Kalmashapada's Curse and the Death of Vasishtha's Sons

Verse 1 (1.192.1)

ऋष्योस्तु यत्कृते वैरं विश्वामित्रवसिष्ठयोः । बभूव गन्धर्वपते शंस तत्सर्वमेव मे ॥

ṛṣyostu yatkṛte vairaṃ viśvāmitravasiṣṭhayoḥ | babhūva gandharvapate śaṃsa tatsarvameva me

Lord of the Gandharvas, tell me all about the matter over which the enmity arose between the two seers, Vishvamitra and Vasishtha;

Note on the text: Removed the speaker line अर्जुन उवाच (with a stray backtick that opens a bracketed passage in Wikisource), which had slipped into the verse text; speaker set to Arjuna (the input had none). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition gives verses 1–4 only in its apparatus (1.166.0*1774, lines 1–2 here).

Verse 2 (1.192.2)

माहात्म्यं च वसिष्ठस्य ब्राह्मण्यं ब्रह्मतेजसः । विश्वामित्रस्य च तथा क्षत्रस्य च महात्मनः ॥

māhātmyaṃ ca vasiṣṭhasya brāhmaṇyaṃ brahmatejasaḥ | viśvāmitrasya ca tathā kṣatrasya ca mahātmanaḥ

tell me of Vasishtha's greatness and his brahminhood, rich in the power of Brahman, and likewise of the great-souled Vishvamitra and his kshatriya nature.

Note on the text: Speaker set to Arjuna: his words continue (the input had none). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition's apparatus, 1.166.0*1774, lines 3–4.

Verse 3 (1.192.3)

न शृण्वानस्त्वहं तृप्तिमुपगच्छामि खेचर । आख्याहि गन्धर्वपते शंस तत्सर्वमेव मे ॥

na śṛṇvānastvahaṃ tṛptimupagacchāmi khecara | ākhyāhi gandharvapate śaṃsa tatsarvameva me

However much I listen, rover of the sky, I am never sated. Tell it, lord of the Gandharvas; tell me all of it.

Note on the text: Speaker set to Arjuna (the input had none). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition's apparatus, 1.166.0*1774, lines 5–6 (whose last words read vicitrāṇīha bhāṣase).

Verse 4 (1.192.4)

माहात्म्यं च वसिष्ठस्य विश्वामित्रस्य भाषसे ॥

māhātmyaṃ ca vasiṣṭhasya viśvāmitrasya bhāṣase

For you speak of the greatness of Vasishtha and of Vishvamitra.

Note on the text: Corrected भाषते → भाषसे (misprint in Wikisource; Arjuna addresses the Gandharva in the second person, as in the critical edition's apparatus, bhāṣase). Speaker set to Arjuna (the input had none). A single half-verse as printed. Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition's apparatus, 1.166.0*1774, line 7.

Verse 5 (1.192.5)

इदं वासिष्ठमाख्यानं पुराणं पुण्यमुत्तमम् । पार्थ सर्वेषु लोकेषु विश्रुतं तन्निबोध मे ॥

idaṃ vāsiṣṭhamākhyānaṃ purāṇaṃ puṇyamuttamam | pārtha sarveṣu lokeṣu viśrutaṃ tannibodha me

This tale of Vasishtha is ancient, holy and excellent, Partha, famed in all the worlds. Hear it from me.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (a doubled danda and a closing quote mark, which closes the bracketed passage begun in verse 1). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); compare 1.165.2, the Gandharva's opening of the previous tale.

Verse 6 (1.192.6)

कल्माषपाद इत्येवं लोके राजा बभूव ह । इक्ष्वाकुवंशजः पार्थ तेजसाऽसदृशो भुवि ॥

kalmāṣapāda ityevaṃ loke rājā babhūva ha | ikṣvākuvaṃśajaḥ pārtha tejasā'sadṛśo bhuvi

There was a king in the world called Kalmashapada, born in the line of Ikshvaku, Partha, and unequalled on earth in splendour.

