"'Yudhishthira said, "O grandsire, O wisest of men, O thou that art
learned in all the scriptures, I have listened to this great story, O
foremost of intelligent men. I am desirous of again hearing the recital
of some history full of religious instruction, and it behoves thee to
gratify me. O lord of Earth, tell me if any householder has ever
succeeded in conquering Mrityu by the practice of virtue. Do thou recite
this to me with all details!"
"'Bhishma said, "This ancient history is recited as an illustration of the
subject of the conquest by a householder, over Mrityu, through the
practice of virtue. The Prajapati Manu had a son, O king, of the name of
the Ikshwaku. Of that king, illustrious as Surya, were born a hundred
sons. His tenth son, O Bharata, was named Dasaswa, and this virtuous
prince of infallible prowess became the king of Mahismati. Dasaswa's son,
O king, was a righteous prince whose mind was constantly devoted to the
practice of truth and charity and devotion. He was known by the name of
Madiraswa and ruled over the Earth as her lord. He was constantly devoted
to the study of the Vedas as also of the science of arms. Madiraswa's son
was the king named Dyutimat who possessed great good fortune and power
and strength and energy. Dyutimat's son was the highly devout and pious
king who was famous in all the worlds under the name of Suvira. His soul
was intent on religion and he possessed wealth like another Indra, the
lord of the deities. Suvira too had a son who was invincible in battle,
and who was the best of all warriors and known by the name of Sudurjaya.
And Durjya too, possessed of a body like that of Indra, had a son who
beamed with splendour like that of fire. He was the great monarch named
Duryodhana who was one of the foremost of royal sages. Indra used to pour
rain profusely in the kingdom of this monarch, who never fled from the
battlefield and was possessed of valour like unto Indra himself. The
cities and the kingdom of this king were filled with riches and gems and
cattle and grain of various kinds. There was no miser in his kingdom nor
any person afflicted with distress or poverty. Nor was there in his
kingdom any person that was weak in body or afflicted with disease. That
king was very clever, smooth in speech, without envy, a master of his
passions, of a righteous soul, full of compassion, endued with prowess,
and not given to boasting. He performed sacrifices, and was
self-restrained and intelligent, devoted to Brahmanas and Truth. He never
humiliated others, and was charitable, and learned in the Vedas and the
Vedanta. The celestial river Narmada, auspicious and sacred and of cool
waters, in her own nature, O Bharata, courted him. He begot upon that
river, a lotus-eyed daughter, by name Sudarsana, who was, O king, endued
with great beauty. No creature, O Yudhisthira, had ever been born before
among womankind, that was possessed of such beauty as that excellent
damsel who was the daughter of Duryodhana. The god Agni himself courted
the beautiful princess Sudarsana, and taking the shape of a Brahmana, O
monarch, sought her hand from the king. The king was unwilling to give
his daughter in marriage to the Brahmana who was poor and not of the same
rank with himself. Thereupon Agni vanished from his great sacrifice. The
king, grieved at heart, then addressed the Brahmanas, saying,--'Of what
sin have I, ye excellent Brahmanas, or you, been guilty, that Agni should
disappear from this sacrifice, even as good done unto wicked men
disappears from their estimation. Great, indeed, must that sin of ours be
for which Agni has thus disappeared. Either must the sin be yours, or, it
must be mine. Do you fully investigate the matter.'--Then hearing the
king's words, O foremost prince of Bharata's race, the Brahmanas,
restraining speech, sought with concentrated faculties the protection of
the god of fire. The divine carrier of oblations, resplendent as the
autumnal Sun, appeared before them, enveloping his self in glorious
refulgence. The high-souled Agni then addressed those excellent
Brahmanas, saying,--'I seek the daughter of Duryodhana for my own self.' At
this all those Brahmanas were struck with wonder, and rising on the
morrow, they related to the king what had been said by the fire-god. The
wise monarch, hearing the words of those utterers of Brahma, was
delighted at heart, and said,--'Be it so.'--The king craved a boon of the
illustrious fire-god as the marriage dower,--'Do thou, O Agni, deign to
remain always with us here.'--'Be it so'--said the divine Agni to that lord
of Earth. For this reason Agni has always been present in the kingdom of
Mahismati to this day, and was seen by Sahadeva in course of his
conquering expedition to the south. Then the king gave his daughter,
dressed in new garments and decked with jewels, to the high-souled deity,
and Agni too accepted, according to Vedic rites, the princess Sudarsana
as his bride, even as he accepts libations of clarified butter at
sacrifices, Agni was well pleased with her appearance, her beauty, grace,
character, and nobility of birth, and was minded to beget offspring upon
her. And a son by Agni, of the name of Sudarsana, was soon born of her.
