(Sambhava Parva continued)
" said, 'King , the son of , having thus installed his dear son on the throne, became exceedingly happy, and entered into the woods to lead the life of a hermit. And having lived for some time into forest in the company of Brahmanas, observing many rigid vows, eating fruits and roots, patiently bearing privations of all sorts, the monarch at last ascended to heaven. And having ascended to heaven he lived there in bliss. But soon, however, he was hurled down by . And it hath has been heard by me, O king, that, though hurled from heaven, , without reaching the surface of the Earth, stayed in the firmament. I have heard that some time after he again entered the region of the celestials in company with Vasuman, Ashtaka, Pratarddana, and Sivi.'
" said, 'I desire to hear from thee you in detail why , having first obtained admission into heaven, was hurled therefrom, and why also he gained re-admittance. Let all this, O Brahmana, be narrated by thee you in the presence of these regenerate sages. , lord of Earth, was, indeed, like the chief of the celestials. The progenitor of the extensive race of the Kurus, he was of the splendour of the Sun. I desire to hear in full the story of his life both in heaven and on Earth, as he was illustrious, and of world-wide celebrity and of wonderful achievements.'
" said, 'Indeed, I shall recite to thee you the excellent story of 's adventures on Earth and in heaven. That story is sacred and destroyeth destroys the sins of those that hear it.
"King , the son of , having installed his youngest son, , on the throne after casting his sons with for their eldest amongst the Mlechchhas, entered the forest to lead the life of a hermit. And the king eating fruits and roots lived for some time in the forest. Having his mind and passions under complete control, the king gratified by sacrifices the Pitris and the gods. And he poured libations of clarified butter upon the fire according to the rites prescribed for those leading the Vanaprastha mode of life. And the illustrious one entertained guests and strangers with the fruit of the forest and clarified butter, while he himself supported life by gleaning scattered corn seeds. And the king; led this sort of life for a full thousand years. And observing the vow of silence and with mind under complete control he passed one full year, living upon air alone and without sleep. And he passed another year practising the severest austerities in the midst of four fires around and the Sun overhead. And, living upon air alone, he stood erect upon one leg for six months. And the king of sacred deeds ascended to heaven, covering heaven as well as the Earth (with the fame of his achievements).'"
(Sambhava Parva continued)
" said, 'While that king of kings dwelt in heaven--the home of the celestials, he was reverenced by the gods, the Sadhyas, the Maruts, and the Vasus. Of sacred deeds, and mind under complete control, the monarch used to repair now and then from the abode of the celestials unto to the region of Brahman. And it hath has been heard by me that he dwelt for a long time in heaven.
"One day that best of kings, , went to and there in course of conversation the lord of Earth was asked by as follows:
'What didst did thou you say, O king, when thy your son took thy your decrepitude on Earth and when thou you gavest gave him thy your kingdom?'
" answered, 'I told him that the whole country between the rivers and Yamuna was his. That is, indeed, the central region of the Earth, while the out-lying regions are to be the dominions of thy your brothers. I also told him that those without anger were ever superior to those under its sway, those disposed to forgive were ever superior to the unforgiving. Man is superior to the lower animals. Among men again the learned are superior to the un-learned. If wronged, thou you shouldst should not wrong in return. One's wrath, if disregarded, burneth burns one's own self; but he that regardeth regards it not taketh takes away all the virtues of him that exhibiteh it. Never shouldst should thou you pain others by cruel speeches. Never subdue thy your foes by despicable means; and never utter such scorching and sinful words as may torture others. He that pricketh pricks as if with thorns men by means of hard and cruel words, thou you must know, ever carrieth carries in his mouth the Rakshasas. Prosperity and luck fly away at his very sight. Thou you shouldst should ever keep the virtuous before thee you as thy your models; thou you shouldst should ever with retrospective eye compare thy your acts with those of the virtuous; thou you shouldst should ever disregard the hard words of the wicked. Thou you shouldst should ever make the conduct of the wise the model upon which thou you art to act thyself. The man hurt by the arrows of cruel speech hurled from one's lips, weepeth weeps day and night. Indeed, these strike at the core of the body. Therefore the wise never fling these arrows at others. There is nothing in the three worlds by which thou you canst can worship and adore the deities better than by kindness, friendship, charity and sweet speeches unto to all. Therefore, shouldst should thou you always utter words that soothe, and not those that scorch. And thou you shouldst should regard those that deserve, thy your regards, and shouldst should always give but never beg!"'
(Sambhava Parva continued)
" said, 'Alter this again asked , 'Thou you didst did retire into the woods, O king, after accomplishing all thy your duties. O , son of , I would ask thee you to whom thou you art equal in ascetic austerities.' answered, 'O , I do not, in the matter of ascetic austerities, behold my equal among men, the celestials, the Gandharvas, and the great Rishis.' then said, 'O monarch, because thou you disregardest disregard those that are thy your superiors, thy your equals, and even thy your inferiors, without, in fact, knowing their real merits, thy your virtues have suffered diminution and thou you must fall from heaven.' then said, 'O , if, indeed, my virtues have really sustained diminution and I must on that account fall down from heaven, I desire, O chief of the celestials, that I may at least fall among the virtuous and the honest.' replied, 'O king, thou you shall fall among those that are virtuous and wise, and thou you shall acquire also much renown. And after this experience of thine yours, O , never again disregard those that are thy your superiors or even thy your equals.'
