(A) Characters I Homan Be

199 Cliapter III Stories related to the Purugirtha 'Kama' B« Fablea 97» Jaratlaru and his forefathers^ [ (a) characters i homan beings and lower beings i (b) moral Implied t (c) called Itlhasam*] [while narrating the story "Ruru and Dupûbha" Ugrsravat^ mentioned that In the days of yore Astllca sared the snake from being burnt In the Snake-sacrlflce of Janamejaya. Hearing that» Sauna lea naturally asked why Janamejaya was bent on killing the snakes and why Xstlka saved them. Then Ugrasravas narrated the following story. ] i — 1 1.13.9 to 1.13.44 2 Story No.64 3 See the context of the story No.l. 4 tad Idam kâtrlyasyislt karma rai sfpu me ruro / janamejayasya dharmatman sarpapam hlmsanam pura // 1.11.*16. parltrapam ea bhitanim sarpipim brahmapid apl / tapovlryabalopetad yedavedangaparagat / astlicad dvljamukhyad val sarpasatre dvijottama // J.. 11.17. 5 klmartham jajasardula|x sa raja Janamejaya^ / sarpsasatrepa sarpapam gato 'ntam tad vadasva me // 1.13.1. astlkas ca dvljasreg^ha|i klmartham japatam yara{i / mokjiayamisa bhujagan dlptat tasn»d hutasanat // 1.13.2* 6 mahadakhyinam aitlkam yatraltat procsrate drlja / sarvam etad asegepa sfpu me vadatim vara // 1*13*4 Itlhasam Imam vfddha|i.purapam parlcak|«te / kpînadvalpayanaproktam nalmlgarpyavaslnaji // 1*13.6. 200 IstllA's father vas powerful like Prajapatl* He vas a celibate always engaged In austere penances* That great yyl was known by the name of Jaratkaru and was foremost among the Yai^varas* He was virtuous and of rigid vow. Once, while roaming, he saw his forefathers hanging In a pit having the feet upward and head downward. He said to them, —• '(who are you hanging In the pit, heads down, by a rope of vlra|ia-fibres that Is secretly eaten Into on all sides by the rats living hare?** The ancestors said,— "We are the f^ls of rigid vows of the Yayavara family and owing to the lack of continuation of our lineage we are sinking low Into the earth* we unfortunat§ fellows have an unlucky offspring called Jaratkiru vtio has entered upon a life of austerities* That fool does not marry a woman for bearing sons* That Is why we are hanging In the well owing to the stopage of procreation* Though we have means, we fare like unfortunate. 0 Brahmapat who are you that worries like our friend on account of us?" Jaratkiru said,— '*You are my forefathers and I myself am Jaratkaru* Tell me what I should do now*** The forefathers said,— "Try to beget an offspring In our family* This Is a merit ?for yourself as well as for us* Neither by the fruits of virtue (dharma) nor by the great penances can people get that merit which they can get by bearing sons* Therefore you try to get a wife and children* .This alone will be for our good*** Jaratkaru said,—•*! never wanted to have a wife, but for your good I will marry a woman If she Is of my name and she, like alms, comes to me herself* Who will give a bride to me who am poor? But I will take alms If somebody gives* Only this way will I try for my marriage and not otherwise*** Suta continued,—**Then Jaratkiru roamed upon the earth In search of such a wife but remained unsuccessful Ih his attempt* One day going to a fores^ he shouted thrice for wife as alms* Vasukl heard him and came to him with his sifter named Jaratlmru, and gave har to him In marriage. He accepted her ccMnlng to know that she was of the 201 same name." Suta lald,—'•The snakes were cursed by their mother that they would die at the Snake-sacrifice of Janamejaya. For the termina tion of the curse, Vasukl gave his sister to Jaratlcaru in marriage* Jaratkaru bestowed on her a son named Xstlka 1^0 was versed In all the Vedas and §astras< After some time, Janamejaya performed Snake-sacrlflce for the destruction of snakes and Istlka saved them who were his maternal uncles, by terminating their curse. He also released his ancestors by • begetting offsprings and by penances* Thus removing the burden of his forefathers, Jaratlciru went to the heaven with them* The Moral t One, ô wants to benefit his ancestors must pass through Qfha stha srama. This story occurs also In Adhy. forty-one of the same parvan with some variations noted below <•— (I) In Adhy*13, the story Is told to explain why snakes were killed by Janamejaya and why Istlka saved them, whereas in the Adhy*41, the story Is told to explain how TLstlka was born* (II) The story In the Adhy. 13, Is told In brief whereas, the story In the Adhy*4l, Is narrated In details* Some points which have not found explanation In the Adhy.13, have been explained In the Adhy*41* (ill) In the Adhy*Id Jaratkaru B9B8 his forefathers hanging In a pit upside down while they hold fast to the thread of Virapa grass vhibh is being eaten up by the rats* But It Is not explained what the Tirpa grass means or what the rats stand for* But In the