Vaisampayana said, “The Rishis, the Brahmanas, and Yudhishthira then
asked Markandeya, saying, ‘How did the Rishi Vaka become so long lived?’
“Thus asked by them, Markandeya answered, ‘The royal sage Vaka is a great
ascetic and endowed with long life. Ye need not enquire into the reason
of this.’
“Hearing this, O Bharata, the son of Kunti, king Yudhishthira the just,
along with his brothers, then asked Markandeya saying, ‘It hath been
heard by us that both Vaka and Dalvya are of great souls and endowed with
immortality and that those Rishis, held in universal reverence, are the
friends of the chief of the gods. O Holy One, I desire to listen lo the
(history of the) meeting of Vaka and Indra that is full of both joy and
woe. Narrate thou that history unto us succinctly.’
“Markandeya said, ‘When that horrible conflict between the gods and the
Asuras was over, Indra became the ruler of the three worlds. The clouds
showered rain copiously. And the dwellers of the world had abundance of
harvests, and were excellent in disposition. And devoted to virtue, they
always practised morality and enjoyed peace. And all persons, devoted to
the duties of their respective orders, were perfectly happy and cheerful,
and the slayer of Vala, beholding all the creatures of the world happy
and cheerful, became himself filled with joy. And he of a hundred
sacrifices, the chief of the gods seated on the back of his elephant
Airavata, surveyed his happy subjects, and he cast his eyes on delightful
asylums of Rishis, on various auspicious rivers, towns full of
prosperity, and villages and rural regions in the enjoyment of plenty.
And he also cast his eyes upon kings devoted to the practice of virtue
and well-skilled in ruling their subjects. And he also looked upon tanks
and reservoirs and wells and lakes and smaller lakes all full of water
and adored by best of Brahmanas in the observance, besides, of various
excellent vows, and then descending on the delightful earth, O king, the
god of a hundred sacrifices, proceeded towards a blessed asylum teeming
with animals and birds, situated by the side of the sea, in the
delightful and auspicious regions of the East on a spot overgrown with
abundance of vegetation. And the chief of the gods beheld Vaka in that
asylum, and Vaka also, beholding the ruler of the Immortals, became
highly glad, and he worshipped Indra by presenting him with water to wash
his feet, a carpet to sit upon, the usual offering of the Arghya, and
fruit and roots. And the boon-giving slayer of Vala, the divine ruler of
those that know not old age, being seated at his ease, asked Vaka the
following question, ‘O sinless Muni, thou hast lived for a hundred years!
Tell me, O Brahmana, what the sorrows are of those that are immortal!’
Markandeya continued, “Hearing this, Vaka answered, saying, ‘Life with
persons that are disagreeable, separation from those that are agreeable
and beloved, companionship with the wicked, these are the evils which
they that are immortal have to bear. The death of sons and wives, of
kinsmen and friends, and the pain of dependence on others, are some of
the greatest of evils. (These may all be noticed in a deathless life).
There is no more pitiable sight in the world, as I conceive, than that of
men destitute of wealth being insulted by others. The acquisition of
family dignity by those that have it not, the loss of family dignity by
those that have it, unions and disunions,--these all are noticeable by
those that lead deathless lives. How they that have no family dignity but
have prosperity, win what they have not--all this, O god of a hundred
sacrifices, is before thy very eyes! What can be more pitiable than the
calamities and reverses sustained by the gods, the Asuras, the
Gandharvas, men, the snakes, and the Rakshasas! They that have been of
good families suffer afflictions in consequence of their subjection to
persons that are ill-born and the poor are insulted by the rich. What can
be more pitiable than these? Innumerable examples of such contradictory
dispensations are seen in the world. The foolish and the ignorant are
cheerful and happy while the learned and the wise suffer misery!
Plentiful instances of misery and woe are seen among men in this world!
(They that lead deathless lives are destined to behold all these and
suffer on that account.)’
“Indra then said, ‘O thou of great good fortune, tell me again, what the
joys are of those persons that lead deathless lives,--joys that are
adored by gods and Rishis!’
“Vaka answered, ‘If without having to associate with a wicked friend, a
man cooks scanty vegetables in his own house at the eight or the twelfth
part of the day, there can be nothing happier than that.[49] He in whose
case the day is not counted is not called voracious. And, O Maghavan,
happiness is even his own whose scanty vegetables are cooked. Earned by
his own efforts, without having to depend upon any one, he that eateth
even fruits and vegetables in his own house is entitled to respect. He
that eateth in another’s house the food given to him in contempt, even if
that food be rich and sweet, doth what is despicable. This, therefore, is
the opinion of the wise that fie on the food of that mean wretch who like
a dog or a Rakshasa eateth at another’s house. If after treating guests
and servants and offering food to the manes a good Brahmana eateth what
remains, there can be nothing happier than that. There is nothing sweeter
or more sacred, O thou of a hundred sacrifices, than that food which such
a person takes after serving the guest with the first portion thereof.
Each mouthful (of rice) that the Brahmana eats after having served the
guest, produces merit equal to what attaches to the gift of a thousand
kine. And whatever sins such a one may have committed in his youth are
all washed away of a certainty. The water in the hands of the Brahmana
that hath been fed and honoured with a pecuniary gift (after the feeding
is over) when touched with water (sprinkled by him that feeds), instantly
purges off all the sins of the latter!’”
“Speaking of these and various other things with Vaka, the chief of the
gods went away to heaven.’”[50]