? Who also can overthrow in battle Salya,\nthat first of mighty warriors, except the hero Valadeva or Vrikodara, the\nson of Pandu, or the heroic Duryodhana? Let us, therefore, desist from\nthis fight with the Brahmanas. Indeed, Brahmanas, however offending,\nshould yet be ever protected. And first let us ascertain who these are;\nfor after we have done 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 the\nBrahmana),\" he induced them to abandon the fight. Accomplished in battle,\nthose monarchs then desisted from the fight. And those best of monarchs\nthen returned to their respective kingdoms, wondering much. And those who\nhad come there went away saying, \"The festive scene hath terminated in the\nvictory of the Brahmanas. The princess of Panchala hath become the bride\nof a Brahmana.\" And surrounded by Brahmanas dressed in skins of deer and\nother wild animals, Bhima and Dhananjaya passed with difficulty out of the\nthrong. And those heroes among men, mangled by the enemy and followed by\nKrishna, on coming at last out of that throng, looked like the full moon\nand 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 various\nevils having overtaken her sons. At one time she thought that the sons of\nDhritarashtra having recognised her sons had slain them. Next she feared\nthat some cruel and strong Rakshasas endued with powers of deception had\nslain them. And she asked herself, \"Could the illustrious Vyasa himself\n(who had directed my sons to come to Panchala) have been guided by\nperverse intelligence?\" Thus reflected Pritha in consequence of her\naffection for her offspring. Then in the stillness of the late afternoon,\nJishnu, accompanied by a body of Brahmanas, entered the abode of the\npotter, like the cloud-covered sun appearing on a cloudy day.'\"\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 that\nday. And Kunti who was there within the room and saw not her sons, replied,\nsaying, \"Enjoy ye all (what ye have obtained).\" The moment after, she\nbeheld Krishna and then she said, \"Oh, what have I said?\" And anxious from\nfear of sin, and reflecting how every one could be extricated from the\nsituation, she took the cheerful Yajnaseni by the hand, and approaching\nYudhishthira said, \"The daughter of king Yajnasena upon being represented\nto me by thy younger brothers as the alms they had obtained, from\nignorance, O king, I said what was proper, viz., 'Enjoy ye all what hath\nbeen obtained.' O thou bull of the Kuru race, tell me how my speech may\nnot become untrue; how sin may not touch the daughter of the king of\nPanchala, and how also she may not become uneasy.\"'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed by his mother that hero among men,\nthat foremost scion of the Kuru race, the intelligent king (Yudhishthira),\nreflecting for a moment, consoled Kunti, and addressing Dhananjaya, said,\n\"By thee, O Phalguna, hath Yajnaseni been won. It is proper, therefore,\nthat thou shouldst wed her. O thou withstander of all foes, igniting the\nsacred 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 by\nthe 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 to 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 alone.\nIndeed, after those princes of immeasurable energy had looked at Draupadi,\nthe God of Desire invaded their hearts and continued to crush all their\nsenses. As the lavishing beauty of Panchali who had been modelled by the\nCreator himself, was superior to that of all other women on earth, it\ncould captivate the heart of every creature. And Yudhishthira, the son of\nKunti, beholding his younger brothers, understood what was passing in\ntheir minds. And that bull among men immediately recollected the words of\nKrishna-Dwaipayana. And the king, then, from fear of a division amongst\nthe brothers, addressing all of them, said, \"The auspicious Draupadi shall\nbe 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 him.\nThen Vasudeva approaching that foremost of virtuous men--the son of Kunti--\nand touching the feet of that prince of the Ajamida race, said, \"I am\nKrishna.\" And the son of Rohini (Valadeva) also approaching Yudhishthira,\ndid the same. And the Pandavas, beholding Krishna and Valadeva, began to\nexpress great delight. And, O thou foremost of the Bharata race, those\nheroes of the Yadu race thereafter touched also the feet of Kunti, their\nfather's sister. And Ajatasatru, that foremost of the Kuru race, beholding\nKrishna, enquired after his well-being and asked, \"How, O Vasudeva, hast\nthou been able to trace us, as we are living in disguise?\" And Vasudeva,\nsmilingly answered, \"O king, fire, even if it is covered, can be known.\nWho else among men than the Pandavas could exhibit such might? Ye\nresisters of all foes, ye sons of Pandu, by sheer good fortune have ye\nescaped from that fierce fire. And it is by sheer good fortune alone that\nthe wicked son of Dhritarashtra and his counsellors have not succeeded in\naccomplishing their wishes. Blest be ye! And grow ye in prosperity like a\nfire in a cave gradually growing and spreading itself all around. And lest\nany of the monarchs recognise ye, let us return to our tent.\" Then,\nobtaining Yudhishthira's leave, Krishna of prosperity knowing no decrease,\naccompanied by Valadeva, hastily went away from the potter's abode.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXLIV\n\n(Swayamvara Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'When the Kuru princes (Bhima and Arjuna) were wending\ntowards the abode of the potter, Dhrishtadyumna, the Panchala prince\nfollowed them. And sending away all his attendants, he concealed himself\nin some part of the potter's house, unknown to the Pandavas. Then Bhima,\nthat grinder of all foes, and Jishnu, and the illustrious twins, on\nreturning from their eleemosynary round in the evening, cheerfully gave\neverything unto Yudhishthira. Then the kind-hearted Kunti addressing the\ndaughter of Drupada said, \"O amiable one, take thou first a portion from\nthis and devote it to the gods and give it away to Brahmanas, and feed\nthose that desire to eat and give unto those who have become our guests.\nDivide the rest into two halves. Give one of these unto Bhima, O amiable\none, for this strong youth of fair complexion--equal unto a king of\nelephants--this hero always eateth much. And divide the other half into\nsix parts, four for these youths, one for myself, and one for thee.\" Then\nthe princess hearing those instructive words of her mother-in-law\ncheerfully did all that she had been directed to do. And those heroes then\nall ate of the food prepared by Krishna. Then Sahadeva, the son of Madri,\nendued with great activity, spread on the ground a bed of kusa grass. Then\nthose heroes, each spreading thereon his deer-skin, laid themselves down\nto sleep. And those foremost of the Kuru princes lay down with heads\ntowards the south. And Kunti laid herself down along the line of their\nheads, and Krishna along that of their feet. And Krishna though she lay\nwith the sons of Pandu on that bed of kusa grass along the line of their\nfeet as if she were their nether pillow, grieved not in her heart nor\nthought disrespectfully of those bulls amongst the Kurus. Then those\nheroes began to converse with one another. And the conversations of those\nprinces, each worthy to lead an army, was exceedingly interesting, they\nbeing upon celestial cars and weapons and elephants, and swords and arrows,\nand battle-axes. And the son of the Panchala king listened (from his place\nof concealment) unto all they said. And all those who were with him beheld\nKrishna 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 had\nbeen sad because he knew not the Pandavas as those who had taken away his\ndaughter. And the illustrious monarch asked Dhristadyumna on his return,\n\"Oh, where hath Krishna gone? Who hath taken her away? Hath any Sudra or\nanybody of mean descent, or hath a tribute-paying Vaisya by taking my\ndaughter away, placed his dirty foot on my head? O son, hath that wreath\nof flowers been thrown away on a grave-yard? Hath any Kshatriya of high\nbirth, or any one of the superior order (Brahmana) obtained my daughter?\nHath any one of mean descent, by having won Krishna, placed his left foot\non my head? I would not, O son, grieve but feel greatly happy, if my\ndaughter hath been united with Partha that foremost of men! O thou exalted\none, tell me truly who hath won my daughter today? O, are the sons of that\nforemost of Kurus, Vichitravirya's son alive? Was it Partha (Arjuna) that\ntook up the bow and shot the mark?\"'\"\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 offered\nhim their homage for the feat he had achieved. Incapable of bearing the\nsight of a foe and endued with great activity, he began to exert his\nprowess. And surrounded by the Brahmanas he resembled the thunder-wielding\nIndra standing in the midst of the celestials, and the Rishis. And like a\nshe-elephant following the leader of a herd, Krishna cheerfully followed\nthat youth catching hold of his deer-skin. Then when the assembled\nmonarchs incapable of bearing that sight rose up in wrath and advanced for\nfight, there rose up another hero who tearing up a large tree rushed at\nthat concourse of kings, felling them right and left like Yama himself\nsmiting down creatures endued with life. Then, O monarch, the assembled\nkings stood motionless and looked at that couple of heroes, while they,\nresembling the Sun and the Moon, taking Krishna with them, left the\namphitheatre and went into the abode of a potter in the suburbs of the\ntown, and there at the potter's abode sat a lady like unto a flame of fire\nwho, I think, is their mother. And around her also sat three other\nforemost of men each of whom was like unto fire. And the couple of heroes\nhaving approached her paid homage unto her feet, and they said unto\nKrishna also to do the same. And keeping Krishna with her, those foremost\nof men all went the round of eleemosynary visits. Some time after when\nthey returned, Krishna taking from them what they had obtained as alms,\ndevoted a portion thereof to the gods, and gave another portion away (in\ngift) to Brahmanas. And of what remained after this, she gave a portion to\nthat venerable lady, and distributed the rest amongst those five foremost\nof men. And she took a little for herself and ate it last of all. Then, O\nmonarch, they all laid themselves down for sleep, Krishna lying along the\nline of their feet as their nether pillow. And the bed on which they lay\nwas made of kusa grass upon which was spread their deer-skins. And before\ngoing to sleep they talked on diverse subjects in voices deep as of black\nclouds. The talk of those heroes indicated them to be neither Vaisyas nor\nSudras, nor Brahmanas. Without doubt, O monarch, they are bulls amongst\nKshatriyas, their discourse having been on military subjects. It seems, O\nfather, that our hope hath been fructified, for we have heard that the\nsons of Kunti all escaped from the conflagration of the house of lac. From\nthe way in which the mark was shot down by that youth, and the strength\nwith which the bow was strung by him, and the manner in which I have heard\nthem talk with one another proves conclusively, O monarch, that they are\nthe sons of Pritha wandering in disguise.\"\n\n\"'Hearing these words of his son, king Drupada became exceedingly glad, and\nhe sent unto them his priest directing him to ascertain who they were and\nwhether they were the sons of the illustrious Pandu. Thus directed, the\nking's priest went unto them and applauding them all, delivered the king's\nmessage duly, saying, \"Ye who are worthy of preference in everything, the\nboon-giving king of the earth--Drupada--is desirous of ascertaining who ye\nare. Beholding this one who hath shot down the mark, his joy knoweth no\nbounds. Giving us all particulars of your family and tribe, place ye your\nfeet on the heads of your foes and gladden the hearts of the king of\nPanchala mid his men and mine also. King Pandu was the dear friend of\nDrupada and was regarded by him as his counterself. And Drupada had all\nalong cherished the desire of bestowing this daughter of his upon Pandu as\nhis daughter-in-law. Ye heroes of features perfectly faultless, king\nDrupada hath all along cherished this desire in his heart that Arjuna of\nstrong and long arms might wed this daughter of his according to the\nordinance. If that hath become possible, nothing could be better; nothing\nmore beneficial; nothing more conducive to fame and virtue, so far as\nDrupada 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 hath,\nby fixing a special kind of dower, given away his daughter according to\nthe practice of his order and not freely. This hero hath, by satisfying\nthat demand, won the princess. King Drupada, therefore, hath nothing now\nto say in regard to the race, tribe, family and disposition of him who\nhath performed that feat. Indeed, all his queries have been answered by\nthe stringing of the bow and the shooting down of the mark. It is by doing\nwhat he had directed that this illustrious hero hath brought away Krishna\nfrom among the assembled monarchs. In these circumstances, the king of the\nLunar race should not indulge in any regrets which can only make him\nunhappy without mending matters in the least. The desire that king Drupada\nhath all along cherished will be accomplished for his handsome princess\nwho beareth, I think, every auspicious mark. None that is weak in strength\ncould string that bow, and none of mean birth and unaccomplished in arms\ncould have shot down the mark. It behoveth not, therefore, the king of the\nPanchalas to grieve for his daughter today. Nor can anybody in the world\nundo that act of shooting down the mark. Therefore the king should not\ngrieve for what must 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\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 wedding\nwill take place there. Delay ye not. These cars adorned with golden\nlotuses drawn by excellent horses are worthy of kings. Riding on them,\ncome ye into the abode of the king of the Panchalas.\"'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then those bulls among the Kurus, dismissing the\npriest and causing Kunti and Krishna to ride together on one of those cars,\nthemselves ascended those splendid vehicles and proceeded towards\nDrupada's palace. 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 the\nqueen 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 long-\nhanging arms like unto the bodies of mighty snakes, the king, and the\nking'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 became\nwell-pleased. And after the dinner was over, those heroes among men,\npassing over all other articles, began to observe with interest the\nvarious utensils of war. Beholding this, Drupada's son and Drupada himself,\nalong with all his chief ministers of state, understanding the sons of\nKunti to be all of royal blood became exceedingly glad.'\"\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! Truth\nbecometh monarchs better than sacrifices and dedications of tanks.\nTherefore, tell us not what is untrue. O thou of the beauty of a celestial,\nO chastiser of foes, hearing thy reply I shall make arrangements for my\ndaughter's wedding according to the order to which ye belong.\"\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 wedded\nwife of us all. Let her take our hands, one after another before the\nfire.\"\n\n\"'Drupada answered, \"O scion of Kuru's race, it hath been directed that one\nman may have many wives. But it hath never been heard that one woman may\nhave many husbands! O son of Kunti, as thou art pure and acquainted with\nthe 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, morality\nis subtle. We do not know its course. Let us follow the way trodden by the\nillustrious ones of former ages. My tongue never uttered an untruth. My\nheart also never turneth to what is sinful. My mother commandeth so; and\nmy heart also approveth of it. Therefore, O king, that is quite\nconformable to virtue. Act according to it, without any scruples.\nEntertain 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\nSECTION CLXLVIII\n\n(Vaivahika Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Then all the Pandavas and the illustrious king of the\nPanchalas and all others there present stood up and saluted with reverence\nthe illustrious Rishi Krishna (Dwaipayana). The high-souled Rishi,\nsaluting them in return and enquiring after their welfare, sat down on a\ncarpet of gold. And commanded by Krishna (Dwaipayana) of immeasurable\nenergy, those foremost of men all sat down on costly seats. A little after,\nO monarch, the son of Prishata in sweet accents asked the illustrious\nRishi about the wedding of his daughter. And he said, \"How, O illustrious\none, can one woman become the wife of many men without being defiled by\nsin? O, tell me truly all about this.\" Hearing these words Vyasa replied,\n\"This practice, O king, being opposed to usage and the Vedas, hath become\nobsolete. I desire, however, to hear what the opinion of each of you is\nupon 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 and\nmy heart never inclineth to what is sinful. When my heart approveth of it,\nit can never be sinful. I have heard in the Purana that a lady of name\nJatila, the foremost of all virtuous women belonging to the race of Gotama\nhad married seven Rishis. So also an ascetic's daughter, born of a tree,\nhad in former times united herself in marriage with ten brothers all\nbearing the same name of Prachetas and who were all of souls exalted by\nasceticism. 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 as\nalms. It is for this, O best of Brahmanas, that I regard the (proposed)\nact 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. How\nshall 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 to\nvirtue.\"'\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 how\nthe practice of polyandry could not be regarded as sinful.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CLXLIX\n\n(Vaivahika Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Vyasa continued, \"In days of yore, the celestials had\nonce 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 population\nof the world they addressed the Master of creation and said, 'Alarmed, O\nlord, at the increase of human beings on earth, we come to thee for relief.\nIndeed, we crave thy protection.' Hearing those words the Grandsire said,\n'Ye have little cause to be frightened at this increase of human beings.\nYe all are immortal. It behoveth you not to take fright at human beings.'