"Lomasa said, 'Then gathered together, Brahma, the grandfather of men
(thus) addressed, 'Go ye, O gods! whither your pleasure may lead you, or
your desire conduct you. It will take a long course of time for the ocean
to resume its wonted state; the occasion will be furnished by the agnates
of the great king Bhagiratha.' Hearing the words of the (universal)
grandfather (Brahma), all the foremost gods went their way biding the day
(when the ocean was to be filled again).'
"Yudhishthira said, 'What was that occasion, O Saint? And how did the
agnates of (Bhagiratha furnish the same)? And how was the ocean refilled
by the interference of Bhagiratha? O Saint, who deemest thy religious
practices as thy only treasure. O thou of the priestly class! I wish to
hear the account of the achievements of the king, narrated in detail by
thyself.'"
"Vaisampayana said, "Thus addressed by the magnanimous and virtuous king,
he, the chief of men of the priestly class, narrated the achievements of
the high-souled (king) Sagara."
"Lomasa said, 'There was born in the family of the Ikshaku tribe, a ruler
of the earth named Sagara, endued with beauty, and strength. And that
same (king) of a dreaded name was sonless, O descendant of Bharata! And
he carried havoc through the tribes of the Haihayas and the Talajanghas;
brought under subjection the whole of the military caste; (and so) ruled
over his own kingdom. And, O most praiseworthy of the descendants of
Bharata! O chief of the Bharata race! he had two wives proud of their
beauty and of their youth,--one a princess of the Vidarbha race, and the
other of the royal line of Sivi. And, O chief of kings, that same ruler
of men, betook himself to the mountain Kailasa, accompanied by both his
wives, and with the desire of having a son became engaged in the practice
of exceeding austere penances. And being engaged in the practice of rigid
austerities, and (also) employed in the contemplation known by the name
of Yoga, he obtained the sight of the magnanimous god with three
eyes--the slayer of the demon called Tripura; the worker of blessings
(for all beings); the (eternally) existent one; the ruling Being, the
holder of the Pinaka bow; carrying in his hand his (well-known
weapon)--the trident; the god of three eyes; the repository of (eternal)
peace; the ruler of all those that are fierce; capable of assuming very
many forms; and the lord of the goddess Uma. And that same ruler of men,
of mighty arms, as soon as he beheld the god--that giver of boons--fell
down at his feet, with both his queens, and proffered a prayer to have a
son. And the god Siva, well pleased with him, spake (thus) to that most
righteous of the rulers of men, attended by his two wives, saying, 'O
lord of men! considering the (astrological) moment at which thou hast
proffered thy prayer to me, sixty thousand sons, O foremost of choice men
valorous and characterised by exceeding pride, will be born in one off
thy two wives (here). But they all, O ruler of the earth, shall perish
together. In the other wife, (however), will be born a single valiant
son, who will perpetuate thy race.' Having said this to him, the god
Rudra (Siva) vanished from sight at that very spot, and that same king
Sagara now came (back) to his own abode accompanied by his two wives,
exceedingly delighted at heart (for what had happened) then. And, O most
praiseworthy of the sons of Manu! (i.e., men), there the two lotus-eyed
wives of him--the princess of Vidarbha and the princess of Sivi--came
(erelong) to be with child. And afterwards, on the due day, the princess
of Vidarbha brought forth (something) of the shape of a gourd and the
princess of Sivi gave birth to a boy as beautiful as a god. Then the
ruler of the earth made up his mind to throw away the gourd,--when he
heard (proceeding) from the sky a speech (uttered) in a grave and solemn
voice, 'O king! do thou not be guilty of this hasty act; thou shouldst
not abandon thy sons. Take out the seeds from the gourd and let them be
preserved with care in steaming vessels partly filled with clarified
butter. Then thou wilt get, O scion of Bharata's race! sixty thousand
sons. O ruler of men! the great god (Siva) hath spoken that thy sons are
to be born in this manner. Let not therefore thy mind be turned away
therefrom.'"
SECTION CVII
"Lomasa said, 'O most righteous of kings! When he heard these words
(proceeding) from the sky, he had faith therein, and did all that he was
directed to do, O chief of the men of Bharata's race! Then the ruler of
men took separately each of the seeds and then placed these divisions (of
the gourd) in vessels filled with clarified butter. And intent on the
preservation of his sons, he provided a nurse for every (receptacle).
