Page:Folk-lore of the Telugus.djvu/96

88 curse. He himself would now go on a visit to Benares, but Sarma was at perfect liberty to go home, being completely trained in all the sciences, and ere long would rise to a very prominent position, and he further blessed him with four very intelligent sons. Chandrasarma, thereupon, enquired of his perceptor the circumstances under which he became a Brahmarakshasa, and why he had to go on a visit to Benares. To which the latter replied:—"I was living some time ago at Sarasvatipura, on the banks of the Krishna, and learnt the various sciences. While there, a Brahman pupil visited the place and requested me to instruct him in some of the sciences, which I refused to do, feeling very proud of my learning, and so my would-be pupil became very much infuriated and said:—'Reserve your learning to yourself; you need not teach me at all: I shall learn from some other person,' and cursed me to become a Brahmarakshasa. Quaking with fear, I requested him to inform me how best I could be relieved of the curse. And he replied:—'After some time, Chandrasarma, a