\nThe celestials replied, 'The mortals have all become immortal. There is no\ndistinction now between us and them. Vexed at the disappearance of all\ndistinction, we have come to thee in order that thou mayest distinguish us\nfrom them.' The Creator then said, 'The son of Vivaswat is even now\nengaged in the grand sacrifice. It is for this that men are not dying. But\nwhen Yama's work in connection with the sacrifice terminates, men will\nagain begin to die as before. Strengthened by your respective energies,\nYama will, when that time comes, sweep away by thousands the inhabitants\non earth who will scarcely have 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 in the stream, weeping all the while. The tear-drops\nshe shed, falling on the stream, were being transformed into golden\nlotuses. The wielder of the thunderbolt, beholding that wonderful sight,\napproached the woman and asked her, 'Who art thou, amiable lady? Why dost\nthou 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 see\nwhat it is I weep for.' Hearing these words of the lady, Indra followed\nher as she led the way. And soon he saw, not far off from where he was, a\nhandsome youth with a young lady seated on a throne placed on one of the\npeaks of Himavat and playing at dice. Beholding that youth, the chief of\nthe celestials said, 'Know, intelligent youth, that this universe is under\nmy sway.' Seeing, however, that the person addressed was so engrossed in\ndice that he took no notice of what he said, Indra was possessed by anger\nand repeated, 'I am the lord of the universe.' The youth who was none else\nthan the god Mahadeva (the god of the gods), seeing Indra filled with\nwrath, only smiled, having cast a glance at him. At that glance, however,\nthe chief of the celestials was at once paralysed and stood there like a\nstake. When the game at dice was over, Isana addressing the weeping woman\nsaid, 'Bring Sakra hither, for I shall soon so deal with him that pride\nmay not again enter his heart.' As soon as Sakra was touched by that woman,\nthe chief of the celestials with limbs paralysed by that touch, fell down\non the earth. The illustrious Isana of fierce energy then said unto him,\n'Act not, O Sakra, ever again in this way. Remove this huge stone, for thy\nstrength and energy are immeasurable, and enter the hole (it will\ndisclose) where await some others possessing the splendour of the sun and\nwho are all like unto thee.' Indra, then, on removing that stone, beheld a\ncave in the breast of that king of mountains, within which were four\nothers resembling himself. Beholding their plight, Sakra became seized\nwith grief and exclaimed, 'Shall I be even like these?' Then the god\nGirisha, looking full at Indra with expanded eyes, said in anger, 'O thou\nof a hundred sacrifices, enter this cave without loss of time, for thou\nhast from folly insulted me.' Thus addressed by the lord Isana, the chief\nof the celestials, in consequence of that terrible imprecation, was deeply\npained, and with limbs weakened by fear trembled like the wind-shaken leaf\nof a Himalayan fig. And cursed unexpectedly by the god owning a bull for\nhis vehicle, Indra, with joined hands and shaking from head to foot,\naddressed that fierce god of multi-form manifestations, saying, 'Thou art,\nO Bhava, the over-looker of the infinite Universe!' Hearing these words\nthe god of fiery energy smiled and said, 'Those that are of disposition\nlike thine never obtain my grace. These others (within the cave) had at\none time been like thee. Enter thou this cave, therefore, and lie there\nfor some time. The fate of you all shall certainly be the same. All of you\nshall have to take your birth in the world of men, where, having achieved\nmany difficult feats and slaying a large number of men, ye shall again by\nthe merits of your respective deeds, regain the valued region of Indra. Ye\nshall accomplish all I have said and much more besides, of other kinds of\nwork.' Then those Indras, of their shorn glory said, 'We shall go from our\ncelestial regions even unto the region of men where salvation is ordained\nto be difficult of acquisition. But let the gods Dharma, Vayu, Maghavat,\nand the twin Aswins beget us upon our would-be mother. Fighting with men\nby means of both celestial and human weapons, we shall again come back\ninto 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, one\nof which hairs was black and the other white. And those two hairs entered\nthe wombs of two of the Yadu race, by name Devaki and Rohini. And one of\nthese hairs viz., that which was white, became Valadeva. And the hair that\nwas black was born as Kesava's self, Krishna. And those Indras of old who\nhad been confined in the cave on the Himavat are none else than the sons\nof Pandu, endued with great energy. And Arjuna amongst the Pandavas,\ncalled also Savyasachin (using both hands with equal dexterity) is a\nportion 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 beauty.\nHow could she whose effulgence is like that of the sun or the moon, whose\nfragrance spreads for two miles around, take her birth in any other than\nan extraordinary way, viz., from within the earth, by virtue of the\nsacrificial rites? Unto thee, O king, I cheerfully grant this other boon\nin the form of spiritual sight. Behold now the sons of Kunti endued with\ntheir 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 statures\nmeasuring about five cubits. Endued with every accomplishment, and decked\nwith celestial robes of great beauty and fragrant garlands of excellent\nmaking the king beheld them as so many three-eyed gods (Mahadeva), or\nVasus, or Rudras, or Adityas themselves. And observing the Pandavas in the\nforms of those Indras of old, and Arjuna also in the form of Indra sprung\nfrom Sakra himself, king Drupada was highly pleased. And the monarch\nwondered much on beholding that manifestation of celestial power under\ndeep disguise. The king looking at his daughter, that foremost of women\nendued with great beauty, like unto a celestial damsel and possessed of\nthe splendour of fire or the moon, regarded her as the worthy wife of\nthose celestial beings, for her beauty, splendour and fame. And beholding\nthat wonderful sight, the monarch touched the feet of Satyavati's son,\nexclaiming, \"O great Rishi, nothing is miraculous in thee!\" The Rishi then\ncheerfully continued, \"In a certain hermitage there was an illustrious\nRishi's daughter, who, though handsome and chaste, obtained not a husband.\nThe maiden gratified, by severe ascetic penances, the god Sankara\n(Mahadeva). The lord Sankara, gratified at her penances, told her himself,\n'Ask thou the boon thou desirest.' Thus addressed, the maiden repeatedly\nsaid unto the boon-giving Supreme Lord, 'I desire to obtain a husband\npossessed of every accomplishment.' Sankara, the chief of the gods,\ngratified with her, gave her the boon she asked, saying, 'Thou shall have,\namiable maiden, five husbands.' The maiden, who had succeeded in\ngratifying the god, said again, 'O Sankara, I desire to have from thee\nonly one husband possessed of every virtue.' The god of gods, well-pleased\nwith her, spake again, saying, 'Thou hast, O maiden, addressed me five\nfull times, repeating, \"Give me a husband.\" Therefore, O amiable one, it\nshall even be as thou hast asked. Blessed be thou. All this, however, will\nhappen 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 celestials,\nas a consequence of her own acts becomes the (common) wife of five\nhusbands. It is for this that the self-create had created her. Having\nlistened to all this, O king Drupada, do what thou desirest.\"'\"\n\n\nSECTION CC\n\n(Vaivahika Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Drupada, on hearing this, observed, \"O great Rishi, it\nwas only when I had not heard this from thee that I had sought to act in\nthe 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 resolve\nto accomplish what thou hast said. The knot of destiny cannot be untied.\nNothing in this world is the result of our own acts. That which had been\nappointed by us in view of securing one only bridegroom hath now\nterminated in favour of many. As Krishna (in a former life) had repeatedly\nsaid, 'O, give me a husband!' the great god himself even gave her the boon\nshe had asked. The god himself knows the right or wrong of this. As\nregards myself, when Sankara hath ordained so, right or wrong, no sin can\nattach to me. Let these with happy hearts take, as ordained, the hand of\nKrishna 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. Take\nthou the hand of Krishna today, thyself first before thy brothers!\" When\nVyasa had said so, king Yajnasena and his son made preparations for the\nwedding. And the monarch kept ready various costly articles as marriage\npresents. Then he brought out his daughter Krishna, decked, after a bath,\nwith many jewels and pearls. Then there came to witness the wedding all\nthe friends and relatives of the king, ministers of state, and many\nBrahmanas and citizens. And they all took their seats according to their\nrespective ranks. Adorned with that concourse of principal men, with its\nyard decked with lotuses and lilies scattered thereupon, and beautified\nwith lines of troops, king Drupada's palace, festooned around with\ndiamonds 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, well-\nconversant 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, the\ncelestial Rishi told me of a very wonderful and extraordinary thing in\nconnection with these marriages, viz., that the illustrious princess of\nslender waist regained her virginity every day after a previous marriage.\nAfter the weddings were over, king Drupada gave unto those mighty car-\nwarriors diverse kinds of excellent wealth. And the king gave unto them\none hundred cars with golden standards, each drawn by four steeds with\ngolden bridles. And he gave them one hundred elephants all possessing\nauspicious marks on their temples and faces and like unto a hundred\nmountains with golden peaks. He also gave them a hundred female servants\nall in the prime of youth and clad in costly robes and ornaments and\nfloral wreaths. And the illustrious monarch of the Lunar race gave unto\neach 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 their\nwedding were over, and after they had obtained Krishna like unto a second\nSri along with great wealth, passed their days in joy and happiness, like\nso many Indras, in the capital of the king of the Panchalas.'\"\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 one,\nbe thou the mother of long-lived and heroic children, and possessed of\neverything that can make thee happy! Let luck and prosperity ever wait on\nthee! 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, with\nthy 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, so\nshall I rejoice again, when, O accomplished one, I behold thee become the\nmother 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 unto\nthem costly robes manufactured in various countries, and many beautiful\nand soft blankets and hides of great value, and many costly beds and\ncarpets and vehicles. He also sent them vessels by hundreds, set with gems\nand diamonds. And Krishna also gave them female servants by thousands,\nbrought from various countries, and endued with beauty, youth and\naccomplishments and decked with every ornament. He also gave them many\nwell-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\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 and\nshot 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 means\nof the tree (he had uprooted), and who had taken his stand before all foes\nin perfect fearlessness, was none else than Bhima, that feller of hostile\nranks, whose touch alone was sufficient to take the lives out of all foes.\nThe monarchs, upon being informed that the Pandavas had assumed the guise\nof peaceful Brahmanas, wondered much. They even heard that Kunti with all\nher sons had been burnt to death in the conflagration of the house of lac.\nThey, therefore, now regarded the Pandavas in the light of persons who had\ncome back from the region of the dead. And recollecting the cruel scheme\ncontrived by Purochana, they began to say, \"O, fie on Bhishma, fie on\nDhritarashtra 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 their\nown dominions. And Duryodhana, hearing that Draupadi had selected the\nowner 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, \"If\nArjuna had not disguised himself as a Brahmana, he could never have\nsucceeded in obtaining Draupadi. It was for this disguise, O king, that no\none 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 all\naccomplished 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 and\nthat the sons of Dhritarashtra had come back (to Hastinapura) in shame,\ntheir pride humiliated, became filled with joy. And, O king, approaching\nDhritarashtra, Kshattri said, \"The Kurus are prospering by good luck!\"\nHearing those words of Vidura, the son of Vichitravirya, wondering, said\nin great glee, \"What good luck, O Vidura! What good luck!\" From ignorance,\nthe blind monarch understood that his eldest son Duryodhana had been\nchosen by Drupada's daughter as her lord. And the king immediately ordered\nvarious ornaments to be made for Draupadi. And he commanded that both\nDraupadi and his son Duryodhana should be brought with pomp to Hastinapura.\nIt was then that Vidura told the monarch that Draupadi had chosen the\nPandavas for her lords, and that those heroes were all alive and at peace,\nand that they had been received with great respect by king Drupada. And he\nalso informed Dhritarashtra that the Pandavas had been united with the\nmany relatives and friends of Drupada, each owning large armies, and with\nmany others who had come to that self-choice.\n\n\"'Hearing these words of Vidura, Dhritarashtra said, \"Those children are to\nme 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 Drupada\nwith 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, O\nmonarch, there came unto Dhritarashtra, Duryodhana and the son of Radha,\nKarna. Addressing the monarch, they said, \"We cannot, O king, speak of any\ntransgression in the presence of Vidura! We have now found thee alone, and\nwill, therefore, say all we like! What is this that thou hast, O monarch,\ndesired to do? Dost thou regard the prosperity of thy foes as if it were\nthy own, that thou hast been applauding the Pandavas, O foremost of men,\nin the presence of Vidura? O sinless one, thou actest not, O king, in the\nway thou shouldst! O father, we should now act every day in such a way as\nto weaken (the strength of) the Pandavas. The time hath come, O father,\nfor us to take counsel together, so that the Pandavas may not swallow us\nall with our children and friends and relatives.\"'\"\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 by\na change of muscle. It was, therefore, O son, that I was applauding the\nPandavas in Vidura's presence, so that he might not know even by a sign\nwhat is in my mind. Now that Vidura hath gone away, this is the time, O\nSuyodhana (Duryodhana), for telling me what thou hast hit upon, and what,\nO 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 us, 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 dissatisfied\nwith Krishna, in which case Krishna also will be dissatisfied with them.\nOr, let, O king, some clever spies, repairing thither, secretly compass\nthe death of Bhimasena. Bhima is the strongest of them all. Relying upon\nBhima alone, the Pandavas used to disregard us, of old. Bhima is fierce\nand brave and the (sole) refuge of the Pandavas. If he be slain, the\nothers will be deprived of strength and energy. Deprived of Bhima who is\ntheir sole refuge, they will no longer strive to regain their kingdom.\nArjuna, O king, is invincible in battle, if Bhima protecteth him from\nbehind. Without Bhima, Arjuna is not equal to even a fourth part of\nRadheya. Indeed, O king, the Pandavas conscious of their own feebleness\nwithout Bhima and of our strength would not really strive to recover the\nkingdom. Or, if, O monarch, coming hither, they prove docile and obedient\nto us, we would then seek to repress them according to the dictates of\npolitical science (as explained by Kanika). Or, we may tempt them by means\nof handsome girls, upon which the princess of Panchala will get annoyed\nwith them. Or, O Radheya, let messengers be despatched to bring them\nhither, so that, when arrived, we may through trusted agents, by some of\nthe above methods, cause them to be slain. Strive, O father, to employ any\nof these (various) methods that may appear to thee faultless. Time passeth.\nBefore their confidence in king Drupada--that bull amongst kings--is\nestablished we may succeed, O monarch, to encounter them. But after their\nconfidence hath been established in Drupada, we are sure to fail. These, O\nfather, are my views for the discomfiture of the Pandavas. Judge whether\nthey be good or bad. What, O Karna, dost thou think?\"'\"\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 Pandavas.\nO brave prince, thou hast before, by various subtle means, striven to\ncarry out thy wishes. But ever hast thou failed to slay thy foes. They\nwere then living near thee, O king! They were then unfledged and of tender\nyears, but thou couldst not injure them then. They are now living at a\ndistance, grown up, full-fledged. The sons of Kunti, O thou of firm\nresolution, cannot now be injured by any subtle contrivances of thine.\nThis is my opinion. As they are aided by the very Fates, and as they are\ndesirous of regaining their ancestral kingdom, we can never succeed in\ninjuring them by any means in our power. It is impossible to create\ndisunion amongst them. They can never be disunited who have all taken to a\ncommon wife. Nor can we succeed in estranging Krishna from the Pandavas by\nany spies of ours. She chose them as her lords when they were in adversity.\nWill she abandon them now that they are in prosperity? Besides women\nalways like to have many husbands, Krishna hath obtained her wish. She can\nnever be estranged from the Pandavas. The king of Panchala is honest and\nvirtuous; he is not avaricious. Even if we offer him our whole kingdom he\nwill not abandon the Pandavas. Drupada's son also possesseth every\naccomplishment, and is attached to the Pandavas. Therefore, I do not think\nthat the Pandavas can now be injured by any subtle means in thy power. But,\nO bull amongst men, this is what is good and advisable for us now, viz.,\nto attack and smite them till they are exterminated. Let this course\nrecommend itself to thee. As long as our party is strong and that of the\nking of the Panchalas is weak, so long strike them without any scruple. O\nson of Gandhari, as long as their innumerable vehicles and animals,\nfriends, and friendly tribes are not mustered together, continue, O king,\nto exhibit thy prowess. As long as the king of the Panchalas together with\nhis sons gifted with great prowess, setteth not his heart upon fighting\nwith us, so long, O king, exhibit thy prowess. And, O king, exert thy\nprowess before he of the Vrishni race (Krishna) cometh with the Yadava\nhost into the city of Drupada, carrying everything before him, to restore\nthe Pandavas to their paternal kingdom. Wealth, every article of enjoyment,\nkingdom, there is nothing that Krishna may not sacrifice for the sake of\nthe Pandavas. The illustrious Bharata had acquired the whole earth by his\nprowess alone. Indra hath acquired sovereignty of the three worlds by\nprowess alone. O king, prowess is always applauded by the Kshatriyas. O\nbull amongst Kshatriyas, prowess is the cardinal virtue of the brave. Let\nus, therefore, O monarch, with our large army consisting of four kinds of\nforces, grind Drupada without loss of time, and bring hither the Pandavas.\nIndeed, the Pandavas are incapable of being discomfited by any policy of\nconciliation, of gift, of wealth and bribery, or of disunion. Vanquish\nthem, therefore, by thy prowess. And vanquishing them by thy prowess, rule\nthou this wide earth. O monarch, I see not any other means by which we may\naccomplish 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\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then king Dhritarashtra called unto him, all\nthose celebrated ministers and took counsel with them.'\"\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 never\napprove of. As thou art to me, so was Pandu without doubt. And the sons of\nGandhari are to me, as those of Kunti. I should protect them as well as I\nshould thy sons, O Dhritarashtra! And, O king, the Pandavas are as much\nnear to me as they are to prince Duryodhana or to all the other Kurus.\nUnder these circumstances a quarrel with them is what I never like.\nConcluding a treaty with those heroes, let half the land be given unto\nthem. This is without doubt, the paternal kingdom of those foremost ones\nof 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 kingdom,\nhow can it be thine, or that of any other descendant of the Bharata race?\nIf thou regardest thyself as one that hath lawfully come into the\npossession of the kingdom, I think they also may be regarded to have\nlawfully come into the possession of this kingdom before thee. Give them\nhalf the kingdom quietly. This, O tiger among men, is beneficial to all.\nIf 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 that\none liveth in vain whose reputation hath gone. A man, O Kaurava, doth not\ndie so long as his fame lasteth. One liveth as long as one's fame endureth,\nand dieth when one's fame is gone. Follow thou, O son of Gandhari, the\npractice that is worthy of the Kuru race. O thou of mighty arms, imitate\nthy own ancestors. We are fortunate that the Pandavas have not perished.