Poetical Works - 1889 Author:Edwin Arnold Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: THE ENCHANTED LAKE. (FROM THE VANA FARVA OF THE MAHABHARATA.— PAGR 825, LINE 17305, OF THE CALCUTTA QUARTO TRXT.) [In the preceding section the fiv... more »e Pandu Princes have been wandering in the forest, greatly distressed for want of water. The concluding portion of this translation illustrates a passage in the " Swargarohana," where the pod Dharma praises King Yudhis- thira for his equity and self-denial. The riddles propounded by the Yaksha, some of which are here omitted, may be considered probably the oldest known to literature.] TTHEN Yudhisthira spake to Nakula : " Thou son of Madri, climb upon a tree, And look to all ten quarters, if by chance Water be nigh, or plants which love the pool; Thy brothers faint with thirst." So Nakula Clomb a tall tree ; and looking, called aloud : " Green leaves and water plants I see, which love The marish and the pool; also I hear The cry of cranes; yonder will water lie." " Go," said the King, " and fetch for us to drink, Filling thy quiver." Then sped Nakula, Obeying Yudhisthira, with swift feet, And found a crystal pool brimmed to the bank : The great red-crested cranes stalked on its marge. And down he flung to drink ; but a voice cried : " Beware to drink, rash youth, ere thou hast made Answers to such things as I ask of thee ; The law of this fair water standeth thus : Arise, and hear, and speak ; afterwards drink, And fill thy quiver ! " But the eager Prince, Being so parched, quaffed deep, not heeding him, The Yakshai of the place, and thereupon Fell lifeless in the reeds. So, when they looked To see him coming, and he tarried long, Again spake Yudhisthira : " Nakula Lingers too much, my brothers. Sahadev, Go thou, and bring him back, and bring to drink." " I go," quoth Sahadev ; and sought ...« less