तीर्थयात्रा पर्व — ऋष्यशृंग की कथा

Vibhandaka said: O son, they are Rakshashas. They walk about here in wonderfully beautiful forms. Their prowess is matchless and their beauty is extraordinary. They always think think upon obstructing asceticism.

O child, assuming beautiful forms they allure (men) by various means. These fearful beings hurl the Rishis in the forest from the blissful regions.

The self-controlled Rishis who desire to obtain the region of the righteous never serve them. Those sinful beings take pleasure in obstructing the practices of the ascetics and (therefore) the ascetics do not see them.

O son, those are intoxicating liquors, they are drunk by unrighteous men and they are unworthy to be drunk (by good men). These fragrant, bright and many coloured garlands are not for the ascetics.

Lomasha said: Having forbidden his son by saying “They are Rakshashas," Vibhandaka went in search of her. When after three days' search he did not find her, he then returned to his hermitage.

When again the son of Kashyapa went out to gather fruits, in the meanwhile, that courtesan again came to tempt the Rishi Rishyashringa.

As soon as Rishyashringa saw her, he became exceedingly glad and rushing towards her said “Let us go to your hermitage before my father returns.”

O king, thereupon making the only son of Kashyapa enter the boat by clever means, she unmoored it. She delighted him by various means and brought him before the king of Anga.

Taking the exceedingly white vessel from the water and placing it within the sight of the hermitage, she then made a beautiful forest, named “Floating Hermitage.”

But the king kept the only son of Vibhandaka in the female apartments. Then he saw that rain was suddenly poured by heaven and the world was flooded with water.

Having his desire fulfilled, Lomapada bestowed his daughter Santa on Rishvshrnga. And to appease the wrath of his father, caused kine to be placed on the roads and the fields to be tilled.

All along the way by which Vibhandaka would come (He placed) many beasts and many heroic keepers of those beasts, (ordering them thus) “When the Great Rishi Vibhandaka will enquire after his son, you must reply to him with joined hands, saying "All these cattle and all these tilled fields belong to your son. O great Rishi, what pleasing work of yours should we do? We are your servants we are as your commands."

In the meanwhile that greatly wrathful Rishi (Vibhandaka) returned to his hermitage after gathering fruits and roots. He did not find his son after a search and he became exceedingly angry.

Thereupon he became inflamed with anger and thought it to be the doing of the king (of Anga). Having made up his mind to burn the king, his city and his whole country, he therefore went towards (the city of) Champa.

Fatigued and hungry the son of Kashyapa arrived at the settlements of cowherds, rich with cattle. He was greatly honoured and adored by the cow-herds and he passed the night there like a king.

Having received very great hospitality from them, he asked them, “O cow-herds, to whom do you belong?” Thereupon they all came up to him and said, "All this wealth belongs to your son."

He was thus honoured at different places and he heard similar pleasing words. Thus is anger was much appeased. He entered the city and came to the king of Anga.

Having been worshipped by that foremost of men (the king), he saw his son who looked like Indra in heaven. He saw there also his daughter-in-law Santa who looked like a flashing lightning

Having seen the villages and the cow-pens belonging to his son and also having seen Santa, his great anger was appeased. O ruler of men, thereupon Vibhandaka expressed his great satisfaction with that ruler of earth.

Keeping his son there, that great Rishi, as effulgent as the sun or the fire, said "Having done all that would please the king and having begotten a son, you must come to the forest."

Rishyashringa did what his father said and went back to the place where his father was. O ruler of men, Shanta obediently waited upon him as Rohini waits upon Soma.

O, king as the blessed Arundhati waits upon Vasishtha or as Lopamudra waited upon Agastya. She to Rishyashringa as Damayanti was to Nala or as Sachi was to the wielder of the Vajra (Indra).

Or as Indrasena, the daughter of Narayana, was to Mudgala. O descendant of Ajamida, O ruler of men, thus did Shanta affectionately wait upon Rishyashringa in the forest.

This is the sacred hermitage that belonged to him. The great lake shows in beauty here, it has a holy fame. Bathing here get all your was desires fulfilled. O king, having purified yourself here, go to some other sacred Tirthas.