\nWe are fortunate that Kunti liveth. We are fortunate that the wretch\nPurochana without being able to accomplish his purpose hath himself\nperished. From that time when I heard that the sons of Kuntibhoja's\ndaughter had been burnt to death, I was, O son of Gandhari, ill able to\nmeet any living creature. O tiger among men, hearing of the fate that\novertook Kunti, the world doth not regard Purochana so guilty as it\nregardeth thee. O king, the escape, therefore, of the sons of Pandu with\nlife from that conflagration and their re-appearance, do away with thy\nevil repute. Know, O thou of Kuru's race, that as long as those heroes\nlive, the wielder of the thunder himself cannot deprive them of their\nancestral share in the kingdom. The Pandavas are virtuous and united. They\nare being wrongly kept out of their equal share in the kingdom. If thou\nshouldst act rightly, if thou shouldst do what is agreeable to me, if thou\nshouldst seek the welfare of all, then give half the kingdom unto them.\"'\"\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 of\nthy increase of power and dignity arising from this new alliance with him.\nAnd, O monarch, let the man know also that both thyself and Duryodhana\nhave become exceedingly glad in consequence of what hath happened. Let him\nsay this repeatedly unto Drupada and Dhrishtadyumna. And let him speak\nalso about the alliance as having been exceedingly proper, and agreeable\nunto thee, and of thyself being worthy of it. And let the man repeatedly\npropitiate the sons of Kunti and those of Madri (in proper words). And at\nthy command, O king, let plenty of ornaments of pure gold be given unto\nDraupadi. And let, O bull of Bharata's race, proper presents be given unto\nall the sons of Drupada. Let the messenger then propose the return of the\nPandavas to Hastinapura. After the heroes will have been permitted (by\nDrupada), to come hither, let Duhsasana and Vikarna go out with a handsome\ntrain to receive them. And when they will have arrived at Hastinapura, let\nthose foremost of men be received with affection by thee. And let them\nthen be installed on their paternal throne, agreeably to the wishes of the\npeople of the realm. This, O monarch of Bharata's race, is what I think\nshould be thy behaviour towards the Pandavas who are to thee even as thy\nown sons.\"'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'After Drona had ceased, Karna spake again, \"Both\nBhishma and Drona have been pampered with wealth that is thine and favours\nconferred by thee! They are also always regarded by thee as thy trusted\nfriends! What can therefore be more amusing than that they both should\ngive thee advice which is not for thy good? How can the wise approve that\nadvice which is pronounced good by a person speaking with wicked intent\nbut taking care to conceal the wickedness of his heart? Indeed, in a\nseason of distress, friends can neither benefit nor injure. Every one's\nhappiness or the reverse dependeth on destiny. He that is wise and he that\nis foolish, he that is young (in years) and he that is old, he that hath\nallies and he that hath none, all become, it is seen everywhere, happy or\nunhappy at times. It hath been heard by us that there was, of old, a king\nby name Amvuvicha. Having his capital at Rajagriha, he was the king of all\nthe Magadha chiefs. He never attended to his affairs. All his exertion\nconsisted in inhaling the air. All his affairs were in the hands of his\nminister. And his minister, named Mahakarni, became the supreme authority\nin the state. Regarding himself all powerful, he began to disregard the\nking. And the wretch himself appropriated everything belonging unto the\nking, his queens and treasures and sovereignty. But the possession of all\nthese, instead of satisfying his avarice, only served to inflame him the\nmore. Having appropriated everything belonging to the king, he even\ncoveted the throne. But it hath been heard by us that with all his best\nendeavours he succeeded not in acquiring the kingdom of the monarch, his\nmaster, even though the latter was inattentive to business and content\nwith only breathing the air. What else can be said, O king, than that\nmonarch's sovereignty was dependent on destiny? If, therefore, O king,\nthis kingdom be established in thee by destiny, it will certainly continue\nin thee, even if the whole world were to become thy enemy! If, however,\ndestiny hath ordained otherwise, howsoever mayest thou strive, it will not\nlast in thee! O learned one, remembering all this, judge of the honesty or\notherwise of thy advisers. Ascertain also who amongst them are wicked and\nwho have spoken wisely and well.\"'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these words of Karna, Drona replied, \"As\nthou 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 good\nof all and the prosperity of the Kuru race. If thou regardest all this as\nproductive of evil, declare thyself what is for our good. If the good\nadvice I have given be not followed, I think the Kurus will be\nexterminated in no time.\"'\"\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 (viz.,\nBhishma and Drona), or any one who excels either of them in wisdom. These\ntwo, old in years, in wisdom, and in learning, always regard thee, O king,\nand the sons of Pandu with equal eyes. Without doubt, O king of Bharata's\nrace, they are both, in virtue and truthfulness, not inferior to Rama, the\nson of Dasaratha, and Gaya. Never before did they give thee any evil\nadvice. Thou also, O monarch, hast never done them any injury. Why should,\ntherefore, these tigers among men, who are ever truthful, give thee wicked\nadvice, especially when thou hast never injured them? Endued with wisdom\nthese foremost of men, O king, will never give thee counsels that are\ncrooked. O scion of Kuru's race, this is my firm conviction that these two,\nacquainted with all rules of morality, will never, tempted by wealth,\nutter anything betraying a spirit of partisanship. What they have said, O\nBharata, I regard highly beneficial to thee. Without doubt, O monarch, the\nPandavas are thy sons as much as Duryodhana and others are. Those\nministers, therefore, that give thee any counsel fraught with evil unto\nthe Pandavas, do not really look to thy interests. If there is any\npartiality in thy heart, O king, for thy own children, they who by their\ncounsel seek to bring it out, certainly do thee no good. Therefore, O king,\nthese illustrious persons endued with great splendour, have not I think,\nsaid anything 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 the\nmight of ten thousand elephants, be vanquished in battle by the immortals\nthemselves? Who also that desireth to live can overcome in battle the\ntwins (Nakula and Sahadeva) like unto the sons of Yama himself, and well-\nskilled in fight? How too can the eldest one of the Pandavas in whom\npatience, mercy, forgiveness, truth, and prowess always live together, be\nvanquished? They who have Rama (Valadeva) as their ally, and Janardana\n(Krishna) as their counsellor, and Satyaki as their partisan, have already\ndefeated everybody in war. They who have Drupada for their father-in-law,\nand Drupada's sons--the heroic brothers, viz., Dhristadyumna and others of\nPrishata's race for their brothers-in-law, are certainly invincible.\nRemembering this, O monarch, and knowing that their claim to the kingdom\nis even prior to thine, behave virtuously towards them. The stain of\ncalumny is on thee, O monarch, in consequence of that act of Purochana.\nWash thyself of it now, by a kindly behaviour towards the Pandavas. This\nkindly behaviour of thine, O monarch, towards the Pandavas will be an act\nof great benefit to us, protecting the lives of us all that belong to\nKuru's race, and leading to the growth of the whole Kshatriya order! We\nhad formerly warred with king Drupada; if we can now secure him as an ally,\nit will strengthen our party. The Dasarhas, O king, are numerous and\nstrong. Know where Krishna is, all of them must be, and where Krishna is,\nthere victory also must be! O king, who, unless cursed by the gods, would\nseek, to effect that by means of war which can be effected by\nconciliation? Hearing that the sons of Pritha are alive, the citizens and\nother subjects of the realm have become exceedingly glad and eager for\nbeholding them. O monarch, act in a way that is agreeable to them.\nDuryodhana and Karna and Sakuni, the son of Suvala, are sinful, foolish\nand young; listen not to them. Possessed of every virtue thou art. I long\nago told thee, O monarch that for Duryodhana's fault, the subjects of this\nkingdom would be exterminated.\"'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCVIII\n\n(Viduragamana Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Hearing these various speeches, Dhritarashtra said,\n\"The 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 of\nKunti, are the children of Pandu, so are they, without doubt, my children\naccording to the ordinance. And as my sons are entitled to this kingdom,\nso are the sons of Pandu certainly entitled to it. Therefore, hasten to\nbring hither the Pandavas along with their mother, treating them with\naffectionate consideration. O thou of Bharata's race, bring also Krishna\nof celestial beauty along with them. From sheer good fortune the sons of\nPritha are alive; and from good fortune alone those mighty car-warriors\nhave obtained the daughter of Drupada. It is from good fortune alone that\nour strength hath increased, and it is from good fortune alone that\nPurochana hath perished. O thou of great splendour, it is from good\nfortune 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 Vidura\nin proper form and they both enquired after each other's welfare. Vidura\nthen saw there the Pandavas and Vasudeva. As soon as he saw them he\nembraced 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 welfare.\nHe then gave, O monarch, unto the Pandavas and Kunti and Draupadi, and\nunto Drupada and Drupada's sons, the gems and various kinds of wealth that\nthe Kauravas had sent through him. Possessed of immeasurable intelligence,\nthe modest Vidura then, in the presence of the Pandavas and Keshava,\naddressed 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 heart,\nO king, repeatedly enquired after thy welfare. And, O monarch, he hath\nbeen highly pleased with this alliance with thee. So also, O king, Bhishma\nof great wisdom, the son of Santanu, with all the Kurus, enquired after\nthy 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 among\nmen have been long absent (from their kingdom). They as well as Pritha\nmust be very eager to behold their city. And all the Kuru ladies and the\ncitizens and our subjects are eagerly waiting to behold Krishna the\nPanchala Princess. This, therefore, is my opinion, O monarch, that thou\nshouldst, without delay, permit the Pandavas to go thither with their wife.\nAnd after the illustrious Pandavas, O king, will have received thy\npermission to go thither, I shall send information unto Dhritarashtra by\nquick messengers. Then, O king, will the Pandavas set out with Kunti and\nKrishna.\"'\"\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 too\nhave been exceedingly happy in consequence of this alliance. It is highly\nproper that these illustrious princes should return to their ancestral\nkingdom. But it is not proper for me to say this myself. If the brave son\nof Kunti viz., Yudhishthira, if Bhima and Arjuna, if these among men, viz.,\nthe twins, themselves desire to go and if Rama (Valadeva) and Krishna,\nboth acquainted with every rule of morality, be of the same mind, then let\nthe Pandavas go thither. For these tigers among men (Rama and Krishna) are\never engaged in doing what is agreeable and beneficial to the sons of\nPandu.\"\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 Drupada\nwho 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 them.\nThey who were thus sent out were, O Bharata, Vikarna of the great bow, and\nChitrasena, and Drona that foremost of warriors, and Kripa of Gautama's\nline. Surrounded by these, those mighty heroes, their splendour enhanced\nby that throng slowly entered the city of Hastinapura. The whole city\nbecame radiant, as it were, with the gay throng of sight-seers animated by\ncuriosity. Those tigers among men gladdened the hearts of all who beheld\nthem. And the Pandavas, dear unto the hearts of the people, heard, as they\nproceeded, various exclamations which the citizens, ever desirous of\nobeying the wishes of those princes, loudly uttered. Some exclaimed, \"Here\nreturns that tiger among men, conversant with all the rules of morality\nand who always protects us as if we were his nearest relatives.\" And\nelsewhere they said, \"It seems that king Pandu--the beloved of his people--\nreturneth today from the forest, doubtless to do what is agreeable to us.\"\nAnd there were some that said, \"What good is not done to us today when the\nheroic sons of Kunti come back to our town? If we have ever given away in\ncharity, if we have ever poured libations of clarified butter on the fire,\nif we have any ascetic merit, let the Pandavas, by virtue of all those\nacts stay in town for a hundred years.\"\n\n\"'At last the Pandavas, on arriving at the palace, 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 bulls\namong men worshipping the king set out from Hastinapura. And content with\nhalf the kingdom, they removed to Khandavaprastha, which was in\nunreclaimed desert. Then those heroes of unfading splendour, viz., the\nPandavas, with Krishna at their head, arriving there, beautified the place\nand made it a second heaven. And those mighty car-warriors, selecting with\nDwaipayana's assistance a sacred and auspicious region, performed certain\npropitiatory ceremonies and measured out a piece of land for their city.\nThen surrounded by a trench wide as the sea and by walls reaching high up\nto the heavens and white as the fleecy clouds or the rays of the moon,\nthat foremost of cities looked resplendent like Bhogavati (the capital of\nthe nether kingdom) decked with the Nagas. And it stood adorned with\npalatial mansions and numerous gates, each furnished with a couple of\npanels resembling the out-stretched wings of Garuda. And it was protected\nwith gateways looking like the clouds and high as the Mandara mountains.\nAnd well-furnished with numerous weapons of attack the missiles of the\nfoes could not make slightest impression on them. And they were almost\ncovered with darts and other missiles like double-tongued snakes. The\nturrets along the walls were filled with armed men in course of training;\nand the walls were lined with numerous warriors along their whole length.\nAnd there were thousands of sharp hooks and Sataghnis (machines slaying a\ncentury of warriors) and numerous other machines on the battlements. There\nwere also large iron wheels planted on them. And with all these was that\nforemost of cities adorned. The streets were all wide and laid out\nexcellently; and there was no fear in them of accident. And decked with\ninnumerable mansions, the city became like unto Amaravati and came to be\ncalled Indraprastha (like unto Indra's city). In a delightful and\nauspicious part of the city rose the palace of the Pandavas filled with\nevery kind of wealth and like unto the mansion of the celestial treasurer\n(Kuvera) himself. And it looked like a mass of clouds charged with\nlightning.\n\n\"'When the city was built, there came, O king, numerous Brahmanas well-\nacquainted with all the Vedas and conversant with every language, wishing\nto dwell there. And there came also unto that town numerous merchants from\nevery direction, in the hope of earning wealth. There also came numerous\npersons well-skilled in all the arts, wishing to take up their abode there.\nAnd around the city were laid out many delightful gardens adorned with\nnumerous trees bearing both fruits and flowers. There were Amras (mango\ntrees) and Amaratakas, and Kadamvas and Asokas, and Champakas; and\nPunnagas and Nagas and Lakuchas and Panasas; and Salas and Talas (palm\ntrees) and Tamalas and Vakulas, and Ketakas with their fragrant loads;\nbeautiful and blossoming and grand Amalakas with branches bent down with\nthe weight of fruits and Lodhras and blossoming Ankolas; and Jamvus\n(blackberry trees) and Patalas and Kunjakas and Atimuktas; and Karaviras\nand Parijatas and numerous other kinds of trees always adorned with\nflowers and fruits and alive with feathery creatures of various species.\nAnd those verdant groves always resounded with the notes of maddened\npeacocks and Kokilas (blackbirds). And there were various pleasure-houses,\nbright as mirrors, and numerous bowers of creepers, and charming and\nartificial hillocks, and many lakes full to the brim of crystal water, and\ndelightful tanks fragrant with lotuses and lilies and adorned with swans\nand ducks and chakravakas (brahminy ducks). And there were many delicious\npools overgrown with fine aquatic plants. And there were also diverse\nponds of great beauty and large dimension. And, O king, the joy of the\nPandavas increased from day to day, in consequence of their residence in\nthat 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\nSECTION CCX\n\n(Rajya-labha Parva)\n\n\"Janamejaya said, 'O thou possessed of ascetic wealth, what did those high-\nsouled ones, my grandsires, the illustrious Pandavas, do, after obtaining\nthe kingdom of Indraprastha? How did their wife Draupadi obey them all?\nHow is it also that no dissensions arose amongst those illustrious rulers\nof men, all attached to one wife, viz., Krishna? O thou of the wealth of\nasceticism, I wish to hear everything in detail regarding the behaviour\ntowards one another of those rulers of men after their union with\nKrishna.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Those scorchers of foes, the Pandavas, having\nobtained their kingdom, at the command of Dhritarashtra, passed their days\nin joy and happiness at Khandavaprastha with Krishna. And Yudhishthira.\nendued with great energy and ever adhering to truth, having obtained the\nsovereignty, virtuously ruled the land, assisted by his brothers. And the\nsons of Pandu, endued with great wisdom and devoted to truth and virtue,\nhaving vanquished all their foes, continued to live there in great\nhappiness. And those bulls among men, seated on royal seats of great value,\nused to discharge all the duties of government. And one day, while all\nthose illustrious heroes were so seated, there came unto them the\ncelestial Rishi Narada, in course of his wanderings. Beholding the Rishi,\nYudhishthira offered him his own handsome seat. And after the celestial\nRishi had been seated, the wise Yudhishthira duly offered him the Arghya\nwith his own hands. And the king also informed the Rishi of the state of\nhis kingdom. The Rishi accepting the worship, became well-pleased, and\neulogising him with benedictions, commanded the king to take his seat.\nCommanded by the Rishi, the king took his seat. Then the king sent word\nunto Krishna (in the inner apartments) of the arrival of the illustrious\none. Hearing of the Rishi's arrival Draupadi, purifying herself properly,\ncame with a respectful attitude to where Narada was with the Pandavas. The\nvirtuous princess of Panchala, worshipping the celestial Rishi's feet,\nstood with joined hands before him, properly veiled. The illustrious\nNarada, pronouncing various benedictions on her, commanded the princess to\nretire. After Krishna had retired, the illustrious Rishi, addressing in\nprivate all the Pandavas with Yudhishthira at their head, said, \"The\nrenowned princess of Panchala is the wedded wife of you all. Establish a\nrule amongst yourselves so that disunion may not arise amongst you. There\nwere, in former days, celebrated throughout the three worlds, two brothers\nnamed Sunda and Upasunda living together and incapable of being slain by\nanybody unless each slew the other. They ruled the same kingdom, lived in\nthe same house, slept on the same bed, sat on the same seat, and ate from\nthe same dish. And yet they killed each for the sake of Tilottama.\nTherefore, O Yudhishthira, preserve your friendship for one another and do\nthat which may 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\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 of\nthe same resolution, and ever engaged in achieving the same tasks and ends.\nThey were ever sharers with each other in happiness as well as in woe.