thee. Therefore answer thou truly.'"

"Sauti continued, 'The Seven flamed god having heard these words of the
Rakshasa became exceedingly distressed, being afraid of telling a
falsehood and equally afraid of Bhrigu's curse. And the god at length
made answer in words that came out slowly. 'This Puloma was, indeed,
first chosen by thee, O Rakshasa, but she was not taken by thee with holy
rites and invocations. But this far-famed lady was bestowed by her father
on Bhrigu as a gift from desire of blessing. She was not bestowed on thee
O Rakshasa, this lady was duly made by the Rishi Bhrigu his wife with
Vedic rites in my presence. This is she--I know her. I dare not speak a
falsehood. O thou best of the Rakshasas, falsehood is never respected in
this world.'"

SECTION VI

(Pauloma Parva continued)

"Sauti said, 'O Brahmana, having heard these words from the god of fire,
the Rakshasa assumed the form of a boar, and seizing the lady carried her
away with the speed of the wind--even of thought. Then the child of
Bhrigu lying in her body enraged at such violence, dropped from his
mother's womb, for which he obtained the name of Chyavana. And the
Rakshasa perceiving the infant drop from the mother's womb, shining like
the sun, quitted his grasp of the woman, fell down and was instantly
converted into ashes. And the beautiful Pauloma, distracted with grief, O
Brahmana of the Bhrigu race, took up her offspring Chyavana, the son of
Bhrigu and walked away. And Brahma, the Grandfather of all, himself saw
her, the faultless wife of his son, weeping. And the Grandfather of all
comforted her who was attached to her son. And the drops of tears which
rolled down her eyes formed a great river. And that river began to follow
the foot-steps of the wife of the great ascetic Bhrigu. And the
Grandfather of the worlds seeing that river follow the path of his son's
wife gave it a name himself, and he called it Vadhusara. And it passeth
by the hermitage of Chyavana. And in this manner was born Chyavana of
great ascetic power, the son of Bhrigu.

"And Bhrigu saw his child Chyavana and its beautiful mother. And the
Rishi in a rage asked her, 'By whom wast thou made known to that Rakshasa
who resolved to carry thee away? O thou of agreeable smiles, the Rakshasa
could not know thee as my wile. Therefore tell me who it was that told
the Rakshasa so, in order that I may curse him through anger.' And
Pauloma replied, 'O possessor of the six attr