The Two Pulomäs and Agni's Cursing by Bhågu 
Süta Gosvämé continued: 
The son of Romaharñaëa, who was known to be a master of the sacred histories called Puräëas, approached the sages as they were assisting their leader Çaunaka in his twelve-year sacrifice at Naimiñäranya. Süta had worked hard to learn the Puräëic histories, which he knew so well. Respectfully folding his hands, he said to the sages, «What do you desire to hear? On what shall I speak?» 
The sages replied, «Son of Romaharñaëa, we shall inquire about the highest truth. We are eager to hear topics that connect us with the Supreme, but let us wait for the exalted Çaunaka, who is presently tending the sacrificial fire. He is fully conversant with spiritual topics, as well as topics relating to demigods, demons, human beings, snakes, and Gandharvas. Çaunaka is the leader of our community at this sacrifice. He is a learned and expert brähmaëa, firm in his vows, wise, and a qualified teacher of Vedic scriptures such as the Äraëyakas. He is honest, serene, austere, and fixed in regulated spiritual practice and is thus the most highly respected among all of us. Let us therefore first consider his preference in regard to our topic. When our teacher takes his honored seat, you may speak on whatever topic that most excellent brähmaëa requests.» 
Süta Gosvämé replied: 
«So be it. When that illustrious guru takes his seat and inquires from me, I shall speak on variegated and sacred topics.» 
Çaunaka, the best of brähmaëas, finished all his duties in their proper order and propitiated the demigods with the chanting of hymns, and the forefathers with the offering of food. He forthwith approached the successful and enlightened sages, who were sitting on the sacrificial grounds, with Süta Gosvämé in front. Seeing that the priests and assembly members, all of them strict in their vows, were properly seated, Çaunaka, the leader of that saintly group, then took his seat and spoke to Süta Gosvämé. 
Çaunaka said: 
Dear son, your father studied all the sacred histories. O son of Romaharñaëa, have you also studied them all? These ancient histories tell spiritual tales of the first generations of wise men and as such have been recounted since ancient times. We heard them in the past from your father. Among all these histories, I would first like to hear about the dynasty of Bhågu, the original brähmaëa. Please relate this story, for we are eager to hear from you. 
Süta Gosvämé said: 
O best of brähmaëas, those histories that great sages like Vaiçampäyana carefully studied and recited in the past were also thoroughly studied by my father and indeed by myself. Hear, then, of that illustrious dynasty of Bhågu, you who are a dear descendant of the same Bhågu. Even the gods, led by Indra, pay tribute to that dynasty, as do Agni and the lords of the wind. I shall describe to you, great seer, the colorful history of the Bhågu dynasty, as it is found in the ancient histories, O brähmaëa. 
The first descendant of Bhågu was his a beloved son Cyavana. Cyavana's son and heir was the virtuous sage Pramati. Pramati then begot Ruru in the womb of his wife Ghåtäcé, and from Ruru, who is your great-grandfather, the most virtuous Çunaka, master of the Vedas, took birth from the womb of Pramadvarä. Çunaka was a learned and famous ascetic, the best of the enlightened sages. He was fully virtuous and always spoke the truth, for he was devout in his worship and self-controlled. 
Çaunaka said: 
O son of a süta, how did Bhågu's son, the great soul Cyavana, acquire his name, so well known everywhere? Kindly explain this to me. 
Süta Gosvämé said: 
Bhågu had a greatly beloved wife, Pulomä, in whom he conceived a son endowed with Bhågu's own potency. O descendant of Bhågu, as the child grew normally in the womb of Pulomä, that respectable and religious wife who always treated others fairly, Bhågu, great among the upholders of virtue, left her at home and went out to perform a royal consecration. While he was away, a demonic Räkñasa also named Pulomä came to his äçrama. When he entered the äçrama and beheld the faultless wife of Bhågu, the Räkñasa was overwhelmed by lust and lost his mind. 
Upon seeing the Räkñasa arrive, the lovely Pulomä welcomed him with typical forest fare like fruits and roots and other such eatables. But simply by looking at her, the Räkñasa Pulomä was excited and his heart was fully tormented by lust. O brähmaëa, he yearned to kidnap that faultless woman. 
