Yudhisthira said:—O son of Gangā, why did the bird Pujanya put out the eyes of the eldest son of the Brahmadatta (77)? She lived for a long time in his house. Why did she (then) commit such a mischief by that high-souled king (78)? Why did Pujanya contract friendship with him? Do thou duly satisfy all these my doubts (79). Bhishma said:—O Emperor! O Yudhishthira! hear in due order what took place formerly in the house of Brahmadatta (80), O king, a certain female bird was the companion of Brahmadatta. Her two wings were white, head red and back and abdomen were black (81). Brahmadatta was greatly attached to that female companion. O best of men, she made a nest in his house and lived there (82). She every day used to go out of the palace and roam at large on the bank of ocean, in lakes and ponds (83). Having ranged over the rivers, mountains, woods, pleasure gardens, ponds perfumed with fragrant white water-lilies and places the air whereof is impregnated with the perfume of lilies and lotuses and abounding in swans, Sārasas and Kārandavas, she used to come back in the night to the city of Kāmpilya and live in the house of the intelligent king Brahmadatta (84–86). O king, whatever strange things she saw in her peregenations in various parts of the country, she used to describe them to the king in her conversation in the night. O descendant of Kuru, once on a time a son, the foremost of kings, was born to Brahmadatta, celebrated by the name of Sarvasena. Pujanyā also gave birth to an egg there (87–89). In time that egg opened and thence came out a lump of flesh with legs, arms and face (90). O king, its face was tawny coloured and had no eyes. Gradually that young one got its eyes and its wings grew a little (91). Pujanyā used to love equally her young one and the Prince, and gradually became fond of them (92). And she every evening used to pick up with her beaks two ambrosial fruits for (the prince) Sarvasena and her young one (93). Brahmadatta’s son and the young one delightedly lived upon those two fruits (94). By daily partaking of those fruits they began to grow up. When during the day Pujanyā used to go away the nurse gave play to Brahmadatta’s son in the company of that young one of the bird (95–96). When Pujanyā went out of the nest the Prince used to take away that young sparrow for play (97). Once on a time the Prince held fast the young bird by the neck for which, O king, it immediately died (98). Beholding the young bird set free a little with its mouth wide open, that had been killed by the boy, the king was greatly sorry and remonstrated with the nurse. He was filled with great grief for that young sparrow (97-100). Pujanyā too, who used to range in the forest, came at that time to the palace of Brahmadatta with two fruits (101). Coming there she saw the child, that came out of her body, dead (102). Beholding her dead young one she at first lost consciousness but afterwards gradually regained it. Regaining her consciousness the