Page:Tales from the Indian Epics.djvu/38

32 all earthly desires. And he journeyed from shrine to shrine, with never a thought of marriage. One day, as the great Sage was walking abroad, he passed a deep pit. Looking into it he saw several men hanging head downwards and fastened by a single cord to the bough of a tree. Jaratkaru paused in wonder and said, "Strange Sirs, who are you and why do you hang thus head downwards? If you wish to escape from your plight I can save you. For I have won great powers by the mortifications that I have willingly endured."

"No, my son" answered one of the strange men "your powers cannot help us. We too were great rishis and also won great powers by our asceticism. For we who hang head downwards are your ancestors. The single cord which supports us is your life, Jaratkaru. Every day a rat comes and nibbles at the cord. And the rat is Time, which is eating away your life; and when Time has eaten it, we shall all fall headlong into Hell, which lies at the bottom of this pit. There is but one way in which you can save us. Marry a wife and beget a son and he will be a new cord to save us from Hell." Jaratkaru was greatly grieved, for he had no wish to wed a wife. Yet he would not allow his ancestors to fall headlong into Hell. So he said, "O my ancestors, I am willing to marry, but the bride whom I shall choose must be named Jaratkaru as I am. She must bestow herself on me as a gift and must cost me nothing. If I do not find such a wife I shall not marry." With these words Jaratkaru left his ancestors and wandered over the world seeking a bride named Jaratkaru, who would come to him free and would cost him nothing. But nowhere could be find such a bride. At last he