he gods, and had been told of yore by the holy Brahma, the
creator of the worlds, "Thou shall be a hind; and when in that form,
thou shall give birth to a saint; thou shalt then be freed." As Destiny
would have it, and as the word of the creator would not be untrue, in
that same hind was born his (Vibhandaka's) son a mighty saint. And
Rishyasringa, devoted to penances, always passed his days in the forest.
O king! there was a horn on the head of that magnanimous saint and for
this reason did he come to be known at the time by the name of
Rishyasringa. And barring his father, not a man had ever before been
seen by him; therefore his mind, O protector of men! was entirely
devoted to the duties of a continent life. At this very period there was
a ruler of the land of Anga known by the name of Lomapada who was a
friend of Dasaratha. We have heard that he from love of pleasure had
been guilty of a falsehood towards a Brahmana. And that same ruler of
the world had at that time been shunned by all persons of the priestly
class. And he was without a ministering priest (to assist him in his
religious rites). And the god of a thousand eyes (Indra) suddenly
abstained from giving rain in his territory; so that his people began to
suffer and O lord of the earth! he questioned a number of Brahmanas,
devoted to penances, of cultivated minds, and possessed of capabilities
with reference to the matter of rain being granted by the lord of gods,
saying, "How may the heavens grant us the rain? Think of an expedient
(for this purpose)." And those same cultured men, being thus questioned,
gave expression to their respective views. And one among them--the best
of saints--spake to that same king, saying, "O lord of kings! the
Brahmanas are angry with thee. Do some act (therefore) for appeasing
them. O ruler of the earth! send for Rishyasringa, the son of a saint,
resident of the forest knowing nothing of the female sex, and always
taking delight in simplicity. O king! if he, great in the practice of
penances, should show himself in thy territory, forthwith rain would be
granted by the heavens, herein I have no doubt at all." And, O king!
having heard these words Lomapada made atonement for his sins. And he
went away; and when the Brahmanas had been appeased, he returned again,
and seeing the king returned, the people were again glad at heart. Then
the king of Anga convened a meeting of his ministers, proficient in
giving counsel. And he took gre