Noticing the sacrificial fire ablaze on the sacred ground, the demon asked the blazing fire, «Tell me, Agni, whose wife is this? I ask you on your honor, O fire, for you are the emblem of truth. Speak the truth to one who so inquires. I believe this lady of lovely complexion to be the very woman I once chose as my wife. But her father gave her away to Bhågu, who improperly accepted her. If this shapely woman, who stands alone here, is indeed Bhågu's wife, then you must declare it openly, for I wish to steal her from this äçrama. My heart has always burned with rage because Bhågu took that lovely-waisted woman who was first meant to be my wife.» 
The Räkñasa was not sure if the woman was actually Bhågu's wife, and so again and again he entreated the blazing sacrificial fire, asking him the same question. 
«O Agni, you ever exist within all creatures as a witness to their piety and sin. O wise one, speak words of truth. Bhågu falsely took away my intended wife, and if this is that same woman, then tell me so. You must declare the truth. As soon as I hear from you that she is truly Bhågu's wife, I shall take her from this äçrama before your very eyes, my dear sacred fire. Now speak the truth!» 
Afraid to speak a lie, and also fearing Bhågu's curse, Fire began to speak, slowly and carefully, revealing the identity of Bhågu's wife. «She is Bhågu's.» 
Upon hearing Agni's statement, the demon assumed the form of a huge boar and seized Bhågu's wife with the speed of the mind and the strength of the wind. But as soon as he grabbed Pulomä, her child rolled furiously out of her womb and thus became known as Cyavana, «the one who came forth.» Simply by seeing this powerful child rush forth from his mother's womb, the Räkñasa burst into flames. Releasing Bhågu's wife, he fell to the ground and burned to ashes. 
Shocked and aggrieved by this incident, the shapely Pulomä quickly picked up Bhågu's beloved child and ran. Lord Brahmä himself, the grandfather of all the worlds, witnessed Bhågu's faultless wife crying out, her eyes filled with tears, and he began to comfort that chaste young lady, whose teardrops, as they issued forth, formed a great river that followed her path. Seeing the river flowing along after her, Lord Brahmä named it «Bride's Brook» (vadhü-sarä) in the place where it ran towards the future äçrama of her son Cyavana. 
Thus Cyavana, the powerful son of Bhågu, was born. Upon seeing his son Cyavana and his furious wife, Bhågu too became angry and asked his faithful Pulomä, «When that Räkñasa decided to kidnap you, who told him your name? O sweet-smiling one, the demon surely did not know that you were my wife. Tell me the truth. Who revealed your identity? My anger is such that I wish to curse him this very moment! Who is that person who does not fear my curse? Who committed this offense?» 
Pulomä said: 
My lord, it was Agni who surrendered me to the Räkñasa. As I cried out like a kuraré bird, the Räkñasa led me away. I was saved only by this son of yours. By his power, the demon let go of me as he burned to ashes and fell dead on the ground. 
Süta Gosvämé said: 
When Bhågu heard this from Pulomä, a terrible wrath took hold of him, and he cursed Agni, the god of fire, declaring, «You, fire, shall eat all things!» 
Süta Gosvämé continued: 
Cursed by Bhågu, Agni too grew angry, and he spoke these words: «Brähmaëa! Why have you committed such a reckless act against me, when I strove to follow the law and spoke the truth impartially? When questioned, I spoke the facts. What, then, is my crime? A witness who knowingly speaks lies when questioned ruins seven generations of his family, past and future. And one who knows the truth in a matter of duty, and even knowing does not speak, is tainted by that very sin [of duplicity] without a doubt. 
«I also have the power to curse you, but I am bound to honor brähmaëas. Although you already know it, I shall clearly explain the situation. Please listen carefully. 
«By my mystic potency I divide myself into many flames, and thus I am present in various religious sacrifices, such as the Agni-hotra, Satra, and Makha, and also in other rituals and ceremonies. Thus even the demigods and forefathers are satisfied by offerings of clarified butter consumed within my flames, following the Vedic rites. 