Then after a long time there arose sixty thousand exceedingly powerful
sons of that same king--gifted with unmeasured strength, they were born,
O ruler of earth! to that saint-like king, by Rudra's favour. And they
were terrible; and their acts were ruthless. And they were able to ascend
and roam about in the sky; and being numerous themselves, despised
everybody, including the gods. And they would chase even the gods, the
Gandharvas, and the Rakshasas and all the born beings, being themselves
valiant and addicted to fighting. Then all people, harassed by the
dull-headed sons of Sagara, united with all the gods, went to Brahma as
their refuge. And then addressed the blessed grandfather of all beings
(Brahma), 'Go ye your way, ye gods, together with all these men. In a not
very long space of time, there will come about, O gods! a great and
exceedingly terrible destruction of Sagara's sons, caused by the deed
perpetrated by them.' Thus addressed, those same gods, and men, O lord of
the sons of Manu! bade adieu to the grandfather, and went back to whence
they had come. Then, O chief of Bharata's race! after the expiry of very
many days, the mighty king Sagara accepted the consecration for
performing the rites of a horse-sacrifice. And his horse began to roam
over the world, protected by his sons. And when the horse reached the
sea, waterless and frightful to behold--although the horse was guarded
with very great care--it (suddenly) vanished at the very spot (it stood
upon). Then, O respected sir! those same sons of Sagara imagined the same
fine horse to have been stolen; and returning to their father, narrated
how it had been stolen out of sight. And thereupon he addressed them,
saying, 'Go ye and search for the horse in all the cardinal points.'
Then, O great king! by this command of their father, they began to search
for the horse in the cardinal points and throughout the whole surface of
the earth. But all those sons of Sagara, all mutually united, could not
find the horse, nor the person who had stolen it. And coming back then,
they with joined palms (thus addressed) their father, (standing) before
them, 'O Protector of men! O ruler of the earth! O king! by thy command,
the whole of this world with its hills and its forest tracts, with its
seas, and its woods, and its islands, with its rivulets and rivers and
caves, hath been searched through by us. But we cannot find either the
horse, or the thief who had stolen the same.' And hearing the words, the
same king became senseless with wrath, and then told them all, carried
away by Destiny, 'Go ye all, may ye never return! Search ye again for the
horse. Without that sacrificial horse, ye must never return, my boys!'"
"And those same sons of Sagara, accepted this command of their father,
and once more began to search through the entire world. Now these heroes
saw a rift on the surface of the earth. And having reached this pit, the
sons of Sagara began to excavate it. And with spades and pickaxes they
went on digging the sea, making the utmost efforts. And that same abode
of Varuna (namely the ocean), being thus, excavated by the united sons of
Sagara and rent and cut on all sides round, was placed in a condition of
the utmost distress. And the demons and snakes and Rakshasas and various
(other) animated beings began to utter distressful cries, while being
killed by Sagara's sons. And hundreds and thousands of animated beings
were beheld with severed heads and separated trunks and with their skins
and bones and joints rent asunder and broken. Thus they went on digging
the ocean, which was the abode of Varuna and an exceedingly long space of
time expired in this work, but still the horse was not found. Then, O
lord of earth! towards the north-eastern region of the sea, the incensed
sons of Sagara dug down as far as the lower world, and there they beheld
the horse, roaming about on the surface of the ground. And they saw the
magnanimous Kapila, who looked like a perfect mass of splendour. And
having beheld him shining with his brightness, just as the fire shineth
with its flames, they, O king! seeing the horse, were flushed with
delight. And they being incensed, sent forward by their fate, paid no
heed to the presence of the magnanimous Kapila, and ran forward with a
view to seizing the horse. Then, O great king! Kapila, the most righteous
of saints,--he whom the great sages name as Kapila Vasudeva--assumed a
fiery look, and the mighty saint shot flames towards them, and thereby
burnt down the dull-headed sons of Sagara. And Narada, whose practice of
austerities was very great, when he beheld them reduced to ashes, came to
Sagara's side, and gave the information to him. And when the king learnt
this terrible news which proceeded from the mouth of the saint, for
nearly an hour he remained sad, and then he bethought himself of what
Siva had said. Then sending for Ansuman, the son of Asamanjas, and his
own grandson, he, O chief of Bharata's race! spake the following words,
'Those same sixty thousand sons of unmeasured strength having encountered
Kapila's wrath, have met their death on my account. And, O my boy of
stainless character! thy father also hath been forsaken by me, in order
to discharge my duty (as a king), and being desirous of doing good to my
subjects.'
