The Curse of Kalmashapada

Verse 1 (skanda.8.17.1)

व्यास उवाच। कस्मात् स राजा तमृषिं चखाद तपसान्वितम् । रक्षसा स किमर्थ च हृतचेता भवन्नृपः

vyāsa uvāca| kasmāt sa rājā tamṛṣiṁ cakhāda tapasānvitam | rakṣasā sa kimartha ca hṛtacetā bhavannṛpaḥ

Vyasa said: Why did that king devour that sage endowed with austerity, and for what reason did the king become one whose mind was seized by a rakshasa?

Verse 2 (skanda.8.17.2)

वसिष्ठयाज्यो राजासीन्नाम्ना मित्रसहः प्रभुः । सौदासस्तस्य पुत्रोऽभूदिन्द्रचन्द्रसमद्युतिः

vasiṣṭhayājyo rājāsīnnāmnā mitrasahaḥ prabhuḥ | saudāsastasya putro'bhūdindracandrasamadyutiḥ

There was a lordly king, for whom Vasishtha served as sacrificial priest, named Mitrasaha. His son Saudasa was of splendour equal to Indra and the Moon.

Verse 3 (skanda.8.17.3)

समागम्याब्रवीच्छक्तिश्चरिष्ये दीक्षितो व्रतम् । ततो मे निशि राजेन्द्र सदैव पिशिताशनम्

samāgamyābravīcchaktiścariṣye dīkṣito vratam | tato me niśi rājendra sadaiva piśitāśanam

Shakti came and said: 'I shall be consecrated and observe a vow. Then, O lord of kings, meat-food should always be given to me at night.'

Verse 4 (skanda.8.17.4)

इहागतस्य यच्छ त्वं शुचि सर्वगुणान्वितम् । सुप्रभाहारसंयुक्तमेकस्यैकान्त एव च

ihāgatasya yaccha tvaṁ śuci sarvaguṇānvitam | suprabhāhārasaṁyuktamekasyaikānta eva ca

'To me, who have come here, give pure food, endowed with every good quality, provided with excellent fare, for me alone and in private.'

Verse 5 (skanda.8.17.5)

एवमस्त्विति तेनोक्ते जगाम स महामनाः । अथास्यान्तर्हितं रक्षो नृपतेरभवत्तदा

evamastviti tenokte jagāma sa mahāmanāḥ | athāsyāntarhitaṁ rakṣo nṛpaterabhavattadā

When the king had said, 'So be it,' that great-souled Shakti departed. Then a rakshasa entered unseen into the king.

Verse 6 (skanda.8.17.6)

सूदान्नाज्ञापयत्तेन तस्यार्थे मुनिसत्तम । गते च दिवसे तात संस्मृत्याथ यतात्मवान् सूदमाहूय प्रोवाच आर्तवत् स नराधिपः

sūdānnājñāpayattena tasyārthe munisattama | gate ca divase tāta saṁsmṛtyātha yatātmavān sūdamāhūya provāca ārtavat sa narādhipaḥ

For that best of sages, the king ordered the cook to prepare the food. When the day had passed, O dear one, that self-controlled king, having remembered, summoned the cook and spoke as one distressed —

Verse 7 (skanda.8.17.7)

सौदास उवाच। मया मृतवसो प्रातर्गुरुपुत्रस्य धीमतः । पिशितं संप्रतिज्ञातं भोजनं निशि संस्कृतम्

saudāsa uvāca| mayā mṛtavaso prātarguruputrasya dhīmataḥ | piśitaṁ saṁpratijñātaṁ bhojanaṁ niśi saṁskṛtam

Saudasa said: 'O Mritavasu, this morning I promised meat-food, to be prepared at night, to the wise son of my guru.'

Verse 8 (skanda.8.17.8)

तत्कुरुष्व यथाक्षिप्रं कालो नोपरमेद्यथा । स एवमुक्तः प्रोवाच सूदो मृतवसुस्तदा

tatkuruṣva yathākṣipraṁ kālo noparamedyathā | sa evamuktaḥ provāca sūdo mṛtavasustadā

'Prepare it as quickly as possible, so that the time does not pass.' Thus addressed, the cook Mritavasu then said —

Verse 9 (skanda.8.17.9)

राजंस्त्वया त्वनाख्यातं प्रागेव नरपुङ्गव । सांप्रतं नास्ति पिशितं स्तोकमप्यभिकांक्षितम्

rājaṁstvayā tvanākhyātaṁ prāgeva narapuṅgava | sāṁprataṁ nāsti piśitaṁ stokamapyabhikāṁkṣitam

'O king, bull among men, you did not tell me this beforehand. At present there is no meat available, not even a little.'

