Sauti said, ‘And Ruru, on hearing those words, replied, ‘My wife, dear to me as life, was bit by a snake; upon which, I took, O snake, a dreadful vow, viz., that I would kill every snake that I might come across. Therefore shall I smite thee and thou shalt be deprived of life.’ “And the Dundubha replied, ‘O Brahmana, the snakes that bite man are quite different in type. It behoveth thee not to slay Dundubhas who are serpents only in name. Subject like other serpents to the same calamities but not sharing their good fortune, in woe the same but in joy different, the Dundubhas should not be slain by thee under any misconception.’ “Sauti continued, ‘And the Rishi Ruru hearing these words of the serpent, and seeing that it was bewildered with fear, albeit a snake of the Dundubha species, killed it not. And Ruru, the possessor of the six attributes, comforting the snake addressed it, saying, ‘Tell me fully, O snake, who art thou thus metamorphosed?’ And the Dundubha replied, ‘O Ruru! I was formerly a Rishi by name Sahasrapat. And it is by the curse of a Brahmana that I have been transformed into a snake. And Ruru asked, ‘O thou best of snakes, for what wast thou cursed by a Brahmana in wrath? And how long also will thy form continue so?’” And so ends the tenth section of the Pauloma Parva of the Adi Parva. SECTION XI (Pauloma Parva continued) “Sauti continued ‘The Dundubha then said, ‘In former times, I had a friend Khagama by name. He was impetuous in his speech and possessed of spiritual power by virtue of his austerities. And one day when he was engaged in the Agni-hotra (Fire-sacrifice), I made a mock snake of blades of grass, and in a frolic attempted to frighten him with it. And anon he fell into a swoon. On recovering his senses, that truth-telling and vow-observing ascetic, burning with wrath, exclaimed, ‘Since thou hast made a powerless mock snake to frighten me, thou shalt be turned even into a venomless serpent thyself by my curse.’ O ascetic, I well knew the power of his penances; therefore with an agitated heart, I addressed him thus, bending low with joined hands, ‘Friend, I did this by way of a joke, to excite thy laughter. It behoveth thee to forgive me and revoke thy curse.’ And seeing me sorely troubled, the ascetic was moved, and he replied, breathing hot and hard. ‘What I have said must come to pass. Listen to what I say and lay it to thy heart. O pious one! when Ruru the pure son of Pramati, will appear, thou shall be delivered from the curse the moment thou seest him. Thou art the very Ruru and the son of Pramati. On regaining my native form, I will tell thee something for thy good.