O Bharata, this act must be regarded as extremely cruel, deserving of universal execration, infamous, and sinful, and certainly leading to hell. Thou art acquainted with the pleasures of sexual intercourse. Thou art acquainted also with the teaching of morality and the dictates of duty. Like unto a celestial as thou art, it behoveth thee not to do such an act as leadeth to hell ! O best of kings, thy duty is to chastise all who act cruelly, who are engaged in sinful practices, and who have thrown to the winds religion, profit, and pleasure as explained in the scriptures, What hast thou done, O best of men, in killing me who have given thee no offence! I am, O king, a Muni who liveth on fruits and roots, though disguised as a deer. I was living in woods in peace with all. Thou hast killed me yet, О king, for which I will curse thee certainly. As thou hast been cruel unto a couple of opposite sexes, death shall certainly overtake thee as soon as thou feelest the influence of sexual desire. I am a Muni of name of Kimindama, possessed of ascetic merit, I was engaged in sexual intercourse with this deer because my feelings of modesty did not permit me to indulge in such an act in human society. In the form of a deer I rove in the deep woods in the company of other deer. Thou hast slain me without knowing that I am a Brahmana, the sin of having slain a Brahmana shall not, therefore, be thine. But sense. less man, as you have killed me, disguised as a deer, at such a time, thy fate shall certainly be even like mine! When, approaching thy wife lustfully, thou wilt unite with her even as I had done with mine, in that very state shalt thou have to go to the world of spirits! And that wife os thine with whom thou mayst be united in intercourse at the time of - thy death shall also follow thee with affection and reverence to the
domains of the king of the dead which no one can avert. Thou hast brought me grief while I was happy. So shall grief come to thee while thou art in happiness!
Vaisampayana continued.--"Saying this, that deer, afflicted with grief gave up ghost; and Pandu also was plunged in woe at the sight."
Thus ends the hundred and eighteenth section in the Sambhava Parva of the Adi Parva.
SECTION CXIX
(Sambhava Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, "After the death of that deer, king Pandu with bis wives was deeply afflicted and wept bitterly. And he exclaimed
