SECTION CXXX
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Janamejaya said, 'O Brahmana, it behoveth you to relate to me
everything about the birth of Kripa. How did he spring from a clump of
heath? Whence also did he obtain his weapons?'
"Vaisampayana said, 'O king, the great sage Gautama had a son named
Saradwat. This Saradwat was born with arrows (in hand). O oppressor of
foes, the son of Gautama exhibited great aptitude for the study of the
science of weapons, but none for the other sciences. Saradwat acquired
all his weapons by those austerities by which Brahmanas in student life
acquire the knowledge of Vedas. Gautama (the son of Gotama) by his
aptitude for the science of weapons and by his austerities made Indra
himself greatly afraid of him. Then, O you of Kuru's race, the chief of
the gods summoned a celestial damsel named Janapadi and sent her unto
Gautama, saying, 'Do your best to disturb the austerities of Gautama.'
Repairing unto the charming asylum of Saradwat, the damsel began to tempt
the ascetic equipped with bow and arrows. Beholding that Apsara, of
figure unrivalled on earth for beauty, alone in those woods and clad in a
single piece of cloth, Saradwat's eyes expanded with delight. At the
sight of the damsel, his bow and arrows slipped from his hand and his
frame shook all over with emotion; but possessed of ascetic fortitude and
strength of soul, the sage mustered sufficient patience to bear up
against the temptation. The suddenness, however, of his mental agitation,
caused an unconscious emission of his vital fluid. Leaving his bow and
arrows and deer-skin behind, he went away, flying from the Apsara. His
vital fluid, however, having fallen upon a clump of heath, was divided
into two parts, whence sprang two children that were twins.
"And it happened that a soldier in attendance upon king Santanu while the
monarch was out a-hunting in the woods, came upon the twins. And seeing
the bow and arrows and deer-skin on the ground, he thought they might be
the offspring of some Brahmana proficient in the science of arms.
Deciding thus, he took up the children along with the bow and arrows, and
showed what he had to the king. Beholding them the king was moved with
pity, and saying, 'Let these become my children,' brought them to his
palace. Then that first of men, Santanu, the son of Pratipa having
brought Gautama's twins into his house, performed in respect of them the
usual rites of religion. And he began to bring them up and called them
Kripa and Kripi, in allusion to the fact that he brought them up from
motives of pity (Kripa). The son of Gotama having left his former asylum,
continued his study of the science of arms in right earnest. By his
spiritual insight he learnt that his son and daughter were in the palace
of Santanu. He thereupon went to the monarch and represented everything
about his lineage. He then taught Kripa the four branches of the science
of arms, and various other branches of knowledge, including all their
mysteries and recondite details. In a short time Kripa became an eminent
professor of the science (of arms). And the hundred sons of
Dhritarashtra, and the Pandavas along with the Yadavas, and the Vrishnis,
and many other princes from various lands, began to receive lessons from
him in that science.'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 1 : UPA-PARVA 130 ---------------------
