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ugliness of those particular limbs.--This lady is certainly the goddess of this palace. Has she been made ugly through some |
curse. It is not proper that I should hastily ascertain the cause of this.--Reflecting upon this in the secrecy of his heart, and |
curious to know the reason, the Rishi passed the rest of that day in an anxious state. The lady then addressed him, saying,--O |
illustrious one, behold the aspect of the Sun reddened by the evening clouds. What service shall I do unto thee.--The Rishi |
addressed her, saying,--.'Fetch water for my ablutions. Having bathed, I shall say my evening prayers, restraining my tongue |
and the senses.'" |
SECTION XX |
"Bhishma said, 'Thus commanded, the lady said,--Be it so. She then brought oil (for rubbing the Rishi's body therewith) and a |
piece of cloth for his wear during the ablutions. Permitted by the ascetic, she rubbed every part of his body with the fragrant oil |
she had brought for him. Gently was the Rishi rubbed, and when the process of rubbing was over, he proceeded to the room set |
apart for the performance of ablutions. There he sat upon a new and excellent seat of great splendour.[198] After the Rishi had |
taken his seat upon it, the old lady began to wash his person with her own soft hands whose touch was exceedingly agreeable. |
One after another in due order, the lady rendered the most agreeable services to the Rishi in the matter of his ablutions. |
Between the lukewarm water with which he was washed, and the soft hands that were employed in washing him, the Rishi of |
rigid vows failed to understand that the whole night had passed away in the process. Rising from the bath the Rishi became |
highly surprised. He saw the Sun risen above the horizon on the East. He was amazed at this and asked himself,--Was it really |
so or was it an error of the understanding?--The Rishi then duly worshipped the god of a thousand rays. This done, he asked the |
lady as to what he should do. The old lady prepared some food for the Rishi that was as delicious to the taste as Amrita itself. |
In consequence of the delicious character of that food the Rishi could not take much. In taking that little, however, the day |
passed away and evening came. The old lady then asked the Rishi to go to bed and sleep. An excellent bed was assigned to the |
Rishi and another was occupied by herself. The Rishi and the old lady occupied different beds at first but when it was |
midnight, the lady left her own bed for coming to that of the Rishi.' |
"Ashtavakra said, 'O blessed lady, my mind turns away from sexual congress with one who is the spouse of another. Leave my |
bed, O good lady. Blessed be thou, do thou desist from this of thy own accord.'[199] |
"Bhishma continued, 'Thus dissuaded by that Brahmana with the aid of his self-restraint, the lady answered him, saying,--I am |
my own mistress. In accepting me thou wilt incur no sin.' |
"Ashtavakra said, 'Women can never be their own mistresses. This is the opinion of the Creator himself, viz., that a woman |
never deserves to be independent.' |
"The lady said, 'O learned Brahmana, I am tortured by desire. Mark my devotion to thee. Thou incurrest sin by refusing to |
accost me lovingly.' |
"Ashtavakra said, 'Diverse faults, drag away the man that acts as he likes. As regards myself, I am able to control my |
inclinations by self-restraint. O good lady, do thou return to thy own bed.' |
"The lady said, 'I bow to thee, bending my head. It behoves thee to show me thy grace. O sinless one, I prostrate myself before |
thee, do thou become my refuge. If indeed, thou seest such sin in congress with one that is not thy spouse, I yield myself unto |
thee. Do thou, O regenerate one, accept my hand in marriage. Thou wilt incur no sin. I tell thee truly. Know that I am my own |
mistress. If there by any sin in this, let it be mine alone. My heart is devoted to thee. I am my own mistress. Do thou accept |
me.' |
"Ashtavakra said, 'How is it, O good lady, that thou art thy own mistress. Tell me the reason of this. There is not a single |
woman in the three worlds that deserves to be regarded as the mistress of her own self. The father protects her while she is a |
maiden. The husband protects her while she is in youth. Sons protect her when she is aged. Women can never be independent |
as long as they live!' |
"The lady said, 'I have since my maidenhood, adopted the vow of Brahmacharyya. Do not doubt it. I am still a maid. Do thou |
