The Mahabharata by Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa.
Book 1, Adi Parva, Section 178th.
Chaitraratha Parva continued.
"The Gandharva continued, 'There was, O Partha,
a king in this world, named Kalmashapada,
who was of the race of Ikshvaku and was unequalled
on earth for prowess.
One day the king went from his capital into
the woods for purposes of hunting, and this
grinder of foes pierced (with his arrows)
many deer and wild boars.
And in those deep woods the king also slew
many rhinoceroses.
Engaged in sport for some length of time,
the monarch became very much fatigued and
at last he gave up the chase, desiring to
rest awhile.
"The great Viswamitra, endued with energy,
had, a little while ago, desired to make that
monarch his disciple.
As the monarch, afflicted with hunger and
thirst, was proceeding through the woods,
he came across that best of Rishis, the illustrious
son of Vasishtha, coming along the same path.
The king ever victorious in battle saw that
Muni bearing the name of Saktri, that illustrious
propagator of Vasishtha's race, the eldest
of the high-souled Vasishtha's hundred sons,
coming along from opposite direction.
The king, beholding him said, 'Stand out of
our way.'
The Rishi, addressing the monarch in a conciliatory
manner, said unto him sweetly, 'O king, this
is my way.
This is the eternal rule of morality indicated
in every treatise on duty and religion, viz.,
that a king should ever make way for Brahmanas.'
Thus did they address each other respecting
their right of way.
'Stand aside, stand aside', were the words
they said unto each other.
The Rishi, who was in the right, did not yield,
nor did the king yield to him from pride and
anger.
That best of monarchs, enraged at the Rishi,
refusing to yield him the way, acted like
a Rakshasa, striking him with his whip.
Thus whipped by the monarch, that best of
Rishis, the son of Vasishtha, was deprived
of his senses by anger, and speedily cursed
that first of monarchs, saying, 'O worst of
kings, since thou persecutest like a Rakshasa
an ascetic, thou shalt from this day, became
a Rakshasa subsisting on human flesh!
Hence, thou worst of kings! thou shalt wander
over the earth, affecting human form!'
Thus did the Rishi Sakti, endued with great
prowess, speak unto king Kalmashapada.
At this time Viswamitra, between whom and
Vasishtha there was a dispute about the discipleship
of Kalmashapada, approached the place where
that monarch and Vasishtha's son were.
And, O Partha, that Rishi of severe ascetic
penances, viz., Viswamitra of great energy,
approached the pair (knowing by his spiritual
insight that they had been thus quarrelling
with each other).
After the curse had been pronounced, that
best of monarchs knew that Rishi to be Vasishtha's
son and equal unto Vasishtha himself in energy.
And, O Bharata, Viswamitra, desirous of benefiting
himself, remained on that spot, concealed
from the sight of both by making himself invisible.
Then that best of monarchs, thus cursed by
Saktri, desiring to propitiate the Rishi began
to humbly beseech him.
And, O chief of the Kurus, Viswamitra, ascertaining
the disposition of the king (and fearing that
the difference might be made up), ordered
a Rakshasa to enter the body of the king.
And a Rakshasa of the name of Kinkara then
entered the monarch's body in obedience to
Saktri's curse and Viswamitra's command.
And knowing, O chastiser of foes, that the
Rakshasa had possessed himself of the monarch,
that best of Rishis, Viswamitra, then left
the spot and went away.
"Shortly after, O Partha, the monarch, possessed
by the Rakshasa and terribly afflicted by
him, lost all his senses.
At this time a Brahmana beheld the king in
the woods.
Afflicted with hunger, that Brahmana begged
of the king some food with meat.
The royal sage, Kalmashapada, that cherisher
of friends, answered the Brahmana, saying,
'Stay thou here, O Brahmana for a moment.
On my return, I will give thee whatever food
thou desirest.'
Having said this, the monarch went away, but
the Brahmana stayed on there.
The high-minded king having roved for some
time at pleasure and according to his will,
at last entered his inner apartment.
Thus waking at midnight and remembering his
promise, he summoned his cook and told him
of his promise unto the Brahmana staying in
the forest.
And he commanded him, saying, 'Hie thee to
that forest.
A Brahmana waiteth for me in the hope of food.
