Mahabharata Vol. 1 (Penguin Translated Texts) (27 page)

Vaishampayana said, ‘When the period of his vow was over and he had obtained his preceptor’s permission, Kacha prepared to leave for the land of the thirty gods.

‘Devayani told him, “O grandson of rishi Angirasa! You are dazzling in your conduct, birth, learning, austerities and self-control. Just as the immensely famous rishi Angirasa is honoured by my father, so must I worship and honour Brihaspati. O one blessed with the power of austerities! Know this and hear what I have to say. You are aware of my behaviour while the rigid observance of your vow was going on. You have now achieved your learning. I love you and you should love me in return. Accept my hand in accordance with the proper rites and mantras.” Kacha replied, “O unblemished lady! You are an object of my honour and worship, as your illustrious father is. You are an object of greater reverence to me. You are dearer to the great-souled Bhargava
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than his own life. O fortunate one! You are my preceptor’s daughter and, in accordance with dharma, I must always worship you. Just as your father Shukra, my preceptor, is always honoured by me, so must I always honour you. O Devayani! You should therefore not speak to me in this way.” Devayani replied, “O supreme among Brahmanas! You are not my father’s son. You are only the son of his preceptor’s son.
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Therefore, you are an object of my honour and worship. O Kacha! You must remember the love I showed you when the asuras killed you again and again, and even now. O you who know dharma! Remembering my friendship, love and devotion towards you, you should not forsake me when I love you and have not shown any guilt.” Kacha replied, “You are pure in our vows. But you are now asking me to be engaged in a task that is not recommended. O lovely one with the beautiful brows! You are greater to me than my preceptor. Be gracious. O lady with the large eyes! O lady with a face like the moon! O fortunate one! You have dwelt in Kavya’s loins and I have dwelt in the same
place. O one with the fair face! According to dharma, you are my sister. O fortunate one! Do not say that. I have lived here happily and I hold no bad feelings. I ask your permission to leave. Bless me on my way. Remember me in your conversations as someone who has never transgressed dharma. Always serve my preceptor with single-minded alertness.” Devayani said, “O Kacha! If you spurn me for the sake of dharma, artha or kama, despite my asking, your knowledge will never achieve success.” Kacha replied, “You are my preceptor’s daughter and there is no sin in refusing you. Nor has my preceptor given me instructions about this. Curse me if you so wish. O Devayani! I have told you the dharma the sages have decreed. I deserve no curse. Nevertheless, you have cursed me, not out of dharma, but out of desire. Therefore, your desire will never be satisfied. No rishi’s son will ever accept your hand. You have said that my knowledge will never bear fruit. So be it. But it will bear fruit for the one I teach it to.”

‘Having said this to Devayani, Kacha, the best among Brahmanas, supreme among Brahmanas, quickly left for the abode of the thirty gods. On seeing him arrive, the gods, with Indra at their head, were delighted. They paid homage to Brihaspati and told Kacha, “You have performed a supreme and extraordinary act for our welfare and your fame will never diminish. You will have a share in our sacrificial offerings.”’

Vaishampayana said, ‘O bull of the Bharata lineage! The gods were delighted that Kacha had attained the knowledge. They learnt the knowledge that Kacha had learnt and were content. They assembled together and told Shatakratu,
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“O Purandara!
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The
time has come to display your valour and kill your enemies.” Having been thus addressed, Maghavan
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agreed and set out with the assemblage of thirty gods. He saw many women in the forest. The ladies were sporting in a forest that was like Chitraratha’s.
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Changing himself into the wind, he mixed up all their garments. After emerging from the water, the women then each picked up a garment that was nearest her. Devayani’s garment was then picked up by Sharmishtha, the daughter of Vrishaparva, who did not know about the mixing up. O lord of kings! At that, a quarrel arose between Devayani and Sharmishtha. Devayani said, “O asuri! Despite being inferior to me,
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how did you dare to take up my garment? You are devoid of good conduct. No good will come to you.” Sharmishtha replied, “Whether my father is seated or lying down, your father is always humbly below him and always praises him. You are the daughter of a man who begs, praises and holds up his hand for alms. I am the daughter of a man who is praised and stretches out his hand to give alms, not to receive. You are defenceless and deserted. You are a beggar who trembles before me, who is armed. Find an equal. I do not regard you as one.” On hearing this, Devayani stood up erect and clung to the garment. But Sharmishtha threw her into a well and went off to her city. The evil Sharmishtha took her to be dead. In extreme anger, she did not even bother to look down.

