The Gandharva said: -
1. O Partha there was a king named Kalmashapada in this world. He belonged to the race of Ikshaku and he was matchless in prowess.
2. One day the king came out of his capital for the purpose of hunting. That chastiser of foes pierced (with his arrows) many deer and boars.
3. He also killed in that greatly fearful forest many rhinoceroses. Thus killing (animals) for a long period, the king became tried and refrained from it.
4-6. (One day) when the king, whom the greatly powerful Vishvamitra desired to make his spiritual disciple, was proceeding through the forest afflicted with hunger and thirst he met with that best of Rishis, the high-souled son of Vasishtha, the illustrious perpetuator of Vasishtha’s race, the eldest of the one hundred sons of the illustrious Rishi Vasishtha, known by the name of Shakti, coming along the same path from an opposite direction.
7. The king said, Stand out of our way.” Thereupon the Rishi spoke thus in a conciliatory manner and in sweet words,
8. “O great king, this is my way. This is eternal religion. The king should yield the way to the Brahmanas according to all the precepts of religion.”
9. Thus they addressed each other respected their right of way. “Stand aside,” “Stand aside,” were the words they said to each other.
10. The Rishi, being in the right, did not yield; the king also did not yield out of anger and pride.
11. Being enraged on seeing the Rishi decline to yield the way to him, that best of kings, acted like a Rakshasa and he struck him violently with his whips.
12. That best of Rishis, the son of Vasishtha, being thus struck by the whip, was deprived of his (good) senses and out of anger, cursed that best of kings.
The Rishi said: -
13. O worst of kings, as you injure an ascetic a Rakshasas, you shall from this day be a cannibal.
14. O worst of kings, go hence. You shall wander over the world eating human flesh.
15. At this time Vishvamitra, with whom Vasishtha had a great quarrel on the matter of becoming the priest (of the king Kalmashapada), came to the place (where Vasishtha’s son and the king were.)
16. O Partha, the Rishi of severe ascetic penances, the powerful Vishvamitra, came there where they were both quarrelling.
17. Thereupon after the curse on the excellent king (had been uttered) he came to know that the Rishi was the son of Vasishtha as powerful as Vasishtha himself.
18. O descendant of Bharata, being desirous of benefiting himself, Vishvamitra remained there concealed from the sight of both by making himself invisible.
19. Then that best of kings, (Kalmashapada), having been thus cursed by Shakti, asked the protection of Shakti by humbly beseeching him.
20. O best of the Kuru race, knowing the disposition of the king, Vishvamitra ordered a Rakshasas to enter the king’s body.
21. Obedient to Shakti’s curse and Vishvamitra’s order, a Rakshasas, named Kinkara, then entered the king body.
22. O chastiser of foes, knowing that the Rakshasas had entered the body of the king, that best of Rishis, Vishvamitra, left the place and went away.
23. O Partha, then the king, being thus possessed by the Rakshasas and terribly afflicted by him, lost all his senses.
24. A certain Brahmana saw the king roaming in the forest, being hungry, he begged of the king some food with meat.
25. The royal sage (Kalmashapada) with his friends said to the Brahmana, “O Brahmana, Stay here for a moment.
26. On my return I shall give you whatever food you desire to have.” Having said this, the king went away, but that excellent Brahmana remained there.
27. O Partha, that high-minded king, after roaming at pleasure and at will (for sometime), returned (to his palace) and entered the inner-apartment.
28. Waking at midnight and remembering his promise to the Brahmana, the king soon summoned his cook and spoke to him thus.
The King said: -
29. Go at once to the forest where a Brahmana is waiting for me in the hope of getting food. Go and entertain him with food and meat.
The Gandharva said: -
30. Having been thus addressed, the cook (went away in search of meat), but having failed to procure any meat, he sorrowfully informed the king (of his failure).
31. The king, possessed as he was by the Rakshasas, again said to the cook without any scruple, “Feed him with human flesh.”
32. Saying “Be it so,” the cook went to the place where the executioners were and he soon took from them human flesh.
33. He washed it and then properly cooked it and then covering it with boiled rice, he gave it to the hungry ascetic Brahmana.