Verse 7 (1.192.7)

स कदाचिद्वनं राजा मृगयां निर्ययौ पुरात् । मृगान्विध्यन्वराहांश्च चचार रिपुमर्दनः ॥

sa kadācidvanaṃ rājā mṛgayāṃ niryayau purāt | mṛgānvidhyanvarāhāṃśca cacāra ripumardanaḥ

Once the king went out from his city into the forest to hunt, and the crusher of foes roamed about shooting deer and boars.

Verse 8 (1.192.8)

तस्मिन्वने महाघोरे खड्गांश्च बहुशोऽहनत् । हत्वा च सुचिरं श्रान्तो राजा निववृते ततः ॥

tasminvane mahāghore khaḍgāṃśca bahuśo'hanat | hatvā ca suciraṃ śrānto rājā nivavṛte tataḥ

In that dreadful forest he killed many rhinoceroses, and, weary after long hunting, the king turned back.

Note on the text: Corrected खङ्गांश्च → खड्गांश्च (misprint in Wikisource; ङ्ग for ड्ग — खड्ग, "rhinoceros", as in the critical edition's apparatus, khaḍgāṃś). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition gives it only in its apparatus (1.166.2d*1776).

Verse 9 (1.192.9)

अकामयत्तं याज्यार्थे विश्वामित्रः प्रतापवान् । स तु राजा महात्मानं वासिष्ठमृषिसत्तमम् ॥

akāmayattaṃ yājyārthe viśvāmitraḥ pratāpavān | sa tu rājā mahātmānaṃ vāsiṣṭhamṛṣisattamam

The mighty Vishvamitra wished to have him as the patron of his sacrifices. Now the king came upon the great-souled son of Vasishtha, best of seers.

Note on the text: The first line is in the critical edition's apparatus (1.166.2d*1777); the second = 1.166.3ab.

Verse 10 (1.192.10)

तृषार्तश्च क्षुधार्तश्च एकायनगतः पथि । अपश्यदजितः सङ्ख्ये मुनिं प्रतिमुखागतम् ॥

tṛṣārtaśca kṣudhārtaśca ekāyanagataḥ pathi | apaśyadajitaḥ saṅkhye muniṃ pratimukhāgatam

Thirsty and hungry, on a path so narrow that only one could pass, the king, unconquered in battle, saw the sage coming toward him:

Note on the text: Lines = 1.166.3cd and 4ab of the critical edition.

Verse 11 (1.192.11)

शक्तिं नाम महाभागं वसिष्ठकुलवर्धनम् । ज्येष्ठं पुत्रं पुत्रशताद्वसिष्ठस्य महात्मनः ॥

śaktiṃ nāma mahābhāgaṃ vasiṣṭhakulavardhanam | jyeṣṭhaṃ putraṃ putraśatādvasiṣṭhasya mahātmanaḥ

the illustrious Shakti, who increased the line of Vasishtha, the eldest of the hundred sons of the great-souled Vasishtha.

Note on the text: Lines = 1.166.4cd–ef of the critical edition (कुलवर्धनम् for kulanandanam).

Verse 12 (1.192.12)

अपगच्छ पथोऽस्माकमित्येवं पार्थिवोऽब्रवीत् । तथा ऋषिरुवाचैनं सान्त्वयञ्श्लक्ष्णया गिरा ॥

apagaccha patho'smākamityevaṃ pārthivo'bravīt | tathā ṛṣiruvācainaṃ sāntvayañślakṣṇayā girā

"Get out of our way," said the king. The seer answered him, soothing him with gentle words:

Verse 13 (1.192.13)

मम पन्था महाराज धर्म एष सनातनः । वृद्धभीरुनृपस्नातस्त्रीरोगिवरचक्रिणाम् ॥

mama panthā mahārāja dharma eṣa sanātanaḥ | vṛddhabhīrunṛpasnātastrīrogivaracakriṇām

The way is mine, great king; this is the eternal law. To the aged, the timid, a king, one who has completed his Vedic studies, women, the sick, a bridegroom and one riding in a cart —

