13.040
Extensive sub-narrative;
Bhishma said.
O mighty-armed, there is nothing false here in this matter; as you say, O Kauravya, regarding the woman, O king. (13-40-1)
Here I will tell you the ancient story of how protection was once provided by the great-souled Vipula. (13-40-2)
O lord of the earth, O dear one, I shall explain to you for what purpose women were created by Brahmā, O bull among the Bharatas. (13-40-3)
O son, there is indeed nothing more sinful than women. Woman is like blazing fire, illusion, and born of Māyā, O lord. Razor's edge, poison, serpent, death—on one side, and women on the other. (13-40-4)
O mighty-armed one, we have heard that these offspring are righteous. They themselves attain divinity, and then fear may arise from the gods. (13-40-5)
Then the gods approached the Grandfather, the destroyer of enemies; after submitting their minds, they sat silently, facing him, ready to speak. (13-40-6)
Having known what was within them, the grandsire of the gods, for the purpose of deluding men, the lord created women by magical being. (13-40-7)
O son of Kunti, in the previous creation, virtuous women were born here; but unvirtuous women arose due to actions after the creation of Prajāpati. (13-40-8)
The grandsire indeed gave those women whatever desires they wished for. Then, those women, greedy for desires, tormented the men. (13-40-9)
The lord of the gods created anger as the assistant of desire. All creatures became attached and fell under the sway of desire and anger. (13-40-10)
It is established by law that women have no ritual act; the scripture says: women are without senses, without mantras, and untruthful. (13-40-11)
Prajāpati gave to women bed, seat, adornment, food, drink, lack of nobility, harsh speech, and pleasure. (13-40-12)
O dear one, it is not possible for a man to protect those women in any way. Even the creator of the universe cannot do so, so how can ordinary men here? (13-40-13)
Women, being always unrestrained, cannot be protected by speech, by killing and binding, by afflictions, or by various other means. (13-40-14)
But, O tiger among men, I have heard this before: how protection was formerly done for the preceptor's wife by Vipula. (13-40-15)
There was a sage of great fortune, renowned as Devaśarman. His wife, named Ruci, was unparalleled in beauty on earth. (13-40-16)
By his form, the gods, gandharvas, and dānavas were deluded; but especially, O king, Indra, the slayer of Vṛtra, was affected. (13-40-17)
Devaśarmā, the great sage and knower of women's conduct, protected his wife as much as he was able and enthusiastic. (13-40-18)
Indra, knowing the one who pursues another's wife, therefore made every effort to protect his own wife. (13-40-19)
Once, O dear, the sage, being unable to perform the sacrifice at that time, thought thus: "How might the protection of my wife be accomplished?" (13-40-20)
Having considered the arrangement for protection in his mind, the great ascetic called his beloved and great disciple and spoke to Bhārgava. (13-40-21)
O lord of the gods, as the sacrifice-maker, I shall go; the son always desires and requests this. Protect her according to your strength. (13-40-22)
You must always act without negligence towards Indra, for he indeed creates various forms, O best of Bhṛgus. (13-40-23)
O king, thus addressed by him, the great ascetic with controlled senses, always engaged in severe austerity, shone with a radiance like fire and the sun. (13-40-24)
The knower of dharma and speaker of truth replied, "So be it." Again, O great king, he asked the renowned teacher. (13-40-25)
O sage, what are the forms of Śakra when he comes? What kind of body and splendor does he have? Please explain that to me. (13-40-26)
Then the blessed one explained to that great and noble soul the true nature of Śakra's illusion, O Bhārata. (13-40-27)
O sage among Brāhmaṇas, Indra, the destroyer of strength and master of many illusions, repeatedly manifests many different forms. (13-40-28)
He who was crowned, holding the thunderbolt and bow, adorned with a crest-jewel and earrings, suddenly, in a moment, appears just like an outcaste. (13-40-29)
O son, one who has a crest of hair, matted locks, and wears bark garments, again becomes (in another birth) large-bodied, then fat, and then again thin. (13-40-30)
