SECTION CCCXXVIII
"Bhishma said, 'Having heard these words of king Janaka, Suka of cleansed
soul and settled conclusions began to stay in his Soul by his Soul,
having of course seen Self by Self.[1746] His object being accomplished,
he became happy and tranquil, and without putting further questions to
Janaka, he proceeded northwards to the mountains of Himavat with the
speed of the wind and like the wind.[1747] These mountains abounded with
diverse tribes of Apsaras and echoed with many lofty sounds. Teeming with
thousands of Kinnaras and Bhringarajas[1748] it was adorned, besides,
with many Madgus and Khanjaritas and many Jivajivakas of variegated hue.
And there were many peacocks also of gorgeous colours, uttering their
shrill but melodious cries. Many bevies of swans also, and many flights
of gladdened Kokilas too, adorned the place. The prince of birds, viz.,
Garuda, dwelt on that summit constantly. The four Regents of the world,
the deities, and diverse classes of Rishis, used always to come there
from the desire of doing good to the world. It was there that the
high-souled Vishnu had undergone the severest austerities for the object
of obtaining a son. It was there that the celestial generalissimo named
Kumara, in his younger days, disregarding the three worlds with all the
celestial denizens, threw down his dart, piercing the Earth therewith.
Throwing down his dart, Skanda addressing the universe, said,--If there
be any person that is superior to me in might, or that holds Brahmanas to
be dearer, or that can compare with me in devotion to the Brahmanas and
the Vedas, or that is possessed of energy like unto me, let him draw up
this dart or at least shake it!--Hearing this challenge, the three worlds
become filled with anxiety, and all creatures asked one another,
saying,--Who will raise this dart?--Vishnu beheld all the deities and
Asuras and Rakshasas to be troubled in their senses and mind. He
reflected upon what should be the best to be done under the
circumstances. Without being able to bear that challenge in respect of
the hurling of the dart, he cast his eyes on Skanda, the son of the
Fire-god. The pure-souled Vishnu caught hold of the blazing dart, with
his left hand, and began to shake it. When the dart was being thus shaken
by Vishnu possessed of great might, the whole Earth with her mountains,
forests, and seas, shook with the dart. Although Vishnu was fully
competent to raise the dart, still he contented himself with only shaking
it. In this, the puissant lord only kept the honour of Skanda intact.
Having shaken it himself, the divine Vishnu, addressing Prahlada,
said,--Behold the might of Kumara! None else in the universe can raise
this dart! Unable to bear this, Prahlada resolved to raise the dart. He
seized it, but was unable to shake it at all, Uttering a loud cry, he
fell down on the hill-top in a swoon. Indeed, the son of Hiranya-kasipu
fell down on the Earth. Repairing towards the northern side of those
grand mountains, Mahadeva, having the bull for his sign, had undergone
the austerest penances. The asylum where Mahadeva had undergone those
austerities is encompassed on all sides with a blazing fire.
Unapproachable by persons of uncleansed souls, that mountain is known by
the name of Aditya. There is a fiery girdle all around it, of the width
of ten Yojanas, and it is incapable of being approached by Yakshas and
Rakshasas and Danavas. The illustrious god of Fire, possessed of mighty
energy, dwells there in person employed in removing all impediments from
the side of Mahadeva of great wisdom who remained there for a thousand
celestial years, all the while standing on one foot. Dwelling on the side
of that foremost of mountains, Mahadeva of high vows (by his penances)
scorched the deities greatly.[1749] At the foot of those mountains, in a
retired spot, Parasara's son of great ascetic merit, viz., Vyasa, taught
the Vedas unto his disciples. Those disciples were the highly blessed
Sumantra, Vaisampayana, Jaimini of great wisdom, and Paila of great
ascetic merit. Suka proceeded to that delightful asylum where his sire,
the great ascetic Vyasa, was dwelling, surrounded by his disciples.
