SECTION CCCXXV
"Bhishma said. 'The son of Satyavati having obtained this high boon from
the great God, was one day employed in rubbing his sticks for making a
fire. While thus engaged, the illustrious Rishi, O king, beheld the
Apsara Ghritachi, who, in consequence of her energy, was then possessed
of great beauty. Beholding the Apsara in those woods, the illustrious
Rishi Vyasa, O Yudhishthira, became suddenly smitten with desire. The
Apsara (Ghritachi), seeing the Rishi's heart troubled by desire,
transformed herself into a she-parrot and came to that spot. Although he
beheld the Apsara disguised in another form, the desire that had arisen
in the Rishi's heart (without disappearing) spread itself over every part
of his body. Summoning all his patience, the ascetic endeavoured to
suppress that desire; with all his effort, however, Vyasa did not succeed
in controlling his agitated mind. In consequence of the inevitability of
what was to happen, the Rishi's heart was attracted by Ghritachi's fair
form. He set himself more earnestly to the task of making a fire for
suppressing his emotion, but in spite of all his efforts his vital seed
came out. That best of regenerate ones, however, O king, continued to rub
his stick without feeling any scruples for what had happened. From the
seed that fell, was born a son unto him, called Suka. In consequence of
his circumstance attending his birth, he came to be called by name of
Suka. Indeed, it was thus that great ascetic that foremost of Rishis and
highest of Yogins, took birth from the two sticks (his father had for
making fire). As in a sacrifice a blazing fire shed its effulgence all
around when libations of clarified butter are poured upon it, after the
same manner did Suka take his birth, blazing with effulgence in
consequence of his own energy. Assuming the excellent form and complexion
that were his sire, Suka, O son of Kuru, of cleansed Soul, shone like a
smokeless fire. The foremost of rivers, viz., Ganga. O king, coming to
the breast of Meru, in her own embodied form, bathed Suka (after his
birth) with her waters. There fell from the welkin, O son of Kuru, an
ascetic's stick and a dark deer-skin for the use, O monarch, of the
high-souled Suka. The Gandharvas sang repeatedly and the diverse tribes
of Apsaras danced; and celestial kettledrums of loud sound began to beat.
The Gandharva Viswavasu, and Tumvuru and Varada, and those other
Gandharvas called by the names of Haha, and Huhu, eulogised the birth of
Suka. There the regents of the world with Sakra at their head came, as
also the deities and the celestial and the regenerate Rishis. The
Wind-god poured showers of celestial flowers upon the spot. The entire
universe, mobile, and immobile, became, filled with joy. The high-souled
Mahadeva of great effulgence, accompanied by the Goddess, and moved by
affection, came there and soon after the birth of the Muni's son invested
him with the sacred-thread. Sakra, the chief of the gods, gave him, from
affection, a celestial Kamandalu of excellent form, and some celestial
robes. Swans and Satapatras and cranes by thousands, and many parrots and
Chasas, O Bharata, wheeled over his head. Endued with great splendour and
intelligence, Suka, having obtained his birth from the two sticks,
continued to live there, engaged the while in the attentive observance of
many vows and fasts. As soon as Suka was born, the Vedas with all their
mysteries and all their abstracts, came for dwelling in him, O king, even
as they dwell in his sire. For all that, Suka selected Vrihaspati, who
was conversant with all the Vedas together with their branches and
commentaries, for his preceptor, remembering the universal
practice.[1737] Having studied all the Vedas together with all their
mysteries and abstracts, as also all the histories and the science of
government, O puissant monarch, the great ascetic returned home, after
giving his preceptor the tuition fee. Adopting the vow of a Brahmacharin,
he then commenced to practise the austerest penances concentrating all
his attention thereon. In even his childhood, he became an object of
respect with the gods and Rishis for his knowledge and penances. The mind
of the great ascetic, O king, took no pleasure in the three modes of life
with the domestic among them, keeping in view, as he did, the religion of
Emancipation.'"
