Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (Volume 1).pdf/425

Rh in digging as they pleased at the house of particular Bhargava, came upon a large treasure. And the treasure was seen by all those bulls among Kshatriyas who had been there. Enraged at what they regarded as the deceitful behaviour of the Bhrigus, the Kshatriyas insulted the Brahmanas, though the latter asked for mercy. And those mighty bowmen began to slaughter the Bhrigus with their sharp arrows. And the Kshatriyas wandered over the earth, slaughtering even the embroys that were in the wombs of the women of the Bhrigu race. And while the Bhrigu race was thus being exterminated, the women of that tribe fled from fear to the inaccessible mountains of Himavata. And one amongst these women, of tapering thighs, desiring to perpetuate ber husband's race, held in one of her thighs an embryo endued with great energy. A certain Brahmana woman, however, who came to know this fact, wentfrom fear unto the Kshatriyas and reported unto them. And the Kshatriyas then went to destroy that embryo. Arrived at the place, they beheld the would-be mother blazing with inborn energy, and the child that in her thigh came out tearing up the thigh and dazzling the eyes of those Kshatriyas like the midday sun, Thus deprived of their eyes, the Kshatriyas began to wander over those inaccessible mountains. And distressed at the loss of sight, the princes were afflicted with woe, and desirous of regaining the use of their eyes they resolved to seek the protection of that faultless woman. Then those Kshatriyas. afflicted with sorrow, and from loss of sight like unto a fire that hath gone out, addressed with anxious hearts that illustrious lady, sayingBy thy grace. O lady, we wish to be restored to sight! We shall then return to our homes all together and abstain for ever from our sinful practice! O handsome one, it behoveth thee with eby child to show us mercy 1 It behoveth thee to favour these kings by granting them their eye-sights !_-"

Thus ends the hundred and eightieth section in the Chaitra-ratha Parva of the Adi Parva.

"Vasistha continued.-'The Brahmana lady, thus addressed by them, said, -Ye children, I have not robbed ye of your eye-sights, nor am I angry with ye ! This child, however, of the Bhrigu race hath certainly been angry with ye, There is little doubt, ye children, that ye have been robbed of your sights by that illustrious child whose wrath hath