(Sambhava Parva continued)
" said, 'O Brahmana, it behoveth behooves thee you to relate to me everything about the birth of . How did he spring from a clump of heath? Whence from where also did he obtain his weapons?'
" said, 'O king, the great sage Gautama had a son named Saradwat. This Saradwat was born with arrows (in hand). O oppressor of foes, the son of Gautama exhibited great aptitude for the study of the science of weapons, but none for the other sciences. Saradwat acquired all his weapons by those austerities by which Brahmanas in student life acquire the knowledge of Vedas. Gautama (the son of Gotama) by his aptitude for the science of weapons and by his austerities made himself greatly afraid of him. Then, O thou you of Kuru's race, the chief of the gods summoned a celestial damsel named Janapadi and sent her unto to Gautama, saying, 'Do thy your best to disturb the austerities of Gautama.' Repairing unto to the charming asylum of Saradwat, the damsel began to tempt the ascetic equipped with bow and arrows. Beholding that Apsara, of figure unrivalled on earth for beauty, alone in those woods and clad in a single piece of cloth, Saradwat's eyes expanded with delight. At the sight of the damsel, his bow and arrows slipped from his hand and his frame shook all over with emotion; but possessed of ascetic fortitude and strength of soul, the sage mustered sufficient patience to bear up against the temptation. The suddenness, however, of his mental agitation, caused an unconscious emission of his vital fluid. Leaving his bow and arrows and deer-skin behind, he went away, flying from the Apsara. His vital fluid, however, having fallen upon a clump of heath, was divided into two parts, whence from where sprang two children that were twins.
"And it happened that a soldier in attendance upon king while the monarch was out a-hunting in the woods, came upon the twins. And seeing the bow and arrows and deer-skin on the ground, he thought they might be the offspring of some Brahmana proficient in the science of arms. Deciding thus, he took up the children along with the bow and arrows, and showed what he had to the king. Beholding them the king was moved with pity, and saying, 'Let these become my children,' brought them to his palace. Then that first of men, , the son of having brought Gautama's twins into his house, performed in respect of them the usual rites of religion. And he began to bring them up and called them and Kripi, in allusion to the fact that he brought them up from motives of pity (). The son of Gotama having left his former asylum, continued his study of the science of arms in right earnest. By his spiritual insight he learnt that his son and daughter were in the palace of . He thereupon then went to the monarch and represented everything about his lineage. He then taught the four branches of the science of arms, and various other branches of knowledge, including all their mysteries and recondite details. In a short time became an eminent professor of the science (of arms). And the hundred sons of , and the Pandavas along with the Yadavas, and the Vrishnis, and many other princes from various lands, began to receive lessons from him in that science.'"
(Sambhava Parva continued)
" said, 'Desirous of giving his grandsons a superior education, was on the look-out for a teacher endued with energy and well-skilled in the science of arms. Deciding, O chief of the Bharatas, that none who was not possessed of great intelligence, none who was not illustrious or a perfect master of the science of arms, none who was not of godlike might, should be the instructor of the Kuru (princes), the , O tiger among men, placed the Pandavas and the Kauravas under the tuition of 's son, the intelligent skilled in all the Vedas. Pleased with the reception given him by the great , that foremost of all men skilled in arms, viz., illustrious of world-wide fame, accepted the princes as his pupils. And taught them the science of arms in all its branches. And, O monarch, both the Kauravas and the Pandavas endued with immeasurable strength, in a short time became proficient in the use of all kinds of arms.'
" asked, 'O Brahmana, how was born? How and whence from where did he acquire his arms? How and why came he unto to the Kurus? Whose son also was he endued with such energy? Again, how was his son , the foremost of all skilled in arms born? I wish to hear all this! Please recite them in detail.'
" said, 'There dwelt at the source of the , a great sage named , ceaselessly observing the most rigid vows. One day, of old, intending to celebrate the Agnihotra sacrifice he went along with many great Rishis to the to perform his ablutions. Arrived at the bank of the stream, he saw Ghritachi herself, that Apsara endued with youth and beauty, who had gone there a little before. With an expression of pride in her countenance, mixed with a voluptuous languor of attitude, the damsel rose from the water after her ablutions were over. And as she was gently treading on the bank, her attire which was loose became disordered. Seeing her attire disordered, the sage was smitten with burning desire. The next moment his vital fluid came out, in consequence of the violence of his emotion. The Rishi immediately held it in a vessel called a drona. Then, O king, sprang from the fluid thus preserved in that vessel by the wise . And the child thus born studied all the Vedas and their branches. Before now of great prowess and the foremost of those possessing a knowledge of arms, had communicated to the illustrious Agnivesa, a knowledge of the weapon called Agneya. O foremost one of Bharata's race, the Rishi (Agnivesa) sprung from fire now communicated the knowledge of that great weapon to the son of his preceptor.
