Anushasanika Parva — The creation of woman and the object thereof. The story of Vipula and Devasharman

Bhishma said It is true what you say, O you of mighty arms. There is nothing untrue in all this that you say, O you of Kuru's race, on the subject of women, O monarch!

About it I shall recite to you the old history of how in days of yore the great Vipula had succeeded in restraining women within the limits laid down for them.

I shall also tell you, O king, how women were created by the Grandfather Brahman and the object for which they were created by him.

There is no creature more sinful, O son, than woman. Woman is a burning fire. She is the illusion, o king, that the Daitya Maya created.

She is the sharp edge of the razor. She is poison. She is a snake. She is fire. She is verily, all these in a body. We have heard that all human beings beings are characterised by righteousness, and that they, in course of natural progress and improvement, attain to the dignity of god. This circumstance alarmed the celestials.

They, therefore, O chastiser of foes, assembled together and went to the Grandfather. Informing Him of what was in their minds, they stood silent before him with downcast eyes.

Having learnt what was in the hearts of the celestials, the powerful Grandfather created women with the help of an Atharvan rite.

In a former creation, O son of Kunti, women were all virtuous. Those however, that sprang from this creation by Brahman with the help of an illusion, became sinful. The Grandfather bestowed upon them the desire of enjoying all kinds of carnal pleasure.

Tempted by the desire of enjoyment, they began to pursue persons of the other sex. The powerful lord of the deities created Anger as the companion of Lust.

Persons of the male sex, yielding to the power of Lust and Anger, sought the companionship of women. Women have no especial acts laid down for them. This is the ordinance that was laid down.

The Shruti declares that women are gifted with the most powerful senses that they have no scriptures to follow, and that they are living lies. Beds, seats, ornaments, food and drink and the absence of all that is respectable and righteous, indulgence in disagreeable words, and love of sexual companionship these were bestowed by Brahman upon women. Men are quite unable to restrain them within limits.

The Creator himself is incapable of keeping them within proper limits, what need then be said of men?

This, O chief of men, I heard in former days viz., how Vipula had succeeded in protecting his preceptor's wife in ancient times.

There was in days of yore a highly blessed Rishi of the name of Devasharman of great fame. He had a wife of name Ruchi, who was peerless on Earth in beauty.

Her loveliness intoxicated every one among the celestials and Gandharvas and Danavas. The chastiser of Paka, viz., Indra, the destroyer of Vritra, O king, was in particular enamoured of her and coveted her body.

The great ascetic Devasharman fully knew the disposition of women. He therefore, to the best of his power and energy, protected her.

The Rishi knew that Indra had not scruples in seeking the companionship of other people's wives. It was therefore, that he used to protect his wife, putting forth all his power.

Once on a time. O son, the Rishi became desirous of celebrating a sacrifice. He began to think of how (during his own absence from home) his wife could be protected.

Gifted with high ascetic merit, he at last hit upon the course he should adopt. Summoning his favourite disciple whose name was Vipula and who was of Bhrigu's family, he said as follows.

Devasharman said I shall leave home in order to celebrate a sacrifice. The king of the celestials always covets this Ruchi of mine. Do you, during my absence, protect her, displaying all your power.

You shall pass your time carefully in view of Purandara. O foremost one of Bhrigu's race, that Indra assumes various forms.

Bhishma said Thus addressed by his preceptor, the ascetic Vipula, with senses restrained, always engaged in severe penances, possessed of the splendour, O king, of fire or the sun, conversant with all the duties of virtue, and ever truthful in speech, answered him, saying So be it! Once more, however, as his preceptor was about to start, Vipula asked him in these words.

Vipula said Tell me, O Muni, what forms does Shakra assume when he comes. Of what kinds is his body and what is his energy? You should tell me all this.

Bhishma said The illustrious Rishi then truly described to the great Vipula all the illusions of Shakra, O Bharata.

Devasharman said The powerful chastiser of Paka, . regenerate Rishi, is full of illusion. Every moment he assumes those forms that he chooses.

Sometimes he wears a diadem and holds the thunderbolt. Sometimes, armed with the thunder bolt and wearing a crown on his head, he adorns himself with earrings. In a moment he changes himself into the shape and aspect of Chandala.

Sometimes he appears with coronal locks on his head; soon again, O son, he shows himself with matted locks, his person being clad in rags. Sometimes he assumes a goodly and huge frame. The next moment he changes himself into one of emaciated limbs and clad in rags. as

Sometimes he becomes fair, sometimes darkish, sometimes dark of complexion. Sometimes he becomes ugly and sometimes beautiful. Sometimes he appears as young and sometimes as old.