Sudarsana also was, in appearance, as beautiful as the full moon, and
even in his childhood he attained to a knowledge of the supreme and
everlasting Brahma. There was also a king of the name of Oghavat, who was
the grandfather of Nriga. He had a daughter of the name of Oghavati, and
a son too of the name of Ogharatha born unto him. King Oghavat gave his
daughter Oghavati, beautiful as a goddess, to the learned Sudarsana for
wife. Sudarsana, O king, leading the life of a householder with Oghavati,
used to dwell in Kurukshetra with her. This intelligent prince of blazing
energy took the vow, O lord, of conquering Death by leading the life of
even a householder. The son of Agni, O king, said to Oghavati,--'Do thou
never act contrary to (the wishes of) those that seek our hospitality.
Thou shouldst make no scruple about the means by which guests are to be
welcomed, even if thou have to offer thy own person. O beautiful one,
this vow is always present in the mind, since for householders, there is
no higher virtue than hospitality accorded to guests. Do thou always bear
this in mind without ever doubting it, if my words be any authority with
thee. O sinless and blessed one, if thou hast any faith in me, do thou
never disregard a guest whether I be at thy side or at a distance from
thee!' Unto him, with hands clasped and placed on her head, Oghavati
replied, saying,--'I shall leave nothing undone of what thou commandest
me.'--Then Mrityu, O king, desiring to over-reach Sudarsana, began to
watch him for finding out his laches. On a certain occasion, when the son
of Agni went out to fetch firewood from the forest, a graceful Brahmana
sought the hospitality of Oghavati with these words:--'O beautiful lady,
if thou hast any faith in the virtue of hospitality as prescribed for
householders, then I would request thee to extend the rites of
hospitality to me to-day.'--The princess of great fame, thus addressed by
that Brahmana, O king, welcomed him according to the rites prescribed in
the Vedas. Having offered him a seat, and water to wash his feet, she
enquired, saying,--'What is thy business? What can I offer thee?' The
Brahmana said unto her,--'My business is with thy person, O blessed one.
Do thou act accordingly without any hesitation in thy mind. If the duties
prescribed for householders be acceptable to thee, do thou, O princess,
gratify me by offering up thy person to me.'--Though tempted by the
princess with offers of diverse other things, the Brahmana, however, did
not ask for any other gift than the offer of her own person. Seeing him
resolved, that lady, remembering the directions which had before been
given to her by her husband, but overcome with shame, said to that
excellent Brahmana,--'Be it so.'--Remembering the words of her husband who
was desirous of acquiring the virtue of householders, she cheerfully
approached the regenerate Rishi. Meanwhile, the son of Agni, having
collected his firewood, returned to his home. Mrityu, with his fierce and
inexorable nature, was constantly by his side, even as one attends upon
one's devoted friend. When the son of Pavaka returned to his own
hermitage, he called Oghavati by name, and (receiving no answer)
repeatedly, exclaimed,--'Whether art thou gone?'--But the chaste lady,
devoted to her husband, being then locked in the arms of that Brahmana,
gave no reply to her husband. Indeed, that chaste woman, considering
herself contaminated became speechless, overcome with shame. Sudarsana,
addressing her again, exclaimed,--'Where can my chaste wife be? Whither
has she gone? Nothing can be of greater moment to me than this (her
disappearance). Why does not that simple and truthful lady, devoted to
her husband, alas, answer to my call today as she used to do before with
sweet smiles?' Then that Brahmana, who was within the hut, thus replied to
Sudarsana,--'Do thou learn, O son of Pavaka, that a Brahmana guest has
arrived, and though tempted by this thy wife with diverse other offers of
welcome, I have, O best of Brahmanas, desired only her person, and this
fair-faced lady is engaged in welcoming me with due rites. Thou art at
liberty to do whatever thou thinkest to be suitable to this occasion.'
