(Pauloma Parva continued)
" said, 'the enraged at the curse of , thus addressed the Rishi, 'What meaneth means this rashness, O Brahmana, that thou you hast have displayed towards me? What transgression can be imputed to me who was labouring to do justice and speak the truth impartially? Being asked I gave the true answer. A witness who when interrogated about a fact of which he hath has knowledge, representeth represents otherwise than it is, ruineth ruins his ancestors and descendants both to the seventh generation. He, too, who, being fully cognisant of all the particulars of an affair, doth does not disclose what he knoweth knows, when asked, is undoubtedly stained with guilt. I can also curse thee you, but Brahmanas are held by me in high respect. Although these are known to thee you, O Brahmana, I will yet speak of them, so please attend! Having, by ascetic power, multiplied myself, I am present in various forms, in places of the daily homa, at sacrifices extending for years, in places where holy rites are performed (such as marriage, etc.), and at other sacrifices. With the butter that is poured upon my flame according to the injunctions prescribed in the Vedas, the Devas and the Pitris are appeased. The Devas are the waters; the Pitris are also the waters. The Devas have with the Pitris an equal right to the sacrifices called Darshas and Purnamasas. The Devas therefore are the Pitris and the Pitris, the Devas. They are identical beings, worshipped together and also separately at the changes of the moon. The Devas and the Pitris eat what is poured upon me. I am therefore called the mouth of the Devas and the Pitris. At the new moon the Pitris, and at the full moon the Devas, are fed through my mouth, eating of the clarified butter that is poured on me. Being, as I am, their mouth, how am I to be an eater of all things (clean and unclean)?
"Then , alter reflecting for a while, withdrew himself from all places; from places of the daily homa of the Brahmanas, from all long-extending sacrifices, from places of holy rites, and from other ceremonies. Without their Oms and Vashats, and deprived of their Swadhas and Swahas (sacrificial mantras during offerings), the whole body of creatures became much distressed at the loss of their (sacrificial) fire. The Rishis in great anxiety went to the gods and addressed them thus, 'Ye you immaculate beings! The three regions of the universe are confounded at the cessation of their sacrifices and ceremonies in consequence of the loss of fire! Ordain what is to be done in tins matter, so that there may be no loss of time.' Then the Rishis and the gods went together to the presence of . And they represented to him all about the curse on and the consequent interruption of all ceremonies. And they said, 'O thou you greatly fortunate! Once hath has been cursed by for some reason. Indeed, being the mouth of the gods and also the first who eateth eats of what is offered in sacrifices, the eater also of the sacrificial butter, how will be reduced to the condition of one who eateth eats of all things promiscuously?' And the creator of the universe hearing these words of theirs summoned to his presence. And addressed , the creator of all and eternal as himself, in these gentle words, 'Thou you art of the worlds and thou you art their destroyer! Thou you preserves! the three worlds and thou you art the promoter of all sacrifices and ceremonies! Therefore behave thyself so that ceremonies be not interrupted. And, O thou you eater of the sacrificial butter, why dost do thou you act so foolishly, being, as thou you art, the Lord of all? Thou you alone art always pure in the universe and thou you art its stay! Thou you shall not, with all thy your body, be reduced to the state of one who eateth eats of all things promiscuously. O thou you of flames, the flame that is in thy your viler parts shall alone eat of all things alike. The body of thine yours which eateth eats of flesh (being in the stomach of all carnivorous animals) shall also eat of all things promiscuously. And as every thing touched by the sun's rays becometh becomes pure, so shall everything be pure that shall be burnt by thy your flames. Thou you art, O fire, the supreme energy born of thy your own power. Then, O Lord, by that power of thine yours make the Rishi's curse come true. Continue to 'receive thy your own portion and that of the gods, offered at thy your mouth.'
' continued, 'Then replied to the Grandfather, 'So be it.' And he then went away to obey the command of the supreme Lord. The gods and the Rishis also returned in delight to the place whence from where they had come. And the Rishis began to perform as before their ceremonies and sacrifices. And the gods in heaven and all creatures of the world rejoiced exceedingly. And too rejoiced in that he was free from the prospect of sin.
"Thus, O possessor of the six attributes, had been cursed in the days of yore by . And such is the ancient history connected with the destruction of the Rakshasa, Pauloma and the birth of .'"
Thus endeth ends the seventh section of the Pauloma Parva of the Adi Parva of the blessed Mahabharata.
(Pauloma Parva continued)
" said, 'O Brahmana, , the son of , begot a son in the womb of his wife Sukanya. And that son was the illustrious Pramati of resplendent energy. And Pramati begot in the womb of Ghritachi a son called . And begot on his wife a son called Sunaka. And I shall relate to you in detail, O Brahmana, the entire history of of abundant energy. O listen to it then in full!
