Souti replied: -
1. While the noble Brahmanas were sitting round the dead body, Ruru, much aggrieved, retired into a deep forest and swept
2. Overwhelmed with grief, he indulged in much piteous lamentations. Remembering his beloved Pramadvara, he thus lamented in grief.
3. “Alas! The slender-bodied beauty who increases my grief, is now lying on the bare ground. What can be more painful than this to all her friends!
4. If ever have I bestowed charity, if ever have I observed penances, if ever have I showed respect to my superiors, let the merits of these acts restore to life my beloved one.
5. If ever have I controlled my passions from my birth, if ever have I stuck to my vows, let the beautiful Pramadvara rise from the ground.
6. While he was thus lamenting in sorrow for the loss of his bride, a heaven’s messenger came to him in the forest and addressed him thus.
The Devaduta said: -
7. O Ruru, the words that you arc tittering in grief can have no effect; for, O noble minded (Rishi), one belonging to this world, whose days are run out, cannot come back to life again.
8. This poor child of the Gandharva and the Apsara has her days run out; therefore, O child, do not give yourself up to grief.
9. The great deities, however, have provided beforehand a means. If you comply with it, you may get back your Pramadvara.
Ruru said: -
10. O messenger of heaven, (tell me) what means have been provided beforehand by the deities. Tell me in full, so that I may comply with it. You should save me.
The Devaduta said: -
11. O Descendant of Brigu, give up half of your own life to your bride and, O Ruru, your Pramadvara will then rise from the ground.
Ruru said: -
12. O best of heaven’s messengers, I give up half of my life to my bride. Let my beloved one rise in the dress and the form of love.
Souti said: -
13. The king of the Gandharvas and the greatly qualified messenger of heaven, both went to the Deity Dharma and addressed him thus.
14. “O king Dharma, if it pleases you, let the beautiful bride of Ruru, Pramadvara, rise up endued with a moiety of Ruru’s life.”
The Dharmaraja said: -
15. “O messenger of heaven, if it be your with, let the bride of Ruru, Pramadvara, rise up endued with a moiety of Ruru’s life.
Souti said: -
16. When Dharma thus spoke, the beautiful Pramadvara, the betrothed bride of Ruru, rose up as from a slumber.
17. It was seen afterwards that the bestowal of a moiety of his own life to resuscitate his bride by Ruru of long life, led to a curtailment of his own life.
18. Thereupon their fathers gladly married them with due rites, and the couple passed their days devoted to each other.
19. Thus having obtained a wife, difficult to be obtained, who was beautiful and bright as the filaments of the lotus, the Rishi of hard austerities (Ruru) made a vow to destroy the serpent race.
20. Whenever he saw a snake, he was filled with great anger, and he always killed it with a weapon.
21. One day, O Brahmana, Ruru entered into a very large forest. He saw an old Dunduva snake tying on the ground.
22. Thereupon with the intention of killing it, Ruru raised his staff in anger, a staff like the staff of Death. The Dunduva then said to the angry Brahmana.
23. “O Rishi, I have done you no harm. Why should you kill me in anger?”
Thus ends the ninth chapter, Paulama, in the Adi Parva.