Chapter 205

“Markandeya said, ‘There was, O Bharata, a virtuous ascetic of the nameof Kausika and endued with wealth of asceticism and devoted to the studyof the Vedas, he was a very superior Brahmana and that best of Brahmanasstudied all the Vedas with the Angas and the Upanishadas and one day hewas reciting the Vedas at the foot of a tree and at that time there saton the top of that tree a female crane and that she-crane happened atthat time to befoul the Brahmana’s body and beholding that crane theBrahmana became very angry and thought of doing her an injury and as theBrahmana cast his angry glances upon the crane and thought also of doingher an injury, she fell down on the ground and beholding the crane thusfallen from the tree and insensible in death, the Brahmana was much movedby pity and the regenerate one began to lament for the dead crane saying,’Alas, I have done a bad deed, urged by anger and malice!’

“Markandeya continued, ‘Having repeated these words many times, thatlearned Brahmana entered a village for procuring alms. And, O bull of theBharata race, in course of his eleemosynary round among the houses ofpersons of good lineage, the Brahmana entered one such house that he knewfrom before. And as he entered the house, he said, ‘Give’. And he wasanswered by a female with the word, ‘Stay’. And while the housewife wasengaged, O king, in cleaning the vessel from which alms are given, herhusband, O thou best of the Bharatas, suddenly entered the house, verymuch afflicted with hunger. The chaste housewife beheld her husband anddisregarding the Brahmana, gave her lord water to wash his feet and faceand also a seat and after that the black-eyed lady, placing before herlord savoury food and drink, humbly stood beside him desirous ofattending to all his wants. And, O Yudhishthira, that obedient wife usedevery day to eat the orts of her husband’s plate and, always conductingherself in obedience to the wishes of the lord, that lady ever regardedher husband, and all her heart’s affections inclined towards her lord. Ofvarious and holy behaviour and skilful in all domestic duties andattentive to all her relatives, she always did what was agreeable andbeneficial to her husband and she also, with rapt senses attended to theworship of the gods and the wants of guests and servants and hermother-in-law and father-in-law.

“And while the lady of handsome eyes was still engaged in waiting uponher lord, she beheld that Brahmana waiting for alms and beholding him,she remembered that she had asked him to wait. And remembering all this,she felt abashed. And then that chaste woman possessed of great fame,took something for alms and went out, O thou foremost of the Bharatas,for giving it unto that Brahmana. And when she came before him, theBrahmana said, ‘O best of women, O blessed one, I am surprised at thyconduct! Having requested me to wait saying, ‘Stay’ thou didst notdismiss me!’

“Markandeya continued, ‘O lord of men beholding that Brahmana filled withwrath and blazing with his energy, that chaste woman began to conciliatehim and said, ‘O learned one, it behoveth thee to forgive me. My husbandis my supreme god. He came hungry and tired and was being served andwaited upon by me.’ Hearing this, the Brahmana said, ‘With thee Brahmanasare not worthy of superior regard. Exaltest thou thy husband above them?Leading a domestic life, dost thou disregard Brahmanas? Indra himselfboweth down unto them, what shall I say of men on earth. Proud woman,dost thou not know it, hast thou never heard it, that the Brahmanas arelike fire and may consume the entire earth?’ At these words of thatBrahmana the woman answered, ‘I am no she-crane, O regenerate Rishi! Othou that art endued with the wealth of asceticism, cast off this angerof thine. Engaged as thou are, what canst thou do to me with these angryglances of thine? I do not disregard Brahmanas. Endued with great energyof soul, they are like unto the gods themselves. But, O sinless one, thisfault of mine it behoveth thee to forgive. I know the energy and highdignity of Brahmanas that are possessed of wisdom. The waters of theocean have been made brackish and undrinkable by the wrath of theBrahmanas. I know also the energy of Munis of souls under completecontrol and endued with blazing ascetic merit. The fire of their wrath tothis day hath not been extinguished in the forest of Dandaka. It was forhis having disregarded the Brahmanas that the great Asura–the wicked andevil-minded Vatapi was digested when he came in contact with Agastya. Ithath been heard by us that the powers and merits of high-souled Brahmanasare great. But, O Brahmana, as regenerate ones of high souls are great inwrath, so are they equally great in forgiveness. Therefore, O sinlessone, it behoveth thee to forgive me in the matter of this my offence. OBrahmana, my heart inclineth to that merit which springeth from theservice of my husband, for I regard my husband as the highest among allthe gods. O best of Brahmanas, I practise that virtue which consists inserving my husband whom I regard as the highest Deity. Behold, Oregenerate one, the merit that attaches to the service of one’s husband!I know that thou hast burnt a she-crane with thy wrath! But, O best ofregenerate ones, the anger that a person cherishes is the greatest offoes which that person hath. The gods know him for a Brahmana who hathcast off anger and passion. The gods know him for a Brahmana who alwaysspeaketh the truth here, who always gratifieth his preceptor, and who,though injured himself, never returneth the injury. The gods know him fora Brahmana who hath his senses under control, who is virtuous and pureand devoted to the study of the Vedas, and who hath mastery over angerand lust. The gods know him for a Brahmana who, cognisant of morals andendued with mental energy, is catholic in religion and looketh upon allequal unto himself. The gods know him for a Brahmana who studieth himselfand teacheth others, who performeth sacrifices himself and officiateth atthe sacrifices of others, and who giveth away to the best of his means.The gods know that bull among the regenerate ones for a Brahmana who,endued with liberality of soul, practiseth the Brahmacharya vow and isdevoted to study,–in fact who is vigilantly devoted to the study of theVedas. Whatever conduceth to the happiness of the Brahmanas is alwaysrecited before these. Ever taking pleasure in truth, the hearts of suchmen never find joy in untruth. O thou best of regenerate ones, it hathbeen said that the study of the Vedas, tranquillity of soul, simplicityof behaviour, and repression of the senses, constitute the eternal dutiesof the Brahmana. Those cognisant with virtue and morals have said thattruth and honesty are the highest virtue. Virtue that is eternal isdifficult of being understood. But whatever it is, it is based on truth.The ancients have declared that virtue dependeth on sruti. But, Oforemost of regenerate ones, virtue as exposed in sruti appears to be ofvarious kinds. It is, therefore, too subtle of comprehension. Thou, Oholy one, art cognisant of virtue, pure, and devoted to the study of theVedas. I think, however, O holy one, that thou dost not know what virtuein reality is. Repairing to the city of Mithila, enquire thou of avirtuous fowler there, if indeed, O regenerate one, thou art not reallyacquainted with what constitutes the highest virtue. There liveth inMithila a fowler who is truthful and devoted to the service of hisparents and who hath senses under complete control. Even he willdiscourse to thee on virtue. Blessed be thou, O best of regenerate ones,if thou likest, repair thither. O faultless one, it behoveth thee toforgive me, if what I have said be unpalatable, for they that aredesirous of acquiring virtue are incapable of injuring women!’

“At these words of the chaste woman, the Brahmana replied, saying, ‘I amgratified with thee. Blessed be thou; my anger hath subsided, O beautifulone! The reproofs uttered by thee will be of the highest advantage to me.Blessed be thou, I shall now go and accomplish what is so conducive, Ohandsome one, to my benefit!’

“Markandeya continued, ‘Dismissed by her, Kausika, that best ofregenerate ones, left her house, and, reproaching himself, returned tohis own abode.'”