(Khandava-daha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'When the fire blazed forth in the forest of Khandava,
the infant birds became very much distressed and afflicted. Filled with
anxiety, they saw not any means of escape. Their mother, the helpless
Jarita, knowing that they were too young to escape, was filled with sorrow
and wept aloud. And she said, "Oh, the terrible, illuminating the whole
universe and burning the forest down, approacheth towards us, increasing
my woe. These infants with immature understanding, without feathers and
feet, and the sole refuge of our deceased ancestors, afflict me. Oh, this
fire approacheth, spreading fear all around, and licking with its tongue
the tallest trees. But my unfledged children are incapable of effecting
their escape. I myself am not capable of escaping, taking all these with
me. Nor am I capable of abandoning them, for my heart is distressed on
their account. Whom amongst my sons, shall I leave behind, and whom shall
I carry with me? What (act) should I do now that is consistent with duty?
What also do you, my infant sons, think? I do not, even by reflection, see
any way of escape for you. I shall even cover you with my wings and die
with you. Your cruel father left me some time before, saying, 'Upon this
Jaritari, because he is the eldest of my sons, will my race depend. My
second Sarisrikka will beget progeny for the expansion of my ancestors'
race. My third, Stamvamitra, will be devoted to asceticism, and my
youngest, Drona, will become the foremost of those acquainted with the
Vedas.' But how hath this terrible calamity overtaken us! Whom shall I
take with me? As I am deprived of judgment what should I do that is
consistent with duty? I do not see, by the exercise of my own judgment,
the escape of my children from the fire!"'
"Vaisampayana said, 'Unto their mother indulging in these lamentations,
the infant ones said, "O mother, relinquishing thy affection for us, go
thou to a place where there is no fire. If we are killed here, thou mayest
have other children born to thee. If thou, O mother be killed, we can have
no more children in our race. Reflecting upon both these calamities, the
time hath come for thee, O mother, to do that which is beneficial to our
race. Do not be influenced by affection for thy offspring, which promises
to destroy both us and thee. If thou savest thyself, our father, who is
even desirous of winning regions of felicity, may have his wishes
gratified."
"'Hearing what the infants said, Jarita replied, "There is a hole here in
the ground near to this tree, belonging to a mouse. Enter this hole
without loss of time. You shall have then no fear of fire. After ye have
entered it, I shall, ye children, cover its mouth with dust. This is the
only means of escape that I see from the blazing fire. Then when the fire
will be put out, I shall return hither to remove the dust. Follow my
advice if you are to escape from the conflagration."
"'The infant birds replied, "Without feathers we are but so many balls of
flesh. If we enter the hole, certain it is that the carnivorous mouse will
destroy us all. Beholding this danger before us, we cannot enter this hole.
Alas, we do not see any means by which we may escape from the fire or from
the mouse. We do not see how our father's act of procreation may be
prevented from becoming futile, and how also our mother may be saved. If
we enter the hole, the mouse will destroy us; we remain where we are and
the sky-ranging fire will destroy us. Reflecting upon both the calamities,
a death by fire is preferable to a death by being eaten up. If we are
devoured by the mouse within the hole, that death is certainly ignoble,
whereas the destruction of the body in fire is approved by the wise."'"