SECTION –CXXXV
(Tirtha-yatra Parva Continued)
"Lomasa said, 'Here, O king, is visible the
river Samanga, whose former name was Madhuvila, and yonder is the spot named
Kardamila, the bathing place of Bharata. The lord of Sachi, when fallen into
misery in consequence of having slain Vritra, became freed from his sin, by
performing his ablutions in this Samanga. Here, O bull among men, is the spot
where the Mainaka mountain hath sunk into the interior of the earth; and it is
hence called Vinasana. For obtaining sons, here Aditi in days of yore had
cooked that celebrated food, (presided over by the Supreme Being). O ye bulls
among men, ascended this lofty mountain and put an end to your inglorious
misery unworthy to be uttered. Here, O king, before thee is the Kanakhala
range, the favourite resort of sages. 'And yonder is the mighty river Ganga.
Here, in ancient times, the holy sage Sanatkumara attained ascetic success. O
scion of the Ajamidha race, by performing thy ablutions here in this river,
thou wilt be freed from all thy sins. O son of Kunti, do thou together with thy
ministers, touch (the waters) of this lake called Punya, and this mountain
Bhrigutunga and also (the water of) these two rivers, called Tushniganga. Here,
O Kunti's son, appeareth the hermitage of the sage Sthulasiras. Resign here thy
anger and sense of self-importance. There, O son of Pandu, is seen the
beautiful hermitage of Raivya, where perished Bharadwaja's son, Yavakari,
profound in Vedic lore.'"
"Yudhishthira said, 'How did the mighty
sage, Yavakri, son of the ascetic Bharadwaja, acquire profundity in the Vedas?
And how also did he perish? I am anxious to hear all this, just as it happened.
I take delight in listening to the narration of the deeds of god-like
men.'"
"Lomasa said, 'Bharadwaja and Raivya were
two friends. And they dwelt here, ever taking the greatest pleasure in each
other's company. Now, Raivya had two sons, named Arvavasu and Paravasu. And,
Bharadwaja, O Bharata's son, had an only son, named Yavakri. Raivya and his two
sons were versed in the Vedas, while Bharadwaja practised asceticism. But, O
son of Bharata, from their boyhood, the friendship subsisting between those two
was unequalled. O sinless one, the highspirited Yavakri finding that his
father, who practised asceticism, was slighted by the Brahmanas, while Raivya
with his sons was greatly respected by them, was overwhelmed with sorrow, and
became sore aggrieved. Thereupon, O son of Pandu, he entered upon severe
austerities, for (obtaining) a knowledge of the Vedas. And he exposed his body
to a flaming fire. By thus practising the most rigid austerities, he caused
anxiety in the mind of Indra. Then Indra, O Yudhishthira, went to him and
addressed him saying, 'Wherefore, O sage, hast thou become engaged in
practising such rigid austerities?' Yavakri said, 'O thou adored of celestial
hosts, I am practising severe penances, because I wish that such a knowledge of
the Vedas as hath never been acquired by any Brahmana whatever, may be manifest
unto me. O conqueror of Paka, these endeavours of mine have been for Vedic
lore. O Kausika, by the force of my asceticism. I purpose to obtain all sorts
of knowledge. O lord, a knowledge of the Vedas as learnt through teachers, is
acquired in a long time. Therefore, (with the view of attaining in short time a
proficiency in the Vedas), I have put forth these high endeavours.' Indra said,
'O Brahmana sage, the way that thou hast adopted is not the proper way. What
for, O Brahamana, wilt thou destroy thyself? Go and learn from the lips of a
preceptor.'
"Lomasa said, 'O son of Bharata, having said
this, Sakra went away, and Yavakri of immeasurable energy, once more directed
his attention to asceticism. O king, we have heard that carrying on severe
austerities he again greatly agitated Indra. And the god Indra, slayer of Vala,
again came unto that great sage, who was engaged in austere penances; and
forbade him, saying, Thou art striving with the object that Vedic lore may be
manifest unto thee as well as unto thy father; but thy exertions can never be
successful, nor is this act of thine well-advised.' Yavakri said, 'O lord of
the celestials, if thou wilt not do for me what I want, I shall, observing
stricter vows, practise still severer penances. O lord of celestials! know that
if thou do not fulfil all my desires, I shall then cut off my limbs and offer
them as a sacrifice into a blazing fire.'
