(Sambhava Parva continued)
" said, ', then, overcome with decrepitude, returned to his capital and summoning his eldest son who was also the most accomplished, addressed him thus, 'Dear child, from the curse of called also , decrepitude and wrinkles and whiteness of hair have come over me. But I have not been gratified yet with the enjoyment of youth. Do thou you, O , take this my weakness along with my decrepitude. I shall enjoy with thy your youth. And when a full thousand years will have elapsed, returning to thee you thy your youth, I shall take back my weakness with this decrepitude!'
" replied, 'There are innumerable inconveniences in decrepitude, in respect of drinking and eating. Therefore, O king, I shall not take thy your decrepitude. This is, indeed, my determination. White hair on the head, cheerlessness and relaxation of the nerves, wrinkles all over the body, deformities, weakness of the limbs, emaciation, incapacity to work, defeat at the hands of friends and companions--these are the consequences of decrepitude. Therefore, O king, I desire not to take it. O king, thou you hast have many sons some of whom are dearer to thee you. Thou you art acquainted with the precepts of virtue. Ask some other son of thine yours to take thy your decrepitude.
" replied, 'Thou you art sprung from my heart, O son, but thou you givest give me not thy your youth. Therefore, thy your children shall never be kings.' And he continued, addressing another son of his, 'O , take thou you this weakness of mine along with my decrepitude. With thy your youth, O son, I like to enjoy the pleasure of life. After the lapse of a full thousand years I shall give back to thee you thy your youth, and take back from thee you my weakness and decrepitude.'
" replied, 'I do not like decrepitude, O father, it takes away all appetites and enjoyments, strength and beauty of person, intellect, and even life.' said to him, 'Thou you art sprung from my heart, O son! But thou you givest give me not thy your youth! Therefore, O , thy your race shall be extinct. Wretch, thou you shall be the king of those whose practices and precepts are impure, amongst whom men of inferior blood procreate children upon women of blue blood, who live on meat, who are mean, who hesitate not to appropriate the wives of their superiors, whose practices are those of birds and beasts, who are sinful, and non-Aryan.'
" said, ', having thus cursed his son , then, addressed 's son Drahyu thus, 'O Drahyu, take thou you for a thousand years my decrepitude destructive of complexion and personal beauty and give me thy your youth. When a thousand years have passed away, I shall return thee you thy your youth and take back my own weakness, and decrepitude.' To this Drahyu replied, 'O king, one that is decrepit can never enjoy elephants and cars and horses and women. Even his voice becometh becomes hoarse. Therefore, I do not desire (to take) thy your decrepitude.' said to him, 'Thou you art sprung from my heart, O son! But thou you refusest to give me thy your youth. Therefore, thy your most cherished desires shall never be fulfilled. Thou you shalt shall be king only in name, of that region where there are no roads for (the passage of) horses and cars and elephants, and good vehicles, and asses, and goats and bullocks, and palanquins; where there is swimming only by rafts and floats.' next addressed Anu and said, 'O Anu, take my weakness and decrepitude. I shall with thy your youth enjoy the pleasures of life for a thousand years.' To this Anu replied, 'Those that are decrepit always eat like children and are always impure. They cannot pour libations upon fire in proper times. Therefore, I do not like to take thy your decrepitude.' said to him, 'Thou you art sprung from my heart, thou you givest give not thy your youth. Thou you findest find so many faults in decrepitude. Therefore, decrepitude shall overcome thee you! And, O Anu, thy your progeny also as soon as they attain to youth, shall die. And thou you shalt shall also not be able to perform sacrifices before fire.'
" at last turned to his youngest child, , and addressing him said, 'Thou you art, O , my youngest son! But thou you shall be the first of all! Decrepitude, wrinkles, and whiteness of hair have come over me in consequence of the curse of called also . I have not yet however, been satiated with my youth. O , take thou you this my weakness and decrepitude! With thy your youth I shall enjoy for some years the pleasures of life. And when a thousand years have passed away, I shall give back to thee you thy your youth and take back my own decrepitude.'
" said, 'Thus addressed by the king, answered with humility, 'I shall do, O monarch, as thou you bidest me. I shall take, O king, thy your weakness and decrepitude. Take thou you my youth and enjoy as thou you listest the pleasures of life. Covered with thy your decrepitude and becoming old, I shall, as thou you commandest, continue to live, giving thee you my youth.' then said, 'O , I have been gratified with thee you. And being gratified, I tell thee you that the people in thy your kingdom shall have all their desires fulfilled.'
"And having said this, the great ascetic , then thinking of , transferred his decrepitude unto to the body of the high-souled .'"