"Yudhishthira said, 'O saint, whose sole wealth consists in religious
practices! Tell me for what reason, Sagara, the foremost of kings,
abandoned his own begotten son, endued with valour--an act so difficult
(for all other men)."
"Lomasa said, 'A son was born to Sagara, known by the name of Asamanjas,
he who was given birth to by the princess of Sivi. And he used to seize
by throat the feeble children of the townsmen, and threw them while
screaming into the river. And thereupon the townsmen, overwhelmed with
terror and grief, met together, and all standing with joined palms,
besought Sagara in the following way, 'O great king! Thou art our
protector from the dreaded peril of attack from a hostile force.
Therefore it is proper for thee to deliver us from the frightful danger,
proceeding from Asamanjas.' And the most righteous of the rulers of men,
having heard this frightful news from his subjects, for nearly an hour
remained sad and then spake to his ministers, saying, 'This day from the
city let my son Asamanjas be driven forth. If ye wish to do what will be
acceptable to me, let this be quickly done. 'And, O protector of men!
those same ministers, thus addressed by the king, performed in a hurry
exactly what the king had commanded them to do. Thus have I narrated to
thee how the magnanimous Sagara banished his son, with a view to the
welfare of the residents of the town. I shall now fully narrate to thee
what Ansuman of the powerful bow was told by Sagara. Listen to me!
"Sagara said, 'O my boy! sore am I at heart for having abandoned thy
father, on account of the death of my sons, and also on being
unsuccessful in getting back the horse. Therefore, O grandson! harassed
with grief and confounded with the obstruction to my religious rites as I
am, thou must bring back the horse and deliver me from hell.' Thus
addressed by the magnanimous Sagara, Ansuman went with sorrow to that
spot where the earth had been excavated. And by that very passage he
entered into the sea, and beheld that illustrious Kapila and that same
horse. And having beheld that ancient saint, most righteous of his order,
looking like a mass of light, he bowed with his head to the ground, and
informed him of the reason of his visit. Then, O great king, Kapila was
pleased with Ansuman, and that saint of a virtuous soul told him to ask
for a favour from him. And he in the first place prayed for the horse,
for the purpose of using it in the sacrifice; in the second place he
prayed for the purification of his fathers. Then the mighty chief of
saints, Kapila spake to him, saying, 'I shall grant thee everything that
thou desirest, O stainless (prince). May good luck be thine! In thee are
fixed (the virtues of) forbearance, and truth, and righteousness. By thee
hath Sagara had all his desires fulfilled. Thou are (really) a son to thy
father. And by thy ability the sons of Sagara will go to heaven (i.e.,
will be delivered from the consequences of their unhallowed death). And
the son of thy son, with a view to purifying the sons of Sagara, will
obtain the favour of the great god Siva, (by means of practising great
austerities), and will (thus) bring (to this world) the river that
floweth in three (separate) streams, Ganga, O chief of men! May good luck
be thine! Take thou with thee the sacrificial horse. Finish, my lad! the
sacrificial rites of the magnanimous Sagara.' Thus addressed by the
illustrious Kapila, Ansuman took the horse with him, and came back to the
sacrificial yard of the mighty-minded Sagara. Then he fell prostrate at
the feet of the high-souled Sagara, who smelt him on the head and
narrated all the events to him, all that had been seen and heard by him,
and likewise the destruction of Sagara's sons. He also announced that the
horse had been brought back to the sacrificial yard. And when king Sagara
heard of this, he no more grieved on account of his sons. And he praised
and honoured Ansuman, and finished those same sacrificial rites. His
sacrifice finished, Sagara was greeted honourably by all the gods; and he
converted the sea, Varuna's dwelling place, into a son of himself. And
the lotus-eyed (King Sagara) having ruled his kingdom for a period of
exceeding length, placed his grandson on the throne, (full of)
responsibilities and then ascended to heaven. And Ansuman likewise, O
great king! virtuous in soul, ruled over the world as far as the edge of
the sea, following the foot-prints of his father's father. His son was
named Dilipa, versed in virtue. Upon him placing the duties of his
sovereign post, Ansuman like-wise departed this life. And then when
Dilipa heard what an awful fate had overtaken his forefathers, he was
sorely grieved and thought of the means of raising them. And the ruler of
men made every great effort towards the descent of Ganga (to the mortal
world). But although trying to the utmost of his power, he could not
bring about what he so much wished. And a son was born to him, known by
the name of Bhagiratha beauteous, and devoted to a virtuous life, and
truthful, and free from feelings of malice. And Dilipa appointed him as
king, and betook himself to the forest life. And, O best of all the
scions of Bharata's race! that same king (Dilipa), devoted himself to a
successful course of austerities, and at the end of (sufficient) period,
from the forest departed to heaven."