34. That excellent Brahmana, seeing by his ascetic eye that the food was unworthy of being eaten, thus spoke with his eyes red in anger.
The Brahmana said: -
35. Because that worst of kings offers me unworthy food, therefore that fool himself will be fond of such food.
36. Becoming fond of human flesh as cursed by Shakti before, he shall wander over the earth, persecuting all creatures.
The Gandharva said: -
37. The curse on the king, thus repeated for the second time, became very strong. And the king being possessed of the Rakshasas disposition, soon lost all his senses.
38. Thereupon, O descendant of Bharata, that best of kings, having been deprived of all his senses by the Rakshasas within him and having seen before him Shakti who had cursed him, said,
39. “Because you have inflicted upon me this extraordinary curse, therefore, I shall commence my life of cannibalism by eating you.
40. Having said this, the king immediately killed Shakti and ate him up as a tiger eats up the animal it is fond of.
41. Having seen Shakti thus killed, Vishvamitra again urged that Rakshasas (within the king) to kill the other sons of Vasishtha.
42. He (the Rakshasas) devoured in anger all the sons of the illustrious Vasishtha, the younger brothers of Shakti as a lion devours small animals.
43. Having learnt that his sons had been caused to be killed by Vishvamitra, Vasishtha patiently bore his grief, as the great mountain bears the earth.
44. That best of Rishis, that foremost of all intelligent men (Vasishtha), resolved rather to sacrifice his own life than to exterminate the race of the Kushikas.
45. The illustrious Rishi threw himself down from the summit of the Meru mountain, but he descended on the stony ground as if it was a heap of cotton.
46. O son of Pandu, when the illustrious (Rishi) found that he was not killed by that fall, he made a huge fire in that great forest and entered it.
47. The fire, through blazing fearfully, did not consume him. O chastiser of foes, that blazing fire seemed to him cool.
48. Then seeing the sea (before him), the great Rishi, affected with grief, tied a heavy stone to his neck and threw himself into its waters.
49. The great Rishi was with great force brought by the waves to the shore. He then returned to his hermitage with a sorrowful heart.
Thus ends the hundred and seventy eighth chapter, the grief of Vashistha, in the Chaitraratha of the Adi Parva.
The Gandharva said: -
1. Seeing his hermitage bereft of his children, the Rishi, afflicted with grief, again came out of it.
2. O Partha, (in course of his wandering), he saw a river swollen with the waters of the rainy season, it was sweeping away many trees and plants that grew on its banks.
3. O descendant of Kuru, seeing this, the sorrowful Rishi began to ponder and thought that he would certainly be killed if he fell into its waters.
4. Thereupon the great Rishi tied himself with very strong cords and fell in grief into the waters of that great river.
5. O chastiser of hostile ranks, the river, having tom those cords and making him free of them, cast him on the land.
6. Having been freed from the cords, the great Rishi rose (from the shore) and he gave that river the name of Vipasha.
7. Being oppressed with grief, that Rishi could not from that time stay at one place. He went to the mountains, rivers and lakes.
8. Seeing once more the river Himavati of terrible appearance and full of fierce animals, the Rishi threw himself into its waters.
9. That best of rivers, thinking the Brahmana to be fire, immediately fled away in a hundred different streams and thence was she called the Shatadru.
10. Thereupon, seeing himself again in dry land (he said), “(Alas)! I am not able to die by my own hands.” Saying this, (the Rishi) again went to (his own) hermitage.
11. When he was thus returning, crossing various mountains and countries, his daughter- in-law Adrishyanti was following him.
12. He heard from behind, as she neared him, the sound of the well-explained recitations of the Vedas with its six ornaments (of elocution).
13. He said, “Who is it that follows me?” His daughter-in-law replied, “I am Adrishyanti, the wife of Shakti. I am an ascetic woman, engaged in asceticism.”
Vasishtha said: -
14. O daughter, whose is this sound of the recitations of the Vedas with their Angas, that is heard by me and (which is exactly) like the recitations of the Vedas and the Angas by Shakti?