‘Nahusha’s son, Yayati, came to that place, looking for deer to hunt. He was thirsty and his two horses were tired. Nahusha’s son saw a well in which there was no water. But the king saw a maiden who was as radiant as the flames of a fire. Seeing her there, he addressed the maiden who was celestial in beauty. The best of kings pacified her with extremely soft words and asked, “O one with nails the shade of copper! O one with the dusky complexion! O one adorned in beautiful gems and earrings! Who are you? Why are you
in such deep grief? Why are you sighing in distress? How did you come to fall into this well that is full of creepers and grass? O one with the slender waist! Whose daughter are you? Tell me truly.” Devayani replied, “I am Shukra’s daughter, who uses his knowledge to revive the daityas when they are killed by the gods. He does not know what has become of me. O king! Here is my right hand, with nails that are the shade of copper. You seem to have been born into a good family. I know you to be gentle, brave and famous. Grasp me by the hand and pull me out of the well into which I have fallen.” Having learnt that she was the daughter of a Brahmana, the king, who was Nahusha’s son, grasped her by the right hand and pulled her out of the well. After pulling the one with beautiful hips out of the well, Yayati gently bid farewell and returned to his capital.

‘Devayani said, “O Ghurnika!
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Quickly go to my father and tell him what has happened. From now on, I refuse to enter Vrishaparva’s city.” Ghurnika swiftly went to the asura’s palace. On seeing Kavya, she spoke to him, her senses flustered. “O immensely wise one! O immensely fortunate one! I tell you that Devayani has been struck in the forest by Sharmishtha, Vrishaparva’s daughter.” Having heard that his daughter had been struck by Sharmishtha, Kavya quickly set out for the forest with a heavy heart. When he found his daughter Devayani in the forest, he engulfed her in his arms and sorrowfully said, “It is through their own faults that people reap happiness and sorrow. I am sure that you must have done something wrong, which has now been purged.” Devayani replied, “Whether it is the purging of my fault or not, listen attentively to what Sharmishtha, Vrishaparva’s daughter, told me. I am telling you truthfully. She said that you chanted praises to the daityas. With eyes red in anger and a harsh and sharp voice, this is what Vrishaparva’s daughter, Sharmishtha, said. She said that I was the daughter of someone who always begged, chanted the praises of others and stretched out his hand for alms. And she was the daughter of one who was always praised, always granted and stretched out his hand to give alms. Eyes red with anger and full of pride, this is what Sharmishtha, Vrishaparva’s
daughter, repeatedly said. O father! If I am really the daughter of one who chants praises of others and stretches out his hand for alms, I must pay homage to Sharmishtha to obtain her favour. I have already told my friend
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that.” Shukra replied, “O Devayani! You are not the daughter of someone who always praises, asks for alms and receives. You are the daughter of someone who is always praised, but never praises. Vrishaparva knows this and so do Shakra and the king who is Nahusha’s son. Know my strength to be as inconceivable and incomparable as the supreme brahman.”’

‘Shukra said, “O Devayani! Know that a man who pays no heed to the evil words of others conquers everything. The learned regard as a true charioteer he who reins in his anger like horses, not he who hangs onto the reins tightly. O Devayani! Know that he who restrains his rising anger through feelings of non-anger conquers everything. A man who restrains his anger through forgiveness is compared to a snake that casts off its old skin. He who is not hurt through the evil words of others and does not retaliate attains all the objects of life. Between two men, one who performs sacrifices continuously every month for a hundred years and one who does not feel anger, the one without anger is the superior one. Young boys and girls are not always sensible and quarrel with each other. They do not know true strength or weakness. The wise never imitate them.”

‘Devayani replied, “O father! Even though I am a girl, I know what is virtue and what is duty. I also know the difference between anger and forgiveness and the strength and weakness of each. But when a disciple behaves disrespectfully towards a preceptor, it should not be condoned. I do not wish to live among people whose conduct is unbecoming. A wise man who desires welfare should not live among
people with evil intent, who speak ill of high birth and good conduct. It is said that the best place to live is among honest ones, where high birth and good conduct are known and respected. I can think of nothing more intolerable in the three worlds than the terrible and evil words of Vrishaparva’s daughter. It is the inferior one who thrives on the success of a rival.”’

