solved, when the Rishi divined by his yogic power that it was the unborn child in her womb that had been reciting the Vedas! Glad that there was at least someone to propagate his race, the Rishi became consoled.
Much
later, the Rishi saw the Rakshasa Kalmashapada in the forest. When the demon
saw the sage, he tried to attack him with the intent of eating him. By his
Yogic powers, the sage destroyed the Rakshasa spirit Kinkara and freed the King
from his curse. The King, restored to his original form, fell at the feet of
the sage and begged his forgiveness for his transgressions.
Basistha
said, "I have already forgiven you, for I know that your actions were the
direct result of the curse. Go to your kingdom and rule justly, and never
insult Brahmanas any more."
The
King said, "I have one more request to make of you. I am unable to obtain
issue to propagate my race. The scriptures allow a royal line to be continued
by the means of an issue obtained from a Brahmana, so you must act as the
savior of my race."
Granting
the Kings request, the Rishi went unto his queen Madayanti, as a result of
which she became pregnant. Her pregnancy endured for twelve long years, at the
end of which, unable to contain her impatience, she broke open her womb by a
piece of stone. The son born thus was named Asmaka, and he later founded the
city-state of Paudanya.
While
Kalmashapada had been turned into the flesh eating Rakshasa, he had devoured a
Brahmana while he and his wife while they were enjoying each other. The wife
then cursed the King, and said, "Since you have interrupted our love
making and devoured this husband of mine, you will not be able to approach your
wife with amorous intent. Your race can be propagated only by your greatest
enemy."
This
was the reason why his race had to be continued by the means of Basistha.]
The son born to Adrisyanti was named Parasara. He learned the scriptures under the guidance of his grandfather. He used to think that his grandfather was his father. When his mother heard him addressing Basistha as father, she told him that his real father had been devoured by a Rakshasa, and that Basistha was only his grandfather. When Parasara heard this story, he decided to perform a sacrifice