«All the hosts of demigods and forefathers are venerable authorities in this world. Thus religious offerings on the new moon and full moon days are meant for both the gods and the forefathers, for they are generally worshiped as one, but are worshiped separately on the moon days. And even the demigods and forefathers always make offerings through me; hence I am considered the mouth of the thirty principal demigods and the forefathers. 
«The forefathers are offered sacrifice on the new-moon day, and the demigods on the full-moon day, and through my mouth they consume offerings of clarified butter. How, then, can my mouth eat all things, clean and unclean?» 
Reflecting on the matter, Agni withdrew himself from all the obligatory religious sacrifices and rituals, including the Agni-hotra. There was thus no chanting of the sacred Oà, Vañat, Svadhä, and Svähä mantras. And thus without Agni all creatures became very aggrieved. The sages, who grew very disturbed, then went to the demigods and spoke: «Now that fire is lost, religious processes have collapsed, and thus the three worlds, blameless in this matter, are falling to ruin. Do what needs to be done while we still have time.» The sages and gods then approached Lord Brahmä and delivered the news of the curse on Agni and his withdrawal from religious ceremonies. 
«O exalted one,» they said, «Bhågu has cursed Agni without reason. How can Agni, the mouth of the demigods, be cursed to eat all things? It is Agni who eats the first portion of that which the whole world offers in sacrifice.» 
Hearing their speech, Brahmä, the creator, called Agni and spoke to him these gentle and immortal words, meant for the welfare of the world: «You are the fountain of all planets, and you are their end. You sustain the three worlds and set the sacred rites in motion. O lord of the world, please act so that religious ceremonies are not cut off. Being a universal controller and the consumer of sacrificial offerings, why should you now be so confused? You represent purity in this world, and you pervade all creatures. You shall not eat all things with all your bodies. In your manifestation as a gross material ingredient, O blazing lord, your flames will burn all things. But as the sun purifies all things by the touch of its rays, similarly all that you burn by your flames shall become pure. 
«O fire of awesome potency, with that same potency please make the sage's curse come true, O mighty one. Accept and consume the demigods' portion also and your own when properly offered through your mouth in sacrifice.» 
«So be it!» replied Agni to the grandsire, and he departed to execute the instruction of the supreme demigod. 
The gods and sages happily departed, and all the sages began to perform the essential religious processes, just as they had before. The gods in heaven and all the earthly communities rejoiced. And Agni, his impurity cleansed, experienced the greatest happiness. Such is the very ancient history that arose from the cursing of Agni, the destruction of the demon Pulomä, and the birth of the sage Cyavana. 
The Story of Ruru and Pramadvarä 
Süta Gosvämé continued: 
Cyavana, the son of Bhågu, begot in the womb of Sukanyä the great soul Pramati, of fiery power. Pramati in turn begot Ruru in the womb of Ghåtäci, and Ruru begot Çunaka in his wife Pramadvarä. Dear brähmaëa, I shall describe in detail the activities of the greatly powerful Ruru. Please hear the story to its conclusion. 
Once there was a noble sage of tremendous austerity and wisdom who was always dedicated to the welfare of all creatures. His name was Sthülakeça, or «one of coarse hair.» At that time, O learned sage, it is known that the Gandharva king Viçvävasu had intercourse with the celestial Menakä, who abandoned the infant born to her in due course of time. Leaving her infant daughter on a riverbank near the äçrama of Sthülakeça, Menakä departed. 
That great and mighty sage saw the infant girl shining with the beauty of a young goddess as she lay helpless and uncared for on the deserted riverbank. Seeing the child in such a condition, that best of brähmaëas Sthülakeça was filled with compassion and took the child home and cared for her at his äçrama until she grew into a shapely and beautiful young woman. Recognizing her to be the most enchanting of women, endowed with full beauty and character, the great sage named his daughter Pramadvarä, «the finest of charming ladies.» 
