On hearing of the birth of the infant, Kuns trembling with fear
arose, and taking a sword ran reeling along; his hair dishevelled,
bathed in sweat, he came to his sister in extreme agitation. When he
snatched away the child from her, she said, joining her hands, “O
brother! this infant girl is thy niece, do not kill her, as she is my
last child. You have put to death my sons, the loss of whom afflicts
me greatly; why will you increase your crimes by killing this infant
without cause?”
Kuns replied, “I will not give the child alive to thee; that is, I
will not let her live, because whoever marries her, will put me to
death.” Having said this, and gone outside, just as he was about to
dash the child to pieces, she escaped from his hand, and ascended to
heaven, and exclaimed, “O Kuns! what have you gained by attempting to
dash me to pieces, thy enemy has been born somewhere, and now thou
shalt not escape with life?”
Having heard this, Kuns filled with regret, came to where Basoodeo and
Dewukee were standing, and on his arrival, had their handcuffs and
leg-irons cut off; and submissively said, “I have committed a great
crime in putting your sons to death; how will this stain be washed
out, in what birth shall I obtain salvation? Your gods were false, who
said, that in Dewukee’s eighth pregnancy a boy should be born; this
has not been the case, but a girl has been produced, and she too
having escaped from my hands has ascended to heaven; exercise
compassion, and do not allow your thoughts to dwell upon my sins;
because no one can obliterate what has been written in fate. After
having come into the world, a man cannot be free from life, death,
good and bad fortune. They, who are wise, consider life and death
alike, and the proud look upon them as friendly and hostile. You are
great observers of truth in having brought your sons to me.”
Having thus spoken, when Kuns began repeatedly to entreat them,
Basoodeo Jee said, “O great king! you say truly, that the fault is not
your’s in this case, as God had written what has happened in our
fate.” Hearing this, Kuns, being highly delighted, brought Basoodeo
and Dewukee in the most friendly manner to his house; and having
entertained them, and presented them with robes, brought them back
again with the greatest respect: and having sent for a counsellor, he
said, “Dewee has stated, that my enemy has been born; for which
reason, put the gods to death wherever you find them; because they
have spoken falsely to me, in stating, that my foe should be born in
the eighth pregnancy of Dewukee.”--The counsellor said, “O great king!
what great difficulty will there be in destroying them: they are
beggars from birth; and whenever you show anger, they will run away.
What power have they of opposing you? Bruhmù is engaged during the
eight puhurs in reflection, and contemplation: Muhadeo eats bhang, and
the thorn apple: Indrù has no power over you--There remains Narayun,
who does not understand war; he remains enjoying himself with
Luchmee.”
Kuns said, “Explain, how can we find Narayun, and conquer him?”--The
counsellor replied, “If you wish to conquer Narayun, destroy all those
in whose houses he dwells during the eight puhurs: Brahmins,
worshippers of Vishnù, Jogees, devotees with matted hair, religious
asceticks, Sunyasees, wandering religionists, and all the worshippers
of Huri:--seize them all, from children to old men, so that not one
may be left alive.” On hearing this, Kuns said to the counsellor, “Do
you go, and destroy them all.” Having obtained this order, the
counsellor, taking with him all sorts of devils, departed, and having
gone into the city began to search for cows, Brahmins, children, and
the worshippers of Huri, and adopting treachery and violence, to put
them to death.