Trishasti Shalaka Purusa Caritra Part 1

Author(s): Hemchandracharya, Helen M Johnson
Publisher: Oriental Research Institute Vadodra

Page 327

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Bāhubali, astonished, spoke in a deep voice: “You speak in this way, O gods, from your own purity of heart, without knowing the real cause of our quarrel. Because you were always devoted to our father and we are our father's sons, you spoke in this way with propriety, because of friendship.
Formerly, at the time of his initiation, our father divided his territories and gave them to us and Bharata, like gold to beggars. All of us remain satisfied with our own kingdom. Who, pray, causes injury to others merely for money ? Bharata, discontented, devoured the kingdoms of all the kings, like big fishes (small) fishes in the ocean of Bharata. Not satisfied even by their kingdoms, like a glutton not satisfied by food, he steals the kingdoms of his own younger brothers. One who takes from his brothers kingdoms given by his father has himself destroyed his claim to consideration as the eldest. An elder person who acts suitably for an elder is to be respected as being elder, not merely because of his age. His claim to be treated like an elder is demonstrated by his banishment of his brothers. For so long a time I mistakenly considered that he was entitled to respect as an elder, like looking at brass with the idea that it is gold, or glass with the idea that it is a pearl. Even one who has a small kingdom should not take land which has been given by his father or kinsman to another, an innocent man. How much less the Lord of Bharata!
After taking his younger brothers' kingdoms, even now he is not ashamed, since he summons me also, for the sake of my kingdom, like a conqueror. After a rapid conquest of all of Bharata, he crashes against me, like a boat that has crossed the ocean crashing on a mountain-crag on the shore. When they knew that he was rapacious without limit, cruel like a Rākşasa, my younger brothers did not honor him from shame. Because of what virtue of his, shall I now submit to him ? Speak impartially, O gods, like councilors. Now he makes me submissive