Then Agni in haste and with fierce flames approached
the spot where the sons of Mandapala were. The young birds saw the blazing
fire come towards them. Then Jaritari, the eldest of the four, in the
hearing of Agni, began to speak.'"
SECTION CCXXXIV
(Khandava-daha Parva continued)
"Jaritari said, 'The person that is wise remaineth wakeful in view of
death. Accordingly, when the hour of death approacheth, he feeleth no
pangs. But the person of perplexed soul, who remaineth not awake, when the
hour of death comes, feeleth the pangs of death and never attaineth
salvation.'
"The second brother Sarisrikka, said, 'Thou art patient and intelligent.
The time is come when our lives are threatened. Without doubt, one only
amongst many becometh wise and brave.'
"The third brother, Stamvamitra, said, 'The eldest brother is called the
protector. It is the eldest brother that rescueth (the younger ones) from
danger. If the eldest himself faileth to rescue them, what can the younger
ones do?'
"The fourth and the youngest brother, Drona said, 'The cruel god of fire,
with seven tongues and seven mouths quickly cometh towards our habitation,
blazing forth in splendour and licking up everything in his path.'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Having addressed one another thus, the sons of
Mandapala then each devotedly addressed an eulogistic hymn to Agni. Listen
now, O monarch, to those hymns as I recite them.'
"Jaritari said, 'Thou art, O fire, the soul of air! Thou art the body of
the Earth's vegetation! O Sukra, water is thy parent as thou art the
parent of water! O thou of great energy, thy flames, like the rays of the
sun, extend themselves above, below, behind, and on each side.
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