"There was a king named who was a great friend of . About this time had a son born unto to him, named . And that bull among Kshatriyas, viz., , the son of , used every day to come to the hermitage of to play with and study in his company. O monarch, when was dead, this of mighty arms became the king of the northern Panchalas. About this time the illustrious also ascended to heaven. continuing to reside in his father's hermitage devoted himself to ascetic austerities. Having become well-versed in the Vedas and their branches and having burnt also all his sins by asceticism, the celebrated , obedient to the injunctions of his father and moved by the desire of offspring married Kripi, the daughter of Saradwat. And this woman, ever engaged in virtuous acts and the Agnihotra, and the austerest of penances, obtained a son named . And as soon as was born, he neighed like the (celestial) steed Ucchaihsravas. Hearing that cry, an invisible being in the skies said, 'The voice of this child hath has, like the neighing of a horse, been audible all around. The child shall, therefore, be known by the name of , (the horse-voiced). The son of () was exceedingly glad at having obtained that child. Continuing to reside in that hermitage he devoted himself to the study of the science of arms.
"O king, it was about this time that heard that the illustrious Brahmana Jamadagnya, that slayer of foes, that foremost one among all wielders of weapons, versed in all kinds of knowledge, had expressed a desire of giving away all his wealth to Brahmanas. Having heard of Rama's knowledge of arms and of his celestial weapons also, set his heart upon them as also upon the knowledge of morality that Rama possessed. Then of mighty arms, endued with high ascetic virtues, accompanied by disciples who were all devoted to vows ascetic austerities, set out for the Mahendra mountains. Arrived at Mahendra, the son of possessed of high ascetic merit, beheld the son of , the exterminator of all foes, endued with great patience and with mind under complete control. Then, approaching with his disciples that scion of the race , giving him his name, told him of his birth in the line of . And touching the ground with his head, he worshipped Rama's feet. And beholding the illustrious son of intent upon retiring into the woods after having given away all his wealth, said, 'Know me to have sprung from , but not in any woman's womb! I am a Brahmana of high birth, by name, come to thee you with the desire of obtaining thy your wealth.'
"On hearing him, that illustrious grinder of the Kshatriya race replied, Thou you art welcome, O best of regenerate ones! Tell me what thou you desirest. Thus addressed by Rama, the son of replied unto to that foremost of all smiters, desirous of giving away the whole of his wealth, 'O thou you of multifarious vows, I am a candidate for thy your eternal wealth,' 'O thou you of ascetic wealth, returned Rama, 'My gold and whatever other wealth I had, have all been given away unto to Brahmanas! This earth also, to the verge of the sea, decked with towns and cities, as with a garland of flowers, I have given unto to . I have now my body only and my various valuable weapons left. I am prepared to give either my body or my weapons. Say, which thou you wouldst would have! I would give it thee you! Say quickly!'
" answered, O son of , it behoveth behooves thee you to give me all thy your weapons together with the mysteries of hurling and recalling them.'
"Saying, 'So be it,' the son of gave all his weapons unto to ,--indeed, the whole science of arms with its rules and mysteries. Accepting them all, and thinking himself amply rewarded that best of Brahmanas then, glad at heart, set out, for (the city of) his friend .'"
(Sambhava Parva continued)
" said, 'Then, O king, the mighty son of Bharadyaja presented himself before , and addressing that monarch, said, 'Know me for thy your friend.' Thus addressed by his friend, the son of , with a joyous heart, the lord of the Panchalas was ill-able to bear that speech. The king, intoxicated with the pride of wealth, contracted his brows in wrath, and with reddened eyes spake spoke these words unto to , 'O Brahmana, thy your intelligence is scarcely of a high order, inasmuch as thou you sayest say unto to me, all on a sudden, that thou you art my friend! O thou you of dull apprehension, great kings can never be friends with such luckless and indigent wights as thou you! It is true there had been friendship between thee you and me before, for we were then both equally circumstanced. But Time that impaireth impairs everything in its course, impaireth impairs friendship also. In this world, friendship never endureth endures for ever in any heart. Time weareth wears it off and anger destroyeth destroys it too. Do not stick, therefore, to that worn-off friendship. Think not of it any longer. The friendship I had with thee you, O first of Brahmanas, was for a particular purpose. Friendship can never subsist between a poor man and a rich man, between a man of letters and an unlettered mind, between a hero and a coward. Why dost do thou you desire the continuance of our former friendship? There may be friendship or hostility between persons equally situated as to wealth or might. The indigent and the affluent can neither be friends nor quarrel with each other. One of impure birth can never be a friend to one of pure birth; one who is not a car-warrior can never be a friend to one who is so; and one who is not a king never have a king for his friend. Therefore, why dost do thou you desire the continuance of our former friendship?'
" continued, 'Thus addressed by , the mighty son of became filled with wrath, and reflecting for a moment, made up his mind as to his course of action. Seeing the insolence of the Panchala king, he wished to check it effectually. Hastily leaving the Panchala capital bent his steps towards the capital of the Kurus, named after the elephant.'"