Seated in his asylum, Vyasa beheld his son approach like a blazing fire
of scattered flames, or resembling the sun himself in effulgence. As Suka
approached, he did not seem to touch the trees or the rocks of the
mountain. Completely dissociated from all objects of the senses, engaged
in Yoga, the high-souled ascetic came, resembling, in speed, a shaft let
from a bow. Born on the fire-sticks, Suka, approaching, his sire, touched
his feet. With becoming formalities he then accosted the disciples of his
sire. With great cheerfulness he then detailed to his father all the
particulars of his conversation with king Janaka. Vyasa the son of
Parasara, after the arrival of his puissant son, continued to dwell there
on the Himavat engaged in teaching his disciples and his son. One day as
he was seated, his disciples, all well-skilled in the Vedas, having their
senses under control, and endued with tranquil souls, sat themselves
around him. All of them had thoroughly mastered the Vedas with their
branches. All of them were observant of penances. With joined hands they
addressed their preceptor in the following words.
"The disciples said, We have, through thy grace, been endued with great
energy. Our fame also has spread. There is one favour that we humbly
solicit thee to grant us. Hearing these words of theirs, the regenerate
Rishi answered them, saying, "Ye sons, tell me what that boon is which ye
wish I should grant you! Hearing this answer of their preceptor, the
disciples became filled with joy. Once more bowing their heads low unto
their preceptor and joining their hands, all of them in one voice said, O
king, these excellent words: If our preceptor has been pleased with us,
then, O best of sages, we are sure to be crowned with success! We all
solicit thee, O great Rishi, to grant us a boon. Be thou inclined to be
graceful to us. Let no sixth disciple (besides us five) succeed in
attaining to fame! We are four. Our preceptor's son forms the fifth. Let
the Vedas shine in only as five! Even this is the boon that we
solicit;--Hearing these words of his disciples, Vyasa, the son of
Parasara, possessed of great intelligence, well-conversant with the
meaning of the Vedas, endued with a righteous soul, and always engaged in
thinking of objects that confer benefits on a person in the world
hereafter, said unto his disciples these righteous words fraught with
great benefit: The Vedas should always be given unto him who is a
Brahmana, or unto him who is desirous of listening to Vedic instructions,
by him who eagerly wishes to attain a residence in the region of Brahman!
Do ye multiply, Let the Vedas spread (through your exertions). The Vedas
should never be imparted unto one that has not formally become a
disciple. Nor should they be given unto one who is not observant of good
vows. Nor should they be given for dwelling in one that is of uncleansed
soul. These should be known as the proper qualifications of persons that
can be accepted as disciples (for the communication of Vedic knowledge).
No science should be imparted unto one without a proper examination of
one's character, as pure gold is tested by heat, cutting and rubbing,
after the same manner disciples should be tested by their birth and
accomplishments. Ye should never set your disciples to tasks to which
they should not be set, or to tasks that are fraught with danger. One's
knowledge is always commensurate with one's understanding and diligence
in study. Let all disciples conquer all difficulties, and let all of them
meet with auspicious success. Ye are competent to lecture on the
scriptures unto persons of all the orders. Only ye should, while
lecturing, address a Brahmana, placing him in the van. These are the
rules in respect of the study of the Vedas. This again is regarded as a
high task. The Vedas were created by the Self-born for the purpose of
praising the deities therewith. That man who, through stupefaction of
intellect, speaks ill of a Brahmana well-conversant with the Vedas, is
certain to meet with humiliation in consequence of such evil-speaking. He
who disregarding all righteous rules, solicits knowledge, and he who,
disregarding the rules of righteousness, communicates knowledge, either
of them falls off and instead of that affection which should prevail
between preceptor and disciple, such, questioning and such communication
are sure to produce distrust and suspicion. I have now told ye everything
about the way in which the Vedas should be studied and taught. Ye should
act in this way towards your disciples, bearing these instructions in
your minds.'"