Note on the text: Speaker changed from गन्धर्व to शक्ति: no speaker line is printed, but the whole verse is Shakti's reply, introduced in the verse before. Removed a stray wiki mark (backtick) that opens a bracketed passage. The first line is in the critical edition's apparatus (1.166.5d*1778, line 1); the second is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 14 (1.192.14)

पन्था देयो नृपैस्तेषामन्यैस्तैस्तस्य भूपतेः । राज्ञा सर्वेषु धर्मेषु देयः पन्था द्विजातये ॥

panthā deyo nṛpaisteṣāmanyaistaistasya bhūpateḥ | rājñā sarveṣu dharmeṣu deyaḥ panthā dvijātaye

to these kings must give way, and others must give way to the king. But under every law a king must yield the road to a brahmin.

Note on the text: Speaker changed from गन्धर्व to शक्ति: his words continue. Removed stray wiki marks (danda and quote mark) closing the bracketed line. Corrected सर्वेषा → सर्वेषु (misprint in Wikisource; dropped vowel sign ु, as in the critical edition's apparatus, sarveṣu). The first line is not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the second is in its apparatus (1.166.5d*1778, line 2).

Verse 15 (1.192.15)

एवं परस्परं तौ तु पथोऽर्थं वाक्यमूचतुः । अपसर्पापसर्पेति वागुत्तरमकुर्वताम् ॥

evaṃ parasparaṃ tau tu patho'rthaṃ vākyamūcatuḥ | apasarpāpasarpeti vāguttaramakurvatām

So the two of them argued with each other over the road, each answering the other, "Move aside! Move aside!"

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition gives it only in its apparatus (1.166.5d*1779).

Verse 16 (1.192.16)

ऋषिस्तु नापचक्राम तस्मिन्धर्मपथे स्थितः । अपि राजा मुनेर्मार्गात्क्रोधान्नापजगाम ह ॥

ṛṣistu nāpacakrāma tasmindharmapathe sthitaḥ | api rājā munermārgātkrodhānnāpajagāma ha

The seer, standing on the path of dharma, would not step aside; nor, in his anger, would the king move out of the sage's way.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (backtick, doubled danda and a closing quote mark) around the second line, which is a variant of 1.166.6cd of the critical edition (nāpi rājā muner mānāt krodhāc cāpi jagāma ha).

Verse 17 (1.192.17)

अमुञ्चन्तं तु पन्थानं तमृषिं नृपसत्तमः । जघान कशया मोहात्तदा राक्षसवन्मुनिम् ॥

amuñcantaṃ tu panthānaṃ tamṛṣiṃ nṛpasattamaḥ | jaghāna kaśayā mohāttadā rākṣasavanmunim

When the seer would not give up the road, the best of kings, in his folly, struck the sage with his whip, like a rakshasa.

Note on the text: Corrected जगाम → जघान and राक्षसन्मुनिम् → राक्षसवन्मुनिम् (misprints in Wikisource; "went" for "struck", which कशया, "with the whip", requires, and a dropped व in राक्षसवत्, "like a rakshasa" — the critical edition reads jaghāna kaśayā … rākṣasavan munim).

Verse 18 (1.192.18)

कशाप्रहाराभिहतस्ततः स मुनिसत्तमः । तं शशाप नृपश्रेष्ठं वासिष्ठः क्रोधमूर्च्छितः ॥

kaśāprahārābhihatastataḥ sa munisattamaḥ | taṃ śaśāpa nṛpaśreṣṭhaṃ vāsiṣṭhaḥ krodhamūrcchitaḥ

Struck by the whip, that best of sages, Vasishtha's son, beside himself with anger, cursed the best of kings:

Verse 19 (1.192.19)

हंसि राक्षसवद्यस्माद्राजापशद तापसम् । तस्मात्त्वमद्यप्रभृति पुरुषादो भविष्यसि ॥

haṃsi rākṣasavadyasmādrājāpaśada tāpasam | tasmāttvamadyaprabhṛti puruṣādo bhaviṣyasi

Since you strike an ascetic like a rakshasa, vilest of kings, from this day on you shall be an eater of men.

