The Mahabharata/Book 1: Adi Parva/Section 6

Section VI. ( Pauloma Parva continued. )

Sauti said:—"O Brahmana, having heard these words of the god of fire, the Rakshasa assumed the form of a boar, and seizing the lady carried her away with the speed of the wind, even of thought. Then the child of Bhrigu residing in her body enraged at such violence, dropped from his mother's womb, for which he obtained the name of Chyavana. And the Rakshasa perceiving the infant drop from the mother's womb, shining like the sun, quitted his grasp of the woman and fell down and was instantly converted into ashes. And the beautiful Pulomā distracted with grief, O Brahmana of the Bhrigu race, took up her offspring Chyavana the son of Bhrigu and walked away. And Brahmā, the Grand-father of all, himself saw her, the faultless wife of his son, weeping with eyes full of tears. And the Grand-father of all comforted her who was wedded to his son. And of the drops of tears which fell from her eyes was formed a great river. And that river began to follow the footsteps of the wife of the great ascetic Bhrigu. And the Grand-father of the worlds seeing that river follow the path of his son's wife gave it a name himself, and he called it Vadhusarā. And it passeth by the hermitage of Chyavana. And in this manner was born Chyavana of great ascetic power, the son of Bhrigu.

"And Bhrigu saw his child Chyavana and its beautiful mother. And the Rishi in a rage asked her, 'By whom wast thou made known to that Rakshasa resolved to carry thee away? O thou of agreeable smiles, the Rakshasa could not know thee for my wife. Therefore tell me who it was that told the Rakshasa so, inorder that I may curse him from anger.' And Pulomā replied, 'O possessor of the six attributes, I was discovered to the Rakshasa by Agni (the god of fire). And he bore me away crying like the Kurari (female Osprey.) And it was only by the ardent splendour of this thy son that I was rescued; for the Rakshasa (seeing this infant) let me go and himself falling to the ground was turned into ashes.'"

Sauti continued:—"Bhrigu upon hearing this account from Pulomā became exceedingly enraged. And in excess of passion the Rishi cursed Agni, saying, 'Thou shalt eat of all things.'"

So ends the sixth Section called "the curse on Agni" in the Adi Parva.