जलप्रदानिक पर्व — संसार-रूपी वन का वर्णन

Dhritarashtra said Describ: fully to me the ways of that intelligence by which this wilderness of duties may be safely crossed.

Vidura said “Having saluted the Self-create, I will obey your command by telling, you how the great sages speak of the wilderness of life.

A cretin Brahmana, living in the great world, found himself on one occasion in a large inaccessible forest abounding with beasts of prey.

It was full of lions and tigers and other animals looking like elephants, all of which were roaring aloud. Such was the view of that forest that Yama himself would be frightened.

Seeing the forest, the heart of the Brahmana was greatly agitated. His hairs stood erect, and other signs of fear manifested themselves, O destroyer of enemies.

Entering it, he began to run hither and thither, looking every side for finding out somebody whose shelter he might seek.

Wishing to avoid those terrible creatures, he ran about in fear. He could not go far away from them or free himself from their presence.

He then saw that terrible forest was surrounded with a net, and that a dreadful woman stood there, stretching her arms.

That large forest was also beset with many five-headed snakes of dreadful forms, tall as mountain summits touching the very sky.

Within it was a pit whose mouth was covered with many hard and strong creepers and herbs.

While wandering the Brahmana dropped into that invisible pit. He was entangled in those creepers that were interwoven with one another, like the large fruit of a jack tree hanging by its stalk. He remained there hanging with feet upwards and head downwards.

While in that state, he was visited by various other calamities. He saw a large and mighty snake within the pit. He also saw a gigantic elephant near its mouth.

The elephant, was dark coloured and had six faces and twelve feet. And the animal gradually approached that pit overgrown with creepers and trees.

About the twigs of the tree which was at the mouth of the pit. moved about many bees of dreadful forms, engaged from before in drinking the honey gathered in their comb.

They repeatedly desired, O foremost of Bharata's race, to taste that honey which though sweet to all creatures could, however, attract children only. was not

The honey (in the comb) fell in many gets below. The person who was hanging in the pit continually drank those jets.

Drinking that honey in such a pitiable condition, his thirst, however, appeased. Unsatiated with repeatedly drinking the same the person desired for more.

Even then, O king, he could not give up hopes of life. Still, the man expected to live. A number of black and white rates were eating away the roots of that tree.

There was fear from the beasts of prey, from that dreadful woman on the outskirts of that forest, from that snake at the bottom of the well, from that elephant near its top, from the fall of the tree brought about by the rats, and lastly from those bees flying about for drinking the honey.

He lived in that condition, deprived of his senses, in that forest, never losing at any time the hope of continuing his life.”