SECTION CLXXVII
(Chaitraratha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'That bull among the
Bharatas, Arjuna, hearing these words of the Gandharva, was inspired with
feelings of devotion and stood shes (???--JBH), killing deer and wild boars.
Once on a time, while out in quest of deer, the king became weak with exertion
and thirst. The monarch arrived in that state at the asylum of Vasishtha, and
the blessed and illustrious Rishi beholding him arrive, reverenced with his
homage that best of men, king Viswamitra. And O Bharata, the Rishi saluted the
monarch by offering him water to wash his face and feet with, and Arghya, and
wild fruits, and clarified butter. For the illustrious Rishi had a cow yielding
anything that was desired of her. When she was addressed, saying, 'O
give',--she always yielded the article that was sought. And she yielded various
fruits and corn, wild or grown in gardens and fields, and milk, and many
excellent nutritive viands full of six different kinds of juice (taste?) and
like unto nectar itself, and various other kinds of enjoyable things, O Arjuna,
of ambrosial taste for drinking and eating, and for licking and sucking, and
also many precious gems and robes of various kinds. With these desirable
objects in profusion the monarch was worshipped. And the king with his minister
and troops became highly pleased. And the monarch wondered much, beholding that
cow with six elevated limbs and the beautiful flanks and hips, and five limbs
that were broad, and eyes prominent like those of the frog and beautiful in
size, and high udders, and faultless make, and straight and uplifted ears, and
handsome horns, and well-developed head and neck.
"And, O prince, the son of Gadhi, gratified
with everything and applauding the cow named Nandini, addressed the Rishi,
saying, 'O Brahmana, O great Muni, give me thy Naridini in exchange for ten
thousand kine, or my kingdom. Enjoy thou my kingdom (giving me thy cow).'
"Hearing these words of Viswamitra,
Vasishtha said, 'O sinless one, this cow hath been kept by me for the sake of
the gods, guests, and the Pitris, as also for my sacrifices. I cannot give
Nandini in exchange for even thy kingdom.' Viswamitra replied, 'I am a
Kshatriya, but thou art a Brahmana devoted to asceticism and study. Is there
any energy in Brahmanas who are peaceful and who have their souls under perfect
command? When thou givest me not what I desire in exchange even for ten
thousand cows, I will not abandon the practice of my order; I will take thy cow
even by force!'
"Vasishtha said, 'Thou art a Kshatriya
endued with might of arms. Thou art a powerful monarch. O, do in haste what
thou desirest; and stop not to consider its propriety.'
"The Gandharva continued, 'Thus addressed by
Vasishtha, Viswamitra, O Partha, then forcibly seized Nandini, that cow (white)
like the swan or the moon, and attempted to take her away, afflicting her with
stripes and persecuting her otherwise. The innocent Nandini then began, O
Partha, to low piteously, and approaching the illustrious Vasishtha stood
before him with uplifted face. Though persecuted very cruelly, she refused to
leave the Rishi's asylum.'
"Beholding her in that plight, Vasishtha
said, 'O amiable one, thou art lowing repeatedly and I am hearing thy cries.
But, O Nandini, even Viswamitra is taking thee away by force, what can I do in
this matter, as I am a forgiving Brahmana?'
"The Gandharva continued, 'Then, O bull in
Bharata's race, Nandini, alarmed at the sight of Viswamitra's troops and
terrified by Viswamitra himself, approached the Rishi still closer, and said,
'O illustrious one, why art thou so indifferent to my poor self-afflicted with
the stripes of the cruel troops of Viswamitra and crying so piteously as if I
were masterless?' Hearing these words of the crying and persecuted Nandini, the
great Rishi lost not his patience nor turned from his vow of forgiveness. He
replied, 'The Kshatriya's might lies in physical strength, the Brahmana's in
forgiveness. Because I cannot give up forgiveness, go thou, O Nandini, if thou
choosest.' Nandini answered, 'Castest thou me away, O illustrious one, that
thou sayest so? If thou dost not cast me off, I cannot, O Brahmana, be taken
away by force.' Vasishtha said, 'O blessed one, I do not cast thee off! Stay if
thou canst! O, yonder is thy calf, tied with a stout cord, and even now being
weakened by it!'
"The Gandharva continued, 'Then the cow of
Vasishtha, hearing the word stay, raised her head and neck upward, and became
terrible to behold. With eyes red with rage and lowing repeatedly, she then
attacked Viswamitra's troops on all sides. Afflicted with their stripes and
running hither and thither with those red eyes of hers, her wrath increased.
Blazing with rage, she soon became terrible to behold like unto the sun in his
midday glory. And from her tail she began to rain showers of burning coals all
around. And some moments after, from her tail she brought forth an army of
Palhavas, and from her udders, an army of Dravidas and Sakas; and from her
womb, an army of Yavanas, and from her dung, an army of Savaras; and from her
urine, an army of Kanchis; and from her sides, an army of Savaras. And from the
froth of her mouth came out hosts of Paundras and Kiratas, Yavanas and
Sinhalas, and the barbarous tribes of Khasas and Chivukas and Pulindas and
Chinas and Hunas with Keralas, and numerous other Mlechchhas. And that vast
army of Mlechchhas in various uniforms, and armed with various weapons, as soon
as it sprang into life, deploying in the very sight of Viswamitra, attacked
that monarch's soldiers. And so numerous was that Mlechchha host that each
particular soldier of Viswamitra was attacked by a band of six or seven of
their enemies. Assailed with a mighty shower of weapons, Viswamitra's troops
broke and fled, panic-stricken, in all directions, before his very eyes. But, O
bull in Bharata's race, the troops of Vasishtha, though excited with wrath,
took not the life of any of Viswamitra's troops. Nandini simply caused the
monarch's army to be routed and driven off. And driven (from the asylum)
twenty-seven full miles, panic-stricken, they shrieked aloud and beheld not
anyone that could protect them. Viswamitra, beholding this wonderful feat that
resulted from Brahmana prowess, became disgusted with Kshatriya prowess and
said, 'O, fie on Kshatriya prowess! Brahmana prowess is true prowess! In judging
of strength and weakness, I see that asceticism is true strength.' Saying this,
the monarch, abandoning his large domains and regal splendour and turning his
back upon all pleasures, set his mind on asceticism. Crowned with success in
asceticism and filling the three worlds with the heat of his ascetic penances,
he afflicted all creatures and finally became a Brahmana. The son of Kusika at
last drank Soma with Indra himself (in Heaven).'"
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