Chapter 6

“Sauti said, ‘O Brahmana, having heard these words from the god of fire,the Rakshasa assumed the form of a boar, and seizing the lady carried heraway with the speed of the wind–even of thought. Then the child ofBhrigu lying in her body enraged at such violence, dropped from hismother’s womb, for which he obtained the name of Chyavana.

And theRakshasa perceiving the infant drop from the mother’s womb, shining likethe sun, quitted his grasp of the woman, fell down and was instantlyconverted into ashes. And the beautiful Pauloma, distracted with grief, OBrahmana of the Bhrigu race, took up her offspring Chyavana, the son ofBhrigu and walked away. And Brahma, the Grandfather of all, himself sawher, the faultless wife of his son, weeping. And the Grandfather of allcomforted her who was attached to her son. And the drops of tears whichrolled down her eyes formed a great river. And that river began to followthe foot-steps of the wife of the great ascetic Bhrigu. And theGrandfather of the worlds seeing that river follow the path of his son’swife gave it a name himself, and he called it Vadhusara. And it passethby the hermitage of Chyavana. And in this manner was born Chyavana ofgreat ascetic power, the son of Bhrigu.

“And Bhrigu saw his child Chyavana and its beautiful mother. And theRishi in a rage asked her, ‘By whom wast thou made known to that Rakshasawho resolved to carry thee away? O thou of agreeable smiles, the Rakshasacould not know thee as my wile. Therefore tell me who it was that toldthe Rakshasa so, in order that I may curse him through anger.’ AndPauloma replied, ‘O possessor of the six attributes! I was identified tothe Rakshasa by Agni (the god of fire). And he (the Rakshasa) bore meaway, who cried like the Kurari (female osprey). And it was only by theardent splendour of this thy son that I was rescued, for the Rakshasa(seeing this infant) let me go and himself falling to the ground wasturned into ashes.’

“Sauti continued, ‘Bhrigu, upon hearing this account from Pauloma, becameexceedingly enraged. And in excess 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.