ce one should steal from a low person. Failing such a person one may
steal from one's equal. Failing an equal, one may steal from even an
eminent and righteous man. I shall then, at this time when my life itself
is ebbing away, steal this meat. I do not see demerit in such theft. I
shall, therefore, rob this haunch of dog's meat.' Having formed this
resolution, the great sage Viswamitra laid himself down for sleep in that
place where the Chandala was. Seeing some time after that the night had
advanced and that the whole Chandala hamlet had fallen asleep, the holy
Viswamitra, quietly rising up, entered that hut. The Chandala who owned
it, with eyes covered with phlegm, was lying like one asleep. Of
disagreeable visage, he said these harsh words in a broken and dissonant
voice.

"'"The Chandala said, 'Who is there, engaged in undoing the latch? The
whole Chandala hamlet is asleep. I, however, am awake and not asleep.
Whoever thou art, thou art about to be slain.' These were the harsh words
that greeted the sage's ears. Filled with fear, his face crimson with
blushes of shame, and his heart agitated by anxiety caused by that act of
theft which he had attempted, he answered, saying, 'O thou that art blest
with a long life, I am Viswamitra. I have come here oppressed by the
pangs of hunger. O thou of righteous understanding, do not slay me, if
thy sight be clear.' Hearing these words of that great Rishi of cleansed
soul, the Chandala rose up in terror from his bed and approached the
sage. Joining his palms from reverence and with eyes bathed in tears, he
addressed Kusika's son, saying, 'What do you seek here in the night, O
Brahmana?' Conciliating the Chandala, Viswamitra said, 'I am exceedingly
hungry and about to die of starvation. I desire to take away that haunch
of dog's meat. Being hungry, I have become sinful. One solicitous of food
has no shame. It is hunger that is urging me to this misdeed. It is for
this that I desire to take away that haunch of dog's meat. My
life-breaths are languishing. Hunger has destroyed my Vedic lore. I am
weak and have lost my senses. I have no scruple about clean or unclean
food. Although I know that it is sinful, still I wish to take away that
haunch of dog's meat. After I had failed to obtain any alms, having
wandered from house to house in this your hamlet, I set my heart upon
this sinful act of taking away this haunch of dog's meat. Fire is the
mouth of the gods. He is also their pries