' Hearing her,
Vasishtha said, 'O daughter, whose is this voice that I heard, repeating
the Vedas along with the Angas like unto the voice of Saktri reciting the
Vedas with the Angas?' Adrisyanti answered, 'I bear in my womb a child by
thy son Saktri. He hath been here full twelve years. The voice thou
hearest is that of the Muni, who is reciting the Vedas.'
"The Gandharva continued, 'Thus addressed by her the illustrious Vasishtha
became exceedingly glad. And saying, 'O, there is a child (of my race)!'--
he refrained, O Partha, from self-destruction. The sinless one accompanied
by his daughter-in-law, then returned to his asylum. And the Rishi saw one
day in the solitary woods (the Rakshasa) Kalmashapada. The king, O Bharata,
possessed by fierce Rakshasa, as he saw the Rishi, became filled with
wrath and rose up, desiring to devour him. And Adrisyanti beholding before
her that the Rakshasa of cruel deeds, addressed Vasishtha in these words,
full of anxiety and fear, 'O illustrious one, the cruel Rakshasa, like
unto Death himself armed with (his) fierce club, cometh towards us with a
wooden club in hand! There is none else on earth, except thee, O
illustrious one, and, O foremost of all that are conversant with the Vedas
to restrain him today. Protect me, O illustrious one, from this cruel
wretch of terrible mien. Surely, the Rakshasa cometh hither to devour us!'
Vasishtha, hearing this, said, 'Fear not, O daughter, there is no need of
any fear from any Rakshasa.
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