MahaBharata
Adi Parva Section 8,9,10,11,12 of Pauloma Parva
Chyavana's son is Pramati, Pramati had a son named Ruru, and Ruru had a son in the womb of Pramadvara. Ruru's son is Sunaka.
Once upon a time, Gandharava Raja had intimacy with Menaka an apsara (celestial dancer), and they had a child. Menaka dropped the child without guilt or shame near a hermitage. The hermitage belongs to rishi Stulakesa. Stulakesa was of great ascetic powers, and out of compassion he brought up the child well. The girl child grewup to be a beautiful maiden.
Ruru fell in love with her, and made his desire known to his father. Pramati requested Stulakesa and a marriage was arranged between Pramadvara and Ruru.
When the girl was playing in the garden a serpent bit her and Pramadvara dies instantly. Ruru retires to a solitory spot in Jungle and starts lamenting the loss of his betrothed thus, "I have been pious all my life, I have spent my life in strict austereties, If I have any merit left, let the Gods restore Pramadvara to life". A messenger of gods appear before him and says to him, "By saying these you cannot restore her to life. But, if you give her half your life, she can be rescued". On hearing his, Ruru gives away half his life to Pramadvara. The messenger then goes to Yama Dharmaraja (God of death) and says to him "O God of death, if it be thy wish , please restore the life of pramadvara to life with the half life of Ruru". God of death, Yama, says "So be it", and Pramadvara rises from death.
Ruru and Pramadvara marries and live happily.
Once upon a time, Ruru goes to forest, and he meets a serpent which is lying there. That serpent is of the type 'Dundubha' meaning venom less serpent. Ruru raises his staff to kill it, upon which
Dundubha pleads for mercy saying "O Brahmana, I am a venomless serpent, you should not kill me". Ruru decides to let it live. Dundubha tells him his story,
Story of Dundubha
Dundubha was a rishi named Sahasrapat previously who had a friend named Khagama. Khagama was a great ascetic. One day when Khagama was in his meditation, Sahasrapat has playfull prepared a grass snake and put it around the neck of Khagama, at which Khagama curses Sahasrapat to become a useless, venomless snake like Dundubha. When Sahasrapat apologises to Khagama, saying that he has only done that in playful mood, and as a friend, Khagama says "when Ruru , son of Pramati visits you, you should be delivered of my curse".
Saying this Dundubhi regains his previous form and tells Ruru "O Brahmana, Saving the life of others is the highest virtue of a man. Hence, the Vedas proclaim that Brahmana should be mild and considerate and should never take the life of a being. A Brahmana should study veda, vedanga, and inspire people to tread the path of God. It is not for a Brahmana to weild a stick and punish others like Kshatriya. Listen to the story of King Janamejaya who has done a sacrifice where all snakes were subjected to fire, and how an ascetic Astika rescued the serpent race destruction from this sacrifice." Saying this The rishi sahasrapat vanished.
Ruru searches everywhere for the rishi, and fatigued returns to his father to listen to the story of Janamejaya and Astika. His Father Pramati relates to him the entire story of Janamejaya and Astika.
MahaBharata
Adi Parva Section 8,9,10,11,12 of Pauloma Parva ends
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