Adhrisanti said: -
15. In my womb is a child begotten by your son Shakti. He has been here (studying the Vedas) for twelve years. You have heard the recitations (of the Vedas) by that Rishi.
The Gandharva said: -
16. Having been thus addressed by her, that best of Rishis, Vasishtha, became exceedingly glad. O Partha, saying, “There is a child (of my race)”, he refrained from self-destruction.
17. The sinless (Rishi), accomplished by his daughter-in-law, returned (to his hermitage). He saw (one day) Kalmashapada sitting in a solitary forest.
18. O descendant of Bharata, on seeing him the king at once rose in anger and as he was possessed with the Rakshasas, he desired to devour the Rishi.
19. Seeing that king of cruel deeds, Adrishyanti spoke thus to Vasishtha in anxiety and fear.
20. O illustrious Sir, the fearful Rakshasas (looking) like Death himself armed with his staff is coming towards us with a wooden club in his hand.
21. O illustrious Sir, O best of all learned men in the Vedas, there is none else except you in the world who can restrain him today.
22. O illustrious Sir, save me from this cruel wretch of fearful appearance. The Rakshasas is certainly coming towards us to devour us.
Vasishtha said: -
23. O daughter, do not fear; there is nothing to be afraid of from any Rakshasas. There is no fear from Rakshasas whom you see coming.
24. He is the king Kalmashapada celebrated in the world as being a very powerful (monarch). That fearful man lives in this forest.
The Gandharva said: -
25. O descendant of Bharata, the illustrious and the effulgent Rishi Vasishtha, seeing him advancing, stopped him by uttering a loud roar.
26. Sprinkling over him water sanctified by Mantras (incantations), he freed the king from the terrible curse.
27. He (the king) had been overwhelmed by the effulgence of Vasishtha’s son as the sun by the planet (Rahu) at the time of an eclipse.
28. Having been thus freed from the Rakshasas by that Brahmana (Vasishtha) the king illuminated the great forest by his splendour, as the sun illuminates the evening clouds.
29. Regaining his consciousness, the king saluted the Rishi with joined hands and he thus spoke to that best of Rishis Vasishtha.
30. “O illustrious Sir, I am the son of Saudasa; O excellent Rishi, I am your disciple. Tell me what is your desire now and what I am to do.”
Vasishtha said: -
31. O king of men, my desire has been fulfilled at the proper fme. Return to your kingdom and rev your subjects. Never (again) disregard the Brahmanas.
The King said: -
32. O illustrious sir, I shall never again disregard the best Brahmanas. In obedience to your command, I shall properly worship the Brahmanas.
33. O best of the twice-born, O best of all men learned in the Vedas. I desire to obtain from you that by which I may be freed from the debt I owe to the race of Ikshaku.
34. O excellent man, you should grant me a son, I desire to have, who will posses beauty, accomplishments and good behaviour.
The Gandharva said: -
35. The best of the twice bom, ever devoted to truth Vasishtha, replied to that great, bowman, the king saying, “I will give.”
36. O king of men, after sometime, Vasishtha, accompanied by him (the king), went to his capital, known all over the world by the name of Ayodhya.
37. The people came out in joy to receive the sinless and the illustrious one, as the celestials do their chief (Indra).
38. The accompanied by the great Rishi Vasishtha entered without delay his auspicious capital.
39. The citizens of Ayodhya saw the king accompanied by his priest (Vasishtha), as if he were the rising sun.
40. The king, most handsome of all handsome men, filled Ayodhya with the whole sky with his splendour.
41. His (king’s) mind was filled with joy on seeing that excellent city with its well-watered and well-swept streets and with banners and pendants flying all around.
42. O descendant of Kuru, that city, full of well-fed and happy men, looked as gay as Amravati with the presence of Indra.
43. After the royal sage (the king Kalmashapada) had entered that excellent city, the queen at his command, came to Vasishtha.
44. The best of Rishis, Vasishtha, made an agreement with her and he united himself with her according to the highest ordinance.
45. Thereupon, when the queen conceived by him, that best of Rishis (Vasishtha), receiving the salutation of the king, went away to his hermitage.
