(Chaitraratha Parva continued)
"'Arjuna asked, "What for, O Gandharva, did king Kalmashapada command his
queen to go unto that foremost of all persons conversant with the Vedas--
the master Vasishtha? Why also did that illustrious and great Rishi
Vasishtha himself who was acquainted with every rule of morality know a
woman he should not have known? O friend, was this an act of sin on the
part of Vasishtha? It behoveth thee to remove the doubts I entertain and
refer to thee for solution."
"'The Gandharva replied, saying, "O irrepressible Dhananjaya, listen to me
as I answer the question thou hast asked in respect of Vasishtha and king
Kalmashapada that cherisher of friends. O thou best of the Bharatas, I
have told thee all about the curse of king Kalmashapada by Saktri, the
illustrious son of Vasishtha. Brought under the influence of the curse,
that smiter of all foes--king Kalmashapada--with eyes whirling in anger
went out of his capital accompanied by his wife. And entering with his
wife the solitary woods the king began to wander about. And one day while
the king under the influence of the curse was wandering through that
forest abounding in several kinds of deer and various other animals and
overgrown with numerous large trees and shrubs and creepers and resounding
with terrible cries, he became exceedingly hungry. And the monarch
thereupon began to search for some food. Pinched with hunger, the king at
last saw, in a very solitary part of the woods, a Brahmana and his wife
enjoying each other. Alarmed at beholding the monarch the couple ran away,
their desire ungratified. Pursuing the retreating pair, the king forcibly
seized the Brahmana. Then the Brahmani, beholding her lord seized,
addressed the monarch, saying, 'Listen to what I say, O monarch of
excellent vows! It is known all over the world that thou art born in the
solar race, and that thou art ever vigilant in the practice of morality
and devoted to the service of thy superiors. It behoveth thee not to
commit sin, O thou irrepressible one, deprived though thou hast been of
thy senses by (the Rishi's) curse. My season hath come, and wishful of my
husband's company I was connected with him. I have not been gratified yet.
Be propitious unto us, O thou best of kings! Liberate my husband.' The
monarch, however, without listening to her cries cruelly devoured her
husband like a tiger devouring its desirable prey. Possessed with wrath at
this sight, the tears that that woman shed blazed up like fire and
consumed everything in that place. Afflicted with grief at the calamity
that overtook her lord, the Brahmani in anger cursed the royal sage
Kalmashapada, 'Vile wretch, since thou hast today cruelly devoured under
my very nose my illustrious husband dear unto me, even before my desires
have been gratified, therefore shall thou, O wicked one afflicted by my
curse, meet with instant death when thou goest in for thy wife in season.
And thy wife, O wretch, shall bring forth a son uniting herself with that
Rishi Vasishtha whose children have been devoured by thee. And that child,
O worst of kings, shall be the perpetuator of thy race.' And cursing the
monarch thus, that lady of Angira's house bearing every auspicious mark,
entered the blazing fire in the very sight of the monarch. And, O thou
oppressor of all foes, the illustrious and exalted Vasishtha by his
ascetic power and spiritual insight immediately knew all. And long after
this, when the king became freed from his curse, he approached his wife
Madayanati when her season came. But Madayanati softly sent him away.
Under the influence of passion the monarch had no recollection of that
curse. Hearing, however, the words of his wife, the best of kings became
terribly alarmed. And recollecting the curse he repented bitterly of what
he had done. It was for this reason, O thou best of men, that the monarch
infected with the Brahmani's curse, appointed Vasishtha to beget a son
upon his queen."'"