Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (Volume 1).pdf/284

270 the boon that I should have a hundred sons, but here is only a ball of flesh for those hundred sons ! Vyasa then said, 'Daughter of Suvala, it is even so. But my words can never be futile. I have not spoken an untruth even in jest. I need not speak of other occasians. Let a hundred pots full of clarified butter be brought instantly, and let them be placed at a concealed spot. In the meantime, let cool water be sprinkled over this ball of flesh.

Vaisampayana continued -"That ball of flesh then, sprinkled over with water, became, in time, divided into a hundred and one parts, each about the size of the chumb. These were then put into those pots full of clarified butter that had been placed at a concealed spot and were watched with care. The illustrious Vyasa then said unto the daughter of Suvala tbat she should open the covers of the pots after full two years. And having said this and made these arrangements, the wise Dwaipayana went to the Himavat mountains for devoting himself to asceticism.

"Then in time, king Duryyodhana was born from among those pieces of the ball of flesh that had been deposited in those pots. According to the order of birth, king Yudishthira was the eldest. The news of Duryyodhana's birth was carried to Bhishma and the wise Vidura. The day that the haughty Duryyodhana was born was also the birth-day of Bhima of mighty arms and great prowess.

"As soon as Duryyodhana was born, he began to cry and bray like an ass. And hearing that sound, the asses, vultures, jackals and crows uttered their respective cries responsively. Violent winds began to blow, and there were fires in various directions. Then king Dhritarashtra in great fear, summoning Bhishma, and Vidura, and other wellwishers and all the Kurus, and numberless Bralimans, addressed thee and said, -The eldest of them princes, Yudhishthira, is the perpetuator of our line. By virtue of his birth he hath acquired the kingdom. We have nothing to say to this. But shall this my son born after him become king? Tell me truly what is lawful and right under these circumstances. As soon as these words were spoken, O Bharatai jackals and other carnivorous animals began to howl ominously. And marking those frightful omens all around, the assembled Brahmanas and the wise Vidura replied.-'O king. O bull among men, when these frightful omens are noticeable at the birth of thy eldest son, it is evident that he shall be the exterminator of thy race. The prosperity of all dependeth on his abandonment. Calamity there must be in keeping him. O king, if thou abandonest him, there remain yet for the nine and ninety sons ! If thou desirest the good of thy race, abandon bim, O Bharata ! O king, do good to the world and thy own