Go and entertain him with food and meat.'
"The Gandharva continued, 'Thus commanded,
the cook went out in search of meat.
Distressed at not having found any, he informed
the king of his failure.
The monarch, however, possessed as he was
by the Rakshasa, repeatedly said, without
scruple of any kind, 'Feed him with human
flesh.'
The cook, saying, 'So be it,' went to the
place where the (king's) executioners were,
and thence taking human flesh and washing
and cooking it duly and covering it with boiled
rice offered it unto that hungry Brahmana
devoted to ascetic penances.
But that best of Brahmanas, seeing with his
spiritual sight that the food was unholy and,
therefore, unworthy of being eaten, said these
words with eyes red with anger, 'Because that
worst of kings offereth me food that is unholy
and unworthy of being taken, therefore that
wretch shall have himself a fondness for such
food.
And becoming fond of human flesh as cursed
by Saktri of old, the wretch shall wander
over the earth, alarming and otherwise troubling
all creatures.'
The curse, therefore, on that king, thus repeated
a second time, became very strong, and the
king, possessed by a Rakshasa disposition,
soon lost all his senses.
"A little while after, O Bharata, that best
of monarchs, deprived of all his senses by
the Rakshasa within him, beholding Saktri
who had cursed him, said, 'Because thou hast
pronounced on me this extraordinary curse,
therefore, I shall begin my life of cannibalism
by devouring thee.'
Having said this, the king immediately slew
Saktri and ate him up, like a tiger eating
the animal it was fond of.
Beholding Saktri thus slain and devoured,
Viswamitra repeatedly urged that Rakshasa
(who was within the monarch) against the other
sons of Vasishtha.
Like a wrathful lion devouring small animals,
that Rakshasa soon devoured the other sons
of the illustrious Vasishtha that were junior
to Saktri in age.
But Vasishtha, learning that all his sons
had been caused to be slain by Viswamitra,
patiently bore his grief like the great mountain
that bears the earth.
That best of Munis, that foremost of intelligent
men, was resolved rather to sacrifice his
own life than exterminate (in anger) the race
of Kusikas.
The illustrious Rishi threw himself down from
the summit of Meru, but he descended on the
stony ground as though on a heap of cotton.
And, O son of Pandu, when the illustrious
one found that death did not result from that
fall, he kindled a huge fire in the forest
and entered it with alacrity.
But that fire, though burning brightly, consumed
him not.
O slayer of foes, that blazing fire seemed
to him cool.
Then the great Muni under the influence of
grief, beholding the sea, tied a stony weight
to his neck and threw himself into its waters.
But the waves soon cast him ashore.
At last when that Brahmana of rigid vows succeeded
not in killing himself by any means, he returned,
in distress of heart, to his asylum.'"
Adi Parva, Section 179th, Chaitraratha Parva
continued.
"The Gandharva continued, 'Beholding his asylum
bereft of his children, the Muni afflicted
with great grief left it again.
And in course of his wandering he saw, O Partha,
a river swollen with the waters of the rainy
season, sweeping away numberless trees and
plants that had grown on its margin.
Beholding this, O thou of Kuru's race, the
distressed Muni thinking that he would certainly
be drowned if he fell into the waters of that
river, he tied himself strongly with several
cords and flung himself, under the influence
of grief, into the current of that mighty
stream.
But, O slayer of foes, that stream soon cut
those cords and cast the Rishi ashore.
And the Rishi rose from the bank, freed from
the cords with which he had tied himself.
And because his cords were thus broken off
by the violence of the current, the Rishi
called the stream by the name of Vipasa (the
cord-breaker).
For his grief the Muni could not, from that
time, stay in one place; he began to wander
over mountains and along rivers and lakes.
And beholding once again a river named Haimavati
(flowing from Himavat) of terrible aspect
and full of fierce crocodiles and other (aquatic)
monsters, the Rishi threw himself into it,
but the river mistaking the Brahmana for a
mass of (unquenchable) fire, immediately flew
in a hundred different directions, and hath
been known ever since by the name of the Satadru
(the river of a hundred courses).
Seeing himself on the dry land even there
he exclaimed, 'O, I cannot die by my own hands!'
Saying this, the Rishi once more bent his
steps towards his asylum.
