As I
am a girl, O father, destitute of thee, I shall be helpless and plunged
in woe, and shall have to go everywhere. It is therefore that I am
resolved to rescue my father's race and share the merit of that act by
accomplishing this difficult task. If thou, O best of Brahmanas, goest
thither (unto the Rakshasa), leaving me here, then I shall be very much
pained. Therefore, O father, be kind to me. O thou best of men, for our
sake, for that of virtue and also thy race, save thyself, abandoning me,
whom at one time thou shall be constrained to part from. There need be no
delay, O father, in doing that which is inevitable. What can be more
painful than that, when thou hast ascended to heaven, we shall have to go
about begging our food, like dogs, from strangers. But if thou art
rescued with thy relations from these difficulties, I shall then live
happily in the region of the celestials. It hath been heard by us that if
after bestowing thy daughter in this way, thou offerest oblations to the
gods and the celestials, they will certainly be propitious.'

"Vaisampayana continued, 'The Brahmana and his wife, hearing these
various lamentations of their daughter, became sadder than before and the
three began to weep together. Their son, then, of tender years, beholding
them and their daughter thus weeping together, lisped these words in a
sweet tone, his eyes having dilated with delight, 'Weep not, O father,
nor thou, O mother, nor thou O sister!' And smilingly did the child
approach each of them, and at last taking up a blade of grass said in
glee, 'With this will I slay the Rakshasa who eateth human beings!'
Although all of them had been plunged in woe, yet hearing what the child
lisped so sweetly, joy appeared on their faces. Then Kunti thinking that
to be the proper opportunity, approached the group and said these words.
Indeed, her words revived them as nectar reviveth a person that is dead.'"

SECTION CLXII

(Vaka-vadha Parva continued)

'Kunti said, 'I desire to learn from you the cause of this grief, for I
will remove it, if possible.'

"The Brahmana replied, 'O thou of ascetic wealth, thy speech is, indeed
worthy of thee. But this grief is incapable of being removed by any human
being. Not far from this town, there liveth a Rakshasa of the name of
Vaka, which cannibal is the lord of this country and town. Thriving on
human flesh, that wretched Rakshasa endued with great strength ruleth
this country. He being th