Chapter 65 - The Story of Saudasa who is cursed by the Sage Vasishtha

Having caused his army to halt after a month’s march, Shatrughna started out alone with a rapid step. Two days later, that hero, the Joy of the Raghus reached the sacred hermitage of Valmiki, the foremost of retreats, and, with joined palms, paying obeisance to that magnanimous Sage, spoke thus:—

“O Blessed One, I desire to spend the night here where the mission of my elder brother has led me; to-morrow, at dawn, I shall set out for the west.”

Thus spoke the great-souled Shatrughna, and the foremost of Sages, smiling, answered him, saying:—

“Be you welcome, O Illustrious Prince 1 This hermitage, O dear Friend, belongs to the descendants of the Raghu Race also; without hesitation, do you accept a seat from me and water for your hands and feet!”

Thereupon, Shatrughna, being honoured, accepted the fruits and roots for his repast and, being fed thereon till he was fully satisfied, then enquired of the great Rishi, saying:—

“Whose is this fertile area to the east of the hermitage, that has been created by sacrifice?”^[1]

To this enquiry, Valmiki replied:—

“O Shatrughna, hear to whom this region formerly belonged! One of thine ancestors was the King Saudasa and, of that monarch was born Mitrasaha^[2], who was full of vigour and extremely virtuous. One day the valiant and righteous Saudasa, having followed the hunt, observed two Rakshasas wandering here and there, in the form of tigers, and those monsters were devouring thousands of antelopes in order to appease their insatiable appetites. Seeing those two Rakshasas, who had denuded the forest of deer, Saudasa was seized with violent anger and pierced one of them with a long dart. Having slain it, that foremost of men recovered his composure and, his anger dissipated, he gazed on the dead Rakshasa.

Observing him contemplating his companion thus, the surviving demon, filled with a burning grief, said to him:—

“‘You have slain my companion who had done you no harm, I shall revenge myself on you one day, you wretch!’

“Speaking thus, the Rakshasa disappeared.

“In the course of time, the son of Saudasa, Mitrasaha, came to the throne, and Saudasa undertook the Ashvamedha Sacrifice in the vicinity of this ashrama with Vasishtha as the officiating priest. This continued for many years and was of exceeding splendour so that it resembled one offered by the Gods.

At the close of the rites, the Rakshasa, calling to mind his past grievance, assumed the form of Vasishtha and said to the king:—

“‘Now the sacrifice has been completed, let flesh be brought speedily that I may eat without delay!’

“Hearing that Rakshasa, transformed into a brahmin, speaking thus, the king addressed his cooks, who were skilled in their art and said:—

“‘Speedily prepare Havis [i.e., Anything offered that has been cooked in ghee] and such savoury dishes of flesh that will please my Guru!’

“This command of that monarch bewildered the cooks, whereupon the Rakshasa, assuming their form, prepared a dish of human flesh which he brought to the king, saying, ‘Here is a savoury dish made of flesh!’

“O Foremost of Men, the king, with his consort, Madayanti, presented those dishes brought by the Rakshasa, that were composed of flesh, to the Sage Vasishtha, and that ascetic, perceiving he had been offered human flesh, was transported with rage and began to pronounce a curse upon him, saying:—

“‘Since it has pleased you, O King, to offer me a repast of this nature, it shall assuredly become your food.’

“Thereupon Saudasa, incensed, in his turn took water in his hand and was about to curse Vasishtha when his wife restrained him, saying:—

“‘O King, since the blessed Sage is our spiritual Preceptor, it is not proper for you to pronounce a curse upon him, a priest is like unto a God.’

“Then that virtuous monarch poured out that water charged with power and some fell on his feet, which became stained and, from that time the illustrious Saudasa became known as Kalmashapada [i.e., Spotted Feet]. Then that monarch, with his consort, having prostrated themselves before Vasishtha again and again, informed him of what the Rakshasa, under the shape of a brahmin, had done.

“Hearing from that foremost of monarchs of the vile act of the Rakshasa, Vasishtha addressed the king once more, saying:—

“‘The words that I have pronounced in anger may not be uttered in vain but I will grant you a boon. You shalt be freed from the curse in twelve years and, by my favour, shall not remember what has passed, 0 Foremost of Men.’

“Having suffered the consequences of that curse, Saudasa, the Slayer of His Foes, recovered his kingdom and ruled over his subjects. O Descendant of Raghu, this is the beautiful site of that sacrifice performed by Kalmashapada about which you have enquired.”

Having heard the dreadful story of that monarch, Shatrughna, paying obeisance to that great Rishi, entered the leaf-thatched hut.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

That is by the grain scattered during the sacrifice.

[2]:

In some versions, Viryasaha