Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.4464

c9.4464

VIPULA III. A hermit who was born in the dynasty of Bhṛgu. There is a story showing how this hermit protected the wife of his teacher from Indra while he was the disciple of the hermit Devaśarmā, in Mahābhārata, Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 40. The story is given below: Ruci, the wife of the hermit Devaśarmā, was extremely beautiful. Devaśarmā was aware of the fact that Indra had often looked at his wife with covetous eyes. He had to perform a sacrifice. But he feared that if he went away from the hermitage his wife would be carried away by Indra. At last he called his beloved disciple Vipula and revealed the secret to him. The teacher told his disciple that Indra was a libertine as well as a magician and that he would appear in various forms to entice Ruci, and asked him to protect Ruci even at the cost of his life. Then Devaśarmā left the hermitage for the sacrifice.