That best of Munis,
that foremost of intelligent men, was resolved rather to sacrifice his own
life than exterminate (in anger) the race of Kusikas. The illustrious
Rishi threw himself down from the summit of Meru, but he descended on the
stony ground as though on a heap of cotton. And, O son of Pandu, when the
illustrious one found that death did not result from that fall, he kindled
a huge fire in the forest and entered it with alacrity. But that fire,
though burning brightly, consumed him not. O slayer of foes, that blazing
fire seemed to him cool. Then the great Muni under the influence of grief,
beholding the sea, tied a stony weight to his neck and threw himself into
its waters. But the waves soon cast him ashore. At last when that Brahmana
of rigid vows succeeded not in killing himself by any means, he returned,
in distress of heart, to his asylum.'"
SECTION CLXXIX
(Chaitraratha Parva continued)
"The Gandharva continued, 'Beholding his asylum bereft of his children,
the Muni afflicted with great grief left it again. And in course of his
wandering he saw, O Partha, a river swollen with the waters of the rainy
season, sweeping away numberless trees and plants that had grown on its
margin. Beholding this, O thou of Kuru's race, the distressed Muni
thinking that he would certainly be drowned if he fell into the waters of
that river, he tied himself strongly with several cords and flung himself,
under the influence of grief, into the current of that mighty stream.
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