Chapter 9
“Sauti said, ‘While those illustrious Brahmanas were sitting around thedead body of Pramadvara, Ruru, sorely afflicted, retired into a deep woodand wept aloud. And overwhelmed with grief he indulged in much piteouslamentation. And, remembering his beloved Pramadvara, he gave vent to hissorrow in the following words, ‘Alas! The delicate fair one thatincreaseth my affliction lieth upon the bare ground.
What can be moredeplorable to us, her friends? If I have been charitable, if I haveperformed acts of penance, if I have ever revered my superiors, let themerit of these arts restore to life my beloved one! If from my birth Ihave been controlling my passions, adhered to my vows, let the fairPramadvara rise from the ground.
“And while Ruru was indulging in these lamentations for the loss of hisbride, a messenger from heaven came to him in the forest and addressedhim thus, ‘The words thou utterest, O Ruru, in thy affliction arecertainly ineffectual. For, O pious man, one belonging to this worldwhose days have run out can never come back to life. This poor child of aGandharva and Apsara has had her days run out! Therefore, O child, thoushouldst not consign thy heart to sorrow. The great gods, however, haveprovided beforehand a means of her restoration to life. And if thoucompliest with it, thou mayest receive back thy Pramadvara.’
“And Ruru replied, O messenger of heaven! What is that which the godshave ordained. Tell me in full so that (on hearing) I may comply with it.It behoveth thee to deliver me from grief!’ And the celestial messengersaid unto Ruru, ‘Resign half of thy own life to thy bride, and then, ORuru of the race of Bhrigu, thy Pramadvara shall rise from the ground.”O best of celestial messengers, I most willingly offer a moiety of myown life in favour of my bride. Then let my beloved one rise up once morein her dress and lovable form.’
“Sauti said, ‘Then the king of Gandharvas (the father of Pramadvara) andthe celestial messenger, both of excellent qualities, went to the godDharma (the Judge of the dead) and addressed him, saying, ‘If it be thywill, O Dharmaraja, let the amiable Pramadvara, the betrothed wife ofRuru, now lying dead, rise up with a moiety of Ruru’s life.’ AndDharmaraja answered, ‘O messenger of the gods, if it be thy wish, letPramadvara, the betrothed wife of Ruru, rise up endued with a moiety ofRuru’s life.’
“Sauti continued, ‘And when Dharmaraja had said so, that maiden ofsuperior complexion, Pramadvara, endued with a moiety of Ruru’s life,rose as from her slumber. This bestowal by Ruru of a moiety of his ownspan of life to resuscitate his bride afterwards led, as it would beseen, to a curtailment of Ruru’s life.
“And on an auspicious day their fathers gladly married them with duerites. And the couple passed their days, devoted to each other. And Ruruhaving obtained such a wife, as is hard to be found, beautiful and brightas the filaments of the lotus, made a vow for the destruction of theserpent-race. And whenever he saw a serpent he became filled with greatwrath and always killed it with a weapon.
“One day, O Brahmana, Ruru entered an extensive forest. And there he sawan old serpent of the Dundubha species lying stretched on the ground. AndRuru thereupon lifted up in anger his staff, even like to the staff ofDeath, for the purpose of killing it. Then the Dundubha, addressing Ruru,said, ‘I have done thee no harm, O Brahmana! Then wherefore wilt thouslay me in anger?'”
So ends the ninth section of the Pauloma Parva of the Adi Parva of theblessed Mahabharata.
