we remain where we are and the sky-ranging fire will destroy us. Reflecting upon both the calamities, a death by fire is preferable to a death by being eaten up. If we are devoured by the mouse within the hole, that death is certainly ignoble, whereas the destruction of the body in fire is approved by the wise."
Thus ends the two hundred and thirty-second section in the Khandava-daha Parva of the Adi Parva.
SECTION CCXXXIII
(Khandava-daha Parva continued)
Vaisampayana said, 'Hearing those words of her sons Jarita continued. The little mouse that had come out of this hole was seized by a hawk with his claws and carried away bence. Therefore, ye may fearlessly enter this hole now. The young ones replied,-'We are not by any means certain of that mouse having been taken away by the hawk. There may be other mice living here. From them we have every fear. Whereas it is doubtful whether fire will at all approach us here. Already we see an adverse wind blowing the flames away. If we enter the hole, death is certain at the hands of the dwellers in the hole. But if we remain where we are, death is uncertain. O mother, a position in which death is uncertain is better than that in which it is certain. It is thy duty, therefore, to escape thyselt, for, if thou livest thou mayest obtain other children as good !" !
"Their mother then said, 'Ye children, I myself saw the mighty hawk, that best of birds, swoop down and fly away with the mouse from the hole. And while he was flying away swiftly, I followed him behind and pronounced blessing on him for his baving taken away the mouse from the hole, I said unto him.-O king of hawks, because thou art flying away with our enemy, the mouse, in thy claws, mayest thou, without a foe, live in heaven with a golden body !-Afterwards when that hawk devoured the mouse, I came away, obtaining his leave. Therefore ye children, enter this hole trustfully. Ye have nothing to fear. The mouse that was its inmate was seized and taken away by the illustrious hawk in my sight. The young ones again said, -'O mother, we do not by any means know that the mouse hath been carried away by the hawk. We cannot enter this hole in the ground without being certain of the fact.' Their mother said, 'I know to a certainty that the mouse bath been carried away by the hawk. Therefore, ye children, ye have nothing to fear; do what I say !' The young ones again said, -
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