SECTION CCLXI
"Bhishma said, 'In this connection is cited the old narrative of the
conversation of Tuladhara with Jajali on the topic of righteousness.
There was once a Brahmana of the name of Jajali who lived in a certain
forest, practising the ways of a forest-recluse.[1137] Of austere
penances, he proceeded on a certain occasion towards the sea-shore, and
having arrived there began to practise the most severe penances.
Observing many vows and restraints, his food regulated by many rules of
fast, his body clad in rags and skins, bearing matted locks on his head
his entire person smeared with filth and clay, that Brahmana possessed of
intelligence passed many years there, suspending speech (and engaged in
Yoga meditation). Possessed of great energy, that regenerate ascetic, O
monarch, while living within the waters (of the sea), roamed through all
the worlds with the speed of the mind, desirous of seeing all
things.[1138] Having beheld the whole earth bounded by the ocean and
adorned with rivers and lakes and woods, the ascetic one day, while
sitting under the water, began to think in this strain, 'In this world of
mobile and immobile creatures there is none equal to me. Who can roam
with me among the stars and planets in the firmament and dwell again
within the waters.' Unseen by the Rakshasas while he repeated this to
himself, the Pisachas said unto him, 'It behoves thee not to say so.
There is a man, named Tuladhara, possessed of great fame and engaged in
the business of buying and selling. Even he, O best of regenerate
persons, is not worthy of saying such words as thou sayest.' Thus
addressed by those beings, Jajali of austere penances replied unto them,
saying, 'I shall see that famous Tuladhara who is possessed of such
wisdom.' When the Rishi said those words, those superhuman beings raised
him from the sea, and said unto him, 'O best of regenerate persons, go
thou along this road.' Thus addressed by those beings, Jajali proceeded
onwards with a cheerless heart. Arrived at Varanasi he met Tuladhara whom
he addressed saying the following words.'
"Yudhishthira said, 'What, O sire, are those difficult feats that Jajali
had performed before in consequence of which he had acquired such high
success? It behoveth thee to describe them to me.'
"Bhishma said, 'Jajali had become engaged in penances of the severest
austerities. He used to perform ablutions morning and evening. Carefully
tending his fires, he was devoted to the study of the Vedas.
Well-conversant with the duties laid down for forest recluses, Jajali (in
consequence of his practices) seemed to blaze with effulgence.[1139] He
continued to live in the woods, engaged all the while in penances. But he
never regarded himself as one that had acquired any merit by his acts. In
the season of the rains he slept under the open sky. In autumn he sat in
water. In summer he exposed himself to the sun and the wind. Still he
never regarded himself as one that had acquired any merit through such
acts. He used to sleep on diverse kinds of painful beds and also on the
bare earth. Once on a time, that ascetic, while standing under the sky in
the rainy season, received on his head repeated downpours from the
clouds. He had to pass through the woods repeatedly. What with exposure
to the rains and what with the filth they caught, the locks of that
sinless Rishi became entangled and intertwined with one another. On one
occasion, that great ascetic, abstaining entirely from food and living
upon air only, stood in the forest like a post of wood. Unmoved at heart,
he stood there, without once stirring an inch. While he stood there like
a wooden post, perfectly immovable, O Bharata, a pair of Kulinga birds, O
king, built their nest on his head. Filled with compassion, the great
Rishi suffered that feathery couple in building their nest among his
matted locks with shreds of grass. And as the ascetic stood there like a
post of wood, the two birds lived with confidence on his head happily.
The rains passed away and autumn came. The couple, urged by desire,
approached each other according to the law of the Creator, and in
complete confidence laid their eggs, O king, on the head of that Rishi.
Of rigid vows and possessed of energy, the ascetic knew it. Knowing what
the birds had done, Jajali moved not. Firmly resolved to acquire merit,
no act that involved the slightest injury to others could recommend
itself to him. The feathery couple going away and moving every day from
and to his head, happily and confidently lived there, O puissant king!
When in the progress of time the eggs became mature and young ones came
out, they began to grow up in that nest, for Jajali moved not in the
least. Firm in the observance of his vows, the righteous-souled Rishi
continued to hold and protect those eggs by standing on that very spot
perfectly motionless and rapt in Yoga meditation. In course of time the
young ones grew and became equipped with wings. The Muni knew that the
young Kulingas had attained to that stage of development. That foremost
of intelligent men, steady in the observance of vows, one day beheld
those young ones and became filled with pleasure. The parent-birds,
seeing their young ones equipped with wings, became very happy and
continued to dwell in the Rishi's head with them in perfect safety. The
learned Jajali saw that when the young birds became equipped with wings
they took to the air every evening and returned to his head without
having proceeded far. He still stood motionless on that spot. Sometimes,
after he saw that, left by their parents, they went out by themselves and
returned again by themselves. Jajali still moved not. A little while
after, the young birds going away in the morning passed the whole day out
of his sight, but came back in the evening for dwelling in the nest.
Sometimes, after that, leaving their nest for five days at a stretch,
they returned on the sixth day. Jajali still moved not. Subsequently,
when their strength became fully developed they left him and returned not
at all even after many days. At last, on one occasion, leaving him, they
came not even after a month. Then, O king, Jajali left that spot. When
they had thus gone away for good, Jajali wondered much, and thought that
he had achieved ascetic success. Then pride entered his heart. Firm in
the observance of vows, the great ascetic, seeing the birds thus leave
him after having been reared on his head, thought highly of himself, and
became filled with delight. He, then, bathed in a stream and poured
libations on the sacred fire, and paid his adorations to the rising Sun
indeed, having thus caused those chataka birds to grow on his head,
Jajali, that foremost of ascetics, began to slap his armpits and proclaim
loudly through the sky, '_I have won great merit_.' Then an invisible
voice arose in the sky and Jajali heard these words, 'Thou art not equal,
O Jajali, to Tuladhara in point of righteousness. Possessed of great
wisdom, that Tuladhara lives at Baranasi. Even he is not fit to say what
thou sayest, O regenerate one.' Hearing these words, Jajali became filled
with wrath, and desirous of meeting Tuladhara, O monarch, began to roam
over the whole earth, observing the vow of silence and passing the night
at that spot where evening overtook him.[1140] After a considerable time
he reached the city of Baranasi, and saw Tuladhara engaged in selling
miscellaneous articles.[1141] As soon as the shop-keeper Tuladhara beheld
the Brahmana arrived at his place, he cheerfully stood up and worshipped
the guest with proper salutations.[1142]
"Tuladhara said, 'Without doubt, O Brahmana, it is known to me that thou
hast come to _me_. Listen, however, O foremost of regenerate persons, to
what I say. Living on a low land near the sea-shore thou underwentest
very austere penances. But thou hadst no consciousness of having achieved
righteousness or merit. When thou didst at last attain to ascetic
success, certain birds were born on thy head. Thou tookest great care of
the little creatures. When at last those birds became equipped with wings
and when they began to leave thy head for going hither and thither in
search of food, it was then that, in consequence of having thus assisted
at the birth of those Chatakas, thou begannest to feel the impulse of
pride, O Brahmana, thinking thou hadst achieved great merit.[1143] Then,
O foremost of regenerate persons, thou heardest in the sky a voice that
referred to me. The words thou didst hear filled thee with wrath, and as
the consequence thereof thou art here. Tell me, what wish of thine I
shall accomplish, O best of Brahmanas!'"
