The Mahabharata/Book 1: Adi Parva/Section 180

Section CLXIX. *( Chaitra-ratha Parva continued. )* "The Gandharva continued, 'Then, O Partha, Adrishyanti, who had been residing in Vashishta's asylum, brought forth (when the time came) a son who was the perpetuator of Shaktri's race and who was a second Shaktri in everything. And, O thou foremost of the Bharatas, that best of Munis—the illustrious Vashishta—himself performed the usual after-birth ceremonies of his grandson. And because the Rishi Vashishta had resolved on self-destruction but abstained therefrom as soon as he knew the existence of that child, therefore was that child, when born, called *Parasharā* (the vivifier of the dead). And the virtuous Parashara, from the day of his birth, knew Vashishta for his father and behaved towards the Muni as such. And one day, O Kaunteya, the child addressed Vashishta, that first of Brahmana sages, as *father*, in the presence of his mother Adrishyanti. And Adrishyanti hearing the very intelligible sound of *father* sweetly uttered by her son, addressed him with tearful eyes and said,—O child, do not address this thy grand-father as *father*! Thy father, O son, has been devoured by a Rakshasa in a different forest! O innocent one, he is not thy father whom thou regardest so! The reverend one is the father of that celebrated father of thine!—Thus addressed by his mother, that best of Rishis of truthful speech gave way to sorrow, and soon firing up resolved to destroy the whole creation. Then that illuitrious and great ascetic Vashishta—that foremost of all conversant with Brahma—that son of Mitra-varuna—that Rishi acquainted with positive truth—addressed his grandson who had set his heart upon the destruction of the world. Hear, O Arjuna, the arguments by which Vashishta succeeded in driving that resolution from his grandson's mind!" "The Gandharva continued 'Then Vashishta said,—There was a celebrated king of the name of Krita-virya. And that bull among the kings of the earth was the disciple of the Veda-knowing Bhrigus. That king, O child, after performing the Soma sacrifice, gratified the Brahmanas with large presents of rice and wealth. After that monarch had ascended to heaven, an occasion came when his descendants were in want of wealth. And knowing that the Bhrigus were rich, those princes went unto those best of Brahmanas, in the guise of beggars. Some amongst the Bhrigus, to protect their wealth, buried it under the earth; and some, from fear of the Kshatriyas, began to give away their wealth unto (other) Brahmanas; while some amongst them duly gave unto the Kshatriyas whatever they wanted. It happened, however, that some Kshatriyas, in digging as they pleased at the house of a particular Bhārgava, came upon a large treasure. And that treasure was seen by all those bulls among Kshatriyas who had gone there. Enraged at what they regarded the deceitful behaviour of the Bhrigus, the Kshatriyas insulted the Brahmanas though the latter asked for mercy. And those mighty bowmen began to slaughter the Bhrigus with their sharp arrows. And the Kshatriyas wandered over the earth, slaughtering even the embryos that were in the wombs of the women of the Bhrigu race. And while the Bhrigu race was thus being exterminated, the women of that tribe fled from fear to the inaccessible mountains of Himavat. And one amongst these women, of tapering thighs, desiring to perpetuate her husband's race, held in one of her thighs an embryo endued with great energy. A certain Brahmana woman, however, who came to know this fact, went from fear unto the Kshatriyas and reported it unto them. And the Kshatriyas then went to destroy that embryo. And arrived at the place, they beheld the would-be mother blazing with inborn energy. And the child that was in her thigh came out tearing open the thigh and dazzling the eyes of those Kshatriyas like the mid-day Sun. Then deprived of their eyes the Kshatriyas began to wander over those inaccessible mountains. And distressed at this loss of sight the princes were afflicted with woe, and desirous of regaining the use of their eyes they resolved to seek the protection of that faultless woman. Then those Kshatriyas, afflicted with sorrow and from loss of sight like unto a fire that has gone out, addressing with anxious hearts that illustrious lady, said, By thy grace, O lady, we wish to be restored to sight! We shall then return to our homes all together and abstain forever from our sinful practice! O handsome one, it behoveth thee with thy child to show us mercy! It behoveth thee to favor these kings by granting them their eye-sight!—'" Thus ends the hundred and eightieth Section in the Chaitra-ratha of the Adi Parva.