Crossing numberless mountains and countries,
as he was about to re-enter his asylum, he
was followed by his daughter-in-law named
Adrisyanti.
As she neared him, he heard the sound from
behind of a very intelligent recitation of
the Vedas with the six graces of elocution.
Hearing that sound, the Rishi asked, 'Who
is it that followeth me?'
His daughter-in-law then answered, 'I am Adrisyanti,
the wife of Saktri.
I am helpless, though devoted to asceticism.'
Hearing her, Vasishtha said, 'O daughter,
whose is this voice that I heard, repeating
the Vedas along with the Angas like unto the
voice of Saktri reciting the Vedas with the
Angas?'
Adrisyanti answered, 'I bear in my womb a
child by thy son Saktri.
He hath been here full twelve years.
The voice thou hearest is that of the Muni,
who is reciting the Vedas.'
"The Gandharva continued, 'Thus addressed
by her the illustrious Vasishtha became exceedingly
glad.
And saying, 'O, there is a child (of my race)!'--he
refrained, O Partha, from self-destruction.
The sinless one accompanied by his daughter-in-law,
then returned to his asylum.
And the Rishi saw one day in the solitary
woods (the Rakshasa) Kalmashapada.
The king, O Bharata, possessed by fierce Rakshasa,
as he saw the Rishi, became filled with wrath
and rose up, desiring to devour him.
And Adrisyanti beholding before her that the
Rakshasa of cruel deeds, addressed Vasishtha
in these words, full of anxiety and fear,
'O illustrious one, the cruel Rakshasa, like
unto Death himself armed with (his) fierce
club, cometh towards us with a wooden club
in hand!
There is none else on earth, except thee,
O illustrious one, and, O foremost of all
that are conversant with the Vedas to restrain
him today.
Protect me, O illustrious one, from this cruel
wretch of terrible mien.
Surely, the Rakshasa cometh hither to devour
us' Vasishtha, hearing this, said, 'Fear not,
O daughter, there is no need of any fear from
any Rakshasa.
This one is no Rakshasa from whom thou apprehendest
such imminent danger.
This is king Kalmashapada endued with great
energy and celebrated on earth.
That terrible man dwelleth in these woods.'
"The Gandharva continued, 'Beholding him advancing,
the illustrious Rishi Vasishtha, endued with
great energy, restrained him, O Bharata, by
uttering the sound Hum.
Sprinkling him again with water sanctified
with incantations the Rishi freed the monarch
from that terrible curse.
For twelve years the monarch had been overwhelmed
by the energy of Vasishtha's son like Surya
seized by the planet (Rahu) during the season
of an eclipse.
Freed from the Rakshasa the monarch illumined
that large forest by his splendour like the
sun illumining the evening clouds.
Recovering his power of reason, the king saluted
that best of Rishis with joined palms and
said, 'O illustrious one, I am the son of
Sudasa and thy disciple, O best of Munis!
O, tell me what is thy pleasure and what I
am to do.'
Vasishtha replied, saying, 'My desire hath
already been accomplished.
Return now to thy kingdom and rule thy subjects.
And, O chief of men, never insult Brahmanas
any more.'
The monarch replied, 'O illustrious one, I
shall never more insult superior Brahmanas.
In obedience to thy command I shall always
worship Brahmanas.
But, O best of Brahmanas, I desire to obtain
from thee that by which, O foremost of all
that are conversant with the Vedas, I may
be freed from the debt I owe to the race of
Ikshvaku!
O best of men, it behoveth thee to grant me,
for the perpetuation of Ikshvaku's race, a
desirable son possessing beauty and accomplishments
and good behaviour.'
"The Gandharva continued, 'Thus addressed,
Vasishtha, that best of Brahmanas devoted
to truth replied unto that mighty bowman of
a monarch, saying, 'I will give you.'
After some time, O prince of men, Vasishtha,
accompanied by the monarch, went to the latter's
capital known all over the earth by the name
of Ayodhya.
The citizens in great joy came out to receive
the sinless and illustrious one, like the
dwellers in heaven coming out to receive their
chief.
The monarch, accompanied by Vasishtha, re-entered
his auspicious capital after a long time.
The citizens of Ayodhya beheld their king
accompanied by his priest, as if he were the
rising sun.
