01.166
Library: Vishwamitra displays forgiveness even when his sons are killed.
The gandharva said.
O Pārtha, there was a king named Kalmāṣapāda in this world, a descendant of Ikṣvāku, who was equal in splendor on earth.
Once, the king, the destroyer of enemies, set out from the city to the forest for hunting; he roamed about, shooting deer and boars.
But the king, the great-souled descendant of Vasiṣṭha, best among sages, afflicted by thirst and hunger, proceeded along a single path.
Ajita saw in the battle the sage Śakti, who had come before him, most fortunate and the delight of the Vasiṣṭha lineage, the eldest among the hundred sons of the great-souled Vasiṣṭha.
"Go away from our path," said the king. Then the sage addressed him, soothing him with gentle words.
But the sage remained steadfast on the path of dharma. Nor did the king, out of pride or anger towards the sage, depart from it.
But when the sage did not give way, the best of kings, deluded, struck him with a whip like a demon.
Then, struck by the blow of the whip, the eminent sage Vasiṣṭha, overcome with anger, cursed the foremost of kings.
Because you, an outcast among kings, have killed an ascetic like a demon, therefore from this day forward, you shall become a man-eater.
You will wander this earth, attached to human flesh. Having been told, "Go, lowest of kings," by Śakti with the power of heroism.
Then, for the sake of the sacrifice, enmity arose between Viśvāmitra and Vasiṣṭha; at that time, Viśvāmitra pursued him.
O son of Pritha, as those two were disputing in this way, the powerful sage Viśvāmitra, who had performed severe penance, approached them.
Then the noble king realized that the sage before him was the son of Vasiṣṭha, possessing brilliance like Vasiṣṭha himself.
O Bhārata, after Viśvāmitra had disappeared his form, both of them approached, wishing to do what was pleasing to themselves.
But he, the best among kings, having been cursed by Śakti at that time, went to Śakti seeking refuge, desiring to propitiate him.
O descendant of Kuru, having understood his state, Viśvāmitra then instructed protection for the king.
By the curse of that Brāhmaṇa sage and by the command of Viśvāmitra, the demon named Kiṅkara then entered the king.
O subduer of foes, knowing that he had been seized by the demon, the sage Viśvāmitra also left that region.
Then that wise king, even while being strongly tormented by the demon who had entered within him, protected himself by his own effort.
A certain brāhmaṇa saw the king departing again; being hungry, he then requested him for a meal with meat.
Then the royal sage Mitrasaha said to the twice-born: "Rest here for a moment, O Brāhmaṇa," soothing him.
Having ceased, the king said, "I will give you food as you desire." Thus speaking, the king departed, and the best of the twice-born remained standing.
But the king, having entered the inner apartments, sat down, reflecting on what the brāhmaṇa had spoken.
Then, at midnight, the king quickly arose, remembered the promise made to the Brāhmaṇa, and spoke to Sūdamānā.
Go to that place; there, a brāhmaṇa is waiting for me. He is in need of food; you should provide him with food and an equal share.
Thus, when addressed, the cook, unable to find any meat anywhere, then informed the king, being afflicted with distress.
But the king, possessed by a demon and having lost all sense of pain, repeatedly told the cook, "Feed him with human flesh."
After saying this, the cook then went to the place of the condemned and, without fear, quickly took the human flesh.
He prepared the food according to the proper rules and quickly gave it to the brāhmaṇa, who was hungry and an ascetic.
With his perfected vision, the foremost of the twice-born saw that food and, his eyes filled with anger, declared, "This is unfit to be eaten."
The king who gives me food that is not fit to be eaten, therefore, only that deluded one will have greed here.
He, who was formerly attached to human flesh as stated and empowered, will now roam this earth causing agitation among beings.
When the king uttered it twice, the curse became powerful. He was possessed by the strength of the demon and then became unconscious.
Then, O Bhārata, the best of kings, whose senses had been afflicted by the demon, saw Śakti and spoke to him, as if not much time had passed.
Because you have inflicted this improper curse upon me, therefore, I shall henceforth proceed from you to eat humans.
Having said this, the tiger immediately killed Śaktin and devoured him as he would a desired animal.
But when Viśvāmitra saw Śakti slain, he again commanded that rākṣasa to attack the sons of Vasiṣṭha.
Enraged, the lion devoured those hundred sons of the great sage Vasiṣṭha as if they were mere small animals.
When Vasiṣṭha heard that his sons had been slain by Viśvāmitra, he endured that grief as the earth endures a great mountain.
He, the foremost among sages, resolved upon self-destruction, but did not at all contemplate the destruction of the Kuśika lineage, being the best among the wise.
The venerable sage released his life from the summit of Meru; his head fell on the rock as if into a heap of cotton.
He did not die from the fall, O Pāṇḍava; then, having kindled the fire, the venerable one entered the great forest.
Then, O destroyer of enemies, although the fire was well-kindled and blazing, it did not burn him; instead, the fire became cool thereafter.
The great sage, overwhelmed with grief, went to the ocean, tied a heavy stone around his neck, and plunged into the water.
The great sage, having been cast onto the ground by the force of the ocean's waves, then, distressed, went again towards the hermitage.
