(Sambhava Parva continued)
" said, 'After the expiry of the period of his vow, , having obtained his preceptor's leave, was about to return to the abode of the celestials, when , addressing him, said, 'O grandson of the Rishi , in conduct and birth, in learning, asceticism and humility, thou you shinest shine most brightly. As the celebrated Rishi is honoured and regarded by my father, so is thy your father regarded and worshipped by me. O thou you of ascetic wealth, knowing this, listen to what I say. Recollect my conduct towards thee you during the period of thy your vow (Brahmacharya). Thy your vow hath has now been over. It behoveth behooves thee you to fix thy your affections on me. O accept my hand duly with ordained mantras.'
" replied, 'Thou you art to me an object of regard and worship even as thy your father! O thou you of faultless features, thou you art, indeed, even an object of greater reverence! Thou you art dearer than life to the high-souled Bhargava, O amiable one! As the daughter of my preceptor, thou you art ever worthy of my worship! As my preceptor , thy your father, is ever deserving of my regards, so art thou you, O ! Therefore, it behoveth behooves thee you not to say so.' Hearing this, replied, 'Thou you, too, art the son of my father's preceptor's son. Therefore, O best of Brahmanas, thou you art deserving of my regards and worship. O , when thou you wert were slain so many times by the Asuras, recollect today the affection I showed for thee you. Remembering my friendship and affection for thee you, and, indeed, my devoted regard also, O virtuous one, it behoveth behooves thee you not to abandon me without any fault. I am truly devoted to thee you.'
"Hearing all this, said, 'O thou you of virtuous vows, do not urge me into such a sinful course. O thou you of fair eye-brows, be gracious unto to me. Beautiful one, thou you art to me an object of greater regard than my preceptor. Full of virtuous resolves, O large-eyed one, of face as handsome, as moon, the place where thou you hadst had resided, viz., the body of , hath has also been my abode. Thou you art truly my sister. Amiable one, happily have we passed the days that we have been together. There is perfect good understanding between us. I ask thy your leave to return to my abode. Therefore, bless me so that my journey may be safe. I must be remembered by thee you, when thou you recallest recall me in connection with topics of conversation, as one that hath has not transgressed virtue. Always attend upon my preceptor with readiness and singleness of heart.' To all this, Devaniya answered, 'Solicited, by me, if, indeed, thou you truly refusest to make me thy your wife, then, O , this thy your knowledge shall not bear fruit.'
"Hearing this, said, 'I have refused thy your request only because thou you art the daughter of my preceptor, and not because thou you hast have any fault. Nor hath has my preceptor in this respect issued any command. Curse me if it please thee you. I have told thee you what the behaviour should be of a Rishi. I do not deserve thy your curse, O . But yet thou you hast have cursed me! Thou you hast have acted under the influence of passion and not from a sense of duty. Therefore, thy your desire will not be fulfilled. No Rishi's son shall ever accept thy your hand in marriage. Thou you hast have said that my knowledge shall not bear fruit. Let it be so. But in respect of him it shall bear fruit to whom I may impart it.'
" continued, 'That first of Brahmanas, , having said so unto to speedily wended his way unto to the abode of the chief of the celestials. Beholding him arrived, the celestials with ahead, having first worshipped him, spoke unto to him as follows, 'Thou you hast have indeed, performed an act of great benefit for us. Wonderful hath has been thy your achievement! Thy your fame shall never die! Thou you shall be a sharer with us in sacrificial offerings.'"
(Sambhava Parva continued)
" said, 'The dwellers in heaven became exceedingly glad in welcoming who had mastered the wonderful science. And, O bull of Bharata's race, the celestials then learnt that science from and considered their object already achieved. And assembling together, they spoke unto to him of a hundred sacrifices, saying, 'The time hath has come for showing prowess. Slay thy your foes, O !' And thus addressed, , then accompanied by the celestials, set out, saying, 'So be it.' But on his way he saw a number of damsels. These maidens were sporting in a lake in the gardens of the Gandharva Chitraratha. Changing himself into wind, he soon mixed up the garments of those maidens which they had laid on the bank. A little while after, the maidens, getting up from the water, approached their garments that had, indeed, got mixed up with one another. And it so happened that from the intermingled heap, the garments of were appropriated by , the daughter of , from ignorance that it was not hers. And, O king, thereupon then, between them, and , then ensued a dispute. And said, 'O daughter of the Asura (chief), why dost do thou you take my attire, being, as thou you art, my disciple? As thou you art destitute of good behaviour, nothing good can happen to thee you!' , however, quickly replied, 'Thy your father occupying a lower seat, always adoreth adores with downcast looks, like a hired chanter of praises, my father, whether he sitteth sits at his ease or reclineth reclines at full length! Thou you art the daughter of one that chanteth chants the praises of others, of one that accepteth accepts alms. I am the daughter of one who is adored, of one who bestoweth bestows alms instead of ever accepting them! Beggar-woman as thou you art, thou you art free to strike thy your breast, to use ill words, to vow enmity to me, to give way to thy your wrath. Acceptress of alms, thou you weepest weep tears of anger in vain! If so minded, I can harm thee you, but thou you canst can not. Thou you desirest to quarrel. But know thou you that I do not reckon thee you as my equal!'