He changes his colour to white, dark and black again; he becomes deformed, handsome, young, old, and likewise. (13-40-31)
The wise, the dull, the mute, the short, and the tall, as well as the Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra, all in the same way, and both in reverse and natural order, thus becomes Indra. (13-40-32)
He takes the forms of a parrot and a crow, and also of a swan and a cuckoo; again, he assumes the forms of lions, tigers, and elephants. (13-40-33)
A bird, very thin and deformed, with limbs broken by the wind, also bears the form of the divine, the demonic, and even of kings, thus. (13-40-34)
The foolish person is reborn as a four-footed creature of many forms, and also takes on the bodies of flies, mosquitoes, and similar beings. (13-40-35)
O dear, it is not possible for anyone, even for the creator of the universe by whom this world was created, to grasp this vastness. (13-40-36)
Śakra, having disappeared, is again seen by the eye of knowledge. He, having become air, again becomes the king of the gods indeed. (13-40-37)
Indra constantly assumes such forms; therefore, with great effort, we should protect this slender-waisted one. (13-40-38)
O best of Bhṛgus, just as Indra would not lick the offered and deposited oblation in the sacrifice according to his desire, like a dog would, so does the wicked-souled. (13-40-39)
Thus, having spoken, the sage who performed the sacrifice departed at that time. Devaśarmā, the most fortunate, O best of the Bharatas. (13-40-40)
But Vipula, having heard the words of his teacher, became deeply thoughtful; and he arranged for supreme protection from the mighty king of the gods. (13-40-41)
What can I possibly do to protect the guru's wife? The lord of the gods is truly deceitful, unassailable, and powerful. (13-40-42)
Unless the hermitage is covered, even Indra cannot protect it, nor the hut; for indeed, there is a variety of forms in this. (13-40-43)
Indra might violate the teacher's wife by taking the form of wind; therefore, today I shall indeed enter this woman Ruci and remain (there). (13-40-44)
Or else, by human effort, this cannot be protected by me. It is said that the Lord, whose vehicle is Hari, is of many forms. (13-40-45)
He, by the power of yoga, I shall protect this one from Indra; I shall enter her limbs with my limbs to protect her. (13-40-46)
If my teacher, who is endowed with divine knowledge and great austerity, sees any desire for this wife of mine who is defiled by remnants, he will undoubtedly curse me out of anger. (13-40-47)
And this woman cannot be protected by men as other women can. For the deceitful lord of the gods himself has come today; I am in doubt. (13-40-48)
The command of the teacher here is indeed to be certainly carried out. If I were to do this at your behest, it would be a wonder accomplished by me. (13-40-49)
By entering here, through yoga, into the body of the guru's wife, since I am freed from the nature of passion, no offense would arise for me. (13-40-50)
Just as a traveler would stay in the midst of an empty assembly on the road, so today I will lay to rest the body of the guru's wife. (13-40-51)
Just as a water drop, unattached, rests on a lotus leaf and moves, so indeed, I shall dwell collected in this body. (13-40-52)
Thus, having observed duty and all the Vedas and Vedāṅgas, and having seen the great austerity of both the teacher and oneself, (13-40-53)
Thus, having resolved in his mind to protect, the descendant of Bhṛgu made the utmost effort; hear how that happened, O king. (13-40-54)
Vipula, the great ascetic, approached and sat near the teacher's wife, who was flawless in form, and tried to entice her with stories. (13-40-55)
Just as the wind enters the vast sky, having joined the rays from her two eyes with rays, he entered her vast body. (13-40-56)
The sage, not moving, remained as if his mark by the mark and his face by the face, like a shadow entered within. (13-40-57)
Then, the great one supported the body of the teacher's wife and remained there to protect her; but she was not aware of him. (13-40-58)
O king, the teacher of that great-souled one, having completed the sacrifice, protected his own house during the time when he had not arrived. (13-40-59)
