occupied him was of the means by which he could avoid immediate death.  He beheld, O king, a large piece of flesh, of a dog that had recently been slain with a weapon, spread on the floor of a Chandala’s hut.  The sage reflected and arrived at the conclusion that he should steal that meat.  And he said unto himself, ’I have no means now of sustaining life.  Theft is allowable in a season of distress for even an eminent person.  It will not detract from his glory.  Even a Brahmana for saving his life may do it.  This is certain.  In the first place one should steal from a low person.  Failing such a person one may steal from one’s equal.  Failing an equal, one may steal from even an eminent and righteous man.  I shall then, at this time when my life itself is ebbing away, steal this meat.  I do not see demerit in such theft.  I shall, therefore, rob this haunch of dog’s meat.’  Having formed this resolution, the great sage Viswamitra laid himself down for sleep in that place where the Chandala was.  Seeing some time after that the night had advanced and that the whole Chandala hamlet had fallen asleep, the holy Viswamitra, quietly rising up, entered that hut.  The Chandala who owned it, with eyes covered with phlegm, was lying like one asleep.  Of disagreeable visage, he said these harsh words in a broken and dissonant voice.

“The Chandala said, ’Who is there, engaged in undoing the latch?  The whole Chandala hamlet is asleep.  I, however, am awake and not asleep.  Whoever thou art, thou art about to be slain.’  These were the harsh words that greeted the sage’s ears.  Filled with fear, his face crimson with blushes of shame, and his heart agitated by anxiety caused by that act of theft which he had attempted, he answered, saying, ’O thou that art blest with a long life, I am Viswamitra.  I have come here oppressed by the pangs of hunger.  O thou of righteous understanding, do not slay me, if thy sight be clear.’  Hearing these words of that great Rishi of cleansed soul, the Chandala rose up in terror from his bed and approached the sage.  Joining his palms from reverence and with eyes bathed in tears, he addressed Kusika’s son, saying, ’What do you seek here in the night, O Brahmana?’ Conciliating the Chandala, Viswamitra said, ’I am exceedingly hungry and about to die of starvation.  I desire to take away that haunch of dog’s meat.  Being hungry, I have become sinful.  One solicitous of food has no shame.  It is hunger that is urging me to this misdeed.  It is for this that I desire to take away that haunch of dog’s meat.  My life-breaths are languishing.  Hunger has destroyed my Vedic lore.  I am weak and have lost my senses.  I have no scruple about clean or unclean food.  Although I know that it is sinful, still I wish to take away that haunch of dog’s meat.  After I had filed to obtain any alms, having wandered from house to house in this your hamlet, I set my heart upon this sinful act of taking away this haunch of dog’s meat.  Fire is the mouth of the gods.