Agastya said:
1. Said thus by Rudra, all the gods and sages bowed to him; I too did the same.
2. After bowing thus, when I looked at him, I saw in his body Brahma.
3. I also saw in his heart Lord Narayana in an extremely minute form glowing like the sun.
4. Seeing this, all the sacrificing sages were wonder-struck and hailed him uttering the Sama, Rig and Yajur Vedas.
5. Then they asked Paramesvara (Rudra) how in one and the same god all the three gods are seen.
Rudra said:
6. Oh learned men! Whatever is offered in the sacrifice for me is shared by all the three of us.
7. Oh great sages! There is no diversity among us, and discerning people do not find any such thing.
8. Thus said by Rudra, Oh king! All the sages asked him about the purpose of Mohasastra (which deludes people).
The sages said:
9. You have produced a separate Sastra to stupefy the world. Be pleased to tell us why you have done this.
Rudra said:
10. There is in Bharatavarsa a forest called Dandaka. There a brahmana named Gautama was performing severe penance.
11. Brahma was very much pleased at this, and he asked the ascetic to seek a boon for him.
12. Thus asked by Brahma, the creator of the worlds, Gautama requested, ‘Give me abundance of crops and grain’. And Brahma granted it.
13-14. Getting this boon, the ascetic built a large hermitage at Satasrnga, and there he used to reap every morning the ripe grain and cook it at noon and offer sumptuous food to brahmanas.
15. He was doing this for a long time. Once a severe drought occurred which lasted twelve years.
16. Distressed at this drought and very much famished, all the sages in the forest went to Gautama.
17. Seeing them all in his hermitage, Gautama bowed to them and asked them to stay there.
18. They remained there eating a variety of food till the drought was over.
19. Then those sages felt a desire to undertake a pilgrimage.
20. Knowing this, a great sage Marica spoke to the sage Sandilya.
Marica said:
21. ‘Oh Sandilya! Sage Gautama is like our father. Without telling him, we should not leave this place, for penance (elsewhere)’.
22. When told thus, the sages laughed and said, ‘Have we sold ourselves to him by taking his food’?
23. Again they discussed of leaving the place and decided to do so. They also created a magical cow and left it at the hermitage.
24. Seeing that cow wandering in the hermitage, Gautama took some water in his hand and splashed it on its body.
25. Then that magical cow fell down like a drop of water.
26. Seeing it thus hurt, he turned to the sages starting to leave and asked them with reverence:
27. ‘Oh brahmanas! Please tell me why you are going to leave me, your devotee’.
The sages said:
28. ‘Oh sage! So long as the sin of killing the cow remains in you, we shall not eat your food’.
29. Told thus, Gautama, who knew what was righteous, asked them to tell him what the atonement was for the sin of having killed the cow.
The sages said:
30. ‘This cow is not dead but has only become unconscious. Bathed in the water of Ganga, it will doubtless rise up.
31. The atonement is only with regard to one that is killed. For this sin, only penance may be performed. Please do not be angry’. So saying they all left.
32. When they were gone, Gautama went to the great mountain Himalaya to perform severe penance.
33. For one hundred and one years I was worshipped, and, being pleased by that, I asked him to seek a boon.
34. He sought that the river Ganga in my matted hair be made to follow him.
35. I then let off the river from one part of my head and Gautama let it to the place where the cow was lying.
36. Washed by that water the cow rose up, and the river became great with holy water, and passing through sacred places.
37. Seeing that great wonder, the seven sages came there in aerial cars saying ‘Well done, well done.
38. Blessed are you, oh Gautama! Who is there equal to you in that you have brought this Ganga to this Dandaka forest?’
39. Then Gautama wondered as to how he had become the cause of hurting the animal.
40. He realized that it was all the result of the magic adopted by the sages (who had lived in his hermitage), and cursed them who were sages only in appearance.
