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JANUARY, 1884.]
A LEGEND FROM THE TALAVAKÅRA.
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many obscure passages and allusions in the Smritis and Puranas.
I shall now give the Talavakára version of the legend (ch. I, SS 41-43) word for word, almost, as follows in English:
Now Bhrigu Varuna's son was a student. He thought himself better than his father, than the gods, than other Brahmans not students. But Varuna beheld (him): “Why is my son utterly without discernment? I must teach him!" He took his breath away, then he, freed from darkness and from limits, went to the other world. He went on in that world. One having cut up a man ate him. He said : "Can this be P How is this P" They said to him: "Ask (thy) father Varuņa! He will explain this to thee." He went on again. A man devoured a man who was crying out. He said : “ Can this be? How is this P" They said to him ; "Ask (thy) father Varuna! He will explain this to thee!" A third (time) he went on. A man devoured a man who was silent. He said: “Can this be P How is this P" They said: "Ask (thy) father Varuņa! He will explain this to thee!" For the fourth (time) he went on. Two women watched much wealth. He said: "Can this be P How is this P” They said: "Ask (thy) father Varuņa! He will explain this to thee!" For the fifth (time) he went on. (He saro) a red woman and a yellow woman both stretching out (their) arms. As for the red woman, a black, naked man with a club, watched her. As for the yellow woman, golden men with golden pots, were raising her up all her wishes. He said: “Can this be P How is this?" They said: "Ask (thy) father Varuna! He will explain this to thee!" For the sixth (time) he went on. (He sau) five rivers, abounding in blue and white lotus flowers, flowing with sweet water. In them were bands of Apearases, the sound of lutes and singing and dancing, a delightful smell, (and) a great sound. He said : "Can this be P How is this P” They said: "Ask (thy) father Varuņa! He will explain this to thee!" || 41 ||
He then met Varuņa in an open place; he said to him : "Father, I am come !" "Son ! didst thou see P" "Father! I saw." "What ? son !" "A man cut down a man and ate him." He replied: "Yes, those who do not under stand rightly and do not offer the agnihotra in this world, but) cut down plants, and use them as fuel, them the plants, in human form, dovour in return in that world." "What avoidance is there for that? When one puts on fuel to the sacred fire) for it, that is avoidance of it, by that it is evaded." "What
next P" "A man ate a man who was crying out." "Yes," he said: "those who in this world do not rightly understand and do not offer the agnihotra, (but) cook animals for themselves, them the animals in human form devour in retorn in that world." "What avoidance is there for that P" "If one offers the first invocation by the voice, that is the avoidance of it; by that it is evaded." "What thirdly P" "A man was devouring a man who was silent." “Yes," he said ; "as men who do not offer the agnihôtra or rightly understand, cook in this world for themselves the plants that are silent, so the plants in human form eat them in return in that world." “What avoidance is there of that P” “When one offers the final invocation by the mind, that is avoidance of it; by that it is evaded.” “What fourthly P" "Two women watched much wealth." “ Yes," he said : "they were Belief and Disbelief. Those who in this world offer the agnihotra (but) who do not rightly understand, (and) who sacrifice without faith, it (goes to) Disbelief, those who have faith, it (goes to Belief." " What avoidance of it is there P" "If one tastes for them (the mille) twice by means of a finger, that is avoidance of it; by that it is evaded." || 42 |
“What fifthly P" “ (I saw) a red woman and & fair woman stretching out their arms. As for the red woman, her a black naked man with a club watched. But as for the fair woman, golden men with golden pots raised her up all her wishes." "Yes," he said : “ those who don't offer the Agnihotra in this world, and don't understand rightly, press out Brahmana' blood; that is the red woman. But the black naked man with a club who watched her is Wrath; she is his Ambrosia." "What avoidance of that is there p" “When one eats (of the offering) by the sruc (wooden spoon), that is its avoidance; it is evaded by that." "Now the water that, having washed that spoon, one pours out to the North, that is the fair woman, for whom golden men with golden pots raised up all her wishes." "What sixthly P" "Five rivers, abounding with blae and white lotus flowers, flowing with sweet water; in them dancing and singing, the sound of lutes, troops of Apsarases, a delightful smell, a great sound." He said: “Yes, those were my regions." "How must I conquer theep" "By what is learned from those) five sights,
