"'Bhishma said, "The Rakshasa king then caused a funeral pyre to be made
for that prince of cranes and adorned it with jewels and gems, and
perfumes, and costly robes. Setting fire to it with the body of that
prince of birds, the mighty chief of the Rakshasas caused the obsequial
rites of his friend to be performed according to the ordinance. At that
time, the auspicious goddess Surabhi, the daughter of Daksha, appeared in
the sky above the place where the pyre had been set up. Her breasts were
full of milk.[497] From her mouth, O sinless monarch, froth mixed with
milk fell upon the funeral pyre of Rajadharman. At this, the prince of
cranes became revived. Rising up, he approached his friend Virupaksha,
the king of the Rakshasas. At this time, the chief of the celestials
himself came to the city of Virupaksha. Addressing the Rakshasa king,
Indra said, 'By good luck, thou hast revived the prince of cranes.' The
chief of the deities further recited to Virupaksha the old story of the
curse denounced by the Grandsire upon that best of birds named
Rajadharman. Addressing the king he said, 'Once on a time, O monarch,
this prince of cranes absented himself from the region of Brahman (when
his presence was expected). In wrath the Grandsire said unto this prince
of birds, "Since this vile crane hath not presented himself today in my
assembly, therefore, that wicked-souled one shall not soon die (so as to
be able to leave the earth)." In consequence of these words of the
Grandsire, the prince of cranes, though slain by Gautama, has come back
to life, through the virtue of the nectar with which his body was
drenched.' After Indra had become silent, Rajadharman, having bowed unto
the chief of the celestials, said 'O first of gods, if thy heart be
inclined towards me for grace, then let my dear friend Gautama be
restored to life!' Hearing these words of his, Vasava, O foremost of men,
sprinkled nectar over the Brahmana Gautama and restored him to life. The
prince of cranes, approaching his friend Gautama, who still bore on his
shoulders the load of gold (that he had got from the king of the
Rakshasas) embraced him and felt great joy. Rajadharman, that prince of
cranes, dismissing Gautama of sinful deeds, together with his wealth,
returned to his own abode. At the due hour he repaired (the next day) to
the Grandsire's region. The latter honoured the high-souled bird with
such attentions as are shown to a guest. Gautama also, returning to his
home in the village of the hunters, begot many sinful children upon his
Sudra wife. A heavy curse was denounced upon him by the gods to the
effect that having begotten, within a few years,[498] upon the body of
his remarried wife many children that ungrateful sinner should sink into
a terrible hell for many years. All this, O Bharata, was recited to me
formerly by Narada. Recollecting the incidents of this grave story, O
bull of Bharata's race, I have recited to thee all its details duly.
Whence can an ungrateful person derive fame? Where is his place? Whence
can he have happiness? An ungrateful person does not deserve to be
trusted. One that is ungrateful can never escape. No person should injure
a friend. He that injures a friend sinks into terrible and everlasting
hell. Every one should be grateful and every one should seek to benefit
his friends. Everything may be obtained from a friend. Honours may be
obtained from friends.[499] In consequence of friends one may enjoy
various objects of enjoyment. Through the exertions of friends, one may
escape from various kinds of danger and distress. He that is wise would
honour his friend with his best attentions. An ungrateful, shameless, and
sinful wight should be shunned by those that are wise. One that injures
his friends is a wretch of his race. Such a sinful wight is the vilest of
men. I have thus told thee, O foremost of all virtuous men, what the
characteristics are of that sinful wretch who is stained by ingratitude
and who injures his friend. What else dost thou wish to hear?"'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Hearing these words spoken by the high-souled
Bhishma, Yudhishthira, O Janamejaya, became highly gratified.'"