SECTION CLXXVIII
(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 you persecutest like a Rakshasa an ascetic, you shalt from
this day, became a Rakshasa subsisting on human flesh! Hence, you worst
of kings! you 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 you here, O
Brahmana for a moment. On my return, I will give you 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 you 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 you 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.'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 1 : UPA-PARVA 178 ---------------------