The religious Ruru beheld Pramadvarä at Sthülakeça's äçrama and fell completely in love with her. Together with his friends, he encouraged his father to request the girl's hand, and thus Pramati went to see the famous Sthülakeça. The sage awarded his daughter Pramadvarä to Ruru and immediately set the wedding date for the time when the moon passes through the constellation known as Uttarä-phalguné, a date known to confer happiness upon lovers. 
A few days before the wedding, the young bride of lovely complexion, while playing with her girlfriends, did not see a sleeping snake stretched out before her. Thus impelled by time and destined to die, she trampled it with her foot, and the serpent, likewise driven by deadly time, plunged its venom-smeared fangs deep into the body of that most careless girl. No sooner had she been bitten than she fell to the ground unconscious and lifeless. She who had possessed such a beautiful form was now unattractive to look upon. But as she lay on the earth, lost in dreamless sleep, the tender-waisted virgin, felled by a serpent's venom, again became most beautiful. 
Her father and other ascetics saw her there, fallen and unmoving on the earth yet somehow bright like a lotus. Then all the important brähmaëas, deeply compassionate, quickly assembled there. Svastyätreya, Mahäjänu, Kuçika, Çaìkhamekhala, Bhäradväja, Kauëakutsa, Ärñöiñeëa, Gautama, Pramati with his son, and other forest dwellers all arrived on the spot. Seeing the lifeless young girl, felled by a serpent's poison, they cried out in heartfelt grief, and Ruruöfled inöanguish. 
Süta Gosvämé continued: 
As the brähmaëas sat there together, Ruru went deep into the forest and cried out in pain. Grief-stricken and wailing piteously again and again, Ruru remembered his beloved Pramadvarä and spoke these mournful words: «That delicate girl who lies on the earth arouses such grief in me and in all her relatives! What pain is there beyond this? If I have given charity in my life and practiced austerities, or if ever I prop-erly worshiped my elders and teachers, then by all the merit I possess let my beloved come back to life. From my very birth I have controlled myself and remained faithful to my vows, so in return for all that, may my lovely Pramadvarä rise up once more on this very day.» 
A messenger of the gods then spoke: 
O Ruru, the words you speak out of sorrow are in vain, O virtuous one, for a mortal whose lifetime has passed can have no extension of that life. The life of that poor girl, born of a Gandharva and an Apsarä, is now gone. Therefore, my dear son, do not in any way abandon your mind to grief. 
But the gods are great souls, and they have arranged a solution. If you accept it, you will regain Pramadvarä. 
Ruru said: 
What solution have the gods arranged? Tell me in truth, O sky-traveler, and I shall do as you say. You must help me! 
The messenger of the gods said: 
O Ruru, scion of Bhågu, offer half of your own life to that girl, and your bride Pramadvarä shall again arise. 
Ruru said: 
O most excellent sky-traveler, I do hereby offer half my life to this chaste girl, so finely dressed in the garments of love. Now please let my dear one arise! 
Süta Gosvämé said: 
Thereupon the Gandharva king and the celestial messenger, both most noble souls, approached the Lord of Justice and spoke to him these words: «O Lord of Justice, if you so approve, may Ruru's fair and noble wife, Pramadvarä, though dead, arise again with half of Ruru's duration of life.» 
The Lord of Justice said: 
Messenger of the gods, if you so desire then may Pramadvarä, the wife of Ruru, awaken endowed with half the duration of his life. 
Süta Gosvämé said: 
As soon as the Lord of Justice had thus spoken, the lovely and chaste young Pramadvarä arose as if from sleep, endowed with half of Ruru's life. In fact, through his austerities, the very powerful Ruru had accumulated an excessive duration of life, and thus it was preordained (by the cosmic rulers) that in the future his life would be diminished by half for his wife's sake. 
On the eagerly awaited day the fathers of the bride and groom happily performed the marriage and rejoiced, each wishing the other well. After so much anguish, Ruru obtained a wife who was as delicate as the filaments of a lotus. Remembering his pain, he vowed with firm determination to annihilate the snakes for their crooked ways. Any snake he saw filled him with cold fury, and picking up a weapon, he would always kill any snake that came within his range. 
