Anushasanika Parva — The nature of compassion and pity. The discourse between Nahusha and Chyavana

Bhishma said Hearing the strait into which Chyavana was reduced, King Nahusha speedily went there, accompanied by his ministers and priest.

Having purified himself duly, the king, with joined hands and rapt attention, introduced himself to the great Chyavana.

The king's priest then adored with due ceremonies that Rishi, O king, who was observant of the vow of truth and gifted with a great soul, and who resembled a god himself.

Nahusha said Tell, me, O best of twiceborn ones, what act shall we do that may be pleasing to you? However difficult that deed may be, there is nothing, O holy one, that I shall not be able to do at your command.

Chyavana said These men who live by catching fish, have all been exhausted with fatigue. Do you pay them the price that may be fixed upon me along with value of these fish.

Nahusha said Let my priest give to these Nishadas a thousand coins as price for buying this sacred one as he himself has ordered.

Chyavana said A thousand coins is not my price. The question depends upon your discretion. Give them a fair price, setting with your discretion. Give them a fair price, settling with your own intelligence what it should be.

Nahusha said Let, О learned Brahmana, a hundred thousand coins be given to these Nishadas. Shall this be your price, O holy one, or do you think otherwise.

Chyavana said I should not be bought with a hundred thousand coins, O best of kings! Let a proper price be given to these! Do you consult with your ministers.

Nabusha said Let my priest give to these Nishadas a crore of coins. If even this does not cover your value, let more be paid to them.

Chyavana said O king, I am not with a crore of coins or even more. Let that price be given to these men which would be fair or proper. Do you consult with the Brahmanas.

Nahusha said Let half my kingdom or even the whole be given away to these Nishadas. I think that would be your price. What, however, do you think twiceborn one?

Chyavana said I do not deserve to be purchased with half your kingdom or even the whole of it, O king! Let that price which is proper be given to these men. Do you consult with the Rishis!

Bhishma continued Hearing these words of the great Rishi, Nahusha became stricken with great sorrow. With his ministers and priest he began to think on the matter.

There then came to king Nahusha an ascetic living in the forest and subsisting upon fruit and roots and born of cow.

That best of twiceborn persons, addressing the king, O monarch, said these words-I shall soon satisfy you. The Rishi also will be satisfied.

I shall never speak a falsehood, no, not even in jest, what then need I say of other occasions? You should unhesitatingly do what I bid you.

Nahusha said Do you, O illustrious one, say what the value is of that great Rishi of Bhrigu's race. O, save me from this terrible difficulty, save my kingdom and save my family

If the holy Chyavana become angry, he would destroy the three worlds; what need I say then of my poor self who is destitute of penances and who depends upon the power only of his arms.

O great Rishi, do you become the raft to us who have all fallen into a fathomless deep with all our counsellors and our priest. Do you settle what the value should be of the Rishi!

Bhishma said Hearing these words of Nahusha, the ascetic born of a cow and gifted with great energy spoke thus, gladdening the monarch with all his counsellors:

Brahmanas, O king, belong to the foremost of the four castes. No value, however great, can be fixed upon them. Kine also are invaluable. Therefore, O king, do you regard a cow as the value of the Rishi!

Hearing these words of the great Rishi, Nahusha became, O king, filled with joy along with all his counsellors and priest.

Proceeding then to Bhrigu's son Chyavana of rigid vows, he addressed him thus O monarch, for satisfying him to the best of his power.

Nahusha said Rise, rise, O twiceborn Rishi, you have been purchased, O son of Bhrigu, with a cow as your price! O foremost of righteous persons, even this, I think, is your price!

Chyavana said Yes, O king of kings, I do rise up. I have been properly purchased by you, O sinless ore. I do not, O you of unfading glory, see any riches that is equal to kine.

To speak of kine, to hear others speak of then, to make gifts of kine, and to see kine, O king, are acts, that are all praised, O hero, and that are highly auspicious and purifying.

Kine are always the root of prosperity. There is no fault in kine. Kine always give the best food, in the form of Havi, to the deities.

The sacred Mantras, Svaha and Vashat, are always established upon kine. Kine are the chief conductresses of Sacrifices. They form the mouth of Sacrifice.

They bear and yield excellent and strength giving ambrosia. They receive the adoration of all the worlds and are considered as the source of nectar.

On Earth, kine resemble fire in energy and form. Indeed, kine represent high energy, and are conferreres of great happiness upon all creatures.

That country where, kine placed by their owners, breathe fearlessly, shines in beauty. The sins also of that country are all removed.

Kine form the stairs leading to Heaven. Kine are worshipped in Heaven itself. Kine are goddesses that can give everything and grant every wish. There is nothing else in the world that is so high or so superior.

Bhishma said This is what I say to you on the subject of the glory and superiority of kine, O chief of Bharata's race. I am competent to describe a part only of the merits of the kine. I have not the ability to exhaust the subject.

The Nishadas said O ascetic, you have seen us and have also spoken with us, It has been said that friendship, with the good, depends upon only seven words. Do you then, O lord, show us your favour.

The blazing sacrificial fire eats all the oblations of clarified butter poured upon it. Of pious soul, and gifted with great energy, you are among men, a blazing fire in energy.

We propitiate you, O you of great learning. We surrender ourselves to you. Do you, for showing us favour, take back from us this cow.

Chyavana said The eye of a poor or distressed person, the eye of an ascetic, or the eye of a snake of dreadful poison, consume a man with his very roots even as a fire, that burning with the aid of the wind and consumes a stack of dry grass or straw.

I shall accept the cow that you wish to present me-You fishermen, freed from every sin, go ye to heaven forthwith, with these fishes also that you have caught with your nets.

Bhishma said After this, on account of the energy of that great Rishi of purified soul, those fishermen along with all those fish, through virtue of those words that he had uttered, went to heaven.

Seeing the fishermen ascending to heaven with those fishes in their company, became filled with wonder, O chief of Bharata's race.

After this, the two Rishis, viz., the one born of a cow and the other who was Chyavana of Bhrigu's race, pleased king Nahusha by granting him many boons.

Then the highly energetic king Nahusha that lord of all the Earth, filled with joy, O best of the Bharatas, said-Sufficient.

Like a second, Indra the king of the celestials, he accepted the boon about his own steadiness in virtue. The Rishis having granted him the boon, the delighted king adored them both with great respect.

As regards Chyavana, his vow having been completed, he returned to his own hermitage. The Rishi who had taken his birth from the cow, and who was gifted with great energy, also proceeded to his own hermitage.

The Nishadas all ascended to heaven, as also the fishes they had caught, O king, king Nahusha too, having got those valuable boons, entered his own city.

I have thus, O son, told you everything about what you had asked me. The affection that is caught by the sight alone of others as also by the fact of living with them, O Yudhishthira, and the high blessedness of kine too, and the ascertainment of true virtue, are the subject I have described. Tell me, O hero what else is in your mind.