"'Bhishma said, "It is even so as thou sayest, O thou of mighty arms.
There is nothing untrue in all this that thou sayest, O thou of Kuru's
race, on the subject of women. In this connection I shall recite to thee
the old history of how in days of yore the high-souled Vipula had
succeeded in restraining women within the bounds laid down for them. I
shall also tell thee, O king, how women were created by the Grandsire
Brahman and the object for which they were created by Him. There is no
creature more sinful, O son, than women. Woman is a blazing fire. She is
the illusion, O king, that the Daitya Maya created. She is the sharp edge
of the razor. She is poison. She is a snake. She is fire. She is, verily,
all these united together. It has been heard by us that all persons of
the human race are characterised by righteousness, and that they, in
course of natural progress and improvement, attain to the status of
deities. This circumstance alarmed the deities. They, therefore, O
chastiser of foes, assembled together and repaired to the presence of the
Grandsire. Informing him of what was in their minds, they stood silent in
his presence, with downcast eyes. The puissant Grandsire having
ascertained what was in the hearts of the deities, created women, with
the aid of an Atharvan rite. In a former creation, O son of Kunti, women
were all virtuous. Those, however, that sprang from this creation by
Brahman with the aid of an illusion became sinful. The grandsire bestowed
upon them the desire of enjoyment, all kinds of carnal pleasure. Tempted
by the desire of enjoyment, they began to pursue persons of the other
sex. The puissant lord of the deities created Wrath as the companion of
Lust. Persons of the male sex, yielding to the power of Lust and Wrath,
sought the companionship of women. Women have no especial acts prescribed
for them. Even this is the ordinance that was laid down. The Sruti
declares that women are endued with senses the most powerful, that they
have no scriptures to follow, and that they are living lies. Beds and
seats and ornaments and food and drink and the absence of all that is
respectable and righteous, indulgence in disagreeable words, and love of
sexual companionship,--these were bestowed by Brahman upon women. Men are
quite unable to restrain them within bounds. The Creator himself is
incapable of restraining them within the limits that are proper: what
need then be said of men? This, O chief of men, I heard in former days,
viz., how Vipula had succeeded in protecting his preceptor's spouse in
ancient times. There was in days of yore a highly blessed Rishi of the
name of Devasarman of great celebrity. He had a wife, Ruchi by name, who
was unequalled on earth for beauty. Her loveliness intoxicated every
beholder among the deities and Gandharvas and Danavas. The chastiser of
Paka, viz., Indra, the slayer of Vritra, O monarch, was in particular
enamoured of her and coveted her person. The great ascetic Devasarman was
fully cognisant of the disposition of women. He, therefore, to the best
of his power and energy, protected her (from every kind of evil
influence). The Rishi knew that Indra was restrained by no scruples in
the matter of seeking the companionship of other people's wives. It was
for this reason that he used to protect his spouse, putting forth all his
power. Once on a time, O son, the Rishi became desirous of performing a
sacrifice. He began to think of how (during his own absence from home)
his wife could be protected. Endued with high ascetic merit, he at last
hit upon the course he should adopt. Summoning his favourite disciple
whose name was Vipula and who was of Bhrigu's race, he said as follows:
"'"Devasarman said, 'I shall leave home (for a while) in order to perform a
sacrifice. The chief of the celestials always covets this Ruchi of mine.
Do thou, during my absence, protect her, putting forth all thy might!
Thou shalt pass thy time heedfully in view of Purandara. O foremost one
of Bhrigu's race, that Indra assumes various disguises.'"
"'Bhishma continued, "Thus addressed by his preceptor, the ascetic Vipula
with senses under control, always engaged in severe penances, possessed
of the splendour, O king, of fire or the sun conversant with all the
duties of righteousness, and ever truthful in speech, answered him,
saying, 'So be it.' Once more, however, as his preceptor was about to set
out Vipula asked him in these words.
"'"Vipula said, 'Tell me, O Muni, what forms does Sakra assume when he
presents himself? Of what kind is his body and what is his energy? It
behoveth thee to say all this to me.'"
"'Bhishma continued, "The illustrious Rishi then truly described unto the
high-souled Vipula all the illusions of Sakra, O Bharata.
"'"Devasarman said, 'The puissant chastiser of Paka, O regenerate Rishi, is
full of illusion. Every moment he assumes those forms that he chooses.