Note on the text: Speaker changed from गन्धर्व to शक्ति: no speaker line is printed, but the whole verse is Shakti's curse, introduced in the verse before.

Verse 20 (1.192.20)

मनुष्यपिशिते सक्तश्चरिष्यसि महीमिमाम् । गच्छ राजाधमेत्युक्तः शक्तिना वीर्यशक्तिना ॥

manuṣyapiśite saktaścariṣyasi mahīmimām | gaccha rājādhametyuktaḥ śaktinā vīryaśaktinā

Craving human flesh, you shall roam this earth. Go, basest of kings!" So Shakti, mighty in his power, spoke to him.

Note on the text: Speaker changed from गन्धर्व to शक्ति: the first line and the opening words of the second end Shakti's curse; the rest is narration (no speaker line is printed).

Verse 21 (1.192.21)

ततो याज्यनिमित्तं तु विश्वामित्रवसिष्ठयोः । वैरमासीत्तदा तं तु विश्वामित्रोऽन्वपद्यत ॥

tato yājyanimittaṃ tu viśvāmitravasiṣṭhayoḥ | vairamāsīttadā taṃ tu viśvāmitro'nvapadyata

At that time there was enmity between Vishvamitra and Vasishtha over who should have the king as patron, and Vishvamitra followed the king.

Verse 22 (1.192.22)

तयोर्विवदतोरेवं समीपमुपचक्रमे । ऋषिरुग्रतपाः पार्थ विश्वामित्रः प्रतापवान् ॥

tayorvivadatorevaṃ samīpamupacakrame | ṛṣirugratapāḥ pārtha viśvāmitraḥ pratāpavān

As the two were quarrelling, the seer of fierce austerities, the mighty Vishvamitra, came near, Partha.

Verse 23 (1.192.23)

ततः स बुबुधे पश्चात्तमृषिं नृपसत्तमः । ऋषेः पुत्रं वसिष्ठस्य वसिष्ठमिव तेजसा ॥

tataḥ sa bubudhe paścāttamṛṣiṃ nṛpasattamaḥ | ṛṣeḥ putraṃ vasiṣṭhasya vasiṣṭhamiva tejasā

Only afterwards did the best of kings realise who the seer was: the son of the seer Vasishtha, like Vasishtha himself in splendour.

Verse 24 (1.192.24)

अन्तर्धाय तत आत्मानं विश्वामित्रोऽपि भारत । तावुभावतिचक्राम चिकीर्षन्नात्मनः प्रियम् ॥

antardhāya tata ātmānaṃ viśvāmitro'pi bhārata | tāvubhāvaticakrāma cikīrṣannātmanaḥ priyam

Vishvamitra too, making himself invisible, O Bharata, went past the two of them, intent on his own purpose.

Note on the text: Corrected ततोऽत्मानं → तत आत्मानं (misprint in Wikisource; ततः before आत्मानम् becomes तत आत्मानम्, and the avagraha cannot stand for the long ā — the critical edition reads tadātmānaṃ). अतिचक्राम for the critical edition's upacakrāma is kept as the base text's reading.

Verse 25 (1.192.25)

स तु शप्तस्तदा तेन शक्तिना वै नृपोत्तमः । जगाम शरणं शक्तिं प्रसादयितुमर्हयन् ॥

sa tu śaptastadā tena śaktinā vai nṛpottamaḥ | jagāma śaraṇaṃ śaktiṃ prasādayitumarhayan

Then the best of kings, cursed by Shakti, went to Shakti for refuge, seeking to appease him and paying him honour.

Verse 26 (1.192.26)

तस्य भावं विदित्वा स नृपतेः कुरुसत्तम । विश्वामित्रस्ततो रक्ष आदिदेश नृपं प्रति ॥

tasya bhāvaṃ viditvā sa nṛpateḥ kurusattama | viśvāmitrastato rakṣa ādideśa nṛpaṃ prati

Knowing the king's intention, O best of the Kurus, Vishvamitra then ordered a rakshasa to enter the king.

