"'Yudhishthira said, "If a person, weak, worthless, and light-hearted, O
grandsire, doth from folly provoke, by means of unbecoming and boastful
speeches, a powerful foe always residing in his vicinity, competent to do
good (when pleased) and chastise (when displeased), and always ready for
action, how should the former, relying on his own strength, act when the
latter advances against him in anger and from desire of exterminating
him?"
"'Bhishma said, "In this connection is cited, O chief of the Bharatas, the
old story of the discourse between Salmali and Pavana. There was a lordly
(Salmali) tree on one of the heights of Himavat. Having grown for many
centuries, he had spread out his branches wide around. His trunk also was
huge and his twigs and leaves were innumerable. Under his shade toil-worn
elephants in rut, bathed in sweat, used to rest, and many animals of
other species also. The girth of his trunk was four hundred cubits, and
dense was the shade of his branches and leaves. Loaded with flowers and
fruits, it was the abode of innumerable parrots, male and female. In
travelling along their routes, caravans of merchants and traders, and
ascetics, residing in the woods, used to rest under the shade of that
delightful monarch of the forest. One day, the sage Narada, O bull of
Bharata's race, seeing the wide-extending and innumerable branches of
that tree and the circumference of his trunk, approached and addressed
him, saying, 'O thou art delightful! O thou art charming! O foremost of
trees, O Salmali, I am always delighted at thy sight! O charming tree,
delightful birds of diverse kinds, and elephants and other animals,
cheerfully live on thy branches and under their shade. Thy branches, O
wide-branched monarch of the forest, and thy trunk are gigantic. I never
see any of them broken by the god of the wind. Is it, O child, the case
that Pavana is pleased with thee and is thy friend so that he protects
thee always in these woods? The illustrious Pavana possessed of great
speed and force moveth from their sites the tallest and strongest trees,
and even mountain summits. That sacred bearer of perfumes, blowing (when
he wills) drieth up rivers and lakes and seas, including the very nether
region. Without doubt, Pavana protects thee through friendship. It is for
this reason that, though possessed of innumerable branches, thou art
still graced with leaves and flowers. O monarch of the forest, this thy
verdure is delightful since these winged creatures, O child, filled with
joy, sport on thy twigs and branches. During the season when thou puttest
forth thy blossoms, the sweet notes of all these denizens of thy branches
are heard separately when they indulge in their melodious songs. Then,
again, O Salmali, these elephants that are the ornaments of their
species, bathed in sweat and indulging in cries (of delight), approach
thee and find happiness here. Similarly, diverse other species of animals
inhabiting the woods, contribute to adorn thee. Indeed, O tree, thou
lookest beautiful even like the mountains of Meru peopled by creatures of
every kind. Resorted to also by Brahmanas crowned with ascetic success,
by others engaged in penances, and by Yatis devoted to contemplation,[454]
this thy region, I think, resembles heaven itself.'"'