22. I have been ever since residing in the recess of these woods, under the impression of my being changed to a stag; and feeding ever since upon the grass and herbs growing on the mountain top.
23. Here I saw once a body of troopers coming to a hunting excursion; and being then affrighted at the sight, I betook myself to flight.
24. They then laid hold of me, and took me to their place; where they kept me for some days for their pleasure, and at last brought me hither before Ráma.
25. I have thus related to you all the incidents of my life; and the magical scenes of the world, too full of marvelous events.
26. It is the production of our ignorance, which pervades over all things, and branches out into innumerable forms in everything that presents itself to our view; and there is nothing whatever to dispel this darkness, except by the light of spiritual knowledge.
27. Válmíki relates:—Then as Vipaschit had held his silence after speaking in this manner; he was accosted by the well minded Ráma with the following words.
28. Ráma said:—Tell me sir, how a person without any desire of his own, sees the object of another’s desire in himself; and could the deer thought of by yourself, come to the sight of others in Indra’s Paradise?
29. Vipaschit replied:—Let me tell you that the earth where upon the huge carcass had fallen, was once before trodden upon by Indra, with the pride of his performance of a hundred sacrifices.
30. There strutting along in his haughty strides, he met the anchorite Durvásas sitting still in his meditative mood; and believing him to be a dead body lying on his way, he knocked it down with his feet.
31. At this the angry anchorite threatened the proud god with saying:—O Indra! as you have dashed me with your feet by thinking me a lifeless corpse, so will a huge carcass shortly fall upon this ground and slash it to pieces and reduce it to dust.