The monarch who was superior to everyone in
beauty filled by his splendour the whole town
of Ayodhya, like the autumnal moon filling
by his splendour the whole firmament.
And the excellent city itself, in consequence
of its streets having been watered and swept,
and of the rows of banners and pendants beautifying
it all around, gladdened the monarch's heart.
And, O prince of Kuru's race, the city filled
as it was with joyous and healthy souls, in
consequence of his presence, looked gay like
Amaravati with the presence of the chief of
the celestials.
After the royal sage had entered his capital,
the queen, at the king's command, approached
Vasishtha.
The great Rishi, making a covenant with her,
united himself with her according to the high
ordinance.
And after a little while, when the queen conceived,
that best of Rishis, receiving the reverential
salutations of the king, went back to his
asylum.
The queen bore the embryo in her womb for
a long time.
When she saw that she did not bring forth
anything, she tore open her womb by a piece
of stone.
It was then that at the twelfth year (of the
conception) was born Asmaka, that bull amongst
men, that royal sage who founded (the city
of) Paudanya.'"
Adi Parva, Section 180th, Chaitraratha Parva
continued.
"The Gandharva continued, 'Then, O Partha,
Adrisyanti, who had been residing in Vasishtha's
asylum, brought forth (when the time came)
a son who was the perpetuator of Saktri's
race and who was a second Saktri in everything.
O foremost of Bharatas, that best of Munis,
the illustrious Vasishtha himself performed
the usual after-birth ceremonies of his grandson.
And, because the Rishi Vasishtha had resolved
on self-destruction but had abstained therefrom
as soon as he knew of the existence of that
child, that child, when born, was called Parasara
(the vivifier of the dead).
The virtuous Parasara, from the day of his
birth, knew Vasishtha for his father and behaved
towards the Muni as such.
One day, O son of Kunti, the child addressed
Vasishtha, that first of Brahmana sages, as
father, in the presence of his mother Adrisyanti.
Adrisyanti, hearing the very intelligible
sound father sweetly uttered by her son, addressed
him with tearful eyes and said, 'O child,
do not address this thy grandfather as father?
Thy father, O son, has been devoured by a
Rakshasa in a different forest.
O innocent one, he is not thy father whom
thou regardest so.
The revered one is the father of that celebrated
father of thine.'
Thus addressed by his mother that best of
Rishis of truthful speech, gave way to sorrow,
but soon fired up and resolved to destroy
the whole creation.
Then that illustrious and great ascetic Vasishtha,
that foremost of all persons conversant with
Brahma, that son of Mitravaruna, that Rishi
acquainted with positive truth, addressed
his grandson who had set his heart upon the
destruction of the world.
Hear, O Arjuna, the arguments by which Vasishtha
succeeded in driving out that resolution from
his grandson's mind.'
"The Gandharva continued, 'Then Vasishtha
said, 'There was a celebrated king of the
name of Kritavirya.
That bull among the kings of the earth was
the disciple of the Veda-knowing Bhrigus.
That king, O child, after performing the Soma
sacrifice, gratified the Brahmanas with great
presents of rice and wealth.
After that monarch had ascended to heaven,
an occasion came when his descendants were
in want of wealth.
And knowing that the Bhrigus were rich, those
princes went unto those best of Brahmanas,
in the guise of beggars.
Some amongst the Bhrigus, to protect their
wealth, buried it under earth; and some from
fear of the Kshatriyas, began to give away
their wealth unto (other) Brahmanas; while
some amongst them duly gave unto the Kshatriyas
whatever they wanted.
It happened, however, that some Kshatriyas,
in digging as they pleased at the house of
particular Bhargava, came upon a large treasure.
And the treasure was seen by all those bulls
among Kshatriyas who had been there.
Enraged at what they regarded as the deceitful
behaviour of the Bhrigus, the Kshatriyas insulted
the Brahmanas, though the latter asked for
mercy.
And those mighty bowmen began to slaughter
the Bhrigus with their sharp arrows.
And the Kshatriyas wandered over the earth,
slaughtering even the embryos that were in
the wombs of the women of the Bhrigu race.
And while the Bhrigu race was thus being exterminated,
the women of that tribe fled from fear to
the inaccessible mountains of Himavat.
