How can a woman like me even touch
such a one full of ascetic virtues, like unto a blazing fire, and having
his passions under complete control? His mouth is like unto a blazing fire;
the pupils of his eyes are like the Sun and the Moon; his tongue is like
unto Yama himself. How shall, O chief of the celestials, a woman like me
even touch him? At the thought of his prowess Yama, Soma, the great Rishis,
the Saddhyas, the Viswas, Valakhilyas, are terrified! How can a woman like
me gaze at him without alarm? Commanded, however, by thee, O king of the
celestials, I shall somehow approach that Rishi. But, O chief of the gods,
devise thou some plan whereby protected by thee, I may safely move about
that Rishi. I think that when I begin to play before the Rishi, Marut (the
god of wind) had better go there and rob me of my dress, and Manmatha (the
god of love) had also, at thy command, better help me then. Let also Marut
on that occasion bear thither fragrance from the woods to tempt the
Rishi.' Saying this and seeing that all she had spoken about had been
duly provided, Menaka went to the retreat of the great Kausika."
SECTION LXXII
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Kanwa continued, 'And Sakra, thus addressed by her, then commanded him
who could approach every place (viz., the god of the wind) to be present
with Menaka at the time she would be before the Rishi. And the timid and
beautiful Menaka then entered the retreat and saw there Viswamitra who had
burnt, by his penances, all his sins, and was engaged still in ascetic
penances.
Pages:
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306