“Vaishampaayana said, ‘When the fire blazed forth in the forest of
Khandava, the infant birds became very much distressed and pained. 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. She said, ‘Oh, the terrible fire, illuminating the whole universe and
burning the forest down, approaches towards us, increasing my woe. These
infants with immature understanding, without feathers and feet, and the sole
refuge of our deceased ancestors, pain me. Oh, this fire approaches, spreading
fear all around, and licking with its tongue the tallest trees. But my inexperienced
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 among 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, by thought, see any way of escape for you. I
shall cover you with my wings and die with you. Your cruel father left me some
time before, saying, ‘Upon this Jaritaari, because he is the eldest of my sons,
will my race depend. My second Saarisrikka will father offspring for the
expansion of my ancestors’ race. My third, Stambamitra, will be devoted to Tapas,
and my youngest, Dronaa, will become the foremost of those acquainted with the
Vedas.’ But how has 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!’
“Vaishampaayana said, ‘To their mother indulging in these lamentations,
the infant ones said, ‘O mother, giving up your affection for us, you go to a
place where there is no fire. If we are killed here, you may have other
children born to you. If you, O mother, be killed, we can have no more children
in our race. Thinking upon both these calamities, the time has come for you, O
mother, to do that which is beneficial to our race. Do not be influenced by
affection for your offspring, which promises to destroy both us and you. If you
save yourself, our father, who is desirous of winning regions of happiness, 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 you have entered it, I
shall, O 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 here to remove the dust. Follow my advice if you are to escape from the fire.’
“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. Seeing 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 fruitless, 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. Thinking 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 dishonourable, whereas the
destruction of the body in fire is approved by the wise.’”
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