\nEach speaking and doing what was agreeable to the other, the brothers\nnever were unless they were together, and never went anywhere unless\ntogether. Of exactly the same disposition and habits, they seemed to be\none individual divided into two parts. Endued with great energy and ever\nof 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 foot,\nliving upon air alone, standing on their toes, they threw pieces of the\nflesh of their bodies into the fire. Their arms upraised, and eye fixed,\nlong was the period for which they observed their vows. And during the\ncourse of their ascetic penances, a wonderful incident occurred there. For\nthe mountains of Vindhya, heated for a long course of years by the power\nof their ascetic austerities, began to emit vapour from every part of\ntheir bodies. And beholding the severity of their austerities, the\ncelestials became alarmed. The gods began to cause numerous obstructions\nto impede the progress of their asceticism. The celestials repeatedly\ntempted the brothers by means of every precious possession and the most\nbeautiful girls. The brothers broke not their vows. Then the celestials\nonce more manifested, before the illustrious brothers, their powers of\nillusion. For it seemed their sisters, mothers, wives, and other relatives,\nwith disordered hair and ornaments and robes, were running towards them in\nterror, pursued and struck by a Rakshasa with a lance in hand. And it\nseemed that the women implored the help of the brothers crying, 'O save\nus!' But all this went for nothing, for firmly wedded thereto, the\nbrothers did not still break their vows. And when it was found that all\nthis produced not the slightest impression on any of the two, both the\nwomen and the Rakshasa vanished from sight. At last the Grandsire himself,\nthe Supreme Lord ever seeking the welfare of all, came unto those great\nAsuras and asked them to solicit the boon they desired. Then the brothers\nSunda and Upasunda, both of great prowess, beholding the Grandsire, rose\nfrom their seats and waited with joined palms. And the brothers both said\nunto the God, 'O Grandsire, if thou hast been pleased with these our\nascetic austerities, and art, O lord, propitious unto us, then let us have\nknowledge of all weapons and of all powers of illusion. Let us be endued\nwith great strength, and let us be able to assume any form at will. And\nlast of all, let us also be immortal.' Hearing these words of theirs,\nBrahman said, 'Except the immortality you ask for, you shall be given all\nthat you desire. Solicit you some form of death by which you may still be\nequal unto the immortals. And since you have undergone these severe\nascetic austerities from desire of sovereignty alone I cannot confer on\nyou the boon of immortality. You have performed your ascetic penances even\nfor the subjugation of the three worlds. It is for this, O mighty Daityas,\nthat I cannot grant you what 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!' The\nGrandsire then said, 'I grant you what you have asked for, even this your\ndesire'. And granting them this boon, the Grandsire made them desist from\ntheir asceticism, and returned to his own region. Then the brothers, those\nmighty Daityas, having received those several boons became incapable of\nbeing slain by anybody in the universe. They then returned to their own\nabode. All their friends and relatives, beholding those Daityas of great\nintelligence, crowned with success in the matter of the boons they had\nobtained, became exceedingly glad. And Sunda and Upasunda then cut off\ntheir matted locks and wore coronets on their heads. Attired in costly\nrobes and ornaments, they looked exceedingly handsome. They caused the\nmoon to rise over their city every night even out of his season. And\nfriends and relatives gave themselves up to joy and merriment with happy\nhearts. Eat, feed, give, make merry, sing, drink--these were the sounds\nheard everyday in every house. And here and there arose loud uproars of\nhilarity mixed with clappings of hands which filled the whole city of the\nDaityas, who being capable of assuming any form at will, were engaged in\nevery kind of amusement and sport and scarcely noticed the flight of time,\neven regarding a whole year as a single day.\"'\"\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 rites\nof departure, they set out in the night when the constellation Magha was\nin the ascendant. The brothers set out with a large Daitya force clad in\nmail and armed with maces and axes and lances and clubs. The Daitya heroes\nset out on their expedition with joyous hearts, the charanas (bards)\nchanting auspicious panegyrics indicative of their future triumphs.\nFurious in war, the Daitya brothers, capable of going everywhere at will,\nascended the skies and went to the region of the celestials. The\ncelestials knowing they were coming and acquainted also with the boons\ngranted unto them by the Supreme Deity left heaven and sought refuge in\nthe region of Brahman. Endued with fierce prowess, the Daitya heroes soon\nsubjugated the region of Indra, and vanquishing the diverse tribes of\nYakshas and Rakshasas and every creature ranging the skies, came away.\nThose mighty car-warriors next subjugated the Nagas of the nether region,\nand then the inmates of the ocean and then all the tribes of the\nMlechchhas. Desirous next of subjugating the whole earth, those heroes of\nirresistible sway, summoning their soldiers, issued these cruel commands.\n'Brahmanas and royal sages (on earth) with their libations and other food\noffered at grand sacrifices, increase the energy and strength of the gods,\nas also their prosperity. Engaged in such acts, they are the enemies of\nthe Asuras. All of us, therefore, mustering together should completely\nslaughter them off the face of the earth!' Ordering their soldiers thus on\nthe eastern shore of the great ocean, and entertaining such a cruel\nresolution, the Asura brothers set out in all directions. And those that\nwere performing sacrifices and the Brahmanas that were assisting at those\nsacrifices, the mighty brothers instantly slew. And slaughtering them with\nviolence they departed for some other place. Whilst their soldiers threw\ninto the water the sacrificial fires that were in the asylums of Munis\nwith souls under complete control, the curses uttered by the illustrious\nRishis in wrath, rendered abortive by the boons granted (by Brahman),\naffected not the Asura brothers. When the Brahmanas saw that their curses\nproduced not the slightest effect like shafts shot at stones they fled in\nall directions, forsaking their rites and vows. Even those Rishis on earth\nthat were crowned with ascetic success, and had their passions under\ncomplete control and were wholly engrossed in meditation of the Deity,\nfrom fear of the Asura brothers, fled like snakes at the approach of\nVinata's son (Garuda the snake-eater). The sacred asylums were all trodden\ndown and broken. The sacrificial jars and vessels being broken, their\n(sacred) contents were scattered over the ground. The whole universe\nbecame empty, as if its creatures had all been stricken down during the\nseason of general dissolution. And, O king, after the Rishis had all\ndisappeared and made themselves invisible both the great Asuras, resolved\nupon their destruction, began to assume various forms. Assuming the forms\nof maddened elephants with temples rent from excess of juice, the Asura\npair, searching out the Rishis who had sheltered themselves in caves, sent\nthem 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 and\nthe whole circle of auspicious rites ceased. The earth became frightful to\nbehold. The Sun and the Moon, the Planets and Stars, and Constellations,\nand the other dwellers in the firmament, witnessing these acts of Sunda\nand Upasunda, grieved deeply. Subjugating all the points of heaven by\nmeans of such cruel acts, the Asura brothers took up their abode in\nKurukshetra, without a single rival.\"'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCXIII\n\n(Rajya-labha Parva continued)\n\n\"'Narada continued, \"Then the celestial Rishis, the Siddhas, and the high-\nsouled Rishis possessing the attributes of tranquillity and self-restraint,\nbeholding that act of universal slaughter, were afflicted with great grief.\nWith passions and senses and souls under complete control, they then went\nto the abode of the Grandsire, moved by compassion for the universe.\nArrived there, they beheld the Grandsire seated with gods, Siddhas, and\nBrahmarshis around him. There were present that God of gods, viz.,\nMahadeva, and Agni, accompanied by Vayu, and Soma and Surya and Sakra, and\nRishis devoted to the contemplation of Brahma, and the Vaikhanasas, the\nValakhilyas, the Vanaprasthas, the Marichipas, the Ajas, the Avimudas, and\nother ascetics of great energy. All those Rishis were sitting with the\nGrandsire, when the celestial and other Rishis, approaching Brahman with\nsorrowful hearts, represented unto him all the acts of Sunda and Upasunda.\nAnd they told the Grandsire in detail everything that the Asura brothers\nhad done, and how they had done it, and in what order. Then all the\ncelestials and the great Rishis pressed the matter before the Grandsire.\nThe Grandsire, hearing everything they said, reflected for a moment and\nsettled in his mind what he should do. Resolving to compass the\ndestruction of the Asura brothers, he summoned Viswakarman (the celestial\narchitect). Seeing Viswakarman before him, the Grandsire possessed of\nsupreme ascetic merit commanded him, saying, 'Create thou a damsel capable\nof captivating all hearts.' Bowing down unto the Grandsire and receiving\nhis command with reverence, the great artificer of the universe created a\ncelestial maiden with careful attention. Viswakrit first collected all\nhandsome features upon the body of the damsel he created. Indeed, the\ncelestial maiden that he created was almost a mass of gems. And created\nwith great care by Viswakarman, the damsel, in beauty, became unrivalled\namong the women of the three worlds. There was not even a minute part of\nher body which by its wealth of beauty could not attract the gaze of\nbeholders. And like unto the embodied Sri herself, that damsel of\nextraordinary beauty captivated the eyes and hearts of every creature. And\nbecause she had been created with portions of every gem taken in minute\nmeasures, the Grandsire bestowed upon her the name of Tilottama. And as\nsoon as he started it into life, the damsel bowed to Brahman and with\njoined palms said, 'Lord of every created thing, what task am I to\naccomplish and what have I been created for?' The Grandsire answered, 'Go,\nO Tilottama, unto the Asuras, Sunda and Upasunda. O amiable one, tempt\nthem with thy captivating beauty. And, O damsel, conduct thyself there in\nsuch a way that the Asura brothers may, in consequence of the wealth of\nthy beauty, quarrel with each other as soon as they cast their eyes upon\nthee.'\"\n\n\"'Narada continued, \"Bowing unto the Grandsire and saying, 'So be it,'--the\ndamsel walked round the celestial conclave. The illustrious Brahman was\nthen sitting with face turned eastwards, and Mahadeva with face also\ntowards the east, and all the celestials with faces northwards, and the\nRishis with faces towards all directions. While Tilottama walked round the\nconclave of the celestials, Indra and the illustrious Sthanu (Mahadeva)\nwere the only ones that succeeded in preserving their tranquillity of mind.\nBut exceedingly desirous as Mahadeva was (of beholding Tilottama) when the\ndamsel (in her progress round the celestial conclave) was at his side,\nanother face like a full-blown lotus appeared on the southern side of his\nbody. And when she was behind him, another face appeared on the west. And\nwhen the damsel was on the northern side of the great god, a fourth face\nappeared on the northern side of his body. Mahadeva (who was eager to\nbehold the damsel) came also to have a thousand eyes, each large and\nslightly reddish, before, behind and on his flanks. And it was thus that\nSthanu the great god came to have four faces, and the slayer of Vala, a\nthousand eyes. And as regards the mass of the celestials and the Rishis,\nthey turned their faces towards all directions as Tilottama walked round\nthem. Except the divine Grandsire himself, the glances of those\nillustrious personages, even of all of them fell upon Tilottama's body.\nAnd when Tilottama set out (for the city of the Asuras) with the wealth of\nher beauty, all regarded the task as already accomplished. After Tilottama\nhad gone away, the great god who was the First Cause of the Universe,\ndismissed all the celestials and the Rishis.\"'\"\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 gods,\nthe Gandharvas, the Yakshas, the Nagas, the Rakshasas, and the kings of\nthe earth, the brothers began to pass their days in great happiness. When\nthey saw they had no rivals (in the three worlds), they gave up all\nexertion and devoted their time to pleasure and merriment, like the\ncelestials. They experienced great happiness by giving themselves up to\nevery kind of enjoyment, such as women, and perfumes and floral wreaths\nand viands, and drinks and many other agreeable objects all in profusion.\nIn houses and woods and gardens, on hills and in forests, wherever they\nliked they passed their time in pleasure and amusement, like the immortals.\nAnd it so happened that one day they went for purposes of pleasure to a\ntableland of the Vindhya range, perfectly level and stony, and overgrown\nwith blossoming trees. After every object of desire, all of the most\nagreeable kind, had been brought, the brothers sat on an excellent seat,\nwith happy hearts and accompanied by handsome women. And those damsels,\ndesirous of pleasing the brothers, commenced a dance in accompaniment to\nmusic, and sweetly chanted many a song in praise 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 advanced\nslowly to where those mighty Asuras were. The Asura brothers, intoxicated\nwith the large portions they had imbibed, were smitten upon beholding that\nmaiden of transcendent beauty. Leaving their seats they went quickly to\nwhere the damsel was. Both of them being under the influence of lust, each\nsought the maiden for himself. And Sunda seized that maid of fair brows by\nher right hand. Intoxicated with the boons they had obtained, with\nphysical might, with the wealth and gems they had gathered from every\nquarter, and with the wine they had drunk, maddened with all these, and\ninfluenced by wishful desire, they addressed each other, each contracting\nhis brow in anger. 'She is my wife, and therefore your superior,' said\nSunda. 'She is my wife, and therefore your sister-in-law', replied\nUpasunda. And they said unto each other, 'She is mine not yours.' And soon\nthey were under the influence of rage. Maddened by the beauty of the\ndamsel, they soon forgot their love and affection for each other. Both of\nthem, deprived of reason by passion, then took up their fierce maces. Each\nrepeating, 'I was the first, I was the first,' (in taking her hand) struck\nthe other. And the fierce Asuras, struck by each other with the mace, fell\ndown upon the ground, their bodies bathed in blood, like two suns\ndislodged from the firmament. And beholding this, the women that had come\nthere, and the other Asuras there present, all fled away trembling in\ngrief and fear, and took refuge in the nether regions. The Grandsire\nhimself of pure soul, then came there, accompanied by the celestials, and\nthe great Rishis. And the illustrious Grandsire applauded Tilottama and\nexpressed his wish of granting her a boon. The Supreme Deity, before\nTilottama spoke, desirous of granting her a boon, cheerfully said, 'O\nbeautiful damsel, thou shalt roam in the region of the Adityas. Thy\nsplendour shall be so great that nobody will ever be able to look at thee\nfor any length of time!' The Grandsire of all creatures, granting this\nboon unto her, establishing the three worlds in Indra as before, returned\nto 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 them\nwould be sitting with Draupadi, any of the other four who would see that\none thus must retire into the forest for twelve years, passing his days as\na Brahmacharin. After the virtuous Pandavas had established that rule\namongst themselves, the great Muni Narada, gratified with them, went to\nthe place he wished. Thus, O Janamejaya, did the Pandavas urged by Narada,\nestablished a rule amongst themselves in regard to their common wife. And\nit was for this, O Bharata, that no dispute ever arose between them.'\"\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 sons\nof Pritha, those lions among men, of immeasurable energy. Like the river\nSaraswati decked with elephants, which again take pleasure in that stream,\nDraupadi took great delight in her five heroic husbands and they too took\ndelight in her. And in consequence of the illustrious Pandavas being\nexceedingly virtuous in their practice, the whole race of Kurus, free from\nsin, 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 by\ncrows! Alas, the wretched jackal invadeth the empty cave of a lion! A king\nthat taketh the sixth part of the produce of the land without protecting\nthe subject, hath been called by the wise to be the most sinful person in\nthe whole world. The wealth of a Brahmana is being taken away by robbers!\nVirtue itself is sustaining a diminution! Take me up by the hand, ye\nPandavas 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 those\naccents, he loudly assured the Brahmana, saying, \"No fear!\" But it so\nhappened that the chamber where the illustrious Pandavas had their weapons\nwas then occupied by Yudhishthira the just with Krishna. Arjuna, therefore,\nwas incapable of entering it or going along with the Brahmana, though\nrepeatedly urged (to do either) by the weeping accents of the Brahmana.\nSummoned by the Brahmana, Arjuna reflected, with a sorrowful heart, \"Alas,\nthis innocent Brahmana's wealth is being robbed! I should certainly dry up\nhis tears. He hath come to our gate, and is weeping even now. If I do not\nprotect him, the king will be touched with sin in consequence of my\nindifference; our own irreligiousness will be cited throughout the kingdom,\nand we shall incur a great sin. If, disregarding the king, I enter the\nchamber, without doubt I shall be behaving untruthfully towards the\nmonarch without a foe. By entering the chamber, again, I incur the penalty\nof an exile in the woods. But I must overlook everything. I care not if I\nhave to incur sin by disregarding the king. I care not if I have to go to\nthe woods and die there. Virtue is superior to the body and lasteth after\nthe body hath perished!\" Dhananjaya, arriving at this resolution, entered\nthe chamber and talked with Yudhishthira. Coming out with the bow, he\ncheerfully told the Brahmana, \"Proceed, O Brahmana, with haste, so that\nthose wretched robbers may not go much ahead of us. I shall accompany thee\nand restore unto thee thy wealth that hath fallen into the hands of the\nthieves.\" Then Dhananjaya, capable of using both his arms with equal skill,\narmed with the bow and cased in mail and riding in his war-chariot decked\nwith a 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 everybody,\nPartha at last approached Yudhishthira, and addressing him, said, \"Give me\nleave, O lord, to observe the vow I took. In beholding thee sitting with\nDraupadi, I have violated the rule established by ourselves. I shall\ntherefore go into the woods, for this is even our understanding.\" Then\nYudhishthira, suddenly hearing those painful words, became afflicted with\ngrief, and said in an agitated voice, \"Why!\" A little while after, king\nYudhishthira in grief said unto his brother Dhananjaya of curly hair who\nnever departed from his vows, these words, \"O sinless one, if I am an\nauthority worthy of regard, listen to what I say. O hero, full well do I\nknow the reason why thou hadst entered my chamber and didst what thou\nregardest to be an act disagreeable to me. But there is no displeasure in\nmy mind. The younger brother may, without fault, enter the chamber where\nthe elder brother sitteth with his wife. It is only the elder brother that\nacts against the rules of propriety by entering the room where the younger\nbrother sitteth with his wife. Therefore, O thou of mighty arms, desist\nfrom thy purpose. Do what I say. Thy virtue hath sustained no diminution.