learnt, to his great surprise and joy, that the five brethren were not Brâhmanas but Kshatriyas, and he also thought in his heart that they belonged to the royal house of Hastinâpura, and he hastened back to the city of Kâmpilya to acquaint his father with the glad tidings. And Râjâ Drupada rejoiced greatly, and invited the Pândavas to his palace, and he and the people all received them grandly and gave them a great feast. : When the feast was over, Râjâ Drupada bestowed many gifts upon the brethren; and he said to Yudhisthira :—“I know full well that you are illustrious Râjâs but tell me, I pray you, what are your names and lineage." Yudhisthira replied: "We are poor people, and if you deem us unworthy to ally with you, we entreat you to do as it pleases you, for we seek not to constrain you." Drupada then said: "I adjure you by the Almighty God, to tell me who you are!" So Yudhisthira told him, saying: "We are the sons of the Râjâ Pându; I am Yudhisthira, and he who won your daughter here to-day is Arjuna. And the others are Bhima, Nakula, and Sahadeva, and the lady who brought your daughter here to-day. is our mother Kuntî." Then Râjâ Drupada knew them all, and was filled with joy.* -"MAHABHARATA." THE PANDAVAS AND THE GIANT. Within the first year or two of the Pândavas' exile they arrive at a town called Ekachakrâ, in the neighbourhood of which lived a giant,—that is, a demon who feeds on human beings. They are kindly received by a • From Wheeler's History of India. family of poor Brahmanas, who prove to be in great affliction, because it is their turn to furnish a victim for the monster. Whilst reposing in an inner apartment the Pândavas overheard the father, the mother, and the daughter, each urging a separate claim to be allowed to suffer for the rest. The father commences, saying, that never would he be so base as to give a victim from his house and consent himself to live; but still he expresses anxiety at not knowing how to provide a place of refuge for his wife, daughter, and little son, after his removal. He cannot, he says, surrender his faithful wife, the sweet friend given to him by the Gods; nor his daughter,whom Brahmâ made to be a bride, and the mother of heroes; nor yet his son: but if he offer him self, sorrow will pursue him in the world to come, and his abandoned wife and children will be unable to live without him. The wife next speaks and chides her husband for yielding to grief like one of lowly caste; for, whoever knows the Vedas, must know that— "Fate inevitable orders;-all must yield to death in turn. Hence the doom, th' irrevocable,-it beseems thee not to morne. Man hath wife, and son, and daughter,-for the joy of his own heart; Wherefore, wisely check thy sorrow,-it is I must hence depart. 'Tis the wife's most holy duty,-law on earth without repeal, That her life she offer freely,-when demands her husband's weal." She goes on to argue, that he can support and guard the children when she is gone, but that she would have no power to guard and support them without him. * When the daughter overheard the troubled discourse of her parents, she put in her claim to be the offered victim; for, if they died before her, she would sink to bitterest misery: but if she died to preserve them, she would "then become immortal, and partake of bliss divine." Whilst they were all thus weeping, the little son opened wide his eyes, and lisped out in broken accents: Weep not, father, weep not, mother; oh my sister, 66 6 weep not so' First to one and then to th' other, smiling went he to and fro. Then a blade of speargrass lifting, thus in bolder glee he said: 'With this spear-grass will I kill him—this maneating giant-dead.' Happily the child's chivalry was not required; for the Pându brothers went forth and conquered the "man eating giant." "EPISODE OF THE MAHABHARATA."† ARARAS Translated by the Rev. H. H. Milman. From Mrs. Manning's Ancient and Mediaeval India. 41. DRESS. Men and women should content themselves with that sort of clothing, which agrees to their sex and condition, not striving to exceed or equal that of higher rank, not yet making it a matter of envy among those of their own estate, vieing who shall be finest. But let every man clothe himself in such sober attire as befits his place and calling, and not think himself disparaged if another of his neighbours have better than he. And let all remember, that clothes are things, which add no true worth to any; and therefore it is an intolerable vanity to spend any considerable part, either of their thoughts, time, or wealth upon them, or to value them selves ever more for them, or despise their poor brethren that want them. "THE WHOLE DUTY OF MAN." Do not dress like a fop. -JAIN PRECEPT. Better a good dinner than a fine coat. -BURGUNDIAN PROVERB. It is not the cowl that makes the friar. Affectation in dress implies a flaw in the under standing. -MAXIM. I have known persons so anxious to have their dress become them, as to convert it, at length, into their proper self, and thus actually to become the dress. -COLERIDGE. We sacrifice to dress, till household joys And comforts cease. Dress drains our cellar dry, Where peace and hospitality might reign. -CowPER. The fashion wears out more apparel than the man. Let your dress be as cheap as may be without shabbiness; think more about the colour of your shirt than about the gloss or texture of your coat; be always as clean as your occupation will, without inconvenience, permit; but never, no, not for one moment, believe, that any human being, with sense in skull, will love or respect you on account of your fine or costly clothes. The plainer the dress, with beauty appear. Virtue is the best -COBBETT. greater lustre does ornament, and good sense the best equipage. Loveliness Needs not the foreign aid of ornament, -THOMSON. |
