Beholding the water of Sarasvati purified by those Munis, the Rakshasas
(that had taken up their abode there), afflicted with hunger, sought the
protection of those Munis themselves. Afflicted with hunger, the
Rakshasas, with joined hands, repeatedly said unto those ascetics filled
with compassion, these words, 'All of us are hungry! We have swerved from
eternal virtue! That we are sinful in behaviour is not of our free will!
Through the absence of your, grace and through our own evil acts, as also
through the sexual sins of our women, our demerits increase and we have
become Brahma-Rakshasas! So amongst Vaisyas and Sudras, and Kshatriyas,
those that hate and injure Brahmanas became Rakshasas. Ye best of
Brahmanas, make arrangements then for our relief! Ye are competent to
relieve all the worlds!' Hearing these words of theirs, those ascetics
praised the great river. For the rescue of those Rakshasas, with rapt
minds those ascetics said, 'The food over which one sneezed, that in
which there are worms and insects, that which may be mixed with any
leavings of dishes, that which is mixed with hair, that which is mixed
with tears, that which is trodden upon shall form the portion of these
Rakshasas! The learned man, knowing all this, shall carefully avoid these
kinds of food. He that shall take such food shall be regarded as eating
the food of Rakshasas!' Having purified the tirtha in this way, those
ascetics thus solicited that river for the relief of those Rakshasas.
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