\nThou 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\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, who\nnever deviated from the right path, daily establishing and igniting with\nmantras on the banks of that sacred stream, after the performance of their\nablutions, fires for their sacrifices, and pouring libations of clarified\nbutter into the same, and worshipping those fires with offerings of\nflowers, that region itself where the Ganges entered the plains became\nexceedingly beautiful. One day that bull amongst the Pandavas, while\nresiding in that region in the midst of those Brahmanas, descended (as\nusual) into the Ganges to perform his ablutions. After his ablutions had\nbeen over, and after he had offered oblations of water unto his deceased\nancestors, he was about to get up from the stream to perform his\nsacrificial rites before the fire, when the mighty-armed hero, O king, was\ndragged into the bottom of the water by Ulupi, the daughter of the king of\nthe Nagas, urged by the god of desire. And it so happened that the son of\nPandu was carried into the beautiful mansion of Kauravya, the king of the\nNagas. Arjuna saw there a sacrificial fire ignited for himself. Beholding\nthat fire, Dhananjaya, the son of Kunti performed his sacrificial rites\nwith devotion. And Agni was much gratified with Arjuna for the\nfearlessness with which that hero had poured libations into his manifest\nform. After he had thus performed his rites before the fire, the son of\nKunti, beholding the daughter of the king of the Nagas, addressed her\nsmilingly and said, \"O handsome girl, what an act of rashness hast thou\ndone, O timid one! Whose is this beautiful region, who art thou and whose\ndaughter?\"\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 Brahmacharin\nby the superior. Even this was the understanding to which all of you had\nbeen pledged, viz., that amongst you all owning Drupada's daughter as your\ncommon wife, he who would from ignorance enter the room where one of you\nwould be sitting with her, should lead the life of a Brahmacharin in the\nwoods for twelve years. The exile of any one amongst you, therefore, is\nonly for the sake of Draupadi. Thou art but observing the duty arising\nfrom that vow. Thy virtue cannot sustain any diminution (by acceding to my\nsolicitation). Then again, O thou of large eyes, it is a duty to relieve\nthe distressed. Thy virtue suffereth no diminution by relieving me. Oh, if\n(by this act), O Arjuna, thy virtue doth suffer a small diminution, thou\nwilt acquire great merit by saving my life. Know me for thy worshipper, O\nPartha! Therefore, yield thyself up to me! Even this, O lord, is the\nopinion of the wise (viz., that one should accept a woman that wooeth). If\nthou do not act in this way, know that I will destroy myself. O thou of\nmighty arms, earn great merit by saving my life. I seek thy shelter, O\nbest of men! Thou protectest always, O son of Kunti, the afflicted and the\nmasterless. I seek thy protection, weeping in sorrow. I woo thee, being\nfilled with desire. Therefore, do what is agreeable to me. It behoveth\nthee to gratify my wish by yielding thy self up 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 plains.\nThe chaste Ulupi, taking her leave there, returned to her own abode. And,\nO Bharata, she granted unto Arjuna a boon making him invincible in water,\nsaying, \"Every amphibious creature shall, without doubt, be vanquishable\nby thee.\"'\"\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, he\nnext went to Vasishtha's peak. Thence the son of Kunti proceeded to the\npeak of Bhrigu. Purifying himself with ablutions and rites there, that\nforemost of the Kurus gave away unto Brahmanas many thousands of cows and\nmany houses. Thence that best of men proceeded to the sacred asylum called\nHiranyavindu. Performing his ablutions there, that foremost of the sons of\nPandu saw many holy regions. Descending from those heights that chief of\nmen, O Bharata, accompanied by the Brahmanas, journeyed towards the east,\ndesiring to behold the regions that lay in that direction. That foremost\none of Kuru's race saw many regions of sacred waters one after another.\nAnd beholding in the forest of Naimisha the delightful river Utpalini\n(full of lotuses) and the Nanda and the Apara Nanda, the far-famed Kausiki,\nand the mighty rivers Gaya and Ganga, and all the regions of sacred water,\nhe purified himself, O Bharata, (with the usual rites), and gave away many\ncows unto Brahmanas. Whatever regions of sacred waters and whatever other\nholy palaces there were in Vanga and Kalinga, Arjuna visited all of them.\nSeeing them all and performing proper ceremonies, he gave away much wealth.\nThen, O Bharata, all those Brahmanas following the son of Pandu, bade him\nfarewell at the gate of the kingdom of Kalinga and desisted from\nproceeding with him any further. The brave Dhananjaya, the son of Kunti,\nobtaining their leave, went towards the ocean, accompanied by only a few\nattendants. Crossing the country of the Kalingas, the mighty one proceeded,\nseeing on his way diverse countries and sacred spots and diverse\ndelightful mansions and houses. Beholding the Mahendra mountain adorned\nwith the ascetics (residing there), he went to Manipura, proceeding slowly\nalong the sea-shore. Beholding all the sacred waters and other holy places\nin that province, the strong-armed son of Pandu at last went, O king, to\nthe virtuous Chitravahana, the ruler of Manipura. The king of Manipura had\na daughter of great beauty named Chitrangada. And it so happened that\nArjuna beheld her in her father's palace roving at pleasure. Beholding the\nhandsome daughter of Chitravahana, Arjuna desired to possess her. Going\nunto the king (her father), he represented unto him what he sought. He\nsaid, \"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 a\nchild, he underwent severe ascetic penances. By his severe asceticism, O\nPartha, he gratified that god of gods, Mahadeva, the husband of Uma, that\nsupreme Lord holding (the mighty bow called) Pinaka. The illustrious Lord\ngranted him the boon that each successive descendant of his race should\nhave one child only. In consequence of that boon only one child is born\nunto every successive descendant of this race. All my ancestors (one after\nanother) 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 her\na Putrika. Therefore, one amongst the sons that may be begotten upon her\nby thee, O Bharata, shall be the perpetuator of my race. That son is the\ndower for which I may give away my daughter. O son of Pandu, if thou\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, Arjuna\nembraced that handsome princess affectionately. And taking leave of the\nking (her father), he set out on his wanderings again.'\"\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 dwelt\nmany ascetics. But those five waters themselves were shunned by all of\nthem. Those sacred waters were called Agastya, and Saubhadra and Pauloma\nof great holiness, and Karandhama of great propitiousness yielding the\nfruits of a horse-sacrifice unto those that bathed there, and Bharadwaja,\nthat great washer of sins. That foremost one among the Kurus, beholding\nthose five sacred waters, and finding them uninhabited, and ascertaining\nalso that they were shunned by the virtuous ascetics dwelling around,\nasked those pious men with joined hands, saying, \"Why O ascetics, are\nthese five sacred waters shunned by utterers of Brahma?\" Hearing him, the\nascetics replied, \"There dwell in these waters five large crocodiles which\ntake away the ascetics that may happen to bathe in them. It is for this, O\nson of Kuru's race, that these waters are shunned.\"'\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 the\ncelestial treasurer (Kuvera). I have four other companions, all handsome\nand capable of going everywhere at will. Accompanied by them I was one day\ngoing to the abode of Kuvera. On the way we beheld a Brahmana of rigid\nvows, and exceedingly handsome, studying the Vedas in solitude. The whole\nforest (in which he was sitting) seemed to be covered with his ascetic\nsplendour. He seemed to have illuminated the whole region like the Sun\nhimself. Beholding his ascetic devotion of that nature and his wonderful\nbeauty, we alighted in that region, in order to disturb his meditations.\nMyself and Saurabheyi and Samichi and Vudvuda and Lata, that Brahmana, O\nBharata, at the same time. We began to sing and smile and otherwise tempt\nthat Brahmana. But, O hero, that Brahmana (youth) set not his heart even\nonce upon us. His mind fixed on pure meditation, that youth of great\nenergy suffered not his heart to waver, O bull among Kshatriyas, the\nglance he cast upon us was one of wrath. And he said, staring at us,\n'Becoming crocodiles, range ye the waters for a hundred years.'\"'\"\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. Addressing\nhim, we said, 'Inflated with a sense of our beauty and youth, and urged by\nthe god of desire, we have acted very improperly. It behoveth thee, O\nBrahmana, to pardon us! Truly, O Brahmana, it was death to us that we had\nat all come hither to tempt thee of rigid vows and ascetic wealth. The\nvirtuous, however, have said that women should never be slain. Therefore\ngrow thou in virtue. It behoveth thee not to slay us so. O thou that art\nconversant with virtue, it hath been said that a Brahmana is ever the\nfriend of every creature. O thou of great prosperity, let this speech of\nthe wise become true. The eminent always protect those that seek\nprotection at their hands. We seek thy protection. It behoveth thee to\ngrant 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 and\nhundred thousand are all indicative of eternity. The word hundred, however,\nas employed by me is to be understood as a limited period and not\nindicative of a period without end. Ye shall, therefore, becoming\ncrocodiles, seize and take away men (for only a hundred years as explained\nby me). At the end of that period, an exalted individual will drag you all\nfrom water to the land. Then ye will resume your real forms. Never have I\nspoken an untruth even in jest. Therefore, all that I have said must come\nto pass. And those sacred waters (within which I assign you your places),\nwill, after you will have been delivered by that individual, become known\nall over the world by the name of Nari-tirthas (or sacred waters connected\nwith the sufferings and the deliverance of females), and all of them shall\nbecome sacred and sin cleansing in the eyes 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 with\nheavy hearts, thinking as we proceeded, 'Where shall we all soon meet with\nthat man who will give us back our own shapes (after our transformation)?'\nAs we were thinking of it, in almost a moment, O Bharata, we beheld even\nthe eminent celestial Rishi Narada. Beholding that Rishi of immeasurable\nenergy, our hearts were filled with joy. Saluting him with reverence, O\nPartha, we stood before him, with blushing faces. He asked of us the cause\nof our sorrow and we told him all. Hearing what had happened the Rishi\nsaid, 'In the low-lands bordering on the southern ocean, there are five\nregions of sacred water. They are delightful and eminently holy. Go ye\nthither without delay. That tiger among men, Dhananjaya, the son of Pandu\nof pure soul, will soon deliver you, without doubt, from this sad plight.'\nO hero, hearing the Rishi's words, all of us came hither. O sinless one,\ntrue it is that I have today been delivered by thee. But those four\nfriends of mine are still within the other waters here. O hero, do a good\ndeed 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\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 invincible Arjuna arrived at that sacred and delightful\nregion, the slayer of Madhu (Krishna) heard of it. Madhava soon went there\nto see his friend, the son of Kunti. Krishna and Arjuna met together and\nembracing each other enquired after each other's welfare. Those dear\nfriends, who were none else than the Rishis Nara and Narayana of old, sat\ndown. Vasudeva asked Arjuna about his travels, saying, \"Why, O Pandava art\nthou wandering over the earth, beholding all the sacred waters and other\nholy places?\" Then Arjuna told him everything that had happened. Hearing\neverything, that mighty hero of Vrishni's race said, \"This is as it should\nbe.\" And Krishna and Arjuna having sported as they liked, for some time at\nPrabhasa, went to the Raivataka mountain to pass some days there. Before\nthey arrived at Raivataka, that mountain had, at the command of Krishna\nbeen well-adorned by many artificers. Much food also had, at Krishna's\ncommand, been collected there. Enjoying everything that had been collected\nthere for him, Arjuna sat with Vasudeva to see the performances of the\nactors and the dancers. Then the high-souled Pandava, dismissing them all\nwith proper respect, laid himself down on a well-adorned and excellent bed.\nAs the strong-armed one lay on that excellent bed, he described unto\nKrishna everything about the sacred waters, the lakes and the mountains,\nthe rivers and the forests he had seen. While he was speaking of these,\nstretched upon that celestial bed, sleep, O Janamejaya, stole upon him. He\nrose in the morning, awakened, by sweet songs and melodious notes of the\nVina (guitar) and the panegyrics and benedictions of the bards. After he\nhad gone through the necessary acts and ceremonies, he was affectionately\naccosted by him of the Vrishni race. Riding upon a golden car, the hero\nthen set out for Dwaraka, the capital of the Yadavas. And, O Janamejaya,\nfor honouring the son of Kunti, the city of Dwaraka, was well-adorned,\neven all the gardens and houses within it. The citizens of Dwaraka,\ndesirous of beholding the son of Kunti, began to pour eagerly into the\npublic thoroughfares by hundreds of thousands. In the public squares and\nthoroughfares, hundreds and thousands of women, mixing with the men,\nswelled the great crowd of the Bhojas, the Vrishnis, and the Andhakas,\nthat had collected there. Arjuna was welcomed with respect by all the sons\nof Bhojas, the Vrishnis, and the Andhakas. And he, in his turn, worshipped\nthose that deserved his worship, receiving their blessings. The hero was\nwelcomed with affectionate reception by all the young men of the Yadava\ntribe. He repeatedly embraced all that were equal to him in age. Wending\nthen to the delightful mansion of Krishna that was filled with gems and\nevery article of enjoyment, he took up his abode there with Krishna for\nmany days.'\"\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 citizens,\nsome on foot and some in excellent cars, with their wives and followers\nwere there by hundreds and thousands. And there was the lord Haladhara\n(Valarama), roving at will, hilarious with drink, accompanied by (his\nwife) Revati, and followed by many musicians and vocalists. There came\nUgrasena also, the powerful king of the Vrishni race, accompanied by his\nthousand wives and followed by sweet singers. And Raukmineya and Shamva\nalso, ever furious in battle, roved there, excited with drink and adorned\nwith floral wreaths of great beauty and with costly attires, and disported\nthemselves like a pair of celestials. And Akrura and Sarana and Gada, and\nVabhru, and Nisatha, and Charudeshna, and Prithu, Viprithu, and Satyaka,\nand Satyaki, and Bhangakara, and Maharava, and Hardikya, and Uddhava, and\nmany others whose names are not given, accompanied by their wives that\nfollowed by bands of singers, adorned that mountain-festival. When that\ndelightful festival of immense grandeur commenced, Vasudeva and Partha\nwent about, together, beholding everything around. While wandering there,\nthey saw the handsome daughter of Vasudeva, Bhadra by name, decked with\nevery ornament, in the midst of her maids. As soon as Arjuna beheld her he\nwas possessed by the god of desire. Then, O Bharata, that tiger among men,\nKrishna, observing Partha contemplate her with absorbed attention, said\nwith a smile, \"How is this? Can the heart of one that rangeth the woods be\nagitated by the god of desire? This is my sister, O Partha, and the\nuterine sister of Sarana. Blest be thou, her name is Bhadra and she is the\nfavourite daughter of my father. Tell me if thy heart is fixed upon her,\nfor 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 consequences),\nO Partha, as we do not know this girl's temper and disposition. In the\ncase of Kshatriyas that are brave, a forcible abduction for purposes of\nmarriage is applauded, as the learned have said. Therefore O Arjuna, carry\naway this my beautiful sister by force, for who knows what she may do at a\nself-choice.\" Then Krishna and Arjuna, having thus settled as to what\nshould be done sent some speedy messengers unto Yudhishthira at\nIndraprastha, informing him of everything. The strong-armed Yudhishthira,\nas soon as he heard it, gave his assent to it.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCXXII\n\n(Subhadra-harana Parva continued)\n\n\"'Then Dhananjaya, informed of the assent of Yudhishthira, and\nascertaining, O Janamejaya, that the maiden had gone to the Raivataka hill,\nobtained the assent of Vasudeva also, after having settled in consultation\nwith him all that required to be done. Then that bull of Bharata's race,\nthat foremost of men, with Krishna's assent, riding in his well-built car\nof gold equipped with rows of small bells and with every kind of weapon\nand the clatter of whose wheels resembled the roar of the clouds and whose\nsplendour was like unto that of a blazing fire and which struck terror\ninto the hearts of all foes and unto which were yoked the steeds Saivya\nand Sugriva, himself accoutred in mail and armed with sword and his\nfingers encased in leathern gloves, set out, as it were, on a hunting\nexpedition. Meanwhile Subhadra, having paid her homage unto that prince of\nhills, Raivataka and having worshipped the deities and made the Brahmanas\nutter benedictions upon her, and having also walked round the hill, was\ncoming towards Dwaravati. The son of Kunti, afflicted with the shafts of\nthe god of desire, suddenly rushed towards that Yadava girl of faultless\nfeatures and forcibly took her into his car. Having seized that girl of\nsweet smiles, that tiger among men proceeded in his car of gold towards\nhis own city (Indraprastha). Meanwhile, the armed attendants of Subhadra,\nbeholding her thus seized and taken away, all ran crying towards the city\nof Dwaraka. Reaching all together the Yadava court called by the name of\nSudharma, they represented everything about the prowess of Partha unto the\nchief officer of the court. The chief officer of the court, having heard\neverything from those messengers, blew his gold-decked trumpet of loud\nblare, calling all to arms. Stirred up by that sound, the Bhojas, the\nVrishnis, and the Andhakas began to pour in from all sides. Those that\nwere eating left their food, and those that were drinking left their drink.\nThose tigers among men, those great warriors of the Vrishni and the\nAndhaka tribes, took their seats upon their thousand thrones of gold\ncovered with excellent carpets and variegated with gems and corals and\npossessed of the lustre of blazing fire. Indeed they took their seats upon\nthose thrones, 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 some\nsaid, \"Bring our costly bows and strong coats of mail,\" and some loudly\ncalled upon their charioteers to harness their cars, and some, from\nimpatience, themselves yoked their horses decked with gold unto their cars.\nAnd while their cars and armours and standards were being brought, loud\nbecame the uproar of those heroes. Then Valadeva, white and tall as the\npeak of Kailasa, decked with garlands of wild flowers and attired in blue\nrobes, and proud and intoxicated with drink, said these words:\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 then\nall 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 dined\nfrom it! Even if one desireth to make such an alliance, yet remembering\nall the services he hath received, who is there, desirous of happiness,\nthat acts so rashly? That Pandava disregarding us and thee too hath today\noutraged Subhadra, desiring (to compass) his own death. He hath placed his\nfoot on the crown of my head. How shall I, O Govinda, tamely bear it?\nShall I not resent it, even like a snake that is trodden upon? Alone shall\nI today make the earth destitute of Kauravas! Never shall I put up with\nthis transgression by Arjuna.\" Then all the Bhojas, Vrishnis, and Andhakas,\npresent there, approved of everything that Valadeva had said, deeply\nroaring like unto a kettle-drum or the clouds.'