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56 Fate, violently darted its envenomed fangs into the body of the heedless maiden. And stung by that serpent, she instantly dropped senseless on the ground, her colour faded and all the graces of her person went of. And with dishevelled hair she became a spectacle of woe to her companions and friends. And she who was so agreeable to bebold became on her death what was too painful to look at. And the girl of slender waist lying on the ground like one asleep-being overcome with the poison of the snake-once more became more beautiful than in life. And her foster-father and the other holy ascetics who were there, all saw her lying motionless upon the ground with the splendour of lotus. And then there came many noted Brahmanas filled with compassion, and they sat around her. And Swastyatreya, Mahajana, Kushika, Sankhamekhala, Uddalaka, Katha, and Sweta of great renown, Bhardwaja, Kaunakutsya, Arshtisena. Gautama, Pramati, and Pramati's son Ruru, and other inbabitants of the forest, came there. And when they saw that maiden lying dead on the ground overcome with the poison of the reptile that had bitten her, they all wept filled with compassion. But Ruru, mortified beyond measure, retired from the scene."

So ends the eighth section of the Pauloma Parva of the Adi Parva of the blessed Mahabharata.

 

Sauti said, "While those illustrious Brahmanas were sitting around the dead body of Pramadvara, Ruru, sorely afflicted, retired into a deep wood and wept aloud. And over-whelmed with grief he indulged in much piteous lamentations. And, remembering his beloved Pramadvara, he gave vent to his sorrow in the following words :-'Alas I the delicate fair one that increaseth my affliction lieth upon the bare ground. What can be more deplorable to us, her friends? If I have been charitable, if I have performed acts of penance, if I have ever revered my superiors, let the merit of these acts restore to life my beloved one 1 If from my birth I have been controlling my passions, adhered to my vows, let the fair Pramadvara rise from the ground."

"And while Ruru was indulging in these lamentations for the loss of his bride, a messenger from heaven came to him in the forest and addressed him thus ;-'The words thou utterest, O Ruru, in thy afflic 