He threw himself from the top of Mount Meru, but the rocks he fell upon became as soft as cotton. He plunged into a burning forest, but the fire did not even singe him. He jumped into the sea with a rock tied around his neck, but the waves lifted him and cast him upon dry land.

Vasishtha then bound himself hand and foot with strong rope and jumped into a mountain river swollen with rain. The river refused to kill him, and, loosening his bonds, cast him vipash, unbound, upon its banks. From this the river was given the name of Vipasha. We call this river the Beas today.

Vasishtha then threw himself into another river, flowing swift and fast and full of crocodiles. But the river refused to kill him and rushed away in a hundred directions. The river was thenceforth called Shatadru - the one that flows in a hundred streams. We call this river the Sutlej today.

Finding that he could not kill himself Vasishtha returned at last to his ashram in the forest. There he ran into the unfortunate King Kalmashpad, who was still possessed by the man-eating rakshasa. The King tried to eat Vasishtha, but Vasishtha, through the strength of his powers, chased away the rakshasa from his body, and delivered the king from the curse. Vasishtha then ordered him to return to his kingdom, to rule wisely and to pay Brahmins the respect that was their due.

Two Rivers
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