\"\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 deep\nimport and consistent with true morality. \"Gudakesa (the conqueror of sleep\nor he of the curly hair), by what he hath done, hath not insulted our\nfamily. He hath without doubt, rather enhanced our respect. Partha knoweth\nthat we of the Satwata race are never mercenary. The son of Pandu also\nregardeth a self-choice as doubtful in its results. Who also would approve\nof accepting a bride in gift as if she were an animal? What man again is\nthere on earth that would sell his offspring? I think Arjuna, seeing these\nfaults in all the other methods took the maiden away by force, according\nto the ordinance. This alliance is very proper. Subhadra is a renowned\ngirl. Partha too possesseth renown. Perhaps, thinking of all this, Arjuna\nhath taken her away by force. Who is there that would not desire to have\nArjuna for a friend, who is born in the race of Bharata and the renowned\nSantanu, and the son also of the daughter of Kuntibhoja? I do not see, in\nall the worlds with Indra and the Rudras, the person that can by force\nvanquish Partha in battle, except the three-eyed god Mahadeva. His car is\nwell-known. Yoked thereunto are those steeds of mine. Partha as a warrior\nis well-known; and his lightness of hand is well-known. Who shall be equal\nto him? Even this is my opinion: go ye cheerfully after Dhananjaya and by\nconciliation stop him and bring him back. If Partha goes to his city after\nhaving vanquished us by force, our fame will be gone. There is no disgrace,\nhowever, in conciliation.\" Hearing, O monarch, those words of Vasudeva,\nthey did as he directed. Stopped by them, Arjuna returned to Dwaraka and\nwas united in marriage with Subhadra. Worshipped by the sons of Vrishni's\nrace, Arjuna, sporting there as he pleased, passed a whole year in Dwaraka.\nThe last year of his exile the exalted one passed at the sacred region of\nPushkara. After the twelve years were complete he came back to\nKhandavaprastha. He approached the king first and then worshipped the\nBrahmanas with respectful attention. At last the hero went unto Draupadi.\nDraupadi, from jealousy, spoke unto him, saying, \"Why tarriest thou here,\nO son of Kunti? Go where the daughter of the Satwata race is!\" And\nKrishna lamented much in this strain. But Dhananjaya pacified her\nrepeatedly and asked for her forgiveness. And returning soon unto where\nSubhadra, attired in red silk, was staying, Arjuna, sent her into the\ninner apartments dressed not as a queen but in the simple garb of a\ncowherd woman. But arrived at the palace, the renowned Subhadra looked\nhandsomer in that dress. The celebrated Bhadra of large and slightly red\neyes first worshipped Pritha. Kunti from excess of affection smelt the\nhead of that girl of perfectly faultless features, and pronounced infinite\nblessing upon her. Then that girl of face like the full moon hastily went\nunto Draupadi and worshipped her, saying, \"I am thy maid!\" Krishna rose\nhastily and embraced the sister of Madhava from affection, and said, \"Let\nthy husband be without a foe!\" Bhadra then, with a delighted heart, said\nunto Draupadi, \"So be it!\" From that time, O Janamejaya, those great\nwarriors, the Pandavas, began to live happily, and Kunti also became very\nhappy.\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'When that scorcher of foes, viz., Kesava of pure\nsoul and eyes like lotus-petals, heard that the foremost of the Pandavas,\nviz., Arjuna, had reached his own excellent city of Indraprastha, he came\nthither accompanied by Rama and the other heroes and great warriors of the\nVrishni and the Andhaka tribes, and by his brothers and sons and many\nother brave warriors. And Saurin came accompanied by a large army that\nprotected him. And there came with Saurin, that oppressor of foes, viz.,\nthe exceedingly liberal Akrura of great intelligence and renown, the\ngeneralissimo of the brave Vrishni host. And there also came Anadhrishti\nof great prowess, and Uddhava of great renown, of great intelligence, of\ngreat soul, and a disciple of Vrihaspati himself. And there also came\nSatyaka and Salyaka and Kritavarman and Satwata; and Pradyumna and Samva\nand Nisatha and Sanku; and Charudeshna, and Jhilli of great prowess, and\nViprithu also and Sarana of mighty arms and Gada, the foremost of learned\nmen. These and many other Vrishnis and Bhojas, and Andhakas came to\nIndraprastha, bringing with them many nuptial presents. King Yudhishthira,\nhearing that Madhava had arrived, sent the twins out to receive him.\nReceived by them, the Vrishni host of great prosperity entered\nKhandavaprastha well-adorned with flags and ensigns. The streets were well-\nswept and watered and decked with floral wreaths and bunches. These were,\nagain, sprinkled over with sandalwood water that was fragrant and cooling.\nEvery part of the town was filled with the sweet scent of burning aloes.\nAnd the city was full of joyous and healthy people and adorned with\nmerchants and traders. That best of men, viz., Kesava of mighty arms,\naccompanied by Rama and many of the Vrishnis, Andhakas and Bhojas, having\nentered the town, was worshipped by the citizens and Brahmanas by\nthousands. At last Kesava entered the palace of the king which was like\nunto the mansion of Indra himself. Beholding Rama, Yudhishthira received\nhim with due ceremonies. The king smelt the head of Kesava and embraced\nhim. Govinda, gratified with the reception, humbly worshipped Yudhishthira.\nHe also paid homage unto Bhima, that tiger among men. Yudhishthira the son\nof Kunti then received the other principal men of the Vrishni and the\nAndhaka tribes with due ceremonies. Yudhishthira reverentially worshipped\nsome as his superiors, and welcomed others as equals. And some he received\nwith affection and by some he was worshipped with reverence. Then\nHrishikesa of great renown gave unto the party of the bridegroom much\nwealth. And unto Subhadra he gave the nuptial presents that had been given\nto her by her relatives. Krishna gave unto the Pandavas a thousand cars of\ngold furnished with rows of bells, and unto each of which were put four\nsteeds driven by well-trained charioteers. He also gave unto them ten\nthousand cows belonging to the country of Mathura, and yielding much milk\nand all of excellent colour. Well-pleased, Janardana also gave them a\nthousand mares with gold harnesses and of colour white as the beams of the\nmoon. He also gave them a thousand mules, all well-trained and possessing\nthe speed of the wind, of white colour with black manes. And he of eyes\nlike lotus-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 of\nfire, some purified and some in a state of ore. And Rama having the plough\nfor his weapon and always loving bravery gave unto Arjuna, as a nuptial\npresent, a thousand elephants with secretions flowing in three streams\nfrom the three parts of their bodies (the temple, the ears, and the anus)\neach large as a mountain summit, irresistible in battle, decked with\ncoverlets 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 (after\ndeath) in the celestial regions. The Kurus and the Vrishnis with joyous\nhearts amused themselves there, setting up at times loud shouts mingled\nwith clappings of the hand. Spending many days in sports and merriment\nthere, and worshipped by the Kurus all the while, the Vrishni heroes\nendued with great energy then returned to the city of Dwaravati. And the\ngreat warriors of the Vrishni and the Andhaka races set out with Rama in\nthe van, carrying with them those gems of the purest rays that had been\ngiven them by those foremost ones of Kuru's race. And, O Bharata, the high-\nsouled Vasudeva remained there with Arjuna in the delightful city of\nIndraprastha. And the illustrious one wandered over the banks of the\nYamuna in search of deer. And he sported with Arjuna piercing with his\nshafts deer and wild boars. Then Subhadra, the favourite sister of Kesava,\ngave birth to an illustrious son, like Puloma's daughter, (the queen of\nheaven) bringing forth Jayanta. And the son that Subhadra brought forth\nwas of long arms, broad chest, and eyes as large as those of a bull. That\nhero and oppressor of foes came to be called Abhimanyu. And the son of\nArjuna, that grinder of foes and bull among men, was called Abhimanyu\nbecause he was fearless and wrathful. And that great warrior was begotten\nupon the daughter of the Satwata race by Dhananjaya, like fire produced in\na sacrifice from within the sami wood by the process of rubbing. Upon the\nbirth of this child, Yudhishthira, the powerful son of Kunti, gave away\nunto Brahmanas ten thousand cows and coins of gold. The child from his\nearliest years became the favourite of Vasudeva and of his father and\nuncles, like the moon of all the people of the world. Upon his birth,\nKrishna performed the usual rites of infancy. The child began to grow up\nlike the Moon of the bright fortnight. That grinder of foes soon became\nconversant with the Vedas and acquired from his father the science of\nweapon both celestial and human, consisting of four branches and ten\ndivisions.\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 Yudhishthira,\nSutasoma by Vrikodara, Srutakarman by Arjuna, Satanika by Nakula, and\nSrutasena by Sahadeva,--these were the five heroes and great warriors that\nPanchali brought forth, like Aditi bringing forth the Adityas. And the\nBrahmanas, from their foreknowledge, said unto Yudhishthira that as the\nson of his would be capable of bearing like the Vindhya mountains the\nweapons of the foe, he should be called Prativindhya. And because the\nchild that Draupadi bore to Bhimasena was born after Bhima had performed a\nthousand Soma sacrifices, he came to be called Sutasoma. And because\nArjuna's son was born upon his return from exile during which he had\nachieved many celebrated feats, that child came to be called Srutakarman.\nWhile Nakula named his son Satanika after a royal sage of that name, in\nthe illustrious race of Kuru. Again the son that Draupadi bore to Sahadeva\nwas born under the constellation called Vahni-daivata (Krittika),\ntherefore was he called after the generalissimo of the celestial host,\nSrutasena (Kartikeya). The sons of Draupadi were born, each at the\ninterval of one year, and all of them became renowned and much attached to\none another. And, O monarch, all their rites of infancy and childhood,\nsuch as Chudakarana and Upanayana (first shave of the head and investiture\nwith the sacred threads) were performed by Dhaumya according to the\nordinance. All of them, of excellent behaviour and vows, after having\nstudied the Vedas, acquired from Arjuna a knowledge of all the weapons,\ncelestial and human. And, O tiger among kings, the Pandavas, having\nobtained sons all of whom were equal unto the children of the celestials\nand endued with broad chests, and all of whom became great warriors, were\nfilled with joy.'\"\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 most\nhappily depending upon Yudhishthira the just, like a soul living happily\ndepending upon a body blest with auspicious marks and pious deeds. And, O\nbull in Bharata's race, Yudhishthira paid homage unto virtue, pleasure,\nand profit, in judicious proportion, as if each were a friend dear unto\nhim as his own self. It seemed as if the three pursuits--virtue, pleasure,\nand profit--became personified on earth, and amongst them the king shone\nas a fourth. The subjects having obtained Yudhishthira as their king,\nobtained in their monarch one that was devoted to the study of the Vedas,\none that was performer of the great sacrifices, and one that was protector\nof all good people. In consequence of Yudhishthira's influence, the good\nfortune of all the monarchs of the earth became stationary, and their\nhearts became devoted to the meditation of the Supreme Spirit, and virtue\nitself began to grow every way all round. And in the midst of and assisted\nby his four brothers, the king looked more resplendent (than he would have\ndone if he were alone), like a great sacrifice depending upon and assisted\nby the four Vedas. Many learned Brahmanas with Dhananjaya at their head,\neach like unto Vrihaspati, waited upon the monarch, like the celestials\nwaiting upon the Lord of the creation. From excess of affection, the eyes\nand hearts of all the people equally took great delight in Yudhishthira\nwho was even as the full moon without a stain. The people took delight in\nhim not only because he was their king but also from sincere affection.\nThe king always did what was agreeable to them. The sweet-speeched\nYudhishthira of great intelligence never uttered anything that was\nimproper or untrue or unbearable or disagreeable. The best of monarchs of\nthe Bharata race, endued with great energy, passed his days happily for\nthe welfare of all as his own. His brothers also bringing by their energy\nother kings under their sway, passed their days in happiness, without a\nfoe to disturb their 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. O\nslayer 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 each\nother, Partha and Govinda, with Yudhishthira's leave, set out, surrounded\nby friends. Reaching a fine spot (on the banks of the Yamuna) suitable for\npurposes of pleasure, overgrown with numerous tall trees and covered with\nseveral high mansions that made the place look like the celestial city and\nwithin which had been collected for Krishna and Partha numerous costly and\nwell-flavoured viands and drinks and other articles of enjoyment and\nfloral wreaths and various perfumes, the party entered without delay the\ninner apartments adorned with many precious gems of pure rays. Entering\nthose apartments, everybody, O Bharata, began to sport, according to his\npleasure. The women of the party, all of full rotund hips and deep bosoms\nand handsome eyes, and gait unsteady with wine began to sport there at the\ncommand of Krishna and Partha. Some amongst the women sported as they\nliked in the woods, some in the waters, and some within the mansions, as\ndirected by Partha and Govinda. Draupadi and Subhadra, exhilarated with\nwine, began to give away unto the women so sporting, their costly robes\nand ornaments. And some amongst those women began to dance in joy, and\nsome began to sing; and some amongst them began to laugh and jest, and\nsome to drink excellent wines. Some began to obstruct one another's\nprogress and some to fight with one another, and to discourse with one\nanother in private. Those mansions and the woods, filled with the charming\nmusic of flutes and guitars and kettledrums, became the scene of\nProsperity 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 subjugator of\nhostile cities, viz., Arjuna, going thither, sat down upon two very costly\nseats. Vasudeva and Partha amused themselves there with discoursing upon\nmany past achievements of prowess and other topics. Unto Vasudeva and\nDhananjaya happily sitting there like the Aswins in heaven, a certain\nBrahmana came. The Brahmana that came there looked like a tall Sala tree.\nHis complexion was like unto molten gold; his beard was bright yellow\ntinged with green; and the height and the thickness of the body were in\njust proportion. Of matted locks and dressed in rags, he resembled the\nmorning sun in splendour. Of eyes like lotus-petals and of a tawny hue, he\nseemed to be blazing with effulgence. Beholding that foremost of Brahmanas\nblazing with splendour approach towards them both Arjuna and Vasudeva,\nhastily rising from their seats, stood, waiting (for his commands).'\"\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 me.\nThis 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 me\nblazing forth, he always poureth upon me water from the clouds. Therefore,\nI succeed not in consuming the forest of Khandava, although I desire very\nmuch to do so. I have now come to you--you who are both skilled in\nweapons! If you help me I will surely consume this forest: for even this\nis the food that is desired by me! As ye are conversant with excellent\nweapons, I pray you to prevent those showers from descending and any of\nthe creatures from escaping, when I begin to consume this forest!\"'\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 equal\nunto Indra himself. No one on earth has equalled him in sacrifices,\ncharity, and intelligence. Swetaki performed the five great sacrifices and\nmany others, at all of which the presents unto Brahmanas were large. The\nheart of that monarch, O king, was always set upon sacrifices, religious\nrites, and gifts of all kinds. And king Swetaki of great intelligence,\nassisted by his Ritwiks performed sacrifices for many long years, till\nthose sacrificial priests with eyes afflicted by the continued smoke and\nbecoming very weak, left that monarch, wishing never more to assist at his\nsacrifices. The king, however, repeatedly asked those Ritwiks to come to\nhim. But they came not to his sacrifice in consequence of the painful\nstate of their eyes. The king, therefore, invited at the command of his\nown Ritwiks, others like unto them, and completed the sacrifice that he\nhad begun. After some days had elapsed, king Swetaki desired to perform\nanother sacrifice which should extend for a hundred years. But the\nillustrious monarch obtained not any priest to assist him in it. The\ncelebrated king then, with his friends and relatives, casting off all\nsloth, repeatedly courted his priests with great persistence, by bowing\ndown unto them, by conciliatory speeches, and by gifts of wealth. All of\nthem, however, refused to accomplish the purpose which that king of\nimmeasurable energy had in view. Then that royal sage, getting angry,\naddressed those Brahmanas sitting in their asylums, and said, \"If, ye\nBrahmanas, I were a fallen person, or, if, I were wanting in homage and\nservice to you, I should then deserve to be abandoned without scruple by\nyou and by other Brahmanas at the same time. But as I am neither degraded\nnor wanting in homage to you, it behoveth you not to obstruct the\nperformance by me of my sacrifice or to abandon me thus, ye foremost of\nBrahmanas, without adequate reason. I seek, ye Brahmanas, your protection!\nIt behoveth you to be propitious unto me. But, ye foremost of Brahmanas,\nif you abandon me from enmity alone or any improper motive, I shall go\nunto other priests for their assistance in this sacrifice of mine, and\nconciliating them by sweet words and gifts, I shall represent unto them\nthe business I have on hand, so that they may accomplish it.\" Having said\nthis, the monarch became silent. And, O chastiser of foes, when those\npriests well knew that they could not assist at the king's sacrifice, they\npretended to be angry, and addressing that best of monarchs said, \"O best\nof kings, thy sacrifices are incessant! By assisting thee always, we have\nall been fatigued. And as we have been wearied in consequence of these\nlabours, it behoveth thee to give us leave. O sinless one, from loss of\njudgment thou canst not wait (but urgest us repeatedly). Go unto Rudra! He\nwill assist at thy sacrifice!\" Hearing those words of censure and wrath,\nking Swetaki became angry. And the monarch wending to the mountains of\nKailasa, devoted himself to asceticism there. And, O king, the monarch\nbegan to worship Mahadeva, with fixed attention, and by observing the most\nrigid vows. And foregoing all food at times, he passed a long period. The\nmonarch ate only fruits and roots sometimes at the twelfth and sometimes\nat the sixteenth hour of the whole day. King Swetaki stood for six months,\nrapt in attention, with arms upraised and steadfast eyes, like the trunk\nof a tree or a column rooted to the ground. And, O Bharata, Sankara at\nlast gratified with that tiger among kings, who was undergoing such hard\npenances, showed himself unto him. And the god spake unto the monarch in a\ncalm and grave voice, saying, \"O tiger among kings, O chastiser of foes, I\nhave been gratified with thee for thy asceticism! Blest be thou! Ask now\nthe boon that thou, O king, desirest.\" Hearing these words of Rudra of\nimmeasurable energy, the royal sage bowed unto that deity and replied,\nsaying, \"O illustrious one, O thou that art worshipped by the three worlds,\nif thou hast been gratified with me, then, O god of gods, assist me\nthyself, O lord of the celestials, in my sacrifice!\" Hearing these words\nspoken by the monarch, the illustrious god was gratified, and smilingly\nsaid, \"We do not ourselves assist at sacrifices: but as thou, O king, hast\nundergone severe penances, desirous of obtaining a boon, I will, O\nchastiser of foes, assist at thy sacrifice, upon, O king, this condition.