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THÉ RÈCOVĖRY OF DRAUPADI
285 to allay them." The god gave Krsna a drum and said: “ You must beat this in your city at the end of every six months. From its sound being heard old calamities will perish and there will be no new ones for six months, Hari.”
With these words the god went away and Keśava beat the drum just so; and the disease in the city was allayed. A certain rich man from a foreign country, who was afflicted with a burning fever, heard the story of the drum, came and said to the drum's guard, “ Take this lac of money for a favor to me, good sir. Give me a piece of the drum, a mere sliver.273 Show compassion.” The drum's guard, greedy for money, gave him the piece and the drum was filled out with a piece of sandal with a close joint. In the same way he, avaricious, gave to others so that the drum became patched with inserts of sandal throughout.
One day a calamity took place and Sārngin beat the drum and its sound, like the hum of a mosquito, did not reach the council even. Trustworthy men, questioned by Krşņa, told how the drum had been patched by the guard. Kļşņa killed the guard and received another drum from the god by means of a three-day fast. What is difficult for the great to accomplish?
The two physicians (180–199) Janārdana beat the drum to allay disease and so instructed two physicians, Dhanvantari and Vaitaraņi. Of them Vaitaraņi, capable of emancipation, named and practiced whatever treatment was suitable for any one and gave him his own medicine. But Dhanvantari made a treatment mixed with sin. The sādhus said to him, “ This is not prescribed for us." He replied to them: “I have not studied any system of medicine suitable for sādhus. Do not do what I said.” So the two physicians practiced in the city."
One day Krşņa asked Śri Nemi,“ What is their (future)
273 174. Pala: rio of a tola, mW. It takes 24 tolas to make an
ounce.
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