Mrityu, armed with the iron club, pursued the Rishi at that moment,
desirous of compassing the destruction of one that would, he thought,
deviate from his promise. Sudarsana was struck with wonder, but casting
off all jealousy and anger by look, word, deed, or thought, said,--'Do
thou enjoy thyself, O Brahmana. It is a great pleasure to me. A
householder obtain the highest merit by honouring a guest. It is said by
the learned that, as regards the householder, there is no higher merit
than what results unto him from a guest departing from his house after
having been duly honoured by him. My life, my wife, and whatever other
worldly possessions I have, are all dedicated to the use of my guests.
Even this is the vow that I have taken. As I have truly made this
statement, by that truth, O Brahmana, I shall attain to the knowledge of
Self. O foremost of virtuous men, the five elements, viz., fire, air,
earth, water, and sky, and the mind, the intellect and the Soul, and time
and space and the ten organs of sense, are all present in the bodies of
men, and always witness the good and evil deeds that men do. This truth
has today been uttered by me, and let the gods bless me for it or destroy
me if I have spoken falsely.' At this, O Bharata, there arose in all
directions, in repeated echoes, a voice, crying,--'This is true, this is
not false.' Then that Brahmana came out of the hovel, and like the wind
rising and encompassing both Earth and sky, and making the three worlds
echo with Vedic sounds, and calling that virtuous man by name, and
congratulating him said,--'O sinless one, I am Dharma. All glory to thee.
I came here, O truth-loving one, to try thee, and I am well pleased with
thee by knowing thee to be virtuous. Thou hast subdued and conquered
Mrityu who always has pursued thee, seeking thy laches. O best of men, no
one in the three worlds has the ability to insult, even with looks, this
chaste lady devoted to her husband, far less to touch her person. She has
been protected from defilement by thy virtue and by her own chastity.
There can be nothing contrary to what this proud lady will say. This
utterer of Brahma, endued with austere penances, shall, for the salvation
of the world, be metamorphosed into a mighty river. And thou shalt attain
to all the worlds in this thy body, and as truly as the science of Yoga
is within her control, this highly blessed lady will follow thee with
only half of her corporeal self, and with the other half will she be
celebrated as the river Oghavati! And thou shalt attain with her to all
the worlds that acquired through penances. Those eternal and everlasting
worlds from which none cometh back will be attained by thee even in this
gross body of thine. Thou hast conquered Death, and attained to the
highest of all felicities, and by thy own power (of mind), attaining to
the speed of thought, thou hast risen above the power of the five
elements! By thus adhering to the duties of a householder, thou hast
conquered thy passions, desires, and anger, and this princess, O prince
of virtuous men has, by serving thee, conquered affliction, desire,
illusion, enmity and lassitude of mind!'"
"'Bhishma continued, "Then the glorious Vasava (the lord of the gods),
riding in a fine chariot drawn by a thousand white horses, approached
that Brahmana. Death and Soul, all the worlds, all the elements,
intellect, mind, time, and space as also desire and wrath, were all
conquered. Therefore, O best of men, do thou bear this in mind, that to
a householder there is no higher divinity than the guest. It is said by
the learned that the blessings of an honoured guest are more efficacious
than the merit of a hundred sacrifices. Whenever a deserving guest seeks
the hospitality of a householder and is not honoured by him, he takes
away (with him) all the virtues of the latter giving him his sins (in
return). I have now recited to thee, my son, this excellent story as to
how Death was conquered of old by a householder. The recital of this
excellent story confers glory, fame, and longevity (upon those that
listen to it). The man that seeks worldly prosperity should consider it
as efficacious in removing all evil. And, O Bharata, the learned man that
daily recites this story of the life of Sudarsana attains to the regions
of the blessed."'"