(Chaitraratha Parva continued)

“The Gandharva continued, ’Then, O Partha, Adrisyanti, who had been residing in Vasishtha’s asylum, brought forth (when the time came) a son who was the perpetuator of Saktri’s race and who was a second Saktri in everything.  O foremost of Bharatas, that best of Munis, the illustrious Vasishtha himself performed the usual after-birth ceremonies of his grandson.  And, because the Rishi Vasishtha had resolved on self-destruction but had abstained therefrom as soon as he knew of the existence of that child, that child, when born, was called Parasara (the vivifier of the dead).  The virtuous Parasara, from the day of his birth, knew Vasishtha for his father and behaved towards the Muni as such.  One day, O son of Kunti, the child addressed Vasishtha, that first of Brahmana sages, as father, in the presence of his mother Adrisyanti.  Adrisyanti, hearing the very intelligible sound father sweetly uttered by her son, addressed him with tearful eyes and said, ’O child, do not address this thy grandfather as father?  Thy father, O son, has been devoured by a Rakshasa in a different forest.  O innocent one, he is not thy father whom thou regardest so.  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.  And the treasure was seen by all those bulls among Kshatriyas who had been there.  Enraged at what they regarded as the deceitful behaviour of the Bhrigus, the Kshatriyas insulted the Brahmanas, though the latter asked for mercy.  And those mighty bowmen began to slaughter the Bhrigus with their sharp arrows.  And the