चैत्ररथ पर्व — और्वको कथा

Arjuna said : O Pitris, the vow I uttered in anger for the destruction of all the worlds must not be in vain.

I cannot to be one whose anger and vows are fruitless. This my anger will certainly consume me (if I do not accomplish my vow), as fire consumes the dry wood.

The men, who suppresses his anger excited by a just cause, becomes incapable of duly compassing the Three varga (Dharma, Artha and Kama.)

The wrath, that the kings, desirous of subjugating the whole world, display, has its use. It serves to restrain the wicked and protect the honest.

When I was lying unborn within my mother and other women of the Bhrigu race as they were being massacred by the Kshatriyas.

O Pitris, when those wretches, the Kshatriyas, were exterminating the Bhrigus together with the unborn children to their race, anger filled my soul.

My mother and the other women of our race, each in a state of advanced pregnancy and my father also, though exceedingly afflic did not get a protector in all the world.

When the Bhrigu women did not find a single protector, my blessed mother held me (hidden) in one of her thighs.

If there be a punisher of crimes in the world, no one in all the worlds could dare commit a crime.

If sin does not find any punisher, then many men live in sinful acts.

The man who having power to punish sin, does not do so, knowing that a sin has been committed, is himself defiled by that sin.

The kings and others, who were capable of protecting my fathers, did not protect them, neglecting to perform their duty by giving themselves up to the pleasures of life. Therefore, I have just cause to be enraged. I am the lord of creation, I am incapable of obeying your command.

Capable as I am of punishing this crime, if I abstain from doing it, men will once more have to undergo a similar persecution.

The fire of my wrath, which is ready to consume the worlds, if suppressed, will certainly consume me by its own energy.

O masters, I know you always seek the good of the worlds. Therefore, instruct me as to what may be good to myself or to the worlds.

The Pitris said : Throw this fire of your wrath which desires to consume the worlds into the waters. That will do you good. The worlds rest on water.

Every juicy substance is full of water; indeed the whole universe is full of water. Therefore, O best of the twice born, throw this your anger into the waters.

O Brahmana, if you desire it, let this fire of your wrath remain in the great ocean, consuming its water, for we have heard the worlds are made of water.

O sinless one, in this way your word will be made true and the worlds with the celestials will not be destroyed.

Vasishtha said: Thereupon Aurva threw the fire of his wrath into the abode of Varuna (sea) and that fire consumes the waters of the great ocean.

Assuming a greatly fearful head (that of a horse) and emitting fire from its mouth, it consumes the waters of the great ocean. The men learned in the Vedas call it Vadabamukha.

O Parashara, O foremost of all wise men, you are acquainted with the higher regions, you should not destroy the world.