SECTION CVIII
"Lomasa said, 'That same king, of a powerful bow, standing at the head of
the surrounding, (i.e., the occupant of an imperial throne) of a powerful
car, (i.e., possessing every great fighting power) became the delight of
the eyes and the soul of all the world. And he of the powerful arm came
to learn how his forefathers had met an awful end from Kapila of mighty
soul, and how they had been unable to attain the region of gods. And he
with a sorrowful heart made over his kingly duties to his minister, and,
O lord of men! for practising austerities, went to the side of the snowy
Mountain (the Himalayas). And, O most praiseworthy of men, desirous of
extinguishing his sins by leading an austere life, and (thereby)
obtaining the favour of the (goddess) Ganga, he visited that foremost of
mountains--Himalaya. And he beheld it adorned with peaks of diverse forms
full of mineral earth; besprinkled on all sides with drops from clouds
which were resting themselves upon the breeze; beautiful with rivers and
groves and rocky spurs, looking like (so many) palaces (in a city);
attended upon by lions and tigers that had concealed themselves in its
caves and pits; and also inhabited by birds of checkered forms, which
were uttering diverse sounds, such as the Bhringarajas, and ganders, and
Datyuhas, and water-cocks, and peacocks and birds with a hundred
feathers, and Jivanjivakas, and black birds, and Chakoras of eyes
furnished with black corners, and the birds that love their young. And he
saw the mountain abounding in lotus plants growing in delightful
reservoirs of water. And the cranes rendered it charming with their
sounds; and the Kinnaras and the celestial nymphs were seated on its
stony slabs. And the elephants occupying the cardinal points had
everywhere robbed its trees with the end of their tusks; and the
demi-gods of the Vidyadhara class frequented the hill. And it was full of
various gems, and was also infested by snakes bearing terrible poison and
of glowing tongues. And the mountain at places looked like (massive)
gold, and elsewhere it resembled a silvery (pile), and at some places it
was like a (sable) heap of collyrium. Such was the snowy hill where the
king now found himself. And that most praiseworthy of men at that spot
betook himself to an awful austere course of life. And for one thousand
years his subsistence was nothing but water, fruit and roots. When,
however, a thousand years according to the calculation of gods had
elapsed, then the great river Ganga having assumed a material form,
manifested to him her (divine) self.'
"Ganga said. 'O great king! what dost thou desire of me? And what must I
bestow on thee? Tell me the same, O most praiseworthy of men! I shall do
as thou mayst ask me.' Thus addressed, the king then made his reply to
Ganga, the daughter of the snowy Hill, saying, 'O grantress of boons! O
great river! my father's fathers, while searching for the horse, were
sent by Kapila to the abode of the god of death. And those same sixty
thousand sons of Sagara of mighty soul, having met with the majestic
Kapila, perished, (to a soul) in an instant of time. Having thus
perished, there hath been no place for them in the region of heaven. O
great river! So long as thou dost not besprinkle those same bodies with
thy water, there is no salvation for these same Sagara's sons. O blessed
goddess! carry thou my forefathers, Sagara's sons, to the region of
heaven. O great river! on their account am I beseeching thee forsooth."