"Formerly there was a great Rishi called Sthulakesa possessed of ascetic power and learning and kindly disposed towards all creatures. At that time, O Brahmana sage, Viswavasu, the King of the Gandharvas, it is said, had intimacy with , the celestial dancing-girl. And the Apsara, , O thou you of the race, when her time was come, brought forth an infant near the hermitage of Sthulakesa. And dropping the newborn infant on the banks of the river, O Brahmana, , the Apsara, being destitute of pity and shame, went away. And the Rishi, Sthulakesa, of great ascetic power, discovered the infant lying forsaken in a lonely part of the river-side. And he perceived that it was a female child, bright as the offspring of an Immortal and blazing, as it were, with beauty: And the great Brahmana, Sthulakesa, the first of Munis, seeing that female child, and filled with compassion, took it up and reared it. And the lovely child grew up in his holy habitation, the noble-minded and blessed Rishi Sthulakesa performing in due succession all the ceremonies beginning with that at birth as ordained by the divine law. And because she surpassed all of her sex in goodness, beauty, and every quality, the great Rishi called her by the name of . And the pious having seen in the hermitage of Sthulakesa became one whose heart was pierced by the god of love. And by means of his companions made his father Pramati, the son of , acquainted with his passion. And Pramati demanded her of the far-famed Sthulakesa for his son. And her foster-father betrothed the virgin to , fixing the nuptials for the day when the star Varga-Daivata (Purva-phalguni) would be ascendant.
"Then within a few days of the time fixed for the nuptials, the beautiful virgin while at play with companions of her own sex, her time having come, impelled by fate, trod upon a serpent which she did not perceive as it lay in coil. And the reptile, urged to execute the will of Fate, violently darted its envenomed fangs into the body of the heedless maiden. And stung by that serpent, she instantly dropped senseless on the ground, her colour faded and all the graces of her person went off. And with dishevelled hair she became a spectacle of woe to her companions and friends. And she who was so agreeable to behold became on her death what was too painful to look at. And the girl of slender waist lying on the ground like one asleep--being overcome with the poison of the snake-once more became more beautiful than in life. And her foster-father and the other holy ascetics who were there, all saw her lying motionless upon the ground with the splendour of a lotus. And then there came many noted Brahmanas filled with compassion, and they sat around her. And Swastyatreya, Mahajana, Kushika, Sankhamekhala, Uddalaka, Katha, and Sweta of great renown, , Kaunakutsya, Arshtishena, , Pramati, and Pramati's son , and other inhabitants of the forest, came there. And when they saw that maiden lying dead on the ground overcome with the poison of the reptile that had bitten her, they all wept filled with compassion. But , mortified beyond measure, retired from the scene.'"
So ends the eighth section of the Pauloma Parva of the Adi Parva of the blessed Mahabharata.
(Pauloma Parva continued)
" said, 'While those illustrious Brahmanas were sitting around the dead body of , , sorely afflicted, retired into a deep wood and wept aloud. And overwhelmed with grief he indulged in much piteous lamentation. And, remembering his beloved , he gave vent to his sorrow in the following words, 'Alas! The delicate fair one that increaseth increases my affliction lieth lies upon the bare ground. What can be more deplorable to us, her friends? If I have been charitable, if I have performed acts of penance, if I have ever revered my superiors, let the merit of these arts restore to life my beloved one! If from my birth I have been controlling my passions, adhered to my vows, let the fair rise from the ground.
"And while was indulging in these lamentations for the loss of his bride, a messenger from heaven came to him in the forest and addressed him thus, 'The words thou you utterest utter, O , in thy your affliction are certainly ineffectual. For, O pious man, one belonging to this world whose days have run out can never come back to life. This poor child of a Gandharva and Apsara has had her days run out! Therefore, O child, thou you shouldst should not consign thy your heart to sorrow. The great gods, however, have provided beforehand a means of her restoration to life. And if thou you compliest comply with it, thou you mayest may receive back thy your .'
"And replied, O messenger of heaven! What is that which the gods have ordained. Tell me in full so that (on hearing) I may comply with it. It behoveth behooves thee you to deliver me from grief!' And the celestial messenger said unto to , 'Resign half of thy your own life to thy your bride, and then, O of the race of , thy your shall rise from the ground.' 'O best of celestial messengers, I most willingly offer a moiety of my own life in favour of my bride. Then let my beloved one rise up once more in her dress and lovable form.'
" said, 'Then the king of Gandharvas (the father of ) and the celestial messenger, both of excellent qualities, went to the god (the Judge of the dead) and addressed him, saying, 'If it be thy your will, O , let the amiable , the betrothed wife of , now lying dead, rise up with a moiety of 's life.' And answered, 'O messenger of the gods, if it be thy your wish, let , the betrothed wife of , rise up endued with a moiety of 's life.'
" continued, 'And when had said so, that maiden of superior complexion, , endued with a moiety of 's life, rose as from her slumber. This bestowal by of a moiety of his own span of life to resuscitate his bride afterwards led, as it would be seen, to a curtailment of 's life.
"And on an auspicious day their fathers gladly married them with due rites. And the couple passed their days, devoted to each other. And having obtained such a wife, as is hard to be found, beautiful and bright as the filaments of the lotus, made a vow for the destruction of the serpent-race. And whenever he saw a serpent he became filled with great wrath and always killed it with a weapon.
"One day, O Brahmana, entered an extensive forest. And there he saw an old serpent of the Dundubha species lying stretched on the ground. And thereupon then lifted up in anger his staff, even like to the staff of Death, for the purpose of killing it. Then the Dundubha, addressing , said, 'I have done thee you no harm, O Brahmana! Then wherefore why wilt will thou you slay me in anger?'"
So ends the ninth section of the Pauloma Parva of the Adi Parva of the blessed Mahabharata.