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76
Mahapuraanam
Having drunk the water of the lakes, the elephants, filled with their own water of pride, were enraged by the sun's rays. The wise ones, fearing the resistance caused by the waves of their hands, quickly left the lakes. ||144||
The keepers, wanting to cleanse the elephants, stained with the mud of pride, entered the water of the lakes. But they could not make them enter the water. They only wanted to give them water, but even after much persuasion, they were unable to give even water to the elephants standing on the shore. Meaning - The intoxicated elephants neither entered the water nor drank it. ||145||
The intoxicated elephants did not drink the water that was easily available to them without any effort, nor did they pluck anything from the trees on the shore, nor did they rest in the shade of the trees. Alas, this pride never does good to the soul. ||146||
It is not that these elephants, being heavy-bodied, did not travel quickly. They did travel quickly even though they were heavy. They never committed any offense in battle, and they are the most capable of carrying burdens. Yet, they had to be bound only because of their fickleness. Therefore, let this fickleness be cursed. ||147||
"Why are you binding us like this without any offense? Know this, O masters, that this will soon bring you retribution." Thus, the elephants, shaking their heads, were clearly showing their anger towards the keepers by throwing their ankushas upwards. ||148||
The elephants, who were destroyers of living beings, were tied with ropes around their bodies, their trunks, and their tails. The strong ropes of the Sindhu river were not able to bind them tightly, for their unrestrained nature was not bound by any bond. ||149||
They had come near, but even though their place of binding was fixed, they were unaware of it due to the excessive joy arising from their play. ||143||