The king, weary and parched with thirst, approached the sage whose body was covered in matted hair and a deerskin. In his desperate state, the king humbly begged for water. Yet, he found no grass, earth, or customary offerings, nor even a kind word or the usual water. Feeling disregarded and slighted, anger welled up within him. Never before had hunger and thirst afflicted him so deeply, and envy and wrath arose in his heart toward the Brahmin. Driven by his anger, the king placed a lifeless snake upon the sage’s shoulder and, leaving the hermitage behind, returned to his city. As he departed, he wondered to himself: “Is this one, whose senses are withdrawn and eyes closed, truly absorbed in meditation, or is it merely a pretense? What might be the case with those of the warrior class?” Meanwhile, the sage’s son, a child of extraordinary brilliance, was playing among his friends. Upon hearing that his father had been wronged by the king, he spoke in outrage: “Alas, what injustice by the rulers, who devour the offerings like gluttons! The offense committed against the master by the servants is like gatekeepers, or even dogs, against their lord. Though a kṣatriya by birth, he has been appointed by the brāhmaṇas as the guardian of the house; how then should such a doorkeeper be entitled to partake of the household’s provisions? Now that Kṛṣṇa, the Lord and guide for those who stray, has departed, I shall punish those who have broken the bridge of righteousness. Behold my power!” With his eyes reddened by anger, the young sage purified himself at the Kauśikī river and released a thunderbolt of words. “Thus, having transgressed the boundary, Takṣaka, urged by me, will bite this destroyer of the dynasty on the seventh day.” After pronouncing the curse, the boy rushed to his father’s hermitage. Seeing his father with a dead serpent draped around his neck, sorrow overcame him and he cried out loudly. Hearing his son’s lament, the Brahmin of the Āṅgirasa lineage slowly opened his eyes. Seeing the dead snake, he cast it aside and asked gently, “Child, why are you crying? Who has wronged you?” The boy explained everything that had transpired. Hearing that the king had been cursed undeservedly, the sage did not rejoice in his son’s action. He lamented: “Alas, what a great calamity you have caused today! Though the offense is small, the punishment is severe. You should not judge the king, O immature-minded one; by his invincible power, the people enjoy prosperity and safety from all sides. When the king, Naradeva, wielder of the chariot wheel, is disregarded, O dear one, the world will be overrun by thieves and, unprotected, will perish in an instant, like sheep without a shepherd. Today, sin comes upon us without interruption, as people plunder the wealth of those who have lost their protector; they kill each other, curse, rob, and seize cattle, women, and property. Then, noble dharma dissolves among men, along with the practices of varṇa and āśrama, which are rooted in the three Vedas; thereafter, those absorbed in wealth and pleasure, like dogs and monkeys, cause the mixing of castes. The king, guardian of dharma, is the great emperor Bṛhacchrava, a royal sage, a true devotee, who performed horse sacrifices. A sin has been committed against the innocent king by a child of immature understanding; may the Lord, the soul of all, forgive this offense. Even when insulted, deceived, cursed, abused, or killed, the devotees of the Lord do not retaliate against him, even if they possess the power to do so.” Thus, due to his son’s offense, the sage was filled with remorse. Though he himself had been wronged by the king, he did not dwell upon the offense. Generally, the virtuous in this world are placed in situations of duality by others; yet they neither grieve nor rejoice, for their reliance is upon the qualities of the self. The sage then instructed on proper conduct: “One should not lie down without washing the feet, nor with wet feet, nor with the head wet; nor should one eat food offered by others, nor lie naked, nor at the times of dawn or dusk. Always pure, clothed in clean garments, endowed with all auspiciousness, one should worship cows, Brahmins, fortune, and the infallible Lord before breakfast. Women and those possessing valor should worship with garlands, fragrances, offerings, and ornaments; having worshipped her husband, she should attend to him and meditate upon him as residing within her womb. If you uphold this unbroken vow of puṃsavana for a year, then a son who will defeat Indra shall be born to you.” Diti, of great resolve, agreed, saying, “So be it,” and received the seed from Kaśyapa, faithfully undertaking the vow. Indra, knowing his maternal aunt’s intention, served Diti, who dwelled in the hermitage, with attentive service. He regularly brought from the forest flowers, fruits, sacred grass, kusha, leaves, sprouts, clay, and water at the appropriate times. Yet, while she observed the vow, Hari, desiring to break it, served her in a crooked manner, like a deer in the form of a deer. But he did not find any breach in her vow, for she was steadfast. Indra then fell into intense anxiety, wondering by what means he might achieve his purpose. One evening, exhausted by the vow and having eaten, with her feet unwashed and not cleansed by water, Diti, confused by fate, fell asleep. Seizing that opportunity, Indra, master of yoga, entered Diti's womb by his yogic power while her mind was overcome by sleep. With his thunderbolt, he split the golden-hued embryo into seven parts; as each cried, he said to them again, “Do not cry.” As they were being split, all of them, with joined palms, said to him, “Why, Indra, do you wish to kill us, your brothers, the Maruts?” Kauśika replied, “Do not fear, brothers; you are dear to me. You are my attendants, the hosts of Maruts, devoted to me alone.” Diti’s embryo did not die, by the compassion of Śrīnivāsa; though struck repeatedly by the thunderbolt, just as you survived the weapon of Drona. By worshipping the primeval person even once, a person attains equality; for nearly a year, Hari was worshipped by Diti.