RAMAYANA FOR CHILDREN –CHAPTER 59
VISVAMITRA CHAMPIONS TRISANKU
Visvamitra replied to the king turned into a chandala with pity. “Welcome, you are a proud member of a noble clan. I know, son, you to be a noble king. Don’t be afraid, noble lord. From this moment you sit under the shield. And my sword is at the breast of your enemies! I will send for such as can help me in this sacrifice. They are all wise sages and saintly ascetics. Once they are here you can start it with a relieved heart. You are not a born Chandala. So you will ascend to the heavens in this body. All this will happen through the power of my Tapas. I see the gates of heaven open wide to receive you. You will be an honoured guest there. You will take your proud seat among the Gods. You have asked for and obtained refuge with Visvamitra. The son of Gadhi is the champion of the weak and oppressed?”
He directed his son to get everything ready towards the sacrifice. Next, he said to his disciples, “You go from here and invite here the Wise Ones of the Earth. Also welcome their pupils, friends as also the sacrificial priests. If anyone says no, tell him here is a kshatria to sacrifice for a Chandala!”
They heard and obeyed his orders. They went away and brought back news. “O, sir, the Wise Ones have heard your message. And they are now on their way here. All are coming except Mahodaya and sons of Vasishtha. The sons had the temerity to say, ‘Strange days have come over us and strange things happen. A kshatria has the audacity to assume the sacred functions of a sacrificial priest. And that too in the cause of a degraded Chandala. Have noble Brahmanas become so scarce that a warrior should pose himself as such. Have the twice-born disappeared? How could a Chandala dare to allow a sacrifice to be conducted for his benefit? This is a nice pair! A fighting priest and the outcast sacrificer! It will be a strange sight to see the holy sages and Gods sit down in the hall to partake of the offerings! How do the Brahmanas hope to ascend to the Heavens? They will be defiled by taking food at the hands of the Chandala. How dare the sages of holy vows have assisted in this? This is a sacrilegious rite.’ Mahodaya and the numerous sons of Vasishtha had these wanton words to utter”
Visvamitra heard them. And fierce fire shot out of his eyes. While the burning wrath found vent, “And so, the impious wretches had these words to say about me. I am pure and spotless. I am engaged in terrible austerities. Let them decry me. They do not know that nothing can stand before the fire of my Tapas. Well here is the reward for their pains. Nothing shall remain of them but a heap of ashes! Time shall cast his noose over their necks. And it will haul them to the gates of the Lord of Death. More is yet to come, for this is not enough punishment. For seven hundred lives they shall drag on a miserable existence. They will eat foul and decaying corpse and dog’s meat. They are pitiless. They shall be known by the name of Mushtikas. They shall go around the world in uncouth form speech and habits. They shall go under the name of Mushtikas. As for Mahodaya, he shall be a degraded Nishada. He shall for ages suffer a life of misery. He will be ever be a murderer. My anger shall chain him to such a way of life.”
Visvamitra spoke so. He was the sage of stern vows. The ascetics heard him with well-concealed disapproval and sorrow.
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