(Pauloma Parva continued)
said, 'And , on hearing those words, replied, 'My wife, dear to me as life, was bit by a snake; upon which, I took, O snake, a dreadful vow, viz., that I would kill every snake that I might come across. Therefore shall I smite thee you and thou you shalt shall be deprived of life.'
"And the Dundubha replied, 'O Brahmana, the snakes that bite man are quite different in type. It behoveth behooves thee you not to slay Dundubhas who are serpents only in name. Subject like other serpents to the same calamities but not sharing their good fortune, in woe the same but in joy different, the Dundubhas should not be slain by thee you under any misconception.'
" continued, 'And the Rishi hearing these words of the serpent, and seeing that it was bewildered with fear, albeit a snake of the Dundubha species, killed it not. And , the possessor of the six attributes, comforting the snake addressed it, saying, 'Tell me fully, O snake, who art thou you thus metamorphosed?' And the Dundubha replied, 'O ! I was formerly a Rishi by name Sahasrapat. And it is by the curse of a Brahmana that I have been transformed into a snake. And asked, 'O thou you best of snakes, for what wast was thou you cursed by a Brahmana in wrath? And how long also will thy your form continue so?'"
And so ends the tenth section of the Pauloma Parva of the Adi Parva.
(Pauloma Parva continued)
" continued 'The Dundubha then said, 'In former times, I had a friend Khagama by name. He was impetuous in his speech and possessed of spiritual power by virtue of his austerities. And one day when he was engaged in the -hotra (Fire-sacrifice), I made a mock snake of blades of grass, and in a frolic attempted to frighten him with it. And anon he fell into a swoon. On recovering his senses, that truth-telling and vow-observing ascetic, burning with wrath, exclaimed, 'Since thou you hast have made a powerless mock snake to frighten me, thou you shalt shall be turned even into a venomless serpent thyself by my curse.' O ascetic, I well knew the power of his penances; therefore with an agitated heart, I addressed him thus, bending low with joined hands, 'Friend, I did this by way of a joke, to excite thy your laughter. It behoveth behooves thee you to forgive me and revoke thy your curse.' And seeing me sorely troubled, the ascetic was moved, and he replied, breathing hot and hard. 'What I have said must come to pass. Listen to what I say and lay it to thy your heart. O pious one! when the pure son of Pramati, will appear, thou you shall be delivered from the curse the moment thou you seest see him. Thou you art the very and the son of Pramati. On regaining my native form, I will tell thee you something for thy your good.
"And that illustrious man and the best of Brahmanas then left his snake-body, and attained his own form and original brightness. He then addressed the following words to of incomparable power, 'O thou you first of created beings, verily truly the highest virtue of man is sparing the life of others. Therefore a Brahmana should never take the life of any creature. A Brahmana should ever be mild. This is the most sacred injunction of the Vedas. A Brahmana should be versed in the Vedas and Vedangas, and should inspire all creatures with belief in God. He should be benevolent to all creatures, truthful, and forgiving, even as it is his paramount duty to retain the Vedas in his memory. The duties of the Kshatriya are not thine yours. To be stern, to wield the sceptre and to rule the subjects properly are the duties of the Kshatriya. Listen, O , to the account of the destruction of snakes at the sacrifice of in days of yore, and the deliverance of the terrified reptiles by that best of Dwijas, , profound in Vedic lore and might in spiritual energy.'"
And so ends the eleventh section of the Pauloma Parva of the Adi Parva.
(Pauloma Parva continued)
" continued, ' then asked, 'O best of Dwijas, why was king bent upon destroying the serpents?--And why and how were they saved by the wise ? I am anxious to hear all this in detail.'
"The Rishi replied, 'O , the important history of you will learn from the lips of Brahmanas.' Saying this, he vanished.
" continued, ' ran about in search of the missing Rishi, and having failed to find him in all the woods, fell down on the ground, fatigued. And revolving in his mind the words of the Rishi, he was greatly confounded and seemed to be deprived of his senses. Regaining consciousness, he came home and asked his father to relate the history in question. Thus asked, his father related all about the story.'"
So ends the twelfth section in the Pauloma Parva of the Adi Parva.
