she became with child. That same hind had really
been a daughter of the gods, and had been told of
yore by the holy Brahma, the creator of the worlds,
“Thou shall be a hind; and when in that form,
thou shall give birth to a saint; thou shalt then be
freed.” As Destiny would have it, and as
the word of the creator would not be untrue, in that
same hind was born his (Vibhandaka’s) son a mighty
saint. And Rishyasringa, devoted to penances,
always passed his days in the forest. O king!
there was a horn on the head of that magnanimous saint
and for this reason did he come to be known at the
time by the name of Rishyasringa. And barring
his father, not a man had ever before been seen by
him; therefore his mind, O protector of men! was entirely
devoted to the duties of a continent life. At
this very period there was a ruler of the land of
Anga known by the name of Lomapada who was a friend
of Dasaratha. We have heard that he from love
of pleasure had been guilty of a falsehood towards
a Brahmana. And that same ruler of the world
had at that time been shunned by all persons of the
priestly class. And he was without a ministering
priest (to assist him in his religious rites).
And the god of a thousand eyes (Indra) suddenly abstained
from giving rain in his territory; so that his people
began to suffer and O lord of the earth! he questioned
a number of Brahmanas, devoted to penances, of cultivated
minds, and possessed of capabilities with reference
to the matter of rain being granted by the lord of
gods, saying, “How may the heavens grant us
the rain? Think of an expedient (for this purpose).”
And those same cultured men, being thus questioned,
gave expression to their respective views. And
one among them—the best of saints—spake
to that same king, saying, “O lord of kings!
the Brahmanas are angry with thee. Do some act
(therefore) for appeasing them. O ruler of the
earth! send for Rishyasringa, the son of a saint,
resident of the forest knowing nothing of the female
sex, and always taking delight in simplicity.
O king! if he, great in the practice of penances,
should show himself in thy territory, forthwith rain
would be granted by the heavens, herein I have no
doubt at all.” And, O king! having heard
these words Lomapada made atonement for his sins.
And he went away; and when the Brahmanas had been
appeased, he returned again, and seeing the king returned,
the people were again glad at heart. Then the
king of Anga convened a meeting of his ministers, proficient
in giving counsel. And he took great pains in
order to settle some plan for securing a visit from
Rishyasringa. And, O unswerving (prince)! with
those ministers, who were versed in all branches of
knowledge, and exceedingly proficient in worldly matters,
and had a thorough training in practical affairs,
he at last settled a plan (for gaining his object).
And then he sent for a number of courtesans, women
of the town, clever in everything. And when they
came, that same ruler of the earth spake to them,