SECTION LVIII
"Vaisampayana said, 'Utanka, coming back to king Saudasa who was always
well-disposed towards all his friends, solicited him for some sign (to
convince Madayanti of the fact of his being really commissioned by the
king). That foremost one of Ikshwaku's race then gave him a sign.'
"Saudasa said, 'This my present condition is intolerable. I do not behold
any refuge. Knowing this to be my wish, do thou give away the jewelled
ear-rings.'[172] Thus addressed by the king, Utanka went back to the
queen and reported to her the words of her lord. Hearing those words, the
queen gave unto Utanka her jewelled ear-rings. Having obtained the
ear-rings, Utanka came back to the king and said unto him, 'I desire to
hear, O monarch, what the import is of those mysterious words Which thou
saidst as a sign to thy queen.'
"Saudasa said, 'Kshatriyas are seen to honour the Brahmanas from the very
beginning of the creation. Towards the Brahmanas, however, many offences
arise (on the part of Kshatriyas). As regards myself, I am always bent in
humility before them. I am overtaken by a calamity through a Brahmana.
Possessed of Madayanti, I do not see any other refuge. Indeed, O foremost
of all persons having of a high goal, I do not behold any other refuge
for myself in the matter of approaching the gates of Heaven, or in
continuing here, O best of regenerate ones. It is impossible for a king
that is hostile to Brahmanas to continue living in this world or in
attaining to happiness in the next. Hence have I given thee these my
jewelled ear-rings which were coveted by thee.[173] Do thou now keep the
compact which thou hast made with me today.'
"Utanka said, 'O king, I shall certainly act according to my promise. I
shall truly come back and place myself under thy power. There is,
however, a question, O scorcher of foes, which I wish to ask thee.'
"Saudasa said, 'Say, O learned Brahmana, what is in thy mind. I shall
certainly reply unto thy words. I shall dispel whatever doubt may be in
thy mind. I have no hesitation in this.'
"Utanka said, 'Those who are skilled in the rules of duty say that
Brahmanas are of restrained speech. One who behaves wrongly towards
friends is regarded as vile as a thief.'[174] Thou, again, O king, hast
become my friend today. Do thou then, O foremost of men, give me such
counsel as is approved by the wise. As regards myself, I have now
obtained the fruition of my wishes. Thou, again, art a cannibal. Is it
proper for me to come back to thee or not?'
"Saudasa said, 'If it is proper (for me), O foremost of superior
Brahmanas, to say what thou askest, I should then, O best of regenerate
ones, tell thee that thou shouldst never come back to me. O perpetuator
of Bhrigu's race, by acting even thus, thou wilt attain to what is
beneficial to thee. If thou comest back, O learned Brahmana, thou wilt
surely meet with death.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus addressed by the intelligent king in
respect of what was beneficial for him. Utanka took leave of the monarch
and set out for the presence of Ahalya. Desirous of doing what was
agreeable to the wife of his preceptor, he took the ear-rings with him
and set out with great speed for reaching the retreat of Gautama.
Protecting them even in the manner directed by Madayanti, that is,
binding them within the folds of his black deer-skin, he proceeded on his
way. After he had proceeded for some distance, he became afflicted by
hunger. He there beheld a Vilwa tree bent down with the weight of (ripe)
fruits.[175] He climbed that tree. Causing his deer-skin, O chastiser of
foes, to hang on a branch, that foremost of regenerate persons then began
to pluck some fruits. While he was employed in plucking those fruits with
eyes directed towards them, some of them fell, O king, on that deerskin
in which those ear-rings had been carefully tied by that foremost of
Brahmanas. With the strokes of the fruits, the knot became untied.
Suddenly that deer-skin, with the ear-rings in it, fell down. When the
knot being unfastened, the deer-skin fell down on the ground, a snake who
was there beheld those jewelled ear-rings. That snake belonged to the
race of Airavata. With great promptness he took up the ear-rings in his
mouth and then entered an anthill. Beholding the ear-rings taken away by
that snake, Utanka, filled with wrath and in great anxiety of mind, came
down from the tree. Taking his staff he began to pierce that anthill.
