He is also their priest.  He should, therefore, take nothing save things that are pure and clean.  At times, however, that great god becomes a consumer of everything.  Know that I have now become even like him in that respect.’  Hearing these words of the great Rishi, the Chandala answered him, saying, ’Listen to me.  Having heard the words of truth that I say, act in such a way that thy religious merit may not perish.  Hear, O regenerate Rishi, what I say unto thee about thy duty.  The wise say that a dog is less clean than a jackal.  The haunch, again, of a dog is a much worse part than other parts of his body.  This was not wisely resolved by thee, therefore, O great Rishi, this act that is inconsistent with righteousness, this theft of what belongs to a Chandala, this theft, besides, of food that is unclean.  Blessed be thou, do thou look for some other means for preserving thy life.  O great sage, let not thy penances suffer destruction in consequence of this thy strong desire for dog’s meat.  Knowing as thou dost the duties laid down in the scriptures, thou shouldst not do an act whose consequence is a confusion of duties.[431] Do not cast off righteousness, for thou art the foremost of all persons observant of righteousness.’  Thus addressed, O king, the great Rishi Viswamitra, afflicted by hunger, O bull of Bharata’s race, once more said, ’A long time has passed away without my having taken any food.  I do not see any means again for preserving my life.  One should, when one is dying, preserve one’s life by any means in one’s power without judging of their character.  Afterwards, when competent, one should seek the acquisition of merit.  The Kshatriyas should observe the practices of Indra.  It is the duty of the Brahmanas to behave like Agni.  The Vedas are fire.  They constitute my strength.  I shall, therefore, eat even this unclean food for appeasing my hunger.  That by which life may be preserved should certainly be accomplished without scruple.  Life is better than death.  Living, one may acquire virtue.  Solicitous of preserving my life, I desire, with the full exercise of my understanding, to eat this unclean food.  Let me receive thy permission.  Continuing to live I shall seek the acquisition of virtue and shall destroy by penances and by knowledge the calamities consequent on my present conduct, like the luminaries of the firmament destroying even the thickest gloom.’

“The Chandala said, ’By eating this food one (like thee) cannot obtain long life.  Nor can one (like thee) obtain strength (from such food), nor that gratification which ambrosia offers.  Do thou seek for some other kind of alms.  Let not thy heart incline towards eating dog’s meat.  The dog is certainly an unclean food to members of the regenerate classes.’

“Viswamitra said, ’Any other kind of meat is not to be easily had during a famine like this.  Besides, O Chandala, I have no wealth (wherewith to buy food).  I am exceedingly hungry.  I cannot move any longer.  I am utterly hopeless.  I think that all the six kinds of taste are to be found in that piece of dog’s meat.’