we beheld a Brahmana of rigid vows, and exceedingly handsome, studying the Vedas in solitude.  The whole forest (in which he was sitting) seemed to be covered with his ascetic splendour.  He seemed to have illuminated the whole region like the Sun himself.  Beholding his ascetic devotion of that nature and his wonderful beauty, we alighted in that region, in order to disturb his meditations.  Myself and Saurabheyi and Samichi and Vudvuda and Lata, approached that Brahmana, O Bharata, at the same time.  We began to sing and smile and otherwise tempt that Brahmana.  But, O hero, that Brahmana (youth) set not his heart even once upon us.  His mind fixed on pure meditation, that youth of great energy suffered not his heart to waver, O bull among Kshatriyas, the glance he cast upon us was one of wrath.  And he said, staring at us, ’Becoming crocodiles, range ye the waters for a hundred years.’”

SECTION CCXIX

(Arjuna-vanavasa Parva continued)

“Vaisampayana said, ’Varga continued, ’We were then, O foremost one of Bharata’s race, deeply distressed at this curse.  We sought to propitiate that Brahmana of ascetic wealth that departed not from his vow.  Addressing him, we said, ’Inflated with a sense of our beauty and youth, and urged by the god of desire, we have acted very improperly.  It behoveth thee, O Brahmana, to pardon us!  Truly, O Brahmana, it was death to us that we had at all come hither to tempt thee of rigid vows and ascetic wealth.  The virtuous, however, have said that women should never be slain.  Therefore grow thou in virtue.  It behoveth thee not to slay us so.  O thou that art conversant with virtue, it hath been said that a Brahmana is ever the friend of every creature.  O thou of great prosperity, let this speech of the wise become true.  The eminent always protect those that seek protection at their hands.  We seek thy protection.  It behoveth thee to grant us pardon.’

“Vaisampayana continued, ’Thus addressed, that Brahmana of virtuous soul and good deeds and equal in splendour, O hero, unto the sun or the moon, became propitious unto them.  And the Brahmana said, ’The words hundred and hundred thousand are all indicative of eternity.  The word hundred, however, as employed by me is to be understood as a limited period and not indicative of a period without end.  Ye shall, therefore, becoming crocodiles, seize and take away men (for only a hundred years as explained by me).  At the end of that period, an exalted individual will drag you all from water to the land.  Then ye will resume your real forms.  Never have I spoken an untruth even in jest.  Therefore, all that I have said must come to pass.  And those sacred waters (within which I assign you your places), will, after you will have been delivered by that individual, become known all over the world by the name of Nari-tirthas (or sacred waters connected with the sufferings and the deliverance of females), and all of them shall become sacred and sin cleansing in the eyes of the virtuous and the wise.’