“The great Viswamitra, endued with energy, had, a little while ago, desired to make that monarch his disciple. As the monarch, afflicted with hunger and thirst, was proceeding through the woods, he came across that best of Rishis, the illustrious son of Vasishtha, coming along the same path. The king ever victorious in battle saw that Muni bearing the name of Saktri, that illustrious propagator of Vasishtha’s race, the eldest of the high-souled Vasishtha’s hundred sons, coming along from opposite direction. The king, beholding him said, ‘Stand out of our way.’ The Rishi, addressing the monarch in a conciliatory manner, said unto him sweetly, ‘O king, this is my way. This is the eternal rule of morality indicated in every treatise on duty and religion, viz., that a king should ever make way for Brahmanas.’ Thus did they address each other respecting their right of way. ‘Stand aside, stand aside’, were the words they said unto each other. The Rishi, who was in the right, did not yield, nor did the king yield to him from pride and anger. That best of monarchs, enraged at the Rishi, refusing to yield him the way, acted like a Rakshasa, striking him with his whip. Thus whipped by the monarch, that best of Rishis, the son of Vasishtha, was deprived of his senses by anger, and speedily cursed that first of monarchs, saying, ‘O worst of kings, since thou persecutest like a Rakshasa an ascetic, thou shalt from this day, became a Rakshasa subsisting on human flesh! Hence, thou worst of kings! thou shalt wander over the earth, affecting human form!’ Thus did the Rishi Sakti, endued with great prowess, speak unto king Kalmashapada. At this time Viswamitra, between whom and Vasishtha there was a dispute about the discipleship of Kalmashapada, approached the place where that monarch and Vasishtha’s son were. And, O Partha, that Rishi of severe ascetic penances, viz.Mbh 1.178.3a · Mahabharata · ADI PARVA
Mbh 1.178.3a
Mahabharata · translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli
Themes in this passage
LeadershipChildrenAngerSpeechDharmaThe DivineNaturePride
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