' Hearing these words of Sankha, Likhita performed his
ablutions in the sacred stream and set about for commencing the
water-rite. Upon this, two hands, resembling two lotuses, appeared at the
extremities of his stumps. Filled with wonder he came back to his brother
and showed him the two hands. Sankha said unto him, 'All this has been
accomplished by me through my penances. Do not be surprised at it.
Providence hath been the instrument here.' Likhita answered, 'O thou of
great splendour, why didst thou not purify me at first, when, O best of
regenerate ones, such was the energy of thy penances?' Sankha, said, 'I
should not have acted otherwise. I am not thy chastiser. The ruler (who
has punished thee) has been himself purified, as also thyself, along with
the Pitris!'
"Vyasa continued, 'That king, O eldest son of Pandu, became eminent by
this act and obtained the highest success like the lord Daksha himself!
Even this is the duty of Kshatriyas, viz., the ruling of subjects. Any
other, O monarch, would be regarded as a wrong path for them. Do not give
way to grief. O best of all persons conversant with duty, listen to the
beneficial words of this thy brother. Wielding the rod of chastisement, O
king, is the duty of kings and not the shaving of the head.'"
SECTION XXIV
Vaisampayana said, "Once more the great sage Krishna-Dwaipayana said
these words unto Ajatasatru, the son of Kunti: 'Let these great
car-warriors of abundant energy of mind, O monarch, let these brothers of
thine, O Yudhishthira, the chief of the Bharatas, obtain those wishes of
theirs that they cherished while dwelling in the woods.
Pages:
1064
1065
1066
1067
1068
1069
1070
1071
1072
1073
1074
1075
1076
1077
1078
1079
1080
1081
1082
1083
1084
1085
1086
1087
1088