Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (1884).djvu/134

100 many divine trees. And struck by the wind raised by his wings, those trees began to shake with fear. And those divine trees growing on golden summits feared that they would break. And the ranger of the skies seeing that those trees capable of granting every wish were quaking with fear, went to other trees of incomparable appearance. And those gigantic trees were adorned with fruits of gold and silver and branches of precious gems. And they were washed with the waters of the sea. And there was a large banian among them grown into gigantic proportions, that then spoke unto that lord of birds while coursing towards it fleet as the mind: 'Sit thou on this large branch of mine extending a hundred yojanas and eat thou the elephant and the tortoise.' And when that best of birds of great swiftness, and of body resembling a mountain, quickly alighted, that banian, the resort of thousands of birds, shook and that branch also full of leaves broke."

And so ends the twenty-ninth Section in the Astika of the Adi Parva.

 

( Astika Parva continued. )

Sauti said, "The moment the arm of the tree was touched by Gadura of great might with his feet, it broke. And as it broke, it was supported by Gadura. And as he cast his eyes around in wonder after having broken that gigantic branch, he saw that a tribe of Rishis called Valakhilyas were suspended therefrom with heads downwards. And having seen those Brahmarshis engaged in ascetic practices suspended therefrom, Gadura said unto himself, 'Indeed, there are Rishis suspended from it: I will not kill them.' And reflecting that if that branch fell down, the Rishis would be slain, the mighty one held by his claws the elephant and the tortoise yet more firmly. And the king of birds, from fear of slaying the Rishis and desirous of saving them, held that branch in his beaks and rose on his wings. And great Rishis seeing that act of his which was beyond even the power of the gods, their hearts moved by wonder, gave that mighty bird a name. And they said, 'As 