Chapter 214

“Narada continued, ‘Meanwhile the Asura brothers having subjugated theearth were without a rival. The fatigue of exertion gone, they, havingbrought the three worlds under equal sway, regarded themselves as personsthat had nothing more to do.

Having brought all the treasures of thegods, the Gandharvas, the Yakshas, the Nagas, the Rakshasas, and thekings of the earth, the brothers began to pass their days in greathappiness. When they saw they had no rivals (in the three worlds), theygave up all exertion and devoted their time to pleasure and merriment,like the celestials. They experienced great happiness by givingthemselves up to every kind of enjoyment, such as women, and perfumes andfloral wreaths and viands, and drinks and many other agreeable objectsall in profusion. In houses and woods and gardens, on hills and inforests, wherever they liked they passed their time in pleasure andamusement, like the immortals. And it so happened that one day they wentfor purposes of pleasure to a tableland of the Vindhya range, perfectlylevel and stony, and overgrown with blossoming trees. After every objectof desire, all of the most agreeable kind, had been brought, the brotherssat on an excellent seat, with happy hearts and accompanied by handsomewomen. And those damsels, desirous of pleasing the brothers, commenced adance in accompaniment to music, and sweetly chanted many a song inpraise of the mighty pair.’

“Meanwhile Tilottama attired in a single piece of red silk that exposedall her charms, came along, plucking wild flowers on her way. Sheadvanced slowly to where those mighty Asuras were. The Asura brothers,intoxicated with the large portions they had imbibed, were smitten uponbeholding that maiden of transcendent beauty. Leaving their seats theywent quickly to where the damsel was. Both of them being under theinfluence of lust, each sought the maiden for himself. And Sunda seizedthat maid of fair brows by her right hand. Intoxicated with the boonsthey had obtained, with physical might, with the wealth and gems they hadgathered from every quarter, and with the wine they had drunk, maddenedwith all these, and influenced by wishful desire, they addressed eachother, each contracting his bow in anger, ‘She is my wife, and thereforeyour superior,’ said Sunda. ‘She is my wife, and therefore yoursister-in-law’, replied Upasunda. And they said unto each other, ‘She ismine not yours.’ And soon they were under the influence of rage. Maddenedby the beauty of the damsel, they soon forgot their love and affectionfor each other. Both of them, deprived of reason by passion, then took uptheir fierce maces. Each repeating, I was the first, I was the first,'(in taking her hand) struck the other. And the fierce Asuras, struck byeach other with the mace, fell down upon the ground, their bodies bathedin blood, like two suns dislodged from the firmament. And beholding this,the women that had come there, and the other Asuras there present, allfled away trembling in grief and fear, and took refuge in the netherregions. The Grandsire himself of pure soul, then came there, accompaniedby the celestials, and the great Rishis. And the illustrious Grandsireapplauded Tilottama and expressed his wish of granting her a boon. TheSupreme Deity, before Tilottama spoke, desirous of granting her a boon,cheerfully said, ‘O beautiful damsel, thou shalt roam in the region ofthe Adityas. Thy splendour shall be so great that nobody will ever beable to look at thee for any length of time!’ The Grandsire of allcreatures, granting this boon unto her, establishing the three worlds inIndra as before, returned to his own region.’

“Narada continued, ‘It was thus that Asuras, ever united and inspired bythe same purpose slew each other in wrath for the sake of Tilottama.Therefore, from affection I tell you, ye foremost ones of Bharata’s line,that if you desire to do anything agreeable to me, make some sucharrangements that you may not quarrel with one another for the sake ofDraupadi.’

“Vaisampayana continued, ‘The illustrious Pandavas, thus addressed by thegreat Rishi Narada, consulting with one another, established a ruleamongst themselves in the presence of the celestial Rishi himself enduedwith immeasurable energy. And the rule they made was that when one ofthem would be sitting with Draupadi, any of the other four who would seethat one thus must retire into the forest for twelve years, passing hisdays as a Brahmacharin. After the virtuous Pandavas had established thatrule amongst themselves, the great Muni Narada, gratified with them, wentto the place he wished. Thus, O Janamejaya, did the Pandavas urged byNarada, established a rule amongst themselves in regard to their commonwife. And it was for this, O Bharata, that no dispute ever arose betweenthem.'”