And that fire may be seen to this day consuming
Rakshasas and trees and stones in all seasons.'"
SECTION CLXXXIV
(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.
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