"'"Chyavana said, 'Do thou accept a boon from me. Do thou also, O chief of
men, tell me what the doubt is that is in thy mind. I shall certainly
accomplish all thy purposes.'
"'"Kusika said, 'If thou hast been gratified by me, O holy one, do thou
then, O son of Bhrigu, tell me thy object in residing in my palace for
some time, for I desire to hear it. What was thy object in sleeping on the
bed I assigned thee for one and twenty days continuously, without
changing sides? O foremost of ascetics, what also was thy object, again,
in going out of the room without speaking a single word? Why didst thou,
again, without any ostensible reason, make thyself invisible, and once
more become visible? Why, O learned Brahmana, didst thou again, lay
thyself down on the bed and sleep as before for one and twenty days? For
what reason didst thou go out after thou wert rubbed by us with oil in
view of thy bath? Why also, after having caused diverse kinds of food in
my palace to be collected, didst thou consume them with the aid of fire?
What was the cause of thy sudden journey through my city on the car? What
object hadst thou in view in giving away so much wealth? What was thy
motive in showing us the wonders of the forest created by the
Yoga-puissance? What indeed was thy motive for showing, O great ascetic,
so many palatial mansions made of gold and so many bedsteads supported on
posts of jewels, and gems? Why also did all these wonders vanish from our
sight? I wish to hear the cause of all this. In thinking of all these
acts of thine, O perpetuator of Bhrigu's race, I became stupefied
repeatedly. I fail to find what the certain motive was which influenced
thee! O thou, that art endued with wealth of penances, I wish to hear the
truth about all those acts of thine in detail.'
"'"Chyavana said, 'Listen to me as I tell thee in detail the reasons which
had impelled me in all these acts of mine. Asked by thee, O monarch, I
cannot refuse to enlighten thee. In days past, on one occasion, when the
deities had assembled together, the Grandsire Brahman said some words. I
heard them, O king, and shall presently repeat them to thee. "In
consequence of a contention between Brahmana and Kshatriya energy, there
will occur an intermixture in my race.[312] Thy grandson, O king, will
become endued with great energy and puissance." Hearing this, I came
hither, resolved to exterminate thy race. Indeed, I came, O Kusika,
seeking the utter extermination of thy race,--in fact, for consuming into
ashes all thy descendants. Impelled by this motive I came to thy palace,
O monarch, and said unto thee, "I shall observe some vow. Do thou attend
upon me and serve me dutifully." While residing, however, in thy house I
failed to find any laches in thee. It is for that reason, O royal sage,
that thou art still alive, for otherwise thou wouldst have by this time
been numbered with the dead. It was with this resolution that I slept for
one and twenty days in the hope that somebody would awake me before I
arose of my own accord. Thou, however, with thy wife, didst not awaken
me. Even then, O best of kings, I became pleased with thee. Rising from
my bed I went out of the chamber without accosting any of you. I did
this, O monarch, in the hope that thou wouldst ask me and thus I would
have an opportunity of cursing thee. I then made myself invisible, and
again showed myself in the room of thy palace, and, once more betaking
myself to Yoga, slept for one and twenty days. The motive that impelled
me was this. Worn out with toil and hunger you two would be angry with me
and do what would be unpleasant to me. It was from this intention that I
caused thyself and thy spouse to be afflicted with hunger. In thy heart
however, O king, the slightest feeling of wrath or vexation did not rise.
For this, O monarch, I became highly delighted with thee. When I caused
diverse kinds of food to be brought and then set fire to them, I hoped
that thyself with thy wife wouldst give way to wrath at the sight. Even
that act however, of mine was tolerated by thee. I then ascended the car,
O monarch, and addressed thee, saying, "Do thou with thy wife bear me."
Thou didst what I bade, without the least scruple, O king! I became
filled with delight at this. The gifts of wealth I made could not provoke
thy anger. Pleased with thee, O king, I created with the aid of my Yoga
puissance that forest which thyself with thy wife didst behold here.
Listen, O monarch, to the object I had. For gratifying thee and thy queen
I caused thee to have a glimpse of heaven. All those things which thou
hast seen in these woods, O monarch, are a foretaste of heaven. O best of
kings, for a little while I caused thee and thy spouse to behold, in even
your earthly bodies, some sights of heaven. All this was done for showing
the puissance of penances and the reward that is in store for
righteousness. The desire that arose in thy heart, O monarch, at the
sight of those delightful objects, is known to me. Thou becamest desirous
of obtaining the status of a Brahmana and the merit of penances, O lord
of Earth, disregarding the sovereignty of the earth, nay, the sovereignty
of very heaven! That which thou thoughtest, O king, was even this. The
status of a Brahmana is exceedingly difficult to obtain; after becoming a
Brahmana, it is exceedingly difficult to obtain the status of a Rishi;
for even a Rishi it is difficult to become an ascetic! I tell thee that
thy desire will be gratified. From thee, O Kusika, will spring a
Brahmana, who shall be called after thy name. The person that will be the
third in descent from thee shall attain to the status of a Brahmana.
Through the energy of the Bhrigus, thy grandson, O monarch, will be an
ascetic endued with the splendour of fire. He shall always strike all
men, indeed, the inhabitants of the three worlds, with fear. I tell thee
the truth. O royal sage, do thou accept the boon that is now in thy mind.
I shall soon set out on a tour to all the sacred waters. Time is
expiring.'
"'"Kusika said, 'Even this, O great ascetic, is a high boon, in my case,
for thou hast been gratified by me. Let that take place which thou hast
said. Let my grandson become a Brahmana, O sinless one! Indeed, let the
status of Brahmanahood attach to my race, O holy one. This is the boon I
ask for. I desire to once more ask thee in detail, O holy one! In what
way, O delighter of Bhrigu, will the status of Brahmanahood attach to my
race? Who will be my friend? Who will have my affection and
respect?'"'"[313]