"Lomasa said, 'Ganga, the goddess saluted by the world, having heard
these words of the king, was well pleased, and spake to Bhagiratha the
following words: 'O great king! I am prepared to do what thou dost ask
me; there is no doubt therein. But when I shall descend from the sky to
the earth, the force of my fall will be difficult to sustain. O protector
of men! In the three worlds there exists none who is able to sustain the
same, excepting Siva, the most praiseworthy of gods, the great Lord with
the throat of sable blue. O (prince) of a powerful arm! Obtain the
favour, by practising austerities, of that same Siva-giver of boons. That
same god will sustain my descent upon his head. Thy desire he will
fulfill, the desire, namely, to be of service to thy fathers, O king!'
Then the great king Bhagiratha having heard the same, went to the Kailasa
hill, and betaking himself to a severe course of penances, at the
expiration of a certain length of time obtained the favour of that worker
of blessings (Siva). And, O protector of men! that same best of men, in
order that his forefathers might have a place in heaven secured to them,
received from that very Siva the fulfilment of his wish, namely the wish
that the descending Ganga might be sustained.'"
SECTION CIX
"Lomasa said, 'The blessed God having heard what Bhagiratha had said, and
with a view to doing what was agreeable to the residents of heaven,
replied to the king, saying, 'So let it be. O most righteous of the
protectors of men, O (prince) of a powerful arm! For thy sake I shall
sustain the river of the gods, when she will take her descent from the
sky, she who is pure and blessed and divine, O (king) of a mighty arm!'
Saying this, he came to the snowy mountain, surrounded by his attendants,
of awful mien, and with uplifted weapons of diverse forms. And standing
there, he said to Bhagiratha, the most praiseworthy of men, 'O (prince)
of a powerful arm! do thou pray to the river, the daughter of the king of
mountains. I shall sustain that most praiseworthy of rivers when she
falls down from the third region of the world (heaven).' Having heard
these words uttered by Siva, the king became devout (in heart), made
obesiance and directed his thoughts towards Ganga. Then the delightful
(river), of pure water in being so thought of by the king, and seeing
that the great lord (Siva) was standing (to receive her fall), came down
all of a sudden from the sky. And seeing that she had taken her leap from
the sky, the gods, together with the mighty saints, the Gandharvas, the
snakes, and the Yakshas, assembled there as spectators. Then came down
from the sky Ganga, the daughter of the snowy mountain. And her
whirlpools were raging, and she was teeming with fishes and sharks. O
king! she directing her course towards the sea, separated herself, into
three streams; and her water was bestrewn with piles of froth, which
looked like so many rows of (white) ganders. And crooked and tortuous in
the movement of her body, at places; and at others stumbling at it were;
and covered with foam as with a robe: she went forward like a woman
drunk. And elsewhere, by virtue of the roar of her waters, she uttered
loud sounds. Thus assuming very many different aspects, when she fell
from the sky, and reached the surface of the earth, she said to
Bhagiratha, 'O great king! show me the path that I shall have to take. O
lord of the earth! for thy sake have I descended to the earth.' Having
heard these words, king Bhagiratha directed his course towards the spot
where lay those bodies of mighty Sagara's sons, in order that, O most
praiseworthy of men, the holy water might flood (the same). Having
achieved the task of sustaining Ganga, Siva, saluted by men, went to
Kailasa the most praiseworthy of mountains, accompanied by the
celestials. And the protector of men (Bhagiratha) accompanied by Ganga
reached the sea; and the sea, the abode of Varuna, was quickly filled.
And the king adopted Ganga as a daughter of himself, and at that spot
offered libations of water to the names of his forefathers; thus was his
heart's wish fulfilled. Thus asked by thee, I have narrated the whole
story how Ganga running in three streams, was brought down to the earth
for filling the sea; how the mighty saint had drunk up the sea for a
particular reason, and how, O lord! Vatapi, the slayer of Brahmanas, was
destroyed by Agastya.'"
