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गृध्रगोमायुसंवाद (gRdhragomAyusaMvAda)

 
Mahabharata
English
[Gṛdhra-gomāyu-saṃvāda(ḥ)]
(“the discourse between a vulture and a jackal”). § 653b (Āpaddh.): Bhīshma related: The young child of a brahman died and was taken to the burning-place
a vulture caused the lamenting kinsmen to leave the child, as the sun was soon to set, saying that the child could not be revived by their lingering. A jackal, black as a raven, rebuked them for not waiting till the sun had set, as the child might possibly revive. The vulture and the jackal alternately endeavoured to persuade them. The jackal mentioned that by Rāma's [i.e. Dāśarathi's]
slaying the Śūdra named Śambuka, a brahmaṇa child was restored to life
similarly the son of R.-ṛ. Śveta. The vulture said that if only Rudra, etc. (), would grant him a boon, the child might come back to life, and mentioned the spirits and Y. and Rā., etc., who haunt the burning-place, while the jackal reminded them that it was here on this “quiet and peaceful” spot that the Pitṛs by thousands took leave of the world. The jackal and the vulture continued to dispute, exhausted with hunger and thirst, wishing to get opportunity of devouring the child. Then Śaṅkara (i.e. Śiva) exhorted by his consort came, and, taking up a quantity of water in his hands, restored the child to life for a hundred years, and to the jackal and the vulture he granted a boon, in consequence of which their hunger was appeased. Blessing upon the reader (XII, 153).