"Janamejaya said, 'If, O illustrious one, Heaven is the fruit of wealth
acquired by lawful means, do thou discourse to me fully on it. Thou art
well-conversant with the subject and therefore, it behoveth thee to
explain it. O regenerate one, thou hast said unto me what the high fruit
was that accrued unto that Brahmana, who lived according to the Unccha
mode, through his gift of powdered barley. Without doubt, all thou hast
said is true. In what way, however, was the attainment held certain of
the highest end in all sacrifices? O foremost of regenerate persons, it
behoveth thee to expound this to me in all its details.'
"Vaisampayana said, 'In this connection is cited this old narrative, O
chastiser of foes, of what occurred in former days in the great sacrifice
of Agastya. In olden days, O king, Agastya of great energy, devoted to
the good of all creatures, entered into a Diksha extending for twelve
years. In that sacrifice of the high-souled Rishi many Hotris were
engaged that resembled blazing fires in the splendour of their bodies.
Among them were men that subsisted upon roots or fruits, or that used two
pieces of stone only for husking their corn, or that were supported by
only the rays (of the moon). Among them were also men who never took any
food unless it was placed before them by others solicitous of feeding
them, and those who never ate anything without having first served the
deities, the Pitris, and guests, and those who never washed the food
which they took. There were also Yatis and Bikshus among them, O king.
All of them were men who had obtained a sight of the deity of
Righteousness in his embodied form. They had subjugated wrath and
acquired a complete mastery over all their senses. Living in the
observance of self-restraint, they were freed from pride and the desire
of injuring others. They were always observant of a pure conduct and were
never obstructed (in the prosecution of their purposes) by their senses.
Those great Rishis attended that sacrifice and accomplished its various
rites. The illustrious Rishi (Agastya) acquired the food that was
collected in that sacrifice and that came up to the required measure, by
lawful means according to the best of his power. Numerous other ascetics
at that time performed large sacrifices. As Agastya, however, was engaged
in that sacrifice of his, the thousand-eyed Indra, O best of the
Bharatas, ceased to pour rain (on the Earth). At the intervals, O king,
of the sacrificial rites, this talk occurred among those Rishis of
cleansed souls about the high-souled Agastya, viz., 'This Agastya,
engaged in sacrifice, is making gifts of food with heart purged of pride
and vanity. The deity of the clouds, however, has ceased to pour rain.
How, indeed, will food grow? This sacrifice of the Rishi, ye Brahmanas,
is great and extends for twelve years. The deity will not pour rain for
these twelve years. Reflecting on this, it behoveth you to do some favour
unto this Rishi of great intelligence, viz., Agastya of severe penances.'
When these words were said, Agastya of great prowess, gratifying those
ascetics by bending his head, said, 'If Vasava does not pour rain for
those twelve years, I shall then perform the mental sacrifice. Even this
is the eternal ordinance. If Vasava does not pour rain for these twelve
years, I shall then perform the Touch-sacrifice. Even this is the eternal
sacrifice. If Vasava does not pour rain for these twelve years, I shall
then, putting forth all my exertion, make arrangements for other
sacrifices characterised by the observance of the most difficult and
severe vows. This present sacrifice of mine, with seeds, has been
arranged for by me with labour extending for many years. I shall,
with seeds, accomplish much good. No impediment will arise. This my
sacrifice is incapable of being baffled. It matters little whether the
deity pours rains or no downpours happen. Indeed, if Indra does not, of
his own will, show any regard for me, I shall, in that case, transform
myself into Indra and keep all creatures alive. Every creature, on
whatever food he has been nourished, will continue to be nourished on it
as before. I can even repeatedly create a different order of things. Let
gold and whatever else of wealth there is, come to this place today. Let
all the wealth that occurs in the three worlds come here today of its own
accord. Let all the tribes of celestial Apsaras, all the Gandharvas along
with the Kinnaras, and Viswavasu, and others there are (of that order),
approach this sacrifice of mine. Let all the wealth that exists among the
Northern Kurus, come of their own accord to these sacrifices. Let Heaven,
and all those who have Heaven for their home, and Dharma himself, come
hither.'—After the ascetic had uttered these words, everything happened
as he wished, in consequence of his penances, for Agastya was endued with
a mind that resembled a blazing fire and was possessed of extraordinary
energy. The Rishis who were there beheld the power of penances with
rejoicing hearts. Filled with wonder they then said these words of grave
import.'