Sometimes he wears a diadem and holds the thunderbolt. Sometimes armed
with the thunderbolt and wearing a crown on his head, he adorns himself
with ear-rings, in a moment he transforms himself into the shape and
aspect of Chandala. Sometimes, he appears with coronal locks on his head:
soon again, O son, he shows himself with matted locks, his person clad
the while in rags. Sometimes, he assumes a goodly and gigantic frame. The
next moment he transforms himself into one of emaciated limbs, and
dressed in rags. Sometimes he becomes fair, sometimes darkish, sometimes
dark of complexion. Sometimes he becomes ugly and sometimes as possessed
of great comeliness of person. Sometimes he shows himself as young and
sometimes as old. Sometimes he appears as a Brahmana, sometimes as a
Kshatriya, sometimes as a Vaisya, and sometimes as a Sudra. Verily, he of
a hundred sacrifices appears at times as a person born of impure order,
that is as the son of a superior father by an inferior mother or of an
inferior father by a superior mother. Sometimes he appears as a parrot,
sometimes as a crow, sometimes as a swan, and sometimes as a cuckoo. He
assumes the forms also of a lion, a tiger, or an elephant. Sometimes he
shows himself as a god, sometimes as a Daitya, and sometimes he assumes
the guise of a king. Sometimes he appears as fat and plump. Sometimes as
one whose limbs have been broken by the action of disordered wind in the
system, sometimes as a bird, and sometimes as one of exceedingly ugly
features. Sometimes he appears as a quadruped. Capable of assuming any
form, he sometimes appears as an idiot destitute of all intelligence. He
assumes also the forms of flies and gnats. O Vipula, no one can make him
out in consequence of these innumerable disguises that he is capable of
assuming. The very Creator of the universe is not equal to that feat. He
makes himself invisible when he chooses. He is incapable of being seen
except with the eye of knowledge. The chief of the celestials sometimes
transforms himself into the wind. The chastiser of Paka always assumes
these disguises. Do thou, therefore, O Vipula, protect this
slender-waisted spouse of mine with great care. O foremost one of
Bhrigu's race, do thou take every care for seeing that the chief of the
celestials may not defile this spouse of mine like a wretched dog licking
the Havi kept in view of a sacrifice.' Having said these words, the
highly-blessed Muni, viz., Devasarman, intent upon performing a
sacrifice, set out from his abode, O chief of the Bharatas. Hearing these
words of his preceptor, Vipula began to think, 'I shall certainly protect
this lady in every respect from the puissant chief of the celestials. But
what should be the means? What can I do in this matter of protecting the
wife of my preceptor? The chief of the celestials is endued with large
powers of illusion. Possessed of great energy, he is difficult of being
resisted. Indra cannot be kept out by enclosing this retreat of ours or
fencing this yard, since he is capable of assuming innumerable forms.
Assuming the form of the wind, the chief of the celestials may assault
the spouse of my preceptor. The best course, therefore, for me, would be
to enter (by Yoga-power) the body of this lady and remain there. By
putting forth my prowess I shall not be able to protect the lady, for the
puissant chastiser of Paka, it has been heard by me, is capable of
assuming any form he likes. I shall, therefore, protect this one from
Indra by my Yoga-power. For carrying out my object I shall with my body
enter the body of this lady. If my preceptor, coming back, beholds his
spouse defiled, he will, without doubt, curse me through wrath, for
endued with great ascetic merit, he is possessed of spiritual vision.
This lady is incapable of being protected in the way in which other women
are protected by men, since the chief of the celestials is endued with
large powers of illusion. Alas, the situation in which I find myself is
very critical. The behest of my preceptor should certainly be obeyed by
me. If, therefore, I protect her by my Yoga-power, the feat will be
regarded by all as a wonderful one. By my Yoga-power, therefore, I shall
enter the body of my preceptor's lady. I shall stay within her and yet
not touch her person, like a drop of water on a lotus-leaf which lies on
it and yet does not drench it at all. If I be free from the taint of
passion, I cannot incur any fault by doing what I wish to do. As a
traveller, in course of his sojourn, takes up his residence (for a while)
in any empty mansion he finds, I shall, after the same manner, reside
this day within the body of my preceptor's lady. Verily, with mind rapt up
in Yoga, I shall dwell today in this lady's body!' Giving his best
consideration to these points of righteousness, thinking of all the Vedas
and their branches, and with eye directed to the large measure of
penances which his preceptor had and which he himself also was possessed
of, and having settled in his mind, with a view only to protect the lady,
to enter her person by Yoga-power. Vipula of Bhrigu's race took great
care (for accomplishing his purpose). Listen now to me, O monarch, as I
recite to thee what he did. Endued with great penances, Vipula sat
himself down by the side of his preceptor's spouse as she of faultless
features was sitting in her cottage. Vipula then began to discourse to
her bringing her over to the cause of righteousness and truth. Directing
his eyes then to hers and uniting the rays of light that emanated from
her organs of vision with those that issued from his, Vipula (in his
subtile form) entered the lady's body even as the element of wind enters
that of ether of space. Penetrating her eyes with his eyes and her face
with his face, Vipula stayed, without moving, within her invisibly, like
her shadow. Restraining every part of the lady's body, Vipula continued
to dwell within her, intent on protecting her from Indra. The lady
herself knew nothing of this. It was in this way, O monarch, that Vipula
continued to protect the lady till the time of his high-souled
preceptor's coming back after accomplishing the sacrifice which he had
gone out to perform."'"