SECTION CCXXXII
(Khandava-daha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'When the fire blazed forth in the forest of
Khandava, the infant birds became very much distressed and afflicted.
Filled with anxiety, they saw not any means of escape. Their mother, the
helpless Jarita, knowing that they were too young to escape, was filled
with sorrow and wept aloud. And she said, 'Oh, the terrible
conflagration, illuminating the whole universe and burning the forest
down, approacheth towards us, increasing my woe. These infants with
immature understanding, without feathers and feet, and the sole refuge of
our deceased ancestors, afflict me. Oh, this fire approacheth, spreading
fear all around, and licking with its tongue the tallest trees. But my
unfledged children are incapable of effecting their escape. I myself am
not capable of escaping, taking all these with me. Nor am I capable of
abandoning them, for my heart is distressed on their account. Whom
amongst my sons, shall I leave behind, and whom shall I carry with me?
What (act) should I do now that is consistent with duty? What also do
you, my infant sons, think? I do not, even by reflection, see any way of
escape for you. I shall even cover you with my wings and die with you.
Your cruel father left me some time before, saying, 'Upon this Jaritari,
because he is the eldest of my sons, will my race depend. My second
Sarisrikka will beget progeny for the expansion of my ancestors' race. My
third, Stamvamitra, will be devoted to asceticism, and my youngest,
Drona, will become the foremost of those acquainted with the Vedas.' But
how hath this terrible calamity overtaken us! Whom shall I take with me?
As I am deprived of judgment what should I do that is consistent with
duty? I do not see, by the exercise of my own judgment, the escape of my
children from the fire!'
"Vaisampayana said, 'Unto their mother indulging in these lamentations,
the infant ones said. 'O mother, relinquishing your affection for us, go
thou to a place where there is no fire. If we are killed here, thou
mayest have other children born to thee. If thou, O mother be killed, we
can have no more children in our race. Reflecting upon both these
calamities, the time hath come for thee, O mother, to do that which is
beneficial to our race. Do not be influenced by affection for thy
offspring, which promises to destroy both us and thee. If you savest
thyself, our father, who is even desirous of winning regions of felicity,
may have his wishes gratified.'
"Hearing what the infants said. Jarita replied, 'There is a hole here in
the ground near to this tree, belonging to a mouse. Enter this hole
without loss of time. You shall have then no fear of fire. After the have
entered it, I shall, the children, cover its mouth with dust. This is the
only means of escape that I see from the blazing fire. Then when the fire
will be put out, I shall return hither to remove the dust. Follow my
advice if you are to escape from the conflagration.'
"The infant birds replied, 'Without feathers we are but so many balls of
flesh. If we enter the hole, certain it is that the carnivorous mouse
will destroy us all. Beholding this danger before us, we cannot enter
this hole. Alas, we do not see any means by which we may escape from the
fire or from the mouse. We do not see how our father's act of procreation
may be prevented from becoming futile, and how also our mother may be
saved. If we enter the hole, the mouse will destroy us; we remain where
we are and the sky-ranging fire will destroy us. Reflecting upon both the
calamities, a death by fire is preferable to a death by being eaten up.
If we are devoured by the mouse within the hole, that death is certainly
ignoble, whereas the destruction of the body in fire is approved by the
wise.'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 1 : UPA-PARVA 232 ---------------------
