in accordance with ancient custom, for the
peace of the departed soul.
After the ceremony was over,
Yudhishthira went up the bank. There, as
he stood for a while, all the tragic events
came back to his mind, and overcome by
intense grief, he fell senseless on the
ground, like an elephant struck down by
the hunter.
Bhima went up to his big brother and
caressed him tenderly and spoke to him
soothing words. Dhritarashtra also came
up and said to Yudhishthira:
"You should not grieve like this. Arise
and, assisted by your brothers and friends,
reign over the kingdom that awaits your
rule. Your duty now is to do what
appertains to the office of king. Leave
grief to Gandhari and me. You achieved
victory in battle in accordance with the
dharma of warriors. The duties
appertaining to that victory await your
attention now. Fool that I was, I did not
pay heed to the words of Vidura and
committed a great error. I listened to the
ignorant words of Duryodhana and
deceived myself. Like gold seen in a
dream the glory has vanished. My
hundred sons have disappeared into the
world of nowhere. But I have you as my
son now. Do not grieve."
99. ENVY
AFTER the libation ceremony for
Bhishma was over, Vyasa narrated to
grief-stricken Yudhishthira an episode in
Brihaspati's life. The wisest of men are
sometimes affected by envy and suffer
thereby. Brihaspati, teacher to the gods
themselves, was master of all knowledge.
He was learned in all the Vedas and all the
sciences, yet he was once the victim of
this debasing emotion and suffered
disgrace.
Brihaspati had a younger brother,
Samvarta, who was also a person of great
learning and a very good man. Brihaspati
was, for this reason, stricken with envy of
his brother.
In this world men become envious of
others, just because the others are good,
while they themselves are not so good,
and they cannot bear this. It is strange
indeed that men should not suffer even
virtue in others.
Brihaspati harassed Samvarta in many
ways. When he could not stand it any
more, poor Samvarta put on the
appearance of an eccentric and wandered
from place to place, and spent his days in
that way to escape from his brother's
persecution.
King Marutta of the Ikshwaku dynasty
made great penance and obtained from the
Lord of Kailasa a great goldmine in the
Himalayas and, with his resources thus
augmented, he decided to perform a great
Yajna.
Marutta requested Brihaspati to conduct
the yajna for him. But Brihaspati feared
that Marutta would, as a result of the
yajna, overshadow the gods who were his
charge.
He refused to comply with the king's
invitation, despite his pressing entreaties.
Thereupon, king Marutta, who had come
to know about Samvarta found his
whereabouts and approached him with the
invitation to conduct his yajna.
He at first refused and tried to avoid the
honor, but finally yielded. This further
increased Brihaspati's envy of his
unfortunate brother.
"Here is this enemy of mine, Samvarta,
going to conduct king Marutta's great
yajna. What shall I do now?" Thus did
Brihaspati brood over it until his envy
affected his health. His health declined
rapidly and he became thin and pale. His
condition grew worse everyday, until it
attracted the attention of Indra himself.
Indra, chief of the gods, approached the
divine preceptor and saluting him asked: