Absolute ruin very soon overtakes the separated. For
these reasons the wise never speak approvingly of partition amongst
brothers who, when divided, do not regard the most authoritative Sastras
and live always in fear of each other. But as thou, Supritika, without
regarding my advice impelled by desire of separation, always wishest to
make an arrangement about your property, thou shall become an elephant.'
Supritika, thus cursed, then spake unto Vibhavasu, 'Thou also shall become
a tortoise moving in the midst of the waters.'
"And thus on account of wealth those two fools, Supritika and Vibhavasu,
from each other's curse, have become an elephant and a tortoise
respectively. Owing to their wrath, they have both become inferior animals.
And they are engaged in hostilities with each other, proud of their
excessive strength and the weight of their bodies. And in this lake those
two beings of huge bodies are engaged in acts according to their former
hostility. Look here, one amongst them, the handsome elephant of huge body,
is even now approaching. Hearing his roar, the tortoise also of huge body,
living within the waters, cometh out, agitating the lake violently. And
seeing him the elephant, curling his trunk, rusheth into the water. And
endued with great energy, with motion of his tusks and fore-part of his
trunk and tail and feet, he agitates the water of the lake abounding with
fishes. And the tortoise also of great strength, with upraised head,
cometh forward for an encounter.
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