world of lower animals? Perchance, there is nothing
wonderful in the matter, for all creatures are seen
to evince kindly and generous feelings towards others.—Assuming
then the shape of a Brahmana, Sakra descended on the
Earth and addressing the bird, said,—O Suka,
O best of birds, the grand-daughter (Suki) of Daksha
has become blessed (by having thee as her offspring).
I ask thee, for what reason dost thou not leave this
withered tree?—Thus questioned, the Suka
bowed unto him and thus replied:—Welcome
to thee O chief of the gods, I have recognised thee
by the merit of my austere penances—Well-done,
well-done!—exclaimed the thousand-eyed
deity. Then the latter praised him in his mind,
saying,—O, how wonderful is the knowledge
which he possesses.—Although the destroyer
of Vala knew that parrot to be of a highly virtuous
character and meritorious in action, he still enquired
of him about the reason of his affection for the tree.
This tree is withered and it is without leaves and
fruits and is unfit to be the refuge of birds.
Why dost thou then cling to it? This forest,
too, is vast and in this wilderness there are numerous
other fine trees whose hollows are covered with leaves
and which thou canst choose freely and to thy heart’s
content. O patient one exercising due discrimination
in thy wisdom, do thou forsake this old tree that
is dead and useless and shorn of all its leaves and
no longer capable of any good.’”
“Bhishma said, ’The virtuous Suka, hearing
these words of Sakra, heaved a deep sigh and sorrowfully
replied unto him, saying—O consort of Sachi,
and chief of the gods, the ordinances of the deities
are always to be obeyed. Do thou listen to the
reason of the matter in regard to which thou hast
questioned me. Here, within this tree, was I born,
and here in this tree have I acquired all the good
traits of my character, and here in this tree was
I protected in my infancy from the assaults of my
enemies. O sinless one, why art thou, in thy kindness,
tampering with the principle of my conduct in life?
I am compassionate, and devoutly intent on virtue,
and steadfast in conduct. Kindliness of feeling
is the great test of virtue amongst the good, and
this same compassionate and humane feeling is the
source of perennial felicity to the virtuous.
All the gods question thee to remove their doubts
in religion, and for this reason, O lord, thou hast
been placed in sovereignty over them all. It behoves
thee not, O thousand-eyed one, to advise me now to
abandon this tree for ever. When it was capable
of good, it supported my life. How can I forsake
it now?—The virtuous destroyer of Paka,
pleased with these well-meant words of the parrot,
thus said to him:—I am gratified with thy
humane and compassionate disposition. Do thou
ask a boon of me.—At this, the compassionate
parrot craved this boon of him, saying,—Let
this tree revive.—Knowing the great attachment
of the parrot to that tree and his high character,
Indra, well-pleased, caused the tree to be quickly
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