\"\nAnd Rudra continued, \"If, O king of kings, thou canst, for twelve years,\npour without intermission libations of clarified butter into the fire,\nthyself leading all the while the life of a Brahmacharin with rapt\nattention, then thou shalt obtain from me what thou askest.\" King Swetaki,\nthus addressed by Rudra, did all that he was directed to do by the wielder\nof the trident. And after twelve years had elapsed, he again came unto\nMaheswara. And Sankara, the Creator of the worlds upon seeing Swetaki,\nthat excellent monarch, immediately said, in great gratification, \"I have\nbeen gratified by thee, O best of kings, with this thy own act! But, O\nchastiser of foes, the duty of assisting at sacrifices properly belongeth\nto Brahmanas. Therefore, O oppressor of foes, I will not myself assist at\nthy sacrifice today. There is on earth an exalted Brahmana who is even a\nportion of my own self. He is known by the name of Durvasa. Even that\nBrahmana endued with great energy will assist you in thy sacrifice. Let,\ntherefore, every preparation be made.\" Hearing these words uttered by\nRudra, the king, returning to his own capital, began to collect all that\nwas necessary. After everything had been collected, the monarch again\npresented himself before Rudra and said, \"Every necessary article hath\nbeen collected, and all my preparations are complete, through thy grace, O\ngod of gods! Let me, therefore, be installed at the sacrifice tomorrow.\"\nHaving heard these words of that illustrious king, Rudra summoned Durvasa\nbefore him and said. \"This, O Durvasa, is that best of monarchs called\nSwetaki. At my command, O best of Brahmanas, assist even this king in his\nsacrifice.\" And the Rishi Durvasa said unto Rudra, \"So be it.\" Then the\nsacrifice for which king Swetaki had made those preparations, took place.\nAnd the illustrious monarch's sacrifice was performed according to the\nordinance and in proper season. And the gifts, on that occasion, unto the\nBrahmanas were large. And after that monarch's sacrifice had come to an\nend, all the other priests who had come to assist at it went away with\nDurvasa's leave. All other Sadasyas also of immeasurable energy, who had\nbeen installed at that sacrifice, then went away. That exalted monarch\nthen entered his own palace, worshipped by exalted Brahmanas conversant\nwith the Vedas, eulogised by chanters of panegyrical hymns and\ncongratulated by 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 him\nin 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 thee.\nBut, O Agni, grieve not for it. Thou shalt soon regain thy own nature. I\nshall dispel this surfeit of thine and the time for it is even come. The\ndreadful forest Khandava, that abode of the enemies of the gods, which\nthou hadst of old once consumed to ashes at the request of the gods, hath\nnow become the home of numerous creatures. When thou will have eaten the\nfat of those creatures, thou shalt regain thy own nature. Proceed thither\nin haste to consume that forest with its living population. Thou wilt then\nbe cured of thy malady.\" Hearing the words that fell from the lips of the\nSupreme Deity, Hutasana proceeded with great speed and soon reached the\nforest of Khandava in great vigour. Arrived there, he suddenly blazed\nforth in anger, assisted by Vayu. Beholding Khandava on fire the dwellers\n(in the forest) that were there, made great efforts to extinguish the\nconflagration. Elephants by hundreds of thousands, speeding in anger,\nbrought water in their trunks and scattered it upon the fire. Thousands of\nmany-hooded snakes, mad with anger, hastily began to scatter upon fire\nmuch water from those many hoods of theirs. And so, O bull of Bharata's\nrace, the other creatures dwelling in that forest, by various appliances\nand efforts, soon extinguished the fire. In this way, Agni blazed forth in\nKhandava repeatedly, even for seven times. And it was in this way that the\nblazing fire was extinguished there as often by the denizens of that\nforest.'\"\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 to the Grandsire. And he represented unto\nBrahman all that had happened: The illustrious deity, reflecting for a\nmoment, 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 old\ndeities, Nara and Narayana, have become incarnate in the world of men to\naccomplish the business of the celestials. They are called on earth Arjuna\nand Vasudeva. They are even now staying in the forest of Khandava. Solicit\nthem for aiding thee in consuming that forest. Thou shalt then consume the\nforest even if it be protected by the celestials. They will certainly\nprevent the population of Khandava from escaping, and thwart Indra also\n(in aiding any one in the escape). I have no doubt of this!\" Hearing these\nwords, Agni came in haste unto Krishna and Partha. O king, I have already\ntold thee what he said, having approached the illustrious pair. O tiger\namong kings, hearing those words of Agni who was desirous of consuming the\nforest of Khandava against the will of Indra, Vibhatsu said unto him these\nwords well-suited to the occasion, \"I have numberless excellent celestial\nweapons with which I can fight even many wielders of the thunderbolt. But,\nO exalted one, I have no bow suited to the strength of my arms, and\ncapable of bearing the might I may put forth in battle. In consequence of\nthe lightness of my hands also I require arrows that must never be\nexhausted. My car also is scarcely able to bear the load of arrows that I\nwould desire to keep by me. I desire celestial steeds of pure white,\npossessing the speed of the wind; and a car possessing the splendour of\nthe sun and the clatter of whose wheels should resemble the roar of the\nclouds. Then, there is no weapon suited to Krishna's energy and with which\nMadhava can slay Nagas and Pisachas. O exalted one, it behoveth thee to\ngive us the means by which success may be achieved and by which we may\nthwart Indra in pouring his showers upon that extensive forest. O Pavaka,\nwe are ready to do all that manliness and prowess can do. But, O exalted\none, it behoveth thee to give us the adequate means.\"'\"\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 was\nthought of by Pavaka, immediately appeared before that deity. The smoke-\nbannered celestial welcoming with reverence the ruler of the waters, that\nfourth of the Lokapalas, said unto that eternal god of gods, \"Give me\nwithout loss of time that bow and quiver, and that ape-bannered car also,\nwhich were obtained from king Soma. Partha will achieve a great task with\nGandiva, and Vasudeva also with the discus! Give both, therefore, unto me\ntoday.\" Hearing these words, Varuna replied unto Pavaka, saying, \"Well, I\nam giving them.\" He then gave that wonderful jewel of a bow that was\nendued with great energy. That bow was the enhancer of fame and\nachievements, and was incapable of being injured by any weapon. It was the\nchief of all weapons, and the grinder of them all. And it was the smiter\nof hostile armies and was alone equal to a hundred thousand bows. It was\nthe multiplier of kingdoms, and was variegated with excellent colours. It\nwas well-adorned, and beautiful to behold, and without a mark of weakness\nor injury anywhere. And it was always worshipped both by the celestials\nand the Gandharvas. Varuna also gave two inexhaustible quivers, and he\nalso gave a car furnished with celestial weapons and whose banner bore a\nlarge ape. Yoked unto that car were steeds white as silver of the fleecy\nclouds, and born in the region of the Gandharvas, and decked with golden\nharness, and resembling in fleetness the wind or the mind. And it was\nequipped with implement of war, and was incapable of being vanquished by\nthe celestials or the Asuras. Its splendour was great and the sounds of\nits wheels was tremendous. It delighted the heart of every creature that\nlooked at it. It had been made by Viswakarman, the architect of the\nuniverse and one of the lords of creation, after severe ascetic meditation.\nIts splendour, like that of the sun, was so great that no one could gaze\nat it. It was the very car from which the lord Soma had vanquished the\nDanavas. Resplendent with beauty, it looked like an evening cloud\nreflecting the effulgence of the setting sun. It was furnished with an\nexcellent flag-staff of golden colour and great beauty. And there sat upon\nthat flag-staff a celestial ape of form fierce like that of a lion or a\ntiger. Stationed on high, the ape seemed bent upon burning everything it\nbeheld. And upon the (other) flags were various creatures of large size,\nwhose roars 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 was\nfilled with joy. And bowing unto Hutasana, Partha endued with great energy,\ntook up the bow and strung it forcibly. Those who heard the noise that was\nmade while the mighty Pandava strung that bow, quaked with fear. And\nhaving obtained that car and that bow, and the two inexhaustible quivers,\nthe son of Kunti became glad and thought himself competent to assist at\nthe task. And Pavaka then gave unto Krishna a discus with an iron pole\nattached to a hole in the centre. And it was a fiery weapon and became his\nfavourite. Having obtained that weapon, Krishna also became equal to the\ntask. Pavaka then, addressing Krishna, said, \"With this, O slayer of Madhu,\nthou shalt be able without doubt to vanquish in battle even foes that are\nnot human. With this weapon, without doubt, thou shalt be superior in\nbattle to men and gods, and Rakshasas and Pisachas, and Daityas and Nagas.\nAnd thou shalt certainly be able with this to smite all. And, O Madhava,\nhurled by thee in battle at thy foes, this weapon will irresistibly slay\nthe enemy and again come back into thy hands.\" And the lord Varuna, after\nthis, gave unto Krishna a mace, of name Kaumodaki, capable of slaying\nevery Daitya and producing, when hurled, a roar like that of the thunder.\nThen Arjuna and Achyuta, filled with joy said unto Pavaka, \"O exalted one,\nfurnished with weapons and knowing their use, possessed of cars with flags\nand flagstaffs, we are now able to fight with even all the celestials and\nthe Asuras (together), let alone the wielder of the thunderbolt desirous\nof fighting for the sake of the Naga (his friend Takshaka).\" Arjuna also\nsaid, \"O Pavaka, while Hrishikesa, endued with abundant energy, moves on\nthe field of battle with this discus in hand, there is nothing in the\nthree worlds that he will not be able to consume by hurling this weapon.\nHaving obtained the bow Gandiva and this couple of inexhaustible quivers I\nalso am ready to conquer in battle the three worlds. Therefore, O lord,\nblaze thou forth as thou likest, surrounding this large forest on every\nside. We are quite able to help 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 form\nlike that at the end of the Yuga (cycle). And, O bull of Bharata's race,\nsurrounding that forest and catching it from all sides with a roar like\nthat of the clouds, Agni made every creature within it tremble. And, O\nBharata, that burning forest then looked resplendent like the king of\nmountains, Meru, blazing with the rays of the sun fallen thereupon.'\"\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 those 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 the\nground with wings, eyes, and feet scorched and burnt. These creatures were\nall seen to perish there almost soon enough. The tanks and ponds within\nthat forest, heated by the fire around, began to boil; the fishes and the\ntortoises in them were all seen to perish. During that great slaughter of\nliving creatures in that forest, the burning bodies of various animals\nlooked as if fire itself had assumed many forms. The birds that took wings\nto escape from that conflagration were pierced by Arjuna with his shafts,\nand cut into pieces, they fell down into the burning element below.\nPierced all over with Arjuna's shafts, the birds dropped down into the\nburning forest, uttering loud cries. The denizens of the forest, struck\nwith those shafts, began to roar and yell. The clamour they raised was\nlike unto the frightful uproar heard during the churning of the ocean (in\ndays of yore). The mighty flames of the blazing fire reaching the\nfirmament, caused great anxiety to the celestials themselves. Then all the\nillustrious dwellers in heaven went in a body unto him of a hundred\nsacrifices and thousand eyes, viz., their chief, that grinder of Asuras.\nApproaching Indra, the celestials said, \"Why, O lord of immortals, doth\nAgni burn these creatures below? Hath the time come for the destruction of\nthe 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 began\nto shower upon the burning forest. Those masses of clouds by hundreds and\nthousands, commanded by Indra began to pour rain upon Khandava in showers\nthick as the flag-staffs of battle-cars. But the showers were all dried up\nin the sky itself by the heat of the fire and could not, therefore, reach\nthe fire at all! Then the slayer of Namuchi, getting angry with Agni,\ncollected huge masses of clouds and caused them to yield a heavy downpour.\nThen with the flames contending with those heavy showers, and with masses\nof clouds overhead, that forest, filled with smoke and flashes of\nlightning, became terrible to behold.'\"\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, was\nthere. He made great efforts to escape from that fire; but confined by\nArjuna's shafts he succeeded not in finding a way. It was then that his\nmother, the daughter of a snake, determined to save him by swallowing him\nfirst. His mother first swallowed his head and then was swallowing his\ntail. 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 of\na sharp and keen-edged arrow. Indra saw all this, and desiring to save his\nfriend's son, the wielder of the thunderbolt, by raising a violent wind,\ndeprived Arjuna of consciousness. During those few moments, Aswasena\nsucceeded in effecting his escape. Beholding that manifestation of the\npower of illusion, and deceived by that snake, Arjuna was much enraged. He\nforthwith cut every animal seeking to escape by the skies, into two, three,\nor more pieces. And Vibhatsu in anger, and Agni, and Vasudeva also, cursed\nthe snake that had escaped so deceitfully, saying, \"Never shalt thou be\nfamous!\" And Jishnu remembering the deception practised upon him, became\nangry, and covering the firmament with a cloud of arrows, sought to fight\nwith him of a thousand eyes. The chief of the celestials also, seeing\nArjuna in anger, sought to fight with him, and hurled his own fierce\nweapons, covering the wide expanse of the firmament. Then the winds,\nmaking a loud roar and agitating all the oceans, brought together masses\nof clouds in the sky, charged with torrents of rain. Those masses of\nclouds began to vomit thunder and terrible flashes of lightning charged\nwith the thunderclap. Then Arjuna possessing a knowledge of means, hurled\nthe excellent weapon called Vayavya with proper mantras to dispel those\nclouds. With that weapon the energy and force of Indra's thunderbolt and\nof those clouds were destroyed. And the torrents of rain with which those\nclouds were charged were all dried up, and the lightning that played\namongst them was also destroyed. Within a moment the sky was cleared of\ndust and darkness, and a delicious, cool breeze began to blow and the disc\nof the sun resumed its normal state. Then the eater of clarified butter\n(Agni), glad because none could baffle him, assumed various forms, and\nsprinkled over with the fat exuded by the bodies of creatures, blazed\nforth with all his flames, filling the universe with his roar. Then\nnumerous birds of the Garuda tribe bearing excellent feathers, beholding\nthat the forest was protected by Krishna and Arjuna, descended filled with\npride, from the upper skies, desirous of striking those heroes with their\nthunderlike wings, beaks and claws. Innumerable Nagas also, with faces\nemitting fire descending from high, approached Arjuna, vomiting the most\nvirulent poison all the while. Beholding them approach, Arjuna cut them\ninto pieces by means of arrows steeped in the fire of his own wrath. Then\nthose birds and snakes, deprived of life, fell into the burning element\nbelow. And there came also, desirous of battle, innumerable Asuras with\nGandharvas and Yakshas and Rakshasas and Nagas sending forth terrific\nyells. Armed with machines vomiting from their throats (mouths) iron\nballs and bullets, and catapults for propelling huge stones, and rockets,\nthey approached to strike Krishna and Partha, their energy and strength\nincreased by wrath. But though they rained a perfect shower of weapons,\nVibhatsu, addressing them reproachfully, struck off their heads with his\nown sharp arrows. That slayer of foes, Krishna, also, endued with great\nenergy, made a great slaughter of the Daitya and the Danava with his\ndiscus. Many Asuras of immeasurable might, pierced with Krishna's arrows\nand smitten with the force of his discus, became motionless like waifs and\nstrays stranded on the bank by the violence of the waves. Then Sakra the\nlord of the celestials, riding on his white elephant, rushed at those\nheroes, and taking up his thunderbolt which could never go in vain, hurled\nit with great force. And the slayer of Asuras said unto the gods, \"These\ntwo are slain.\" Beholding the fierce thunderbolt about to be hurled\nby their chief, the celestials all took up their respective weapons. Yama,\nO king, took up the death-dealing mace, and Kuvera his spiked club, and\nVaruna his noose and beautiful missile. And Skanda (Kartikeya) took up his\nlong lance and stood motionless like the mountain of Meru. The Aswins\nstood there with resplendent plants in their hands. Dhatri stood, bow in\nhand, and Jaya with a thick club. Tvashtri of great strength took up in\nwrath, a huge mountain and Surya stood with a bright dart, and Mrityu with\na battle-axe. Aryaman stalked about with a terrible bludgeon furnished\nwith sharp spikes, and Mitra stood there with a discus sharp as a razor.\nAnd, O monarch, Pusha and Bhaga and Savitri, in wrath, rushed at Krishna\nand Partha 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. Skilled\nin battle, those heroes in wrath assailed the advancing host of celestials\nwith their own thunderlike arrows. The celestials repeatedly routed by\nKrishna and Arjuna, at last left the field of battle for fear and sought\nthe protection of Indra. The Munis who were witnessing the battle from the\nskies, beholding the celestials defeated by Madhava and Arjuna, were\nfilled with wonder. Sakra also repeatedly witnessing their prowess in\nbattle, became exceedingly gratified, and once more rushed to the assault.\nThe chastiser of Paka then caused a heavy shower of stones, desiring to\nascertain the prowess of Arjuna who was able to draw the bow even with his\nleft hand. Arjuna, in great wrath, dispelled with his arrows that thick\nshower. Then he of a hundred sacrifices beholding that shower baffled,\nonce more caused a thicker shower of stones. But the son of the chastiser\nof Paka (viz., Arjuna) gratified his father by baffling that shower also\nwith his swift arrows. Then Sakra, desirous of smiting down the son of\nPandu, tore up with his hands a large peak from Mandara, with tall trees\non it, and hurled it against him. But Arjuna divided that mountain-peak\ninto a thousand pieces by his swift-going and fire-mouthed arrows. The\nfragments of that mountain, in falling through the skies, looked as if the\nsun and the moon and the planets, displaced from their positions fell down\non earth. That huge peak fell down upon that forest and by its fall killed\nnumerous living creatures that dwelt in Khandava.'\"\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 manes\nand deer and buffaloes by hundreds, and birds, and various other creatures,\nfrightened at the falling stones and extremely anxious, began to fly in\nall directions. They saw the forest (burning all around) and Krishna and\nArjuna also ready with their weapons. Frightened at the terrible sounds\nthat were audible there those creatures lost their power of movement.\nBeholding the forest burning in innumerable places and Krishna also ready\nto smite them down with his weapons, they all set up a frightful roar.