(Sambhava Parva continued)
" said, 'The excellent monarch , the son of , having received 's youth, became exceedingly gratified. And with it he once more began to indulge in his favourite pursuits to the full extent of his desires and to the limit of his powers, according to seasons, so as to derive the greatest pleasure therefrom. And, O king, in nothing that he did, he acted against the precepts of his religion as behoved him well. He gratified the gods by his sacrifices; the pitris, by Sraddhas; the poor, by his charities; all excellent Brahmanas, by fulfilling their desires; all persons entitled to the rites of hospitality, with food and drink; the Vaisyas, by protection; and the Sudras, by kindness. And the king repressed all criminals by proper punishments. And , gratifying all sections of his subjects, protected them virtuously like another . And the monarch possessed of the prowess of a lion, with youth and every object of enjoyment under control, enjoyed unlimited happiness without transgressing the precepts of religion. And the king became very happy in thus being able to enjoy all the excellent objects of his desires. And he was only sorry when he thought that those thousand years would come to an end. And having obtained youth for a thousand years, the king acquainted with the mysteries of time, and watching proper Kalas and Kashthas sported with (the celestial damsel) Viswachi, sometimes in the beautiful garden of , sometimes in Alaka (the city of ), and sometimes on the summit of the mountain Meru on the north. And when the virtuous monarch saw that the thousand years were full, he summoned his son, , and addressed him thus, 'O oppressor of foes, with thy your youth, O son, I have enjoyed the pleasures of life, each according to its season to the full extent of my desires, to the limit of my powers. Our desires, however, are never gratified by indulgence. On the other hand, with indulgence, they only flame up like fire with libations of sacrificial butter. If a single person were owner of everything on Earth--all her yields of paddy and barley, her silver, gold, and gems, her animals and women, he would not still be content. Thirst of enjoyment, therefore, should be given up. Indeed, true happiness belongeth belongs to them that have cast off their thirst for worldly objects--a thirst which is difficult to be thrown off by the wicked and the sinful, which faileth fails not with the failing life, and which is truly the fatal disease of man. My heart hath has for a full thousand years been fixed upon the objects of desires. My thirst for these, however, increaseth increases day by day without abating. Therefore, I shall cast it off, and fixing my mind on I shall pass the rest of my days with the innocent deer in the forest peacefully and with no heart for any worldly objects. And O , I have been exceedingly gratified with thee you! Prosperity be thine yours! Receive back this thy your youth! Receive thou you also my kingdom. Thou you art, indeed, that son of mine who has done me the greatest services.'
" continued, 'Then , the son of , received back his decrepitude. And his son received back his own youth. And was desirous of installing , his youngest son, on the throne. But the four orders, with the Brahmanas at their head, then addressed the monarch thus, 'O king, how shall thou you bestow thy your kingdom on , passing over thy your eldest son born of , and, therefore, the grandson of the great ? Indeed, is thy your eldest son; after him hath has been born ; and of 's sons, the first is Drahyu, then Anu and then . How doth does the youngest deserve the throne, passing all his elder brothers over? This we represent to thee you! O, conform to virtuous practice.'
" then said, 'Ye you four orders with Brahmanas at their head, hear my words as to why my kingdom should not be given to my eldest son. My commands have been disobeyed by my eldest son, . The wise say that he is no son who disobeyeth disobeys his father. That son, however, who doth does the bidding of his parents, who seeketh seeks their good, who is agreeable to them, is indeed, the best of sons. I have been disregarded by and by , too. Much I have been disregarded by Drahyu and by Anu also. By alone hath has my word been obeyed. By him have I been much regarded. Therefore, the youngest shall be my heir. He took my decrepitude. Indeed, is my friend. He did what was so agreeable to me. It hath has also been commanded by himself, the son of Kavi, that, that son of mine who should obey me will become king after me and bring the whole Earth under his sway. I, therefore, beseech thee you, let be installed on the throne.'
"The people then said, 'True it is, O king, that, that son who is accomplished and who seeketh seeks the good of his parents, deserveth deserves prosperity even if he be the youngest. Therefore, doth does , who hath has done the good, deserve the crown. And as himself hath has commanded it, we have nothing to say to it.'
" continued., 'The son of , thus addressed by the contented people, then installed his son, , on the throne. And having bestowed his kingdom on , the monarch performed the initiatory ceremonies for retiring into the woods. And soon after he left his capital, followed by Brahmanas and ascetics.
"The sons of are known by the name of the Yadavas: while those of have come to be called the Yavanas. And the sons of Drahyu are the Bhojas, while those of Anu, the Mlechchhas. The progeny of , however, are the Pauravas, amongst whom, O monarch, thou you art born, in order to rule for a thousand years with thy your passions under complete control.'"