doubt, curse me through wrath, for
endued with great ascetic merit, he is possessed of spiritual vision.
This lady is incapable of being protected in the way in which other women
are protected by men, since the chief of the celestials is endued with
large powers of illusion. Alas, the situation in which I find myself is
very critical. The behest of my preceptor should certainly be obeyed by
me. If, therefore, I protect her by my Yoga-power, the feat will be
regarded by all as a wonderful one. By my Yoga-power, therefore, I shall
enter the body of my preceptor's lady. I shall stay within her and yet
not touch her person, like a drop of water on a lotus-leaf which lies on
it and yet does not drench it at all. If I be free from the taint of
passion, I cannot incur any fault by doing what I wish to do. As a
traveller, in course of his sojourn, takes up his residence (for a while)
in any empty mansion he finds, I shall, after the same manner, reside
this day within the body of my preceptor's lady. Verily, with mind rapt up
in Yoga, I shall dwell today in this lady's body!' Giving his best
consideration to these points of righteousness, thinking of all the Vedas
and their branches, and with eye directed to the large measure of
penances which his preceptor had and which he himself also was possessed
of, and having settled in his mind, with a view only to protect the lady,
to enter her person by Yoga-power. Vipula of Bhrigu's race took great
care (for accomplishing his purpose). Listen now to me, O monarch, as I
recite to thee what he did. Endued with great penances, Vipula sat
himself down by the side of his preceptor's spouse as she of faultless
features was sitting in her cottage. Vipula then began to discourse to
her bringing her over to the cause of righteousness and truth. Directing
his eyes then to hers and uniting the rays of light that emanated from
her organs of vision with those that issued from his, Vipula (in his
subtile form) entered the lady's body even as the element of wind enters
that of ether of space. Penetrating her eyes with his eyes and her face
with his face, Vipula stayed, without moving, within her invisibly, like
her shadow. Restraining every part of the lady's body, Vipula continued
to dwell within her, intent on protecting her from Indra. The lady
herself knew nothing of this. It was in this way, O monarch, that Vipula
continued to protect the lady till the time of his high-souled
preceptor's coming b