SECTION CX
Vaisampayana said, "O chief of the Bharata race! then the son of Kunti
went at a slow pace to the two rivers Nanda and Aparananda, which had the
virtue of destroying the dread of sin. And the protector of men having
reached the healthy hill Hemakuta, beheld there very many strange and
inconceivable sights. There the very utterance of words caused the
gathering of clouds, and a thousand volleys of stones. And people at its
sight, were struck sad, and were unable to ascend the hill. There the
winds blew for aye, and the heavens always poured down rains; and
likewise the sounds of the recitation of the sacred writ were heard, yet
nobody was seen. In the evening and in the morning would be seen the
blessed fire that carries offerings to the gods and there flies would
bite and interrupt the practice of austerities. And there a sadness would
overtake the soul, and people would become sick. The son of Pandu, having
observed very many strange circumstances of this character again
addressed his questions to Lomasa with reference to these wonderful
things.
"Lomasa said, 'O slayer of foes! O king! I am going to tell thee as we
heard it before; do thou attend to the same with intent mind. In this
peak of Rishava, there was once a saint known by that name. And his life
had lasted for many hundred years. And he was devoted to penances and was
greatly wrathful. And he, forsooth, for having been spoken to by others,
from wrath addressed the hill thus, 'Whoever should utter any words here,
thou must throw stones at him, and thou must call up the winds to prevent
him from making any noise.' This was what the saint said. And so at this
place, as soon as a man utters any words, he is forbidden by a roaring
cloud. O king! thus these deeds were performed by that great saint, and
from wrath he also forbade other acts. O king! tradition says that when
the gods of yore had come to the Nanda, suddenly came over (there) a
number of men to look at the celestials. Those same gods at whose head
stood Indra did not, however, like to be seen; and so they rendered this
spot inaccessible, by raising obstructions in the form of hills. And from
that day forward, O Kunti's son! men could not cast their eyes at any
time on what looked like a hill, far less could they ascend the same.
This big mountain is incapable of being seen by one who hath not led an
austere life, nor can such a one ascend it. Therefore, O son of Kunti!
keep thou thy tongue under control. Here at that time all those gods
performed the best sacrificial rites. O Bharata's son! Even up to this
day these marks thereof may be seen. This grass here hath the form of the
sacred kusa grass: the ground here seemeth to be overspread with the
sacred grass; and. O lord of men! many of these trees here look like the
spots for tying the sacrificial beasts. O Bharata's son! still the Gods
and saints have residence here; and their sacred fire is observed in the
morning and in the evening. Here if one bathes, his sin is forthwith
destroyed, O Kunti's son! O most praiseworthy of the race of Kuru! do
thou, therefore, perform thy ablutions, together with thy younger
brothers. Then after having washed thyself in the Nanda, thou wilt repair
to the river Kausiki, the spot where the most excellent and severest form
of penances was practised by Viswamitra. Then the king with his
attendants, having washed his body there, proceeded to the river Kausiki,
which was pure and delightful and pleasant with cool water.'
"Lomasa said, 'This is the pure divine river by name Kausiki. O chief of
Bharata's race! and this is the delightful hermitage of Viswamitra,
conspicuous here. And this is a hermitage, with a holy name, belonging to
Kasyapa of mighty soul; whose son was Rishyasringa, devoted to penances,
and of passions under control. He by force of his penances caused Indra
to rain; and that god, the slayer of the demons Vala and Vritra, dreading
him, poured down rain during a drought. That powerful and mighty son of
Kasyapa was born of a hind. He worked a great marvel in the territory of
Lomapada. And when the crops had been restored, king Lomapada gave his
daughter Santa in marriage to him, as the sun gave in marriage his
daughter Savitri.'
"Yudhishthira said, 'How was the son of Kasyapa, Rishyasringa, born of a
hind? And how was he endowed with holiness, being the issue of a
reprehensible sexual connexion? And for what reason was Indra, the slayer
of the demons Vala and Vritra, afraid of that same sagacious boy, and
poured down rain during a period of drought? And how beautiful was that
princess Santa, pure in life, she who allured the heart of him when he
had turned himself into a stag? And since the royal saint Lomapada is
said to have been of a virtuous disposition, why was it that in his
territory, Indra, the chastiser of the demon Paka, had withheld rain? O
holy saint! all this in detail, exactly as it happened, thou wilt be
pleased to narrate to me, for I am desirous of hearing the deeds of
Rishyasringa's life.'
