Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (Volume 1).pdf/66



Sauti said: "O Brahmana, baving heard these words from the god of fire, the Rakshasa assumed the form of a boar, and seizing the lady carried her away with the speed of the wind-even of thought. Then the child of Bhrigu lying in her body enraged at such violence, dropped from his mother's womb, for which he obtained the name of Chyavana, And the Rakshasa perceiving the infant drop from the mother's womb, shining like the sun, quitted his grasp of the woman, fell down and was instantly converted into ashes. And the beautiful Pauloma, distracted with grief, O Brahmana of the Bhrigu race, took up her offspring Chyavana, the son of Bhrigu and walked away. And Brahma, the Grand. father of all, himself saw ber, the faultless wife of his son, weeping (with his eyes full of tears). And the Grand-father of all comforted her who was attached to her son. And the drops of tears which rolled down her eyes formed a great river. And that river began to follow the footsteps of the wite of the great ascetic Bhrigu. And the Grand father of the worlds seeing that river follow the path of his son's wife gave it a name himself, and he called it Vadhusara.. And it passeth by the bermitage of Chyavana. And in this manner was born Chyavana of great ascetic power, the son of Bhrigu.

"And Bhrigu saw his child Chyavana and its beautiful mother. And the Risbi io a rage asked her, "By whom wast made thou known to that Rahshasa who resolved to carry thee away ? O thou of agreeable smiles, the Rakshasa coald not know thee as my wife. Therefore tell me who it was that told the Rakshasa so, in order that I may curse him through anger.' And Pauloma replied, 'O possessor of the six attributes 1 I was identified to the Rakshasa by Agni (the god of fire). And he (the Rakshasa) bore me away. who cried like the Kurari (female osprey). And it was only by the ardent splendour of this thy son that I was rescued, for the Rakshasa (seeing this infant) let me go and himselt falling to the ground was turned into ashes."

Sauti continued :-"Bhrigu, upon hearing this account from Puloma, became exceedingly enraged. And in exess of passion the Rishi cursed Agni, saying. 'Thou shalt eat of all things.'"

So ends the sixth section called "the curse on Agni" in the Adi Parva.