make me thy wife. O Brahmana, do not kill this devotion of mine to thee.' |
"Ashtavakra said, 'As thou art inclined to me, so I am inclined to thee. There is this question, however, that should be settled. Is |
it true that by yielding to my inclinations I shall not be regarded as acting in opposition to what the Rishi (Vadanya) wishes. |
This is very wonderful. Will this lead to what is beneficial? Here is a maiden adorned with excellent ornaments and robes. She |
is exceedingly beautiful. Why did decrepitude cover her beauty so long? At present she looks like a beautiful maiden. There is |
no knowing what form she may take hereafter.[200] I shall never swerve from that restraint which I have over desire and the |
other passions or from contentment with what I have already got. Such swerving does not seem to be good. I shall keep myself |
united with truth!'[201] |
SECTION XXI |
"Yudhishthira said, 'Tell me why had that lady no fear of Ashtavakra's curse although Ashtavakra was endued with great |
energy? How also did Ashtavakra succeed in coming back from that place?'" |
"Bhishma said, 'Ashtavakra asked her, saying,--How dost thou succeed in altering thy form so? Thou shouldst not say anything |
that is untrue. I wish to know this. Speakest thou truly before a Brahmana.' |
"The lady said, 'O best of Brahmana, wherever thou mayst reside in heaven or on Earth, this desire of union between the sexes |
is to be observed. O thou of infallible prowess, listen, with concentrated attention, to this all. This trial was devised by me. O |
sinless one, for testing thee aright. O thou of infallible prowess, thou hast subjugated all the worlds for not foregoing your |
previous resolution. Know that I am the embodiment of the Northern point of the compass. Thou hast seen the lightness of the |
female character. Even women that are aged are tortured by the desire of sexual union. The Grandsire himself and all the |
deities with Indra have been pleased with thee. The object for which thy illustrious self has come here (is known to me). O |
foremost of regenerate persons, thou hast been despatched higher by the Rishi Vadanya--the father of thy bride--in order that I |
may instruct thee. Agreeably to the wishes of that Rishi I have already instructed thee. Thou wilt return home in safety. Thy |
journey back will not be toilsome. Thou wilt obtain for wife and girl thou hast chosen. She will bear thee a son. Through desire |
I had solicited thee, thou madest me the very best answer. The desire for sexual union is incapable of being transcended in the |
three worlds. Go back to thy quarters, having achieved such merit. What else is there that thou wishest to hear from me? I shall |
discourse on it, O Ashtavakra, in accordance with the truth. I was gratified by the Rishi Vadanya in the first instance for thy |
sake, O regenerate ascetic For the sake of honouring him, I have said all this to thee.' |
"Bhishma continued, 'Hearing these words of hers, the regenerate Ashtavakra joined his hands in a reverential attitude. He then |
solicited the lady for her permission to go back. Obtaining the permission he came back to his own asylum. Resting himself for |
some time at home and obtaining the permission of his kinsmen and friends, he then in a proper way, proceeded, O delighter of |
the Kurus, to the Brahmana Vadanya. Welcomed with the usual enquiries by Vadanya, the Rishi Ashtavakra, with a well- |
pleased heart, narrated all that he had seen (in course of his sojourn to the North). He said,--Commanded by thee I proceeded to |
the mountains of Gandhamadana. In the regions lying to the north of these mountains I beheld a very superior goddess. I was |
received by her with courtesy. She named you in my hearing and also instructed me in various matters. Having listened to her I |
have come back, O lord. Unto him that said so, the learned Vadanya said,--Take my daughter's hand according to due rites and |
under the proper constellations. Thou art the fittest bridegroom I can select for the girl.' |
'Bhishma continued, 'Ashtavakra said,--So be it and took the hand of the girl. Indeed, the highly righteous Rishi, having |
espoused the girl, became filled with joy. Having taken as his wife that beautiful damsel, the Rishi continued to dwell in his |
own asylum, freed from (mental) fever of every kind.'" |
SECTION XXII |
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