मोक्षधर्म पर्व — शुकदेवको कथा

Bhishma said Having got this high boon from the great God, the son of Satyavati, was one day engaged in rubbing his sticks for making a fire.

While thus engaged, the illustrious Rishi, O king, saw the . Apsara Ghritachi, who, on account of her energy, was then possessed of great beauty.

Seeing the Apasara in those woods, the illustrious Rishi Vyasa, O Yudhisthira, became suddenly possessed by desire.

The Apsara, seeing the Rishi's heart smitten with desire, changed herself into a she-parrot and came to that spot.

Although he saw the Apsara disguised in another form, the desire that had arisen in the Rishi's heart spread itself over every part of his body.

Inviting all his patience, the ascetic tried to suppress that desire. With all his efforts, however, Vyasa could not control his agitated mind. On account of the inevitability of what was to take place the Rishi's heart was drawn by Ghritachi's beauty.

He tried his best for making a fire for suppressing his emotion, but despite all his efforts his vital seed came out in the wood.

That best of twice-born ones, however O king, continued to rub his stick without feeling any scruples for what had taken place. From the seed that feil, was born a son to him called Shuka.

On account of this incident about his birth, he came to be called by the name of Shuka. : Indeed, it was thus that great ascetic, that foremost of Rishis and highest of Yogins, was born from the two sticks.

As in a sacrifice a blazing fire spreads its effulgence all around when libations of clarified butter are poured upon it, similarly did Shuka take his birth, blazing with effulgence on account of his own energy.

Assuming the excellent form and hue of his father, Shuka, O son of Kuru, of purified Soul, shone like a smokeless fire.

O king, coming to the breast of Meru, in her own embodied form, the foremost of rivers, viz., Ganga, bathed Shuka with her waters.

There fell from the sky, O son of Kuru, an ascetic's stick and a dark deer skin for the use, O king, of the great Shuka.

The Gandharvas sang repeatedly and the various clans of Apsaras danced; and celestial kettle drums of loud sound began to bcat.

The Gandharvas Vishvavasu, and Tumvuru, and Narada, and those other Gandharvas called by the name of Haha, and Huhu, eulogised the birth of Shuka.

There the regents of the world headed by Indra, as also the gods and the celestial and the regenerate Rishis.

The Wind-god poured there showers of celestial flowers. The entire universe, mobile and immobile, became filled with joy.

The great and the highly effulgent Mahadeva, accompanied by the Goddess, and moved by affection, came there and soon after the birth of the Muni's son invested him with the sacred thread.

Shakra, the king of the gods, gave him, from affection, a celestial pitcher of excellent form, and some celestial dresses.

Thousands of Swans and Shatapatras and cranes, and many parrots and Chasas, O Bharata, wheeled over his head.

Highly effulgent and intelligent Shuka, having obtained his birth from the two sticks, continued to live there, practising many vows and fasts.

As soon as Shuka was born, the Vedas, with all their mysteries and all their abstracts, came for living in him, O king, even as they live in his father.

For all that, Shuka, selected Brihaspati, who was a master of all the Vedas together with their branches and commentaries, for his preceptor, remembering universal practice.

Having read all the Vedas together with all their mysteries and abstracts, as also all the histories and the science of polity, O powerful king, the great ascetic returned home, after giving his preceptor the tuition-fee. Adopting the vow of celibacy, he then bagan to practise the austerest penances, concentrating all his attention thereon.

Even in his childhood, he became an object of reverence with the gods and Rishis for his knowledge and penances.

The mind of the great ascetic, O king, found pleasure in the three modes of life, keeping in view, as he did, the Religion of Liberation.