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 THE CURSE AT FAREWELL

Sukra summoned Kacha. And, summoned by his preceptor, Kacha appeared before him in gladness of heart, tearing by virtue of his preceptor's science the bodies of the wolves. And, asked about the cause of his delay, he thus spoke unto Bhargava’s! daughter. Indeed, asked by that Brahmana’s daughter, he told her, ‘I was dead, O thou of pure manners, bearing the sacrificial fuel, éufa-grass and logs of wood, I was coming toward our abode. I had sat under a banian-tree. The kine also, having been gathered together, were staying under the shade of that same banian. The Asuras, beholding me, asked, “Who art thou?”’ They heard me answer, “JI am the son of Brhaspati.”” As soon as I had said this, the Dinavas slew me, and, hacking my body into pieces, gave my remains to jackals and wolves. And they then went to their homes in gladness of heart.’. . . “On another occasion, asked by Devayanl, the- Brahmana Kacha went into the woods. And, as he was roving about gathering flowers, the Dinavas beheld him. They again slew him, and, pounding him into paste, they mixed it with the waters of the ocean. Finding him late, the maiden again represented the matter unto her father. And, summoned again by the Brahmana with the aid of his science, Kacha, appearing before him, told everything as it had happened. Then, slaying

1 Sukra.

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