Verse 27 (1.192.27)

शापात्तस्य तु विप्रर्षेर्विश्वामित्रस्य चाज्ञया । राक्षसः किङ्करो नाम विवेश नृपतिं तदा ॥

śāpāttasya tu viprarṣerviśvāmitrasya cājñayā | rākṣasaḥ kiṅkaro nāma viveśa nṛpatiṃ tadā

Through the curse of that brahmin seer and at Vishvamitra's command, a rakshasa named Kinkara then entered the king.

Verse 28 (1.192.28)

रक्षसा तं गृहीतं तु विदित्वा मुनिसत्तमः । विश्वामित्रोऽप्यपाक्रामत्तस्माद्देशादरिन्दम ॥

rakṣasā taṃ gṛhītaṃ tu viditvā munisattamaḥ | viśvāmitro'pyapākrāmattasmāddeśādarindama

Knowing that the king had been seized by the rakshasa, the best of sages, Vishvamitra, left that place, subduer of foes.

Verse 29 (1.192.29)

ततः स नृपतिर्विद्वान्रक्षन्नात्मानमात्मना । बलवत्पीड्यमानोऽपि रक्षसान्तर्गतेन ह ॥

tataḥ sa nṛpatirvidvānrakṣannātmānamātmanā | balavatpīḍyamāno'pi rakṣasāntargatena ha

Then the king, wise as he was and trying to guard himself by his own strength, was sorely tormented by the rakshasa within him.

Verse 30 (1.192.30)

ददर्शाथ द्विजः कश्चिद्राजानं प्रस्थितं वनम् । अयाचत क्षुधापन्नः समांसं भोजनं तदा ॥

dadarśātha dvijaḥ kaścidrājānaṃ prasthitaṃ vanam | ayācata kṣudhāpannaḥ samāṃsaṃ bhojanaṃ tadā

Then a certain brahmin saw the king setting out for the forest and, stricken with hunger, begged him for a meal with meat.

Verse 31 (1.192.31)

तमुवाचाथ राजर्षिर्द्विजं मित्रसहस्तदा । आस्स्व ब्रह्मंस्त्वमत्रैव मुहूर्तं प्रतिपालयन् ॥

tamuvācātha rājarṣirdvijaṃ mitrasahastadā | āssva brahmaṃstvamatraiva muhūrtaṃ pratipālayan

The royal seer Mitrasaha then said to the brahmin: "Stay right here, brahmin, and wait a little while.

Verse 32 (1.192.32)

निवृत्तः प्रतिदास्यामि भोजनं ते यथेप्सितम् । इत्युक्त्वा प्रययौ राजा तस्थौ च द्विजसत्तमः ॥

nivṛttaḥ pratidāsyāmi bhojanaṃ te yathepsitam | ityuktvā prayayau rājā tasthau ca dvijasattamaḥ

When I come back I will give you whatever food you wish." With these words the king went on, and the best of brahmins stayed there.

Verse 33 (1.192.33)

ततो राजा परिक्रम्य यथाकामं यथासुखम् । निवृत्तोऽन्तःपुरं पार्थ प्रविवेश महामनाः ॥

tato rājā parikramya yathākāmaṃ yathāsukham | nivṛtto'ntaḥpuraṃ pārtha praviveśa mahāmanāḥ

Then the king, having roamed as he pleased and at his ease, came back, Partha, and the high-minded one entered his inner apartments.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); the critical edition gives it only in its apparatus (1.166.23d*1782).

Verse 34 (1.192.34)

अन्तर्गतस्तदा राजा श्रुत्वा ब्राह्मणभाषितम् । सोऽन्तःपुरं प्रविश्याथ न सस्मार नराधिपः ॥

antargatastadā rājā śrutvā brāhmaṇabhāṣitam | so'ntaḥpuraṃ praviśyātha na sasmāra narādhipaḥ

Though he had heard the brahmin's words, once the king had gone within and entered the inner apartments, the lord of men forgot them.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (backtick, doubled danda and a closing quote mark). A variant of 1.166.23 of the critical edition, which reads that the brahmin's words stayed in the king's mind and that he lay down to sleep (saṃviveśa) on entering the inner apartments.

