Chapter 128

“The king said, ‘I am a king called by the name of Viradyumna. My famehas spread in all directions. My son Bhuridyumna hath been lost. It is inquest of him that I have come to this forest. Ye foremost of Brahmanas,that child was my only son and, ye sinless ones, he is of very tenderyears. He cannot, however, be found here. I am wandering everywhere forfinding him out.’

“Rishabha continued, ‘After the king had said these words, the asceticTanu hung down his head. He remained perfectly silent, without uttering asingle word in answer. In former days that Brahmana had not been muchhonoured by the king. In disappointment, O monarch, he had for thatreason practised austere penances for a longtime, resolving in his mindthat he should never accept anything in gift from either kings or membersof any other order. And he said to himself, ‘Hope agitates every man offoolish understanding. I shall drive away hope from my mind.’ Even suchhad been his determination. Viradyumna once more questioned that foremostof ascetics in these words:

“The king said, ‘What is the measure of the thinness of Hope? What onearth is exceedingly difficult of acquisition? Tell me this, O holy one,for thou art well conversant with morality and profit.”
“Rishabha continued, ‘Himself recollecting all the past incidents (abouthis own disregard at the hands of the king) and calling them back to therecollection of the king also, that holy Brahmana of emaciated bodyaddressed the king and said the following words:

“The sage said, ‘There is nothing, O king, that equals Hope inslenderness. I had solicited many kings and found that nothing is sodifficult of acquisition as an image that Hope sets before the mind.’

“The king said, ‘At thy words, O Brahmana, I understand what is slenderand what is not so.[383] I understand also how difficult of acquisitionare the images set by Hope before the mind. I regard these words of thineas utterances of Sruti. O thou of great wisdom, one doubt, however, hasarisen in my-mind. It behoveth thee, O sage, to explain it in detail untome that ask thee. What is more slender than thy body? Tell me this, Oholy one, if, of course, O best of sages, the topic be one which may bediscoursed upon without impropriety.’

“The emaciated sage said, ‘A contented applicant is exceedingly difficultto meet with. Perhaps, there is none such in the world. Something rarerstill, O sire, is the person that never disregards an applicant. The hopethat rests upon such persons as do not, after passing their promises, dogood to others according to the best of their powers and according as theapplicants deserve, is slenderer than even my body.[384] The hope thatrests upon an ungrateful man, or upon one that is cruel, or one that isidle, or one that injures others, is slenderer than even my body.[384]The hope cherished by a sire that has but one son, of once more seeingthat son after he has been lost or missed, is slenderer than even mybody. The hope that old women entertain of bringing forth sons, O king,and that is cherished by rich men, is slenderer than even my body. Thehope that springs up in the hearts of grown up maidens of marriage whenthey hear anybody only talk of it in their presence, is slenderer thaneven my body.'[385] Hearing these words, O monarch, king Viradyumna, andthe ladies of his household, prostrated themselves before that bull amongBrahmanas and touched his feet with their bent heads.’

“The king said, ‘I beg thy grace, O holy one! I wish to meet with mychild. What thou hast said, O best of Brahmanas, is very true. There isno doubt of the truth of thy utterances.’

“Rishabha continued, ‘The holy Tanu, that foremost of virtuous persons,smiling, caused, by means of his learning and his penances the king’s sonto be brought to that spot. Having caused the prince to be broughtthither, the sage rebuked the king (his father).[386] That foremost ofvirtuous persons then displayed himself to be the god of righteousness.Indeed, having displayed his own wonderful and celestial form, he enteredan adjacent forest, with heart freed from wrath and the desire ofrevenge. I saw all this, O king, and heard the words I have said. Driveoff thy hope, that is even slenderer (than any of those which the sageindicated).’

“Bhishma continued ‘Thus addressed, O monarch, by the high-souledRishabha, king Sumitra speedily cast off the hope that was in his heartand which was slenderer (than any of the kinds of hope indicated by theemaciated Rishi). Do thou also, O son of Kunti, hearing these words ofmine, be calm and collected like Himavat. Overcome with distress,[387]thou hast questioned me and heard my answer. Having heard it. O monarch,it behoves thee to dispel these regrets of thine!’