SECTION CCXXIII
"Yudhishthira said, 'Tell me, O grandsire, by adopting what sort of
intelligence may a monarch, who has been divested of prosperity and
crushed by Time's heavy bludgeon, still live on this earth.'
"Bhishma said, 'In this connection is cited the old narrative of the
discourse between Vasava and Virochana's son, Vali. One day Vasava, after
having subjugated all the Asuras, repaired to the Grandsire and joining
his hands bowed to him and enquired after the whereabouts of Vali. Tell
me, O Brahman, where I may now find that Vali whose wealth continued
undiminished even though he used to give it away as lavishly as he
wished. He was the god of wind. He was Varuna. He was Surya. He was Soma.
He was Agni that used to warm all creatures. He became water (for the use
of all). I do not find where he now is. Indeed, O Brahman, tell me where
I may find Vali now. Formerly, it was he who used to illumine all the
points of the compass (as Surya) and to set (when evening came). Casting
off idleness, it was he who used to pour rain upon all creatures at the
proper season. I do not now see that Vali. Indeed, tell me, O Brahmana,
where I may find that chief of the Asuras now.'
"Brahman said, 'It is not becoming in thee, O Maghavat, to thus enquire
after Vali now. One should not, however, speak an untruth when one is
questioned by another. For this reason, I shall tell thee the whereabouts
of Vali. O lord of Sachi, Vali may now have taken his birth among camels
or bulls or asses or horses, and having become the foremost of his
species may now be staying in an empty apartment.'
"Sakra said, 'If, O Brahman, I happen to meet with Vali in an empty
apartment, shall I slay him or spare him? Tell me how I shall act.'
"Brahman said, 'Do not, O Sakra, injure Vali, Vali does not deserve
death. Thou shouldst, on the other hand, O Vasava, solicit instruction
from him about morality, O Sakra, as thou pleasest.'
"Bhishma continued, 'Thus addressed by the divine Creator, Indra roamed
over the earth, seated on the back of Airavata and attended by
circumstances of great splendour. He succeeded in meeting with Vali, who,
as the Creator had said, was living in an empty apartment clothed in the
form of an ass.'
"Sakra said, 'Thou art now, O Danava, born as an ass subsisting on chaff
as thy food. This thy order of birth is certainly a low one. Dost thou or
dost thou not grieve for it? I see what I had never seen before, viz.,
thyself brought under the sway of thy enemies, divested of prosperity and
friends, and shorn of energy and prowess. Formerly, thou used to make
progress through the worlds with thy train consisting of thousands of
vehicles and thousands of kinsmen, and to move along, scorching everybody
with thy splendour and counting us as nought. The Daityas, looking up to
thee as their protector, lived under thy sway. Through thy power, the
earth used to yield crops without waiting for tillage. Today, however, I
behold thee overtaken by this dire calamity. Dost thou or dost thou not
indulge in grief for this? When formerly thou usedst, with pride
reflected in thy face, to divide on the eastern shores of the ocean thy
vast wealth among thy kinsmen, what was the state of thy mind then?
Formerly, for many years, when blazing with splendour, thou usedst to
sport, thousands of celestial damsels used to dance before thee. All of
them were adorned with garlands of lotuses and all had companions bright
as gold. What, O lord of Danavas, was the state of thy mind then and what
is it now? Thou hadst a very large umbrella made of gold and adorned with
jewels and gems. Full two and forty thousand Gandharvas used in those
days to dance before thee.[835] In thy sacrifices thou hadst a stake that
was very large and made entirely of gold. On such occasions thou wert to
give away millions upon millions of kine. What, O Daitya, was the state
of thy mind then? Formerly, engaged in sacrifice, thou hadst gone round
the whole earth, following the rule of the hurling of the Samya: What was
the state of thy mind then?[836] I do not now behold that golden jar of
thine, nor that umbrella of thine, nor those fans. I behold not also, O
king of the Asuras, that garland of thine which was given to thee by the
Grandsire.'
"Vali said, 'Thou seest not now, O Vasava, my jar and umbrella and fans.
Thou seest not also my garland, that gift of the Grandsire. Those
precious possessions of mine about which thou askest are now buried in
the darkness of a cave. When my time comes again, thou wilt surely behold
them again. This conduct of thine, however, does not become thy fame or
birth. Thyself in prosperity, thou desirest to mock me that am sunk in
adversity. They that have acquired wisdom, and have won contentment
therefrom, they that are of tranquil souls, that are virtuous and good
among creatures, never grieve in misery nor rejoice in happiness. Led,
however, by a vulgar intelligence, thou indulgest in brag, O Purandara!
When thou shalt become like me thou shalt not then indulge in speeches
like these.'"