And one amongst these women, of tapering thighs,
desiring to perpetuate her husband's race,
held in one of her thighs an embryo endued
with great energy.
A certain Brahmana woman, however, who came
to know this fact, went from fear unto the
Kshatriyas and reported the matter unto them.
And the Kshatriyas then went to destroy that
embryo.
Arrived at the place, they beheld the would-be
mother blazing with inborn energy, and the
child that was in her thigh came out tearing
up the thigh and dazzling the eyes of those
Kshatriyas like the midday sun.
Thus deprived of their eyes, the Kshatriyas
began to wander over those inaccessible mountains.
And distressed at the loss of sight, the princes
were afflicted with woe, and desirous of regaining
the use of their eyes they resolved to seek
the protection of that faultless woman.
Then those Kshatriyas, afflicted with sorrow,
and from loss of sight like unto a fire that
hath gone out, addressed with anxious hearts
that illustrious lady, saying, 'By thy grace.
O lady, we wish to be restored to sight.
We shall then return to our homes all together
and abstain for ever from our sinful practice.
O handsome one, it behoveth thee with thy
child to show us mercy.
It behoveth thee to favour these kings by
granting them their eye-sight.'"
Adi Parva, Section 181st, Chaitraratha Parva
continued.
"Vasishtha continued, 'The Brahmana lady,
thus addressed by them, said, 'Ye children,
I have not robbed you of your eye-sight, nor
am I angry with you.
This child, however, of the Bhrigu race hath
certainly been angry with you.
There is little doubt, ye children, that ye
have been robbed of your sight by that illustrious
child whose wrath hath been kindled at the
remembrance of the slaughter of his race.
Ye children, while ye were destroying even
the embryos of the Bhrigu race, this child
was held by me in my thigh for a hundred years!
And in order that the prosperity of Bhrigu's
race might be restored, the entire Vedas with
their branches came unto this one even while
he was in the womb.
It is plain that this scion of the Bhrigu
race, enraged at the slaughter of his fathers,
desireth to slay you!
It is by his celestial energy that your eyes
have been scorched.
Therefore, ye children, pray ye unto this
my excellent child born of my thigh.
Propitiated by your homage he may restore
your eye-sight.'
"Vasishtha continued, 'Hearing those words
of the Brahmana lady, all these princes addressed
the thigh-born child, saying, 'Be propitious!'
And the child became propitious unto them.
And that best of Brahmana Rishis, in consequence
of his having been born after tearing open
his mother's thigh, came to be known throughout
the three worlds by the name of Aurva (thigh-born).
And those princes regaining their eye-sight
went away.
But the Muni Aurva of the Bhrigu race resolved
upon overcoming the whole world.
And the high-souled Rishi set his heart, O
child, upon the destruction of every creature
in the world.
And that scion of the Bhrigu race, for paying
homage (as he regarded) unto his slaughtered
ancestors, devoted himself to the austerest
of penances with the object of destroying
the whole world.
And desirous of gratifying his ancestors,
the Rishi afflicted by his severe asceticism
the three worlds with the celestials, the
Asuras and human beings.
The Pitris, then, learning what the child
of their race was about, all came from their
own region unto the Rishi and addressing him
said:
'Aurva, O son, fierce thou hast been in thy
asceticism.
Thy power hath been witnessed by us.
Be propitious unto the three worlds.
O, control thy wrath.
O child, it was not from incapacity that the
Bhrigus of souls under complete control were,
all of them, indifferent to their own destruction
at the hands of the murderous Kshatriyas.
O child, when we grew weary of the long periods
of life alloted to us, it was then that we
desired our own destruction through the instrumentality
of the Kshatriyas.
The wealth that the Bhrigus had placed in
their house underground had been placed only
with the object of enraging the Kshatriyas
and picking a quarrel with them.
O thou best of Brahmanas, as we were desirous
of heaven, of what use could wealth be to
us?
The treasurer of heaven (Kuvera) had kept
a large treasure for us.
When we found that death could not, by any
means, overtake us all, it was then, O child,
that we regarded this as the best means (of
compassing our desire).
They who commit suicide never attain to regions
that are blessed.
Reflecting upon this, we abstained from self-destruction.
That which, therefore thou desirest to do
is not agreeable to us.