"Lomasa said, 'Hear how Rishyasringa, of dreaded name, was born as a son
to Vibhandaka, who was a saint of the Brahmana caste, who had cultured
his soul by means of religious austerities, whose seed never failed in
causing generation, and who was learned and bright like the Lord of
beings. And the father was highly honoured, and the son was possessed of
a mighty spirit, and, though a boy, was respected by aged man. And that
son of Kasyapa, Vibhandaka, having proceeded to a big lake, devoted
himself to the practice of penances. And that same saint, comparable to a
god, laboured for a long period. And once while he was washing his mouth
in the waters, he beheld the celestial nymph Urvasi--whereupon came out
his seminal fluid. And, O king! a hind at that time lapped it up along
with the water that she was drinking, being athirst; and from this cause
she became with child. That same hind had really been a daughter of the
gods, and had been told of yore by the holy Brahma, the creator of the
worlds, 'Thou shall be a hind; and when in that form, thou shall give
birth to a saint; thou shalt then be freed.' As Destiny would have it,
and as the word of the creator would not be untrue, in that same hind was
born his (Vibhandaka's) son a mighty saint. And Rishyasringa, devoted to
penances, always passed his days in the forest. O king! there was a horn
on the head of that magnanimous saint and for this reason did he come to
be known at the time by the name of Rishyasringa. And barring his father,
not a man had ever before been seen by him; therefore his mind, O
protector of men! was entirely devoted to the duties of a continent life.
At this very period there was a ruler of the land of Anga known by the
name of Lomapada who was a friend of Dasaratha. We have heard that he
from love of pleasure had been guilty of a falsehood towards a Brahmana.
And that same ruler of the world had at that time been shunned by all
persons of the priestly class. And he was without a ministering priest
(to assist him in his religious rites). And the god of a thousand eyes
(Indra) suddenly abstained from giving rain in his territory; so that his
people began to suffer and O lord of the earth! he questioned a number of
Brahmanas, devoted to penances, of cultivated minds, and possessed of
capabilities with reference to the matter of rain being granted by the
lord of gods, saying, 'How may the heavens grant us the rain? Think of an
expedient (for this purpose).' And those same cultured men, being thus
questioned, gave expression to their respective views. And one among
them--the best of saints--spake to that same king, saying, 'O lord of
kings! the Brahmanas are angry with thee. Do some act (therefore) for
appeasing them. O ruler of the earth! send for Rishyasringa, the son of a
saint, resident of the forest knowing nothing of the female sex, and
always taking delight in simplicity. O king! if he, great in the practice
of penances, should show himself in thy territory, forthwith rain would
be granted by the heavens, herein I have no doubt at all.' And, O king!
having heard these words Lomapada made atonement for his sins. And he
went away; and when the Brahmanas had been appeased, he returned again,
and seeing the king returned, the people were again glad at heart. Then
the king of Anga convened a meeting of his ministers, proficient in
giving counsel. And he took great pains in order to settle some plan for
securing a visit from Rishyasringa. And, O unswerving (prince)! with
those ministers, who were versed in all branches of knowledge, and
exceedingly proficient in worldly matters, and had a thorough training in
practical affairs, he at last settled a plan (for gaining his object).
And then he sent for a number of courtesans, women of the town, clever in
everything. And when they came, that same ruler of the earth spake to
them, saying, 'Ye lovely women! Ye must find some means to allure, and
obtain the confidence of the son of the saint--Rishyasringa, whom ye must
bring over to my territory.' And those same women, on the one hand afraid
of the anger of the king and on the other, dreading a curse from the
saint, became sad and confounded, and declared the business to be beyond
their power. One, however, among them--a hoary woman, thus spake to the
king, 'O great king! him whose wealth solely consists in penances, I
shall try to bring over here. Thou wilt, however, have to procure for me
certain things, in connection with the plan. In that case, I may be able
to bring over the son of the saint--Rishyasringa.' Thereupon the king
gave an order that all that she might ask for should be procured. And he
also gave a good deal of wealth and jewels of various kinds. And then, O
Lord of the earth, she took with herself a number of women endowed with
beauty and youth, and went to the forest without delay."
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