SECTION 52
Janamejaya said, "Why, O regenerate one, did that maiden betake herself
to ascetic penances, in days of old? For what reason did she practise
penances, and what was her vow? Unrivalled and fraught with mystery is
the discourse that I have already heard from thee! Tell me (now) all the
particulars in detail regarding how that maid engaged herself in
penances."
Vaishampayana said, "There was a rishi of abundant energy and great fame,
named Kuni-Garga. That foremost of ascetics, having practised the
austerest of penances, O king, created a fair-browed daughter by a fiat
of his will. Beholding her, the celebrated ascetic Kuni-Garga became
filled with joy. He abandoned his body, O king, and then went to heaven.
That faultless and amiable and fair-browed maiden, meanwhile, of eyes
like lotus petals continued to practise severe and very rigid penances.
She worshipped the pitris and the gods with fasts. In the practice of
such severe penances a long period elapsed. Though her sire had been for
giving her away to a husband, she yet did not wish for marriage, for she
did not see a husband that could be worthy of her.
Continuing to emaciate her body with austere penances, she devoted
herself to the worship of the pitris and the gods in that solitary
forest. Although engaged in such toil, O monarch, and although she
emaciated herself by age and austerities, yet she regarded herself happy.
At last when she (became very old so that she) could no longer move even
a single step without being aided by somebody, she set her heart upon
departing for the other world.
Beholding her about to cast off her body, Narada said unto her, 'O
sinless one, you hast no regions of blessedness to obtain in consequence
of your not having cleansed thyself by rite of marriage! O you of great
vows, we have heard this in heaven! Great hath been your ascetic
austerities, but you hast no claim to regions of blessedness!'
Hearing these words of Narada, the old lady went to a concourse of rishis
and said, 'I shall give him half my penances who will accept my hand in
marriage!' After she had said those words, Galava's son, a rishi, known
by the name of Sringavat, accepted her hand, having proposed this compact
to her, 'With this compact, O beautiful lady, I shall accept your hand,
that you shalt live with me for only one night!' Having agreed to that
compact, she gave him her hand.
Indeed, Galava's son, according to the ordinances laid down and having
duly poured libations on the fire, accepted her hand and married her. On
that night, she became a young lady of the fairest complexion, robed in
celestial attire and decked in celestial ornaments and garlands and
smeared with celestial unguents and perfumes. Beholding her blazing with
beauty, Galava's son became very happy and passed one night in her
company.
At morn she said unto him, 'The compact, O brahmana, I had made with
thee, hath been fulfilled, O foremost of ascetics! Blessed be thou, I
shall now leave thee!' After obtaining his permission, she once more
said, 'He that will, with rapt attention, pass one night in this tirtha
after having gratified the denizens of heaven with oblations of water,
shall obtain that merit which is his who observes the vow of brahmacarya
for eight and fifty years!' Having said these words, that chaste lady
departed for heaven.
The Rishi, her lord, became very cheerless, by dwelling upon the memory
of her beauty. In consequence of the compact he had made, he accepted
with difficulty half her penances. Casting off his body he soon followed
her, moved by sorrow, O chief of Bharata's race, and forced to it by her
beauty.
Even this is the glorious history of the old maid that I have told thee!
Even this is the account of her brahmacarya and her auspicious departure
for heaven. While there Baladeva heard of the slaughter of Shalya. Having
made presents unto the brahmanas there, he gave way to grief, O scorcher
of his foes, for Shalya who had been slain by the Pandavas in battle.
Then he of Madhu's race, having come out of the environs of
Samantapanchaka, enquired of the rishis about the results of the battle
at Kurukshetra. Asked by that lion of Yadu's race about the results of
the battle at Kurukshetra, those high-souled ones told him everything as
it had happened."
--------------------END OF PARVA 9 : UPA-PARVA 52 ---------------------
