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.
Pages:
689
690
691
692
693
694
695
696
697
698
699
700
701
702
703
704
705
706
707
708
709
710
711
712
713