Chapter 136

“Lomasa said, ‘One day in the month of Chaitra, while fearlesslywandering at large, Yavakri approached the hermitage of Raivya. And O sonof Bharata, in that beautiful hermitage, adorned with trees bearingblossoms, he happened to behold the daughter-in-law of Raivya, saunteringabout like a Kinnara woman. And having lost his senses through passion,Yavakri shamelessly spake unto the bashful maiden, saying, ‘Be thouattached unto me.’ Thereupon, knowing his nature, and afraid of a curse,as well as thinking of Raivya’s power, she went unto him saying, ‘Iagree.’ Then, O son of Bharata, taking him in private, she kept himchained. O conqueror of foes, returning to his hermitage, Raivya foundhis daughter-in-law, Paravasu’s wife, in tears. O Yudhishthira, thereatconsoling her with soft words, he enquired of her as to the cause of hergrief. Thereupon, the beautiful damsel told him all that Yavakri had saidunto her, and what she also had cleverly said unto him. Hearing of thisgross misbehaviour of Yavakri, the mind of the sage flamed up, and hewaxed exceedingly wroth. And being thus seized with passion, the greatsage of a highly irascible temper, tore off a matted lock of his hair,and with holy mantras, offered it as a sacrifice on the sacred fire. Atthis, there sprang out of it a female exactly resembling hisdaughter-in-law. And then he plucked another matted lock of his hair, andagain offered it as a sacrifice into the fire. Thereupon sprang out of ita demon, terrible to behold, and having fierce eyes. Then those, twospake unto Raivya, saying, ‘What shall we do?’ Thereat, the angry sagesaid unto them, ‘Go and kill Yavakri.’ Then saying, ‘We shall do (as thoubiddest)’–they two went away with the intention of slaying Yavakri. Andwith her charms, the female whom the large-hearted sage had created,robbed Yavakri of his sacred water-pot. Then with his uplifted spear thedemon flew at Yavakri, when he had been deprived of his water-pot andrendered unclean. And seeing the demon approach with uplifted spear forthe purpose of slaying him, Yavakri rose up all on a sudden and fledtowards a tank. But finding it devoid of water, he hurried towards allthe rivers. But they too were all dried up. And being obstructed againand again by the fierce demon, holding the spear, Yavakri in frightattempted to enter into the Agnihotra room of his father. But there, Oking, he was repulsed by a blind Sudra warder, and he remained at thedoor, grasped by the man. And, finding Yavakri thus grasped by the Sudra,the demon hurled his spear at him, and thereupon he fell down dead,pierced in the heart. After slaying Yavakri, the demon went back toRaivya, and with the permission of that sage, began to live with thefemale.”