# The Mahabharata/Book 1: Adi Parva/Section IX

Section IX. ( Pauloma Parva continued )
Sauti said:—"While those illustrious Brahmanas were sitting around the dead body of Pramadvarā, Ruru, sorely afflicted, retired into a deep wood and wept aloud. And overwhelmed with grief he indulged in much piteous lamentation.' And remembering his beloved Pramadvara he gave vent to his sorrow in the following words:—'Alas! the delicate fair one that increaseth my affliction lieth upon the bare ground! What can be more deplorable to us her friends? If I have been charitable, if I have performed acts of penance, if I have ever reverenced my superiors, let the merit of these acts restore to life my beloved one! If from my birth I have, controlling my passions, adhered to my vows, let the fair Pramadvara rise from the ground.'
"And while Ruru was indulging in these lamentations for the loss of his bride, a messenger from heaven came to him in the forest and addressed him thus:—'The words thou utterest, O Ruru, in thy affliction can have no effect. For, O pious man, one belonging to this world whose days are runout can never come back to life. This poor child of a Gandharva and Apsara has had her days run out! Therefore, O child, thou shouldst not yield up thy heart to sorrow. The great gods, however, have provided before-hand a means. And if thou compliest with it thou mayest receive back thy Pramadvara.'
"And Ruru replied, 'what is that which the gods have provided, O messenger of heaven! Tell me in full so that hearing I may comply with it. It behoveth thee to deliver me!' And the celestial messenger said unto Ruru, 'Resign half of thy own life to thy bride, and then, O Ruru of the race of Bhrigu, thy Pramadvara shall rise from the ground.' And Ruru replied, 'O best of celestial messengers, I give up a moiety of my own life in favor of my bride. Then let my beloved one rise up in the dress and form of love.'"
​Sauti said, "Then the king of the Gandharvas (the father of Pramadvara) and the celestial messenger, both of excellent qualities, went to the god Dharma (the Judge of the dead) and addressed him, saying, 'If it be thy will, O Dharma-raja, let the amiable Pramadvara, the betrothed wife of Ruru, now lying dead, rise up with a moiety of Ruru's life.' And Dharma-raja answered, 'O messenger of the gods, if it be thy wish, let Pramadvara the betrothed wife of Ruru, rise up endued with a moiety of Ruru's life!'"
Sauti continued:—"And when Dharma-raja had said so, that maiden of superior complexion, Pramadvara, endued with a moiety of Ruru's life, rose as from her slumbers. This bestowal by Ruru, endowed with length of days, of a moiety of his own life to resuscitate his bride afterwards led, it was seen, to a curtailment Ruru's life.
"And on an auspicious day their fathers gladly married them with due rites. And the couple passed their days devoted to each other. And Ruru having obtained such a wife as is hard to be found, beautiful and bright as the filaments of the lotus, made a vow for the destruction of the serpent race. And whenever he saw a serpent, he became filled with great wrath and always killed it taking up a weapon.
"One day, O Brahmana, Ruru entered an extensive forest. And he there saw an old serpent of the Dundubha species lying stretched on the ground. And Ruru thereupon lifted up in anger his staff even like to the staff of Death, for the purpose of killing it. Then the Dundubha, addressing Ruru, said, 'I have done thee no harm, O Brahmana! Then wherefore wilt thou slay me in anger?'"
So ends the ninth Section of the Pauloma of the Adi Parva, of the blessed Mahabharata.