"Bhishma said, 'Then that best of Rishis, viz., the regenerate Rishabha,
sitting in the midst of all those Rishis, smiled a little and said these
words: 'Formerly, O tiger among kings, while travelling among sacred
places, I arrived, O lord, at the beautiful asylum of Nara and Narayana.
There lies the delightful spot called Vadri, and there also is that lake
in the firmament (whence the sacred Ganga takes her rise). There the
sage Aswasiras, O king, (always) reads the eternal Vedas. Having
performed my ablutions in that lake and offered with due rites oblations
of water unto the Pitris and the dogs, I entered the asylum. Within that
retreat the Rishis Nara and Narayana always pass their time in true
pleasure. Not far from that spot I repaired to another retreat for
taking up my abode. While seated there I beheld a very tall and emaciated
Rishi, clad in rags and skins, approaching towards me. Possessed of the
wealth of penances, he was named Tanu. Compared, O mighty-armed one, with
other men, his height seemed to be eight times greater. As regards his
leanness, O royal sage, I can say that I have never beheld its like. His
body, O king, was as thin as one's little finger. His neck and arms and
legs and hair were all of extra-ordinary aspect. His head was
proportionate to his body, and his cars and eyes also were the same. His
speech, O best of kings, and his movements were exceedingly feeble.
Beholding that exceedingly emaciated Brahmana I became very cheerless and
frightened. Saluting his feet, I stood before him with joined hands.
Having informed him of my name and family, and having told him also the
name of my father, O bull among men, I slowly sat myself down on a seat
that was indicated by him. Then, O monarch, that foremost of virtuous
men, viz., Tanu, began to discourse in the midst of the Rishis dwelling
in that asylum upon topics connected with Righteousness and Profit. While
engaged in discourse, a king, possessed of eyes like lotus petals and
accompanied by his forces and the ladies of his household, came to that
spot on a car drawn by fleet steeds. The name of that king was
Viradyumna. Of handsome features, he was possessed of great fame. His
son's name was Bhuridyumna. The child had been missing, and the sire,
exceedingly cheerless, came there in course of his wanderings amid the
forest in pursuit of the missing one. 'I shall find my son here!' 'I
shall find my son here!' Dragged on by hope in this way, the king
wandered through that forest in those days. Addressing the emaciated
Rishi he said, 'Without doubt that highly virtuous son of mine is
exceedingly difficult to be traced by me. Alas he was my only child. He
is lost and can nowhere be found! Though incapable of being found out, my
hope, however, of finding him is very great. Filled with that hope (which
is being constantly disappointed), I am verily on the point of death.'
Hearing these words of the king, that foremost of Munis, viz., the holy
Tanu, remained for a short while with head hanging down and himself
buried in contemplation. Beholding him buried in contemplation, the king
became exceedingly cheerless. In great grief he began to say slowly and
softly, 'What, O celestial Rishi, is unconquerable and what is greater
than hope? O holy one, tell me this if I may hear it without impropriety.'
"The Muni said, 'A holy and great Rishi had been insulted by thy son. He
had done it through ill-luck, moved by his foolish understanding. The
Rishi had asked thy son for a golden jar and vegetable barks. Thy son
contemptuously refused to gratify the ascetic. Thus treated by thy son,
the great sage became disappointed. Thus addressed, the king worshipped
that ascetic who was worshipped by all the world. Of virtuous soul,
Viradyumna sat there, spent with fatigue even as thou, O best of men, now
art. The great Rishi, in return, offered the king according to the rites
observed by the dwellers of the forests water to wash his feet and the
usual ingredients that make up the Arghya. Then all the Rishis, O tiger
among kings, sat there, surrounding that bull among men like the stars of
the constellation of Ursa Major surrounding the Pole star. And they asked
the unvanquished king as to the cause of his arrival at that asylum.'"