\nWith that terrible clamour as also with the roar of fire, the whole welkin\nresounded, as it were, with the voice of portentous clouds. Kesava of dark\nhue and mighty arms, in order to compass their destruction, hurled at them\nhis large and fierce discus resplendent with its own energy. The forest-\ndwellers including the Danavas and the Rakshasas, afflicted by that weapon,\nwere cut in hundreds of pieces and fell unto the mouth of Agni. Mangled by\nKrishna's discus, the Asuras were besmeared with blood and fat and looked\nlike evening clouds. And, O Bharata, he of the Vrishni race moved about\nlike death itself, slaying Pisachas and birds and Nagas and other\ncreatures by thousands. The discus itself, repeatedly hurled from the\nhands of Krishna, that slayer of all foes, came back to his hands after\nslaughtering numberless creatures. The face and form of Krishna that soul\nof every created thing became fierce to behold while he was thus employed\nin the slaughter of the Pisachas, Nagas and Rakshasas. No one among the\ncelestials, who had mustered there could vanquish in battle Krishna and\nArjuna. When the celestials saw that they could not protect that forest\nfrom the might of Krishna and Arjuna by extinguishing that conflagration,\nthey retired from the scene. Then, O monarch, he of a hundred sacrifices\n(Indra), beholding the immortals retreat, became filled with joy and\napplauded Krishna and Arjuna. And when the celestials gave up the fight,\nan incorporeal voice, deep and loud, addressing him of a hundred\nsacrifices, said, \"Thy friend Takshaka, that chief of snakes, hath not\nbeen slain! Before the conflagration commenced in Khandava he had\njourneyed to Kurukshetra. Know from my words, O Vasava, that Vasudeva and\nArjuna are incapable of being vanquished in battle by any one! They are\nNara and Narayana--those gods of old heard of in heaven! Thou knowest what\ntheir energy is and what their prowess. Invincible in battle, these best\nof old Rishis are unconquerable by any one in all the worlds! They deserve\nthe most reverential worship of all the celestials and Asuras; of Yakshas\nand Rakshasas and Gandharvas, of human beings and Kinnaras and Nagas.\nTherefore, O Vasava, it behoveth thee to go hence with all the celestials.\nThe destruction of Khandava hath been ordained by Fate!\" Then the chief of\nthe immortals, ascertaining those words to be true abandoned his wrath and\njealousy, and went back to heaven. The dwellers in heaven, O monarch,\nbeholding the illustrious Indra abandon the fight, followed him with all\ntheir soldiers. Then those heroes, Vasudeva and Arjuna, when they saw the\nchief of the celestials retreat accompanied by all the gods, set up a\nleonine roar. And, O monarch, Kesava and Arjuna, after Indra had left the\nscene, became exceedingly glad. Those heroes then fearlessly assisted at\nthe conflagration of the forest. Arjuna scattered the celestials like the\nwind scattering the clouds, and slew with showers of his arrows,\nnumberless creatures that dwelt in Khandava. Cut off by Arjuna's arrows,\nno one amongst the innumerable creatures could escape from the burning\nforest. Far from fighting with him, none amongst even the strongest\ncreatures mustered there could look at Arjuna whose weapons were never\nfutile. Sometimes piercing hundred creatures with one shaft and sometimes\na single creature with hundred shafts, Arjuna moved about in his car. The\ncreatures themselves, deprived of life, began to fall into the mouth of\nAgni (god of fire), struck down as it were by death itself. On the banks\nof rivers or on uneven plains or on crematoriums, go where they did, the\ncreatures (dwelling in Khandava) found no ease, for wherever they sought\nshelter there they were afflicted by the heat. And hosts of creatures\nroared in pain, and elephants and deer and wolves set up cries of\naffliction. At that sound the fishes of the Ganges and the sea, and the\nvarious tribes of Vidyadharas dwelling in that forest all became\nfrightened. O thou of mighty arms, let alone battling with them, no one,\ncould even gaze at Arjuna and Janardana of dark hue. Hari slew with his\ndiscus those Rakshasas and Danavas and Nagas that rushed at him in bands.\nOf huge bodies, their heads and trunks were cut off by the swift motion of\nthe discus, and deprived of life they fell down into the blazing fire.\nGratified with large quantities of flesh, blood, and fat, the flames rose\nup to a great height without a curling wreath of smoke. Hutasana (fire-\ngod) with blazing and coppery eyes, and flaming tongue and large mouth,\nand the hair on the crown of his head all fiery, drinking, with the help\nof Krishna and Arjuna, that nectar-like stream of animal fat, became\nfilled with joy. Gratified greatly, Agni derived much happiness.\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 for\nhis car-driver, assuming a body with matted locks on head, and roaring\nlike the clouds, pursued the Asura, desirous of consuming him. Beholding\nthe Asura, Vasudeva stood with his weapon upraised, ready to smite him\ndown, seeing the discus uplifted and Agni pursuing from behind to burn him,\nMaya said \"Run to me, O Arjuna, and protect me!\" Hearing his affrighted\nvoice Arjuna said, \"Fear not!\" That voice of Arjuna, O Bharata, seemed to\ngive Maya his life. As the merciful son of Pritha said unto Maya that\nthere was nothing to fear, he of the Dasarha race no longer desired to\nslay Maya who was the brother of Namuchi, and Agni also burned him not.'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Protected from Indra by Krishna and Partha, Agni\ngifted with great intelligence, burned that forest for five and ten days.\nAnd while the forest burned Agni spared only six of its dwellers, viz.,\nAswasena, Maya, and four birds called Sarngakas.'\"\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 why\nAgni did not burn up those birds during the conflagration. There was, O\nking, 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 these\nregions become unattainable by me,--regions that I had thought had been\nacquired by me by my ascetic devotions? Have I not performed those acts\nwhose fruits are these regions? Ye inhabitants of heaven, tell me why\nthese regions are shut against me! I will do that which will give me the\nfruit 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 multifarious\nregions of felicity. The Vedas declared that the son rescueth the father\nfrom a hell called Put. Then, O best of Brahmanas, strive to beget\noffspring.\"'\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 a\nfemale bird of the same species called by the name of Jarita. And he begat\nupon her four sons who were all reciters of the Vedas. Leaving all those\nsons of his with their mother in that forest, while they were still within\neggs, the ascetic went to (another wife called by the name of) Lapita. And,\nO Bharata, when the exalted sage went away for the company of Lapita,\nmoved by affection for her offspring, Jarita became very thoughtful.\nThough forsaken by their father in the forest of Khandava, Jarita, anxious\nin her affection for them, could not forsake her offspring, those infant\nRishis encased in eggs. Moved by parental affection, she brought up these\nchildren born of her, herself following the pursuits proper to her own\nspecies. Some time after, the Rishi, in wandering over that forest in the\ncompany of Lapita, saw Agni coming towards Khandava to burn it down. Then\nthe Brahmana Mandapala, knowing the intention of Agni and remembering also\nthat his children were all young moved by fear, gratified the god, of the\nburning element, that regent of the universe, endued with great energy.\nAnd he did this, desiring to put in a word for his unfledged offspring.\nAddressing Agni, the Rishi said, \"Thou art, O Agni, the mouth of all the\nworlds! Thou art the carrier of the sacrificial butter! O purifier (of all\nsins), thou movest invisible with the frame of every creature! The learned\nhave spoken of thee as an One, and again as possessed of triple nature.\nThe wise perform their sacrifices before thee, taking thee as consisting\nof eight (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 Agni,\nthe flames put forth by thee consume every creature. O thou of great\nsplendour, this universe hath been created by thee. The Vedas are thy word.\nAll creatures, mobile and immobile, depend upon thee. Water primarily\ndependeth on thee, so also the whole of this universe. All offerings of\nclarified butter and oblations of food to the pitris have been established\nin thee. O god, thou art the consumer, and thou art the creator and thou\nart Vrihaspati himself (in intelligence). Thou art the twin Aswins; thou\nart 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, well-\npleased, replied, \"What good can I do to thee?\" Then Mandapala with joined\npalms said unto the carrier of clarified butter, \"While thou burnest the\nforest of Khandava, spare my children.\" The illustrious bearer of\nclarified butter replied, \"So be it.\" It was, therefore, O monarch, that\nhe blazed not forth, while consuming the forest of Khandava, for the\ndestruction of Mandapala's children.'\"\n\n\nSECTION CCXXXII\n\n(Khandava-daha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'When the fire blazed forth in the forest of Khandava,\nthe infant birds became very much distressed and afflicted. Filled with\nanxiety, they saw not any means of escape. Their mother, the helpless\nJarita, knowing that they were too young to escape, was filled with sorrow\nand wept aloud. And she said, \"Oh, the terrible, illuminating the whole\nuniverse and burning the forest down, approacheth towards us, increasing\nmy woe. These infants with immature understanding, without feathers and\nfeet, and the sole refuge of our deceased ancestors, afflict me. Oh, this\nfire approacheth, spreading fear all around, and licking with its tongue\nthe tallest trees. But my unfledged children are incapable of effecting\ntheir escape. I myself am not capable of escaping, taking all these with\nme. Nor am I capable of abandoning them, for my heart is distressed on\ntheir account. Whom amongst my sons, shall I leave behind, and whom shall\nI carry with me? What (act) should I do now that is consistent with duty?\nWhat also do you, my infant sons, think? I do not, even by reflection, see\nany way of escape for you. I shall even cover you with my wings and die\nwith you. Your cruel father left me some time before, saying, 'Upon this\nJaritari, because he is the eldest of my sons, will my race depend. My\nsecond Sarisrikka will beget progeny for the expansion of my ancestors'\nrace. My third, Stamvamitra, will be devoted to asceticism, and my\nyoungest, Drona, will become the foremost of those acquainted with the\nVedas.' But how hath this terrible calamity overtaken us! Whom shall I\ntake with me? As I am deprived of judgment what should I do that is\nconsistent with duty? I do not see, by the exercise of my own judgment,\nthe escape of my children 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 mayest\nhave other children born to thee. If thou, O mother be killed, we can have\nno more children in our race. Reflecting upon both these calamities, the\ntime hath come for thee, O mother, to do that which is beneficial to our\nrace. Do not be influenced by affection for thy offspring, which promises\nto destroy both us and thee. If thou savest thyself, our father, who is\neven desirous of winning regions of felicity, may have his wishes\ngratified.\"\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 will\ndestroy us all. Beholding this danger before us, we cannot enter this hole.\nAlas, we do not see any means by which we may escape from the fire or from\nthe mouse. We do not see how our father's act of procreation may be\nprevented from becoming futile, and how also our mother may be saved. If\nwe enter the hole, the mouse will destroy us; we remain where we are and\nthe sky-ranging fire will destroy us. Reflecting upon both the calamities,\na death by fire is preferable to a death by being eaten up. If we are\ndevoured by the mouse within the hole, that death is certainly ignoble,\nwhereas the destruction of the body in fire is approved by the wise.\"'\"\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 with\nhis claws and carried away hence. Therefore, ye may fearlessly enter this\nhole now.\" The young ones replied, \"We are not by any means certain of\nthat 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 than\nthat in which it is certain. It is thy duty, therefore, to escape thyself,\nfor, 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 a\ngolden body.' Afterwards when that hawk devoured the mouse, I came away,\nobtaining his leave. Therefore, ye children, enter this hole trustfully.\nYe have nothing to fear. The mouse that was its inmate was seized and\ntaken away by the hawk in my sight.\" The young ones again said, \"O mother,\nwe do not by any means know that the mouse hath been carried away by the\nhawk. We cannot enter this hole in the ground without being certain of the\nfact.\" Their mother said, \"I know to a certainty that the mouse hath been\ncarried away by the hawk. Therefore, ye children, ye have nothing to fear;\ndo what I say.\" The young ones again said, \"We do not, O mother, say that\nthou art dispelling our fears with a false story. For whatever is done by\na person when his reason hath been disturbed can scarcely be said to be\nthat person's deliberate act. Thou hast not been benefited by us, nor dost\nthou know who we are. Why dost thou, therefore, strive to protect us at so\nmuch cost to thyself? Who are we to thee? Thou art young and handsome, and\ncapable of seeking out thy husband. Go unto thy husband. Thou shalt obtain\ngood children again. Let us by entering the fire attain to regions of\nfelicity. If, however, the fire consume us not, thou mayest come back and\nobtain 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 fire\nand there was safety. Then Agni in haste and with fierce flames approached\nthe spot where the sons of Mandapala were. The young birds saw the blazing\nfire come towards them. Then Jaritari, the eldest of the four, in the\nhearing of Agni, began to speak.'\"\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 the\nhour 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 younger\nones 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 habitation,\nblazing forth in splendour and licking up everything in his path.\"'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Having addressed one another thus, the sons of\nMandapala then each devotedly addressed an eulogistic hymn to Agni. Listen\nnow, 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, and\nwe know not our father! Our feathers have not grown as yet. We have none\nto protect us save thee. Therefore, O Agni, infants that we are protect\nus! O Agni, as we are distressed, protect us with that auspicious form\nthou hast and with those seven flames of thine! We seek protection at thy\nhands. Thou alone, O Agni, art the giver of heat (in the universe). O lord,\nthere is none else (save thee) that giveth heat to the rays of the sun. O,\nprotect us who are young and who are Rishis. O Havyavaha (carrier of\nsacrificial butter), be pleased to go hence by some other 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 be\ndigested. Everything therefore, is established in thee. O Sukra, O thou\nfrom whose mouth the Vedas have sprung, it is thou who assumests the form\nof the sun, and sucking up the waters of the earth and every liquid juice\nthat the earth yields, givest them back in time in the form of rain and\ncausest 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, this\nour (human) body dependeth on Varuna (the water-god)! We are unable to\nbear thy heat. Be thou, therefore, our auspicious protector! O, destroy us\nnot! O thou of copper-hued eyes, O thou of red neck, O thou whose path is\nmarked by a black colour, save us by going along any remote route, as\nindeed, the ocean saveth the house on its banks!\"'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed by Drona--that utterer of Brahma--\nAgni, well-pleased at what he heard, and remembering also the promise he\nhad made to Mandapala, replied unto him, saying, \"Thou art a Rishi, O\nDrona! For what thou hast said is Brahma (Vedic truth). I shall do your\npleasure. Fear not! Indeed, Mandapala had spoken to me of you to the\neffect that I should spare his sons, while consuming the forest. The words\nhe spoke and thy speech also are entitled to great weight to me. Say what\nI am to do. O best of Brahmanas, I have been greatly pleased with thy hymn.\nBlest 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 strength,\nhe began then to consume the forest of Khandava.'\"\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 god\nof fierce rays. Indeed, his mind was not in peace. Distressed on account\nof his sons, he addressed Lapita (his second wife with whom he then was),\nsaying, \"O Lapita, as my children are incapable of the power of moving,\nhow are they? When the fire will grow in strength and the wind begin to\nblow violently, my children will scarcely be able to save themselves. How\nwill their mother be able to rescue them? That innocent woman will be\nafflicted with great sorrow when she will find herself unable to save her\noffspring. Oh, how will she compose herself, uttering various lamentations\non account of my children who are all incapable of taking wing or rising\nup into the air. Oh, how is Jaritari, my son, and how is Sarisrikka, and\nhow is Stamvamitra, and how is Drona, and how also is their helpless\nmother?\"\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 reward\nfor 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 speak\nto them one after another and unto Jarita also, repeatedly. But neither\nhis sons nor Jarita spoke anything well or ill unto him in return.\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 true,\nbut 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 of\ntheir 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 fire\nof hostility and causes such anxiety. Even the auspicious and well-behaved\nArundhati, celebrated amongst all creatures, had been jealous of the\nillustrious Vasishtha of great purity of mind and always devoted to the\ngood of his wife. Arundhati insulted even the wise Muni amongst the\n(celestial) seven. In consequence of such insulting thoughts of hers, she\nhas become a little star, like fire mixed with smoke, sometimes visible\nand sometimes invisible, like an omen portending no good (amongst a\nconstellation of seven bright stars representing the seven Rishis). I look\nto thee for the sake of children. I never wronged thee, like Vasishtha who\nnever wronged his wife. Thou hast, therefore, by thy jealousy behaved\ntowards me like Arundhati of old towards Vasishtha. Men should never trust\nwomen even if they be wives. Women, when they have become mothers, do not\nmuch 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\nSECTION CCXXXVI\n\n(Khandava-daha Parva continued)\n\n\"Vaisampayana said, 'Mandapala then addressed his children, saying, \"I had\nspoken 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 not\nharbour 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 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 of\nfat and marrow, became highly gratified, and showed himself to Arjuna.\nThen Purandara, surrounded by the Maruts, descended from the firmament and\naddressing 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 any\nman. I have been gratified with you.\"'\n\n\"Vaisampayana continued, 'Then Partha asked from Indra all his weapons. At\nthis Sakra of great splendour, having fixed the time for giving them, said,\n\"When the illustrious Madhava becomes pleased with thee, then, O son of\nPandu, I will give thee all my weapons! O prince of Kuru's race, I shall\nknow when the time cometh. Even for thy austere asceticism I will give\nthee all my weapons of fire and all my Vayavya weapons, and thou also wilt\naccept them all of me.\" Then Vasudeva asked that his friendship with\nArjuna might be eternal. The chief of the celestials granted unto the\nintelligent Krishna the boon he desired. And having granted these boons\nunto 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","title":"The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose: Adi Parva","tradition":"myth-cosmogony","translated_text":null,"word_count":230889}