________________
I PRAPATHAKA, 4.
289
growing and decaying. And what of these? There are other great ones, mighty wielders of bows, rulers of empires, Sudyumna, Bhūridyumna, Indradyumna, Kuvalayâsva, Yauvanâsva, Vadhryasva, Asvapati , Sasabindu, Hariskandra, Ambarisha”, Nahusha, Anânata, Saryâti, Yayâti, Anaranya 3, Ukshasena 4, &c., and kings such as Marutta, Bharata (Daushyanti), and others, who before the eyes of their whole family surrendered the greatest happiness, and passed on from this world to that. And what of these? There are other great ones. We see the destruction of Gandharvas, Asuras 6, Yakshas, Râkshasas, Bhūtas, Ganas, Pisâkas, snakes, and vampires. And what of these? There is the drying up of other great oceans, the falling of mountains, the moving of the pole-star, the cutting of the windropes (that hold the stars), the submergence of the earth, and the departure of the gods (suras) from their place. In such a world as this, what is the use of the enjoyment of pleasures, if he who has fed' on them is seen to return (to this world) again
1 M. carries on asvapatisasabinduhariskandrâmbarîsha. .? After Ambarîsha, M. reads Nabhushananutusayyâtiyayâtyanaranyâkshasenâdayo. Nahusha (Naghusha ?) is the father of Saryati; Nâbhâga, the father of Ambarîsha. These names are so carelessly written that even the commentator says that the text is either khândasa or prâmâdika. Anânata is a mere conjecture. It occurs as the name of a Rishi in Rig-veda IX, 111.
3 Anaranya, mentioned in the Mahâbhârata, I, 230. 4 M. reads anaranyâkshasena. 6 M. and m. read nirodhanam.
6 M. adds Apsarasas. * M. and m. read âsritasya, but the commentator explains asitasya.
8 Here we have the Maitrayana Sandhi, drisyatâ iti, instead of drisyata iti; see von Schroeder, Maitrầyanî Samhitâ, p. xxvii. M. and m. read drisyata.
.
[15]
Digitized by
Digitized by Google
