(Khandava-daha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Hearing those words of her sons Jarita continued,
"The little mouse that had come out of this hole was seized by a hawk with
his claws and carried away hence. Therefore, ye may fearlessly enter this
hole now." The young ones replied, "We are not by any means certain of
that mouse having been taken away by the hawk. There may be other mice
living here. From them we have every fear. Whereas it is doubtful whether
fire will at all approach us here. Already we see an adverse wind blowing
the flames away. If we enter the hole, death is certain at the hands of
the dwellers in the hole. But if we remain where we are, death is
uncertain. O mother, a position in which death is uncertain is better than
that in which it is certain. It is thy duty, therefore, to escape thyself,
for, if thou livest thou mayest obtain other children as good."
"'Their mother then said, "Ye children, I myself saw the mighty hawk, that
best of birds, swoop down and fly away with the mouse from the hole. And
while he was flying away swiftly, I followed him behind and pronounced
blessing on him for his having taken away the mouse from the hole. I said
unto him, 'O king of hawks, because thou art flying away with our enemy,
the mouse, in thy claws, mayest thou, without a foe, live in heaven with a
golden body.' Afterwards when that hawk devoured the mouse, I came away,
obtaining his leave. Therefore, ye children, enter this hole trustfully.
Ye have nothing to fear. The mouse that was its inmate was seized and
taken away by the hawk in my sight." The young ones again said, "O mother,
we do not by any means know that the mouse hath been carried away by the
hawk. We cannot enter this hole in the ground without being certain of the
fact." Their mother said, "I know to a certainty that the mouse hath been
carried away by the hawk. Therefore, ye children, ye have nothing to fear;
do what I say." The young ones again said, "We do not, O mother, say that
thou art dispelling our fears with a false story. For whatever is done by
a person when his reason hath been disturbed can scarcely be said to be
that person's deliberate act. Thou hast not been benefited by us, nor dost
thou know who we are. Why dost thou, therefore, strive to protect us at so
much cost to thyself? Who are we to thee? Thou art young and handsome, and
capable of seeking out thy husband. Go unto thy husband. Thou shalt obtain
good children again. Let us by entering the fire attain to regions of
felicity. If, however, the fire consume us not, thou mayest come back and
obtain us again."'
"Vaisampayana said, 'The parent bird then, thus addressed by her sons,
left them in Khandava and hastily went to the spot where there was no fire
and there was safety. Then Agni in haste and with fierce flames approached
the spot where the sons of Mandapala were. The young birds saw the blazing
fire come towards them. Then Jaritari, the eldest of the four, in the
hearing of Agni, began to speak.'"