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"254
Annals BORI, LXIX (1988)
In the end we may pote the use of mitradroha. breaking the agreement' in the Mahabharata outside the Kaurava-Păņdava context,
A story is narrated in the Mahābhārata 14. Sif. which involves Todra, king Marutta, Brbaspati Angirasa, and his brother Samvarta. Bphaspati, on one occasion, promises Indra that he will never officiate as a priest in the sacrifice of a mortal.a? Hence, when King Marutta wants to perform a sacrifice, he, on the advice of Nárada, chooses Samvarla as bis priest. When Samvarta asks the king to do something which will sbow his stead fastness to him, the latter takes an oath that he would never leave the king." When Brhaspati, on coming to koow about the sacrifice of Marutta, comes to think about the prosperity that Samvarta would enjoy as a result of his acting as a priest in the sacrifice he becomes jealous of Samvarta. Indra then tries to persuade Marutta, first through Agai, to abandon Samvarta and choose Brbaspati for his priest. Wbco he fails, he makes anothor effort, this time through Gaodbarva Dhstarăştra, to persuade Marutta to part company with Samyarta. The king again refuses to oblige. He at that time says that if he were to leave Samvarta and choose some one else as his priest he would incur tbe sin of mitradroha for which there was no expiation
ivar caivailad veltha purandaraś ca vlßvedevā vasaras cās vinau ca / 1 mitradrohe nişk! tir val yathaiva nāstiti lokeșu sadalva vādah || 14. 10.5
There was no long-standing friendship between Samvarta and Marutta, In fact, they bad just met each other, Heoce if Marutta were to abandon Samvarta, as desired by Indra and Bțbaspati and thereby commit mitradroha this could not be an act of injuring a friend'. The only charge to which be would thereby expose himself was of commiting a breach of contract he had entered into with Samvaria. Hence in this context too mltradroha must be looked upon as a technical term meaning breaking the contract'.
All this is not said to assert tbat mitradruh and mirradroha are never used in the epic to mean who injures a friend and injuriag a friend. "30 All that is intended to convey is that there are a few situations in the Mahabhārata where one finds the use of these expressions meaning who breaks the contract' (adj.), breaking the contract' (D.).
sanāśvasihi devesa nuhani martyāya karhioit/
grahisyami sruvam yajne .. Mbh, 14. 5. 24. 18 Sthairyam atra katham te syāt sa tvari nihsansayar kuru / Mbb. 14.7.21. 30 yavat tapet sahasranisus tiştheramś capi parvatah /
taval lokun na labheyani tyajeyam samgatam yadi // Mbh. 14. 7. 221. Cl., for such examples, Mbh. 7. 125. 19; 7. 2. 19 (8.26. 33); 12. 166. 25; -12. 167. 20, 22.
Madhu Vidyä/166
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