An Index to the Names in the Mahabharata, with Short Explanations and a Concordance to the Bombay and Calcutta Editions and P. C. Roy's Translation c5.s1.432

c5.s1.432

taken a cow belonging to a brahman and giveu it away to another brahman. Formerly, when Dvāravatī was founded (read with B. niriçantyām), a huge lizard was seen (or met with?) in a well; Kṛṣṇa took it out and learnt that it was king Nṛga, who in days of old had performed many sacrifices and repeatedly made gifts of hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of kine to the brahmans; a brahman's cow had accidentally come among Nṛga's and been given to another brahman, whose weak child it nourished; neither of them would take the most exorbitant gifts in exchange; after death, when he came to the region of the Pitṛs, Yama let him choose as his punishment for this little sin to become a lizard for 1,000 years, till he was rescued by Vāsudeva. Then Nṛga mounted a celestial car and proceeded to heaven; a verse of Kṛṣṇa's is quoted (XIII, 70). Yudhishṭhira asked Bhishma to further detail the merits attainable by gifts of kine. Bhishma told the old story of R. Uddalaki and his son Nāciketa, whom he had cursed to go and see Yama, because Nāciketa had not found the articles (enumeration) he was sent for, as they had been washed away by the current. Nāciketa fell dowo, deprived of life; Uddalaki indulged in lamentations; when the night came, Nāciketa, drenched with his father's tears, revived, and in the midst of the Ṛṣis told that he had been honoured in Yama's delightful palace, which extended over 1,000 yojanas; "Yama said that I was not dead, but had only come to see Yama in compliance with the words of my father"; Yama, at his request, had caused him to be mounted on a vehicle and showed him all those delightful regions that are reserved for the righteous (description), who make gifts in the world of men, especially gifts of kine, etc. (considerations of propriety or otherwise); in the absence of kine, a person by making gifts of a substitute of kine (e.g. a cow made of ghee) wins the merit of making gifts of kine; gifts of kine on kāmyāshṭamī, etc.; "I then took leave of Yama and have now come back" (XIII, 71). Yudhishṭhira asked about the regions of kine, which are the residence of givers of kine. Bhishma related the old tale of the conversation between Brahmán and Indra, who, seeing that the residents of the regions of kine surpassed the denizens of heaveu, asked Brahmán about them (XIII, 72). The comments of Brahmán to Indra on the subject of kine, reference being made to Ṛṣis, etc. (XIII, 73). Asked by Indra, Brahmán spoke about the end of him who consciously steals a cow or sells one from motives of cupidity. Bhishma explained how Brahmán's discourse had been handed down from Indra to Bhishma: Brahmán > Daçaratha > Rāma [Dāçarathi] > Lakshmaṇa > the Ṛṣis (while dwelling in the woods) > from generation to generation > Bhishma's preceptor Bhishma. Blessing upon the reader (XIII, 74). Asked by Yudhishṭhira, Bhishma explained the rewards that attach to the observance of different kinds of vows; many millions of Ṛṣis residing in Brahmaloka (XIII, 75). Asked by Bhishma commented upon the ordinances that kine, quoting the instruction given by Māndhātr; "kine have that in them that both Sūrya and Soma"; application (θ); all the three [cow-givers], pleasant with the Mahābhārata Soma; names of kings felicity as the reward according to the Vaiçampāyana wished; he