Vaishampayana said, ‘Kavya, the best of the Bhrigu lineage, was very angry. He went to the place where Vrishaparva was seated and unhesitatingly told him, “O king! Unlike a cow, the fruits of evil actions are not immediate. Such fruits are certainly manifested, if not in one’s own self, in one’s son or in one’s grandson. They are like a heavy meal in the stomach. You killed the Brahmana Kacha, descended from Angirasa, when he lived with me, even though he was devoted to dharma, committed no sin and served me. You killed one who did not deserve to die. You caused injury to my daughter. O Vrishaparva! For this reason, I have to forsake you and your relatives. O king! I can no longer live with you in your territory. O daitya! Do not take me to be one who utters a falsehood. Why do you overlook the faults of your own and do not check them?”

‘Vrishaparva said, “O descendant of the Bhrigu lineage! Never have I known falsehood or non-adherence to dharma in you. Dharma and truth are established in you. O illustrious one! Please show me your grace. O descendant of the Bhrigu lineage! If you forsake us and depart, we will have no refuge and will drown in the ocean.” Shukra replied, “O asura! I do not care whether you sink to the bottom of the ocean or disappear in the various directions. I cannot tolerate any unpleasant act directed at my daughter, whom I love. Pacify Devayani, because my life is based on her. Just as Brihaspati ensures Indra’s welfare, my ascetic powers are for your protection.” Vrishaparva replied, “O descendant of the Bhrigu lineage! You are
the master of everything that belongs to the lord of the asuras—riches, elephants, cattle, horses. You are their lord, even of me.” Shukra said, “O great asura! If it is true that I am the lord of everything that is possessed by the lord of the daityas, go and try to pacify Devayani.” Devayani said, “O descendant of the Bhrigu lineage! O father! If you are really the lord of all the wealth of the king and he himself, ask the king to come to me and state it himself. Otherwise, I won’t accept it.”
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Vrishaparva said, “O Devayani! O one with the beautiful smile! I will give you whatever you desire to possess, regardless of how difficult it is to obtain.” Devayani replied, “I desire that Sharmishtha, together with 1000 other ladies, should be my maid servants. She must also follow me when my father gives my hand in marriage.” Vrishaparva said, “O nurse! Quickly go and fetch Sharmishtha here. She must do whatever Devayani wishes.” The nurse then went and told Sharmishtha, “O fortunate one! Arise and do what is good for your relatives. Urged by Devayani, the Brahmana is about to forsake his disciples. O unblemished one! You must now do exactly what Devayani wishes.” Sharmishtha replied, “I will today do exactly what she desires. Because of me, Shukra and Devayani must not leave.” Commanded by her father, she then quickly emerged from the supreme palace on a palanquin, accompanied by 1000 maidens.

‘Sharmishtha said, “I am your maid servant and will serve you, with 1000 other slaves. I will follow you wherever your father bestows you.” Devayani retorted, “I am the daughter of one who chants praises, begs and stretches out his hand for alms. You are the daughter of one who is praised. How can you be my slave?” Sharmishtha replied, “Whatever be the way, one must be prepared to bring about the welfare of one’s afflicted relatives. I will follow you wherever your father bestows you.” O best of kings! When Vrishaparva’s daughter promised to be her slave, Devayani told her father, “O supreme among Brahmanas! I will now enter the capital. I know that your knowledge and the strength of your learning are
invincible.” Having been thus addressed by his daughter, the immensely famous one, the best of Brahmanas, was pleased and entered the city. All the danavas paid him homage.’

Vaishampayana said, ‘O best of kings! After a long time, the beautiful Devayani went to the same forest to play. With Sharmishtha and the 1000 maid servants, she reached the same spot and began to roam around as she pleased. Being attended by all those friends, she felt very happy. All of them sported in abandon, drinking the nectar from
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creepers, eating diverse food and biting into fruit. In search of deer to hunt, the king who was Nahusha’s son again came to the same place, exhausted and thirsty. He saw Devayani and Sharmishtha, with all those ladies. They were drinking and languid, adorned in celestial ornaments. He saw the sweet-smiling Devayani seated there. Among all those beautiful women, she was unparalleled in her loveliness. She was waited upon by Sharmishtha, who was massaging her feet.