Chapter LIII: Section LV

"And beholding them sore harassed, and overwhelmed by Vicwamitra's weapons, Vasishtha directed (Savali) saying,--'O cow of plenty, do thou create (fresh troops), through thy _Yoga_ power.' And from her roar, there came into being Kamvojas, resembling the Sun. And from her udders sprang Varvaras, arms in hand; and from her mysterious parts, Yavanas; from her anus, Sakas; and from the pores of her skin, those barbarians,--Haritas and Kiratas. And, O descendant of Raghu, anon Vicwamitra's entire host consisting of foot, and elephant, and horse, and car, was exterminated by them. And seeing the army annihilated by the high- souled Vasishtha, the hundred sons of Vicwamitra, equipped with various weapons, rushed in high ire against that best of _mantra_-reciting ones. Thereupon, uttering a roar, that mighty ascetic consumed them quite. And in a moment, Vicwamitra's sons together with horse and car and foot were reduced to ashes by the high-souled Vasishtha. And witnessing them all destroyed, together with the army, the illustrious Vicwamitra, covered with shame, became plunged in thought; and like unto a tideless ocean or a fangless snake, he instantly became shorn of his effulgence, like unto the sun overwhelmed by Rahu.[78] And deprived of his forces and sons, he appeared like a bird bereft of its wings; and losing his entire army and with it the high spirits that it had inspired him with, his heart died within him. Then entrusting one of his (remaining) sons with the sovereignty, saying,--'Do thou rule the earth agreeably to the duties of the Kshatriya,' he went into the forest. And repairing to the side of the Himavat inhabited by Kinnaras and Serpents, that one of mighty asceticism began to perform austerities with the view of propitiating Mahadeva. And on a certain occasion that lord of the celestials, Vrishadwaja,[79] intending to confer a boon, appeared before the mighty ascetic Vicwamitra,--'What for, O king, art thou performing penance? Do thou unfold what thou hast to say. I am for conferring a boon: do thou express what boon thou wouldst obtain.' Thus addressed by that god, that performer of mighty austerities, Vicwamitra, bowing down unto him, addressed him, saying,--'If, O mighty god, thou art pleased (with me), do thou confer upon me the science of archery with all its mysteries and _mantras_, as well as its virtues of helping from far and near. And, O sinless one, may all those weapons that are with the celestials and the _Danavas_ and the _Maharshis_ and the Gandharbas and the Yakshas, and the Rakshas, shine on me! May this my desire be granted me through thy grace, O god of gods! There- upon, saying,--'Be it so'--the lord of the celestials vanished. And obtaining the arms from the lord of the celestials, the mighty Vicwamitra, naturally haughty became swelled with insolence. And surcharged with energy, like unto the sea during the equinox, he considered, O Rama, as if that foremost of saints, Vasishtha, was already slain. And repairing to Vasishtha's asylum, the king began to discharge weapons, capable of burning down the hermitage. And beholding those weapons discharged by the intelligent Vicwamitra, the ascetics, overtaken by fear, by hundreds began to fly. And Vasishtha's disciples as well as the animals and birds inhabiting there, fled in all directions by thousands. And for a time the hermitage of the high-souled Vasishtha was bare of living beings, and still like unto a wilderness, though Vasishtha cried again and again,--'Do not fear. To-day will I slay Gadhi's son, even as the sun (destroys) mist.' Having said this,that best of _mantra_-reciting ones, Vasishtha, in high wrath, addressed Vicwamitra, saying,--'Since, O fool, thou hast destroyed this hermitage that had been prospering for a long time, thou of execrable ways shalt not live long.' Saying this, he, transported with wrath, and like unto the smoking flame at universal dissolution, speedily upraised a staff resembling another mace of Yama itself."

[78] A Daitya with the tail of a dragon, whose head was severed from
his body by Vishnu; but being immortal, the head and tail retained
their separate existence, and being transfered to the stellar
sphere, became the author of eclipses.--T.

[79] An appellation of Siva; meaning, who hath the bull for his
vehicle.--T.