" continued, 'Hearing these words, became exceedingly angry and began to pull at her clothes. thereupon then threw her into a well and went home. Indeed, the wicked believing that was dead, bent her steps home-wards in a wrathful mood.
"After had left, the son of soon came to that spot. The king had been out a-hunting. The couple of horses harnessed to his car and the other single horse with him were all fatigued. And the king himself was thirsty. And the son of saw a well that was by. And he saw that it was dry. But in looking down into it, he saw a maiden who in splendour was like a blazing fire. And beholding her within it, the blessed king addressed that girl of the complexion of the celestials, soothing her with sweet words. And he said, 'Who art thou you, O fair one, of nails bright as burnished copper, and with ear-rings decked with celestial gems? Thou you seemest seem to be greatly perturbed. Why dost do thou you weep in affliction? How, indeed, hast have thou you fallen into this well covered with creepers and long grass? And, O slender-waisted girl, answer me truly whose daughter thou you art.
" then replied, 'I am the daughter of who brings back into life the Asuras slain by the gods. He doth does not know what hath has befallen me. This is my right hand, O king, with nails bright as burnished copper. Thou you art well-born; I ask thee you, to take and raise me up! I know thou you art of good behaviour, of great prowess, and of wide fame! It behoveth behooves thee you, therefore, to raise me from this well.'
" continued, 'King , learning that she was a Brahmana's daughter, raised her from that well by catching hold of her right hand. And the monarch promptly raising her from the pit and squinting to her tapering thighs, sweetly and courteously returned to his capital.
"When the son of had gone away, of faultless features, afflicted with grief, then spoke unto to her maid, Ghurnika by name, who met her then. And she said, 'O Ghurnika, go thou you quickly and speak to my father without loss of time of everything as it hath has happened. I shall not now enter the city of .'
" continued, 'Ghurnika, thus commanded, repaired quickly to the mansion, of the Asura chief, where she saw and spoke unto to him with her perception dimmed by anger. And she said, 'I tell thee you, O great Brahmana, that hath has been ill-used, O fortunate one, in the forest by , the daughter of .' And , hearing that his daughter had been ill-used by speedily went out with a heavy heart, seeking her in the woods. And when he found her in the woods, he clasped her with affection and spoke unto to her with voice choked with grief, 'O daughter, the weal or woe that befalleth befalls people is always due to their own faults. Thou you hast have therefore some fault, I ween, which hath has been expiated thus.' Hearing this replied, 'Be it a penalty or not, listen to me with attention. O, hear that all , the daughter of , hath has said unto to me. Really hath has she said that thou you art only the hired chanter of the praises of the Asura king! Even thus hath has she--that , 's daughter,--spoken to me, with reddened eyes, these piercing and cruel words, 'Thou you art the daughter of one that ever chanteth chants for hire the praises of others, of one that asketh asks for charities, of one that accepteth accepts alms; whereas I am the daughter of one that receiveth receives adorations, of one that giveth gives, of one that never accepteth accepts anything as gift!' These have been the words repeatedly spoken unto to me by the proud , the daughter of , with eyes red with anger. If, O father, I am really the daughter of a hired chanter of praises, of one that accepteth accepts gifts, I must offer my adorations in the hope of obtaining her grace! Oh, of this I have already told her!'
" replied, 'Thou you art, O , no daughter of a hired adorer, of one that asketh asks for alms and accepteth accepts gifts. Thou you art the daughter of one that adores none, but of one that is adored by all! himself knoweth knows it, and , and king too. That inconceivable , that unopposable Godhead, is my strength! The self-create, himself, gratified by me, hath has said that I am for aye the lord of that which is in all things on Earth or in Heaven! I tell thee you truly that it is I who pour rain for the good of creatures and who nourish the annual plants that sustain all living things!'
" continued, 'It was by such sweet words of excellent import that the father endeavoured to pacify his daughter afflicted with woe and oppressed by anger.'"