Verse 35 (1.192.35)

ततोऽर्धरात्र उत्थाय सूदमानाय्य सत्वरम् । उवाच राजा संस्मृत्य ब्राह्मणस्य प्रतिश्रुतम् ॥

tato'rdharātra utthāya sūdamānāyya satvaram | uvāca rājā saṃsmṛtya brāhmaṇasya pratiśrutam

Then, rising at midnight, the king remembered his promise to the brahmin, quickly sent for his cook, and said:

Verse 36 (1.192.36)

गच्छामुष्मिन्वनोद्देशे ब्राह्मणो मां प्रतीक्षते । अन्नार्थी तं त्वमन्नेन समांसेनोपपादय ॥

gacchāmuṣminvanoddeśe brāhmaṇo māṃ pratīkṣate | annārthī taṃ tvamannena samāṃsenopapādaya

Go: in that part of the forest a brahmin is waiting for me. He wants food; serve him food with meat.

Note on the text: Speaker changed from गन्धर्व to कल्माषपाद: no speaker line is printed, but the whole verse is the king's order to his cook, introduced in the verse before (Wikisource prints गन्धर्व उवाच before the next verse).

Verse 37 (1.192.37)

एवमुक्तस्ततः सूदः सोऽनासाद्यामिषं क्वचित् । निवेदयामास तदा तस्मै राज्ञे व्यथान्वितः ॥

evamuktastataḥ sūdaḥ so'nāsādyāmiṣaṃ kvacit | nivedayāmāsa tadā tasmai rājñe vyathānvitaḥ

So instructed, the cook could find no meat anywhere, and in distress he reported this to the king.

Verse 38 (1.192.38)

राजा तु रक्षसाविष्टः सूदमाह गतव्यथः । अप्येनं नरमांसेन भोजयेति पुनः पुनः ॥

rājā tu rakṣasāviṣṭaḥ sūdamāha gatavyathaḥ | apyenaṃ naramāṃsena bhojayeti punaḥ punaḥ

But the king, possessed by the rakshasa, said to the cook without concern, again and again, "Feed him with human flesh, then."

Verse 39 (1.192.39)

तथेत्युक्त्वा ततः सूदः संस्थानं वध्यघातिनाम् । गत्वाऽऽजहार त्वरितो नरमांसमपेतभीः ॥

tathetyuktvā tataḥ sūdaḥ saṃsthānaṃ vadhyaghātinām | gatvā''jahāra tvarito naramāṃsamapetabhīḥ

"So be it," said the cook, and he went to the place where the condemned are executed; quickly and without fear he brought back human flesh.

Verse 40 (1.192.40)

एतत्संस्कृत्य विधिवदन्नोपहितमाशु वै । तस्मै प्रादाद्ब्राह्मणाय क्षुधिताय तपस्विने ॥

etatsaṃskṛtya vidhivadannopahitamāśu vai | tasmai prādādbrāhmaṇāya kṣudhitāya tapasvine

He cooked it properly, set it out with rice, and promptly gave it to the hungry brahmin ascetic.

Verse 41 (1.192.41)

स सिद्धचक्षुषा दृष्ट्वा तदन्नं द्विजसत्तमः । अभोज्यमिदमित्याह क्रोधपर्याकुलेक्षणः ॥

sa siddhacakṣuṣā dṛṣṭvā tadannaṃ dvijasattamaḥ | abhojyamidamityāha krodhaparyākulekṣaṇaḥ

With his perfected sight that best of brahmins saw what the food was, and, his eyes wild with anger, said, "This is not fit to eat."

