SECTION –CXXXVII
(Tirtha-yatra Parva Continued)
"Lomasa said, 'O son of Kunti, Bharadwaja
returned to his hermitage after performing the ritual duties of the day, and
having collected the sacrificial fuel. And because his son had been slain, the
sacrificial fires which used to welcome him everyday, did not on that day come
forward to welcome him. And marking this change in the Agnihotra, the great
sage asked the blind Sudra warder seated there, saying, 'Why is it. O Sudra,
that the fires rejoice not at sight of me? Thou too dost not rejoice as is thy
wont. Is it all well with my hermitage? I hope that my son of little sense had
not gone to the sage Raivya. Answer speedily, O Sudra, all these questions of
mine. My mind misgiveth me.' The Sudra said, 'Thy son of little sense had gone
to the sage Raivya, and therefore it is that lie lieth prostrate (on the
ground), having been slain by a powerful demon. Being attacked by the Rakshasa,
holding a spear, he attempted to force his way into this room, and I therefore
barred his way with my arms. Then desirous of having water in an unclean state,
as he stood hopeless, he was slain by the vehement Rakshasa, carrying a spear
in his hand.' On hearing from the Sudra of this great calamity, Bharadwaja,
sorely afflicted with grief, began to lament, embracing his dead son. And he
said, 'O my son, it is for the good of the Brahmanas that thou didst practise
penances, with the intention that the Vedas unstudied by any Brahmana whatever
might be manifest unto thee. Thy behaviour towards the Brahmanas had always
been for their good, and thou hadst also been innocent in regard to all
creatures. But, alas! (at last) thou didst lapse into rudeness. I had
prohibited thee, O my son, from visiting the residence of Raivya; but alas! to
that very hermitage, (destructive to thee) as the god of death himself, Yama,
didst thou repair. Evil-minded is that man, who, (knowing that I am an old
man), and also that (Yavakri) was my only son, had given way to wrath. It is
through the agency of Raivya that I have sustained the loss of my child.
Without thee, O my son, I shall give up my life, the most precious thing in the
world. In grief for the death of my son, I renounce my life; but this I say
that Raivya's eldest son shall in a short time kill him although he be
innocent. Blessed are those to whom children have never been born, for they
lead a happy life, without having to experience the grief (incident to the
death of a child). Who in this world can be more wicked than those who from
affliction, and deprived of their sense by sorrow consequent upon the death of
a child, curse even their dearest friend! I found my son dead, and, therefore,
have cursed my dearest friend. Ah! what second man can there be in this world,
destined to suffer so grievous a misfortune!' Having lamented long Bharadwaja
cremated his son and then himself entered into a full-blazing fire.'"
.jpg)
 ){kind=link}
0 Comments
If you have any Misunderstanding Please let me know