Restrain thy mind, therefore, from the sinful
act of destroying the whole world.
O child, destroy not the Kshatriyas nor the
seven worlds.
O, kill this wrath of thine that staineth
thy ascetic energy.'"
Adi Parva, Section 182nd, Chaitraratha Parva
continued.
"The Gandharva said, 'Vasishtha after this,
continued the narration saying, 'Hearing these
words of the Pitris, Aurva, O child, replied
unto them to this effect:
'Ye Pitris, the vow I have made from anger
for the destruction of all the worlds, must
not go in vain.
I cannot consent to be one whose anger and
vows are futile.
Like fire consuming dry woods, this rage of
mine will certainly consume me if I do not
accomplish my vow.
The man that represseth his wrath that hath
been excited by (adequate) cause, becometh
incapable of duly compassing the three ends
of life (viz., religion, profit and pleasure).
The wrath that kings desirous of subjugating
the whole earth exhibit, is not without its
uses.
It serveth to restrain the wicked and to protect
the honest.
While lying unborn within my mother's thigh,
I heard the doleful cries of my mother and
other women of the Bhrigu race who were then
being exterminated by the Kshatriyas.
Ye Pitris, when those wretches of Kshatriyas
began to exterminate the Bhrigus together
with unborn children of their race, it was
then that wrath filled my soul.
My mother and the other women of our race,
each in an advanced state of pregnancy, and
my father, while terribly alarmed, found not
in all the worlds a single protector.
Then when the Bhrigu women found not a single
protector, my mother held me in one of her
thighs.
If there be a punisher of crimes in the worlds
no one in all the worlds would dare commit
a crime; if he findeth not a punisher, the
number of sinners becometh large.
The man who having the power to prevent or
punish sin doth not do so knowing that a sin
hath been committed, is himself defiled by
that sin.
When kings and others, capable of protecting
my fathers, protect them not, postponing that
duty preferring the pleasures of life, I have
just cause to be enraged with them.
I am the lord of the creation, capable of
punishing its iniquity.
I am incapable of obeying your command.
Capable of punishing this crime, if I abstain
from so doing, men will once more have to
undergo a similar persecution.
The fire of my wrath too that is ready to
consume the worlds, if repressed, will certainly
consume by its own energy my own self.
Ye masters, I know that ye ever seek the good
of the worlds: direct me, therefore, as to
what may benefit both myself and the worlds.'
"Vasishtha continued, 'The Pitris replied
saying, O, throw this fire that is born of
thy wrath and that desireth to consume the
worlds, into the waters.
That will do thee good.
The worlds, indeed, are all dependent on water
(as their elementary cause).
Every juicy substance containeth water, indeed
the whole universe is made of water.
Therefore, O thou best of Brahmanas, cast
thou this fire of thy wrath into the waters.
If, therefore, thou desirest it, O Brahmana,
let this fire born of thy wrath abide in the
great ocean, consuming the waters thereof,
for it hath been said that the worlds are
made of water.
In this way, O thou sinless one, thy word
will be rendered true, and the worlds with
the gods will not be destroyed.'
"Vasishtha continued, 'Then, O child, Aurva
cast the fire of his wrath into the abode
of Varuna.
And that fire which consumeth the waters of
the great ocean, became like unto a large
horse's head which persons conversant with
the Vedas call by the name of Vadavamukha.
And emitting itself from that mouth it consumeth
the waters of the mighty ocean.
Blest be thou!
It behoveth not thee, therefore, to destroy
the worlds.
O thou Parasara, who art acquainted with the
higher regions, thou foremost of wise men!'"
Adi Parva, Section 183rd, Chaitraratha Parva
continued.
"The Gandharva continued, 'The Brahmana sage
(Parasara) thus addressed by the illustrious
Vasishtha restrained his wrath from destroying
the worlds.
But the Rishi Parasara endued with great energy--the
son of Saktri--the foremost of all persons
acquainted with the Vedas--performed a grand
Rakshasa sacrifice.
And remembering the slaughter of (his father)
Saktri, the great Muni began to consume the
Rakshasas, young and old, in the sacrifice
he performed.
And Vasishtha did not restrain him from this
slaughter of the Rakshasa, from the determination
of not obstructing this second vow (of his
grandson).
