SECTION XII
"Salya said, 'Seeing Nahusha enraged, the gods led by the saints spoke
unto him, 'Who was now their king of awful mien? O king of gods, quit thy
wrath. When you are in wrath, O lord, the Universe, with its Asuras and
Gandharvas, its Kinnaras, and great snakes, quaketh. Quit this wrath,
thou righteous being. Persons like you do not put themselves out. That
goddess is another person's wife. Be pacified, O lord of gods! Turn back
thy inclination from the sin of outraging another's wife. Thou are the
king of gods, prosperity to thee! Protect your subjects in all
righteousness?' So addressed, he heeded not the saying rendered senseless
by lust. And the king spoke to the gods, in allusion to Indra, 'Ahalya of
spotless fame, the wife of a saint, was outraged by Indra while her
husband was alive. Why did the not prevent him? Many were the deeds of
inhumanity, of unrighteousness, of deceit, committed by Indra in former
times. Why did the not prevent him? Let the goddess do my pleasure; that
would be her permanent good. And so the same will ever more rebound to
your safety, the gods!'
"The gods said, 'We shall bring to you the queen of Indra even as thou
hast laid the command, 'O lord of heaven! Quit this wrath, you valiant
soul! Be pacified, O lord of gods!'
"Salya continued, 'Thus having spoken to him, the gods with the saint
went to inform Vrihaspati and the queen of Indra of the said news. And
they said, 'We know, O foremost of Brahmanas, that the queen of Indra
hath betaken herself to your house, for protection, and that you hast
promised her protection, O best of divine saints! But we, the gods and
Gandharvas and saints, beseech thee, O you of great lustre, to give up
the queen of Indra to Nahusha. Nahusha, the king of gods, of great
effulgence, is superior to Indra. Let her, that lady of choice figure and
complexion, choose him as her lord!' Thus addressed, the goddess gave
vent to tears; and sobbing audibly, she mourned in piteous accents. And
she spoke to Vrihaspati, 'O best of divine saints, I do not desire
Nahusha to be my lord. I have betaken myself to your protection, O
Brahmana! Deliver me from this great peril!'
"Vrihaspati said, 'My resolution is this, I shall not abandon one that
hath sought my protection. O you of unblamable life, I shall not abandon
thee, virtuous as you are and of a truthful disposition! I do not desire
to do an improper act, specially as I am a Brahmana knowing what
righteousness is, having a regard for truth, and aware also of the
precepts of virtue. I shall never do it. Go your ways, the best of gods.
Hear what hath formerly been sung by Brahma with regard to the matter at
hand. He that delivereth up to a foe of a person terrified and asking for
protection obtaineth no protection when he himself is in need of it. His
seed doth not grow at seed-time and rain doth not come to him in the
season of rains. He that delivereth up to a foe a person terrified and
asking for protection never succeedeth in anything that he undertaketh;
senseless as he is, he droppeth paralysed from heaven; the god refuse
offerings made by him. His progeny die an untimely death and his
forefathers always quarrel (among themselves). The gods with Indra and
their head dart the thunderbolt at him. Know it to be so, I shall not
deliver up this Sachi here, the queen of Indra, famous in the world as
his favourite consort. O the best of gods, what may be for both her good
and mine I ask you to do. Sachi I shall never deliver up!'
"Salya continued, 'Then the gods and the Gandharvas said these words to
the preceptor of the gods, 'O Vrihaspati, deliberate upon something that
may be conformable to sound policy!' Vrihaspati said, 'Let this goddess
of auspicious looks ask for time from Nahusha in order to make up her
mind to his proposal. This will be for the good of Indra's queen, and of
us as well. Time, the gods, may give rise to many impediments. Time will
send time onward. Nahusha is proud and powerful by virtue of the boon
granted to him!'
"Salya continued, 'Vrihaspati having spoken so, the gods, delighted then
said, 'Well hast you said, O Brahmana. This is for the good of all the
gods. It is no doubt so. Only, let this goddess be propitiated.' Then the
assembled gods led by Agni, with a view to the welfare of all the worlds,
spoke to Indra's queen in a quiet way. And the gods said, 'Thou art
supporting the whole universe of things mobile and immobile. Thou art
chaste and true: go you to Nahusha. That vicious being, lustful after
thee, will shortly fall: and Indra, O goddess, will get the sovereignty
of the gods!' Ascertaining this to be the result of that deliberation,
Indra's queen, for attaining her end, went bashfully to Nahusha of awful
mien. The vicious Nahusha also, rendered senseless by lust, saw how
youthful and lovely she was, and became highly pleased.'
--------------------END OF PARVA 5 : UPA-PARVA 12 ---------------------