Verse 42 (1.192.42)

यस्मादभोज्यमन्नं मे ददाति स नृपाधमः । तस्मात्तस्यैव मूढस्य भविष्यत्यत्र लोलुपा ॥

yasmādabhojyamannaṃ me dadāti sa nṛpādhamaḥ | tasmāttasyaiva mūḍhasya bhaviṣyatyatra lolupā

Since that vilest of kings gives me food unfit to eat, that fool himself shall come to crave it.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (1.166.31cd): Wikisource prints this verse as a single line (1-192-42a, under the speaker line ब्राह्मण उवाच), losing its second half, the "therefore" that answers यस्मात्; the line तस्मात्तस्यैव मूढस्य भविष्यत्यत्र लोलुपा is added from the critical edition. The first line reads नृपाधमः for the critical edition's narādhipaḥ.

Verse 43 (1.192.43)

सक्तो मानुषमांसेषु यथोक्तः शक्तिना पुरा । उद्वेजनीयो भूतानां चरिष्यति महीमिमाम् ॥

sakto mānuṣamāṃseṣu yathoktaḥ śaktinā purā | udvejanīyo bhūtānāṃ cariṣyati mahīmimām

Addicted to human flesh, as Shakti once declared, he shall roam this earth, a terror to all beings.

Verse 44 (1.192.44)

द्विरनुव्याहृते राज्ञः स शापो बलवानभूत् । रक्षोबलसमाविष्टो विसंज्ञश्चाभवन्नृपः ॥

dviranuvyāhṛte rājñaḥ sa śāpo balavānabhūt | rakṣobalasamāviṣṭo visaṃjñaścābhavannṛpaḥ

Pronounced against the king a second time, the curse took full effect; possessed by the might of the rakshasa, the king lost his senses.

Verse 45 (1.192.45)

ततः स नृपतिश्रेष्ठो रक्षसापहृतेन्द्रियः । उवाच शक्तिं तं दृष्ट्वा न चिरादिव भारत ॥

tataḥ sa nṛpatiśreṣṭho rakṣasāpahṛtendriyaḥ | uvāca śaktiṃ taṃ dṛṣṭvā na cirādiva bhārata

Then that best of kings, his senses seized by the rakshasa, saw Shakti not long afterwards and said to him, O Bharata:

Note on the text: Corrected शख्तिं → शक्तिं (misprint in Wikisource; ख for क, as in the critical edition's śaktiṃ).

Verse 46 (1.192.46)

यस्मादसदृशः शापः प्रयुक्तोऽयं मयि त्वया । तस्मात्त्वत्तः प्रवर्तिष्ये खादितुं पुरुषानहम् ॥

yasmādasadṛśaḥ śāpaḥ prayukto'yaṃ mayi tvayā | tasmāttvattaḥ pravartiṣye khādituṃ puruṣānaham

Since you have laid this unfitting curse on me, I shall begin my eating of men with you.

Note on the text: Speaker changed from गन्धर्व to कल्माषपाद: no speaker line is printed, but the whole verse is the king's speech, introduced in the verse before.

Verse 47 (1.192.47)

एवमुक्त्वा ततः सद्यस्तं प्राणैर्विप्रयोज्य च । शक्तिं तं भक्षयामास व्याघ्रः पशुमिवेप्सितम् ॥

evamuktvā tataḥ sadyastaṃ prāṇairviprayojya ca | śaktiṃ taṃ bhakṣayāmāsa vyāghraḥ paśumivepsitam

With these words he at once took Shakti's life and devoured him, as a tiger devours the beast it craves.

Verse 48 (1.192.48)

शक्तिनं तु मृतं दृष्ट्वा विश्वामित्रः पुनःपुनः । वसिष्ठस्यैव पुत्रेषु तद्रक्षः संदिदेश ह ॥

śaktinaṃ tu mṛtaṃ dṛṣṭvā viśvāmitraḥ punaḥpunaḥ | vasiṣṭhasyaiva putreṣu tadrakṣaḥ saṃdideśa ha

Seeing Shakti dead, Vishvamitra again and again set that rakshasa on the other sons of Vasishtha.

