The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose: Adi Parva
Religion
The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose: Adi Parva
Epic literature, Sanskrit
The virtuous and illustrious Dirghatamas possessing complete
mastery over the Vedas, soon after learnt from Surabhi's son the practices
of their order and fearlessly betook himself to those practices, regarding
them with reverence. (For shame is the creature of sin and can never be
where there is purity of intention). Then those best of Munis that dwelt
in the same asylum, beholding him transgress the limits of propriety
became indignant, seeing sin where sin was not. And they said, 'O, this
man, transgresseth the limit of propriety. No longer doth he deserve a
place amongst us. Therefore, shall we all cast this sinful wretch off.'
And they said many other things regarding the Muni Dirghatamas. And his
wife, too, having obtained children, became indignant with him.
"'"The husband then addressing his wife Pradweshi, said, 'Why is it that
thou also hast been dissatisfied with me?' His wife answered, 'The husband
is called the Bhartri because he supporteth the wife. He is called Pati
because he protecteth her. But thou art neither, to me! O thou of great
ascetic merit, on the other hand, thou hast been blind from birth, it is I
who have supported thee and thy children. I shall not do so in future.'
"'"Hearing these words of his wife, the Rishi became indignant and said
unto her and her children, 'Take me unto the Kshatriyas and thou shalt then
be rich.' His wife replied (by saying), 'I desire not wealth that may be
procured by thee, for that can never bring me happiness. O best of
Brahmanas, do as thou likest. I shall not be able to maintain thee as
before.' At these words of his wife, Dirghatamas said, 'I lay down from
this day as a rule that every woman shall have to adhere to one husband
for her life. Be the husband dead or alive, it shall not be lawful for a
woman to have connection with another. And she who may have such
connection shall certainly be regarded as fallen. A woman without husband
shall always be liable to be sinful. And even if she be wealthy she shall
not be able to enjoy that wealth truly. Calumny and evil report shall ever
dog her.' Hearing these words of her husband Pradweshi became very angry,
and commanded her sons, saying, 'Throw him into the waters of Ganga!' And
at the command of their mother, the wicked Gautama and his brothers, those
slaves of covetousness and folly, exclaiming, 'Indeed, why should we
support this old man?' tied the Muni to a raft and committing him to the
mercy of the stream returned home without compunction. The blind old man
drifting along the stream on that raft, passed through the territories of
many kings. One day a king named Vali conversant with every duty went to
the Ganges to perform his ablutions. And as the monarch was thus engaged,
the raft to which the Rishi was tied, approached him. And as it came, the
king took the old man. The virtuous Vali, ever devoted to truth, then
learning who the man was that was thus saved by him, chose him for raising
up offspring.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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