And in that sacrifice the great Muni Parasara
sat before three blazing fires, himself like
unto a fourth fire.
And the son of Saktri, like the Sun just emerging
from the clouds, illuminated the whole firmament
by that stainless sacrifice of his into which
large were the libations poured of clarified
butter.
Then Vasishtha and the other Rishis regarded
that Muni blazing with his own energy as if
he were the second Sun.
Then the great Rishi Atri of liberal soul
desirous of ending that sacrifice, an achievement
highly difficult for others,--came to that
place.
And there also came, O thou slayer of all
foes, Pulastya and Pulaha, and Kratu the performer
of many great sacrifices, all influenced by
the desire of saving the Rakshasas.
And, O thou bull of the Bharata race, Pulastya
then, seeing that many Rakshasas had already
been slain, told these words unto Parasara
that oppressor of all enemies:
'There is no obstruction, I hope, to this
sacrifice of thine, O child!
Takest thou any pleasure, O child, in this
slaughter of even all those innocent Rakshasas
that know nothing of thy father's death.
It behoveth thee not to destroy any creatures
thus.
This, O child, is not the occupation of a
Brahmana devoted to asceticism.
Peace is the highest virtue.
Therefore, O Parasara, establish thou peace.
How hast thou, O Parasara, being so superior,
engaged thyself in such a sinful practice?
It behoveth not thee to transgress against
Saktri himself who was well-acquainted with
all rules of morality.
It behoveth not thee to extirpate any creatures.
O descendant of Vasishtha's race, that which
befell thy father was brought about by his
own curse.
It was for his own fault that Saktri was taken
hence unto heaven.
O Muni, no Rakshasa was capable of devouring
Saktri; he himself provided for his own death.
And, O Parasara, Viswamitra was only a blind
instrument in that matter.
Both Saktri and Kalmashapada, having ascended
to heaven are enjoying great happiness.
And, the other sons also of the great Rishi
Vasishtha who were younger than Saktri, are
even now enjoying themselves with the celestials.
And, O child, O offspring of Vasishtha's son,
thou hast also been, in this sacrifice, only
an instrument in the destruction of these
innocent Rakshasas.
O, blest be thou!
Abandon this sacrifice of thine.
Let it come to an end.'
"The Gandharva continued, 'Thus addressed
by Pulastya, as also by the intelligent Vasishtha,
that mighty Muni--the son of Saktri then brought
that sacrifice to an end.
And the Rishi cast the fire that he had ignited
for the purpose of the Rakshasas' sacrifice
into the deep woods on the north of the Himavat.
And that fire may be seen to this day consuming
Rakshasas and trees and stones in all seasons.'"
Adi Parva, Section 184th, Chaitraratha Parva
continued.
"Arjuna asked, 'What for, O Gandharva, did
king Kalmashapada command his queen to go
unto that foremost of all persons conversant
with the Vedas--the master Vasishtha?
Why also did that illustrious and great Rishi
Vasishtha himself who was acquainted with
every rule of morality know a woman he should
not have known?
O friend, was this an act of sin on the part
of Vasishtha?
It behoveth thee to remove the doubts I entertain
and refer to thee for solution.'
"The Gandharva replied, saying, 'O irrepressible
Dhananjaya, listen to me as I answer the question
thou hast asked in respect of Vasishtha and
king Kalmashapada that cherisher of friends.
O thou best of the Bharatas, I have told thee
all about the curse of king Kalmashapada by
Saktri, the illustrious son of Vasishtha.
Brought under the influence of the curse,
that smiter of all foes--king Kalmashapada--with
eyes whirling in anger went out of his capital
accompanied by his wife.
And entering with his wife the solitary woods
the king began to wander about.
And one day while the king under the influence
of the curse was wandering through that forest
abounding in several kinds of deer and various
other animals and overgrown with numerous
large trees and shrubs and creepers and resounding
with terrible cries, he became exceedingly
hungry.
And the monarch thereupon began to search
for some food.
Pinched with hunger, the king at last saw,
in a very solitary part of the woods, a Brahmana
and his wife enjoying each other.
Alarmed at beholding the monarch the couple
ran away, their desire ungratified.
Pursuing the retreating pair, the king forcibly
seized the Brahmana.