story of Adhy*41, 1 astl nas tata tapasaî phalam pravadatim vara / santanaprak^vad brahman patamo nlraye 'sucau // 1*41*13. na hi dharmaphalals t^ta na tapobhl{i susancltalî / tam gatlm prapnuvantlha putrl{io yam vrajantl ha // 1*13*21* tad daragrahajie yatnam santatj^ ca manaji kuru / *** 1*13*22* 202 every details has been explained. For example—Virapa-thread means only one son In their family I.e. Jaratkaru, rats means time, cutting means weakening and so on. (Iv) In Adhy*13) Jaratieru says that his forefathers should go to the heaven with the fruits of his penances. Thereupon his forefathers say that the fruits of penances lie with them too, but It Is only due to the lack of progeny that they are sinking low In the earth and so on.^ (v) The effect of Hsldana school of thoughts Is not seen on the story In Adhy.l3| vêreasi It Is seen on the story In Adhy.4l. 'The name Jaratioira has been explained by saying that 'jari' means decay (waning) and "idiru" means strong (<firupa). Previously his body was strong and stout but on account of severe penances It wanted as a result of which he became lean and thin* Hence his name was Jaratkaru* Same Is also the meaning of the name of his wife Jaratkaru. 98. Agj;avakra and Dlsa^ • [(a) characters i human beings and personified concepts like direc tion (dlsi)]. [Yudhls}:hira asked Bhl|ma how there can be a companionship for the practice of duties between a wife and her husband when one of them dies 1 See f.n. No.l.Pi''' 2 klm lalrpam Jarati»ror namaltat prathltam bhuvl / Jaratlrarunlruktam tvam yathavad vaktura arhasl // 1*36.2. Jaretl kfiayamahur val darupam i<iru samjnltam / sarlram kiru tas3^slt tat sa dhlnîn sanalji sanalh // 1.36.3* kfiapayanasa tlvrepa tafpasety ata ucyate / Jaratkirur Itl bcahman imsuker bhaginl tatha // 1.36*4. 3 13.9*10 to 13*22*19. 203 earlier, and when women are mostly fickle* Further he asiced what la the origin of the declaration about discharging all duties together made on the eve of marriage.^ Then Bhljma cited the following story. ]»— In the days of yore, Afjsavakra of austere penances chose the daughter of fyi Vadanya, named Supra bha, with the desire of coup la t ion, as she had attracted the mind of the ^gi by her matchless beauty} Vadanya said that he would give his daughter to As]:avakra if the latter goes to • the north, crossing the Hinalayas and comes back after talking to an old female ascetic initiated for religious vow in the blue forest** Apâvakra, accepting the condition of Vadanya, reached the forest seeing many beauti ful things on the way and controlling his senses with difficulties* While searching for a shelter in that forest, he saw a nice mansion and raised his voice saying that the people living in the mansion should come out* Hearing the voice of the ygi seven maidens came out everyone of whom stole the heart of the rjjd* He could control himself with difficulties* When requested by the maidens, the pjl entered the mansion and saw an old lady dressed in white robes and adorned with all kinds of ornaments who offered a seat to him* As advised by the rî, all the damsels except that old lady, left the chamber* As the night advanced, the ryi as well as the lady went to their beds* Soon after, the lady rose from her bed and went to the bed of the yfi pretending to be cold, and seeing him 1 yad idam sahadharmeti procyate bharatarjiabha / papigrahapldile tu strlpam etat katham sm^tam // 13*9*1* purvam ekas tu mryate kva caikas tifij^haye vada / yadanfta^ striyas tata sahadharma);i kutaji smftaji // 13*d*2* 2 yad etad ya^sam oaitytd yatha caitat pravartitam / nikhilena mahaprajna bhavan etad byavltu me // 13*9*3* 3 atrapy uda * * */ ag];avakrasya samvadam disaya saha bharata// 13*9*10* 204 unmoved oven after a tender anbrace) she asked him to fulfil her desire by uniting with her* But the ^|1 refused to do so, even after repeated requests, saying that he never approached others spouse as such acts were condemned by the persons conversant with the scriptures* He also said that he had no knowledge of sex and wanted to marry a woman to have offspring for dharma* Further, when Is^vakra asked whether she wanted anything else than the fulfilment of her sexual desire, the lady asked • him to stay with her saying that he would know everything In due time* The ffi disliked whatever portion of her body was seen, and beefian to think tf the reason for her ugliness* The whole day passed in that thought* When asked by the lady what he wanted, he expressed his desire to take bath for doing sandhyi* She brought water and completed all formalities* The rgl, on account of the pleasure he got from her tender hands, did not know how the night passed* Again In the morning when the f^l finished his dally routine, the lady brought

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