“Vaisampayana continued, ’Utanka, however, O monarch, once more, said these words,—­Do thou command me, O mother.  It is meet that I should do something that is agreeable to thee.’

“Ahalya said, ’Blessed be thou, bring for me those celestial ear-rings that are worn by the wife of Saudasa.  That which is due to thy preceptor will then be well-discharged.’  Replying unto her ’So be it,’—­Utanka departed, O Janamejaya, resolved to bring those ear-rings for doing what was agreeable to his preceptor’s wife.  That foremost of Brahmanas, Utanka, proceeded without any loss of time to Saudasa who had (through the curse of Vasishtha) become a cannibal, in order to solicit the ear-rings from him.  Gautama meanwhile said unto his wife,—­’Utanka is not to be seen today.’  Thus addressed, she informed him how he had departed for fetching the jewelled ear-rings (of Saudasa’s queen).  At this, Gautama said,—­’Thou hast not acted wisely.  Cursed (by Vasishtha), that king (who has been transformed into a man-eater) will verily slay Utanka.’

“Ahalya said, ’Without knowing this, O holy one, I have set Utanka to this task.  He shall not, however, incur any danger through thy grace.  Thus addressed by her, Gautama said,—­’Let it be so!’ Meanwhile, Utanka met king Saudasa in a deserted forest.’”

SECTION LVII

“Vaisampayana said, “Beholding the king, who had become so, of frightful mien, wearing a long beard smeared with the blood of human beings, the Brahmana Utanka, O king, did not become agitated.  That monarch of great energy, inspiring terror in every breast and looking like a second Yama, rising up, addressed Utanka, saying,—­’By good luck, O best of Brahmanas, thou hast come to me at the sixth hour of the day when I am in search of food.’

“Utanka said, ’O king, know that I have come hither in course of my wanderings for the sake of my preceptor.  The wise have said that I while one is employed for the sake of one’s preceptor, one should not be injured.’

“The king said, ’O best of Brahmanas, food has been ordained for me at the sixth hour of the day.  I am hungry.  I cannot, therefore, allow thee to escape today.’

“Utanka said, ’Let it be so, O king.  Let this compact be made with me.  After I have ceased to wander for my preceptor, I shall once more come and place myself within thy power.  It has been heard by me, O best of kings, that the object I seek for my preceptor is under thy control, O monarch.  Therefore, O ruler of men, I solicit thee for it.  Thou daily givest many foremost of gems unto superior Brahmanas.  Thou art a giver, O chief of men, from whom gifts may be accepted, know that I too am a worthy object of charity present before thee, O best of kings.  Having accepted from thee in gift that object for my preceptor which is under thy control, I shall, O king, in consequence of my compact, once more come back to thee and place myself under thy power.  I assure thee truly of this.  There is no falsehood in this.  Never before have I spoken anything untrue, no, not even in jest.  What shall I say then of other occasions?’