By “Soota said, ‘O Brahmana (Rishi Shaunaka), Chyavana, the son of Bhrigu, fathered a son in the womb of his wife Sukanyaa. That son was the illustrious Pramati of great energy. Pramati fathered in the womb of Ghritaachi a son called Ruru. Ruru fathered on his wife Pramadvara a son called Shunaka. O Brahmana (Rishi Shaunaka), I shall narrate to you in detail the entire history of Ruru of abundant energy. O listen to it then in full!
SRIMAD MAHABHARATA – AADI PARVA – PAULOMA (UPA) PARVA – PART 8 – RURU AND PRAMADVARA
“Formerly there was a Maharishi called Sthoolakesha possessed of Tapas power, learning and kindly minded towards all creatures. O Brahmana sage (Shaunaka), at that time Vishwaavasu, the King of Gandharvaas, it is said, had intimacy with Menaka, the Apsara. O you of the Bhrigu Vamsha (Shaunaka), the Apsara Menaka when her time was come, brought forth a child near the ashrama of (Rishi) Sthoolakesha. O Brahmana, dropping the newborn child on the banks of the river, Menaka, the Apsara, without having pity and shame, went away. The Rishi Sthoolakesha, of great Tapas power, discovered the child lying forsaken in a lonely part of the river-side. He recognised that it was a female child, bright as the offspring of a Deva and blazing, as it were, with beauty. The great Brahmana, Sthoolakesha, the first of Munis, seeing that female child, and filled with kindness, took it up and parented it.
“The lovely child grew up in his (Rishi Sthulakesha’s) holy habitation, the noble-minded and blessed Rishi Sthoolakesha performing in due succession all the ceremonies (for that girl child) beginning with that at birth as ordained by the Shaastraas. Because she surpassed all of her (female) gender in goodness, beauty, and every quality, the Maharishi (Sthoolakesha) called her by the name of Pramadvara. The Dharmaatma Ruru having seen Pramadvara in the ashrama of Sthoolakesha became one whose heart was pierced by Kaamadeva. Ruru by means of his friends made his father Pramati, the son of Bhrigu, familiar with his passion (on Pramadvara). Pramati demanded her of the far-famed Sthoolakesha for his son. Her foster-father gave the kanya Pramadvara to Ruru, fixing the wedding for the day when the star Varga-Daivata (Purva-phalguni, astronomical name is Delta Leonis) would be ascendant.
“Then within a few days of the time fixed for the wedding, the beautiful kanya while at play with companions of her own gender, her time having come, driven by fate, walked upon a snake which she did not recognize as it lay in coil. The reptile (snake), urged to execute the will of Fate, violently shot its poisonous fangs into the body of the careless lady (Pramadvara). Stung by that snake, she instantly dropped senseless on the ground, her colour faded and all the graces of her person went off.
“With disordered hair she became a display of misery to her companions and friends. She who was so agreeable to see became on her death what was too painful to look at. The girl of slender waist (Pramadvara) lying on the ground like one asleep – being overcome with the poison of the snake – once more became more beautiful than in life. Her foster-father (Sthoolakesha) and the other holy Rishis who were there, all saw her lying motionless upon the ground with the beauty of a lotus.
“Then there came many noted Brahmanas filled with compassion, and they sat around her. Swastyaatreyaa, Mahaajaanu, Kushika, Shankhamekhala, Uddalaka, Katha, and Shweta of great fame, Bharadwaja, Kaunakutsa, Arshtishenaa, Gautama, Pramati, and Pramati’s son Ruru, and other inhabitants of the forest, came there. When they saw that woman (Pramadvara) lying dead on the ground overcome with the poison of the reptile (snake) that had bitten her, they all wept filled with compassion. But Ruru, horrified beyond measure, retired from the place.’”
So, ends the eighth section of the Pauloma Parva of the Aadi Parva of the blessed Mahabharata.
