was cast upon her sex).  There is no doubt that my mother is innocent.  She whom I have been commanded to slay is a woman.  That woman is again my mother.  She occupies, therefore, a place of greater reverence.  The very beasts that are irrational know that the mother is unslayable.  The sire must be known to be a combination of all the deities together.  To the mother, however, attaches a combination of all mortal creatures and all the deities.[1210]—­In consequence of his habit of reflecting long before acting, Gautama’s son Chirakarin, by indulging in those reflections, passed a long while (without accomplishing the act he had been commanded by his sire to accomplish).  When many days had expired, his sire Gautama’s returned.  Endued with great wisdom, Medhatithi of Gautama’s race, engaged in the practice of penances, came back (to his retreat), convinced, after having reflected for that long time, of the impropriety of the chastisement he had commanded to be inflicted upon his wife.  Burning with grief and shedding copious tears, for repentance had come to him in consequence of the beneficial effects of that calmness of temper which is brought about by a knowledge of the scriptures, he uttered these words, ’The lord of the three worlds, viz., Purandara, came to my retreat, in the guise of a Brahmana asking for hospitality.  He was received by me with (proper) words, and honoured with a (proper) welcome, and presented in due form with water to wash his feet and the usual offerings of the Arghya.  I also granted him the rest he had asked for.  I further told him that I had obtained a protector in him.  I thought that such conduct on my part would induce him to behave towards me as a friend.  When, however, notwithstanding all this, he misbehaved himself, my wife Ahalya could not be regarded to have committed any fault.  It seems that neither my wife, nor myself, nor Indra himself who while passing through the sky had beheld my wife (and become deprived of his senses by her extraordinary beauty), could be held to have offended.  The blame really attaches to the carelessness of my Yoga puissance.[1211] The sages have said that all calamities spring from envy, which, in its turn, arises from error of judgment.  By that envy, also, I have been dragged from where I was and plunged into an ocean of sin (in the form of wife-slaughter).  Alas, I have slain a woman,—­a woman that is again my wife—­one, that is, who, in consequence of her sharing her lord’s calamities came to be called by the name of Vasita,—­one that was called Bharya owing to the obligation I was under of supporting her.  Who is there that can rescue me from this sin?  Acting heedlessly I commanded the high-souled Chirakarin (to slay that wife of mine).  If on the present occasion he proves true to his name then may he rescue me from this guilt.  Twice blessed be thou, O Chirakaraka!  If on this occasion thou hast delayed accomplishing the work, then art thou truly worthy of thy name.  Rescue