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Secondary Tales of the two Great Epics
lac-house built by Duryodhana to burn them alive, the episodes of Bhima's slaying the demons Hidimba and Baka 270 run upto Adhy. 152. The next section called Caitrafatha sub-parvan occupies Adhy. 153-173. Therein are narrated (1) the story of the birth of Dhệstadyumna and Draupadi from the alter of Sacrifice enunciated by king Drupada in order to avenge the insult inflicted upon him by Droņa (Adhy. 154-155); (2) the story of Draupadi's former birth in which she could not get a proper husband, pleased Lord Sankara with penance, whom she, in elation at her success, requested for a husband five times, and obtaining a boon of five husbands, chose to have them in her next birth (Adhy. 157, the story is repeated below at Adip. 189. 41-47); (3) the episode of Gandharva Angāraparna who is defeated by Arjuna, becomes his friend and narrates the following cluster of tales (Adhy. 158-159); (4) the story of Tapati, the daughter of Sun, and Samvarana, a famous king in the line of Kurus, who obtained rains by bringing Vasistha in his kingdom (Adhy. 160-163); (5) (a) the story of Viśvāmitra's unsuccessful attempt to spatch away the Kāma-duh Cow of Vasistha, and his consequent performance of penance; (b) Sakti's curse to Kalmāsapada to become a man-eater who, possessed by an evil spirit inspired by the evervengent Viśvāmitra, began by first eating up his curser - sage Śakti, the eldest son of Vasistha and then devoured all other sons of his (Adhy.166); (c) Vasistha's unsuccessful attempts of suicide which he eventually gave up when he knew that Adřśyanti, his daughter-in-law, was bearing the child of his son Sakti (Adhy.166-167); (d) Vasistha's procreating a child upon the queen of king Kalmașapāda who was rendered unable to procreate due to a Brāhmin-woman's curse (Adhy.168), (we have dealt with this story above in this section only); (e) Vasiştha's attempt to appease the wrath of his grandson Parāśara by narrating the story of Aurva, whereupon Parāśara vented 'his wrath in the Sacrifice of Rāk şasas from which he was desisted after some time by the sages Atri, Pulastya, Pulaha and Kratu (Adhy. 169 and 172); (f) the story of Aurva whose Bhargava clan was annihilated by Kstavīrya and who, as soon as he was born, blinded the entire host of ksatriyas by his lustre, and then threw his anger into the ocean where, in the form of the vādava-fire, it constantly consumes the water (Adhy. 169-171).
The last tale of the bunch has links in many directions. Its first close parallel is the tale of Cyavana, 271 another sage of the Bhrgu line. The names of both the sages are justified etymologically. Cyavana was so called because he slipped (v cyu) from the womb of his mother. Aurva is so called because he was born by breaking open his mother's thigh.27? As soon as he was born, Cyavana burnt his father's thief to ashes. Aurva also, as soon as he was born, blinded the ksatriyas - the enemies of his ancestors. The irresistible anger of the child for the killer or antagonist of his father
270 pp. 108 ff. above. 271 See above p.93. 272 Cf. Adip. 170.8. sa aurva iti viprarşir ürum bhittvá vyajāyata || This, of course, should
be understood metaphorically only.
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