Verse 49 (1.192.49)

स ताञ्शक्त्यवरान्पुत्रान्वसिष्ठस्य महात्मनः । भक्षयामास संक्रुद्धः सिंहः क्षुद्रमृगानिव ॥

sa tāñśaktyavarānputrānvasiṣṭhasya mahātmanaḥ | bhakṣayāmāsa saṃkruddhaḥ siṃhaḥ kṣudramṛgāniva

In his fury he devoured those sons of the great-souled Vasishtha who were younger than Shakti, as a lion devours small game.

Note on the text: शक्त्यवरान्, "younger than Shakti", for the critical edition's śatāvarān is kept as the base text's reading.

Verse 50 (1.192.50)

वसिष्ठो घातिताञ्श्रुत्वा विश्वामित्रेण तान्सुतान् । धारयामास तं शोकं महाद्रिरिव मेदिनीम् ॥

vasiṣṭho ghātitāñśrutvā viśvāmitreṇa tānsutān | dhārayāmāsa taṃ śokaṃ mahādririva medinīm

Hearing that his sons had been killed through Vishvamitra, Vasishtha bore that grief as a great mountain bears the earth.

Verse 51 (1.192.51)

चक्रे चात्मविनाशाय बुद्धिं स मुनिसत्तमः । न त्वेव कौशिकोच्छेदं मेने मतिमतां वरः ॥

cakre cātmavināśāya buddhiṃ sa munisattamaḥ | na tveva kauśikocchedaṃ mene matimatāṃ varaḥ

That best of sages resolved to destroy himself, but the wisest of the wise never thought of destroying the Kaushikas.

Verse 52 (1.192.52)

स मेरुकूटादात्मानं मुमोच भगवानृषिः । गिरेस्तस्य शिलायां तु तूलराशाविवापतत् ॥

sa merukūṭādātmānaṃ mumoca bhagavānṛṣiḥ | girestasya śilāyāṃ tu tūlarāśāvivāpatat

The blessed seer threw himself from a peak of Meru, but he fell on the rocks of that mountain as though onto a heap of cotton.

Verse 53 (1.192.53)

न ममार च पातेन स यदा तेन पाण्डव । तदाग्निमिद्धं भगवान्संविवेश महावने ॥

na mamāra ca pātena sa yadā tena pāṇḍava | tadāgnimiddhaṃ bhagavānsaṃviveśa mahāvane

When he did not die from that fall, Pandava, the blessed one entered a blazing fire in the great forest.

Verse 54 (1.192.54)

तं तदा सुसमिद्धोऽपि न ददाह हुताशनः । दीप्यमानोऽप्यमित्रघ्न शीतोऽग्निरभवत्ततः ॥

taṃ tadā susamiddho'pi na dadāha hutāśanaḥ | dīpyamāno'pyamitraghna śīto'gnirabhavattataḥ

But the fire, though well kindled, did not burn him; blazing as it was, slayer of foes, it turned cool.

Verse 55 (1.192.55)

स समुद्रमभिप्रेक्ष्य शोकाविष्टो महामुनिः । बद्ध्वा कण्ठे शिलां गुर्वीं निपपात तदाम्भसि ॥

sa samudramabhiprekṣya śokāviṣṭo mahāmuniḥ | baddhvā kaṇṭhe śilāṃ gurvīṃ nipapāta tadāmbhasi

Then, overcome by grief, the great sage looked upon the ocean, tied a heavy stone to his neck and threw himself into the water.

Verse 56 (1.192.56)

स समुद्रोर्मिवेगेन स्थले न्यस्तो महामुनिः । न ममार यदा विप्रः कथंचित्संशितव्रतः । जगाम स ततः खिन्नः पुनरेवाश्रमं प्रति ॥

sa samudrormivegena sthale nyasto mahāmuniḥ | na mamāra yadā vipraḥ kathaṃcitsaṃśitavrataḥ | jagāma sa tataḥ khinnaḥ punarevāśramaṃ prati

The rush of the ocean's waves laid the great sage on the shore. When the brahmin of strict vows could in no way die, he went back, weary, to his hermitage.

Note on the text: A three-line verse as printed: the first and third lines = 1.166.45ab and cd of the critical edition; the second is in its apparatus (1.166.45b*1783).