46. When she had borne the conception for a long time, the illustrious lady tore open her womb with a piece of stone.
47. Thus was born after a conception of twelve years that best of men, that royal sage, Ashmaka, who founded Pandava (a city).
Thus ends the hundred and seventy ninth chapter, the birth of the son of Saudashya in the Chaitraratha of the Adi Parva.
The Gandharva said: -
1. O king, residing in the hermitage, Adrishyanti gave birth to a son who was the perpetuator of Shakti’s race and who was like a second Shakti.
2. O best of the Bharata race, that best of Rishis, that illustrious man (Vasishtha), himself performed the usual birth ceremonies of his grandson.
3. Because the Rishi Vasishtha had determined to kill himself, but had refrained from doing it as soon as he heard of the conception, the child (when bom) was known in the world by the name of Parashara.
4. That virtuous-minded man (Parashara) knew from the day of his birth Vasishtha as his father and behaved towards him as such.
5. O son of Kunti, O chastiser of foes the child called the Brahmana Rishi Vasishtha as “father” before his mother Adrishyanti.
6. Hearing the well explained word “father” uttered sweetly by her son, Adrishyanti with tearful eyes thus spoke to him.
7. “O child, do not address your father’s father as your father. O son, your father was devoured by a Rakshasas in another forest.
8. O sinless one, he is not your father whom you consider to be (your father). The reverend man is the father of your illustrious father.”
9. Having been thus addressed, that truthful and excellent Rishi became grieved and that high-souled man resolved to destroy the whole creation.
10. Seeing him resolved in doing this, that high-souled and greatly ascetic Rishi, that best of all men learned in the Vedas, that son of Mitravaruna, that Rishi acquainted with the positive truth, Vasishtha, prevented him (from accomplishing his desire by arguments). Hear them (now).
Vasishtha said: -
11. There was a great king, known by the name of Kritavirya. That best of kings was in the world the disciple of the Veda knowing Bhrigus.
12. O child, after performing the Soma sacrifice, the king gratified the revivers of the first portions of Yagna (Brahmanas) with large presents of rice and wealth.
13. When that best of kings went to heaven, his descendants were in want of wealth.
14. Knowing that the Bhrigus were rich, those kings all went in the grab of baggers to those best of Bhrigus.
15. Some of the Bhrigus to save their wealth buried it under the earth and some from the fear of Kshatriyas gave away their wealth to the Brahmanas.
16. O son, some of the Bhrigus, finding no other alternative, gave their wealth to the Kshatriyas as much as they desired.
17. (It happened, however) that some Kshatriyas, in digging at pleasure a certain house of a Bhrigu, came upon a large treasure.
18-19. All those best of Kshatriyas assembled there saw that treasure. Enraged at the supposed deceitful conduct of the Bhrigu, those great men killed them all with their arrows, through they asked for protection. Roaming over the world, they killed even the embryos (that were in the wombs of the Bhrigu- women.)
20. When they were thus killed, many Bhrigu Women fled in fear and took shelter in the inaccessible mountains of the Himalayas.
21. One among them, a lady of tapering things, desiring to perpetuate her husband’s race, kept a greatly energetic embryo hidden in one of her things.
22. A Brahmana woman came to know this fact and she went to the Kshatriyas and out of fear reported it to them.
23. Thereupon the Kshatriyas went with the intention of destroying that embryo and saw the Brahmana lady blazing in her own splendour.
24. On this the child in her thing came out tearing open the thigh came out tearing open the thigh and dazzling the eyes of the Kshatriyas like a mid day sun.
25. Thereupon they (the Kshatriyas), having been deprived of their sight, began to wander over those inaccessible hills. Being very much distressed for the protection of the faultless Brahmana lady in order to get back their sight.
26. Afflicted with sorrow and looking like fire blown out on account of the loss of sight, those Kshatriyas addressed that illustrious lady with anxious heart.
27. “When we shall be restored to sight by your grace, we shall go away together with our sinful acts.
28. O handsome lady, you with your son should show mercy on us. You should favour these kings by granting them their sight.”
Thus ends the hundred and eightieth chapter, the history of Aurva, in the Chaitraratha of the Adi Parva.