The Mahabharata/Book 1: Adi Parva/Section 183

Section CLXXXIII. ( *Chaitra-ratha Parva continued.* ) "The Gandharva continued, 'The Brahmana sage (Parāshara) thus addressed by the illustrious Vashishta controlled his wrath from destroying the worlds. But the Rishi Parāshara ended with great energy—the son of Shaktri—the foremost of all persons acquainted with the Vedas—performed a grand Rakshasa sacrifice. And remembering the slaughter of (his father) Shaktri, the great Muni began to consume the Rakshasas, young and old, in the sacrifice he performed. And Vashishta did not restrain him from this slaughter of the Rakshasas, from the determination of not obstructing this second vow (of his grandson). And in that sacrifice the great Muni Parāshara sat before three blazing fires, himself like unto a fourth fire. And the son of Shaktri, like the Sun just emerged from the clouds, illuminated the whole firmament by that stainless sacrifice of his in which large were the libations poured of clarified butter. Then Vashishta and the other Rishis regarded that Muni blazing with his own energy as if he were a second Sun. Then the great Rishi Atri of liberal soul, desirous of ending that sacrifice,—an achievement highly difficult for others,—came to that place. And there also came, O thou slayer of all foes, Pulastya and Pulaha and Kratu the performer of many great sacrifices, all influenced by the desire of saving the Rakshasas. And, O thou bull of the Bharata race, Pulastya then, seeing that many Rakshasas had already been slain, told these words unto Parāshara that oppressor all enemies. 'There is no obstruction, I hope, to this sacrifice of thine, O child? Takest thou any pleasure, O child, in this slaughter of even all those innocent Rakshasas that know nothing of thy father's death? It behoveth thee not to destroy my creatures thus! This, O child, is not the occupation of Brahmanas devoted to asceticism. Peace is the highest virtue. Therefore, O Parāshara, practise thou peace! How hast thou, O Parāshara, being so superior, engaged thyself in such a sinful practice? It behoveth not thee to transgress against Shaktri himself who was well acquainted with all rules of morality! It behoveth not thee to exterminate my creatures! O descendant of Vashishta's race, that which befell thy father was brought about by his own curse! It was for his own fault that Shaktri was taken hence unto heaven! O Muni, no Rakshasa was capable of devouring Shaktri; he himself provided for his own death! And, O Parāshara, Viswāmitra was only a blind instrument in that matter. Both Shaktri and Kalmāshpāda, having ascended to heaven, are enjoying great happiness. And the other sons also of the great Rishi Vashishta who were younger to Shaktri, are even now enjoying themselves with the celestials. And, O child, O offspring of Vashishta's son, thou hast also been, in this sacrifice, only an instrument in the destruction of these innocent Rakshasas! O blest be thou! Abandon this sacrifice of thine. Let it come to an end!—' "The Gandharva continued, 'Thus addressed by Pulastya as also by the intelligent Vashishta, that mighty Muni—the son of Shaktri—then brought that sacrifice to an end. And the Rishi cast the fire that he had iguited for the purposes of the Rakshasa sacrifice into the deep woods on the north of the Himavat. And that fire may be seen to this day consuming Rakshasas and trees and stones in all seasons.'" Thus ends the hundred and eighty-third Section in the Chaitra-ratha of the Adi Parva.