"'Bhishma said, "One day the chief of the celestials assuming a form of
celestial beauty, came to the retreat of the Rishi, thinking that the
opportunity he had been expecting had at last come. Verily, O king,
having assumed a form unrivalled for comeliness and exceedingly tempting
to women and highly agreeable to look at, Indra entered the ascetic's
asylum. He saw the body of Vipula staying in a sitting posture, immovable
as a stake, and with eyes destitute of vision, like a picture drawn on
the canvas. And he saw also that Ruchi was seated there, adorned with
eyes whose ends were extremely beautiful, possessed of full and rotund
hips, and having a deep and swelling bosom. Her eyes were large and
expansive like the petals of the lotus, and her face was as beautiful and
sweet as the moon at full. Seeing Indra come in that guise, the lady
wished to rise up and offer him a welcome. Her wonder having been excited
at the unrivalled beauty of form which the person possessed, she very
much wished to ask him as to who he was. Although, however, she wished to
rise up and offer him a welcome, yet her limbs having been restrained by
Vipula who was dwelling within her, she failed, O king, to do what she
wished. In fact, she was unable to move from the place where she sat. The
chief of the celestials then addressed her in agreeable words uttered
with a sweet voice. Indeed, he said, 'O thou of sweet smiles, know that I
am Indra, arrived here for thy sake! Know, O sweet lady, that I am
afflicted by the deity of desire provoked by thoughts of thee! O thou of
beautiful brows, I have come to thy presence. Time wears off.'[274] These
words that Indra spoke were heard by the ascetic Vipula. Remaining within
the body of his preceptor's wife, he saw everything that occurred. The
lady of faultless beauty, though she heard what Indra said, was, however,
unable to rise up for welcoming or honouring the chief of the celestials.
Her senses restrained by Vipula, she was unable to utter a word in reply.
That scion of Bhrigu's race, of mighty energy, judging from the
indications afforded by the body of his preceptor's wife that she was not
unwilling to receive Indra with kindness, restrained her limbs and senses
all the more effectually, O king, by his Yoga-powers. With Yoga-bonds he
bound up all her senses. Beholding her seated without any indication of
agitation on her person, the lord of Sachi, abashed a little, once more
addressed that lady who was stupefied by the Yoga-powers of her husband's
disciple, in these words, 'Come, come, O sweet lady!' Then the lady
endeavoured to answer him. Vipula, however restrained the words that she
intended to utter. The words, therefore, that actually escaped her lips
(under the influence of Vipula) were. 'What is the reason of thy coming
hither?' These words adorned with grammatical refinements, issued out of
her mouth that was as beautiful as the moon.[275] Subject to the
influence of another, she uttered these words, but became rather ashamed
for uttering them. Hearing her, Purandara became exceedingly cheerless.
Observing that awkward result, the chief of the celestials, O monarch,
adorned with a thousand eyes saw every thing with his spiritual eye. He
then beheld the ascetic staying within the body of the lady. Indeed, the
ascetic remained within the body of his preceptor's wife like an image or
reflection on a mirror. Beholding the ascetic endued with the terrible
might of penances, Purandara, O monarch, fearing the Rishi's curse,
trembled in fright. Vipula then, possessed of high ascetic might, left
the body of his preceptor's wife and returned to his own body that was
lying near. He then addressed the terrified Indra in the following words:
"'"Vipula said, 'O wicked-souled Purandara, O thou of sinful mind, O wretch
that hast no control over thy senses, neither the deities nor human
beings will worship thee for any length of time! Hast thou forgotten it,
O Sakra,--does it not still dwell in thy remembrance,--that Gautama had
cursed thee in consequence of which thy body became disfigured with a
thousand sex-marks, which, owing to the Rishi's compassion, were
afterwards changed into organs of vision? I know that thou art of an
exceedingly foolish understanding, that thy soul is uncleansed, and that
thou art of an exceedingly unstable mind! O fool, know that this lady is
being protected by me. O sinful wretch, go back to that place whence thou
camest. O thou of foolish soul, I do not consume thee today into ashes
with my energy. Verily, I am filled with compassion for thee. It is for
this that I do not, O Vasava, wish to burn thee. My preceptor, endued
with great intelligence, is possessed of terrible might. With eyes
blazing with wrath, he would, if he saw thee, have burnt thy sinful self
today. Thou shouldst not, O Sakra, do like this again. The Brahmanas
should be regarded by thee. See that thou dost not, with thy sons and
counsellors, meet with destruction, afflicted by the might of the
Brahmanas. Thou thinkest that thou art an immortal and that, therefore,
art at liberty to proceed in this way. Do not, however, disregard the
Brahmanas. Know that there is nothing unattainable by penance.'"
"'Bhishma continued, "Hearing these words of the high-souled Vipula, Sakra
without saying anything, and overwhelmed with shame, made himself
invisible. A moment after he had gone away, Devasarman of high ascetic
merit, having accomplished the sacrifice he had intended to perform, came
back to his own asylum. When his preceptor came back, Vipula, who had
done an agreeable deed, gave unto him his wife of faultless beauty whom
he had successfully protected against the machinations of Indra. Of
tranquil soul and full of reverence for his preceptor, Vipula
respectfully saluted him and stood in his presence with a fearless heart.
After his preceptor had rested a while and when he was seated with his
wife on the same seat, Vipula represented unto him everything that Sakra
had done. Hearing these words of Vipula, that foremost of Munis, endued
with great prowess, became highly gratified with him for his conduct and
disposition, his penances, and his observances. Observing Vipula's
conduct towards himself--his preceptor--and his devotion also, and noting
his steadiness in virtue, the puissant Devasarman exclaimed, 'Excellent,
excellent!' The righteous-souled Devasarman, receiving his virtuous
disciple with a sincere welcome, honoured him with a boon. Indeed,
Vipula, steady in virtue obtained from his preceptor the boon that he
would never swerve or fall away from righteousness. Dismissed by his
preceptor he left his abode and practised the most severe austerities.
Devasarman also, of severe penances, with his spouse, began from that day
to live in those solitary woods, perfectly fearless of him who had slain
Vala and Vritra."'"