Verse 10 (skanda.8.17.10)

पिशितस्यैव चाल्पस्य बहूनां चैव भूभुजाम् । अमृतस्य प्रदानाच्च न किंचिदवशिष्यते

piśitasyaiva cālpasya bahūnāṁ caiva bhūbhujām | amṛtasya pradānācca na kiṁcidavaśiṣyate

'The little meat there was, and the food besides, has all been given out among the many kings — nothing at all remains.'

Verse 11 (skanda.8.17.11)

राजोवाच। जाने सर्वोपयोगं च जाने चादुष्कृतं तव । जाने स्तोकं च पिशितं कार्यं चेदं तथाविधम् मृग्यतां पिशितं क्षिप्रं लुब्धकं यत्र मन्यसे

rājovāca| jāne sarvopayogaṁ ca jāne cāduṣkṛtaṁ tava | jāne stokaṁ ca piśitaṁ kāryaṁ cedaṁ tathāvidham mṛgyatāṁ piśitaṁ kṣipraṁ lubdhakaṁ yatra manyase

The king said: 'I know the whole matter, and I know this is no fault of yours. I know meat is scarce, yet this task must still be done. Let meat be sought quickly, from whatever hunter you think fit.'

Verse 12 (skanda.8.17.12)

सनत्कुमार उवाच। पिशितं मृगयन् यत्नान्नाप्यविन्दत कर्हिचित् । यदा न लब्धवान् मांसं तदोवाच नराधिपम् मृगयन् सारखिन्नोऽस्मि शाधि किं करवाणि ते

sanatkumāra uvāca| piśitaṁ mṛgayan yatnānnāpyavindata karhicit | yadā na labdhavān māṁsaṁ tadovāca narādhipam mṛgayan sārakhinno'smi śādhi kiṁ karavāṇi te

Sanatkumara said: Though he sought meat with great effort, he could not find it anywhere. When he had failed to obtain meat, he said to the king: 'Having searched, I am utterly exhausted — command me, what shall I do for you?'

Verse 13 (skanda.8.17.13)

सनत्कुमार उवाच। स एवमुक्तः सूदेन तस्मिन् काले नराधिपः । नोवाच किंचित्तं सूदं विमनाः स बभूव ह

sanatkumāra uvāca| sa evamuktaḥ sūdena tasmin kāle narādhipaḥ | novāca kiṁcittaṁ sūdaṁ vimanāḥ sa babhūva ha

Sanatkumara said: Thus addressed by the cook at that moment, the king said nothing at all to him, and became downcast.

Verse 14 (skanda.8.17.14)

इदमन्तरमासाद्य विश्वामित्रसमीरितः । राक्षसो रुधिरो नाम संविवेश नराधिपम्

idamantaramāsādya viśvāmitrasamīritaḥ | rākṣaso rudhiro nāma saṁviveśa narādhipam

Finding this opening, a rakshasa named Rudhira, set in motion by Vishvamitra, entered into the king.

Verse 15 (skanda.8.17.15)

राक्षसेन तदाविष्टो रुधिरेण दुरात्मना । उवाच सूदं शनकैः कर्णमूले महाद्युतिः

rākṣasena tadāviṣṭo rudhireṇa durātmanā | uvāca sūdaṁ śanakaiḥ karṇamūle mahādyutiḥ

Then possessed by the evil-minded rakshasa Rudhira, that greatly splendid king spoke softly into the cook's ear —

Verse 16 (skanda.8.17.16)

गच्छ यत्किंचिदानीय मांसं मानुष्यकं ततः । गार्दभं वाप्यथौष्ट्रं वा शीघ्रं संस्कर्तुमर्हसि

gaccha yatkiṁcidānīya māṁsaṁ mānuṣyakaṁ tataḥ | gārdabhaṁ vāpyathauṣṭraṁ vā śīghraṁ saṁskartumarhasi

'Go, and having procured somehow the flesh of a man, or else that of a donkey or a camel, you should quickly prepare it.'

Verse 17 (skanda.8.17.17)

किमसौ ज्ञास्यते रात्रौ त्वया भूयश्च संस्कृतम् । रसवद् गन्धवच्चैव क्षिप्रमेव समानय

kimasau jñāsyate rātrau tvayā bhūyaśca saṁskṛtam | rasavad gandhavaccaiva kṣiprameva samānaya

'How, at night, will he know what has again been prepared by you? Bring it quickly, made savoury and fragrant.'

