(Khandava-daha Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'O thou of Kuru's race, the Rishi Mandapala became
very anxious about his children, although he had spoken of them to the god
of fierce rays. Indeed, his mind was not in peace. Distressed on account
of his sons, he addressed Lapita (his second wife with whom he then was),
saying, "O Lapita, as my children are incapable of the power of moving,
how are they? When the fire will grow in strength and the wind begin to
blow violently, my children will scarcely be able to save themselves. How
will their mother be able to rescue them? That innocent woman will be
afflicted with great sorrow when she will find herself unable to save her
offspring. Oh, how will she compose herself, uttering various lamentations
on account of my children who are all incapable of taking wing or rising
up into the air. Oh, how is Jaritari, my son, and how is Sarisrikka, and
how is Stamvamitra, and how is Drona, and how also is their helpless
mother?"
"'Unto the Rishi Mandapala thus weeping in the forest, Lapita, O Bharata,
thus replied, under the influence of jealousy, "Thou need not worry for
thy children who, as thou hast assured me, are all Rishis endued with
energy and prowess! They can have no fear from fire. Didst thou not speak
to Agni in my presence, in their behalf? Has not the illustrious deity
promised to save them? One of the regents of the universe as Agni is, he
will never falsify his speech. Thou hast no anxiety, nor is thy heart
inclined towards benefiting friends. It is only by thinking of her--my
rival (Jarita) that thou art so distracted! Certain it is that the love
thou bearest to me is not equal to what thou hadst for her at first. He
that hath two parties dividing his attention, can easily behold one of
those suffer all sorts of pangs; but he should not disregard the party
that is next to his heart. Then go thou to Jarita, for whom thy heart is
sorrowing! As for myself, I shall henceforth wander alone, as a fit reward
for my having attached myself to a wicked person."
"'Hearing these words, Mandapala replied, "I do not wander over the earth
with such intentions as thou conceivest. It is only for the sake of
progeny that I am here. And even those that I have are in danger. He who
casteth off what he hath for the sake of what he may acquire, is a wicked
person. The world disregardeth and insulteth him. (Therefore, go I must).
As for thyself thou art free to do what thou choosest. This blazing fire
that licketh up the trees causeth sorrow in my anxious heart and raiseth
therein evil presentiments."'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Meanwhile, after the fire had left the spot
where the Sarngakas dwelt, Jarita, much attached to her children, hastily
came thither to see how they were. She found that all of them had escaped
from the fire and were perfectly well. Beholding their mother, they began
to weep, though safe and sound. She too shed tears upon beholding them
alive. And she embraced, one by one, all her weeping children. Just at
that time, O Bharata, the Rishi Mandapala arrived there. But none of his
sons expressed joy, upon beholding him. The Rishi, however, began to speak
to them one after another and unto Jarita also, repeatedly. But neither
his sons nor Jarita spoke anything well or ill unto him in return.
"'Mandapala then said, "Who amongst these is thy first born, and who the
next after him? And who is the third, and who the youngest? I am speaking
unto thee woefully; why dost thou not reply to me? I left thee, it is true,
but I was not happy where I was."
"'Jarita then said, "What hast thou to do with the eldest of these, and
what with him that is next? And what with the third and what with the
youngest? Go now unto that Lapita of sweet smiles and endued with youth,
unto whom thou didst go of old, beholding me deficient in everything!"
Mandapala replied, "As regards females, there is nothing so destructive of
their happiness whether in this or the other world as a co-wife and a
clandestine lover. There is nothing like these two that inflames the fire
of hostility and causes such anxiety. Even the auspicious and well-behaved
Arundhati, celebrated amongst all creatures, had been jealous of the
illustrious Vasishtha of great purity of mind and always devoted to the
good of his wife. Arundhati insulted even the wise Muni amongst the
(celestial) seven. In consequence of such insulting thoughts of hers, she
has become a little star, like fire mixed with smoke, sometimes visible
and sometimes invisible, like an omen portending no good (amongst a
constellation of seven bright stars representing the seven Rishis). I look
to thee for the sake of children. I never wronged thee, like Vasishtha who
never wronged his wife. Thou hast, therefore, by thy jealousy behaved
towards me like Arundhati of old towards Vasishtha. Men should never trust
women even if they be wives. Women, when they have become mothers, do not
much mind serving their husbands."'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'After this, all his children came forward to
worship him. And he also began to speak kindly towards them all, giving
them every assurance.'"