"'Bhishma said, "Having accomplished his preceptor's behest, Vipula
practised the most severe penances. Possessed of great energy, he at last
regarded himself as endued with sufficient ascetic merit, Priding himself
upon the feat he had achieved, he wandered fearlessly and contentedly
over the earth, O monarch, regarded by all as one possessed of great fame
for what he had done. The puissant Bhargava regarded that he had
conquered both the worlds by that feat of his as also by his severe
penances. After some time had passed away, O delighter of the Kurus, the
occasion came for a ceremony of gifts to take place with respect to the
sister of Ruchi. Abundant wealth and corn were to be given away in
it.[276] Meanwhile, a certain celestial damsel endued with great beauty,
was journeying through the skies. From her body as she coursed through
the welkin, some flowers dropped down on the earth. Those flowers
possessed of celestial fragrance fell on a spot not far from the retreat
of Ruchi's husband. As the flowers lay scattered on the ground, they were
picked up by Ruchi of beautiful eyes. Soon after an invitation came to
Ruchi from the country of the Angas. The sister, referred to above, of
Ruchi, named Prabhavati, was the spouse of Chitraratha, the ruler of the
Angas. Ruchi, of very superior complexion, having attached those flowers
to her hair, went to the palace of the king of the Angas in answer to the
invitation she had received. Beholding those flowers on her hair the
queen of the Angas, possessed of beautiful eyes, urged her sister to
obtain some for her. Ruchi, of beautiful face, speedily informed her
husband of that request of her sister. The Rishi accepted the prayer of
his sister-in-law. Summoning Vipula into his presence Devasarman of
severe penances commanded his disciple to bring him some flowers of the
same kind, saying, 'Go, go!' Accepting without hesitation the behest of
his preceptor, the great ascetic Vipula, O king, answered, 'So be it!'
and then proceeded to that spot whence the lady Ruchi had picked up the
flowers that were coveted by her sister. Arrived at that spot where the
flowers (picked up by Ruchi) had fallen from the welkin, Vipula saw some
others still lying scattered. They were all as fresh as if they had been
newly plucked from the plants whereon they had grown. None of them had
drooped in the least. He took up those celestial flowers of great beauty.
Possessed of celestial fragrance, O Bharata, Vipula got them there as the
result of his severe penances. The accomplisher of his preceptor's
behest, having obtained them, he felt great delight and set out speedily
for the city of Champa adorned with festoons of Champaka flowers. As he
proceeded, he saw on his way a human couple moving in a circle hand in
hand. One of them made a rapid step and thereby destroyed the cadence of
the movement. For this reason, O king, a dispute arose between them.
Indeed, one of them charged the other, saying, 'Thou hast made a quicker
step!' The other answered, 'No, verily', as each maintained his own
opinion obstinately, each, O king, asserted what the other denied, and
denied what the other asserted. While thus disputing with each other with
great assurance, an oath was then heard among them. Indeed, each of them
suddenly named Vipula in what they uttered. The oath each of them took
was even this, 'That one amongst us two who speaketh falsely, shall in
the next world, meet with the end which will be the regenerate Vipula's!'
Hearing these words of theirs, Vipula's face became very cheerless. He
began to reflect, saying unto himself, 'I have undergone severe penances.
The dispute between this couple is hot. To me, again, it is painful. What
is the sin of which I have been guilty that both these persons should
refer to my end in the next world as the most painful one among those
reserved for all creatures?' Thinking in this strain, Vipula, O best of
monarchs, hung down his head, and with a cheerless mind began to
recollect what sin he had done. Proceeding a little way he beheld six
other men playing with dice made of gold and silver. Engaged in play,
those individuals seemed to him to be so excited that the hair on their
bodies stood on end. They also (upon a dispute having arisen among them)
were heard by Vipula to take the same oath that he had already heard the
first couple to take. Indeed, their words had reference in the same way
to Vipula, 'He amongst us who, led by cupidity, will act in an improper
way, shall meet with that end which is reserved for Vipula in the next
world!' Hearing these words, however, Vipula, although he strove
earnestly to recollect failed to remember any transgression of his from
even his earliest years, O thou of Kuru's race. Verily he began to burn
like a fire placed in the midst of another fire. Hearing that curse, his
mind burnt with grief. In this state of anxiety a long time elapsed. At
last he recollected the manner in which he had acted in protecting his
preceptor's wife from the machinations of Indra. 'I had penetrated the
body of that lady, placing limb within limb, face within face, Although I
had acted in this way, I did not yet tell my preceptor the truth!' Even
this was the transgression, O thou of Kuru's race which Vipula
recollected in himself. Indeed, O blessed monarch, without doubt that was
the transgression which he had actually committed. Coming to the city of
Champa, he gave the flowers to his preceptor. Devoted to superiors and
seniors, he worshipped his preceptor in due form."'"