emost of Rishis, Agastya, addressing them
all, said, 'Who has taken away the good stalks which I had extracted and
deposited here? I suspect some one amongst you must have done the act.
Let him who has taken them away give them back to me. It behoves you not
thus to misappropriate my stalks! It is heard that Time assails the
energy of Righteousness. That Time has come upon us. Hence, Righteousness
is afflicted. It is meet that I should go to heaven for good, before
unrighteousness assails the world and establishes itself here![427]
Before the time comes when Brahmanas, loudly uttering the holy Vedas,
within the precincts of villages and inhabited places, cause the Sudras
to hear them, before the time comes when kings often against the rules of
Righteousness from motives of policy, I shall go to heaven for good!
Before men cease to regard the distinctions between the lower, the
middle, and the higher classes, I shall go to heaven for good. Before
Ignorance assails the world and envelops all things in darkness, I shall
go to heaven for good.[428] Before the time comes when the strong begin
to lord it over the weak and treat them as slaves, I shall go to heaven
for good. Indeed, I dare not remain on earth for witnessing these
things.' The Rishis, much concerned at what he said, addressed that great
ascetic and said, 'We have not stolen thy stalks! Thou shouldst not
harbour these suspicions against us. O great Rishi, we shall take the
most frightful oaths!' Having said these words, conscious of their own
innocence, and desirous of upholding the cause of righteousness, those
Rishis and sages of royal descent then began to swear, one after another,
the following oaths.

"'"Bhrigu said, 'Let him who has stolen thy stalks censure when censured,
assail when assailed, and eat the flesh that is attached to the back-bone
of animals (slaughtered in sacrifice)!'[429]

"'"Vasishtha said, 'Let him who has stolen thy stalks neglect his Vedic
studies, leash hounds, and having taken himself to the mendicant order
live in a city or town!'[430]

"'"Kasyapa said, 'Let him who has stolen thy stalks sell all things in all
places, misappropriate deposits, and give false evidence!'

"'"Gautama said, 'Let him who has stolen thy stalks live, displaying pride
in all things, with an understanding that does not see all creatures with
an equal eye, and always yielding himself to the influence of desire and
wrath! Let him be a cultivator of the soil