Sometimes he appears as a Brahmana, sometimes as a Kshatriya, sometimes as a Vaishya, and sometimes as a Shudra. Indeed, he of a hundred sacrifices appears at times as a person born of impure caste, that is, as the son of a superior father by an inferior mother or of an inferior father by a superior mother.

Sometimes he appears a parrot, sometimes as a crow, sometimes as a swan and sometimes as a koel. He assumes the forms also of a lion, a tiger or an elephant.

Sometimes he appears as a god, sometimes as a Daitya and sometimes he assumes the guise of a king. Sometimes he appears as fat and plump, sometimes as one whose limbs have been broken by the disordered wind in the system, sometimes as a bird, and sometimes as one of an exceedingly ugly form.

Sometimes he appears as a quadruped. Capable of assuming any form, he sometimes appears as an idiot shorn of all intelligence. He assumes also the forms of flies and gnats.

O Vipula, no one can make him out on account of these numberless disguises that he is capable of assuming. The very Creator of the universe is not equal to that feat.

He makes himself invisible when he likes. He is incapable of being seen except with the eye of knowledge. The king of the celestials sometimes changes himself into the wind.

The chastiser of Paka always assumes these disguises. Do you therefore, O Vipula protect this slender-waisted wife of mine with great care. intent upon

O foremost one of Bhrigu's race, do you take every care for seeing that the king of the celestials may not defile this wife of mine like a wretched dog licking the Havi kept in view of a sacrifice.

Having said these words, the highly blessed ascetic viz., Devasharman, celebrating a sacrifice, started from his abode, O chief of the Bharatas.

Hearing these words of his preceptor, Vipula began to think, I shall certainly protect this lady in every respect from the powerful king of the celestials.

But what should be the means? What can I do for protecting the wife of my preceptor? The king of the celestials is endued with large powers of illusion. Gifted with great energy, he is difficult of being resisted.

Indra cannot be kept out by enclosing this retreat of ours or fencing this yard, since he is capable of assuming numberless forms.

Assuming the form of the wind, the king of the celestials may assault the wife of my preceptor. The best course, therefore, for me, would be to enter the body of this lady and remain there.

By displaying my prowess I shall not be able to protect the lady, for the powerful chastiser of Paka, it has been heard by me, is capable of assuming any form he likes.

I shall, therefore, protect this one from Indra by my Yogapower. For satisfying my object I shall with my body enter the body of this lady.

If my preceptor on return, sees his wife defiled, he will, forsooth, curse me through anger, for endued with great ascetic merit, he is gifted with spiritual vision.

This lady is incapable of being protected in the way in which other women are protected by men, since the king of the celestials is gifted with large powers of illusion. Alas, the situation is very critical.

The command of my preceptor should certainly be obeyed by me. If, therefore, I protect her by my Yogapower, the feat will be considered by all as a wonderful one.

By my Yogapower therefore, I shall enter the body of my preceptor's lady. I shall live within her and yet not touch her body like a drop of water on a lotus leaf which lies on it yet does not drench it at all.

If I be free from the touch of passion, I cannot incur any sin by doing what I wish to do. As a traveller, in course of his sojourn, takes up his quarters (for a while) in any empty house he finds, I shall, similarly live, this day within the body of my preceptor's lady. Indeed, with mind rapt up in Yoga, I shall live today in this lady's body.

Giving his best consideration to these points of virtue, thinking of all the Vedas and their branches and with eye directed to the penances which his preceptor had and which he himself also was possessed of, and having settled in his mind, with a view only to protect the lady, to enter her body by Yogapower, Vipula of Bhrigu's race, took great care (for accomplishing his object. Listen now to me, O king, as I recite to you what he did.

Gifted with great penances, Vipula sat himself down by the side of his preceptor's wife as she of faultless features was sitting in her cottage. Vipula then began to discourse to her for bringing her over to the cause of virtue and truth.

Directing his eyes then to hers and uniting the rays of light that came out from her organs of vision with those that issued from his, Vipula entered the lady's body even as the element of wind enters that of ether or space.

Penetrating her eyes with his eyes and her face with his face, Vipula lived, without moving within her invisibly, like her shadow.

Restraining every part of the lady's body, Vipula continued to live within her, intent on protecting her from Indra. The lady herself knew nothing of this.

It was in this way, o king, that Vipula continued to protect the lady till the time of his great preceptor's return after accomplishing the sacrifice which he had gone out to perform.