Then the Brahmani, beholding her lord seized,
addressed the monarch, saying, 'Listen to
what I say, O monarch of excellent vows!
It is known all over the world that thou art
born in the solar race, and that thou art
ever vigilant in the practice of morality
and devoted to the service of thy superiors.
It behoveth thee not to commit sin, O thou
irrepressible one, deprived though thou hast
been of thy senses by (the Rishi's) curse.
My season hath come, and wishful of my husband's
company I was connected with him.
I have not been gratified yet.
Be propitious unto us, O thou best of kings!
Liberate my husband.'
The monarch, however, without listening to
her cries cruelly devoured her husband like
a tiger devouring its desirable prey.
Possessed with wrath at this sight, the tears
that that woman shed blazed up like fire and
consumed everything in that place.
Afflicted with grief at the calamity that
overtook her lord, the Brahmani in anger cursed
the royal sage Kalmashapada, 'Vile wretch,
since thou hast today cruelly devoured under
my very nose my illustrious husband dear unto
me, even before my desires have been gratified,
therefore shall thou, O wicked one afflicted
by my curse, meet with instant death when
thou goest in for thy wife in season.
And thy wife, O wretch, shall bring forth
a son uniting herself with that Rishi Vasishtha
whose children have been devoured by thee.
And that child, O worst of kings, shall be
the perpetuator of thy race.'
And cursing the monarch thus, that lady of
Angira's house bearing every auspicious mark,
entered the blazing fire in the very sight
of the monarch.
And, O thou oppressor of all foes, the illustrious
and exalted Vasishtha by his ascetic power
and spiritual insight immediately knew all.
And long after this, when the king became
freed from his curse, he approached his wife
Madayanati when her season came.
But Madayanati softly sent him away.
Under the influence of passion the monarch
had no recollection of that curse.
Hearing, however, the words of his wife, the
best of kings became terribly alarmed.
And recollecting the curse he repented bitterly
of what he had done.
It was for this reason, O thou best of men,
that the monarch infected with the Brahmani's
curse, appointed Vasishtha to beget a son
upon his queen.'"
Adi Parva, Section 185th, Chaitraratha Parva
continued.
"Arjuna asked, 'O Gandharva, thou art acquainted
with everything.
Tell us, therefore, which Veda-knowing Brahmana
is worthy to be appointed as our priest.'
"The Gandharva replied, 'There is in these
woods a shrine of the name of Utkochaka.
Dhaumya, the younger brother of Devala is
engaged there in ascetic penances.
Appoint him, if ye desire, your priest."
"Vaisampayana said, 'Then Arjuna, highly pleased
with everything that had happened, gave unto
that Gandharva, his weapon of fire with befitting
ceremonies.
And addressing him, the Pandava also said,
'O thou best of Gandharvas, let the horses
thou givest us remain with thee for a time.
When the occasion cometh, we will take them
from thee.
Blest be thou.'
Then the Gandharva and the Pandavas, respectfully
saluting each other, left the delightful banks
of the Bhagirathi and went 
wheresoever they desired.
Then, O Bharata, the Pandavas going to Utkochaka,
the sacred asylum of Dhaumya installed Dhaumya
as their priest.
And Dhaumya, the foremost of all conversant
with the Vedas, receiving them with presents
of wild fruits and (edible) roots, consented
to become their priest.
And the Pandavas with their mother forming
the sixth of the company, having obtained
that Brahmana as their priest regarded their
sovereignty and kingdom as already regained
and the daughter of the Panchala king as already
obtained in the Swayamavara.
And those bulls of the Bharata race, having
obtained the master Dhaumya as their priest,
also regarded themselves as placed under a
powerful protector.
And the high-souled Dhaumya, acquainted with
the true meaning of the Vedas and every rule
of morality, becoming the spiritual preceptor
of the virtuous Pandavas, made them his Yajamanas
(spiritual disciples).
And that Brahmana, beholding those heroes
endued with intelligence and strength and
perseverance like unto the celestials, regarded
them as already restored, by virtue of their
own accomplishments to their sovereignty and
kingdom.
Then those kings of men, having had benedictions
uttered upon them by that Brahmana, resolved
to go, accompanied by him, to the Swayamvara
of the Princess of Panchala.'" ...