That best of Brahmanas, burning with wrath and the desire for revenge,
ceaselessly employed himself for five and thirty days in that task. The
goddess Earth, unable to bear the force of Utanka's walking staff and
with body torn therewith, became exceedingly anxious. Unto that
regenerate Rishi then, who continued to dig the Earth from desire of
making a path to the nether regions inhabited by the Nagas, the chief of
the celestials, armed with the thunder, came there, on his car drawn by
green horses. Endued with great energy, he beheld that foremost of
Brahmanas, as he sat there engaged in his task.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Assuming the garb of a Brahmana afflicted with
the sorrow of Utanka, the chief of the celestials addressed him, saying,
'This (purpose of thine) is incapable of being achieved. The regions of
the Nagas are thousands of Yojanas removed from this place. I think that
thy purpose is not capable of being achieved with thy walking staff.'
"Utanka said, 'If, O Brahmana, the ear-rings be not recovered by me from
the regions of the Nagas, I shall cast off my life-breaths before thy
eyes, O foremost of regenerate persons!'
"Vaisampayana said, 'When the thunder-armed Indra failed to divert Utanka
from his purpose, he united the latter's walking staff with the force of
thunder. Then, O Janamejaya, the Earth, opening with those strokes having
the force of thunder, yielded a way to the (nether) regions inhabited by
the Nagas. By that path Utanka entered the world of Nagas. He saw that
that region lay extended thousands of Yojanas on all sides. Indeed, O
blessed one, it was equipt with many walls made of pure gold and decked
with jewels and gems. There were many fine tanks of water furnished with
flights of stair-cases made of pure crystal, and many rivers of clear and
transparent water. He saw also many trees with diverse species of birds
perching on them. That perpetuator of Bhrigu's race behold the gate of
that region which was full five Yojanas high and a hundred Yojanas in
width. Beholding the region of the Nagas, Utanka became very cheerless.
Indeed, he, despaired of getting back the earrings. Then there appeared
unto him a black steed with a white tail. His face and eyes were of a
coppery hue, O thou of Kuru's race, and he seemed to blaze forth with
energy. Addressing Utanka, he said, 'Do thou blow into the Apana duct of
my body. Thou wilt then, O learned Brahmana, get back thy ear-rings which
have been taken away by a descendant of Airavata's race! Do not loathe to
do my bidding, O son. Thou didst it often at the retreat of Gautama in
former days.'
"Utanka said, 'How did I know thee in the retreat of my preceptor?
Indeed, I wish to hear how I did in those days what thou biddest me do
now.'
"The steed said, 'Know, O learned Brahmana, that I am the preceptor of
thy preceptor, for I am the blazing Jatavedas (deity of fire). By thee I
was often worshipped for the sake of thy preceptor, O child of Bhrigu's
race, duly and with a pure heart and body. For that reason I shall
accomplish what is for thy good. Do my bidding without delay.' Thus
addressed by the deity of fire, Utanka did as he was directed. The deity
then, gratified with him, blazed up for consuming everything. From the
pores of his body, O Bharata, in consequence of his very nature, a thick
smoke issued threatening terrors to the world of Nagas. With that mighty
and wide-spreading smoke, O Bharata, everything became enveloped in
gloom, so that nothing, O king, could any longer be seen in the world of
the Nagas. Cries of woe were heard throughout the mansions of the
Airavatas, uttered by the Nagas headed by Vasuki, O Janamejaya. Enveloped
by that smoke, the palaces could no longer be seen, O Bharata. These
resembled woods and hill overwhelmed by a thick forest. With eyes that
were red in consequence of that smoke, and afflicted by the energy of the
deity of fire, the Nagas came out of their mansions to the high-souled
son of Bhrigu's race for ascertaining what was the matter. Having heard
what the matter was from that ascetic of immeasurable energy, all the
Nagas, with fear depicted on their eyes, offered him their worship
according to due forms. Indeed, all the Nagas placing the old and the
young one's before them, bowed unto him with their heads and joining
their hands addressed him, saying, 'Be gratified with us, O holy one!'
Having gratified that Brahmana and offered him water to wash his feet and
the ingredients of the Arghya (for honouring him), the Nagas gave him
those celestial and highly-adored ear-rings. Thus honoured by them,
Utanka of great prowess, circumambulating the deity of fire, started for
the retreat of his preceptor. Indeed, repairing quickly to Gautama's
asylum, O king, he presented those ear-rings unto the wife of his
preceptor, O sinless one. That best of Brahmanas also told his preceptor
everything about Vasuki and the other Nagas that had occurred. It was
even thus, O Janamejaya, that the high-souled Utanka, having wandered
through the three worlds, fetched those jewelled ear-rings (for his
preceptor's wife). Of such prowess, O chief of Bharata's race, was the
ascetic Utanka. So austere were the penances with which he was endued. I
have thus told thee what thou hadst asked me.'"