" continued, 'Upon this, fell from the region of the celestials. And as he was falling, he was beheld by that foremost of royal sages, viz., Ashtaka, the protector of his own religion. Ashtaka beholding him, enquired, 'Who art thou you, O youth of a beauty equal to that of , in splendour blazing as the fire, thus falling from on high? Art thou you that foremost of sky-ranging bodies--the sun--emerging from, dark masses of clouds? Beholding thee you falling from the solar course, possessed of immeasurable energy and the splendour of fire or the sun, every one is curious as to what it is that is so falling, and is, besides, deprived of consciousness! Beholding thee you in the path of the celestials, possessed of energy like that of , or , or , we have approached thee you to ascertain the truth. If thou you hast have first asked us who we were, we would never have been guilty of the incivility of asking thee you first. We now ask thee you who thou you art and why thou you approachest hither here. Let thy your fears be dispelled; let thy your woes and afflictions cease. Thou you art now in the presence of the virtuous and the wise. Even himself--the slayer of Vala--cannot here do thee you any injury. O thou you of the prowess of the chief of the celestials, the wise and the virtuous are the support of their brethren in grief. Here there are none but the wise and virtuous like thee you assembled together. Therefore, stay thou you here in peace. Fire alone hath has power to give heat. The Earth alone hath has power to infuse life into the seed. The sun alone hath has power to illuminate everything. So the guest alone hath has power to command the virtuous and the wise.'"
(Sambhava Parva continued)
" said, 'I am , the son of and the father of . Cast off from the region of the celestials and of Siddhas and Rishis for having disregarded every creature, I am falling down, my righteousness having sustained diminution. In years I am older than you; therefore, I have not saluted you first. Indeed, the Brahmanas always reverence him who is older in years or superior in learning or in ascetic merit.'
"Ashtaka then replied, 'Thou you sayest say, O monarch, that he who is older in years is worthy of regard. But it is said that he is truly worthy of worship who is superior in learning and ascetic merit.'
" replied to this, 'It is said that sin destroyeth destroys the merits of four virtuous acts. Vanity containeth contains the element of that which leadeth leads to hell. The virtuous never follow in the footsteps of the vicious. They act in such a way that their religious merit always increaseth increases. I myself had great religious merit, but all that, however, is gone. I will scarcely be able to regain it even by my best exertions. Beholding my fate, he that is bent upon (achieving) his own good, will certainly suppress vanity. He who having acquired great wealth performeth performs meritorious sacrifices, who having acquired all kinds of learning remaineth remains humble, and who having studied the entire Vedas devoteth devotes himself to asceticism with a heart withdrawn from all mundane enjoyments, goeth goes to heaven. None should exult in having acquired great wealth. None should be vain of having studied the entire Vedas. In the world men are of different dispositions. Destiny is supreme. Both power and exertion are all fruitless. Knowing Destiny to be all-powerful, the wise, whatever their portions may be, should neither exult nor grieve. When creatures know that their weal and woe are dependent on Destiny and not on their own exertion or power, they should neither grieve nor exult, remembering that Destiny is all powerful. The wise should ever live contented, neither grieving at woe nor exulting at weal. When Destiny is supreme, both grief and exultation are unbecoming. O Ashtaka, I never suffer myself to be overcome by fear, nor do I ever entertain grief, knowing for certain that I shall be in the world what the great disposer of all hath has ordained. Insects and worms, all oviparous creatures, vegetable existences, all crawling animals, vermin, the fish in the water, stones, grass, wood--in fact, all created things, when they are freed from the effects of their acts, are united with the Supreme Soul. Happiness and misery are both transient. Therefore, O Ashtaka, why should I grieve? We can never know how we are to act in order to avoid misery. Therefore, none should grieve for misery.'
"Possessed of every virtue, king who was the maternal grandfather of Ashtaka, while staying in the welkin, at the conclusion of his speech, was again questioned by Ashtaka. The latter said, 'O king of kings, tell me, in detail, of all those regions that thou you hast have visited and enjoyed, as well as the period for which thou you hast have enjoyed each. Thou you speakest speak of the precepts of religion even like the clever masters acquainted with the acts and sayings of great beings!' replied, 'I was a great king on Earth, owning the whole world for my dominion. Leaving it, I acquired by dint of religious merit many high regions. There I dwelt for a full thousand years, and then I attained to a very high region the abode of , of extraordinary beauty having a thousand gates, and extending over a hundred yojanas all round. There too, I dwelt a full thousand years and then attained to a higher region still. That is the region of perfect beatitude, where decay never exists, the region, viz., that of and the Lord of Earth, so difficult of attainment. There also I dwelt for a full thousand years, and then attained to another very high region viz., that of the god of gods () where, too, I had lived in happiness. Indeed, I dwelt in various regions, adored by all the celestials, and possessed of prowess and splendour equal unto to those of the celestials themselves. Capable of assuming any form at will, I lived for a million years in the gardens of Nandana sporting with the Apsaras and beholding numberless beautiful trees clad in flowery vesture and sending forth delicious perfume all round. And after many, many years had elapsed, while still residing there in enjoyment of perfect beatitude, the celestial messenger of grim visage, one day, in a loud and deep voice, thrice shouted to me--Ruined! Ruined! Ruined!--O lion among kings, this much do I remember. I was then fallen from Nandana, my religious merits gone! I heard in the skies, O king, the voices of the celestials exclaiming in grief,--Alas! What a misfortune! , with his religious merits destroyed, though virtuous and of sacred deeds, is falling!--And as I was falling, I asked them loudly, 'Where, ye you celestials, are those wise ones amongst whom I am to fall?' They pointed out to me this sacred sacrificial region belonging to you. Beholding the curls of smoke blackening the atmosphere and smelling the perfume of clarified butter poured incessantly upon fire, and guided thereby, I am approaching this region of yours, glad at heart that I come amongst you.'"