Verse 18 (skanda.8.17.18)

सनत्कुमार उवाच। एवमुक्तस्तु तेनाथ मानुषं मांसमाददे । राजापकारिणो व्यास सूदो शिष्टस्य कस्यचित्

sanatkumāra uvāca| evamuktastu tenātha mānuṣaṁ māṁsamādade | rājāpakāriṇo vyāsa sūdo śiṣṭasya kasyacit

Sanatkumara said: Thus commanded, the cook then took, O Vyasa, the flesh of some condemned man who had wronged the king.

Verse 19 (skanda.8.17.19)

अथार्धरात्रसमये भास्कराकारवर्चसम् । राजानलसमप्रख्यमपश्यन्मुनिसत्तमम्

athārdharātrasamaye bhāskarākāravarcasam | rājānalasamaprakhyamapaśyanmunisattamam

Then, at midnight, the king beheld that best of sages, radiant in form like the sun, resembling fire in splendour.

Verse 20 (skanda.8.17.20)

स तमर्घ्येण पाद्येन आसनाग्रवरेण च । अर्चयित्वा तु विधिवदन्नमस्योपपादयत्

sa tamarghyeṇa pādyena āsanāgravareṇa ca | arcayitvā tu vidhivadannamasyopapādayat

Having duly honoured him with the guest-offering, water for the feet, and the finest seat, he then presented the food to him according to rite.

Verse 21 (skanda.8.17.21)

स तदन्नं समानीतं समालभ्य महातपाः । चुकोप क्षोभितं चापि पार्थिवं प्रहसन्निव

sa tadannaṁ samānītaṁ samālabhya mahātapāḥ | cukopa kṣobhitaṁ cāpi pārthivaṁ prahasanniva

That great ascetic, having touched the food brought to him, grew enraged, and, as though laughing in his agitation, addressed the king.

Verse 22 (skanda.8.17.22)

शक्तिरुवाच। पार्थिवाधम विप्राणां भोजनं राक्षसोचितम् । न दीयते विधिज्ञेन त्वं तु मामवमन्यसे

śaktiruvāca| pārthivādhama viprāṇāṁ bhojanaṁ rākṣasocitam | na dīyate vidhijñena tvaṁ tu māmavamanyase

Shakti said: 'O basest of kings, one who knows the sacred law does not offer brahmins food fit for a rakshasa. You have insulted me.'

Verse 23 (skanda.8.17.23)

यस्मात्त्वं राक्षसमिदं मह्यं दित्ससि भोजनम् । तस्मात्त्वं कर्मणानेन पुरुषादो भविष्यसि

yasmāttvaṁ rākṣasamidaṁ mahyaṁ ditsasi bhojanam | tasmāttvaṁ karmaṇānena puruṣādo bhaviṣyasi

'Since you sought to give me this rakshasa-food, therefore, by this deed, you yourself shall become an eater of men.'

Verse 24 (skanda.8.17.24)

सनत्कुमार उवाच। स एवमुक्तस्तेजस्वी राजा संचिन्त्य तत्तदा । उवाच क्रोधरक्ताक्षो राक्षसाविष्टचेतनः

sanatkumāra uvāca| sa evamuktastejasvī rājā saṁcintya tattadā | uvāca krodharaktākṣo rākṣasāviṣṭacetanaḥ

Sanatkumara said: Thus addressed, the splendid king, having pondered on this, spoke — his eyes red with rage, his mind possessed by the rakshasa —

Verse 25 (skanda.8.17.25)

पुरुषादो भवेत्येवं मामवोचद् भवान् यतः । अतस्त्वां भक्षयिष्यामि भ्रातृभिः सहितं द्विज

puruṣādo bhavetyevaṁ māmavocad bhavān yataḥ | atastvāṁ bhakṣayiṣyāmi bhrātṛbhiḥ sahitaṁ dvija

'Since you have told me that I shall become a man-eater, therefore, O brahmin, I shall devour you, together with your brothers.'

Verse 26 (skanda.8.17.26)

भक्षयित्वा विशुद्ध्यर्थं मुक्तशापस्ततः परम् । चरिष्यामि तपः शुद्धं संयम्येन्द्रियसंयुतम् पित्रा तवाभ्यनुज्ञातः स्वर्गे वत्स्ये यथेप्सितम्

bhakṣayitvā viśuddhyarthaṁ muktaśāpastataḥ param | cariṣyāmi tapaḥ śuddhaṁ saṁyamyendriyasaṁyutam pitrā tavābhyanujñātaḥ svarge vatsye yathepsitam

'Having devoured you, and thereafter freed from the curse, for the sake of purification I shall practise pure austerity, my senses restrained and controlled; and, permitted by your father, I shall dwell in heaven as I wish.'