Curse me if it
please thee. I have told thee what the behaviour should be of a Rishi. I
do not deserve thy curse, O Devayani. But yet thou hast cursed me! Thou
hast acted under the influence of passion and not from a sense of duty.
Therefore, thy desire will not be fulfilled. No Rishi's son shall ever
accept thy hand in marriage. Thou hast said that my knowledge shall not
bear fruit. Let it be so. But in respect of him it shall bear fruit to
whom I may impart it.'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'That first of Brahmanas, Kacha, having said so
unto Devayani speedily wended his way unto the abode of the chief of the
celestials. Beholding him arrived, the celestials with Indra ahead,
having first worshipped him, spoke unto him as follows, 'Thou hast
indeed, performed an act of great benefit for us. Wonderful hath been thy
achievement! Thy fame shall never die! Thou shall be a sharer with us in
sacrificial offerings.'"

SECTION LXXVIII

(Sambhava Parva continued)

"Vaisampayana said, 'The dwellers in heaven became exceedingly glad in
welcoming Kacha who had mastered the wonderful science. And, O bull of
Bharata's race, the celestials then learnt that science from Kacha and
considered their object already achieved. And assembling together, they
spoke unto him of a hundred sacrifices, saying, 'The time hath come for
showing prowess. Slay thy foes, O Purandara!' And thus addressed,
Maghavat, then accompanied by the celestials, set out, saying, 'So be
it.' But on his way he saw a number of damsels. These maidens were
sporting in a lake in the gardens of the Gandharva Chitraratha. Changing
himself into wind, he soon mixed up the garments of those maidens which
they had laid on the bank. A little while after, the maidens, getting up
from the water, approached their garments that had, indeed, got mixed up
with one another. And it so happened that from the intermingled heap, the
garments of Devayani were appropriated by Sarmishtha, the daughter of
Vrishaparvan, from ignorance that it was not hers. And, O king,
thereupon, between them, Devayani and Sarmishtha, then ensued a dispute.
And Devayani said, 'O daughter of the Asura (chief), why dost thou take
my attire, being, as thou art, my disciple? As thou art destitute of good
behaviour, nothing good can happen to thee!' Sarmishtha, however, quickly
replied, 'Thy father occupying a lower seat, always adoreth with downcast
looks, like a hired chanter of praises, my father, whether h