"The Rishis said, 'We have been highly gratified with the words thou hast
uttered. We do not, however, wish that thy penances should suffer any
diminution. Those sacrifices are approved by us which are performed by
lawful means. Indeed, we desire duly those sacrifices which rest on
lawful means. Earning our food by lawful means and observant of our
respective duties, we shall seek to go through sacrificial initiations
and the pouring of libations on the sacred fire and the other religious
rites. We should adore the deities, practising Brahmacharyya by lawful
means. Completing the period of Brahmacharyya we have come out of our
abode, observing lawful methods. That understanding, which is freed from
the desire of inflicting any kind of injury on others, is approved by us.
Thou shouldst always, O puissant one, command such abstention from injury
in all sacrifices. We shall then be highly gratified, O foremast of
regenerate ones. After the completion of thy sacrifice, when dismissed by
thee, we shall then, leaving this place, go away.' As they were saying
these words, Purandara, the chief of the deities, endued with great
energy, beholding the power of Agastya's penances, poured rain. Indeed, O
Janamejaya, till the completion of the sacrifice of that Rishi of
immeasurable prowess, the deity of rain poured rain that met the wishes
of men in respect of both quantity and time. Placing Vrihaspati before
him, the chief of the deities came there, O royal sage, and gratified the
Rishi Agastya. On the completion of that sacrifice, Agastya, filled with
joy, worshipped those great Rishis duly and then dismissed them all.'
"Janamejaya said, 'Who was that mongoose with a golden head, that said
all those words in a human voice? Asked by me, do thou tell me this.'
"Vaisampayana said, 'Thou didst not ask me before and, therefore, I did
not tell thee. Hear as I tell thee who that mongoose was and why he could
assume a human voice. In former times, the Rishi Jamadagni proposed to
perform a Sraddha. His Homa cow came to him and the Rishi milked her
himself. He then placed the milk in a vessel that was new, durable and
pure. The deity Dharma, assuming the form of Anger, entered that vessel
of milk. Indeed, Dharma was desirous of ascertaining what that foremost
of Rishis would do when seeing some injury done to him. Having reflected
thus, Dharma spoiled that milk. Knowing that the spoiler of his milk was
Anger, the ascetic was not at all enraged with him. Anger, then, assuming
the form of a Brahmana lady, showed himself to the Rishi. Indeed, Anger,
finding that he had been conquered by that foremost one of Bhrigu's race,
addressed him, saying, 'O chief of Bhrigu's race, I have been conquered
by thee. There is a saying among men that the Bhrigus are very wrathful.
I now find that that saying is false, since I have been subdued by thee.
Thou art possessed of a mighty soul. Thou art endued with forgiveness. I
stand here today, owning thy sway. I fear thy penances, O righteous one.
Do thou, O puissant Rishi, show me favour.'
"Jamadagni said, 'I have seen thee, O Anger, in thy embodied form. Go
thou whithersoever thou likest, without any anxiety. Thou hast not done
me any injury today. I have no grudge against thee. Those for whom I had
kept this milk are the highly blessed Pitris. Present thyself before them
and ascertain their intentions.' Thus addressed, penetrated with fear,
Anger vanished from the sight of the Rishi. Through the curse of the
Pitris he became a mongoose. He then began to gratify the Pitris in order
to bring about an end of his curse. By them he was told these words, 'By
speaking disrespectfully of Dharma thou shalt attain to the end of thy
curse.' Thus addressed by them he wandered over places where sacrifices
were performed and over other sacred places, employed in censuring great
sacrifices. It was he that came to the great sacrifice of king
Yudhishthira. Dispraising the son of Dharma by a reference to the prastha
of powdered barley, Anger became freed from his curse, for Yudhishthira
(as Dharma's son) was Dharma's self. Even this is what occurred in the
sacrifice of that high-souled king. Mongoose disappeared there in our
very sight.'"
The end of Aswamedha Parva
