Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (Volume 1).pdf/223

Rh butter upon the fire according to the rites prescribed for those leading the Vanaprastha mode of life. And the illustrious one entertained guests and strangers with the fruit of the forest and clarified butter, while he himself supported life by gleaning scattered corn seeds. And the king led this sort of life for a full thousand years. And observing the vow of silence and with mind under complete control be passed one full year, living upon air alone and without sleep. And he passed another year practising the severest austerites in the midst of four fires around and the Sun overhead. And, living upon air alone, he stood erect upon one leg for six months. And the king of sacred deeds ascended to heaven, covering heaven as well as the Earth (with the fame of his achievements)."

So ends the eighty-sixth section in the Sambhava Parva of the Adi Parva.

Vaisa mpayana said, -"While that king of kings dwelt in heaven. the home of the celestials, he was reverenced by the gods, the Saddhays, the Maruts, and the Vasus. Of sacred deeds, and mind under complete control, the monarch used to repair now and then from the abode of the celestials unto the region of Brahman. And it hath been beard by me that he dwelt for long time in heaven.

"One day that best of kings, Yayati, went to Indra and there in course of conversation the lord of Earth was asked by Indra as follows:

'What didst thou say, O king, when thy son Puru took thy decrepitude on Earth and when thou gavest him thy kingdom ?'

"Yayati answered, 'I told bim that the whole country between the rivers Ganga and Yamuna was his. That is, indeed, the central region of the Earth, while the out-Iying regions are to be the dominions of thy brothers. I also told him that those without anger were ever superior to those under its sway; those disposed to forgive were ever superior to the unforgiving. Man is superior to the lower animals. Among men again the learned are superior to the un-learned. If wronged. tbou shouldst not wrong in return. One's wrath, if disregarded, burneth one's own self; but he that regardeth it not taketh away all the virtues of him that exhibiteth it. Never shouldst thou pain others by cruel speeches. Never subdue thy foes by despicable means; and never utter such scorching and sinful words as may torture others. He, that pricketh as if with thorns men by means of hard and cruel words, thou must

27