( Parva)
" said, 'For what reason did that tiger among kings, the royal , determine to take the lives of the snakes by means of a sacrifice? O , tell us in full the true story. Tell us also why , that best of regenerate ones, that foremost of ascetics, rescued the snakes from the blazing fire. Whose son was that monarch who celebrated the snake-sacrifice? And whose son also was that best of regenerate ones?'
" said, 'O best of speakers, this story of is long. I will duly relate it in full, O listen!'
" said, 'I am desirous of hearing at length the charming story of that Rishi, that illustrious Brahmana named .'
" said, 'This history (first) recited by , is called a Purana by the Brahmanas. It was formerly narrated by my wise father, Lomaharshana, the disciple of , before the dwellers of the Naimisha forest, at their request. I was present at the recital, and, O , since thou you askest ask me, I shall narrate the history of exactly as I heard it. O listen, as I recite in full that sin-destroying story.
"The father of was powerful like . He was a Brahma-charin, always engaged in austere devotions. He ate sparingly, was a great ascetic, and had his lust under complete control. And he was known by the name of . That foremost one among the Yayavaras, virtuous and of rigid vows, highly blessed and endued with great ascetic power, once undertook a journey over the world. He visited diverse places, bathed in diverse sacred waters, and rested where night overtook him. Endued with great energy, he practised religious austerities, hard to be practised by men of unrestrained souls. The sage lived upon air only, and renounced sleep for ever. Thus going about like a blazing fire, one day he happened to see his ancestors, hanging heads down in a great hole, their feet pointing upwards. On seeing them, addressed them, saying:
'Who are you thus hanging heads down in this hole by a rope of virana fibres that is again secretly eaten into on all sides by a rat living here?'
"The ancestors said, 'We are Rishis of rigid vows, called Yayavaras. We are sinking low into the earth for want of offspring. We have a son named . Woe to us! That wretch hath has entered upon a life of austerities only! The fool doth does not think of raising offspring by marriage! It is for that reason, viz., the fear of extinction of our race, that we are suspended in this hole. Possessed of means, we fare like unfortunates that have none! O excellent one, who art thou you that thus sorrowest sorrow as a friend on our account? We desire to learn, O Brahmana, who thou you art that standest stand by us, and why, O best of men, thou you sorrowest sorrow for us that are so unfortunate.'
" said, 'Ye you are even my sires and grandsires I am that ! O, tell me, how I may serve you.'
"The fathers then answered, 'Try thy your best, O child, to beget a son to extend our line. Thou you wilt will then, O excellent one, have done a meritorious art for both thyself and us. Not by the fruits of virtue, not by ascetic penances well hoarded up, acquireth acquires the merit which one doth does by becoming a father. Therefore, O child, by our command, set thy your heart upon marriage and offspring. Even this is our highest good.'
" replied, 'I shall not marry for my sake, nor shall I earn wealth for enjoyment, but I shall do so for your welfare only. According to this understanding, I shall, agreeably to the Sastric ordinance, take a wife for attaining the end. I shall not act otherwise. If a bride may be had of the same name with me, whose friends would, besides, willingly give her to me as a gift in charity, I shall wed her duly. But who will give his daughter to a poor man like me for wife. I shall, however, accept any daughter given to me as alms. I shall endeavour, ye you sires, even thus to wed a girl! Having given my word, I will not act otherwise. Upon her I will raise offspring for your redemption, so that, ye you fathers, ye you may attain to eternal regions (of bliss) and may rejoice as ye you like.'"
So ends the thirteenth section in the Parva of the Adi Parva.
( Parva continued)
" said, 'That Brahmana of rigid vows then wandered over the earth for a wife but a wife found he not. One day he went into the forest, and recollecting the words of his ancestors, he thrice prayed in a faint voice for a bride. Thereupon then rose and offered his sister for the Rishi's acceptance. But the Brahmana hesitated to accept her, thinking her not to be of the same name with himself. The high-souled thought within himself, 'I will take none for wife who is not of the same name with myself.' Then that Rishi of great wisdom and austere penances asked him, saying, 'Tell me truly what is the name of this thy your sister, O snake.'
" replied, 'O , this my younger sister is called . Given away by me, accept this slender-waisted damsel for thy your spouse. O best of Brahmanas, for thee you I reserved her. Therefore, take her.' Saying this, he offered his beautiful sister to who then espoused her with ordained rites.'"
So ends the thirteenth section in the Parva of the Adi Parva.