Once the learned brähmaëa Ruru, having come to a great forest, saw lying before him an aged lizard. Raising a stick like the staff of Death, the furious brähmaëa struck the lizard, but the lizard cried out, «I've done you no wrong today, ascetic! Why then are you so enraged? Why angrily strike me, you whose wealth is austerity?» 
Ruru said: 
My wife, whom I hold as dear to me as my own life, was once bitten by a snake, and thereafter I uttered this terrible vow: «I swear that I shall kill any snake I see!» Therefore I am going to kill you now. You shall give up your life! 
The lizard replied: 
O brähmaëa, snakes that bite human beings are a different species altogether. You should not attack lizards, thinking them to be serpents. Lizards and snakes share the same troubles, but their purposes are different. They share identical sorrows, but their pleasures are different. You should therefore recognize the principles of justice and refrain from attacking lizards. 
Süta Gosvämé said: 
When Ruru heard these words, he thought the lizard to be a sage in disguise and became quite wary of striking it. In a most conciliatory manner, the exalted Ruru said to the lizard, «O reptile, kindly tell me who you really are, dressed in this lizard's body.» 
The lizard said: 
Formerly, Ruru, I was a sage named Sahasrapät, but because of a brähmaëa's curse I was forced to accept the body of a lizard. 
Ruru said: 
O excellent reptile, why was that brähmaëa so angry that he cursed you? And for how long must you retain this body? 
The lizard said: 
Once, dear friend, I had a brähmaëa friend named Khagama, who was accustomed to speaking sharply, being full of strength from his austerities. One day, while we were both still in our youth, I playfully fashioned a snake out of straw, and as Khagama sat absorbed in a fire sacrifice I frightened him with it, and he fainted away on the spot. My friend was a true ascetic who ever spoke the truth, being terribly strict in his vows, and thus when he regained consciousness his anger nearly burned me to ashes. 
«Because you made this impotent snake just to frighten me,» he raged, «so by my anger you yourself become an impotent snake!» 
O ascetic, my heart was in utter turmoil, for I knew well the power of his austerities. In great confusion I stood before him, devastated, my hands folded in submission. 
«My friend,» I cried, «whatever I did to you was just to have a laugh; it was only a joke. O brähmaëa, you must forgive me! I beg you to take back your curse!» 
Seeing that my mind was lost in fear, he sighed deeply again and again, and in much anxiety he said to me, «That which I have already spoken can never prove false. It shall come to pass regardless. But hear from me, you who are strict in your vows, that which I now speak. May these words remain in your heart, for you are a fellow ascetic whose only wealth is austerity. 
«There shall arise from Pramati a righteous son named Ruru. Upon seeing him, you shall be quickly freed of this curse.» 
You are that very Ruru, the righteous son of Pramati, and in fact (even as I speak) I have now regained my original form. I will tell you then, for your happiness, that nonaggression is the highest moral law for all living beings. A brähmaëa, therefore, should never injure any living thing. 
My friend, the scriptures declare emphatically that a brähmaëa is born in this world to be always kind to others, to learn the Veda and its supplements, and to lead all creatures to freedom from fear. The duty of a warrior is not at all prescribed for you, because a warrior must wield the rod of punishment, spell dread for the wicked, and physically protect all creatures. Hear from me, O virtuous Ruru, about the actual work of a kñatriya. In the past King Janamejaya was attempting to kill all the snakes in a sacrifice until finally the terrified serpents were saved by none other than a brähmaëa who was powerfully austere and in full command of the Vedas and their supplements. The name of that sage was Ästéka, O excellent brähmaëa. 
Ruru said: 
O best of the twice-born, how did King Janamejaya kill the snakes, and for what reason were they killed? Tell me also for what reason the brähmaëa Ästékaösaved the serpents. I want to hear the whole story. 
The sage said: 
You shall hear all of the great story of Ästéka, O Ruru, from the brähmaëas who narrate it. 
Süta Gosvämé said: 
Thus speaking, the sage vanished. Anxious to find the sage, Ruru ran all about the forest searching, until at last he fell exhausted upon the earth and slept. When he awoke, he returned home and narrated the incident to his father and asked for an explanation. Ruru's father, when thus requested, explained the entire story.