The revered one is the father of that celebrated father
of thine.' Thus addressed by his mother that best of Rishis of truthful
speech, gave way to sorrow, but soon fired up and resolved to destroy the
whole creation. Then that illustrious and great ascetic Vasishtha, that
foremost of all persons conversant with Brahma, that son of Mitravaruna,
that Rishi acquainted with positive truth, addressed his grandson who had
set his heart upon the destruction of the world. Hear, O Arjuna, the
arguments by which Vasishtha succeeded in driving out that resolution from
his grandson's mind.'
"The Gandharva continued, 'Then Vasishtha said, 'There was a celebrated
king of the name of Kritavirya. That bull among the kings of the earth was
the disciple of the Veda-knowing Bhrigus. That king, O child, after
performing the Soma sacrifice, gratified the Brahmanas with great presents
of rice and wealth. After that monarch had ascended to heaven, an occasion
came when his descendants were in want of wealth. And knowing that the
Bhrigus were rich, those princes went unto those best of Brahmanas, in the
guise of beggars. Some amongst the Bhrigus, to protect their wealth,
buried it under earth; and some from fear of the Kshatriyas, began to give
away their wealth unto (other) Brahmanas; while some amongst them duly
gave unto the Kshatriyas whatever they wanted. It happened, however, that
some Kshatriyas, in digging as they pleased at the house of particular
Bhargava, came upon a large treasure.
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