Vaisampayana continued,--"The sons of Pandu said to the high-souled
Markandeya, 'We long to hear of the greatness of the _Brahmanas_. Do
thou tell us of it!' Thus asked, the revered Markandeya, of austere
virtue and high spiritual energy, and proficient in all departments of
knowledge, replied, 'A strong-limbed, handsome young prince of the race
of the Haihayas, a conqueror of hostile cities, (once) went out hunting.
And (while) roaming in the wilderness of big trees and thickets of
grass, he saw, at no great distance from him, a _Muni_ with the skin of
a black antelope for his upper garment, and killed him for a deer.
Pained at what he had done, and his senses paralysed with grief, he
repaired to the presence of the more distinguished of the _Haihaya_
chiefs. The lotus-eyed prince related to them the particulars. On
hearing the account, O my son, and beholding the body of the _Muni_ who
had subsisted on fruits and roots, they were sorely afflicted in mind.
And they all set out enquiring here and there as they proceeded, as to
whose son the _Muni_ might be. And they soon after reached the hermitage
of Arishtanemi, son of Kasyapa. And saluting that great _Muni_, so
constant in austerity, they all remained standing, while the _Muni_, on
his part, busied himself about their reception. And they said unto the
illustrious _Muni_, "By a freak of destiny, we have ceased to merit thy
welcome: indeed, we have killed a Brahmana!" And the regenerate _Rishi_
said to them, "How hath a Brahmana come to be killed by you, and say
where may be he? Do ye all witness the power of my ascetic practices!"
And they, having related everything to him as it had happened went back,
but found not the body of the dead _Rishi_ on the spot (where they had
left it). And having searched for him, they returned, ashamed and bereft
of all perception, as in a dream. And then, O thou conqueror of hostile
cities, the _Muni_ Tarkshya, addressed them, saying, "Ye princes, can
this be the Brahmana of your killing? This Brahmana, endowed with occult
gifts from spiritual exercises, is, indeed, my son!" Seeing that
_Rishi_, O lord of the earth, they were struck with bewilderment. And
they said, "What a marvel! How hath the dead come to life again? Is it
the power of his austere virtue by which he hath revived again? We long
to hear this, O Brahmana, if, indeed, it can be divulged?" To them, he
replied, "Death, O lords of men, hath no power over us! I shall tell ye
the reason briefly and intelligibly. We perform our own sacred duties;
therefore, have we no fear of death; we speak well of _Brahmanas_ but
never think any ill of them; therefore hath death no terror for us.
Entertaining our guests with food and drink, and our dependants with
plenty of food, we ourselves (then) partake of what is left; therefore
we are not afraid of death. We are peaceful and austere and charitable
and forbearing and fond of visiting sacred shrines, and we live in
sacred places; therefore we have no fear of death. And we live in places
inhabited by men who have great spiritual power; therefore hath death no
terror for us. I have briefly told ye all! Return ye now all together,
cured of all worldly vanity. Ye have no fear of sin!" Saying _amen_, O
foremost scion of Bharata's race, and saluting the great _Muni_, all
those princes joyously returned to their country.'"