The Mahabharata/Book 1: Adi Parva/Section XXIV
Section XXIV.
( Astika Parva continued. )
Sauti said, "Then having heard about and beholding his own body, that bird of beautiful feathers diminished his size.
"And Gadura said, 'Let no creature be afraid; and as ye also are in a fright at sight of my terrible form, I will diminish my energy.'"
Sauti continued, "Then that bird capable of going everywhere at will, that ranger of the skies capable of calling to his aid any measure of energy, hearing Aruna on his back wended from his father's home and arrived at his mother's side on the other shore of the great ocean. And he placed Aruna of great splendour in the eastern region, when the Sun had resolved to burn the worlds with his fierce rays."
Saunaka said, "What for did the worshipful Sun resolve at that time to burn the worlds? What wrong was done to him by the gods which provoked his ire?"
Sauti said, "O thou sinless one! when Rahu in the act of drinking nectar was discovered to the gods by the Sun and the Moon, the former from that time conceived an enmity towards those deities. And upon the Sun being sought to be devoured by that afflicter (Rahu), he became wroth, and thought, 'O this enmity of Rahu towards me hath sprung from my desire of benefitting the gods. And this sore evil I alone have to sustain. Indeed, at this pass help I obtain not. And the dwellers of the heavens see me about to be devoured and suffer it. And therefore for the destruction of the worlds must I sit.' And with this resolution he went to the mountains of the west.
"And from that place he began to scatter his heat around for the destruction of the worlds. And then the great Rishis approaching the gods spake unto them: 'Lo! in the middle of the night springeth a great heat striking terror into every heart, and destructive of the three worlds.' And then the gods accompanied by the Rishis wended to the Grand-father, and said unto him, 'O what is this great heat to-day that causeth such panic? The Sun hath not yet arisen, still the destruction (of the world) is obvious. O Lord, what shall it be when he doth arise?' And Grand-father replied, 'Indeed, the Sun is prepared to rise to-day for the destruction of the worlds. As soon as he appeareth he will burn everything into a heap of ashes. By me hath been provided the remedy beforehand. The intelligent son of Kysyapa is known to all by the name of Aruna. He is huge of body and of great splendour; he shall stay at the front of the Sun, doing the duties of charioteer and taking away all the energy of the former. And this will secure the welfare of the worlds, of the Rishis, and of the dwellers of the heavens.'"
And Sauti continued, "And Aruna, ordered by the Grand-father, did all that he was ordered to do. And the Sun rose veiled by Aruna's person. I have told these all about why the Sun was in wrath, and how Aruna also was appointed as the Sun's charioteer. Now hear of that other question propounded by thee a little while ago."
And so ends the twentyfourth Section in the Astika of the Adi Parva.