"Lomasa said, 'Knowing the determination of
that high-souled sage, the sagacious Indra reflected and hit upon some
expedient to dissuade him. Then Indra assumed the guise of an ascetic Brahmana,
hundreds of years old, and infirm, and suffering from consumption. And he fell
to throwing up a dam with sands, at that spot of the Bhagirathi to which
Yavakri used to descend for performing ablutions. Because Yavakri, chief of the
Brahmanas, paid no heed to Indra's words, the latter began to fill the Ganga
with sands. And without cessation, he threw handfuls of sand into the
Bhagirathi, and began to construct the dam attracting the notice of the sage.
And when that bull among the sages, Yavakri, saw Indra thus earnestly engaged
in constructing the dam, he broke into laughter, and said the following words,
'What art thou engaged in, O Brahmana, and what is thy object? Why dost thou,
for nothing, make this mighty endeavour?' Indra said, 'I am trying, O my son,
to dam the Ganga so that there may be a commodious passage. People experience
considerable difficulty in crossing and recrossing (the river) by boat.'
Yavakri said, 'O thou of ascetic wealth, thou canst not dam up this mighty
current. O Brahmana, desist from, what is impracticable, and take up something
that is practicable.' Indra said, 'O sage, I have imposed on myself this heavy
task, even as, for obtaining a knowledge of the Vedas, thou hast begun these
penances, which can never be fruitful.' Yavakri said, 'If, O chief of the
celestials, those efforts of mine be fruitless, even as those of thy own, then,
O lord of heavenly hosts, be thou pleased to do for me what is practicable.
Vouchsafe unto me boons whereby I may excel other men.'
"Lomasa said 'Then Indra granted boons, as
was prayed for by the mighty ascetic, Indra said, 'As thou desirest, the Vedas
will be manifest unto thee, yea--even unto thy father. And all thy other
desires will also be fulfilled. Return home, O Yavakri.'
"Having thus obtained the object of his
desire, Yavakri came unto his father and said, The Vedas, O father, will be
manifest unto thee as well as unto myself and I have obtained boons whereby we
shall excel all men.' Thereat Bharadwaja said, 'O my son, as thou hast obtained
the objects of thy desire, thou wilt be proud. And when thou art puffed up with
pride and hast also become uncharitable, destruction will soon overtake thee. O
my son, there is a current anecdote narrated by the gods. In ancient times, O
son, there lived a sage named Valadhi, possessed of great energy. And in grief
for the death of a child, he practised the severest penances to have a child
that should be immortal. And he obtained a son even as he desired. But the
gods, though very favourably disposed (towards him), did not yet make his son immortal
like unto the gods. They said, 'On condition can a mortal being be made
immortal. Thy son's life, however, shall depend on some instrumental cause.'
Thereupon, Valadhi said, 'O chiefs of the celestials, these mountains have been
existing eternally, and indestructible, let them be the instrumental cause of
my son's life. Afterwards a son was born to the sage, named Medhavi. And he was
of a very irritable temper. And hearing of (the incident of his birth), he grew
haughty, and began to insult the sages. And he ranged over the earth, doing
mischief to the munis. And one day, meeting with the learned sage Dhannushaksha
endued with energy. Medhavi maltreated him. Thereupon, the former cursed him,
saying, 'Be thou reduced to ashes.' Medhavi, however, was not reduced to ashes.
Then Dhannushaksha caused the mountain which was the instrumental cause of
Medhavi's life, to be shattered by buffaloes. And the boy perished, with the
destruction of the instrumental cause of his life. And embracing his dead son,
Medhavi's father began to bewail his fate. Now hear from me, O my son, what was
chanted by the sages conversant with the Vedas, when they found the sage
mourning. A mortal on no condition whatever can overcome what hath been
ordained by Fate, Lo! Dhannushaksha succeeded in shattering even the mountain
by buffaloes. Thus young ascetics, puffed up with pride for having obtained
boons, perish in a short time. Be thou not one of them. This Raivya, O my son,
is possessed of great energy, and his two sons are like him. Therefore, be thou
vigilant--so as never to approach him. O my son, Raivya is a great ascetic of
an irritable temper. When angry, he can do thee harm. Yavakri said, 'I shall do
as thou biddest me. Of father, do thou not by any means entertain anxiety for
that. Raivya deserveth my regard even as thou, my father.' Having replied unto
his father in these sweet words, Yavakri, fearing nothing and nobody, began to
delight in wantonly offending other munis."
Footnotes
280:1 Su means excellent, and uta, sacrifice. The
compound accordingly means,--performer of excellent sacrifice.
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