Chapter 223
“Yudhishthira said, ‘Tell me, O grandsire, by adopting what sort ofintelligence may a monarch, who has been divested of prosperity andcrushed by Time’s heavy bludgeon, still live on this earth.’
“Bhishma said, ‘In this connection is cited the old narrative of thediscourse between Vasava and Virochana’s son, Vali. One day Vasava, afterhaving subjugated all the Asuras, repaired to the Grandsire and joininghis hands bowed to him and enquired after the whereabouts of Vali. Tellme, O Brahman, where I may now find that Vali whose wealth continuedundiminished even though he used to give it away as lavishly as hewished. He was the god of wind. He was Varuna. He was Surya. He was Soma.He was Agni that used to warm all creatures. He became water (for the useof all). I do not find where he now is. Indeed, O Brahman, tell me whereI may find Vali now. Formerly, it was he who used to illumine all thepoints of the compass (as Surya) and to set (when evening came). Castingoff idleness, it was he who used to pour rain upon all creatures at theproper season. I do not now see that Vali. Indeed, tell me, O Brahmana,where I may find that chief of the Asuras now.’
“Brahman said, ‘It is not becoming in thee, O Maghavat, to thus enquireafter Vali now. One should not, however, speak an untruth when one isquestioned by another. For this reason, I shall tell thee the whereaboutsof Vali. O lord of Sachi, Vali may now have taken his birth among camelsor bulls or asses or horses, and having become the foremost of hisspecies may now be staying in an empty apartment.’
“Sakra said, ‘If, O Brahman, I happen to meet with Vali in an emptyapartment, shall I slay him or spare him? Tell me how I shall act.’
“Brahman said, ‘Do not, O Sakra, injure Vali, Vali does not deservedeath. Thou shouldst, on the other hand, O Vasava, solicit instructionfrom him about morality, O Sakra, as thou pleasest.’
“Bhishma continued, ‘Thus addressed by the divine Creator, Indra roamedover the earth, seated on the back of Airavata and attended bycircumstances of great splendour. He succeeded in meeting with Vali, who,as the Creator had said, was living in an empty apartment clothed in theform of an ass.’
“Sakra said, ‘Thou art now, O Danava, born as an ass subsisting on chaffas thy food. This thy order of birth is certainly a low one. Dost thou ordost thou not grieve for it? I see what I had never seen before, viz.,thyself brought under the sway of thy enemies, divested of prosperity andfriends, and shorn of energy and prowess. Formerly, thou used to makeprogress through the worlds with thy train consisting of thousands ofvehicles and thousands of kinsmen, and to move along, scorching everybodywith thy splendour and counting us as nought. The Daityas, looking up tothee as their protector, lived under thy sway. Through thy power, theearth used to yield crops without waiting for tillage. Today, however, Ibehold thee overtaken by this dire calamity. Dost thou or dost thou notindulge in grief for this? When formerly thou usedst, with pridereflected in thy face, to divide on the eastern shores of the ocean thyvast wealth among thy kinsmen, what was the state of thy mind then?Formerly, for many years, when blazing with splendour, thou usedst tosport, thousands of celestial damsels used to dance before thee. All ofthem were adorned with garlands of lotuses and all had companions brightas gold. What, O lord of Danavas, was the state of thy mind then and whatis it now? Thou hadst a very large umbrella made of gold and adorned withjewels and gems. Full two and forty thousand Gandharvas used in thosedays to dance before thee.[835] In thy sacrifices thou hadst a stake thatwas very large and made entirely of gold. On such occasions thou wert togive away millions upon millions of kine. What, O Daitya, was the stateof thy mind then? Formerly, engaged in sacrifice, thou hadst gone roundthe whole earth, following the rule of the hurling of the Samya: What wasthe state of thy mind then?[836] I do not now behold that golden jar ofthine, nor that umbrella of thine, nor those fans. I behold not also, Oking of the Asuras, that garland of thine which was given to thee by theGrandsire.’
“Vali said, ‘Thou seest not now, O Vasava, my jar and umbrella and fans.Thou seest not also my garland, that gift of the Grandsire. Thoseprecious possessions of mine about which thou askest are now buried inthe darkness of a cave. When my time comes again, thou wilt surely beholdthem again. This conduct of thine, however, does not become thy fame orbirth. Thyself in prosperity, thou desirest to mock me that am sunk inadversity. They that have acquired wisdom, and have won contentmenttherefrom, they that are of tranquil souls, that are virtuous and goodamong creatures, never grieve in misery nor rejoice in happiness. Led,however, by a vulgar intelligence, thou indulgest in brag, O Purandara!When thou shalt become like me thou shalt not then indulge in speecheslike these.'”
